VIN-dicated

勇

2012-01-29T02:18:00.001+08:00

The year of dragon has really been roaring so far. I love my kids, I love my job. But really, there are times when I think work is devouring me just like a dragon gladly would.

I don't know why I can't work as well as my other colleagues. Why I can't produce my ERB on time like my laoda can. Why I can't produce interesting lessons. Why I feel guilty whenever I go out for coffee or a concert, thinking bout the pile of work at home. Why I feel like shit going back to work tomorrow, on a Sunday. And the next Saturday too. Oh yes and the 3 March, which coincidentally lands on a Saturday.

I really really like my work. Especially when I know I could offer a little comfort to unsettling kids, no matter how small. When I see their eyes focus on me during lessons when I offer little nuggets of facts, no matter how trivial. When they grab my hands and stop crying, no matter how short a time.

I just feel… maybe I am just really not up to it. And this sucks.

關於金錢

2012-01-06T23:46:00.007+08:00

人們說：“金錢乃萬惡之首。”說這句話的人，真是笨死了。

金錢本來就不壞。邪惡的是人性的貪念。
就像罌粟花。可以變作芬芳的香水，也可以變成戕害身心的鴉片。

但是金錢會給人帶來煩惱，那倒是真的。

Surreal

2011-12-31T02:45:00.003+08:00

2：46AM，2011年的最後一天。我竟然在工作，寫信給來年的學生家長。感覺...有點不真實，但也並非傷感。人老了，對於慶祝會啊，什麼的，都變得不太感興趣了。我反而自得其樂，反而忙得精彩，忙得充實，忙得快樂。

以前到了這個時候，都忙著相約朋友見面，吃飯，唱歌。今天，簡單地約了兩個許久沒見的高中同學，一男一女。說不上是莫逆之交，但都是很真實的人類。簡單的幾盤pizza，充滿笑聲的一杯咖啡。聊聊別人的閒話，說說近來的狀況，談談對未來的展望，感覺還不錯。

男生的友誼就是這樣吧。告別的時候，就這樣，一句“Bye bye, take care”就已經足夠了。不肉麻，不扭捏，很乾脆。

再過幾個小時，我們就要迎接傳說是末日之年的2012。
再過幾個小時，我們又要為新一年奮戰而作種種策劃。
再過幾個小時，我們又要許下一些不會落實的 New year resolution。
再過幾個小時，我就會改口告訴大家：“誒，小的今年26。”

你準備好了嗎？

當頭棒喝

2011-12-11T20:30:00.004+08:00

那天，W 說了一句：“你怎麼跟半個世界的人有仇？”

這個圈子真的有那麼多牛鬼蛇神？
還是因為我是一個 freak magnet？
抑或者我自己是個討人厭的人？

我也不是討厭他們。只是不屑於和他們打交道。
不過就是一群即幼稚又自命清高的紈絝子弟嗎，不然就是一些心理不太正常的妖人。

我應該也是一個很討人厭的傢伙。呵呵～

宿醉

2011-12-09T13:19:00.003+08:00

宿醉在昨日那驚魂未定的音符之中。

踏出考場才發覺牙齒因過度的咬合而酸痛。但緊張算得上是個充足的理由嗎？是理由還是借口？

經過了一夜，爛心情仍如同甩不掉的夢魘一般糾纏著。晨間新聞顯得無趣，黑咖啡變得無味，每個人看起來都面目可憎。

或許去捐捐血，念念佛，心裡會好受點吧。

節哀

2011-12-07T00:23:00.003+08:00

最近某位友人遭到心儀女子拒絕了。說不上為他感到難過，但確實覺得很可惜。

女生始終無法漠視旁人的揶揄和嘲諷，才會找友人對峙的。如果少了這些閒人的冷嘲熱諷，至少他們之間現在還不會那麼尷尬，至少友人還可以繼續默默喜歡女生。其中一位雞婆，我們叫她肥雞好了，還好意思去＂安慰＂友人，還說出了＂都沒開始，怎麼說吹了＂這類的鳥話。真想請她吃拖鞋。

不明白為甚麼人們總愛把這類感情上的事情當作玩笑。當我們向別人傾訴的時候，就像是在把自己紅腫的傷口赤裸地袒露出來。每一次的戲弄，就像是背叛了這個信任，無情地用裹滿鹽巴的手去挫傷這道疤痕。

這樣，我還會向任何人透露我心中那尚未崩壞的地方嗎？

Happiness for breakfast

2011-11-12T01:06:00.001+08:00

Today I was asked to tabulate the SA2 results for the whole P3 level to find the kid who has improved the most for Chinese Language. I was really happy when I realised that the person was none other than this really awesome boy in my class. I would never have thought that he flunked his SA1 exams. This time round, he made an improvement of over 30 marks.

It's really endearing to have supportive parents who affirm teachers for their efforts. She kept texting me to tell me that the boy is really motivated by this new and sometimes-really-blur teacher he has. But I really wonder how much of their success is due to my work.

Did they do so badly in SA1 because they've never had a full scale exam before?

Did they (and their parents), decided to get additional help upon seeing such horrifying results?

Did they genuinely think I taught well, or was I some kinda novelty?

Did their language abilities genuinely improve or did they just learn to handle exams?

Did I really do my best to help them achieve theirs?

Did they enjoy learning this half of the year?

There are so many unanswered questions and I felt that I was spared from Murphy's Law for this blessed half a year.

Nevertheless, it indeed is heartening to see them improve by leaps and bounds, and also them earnestly asking whether I'll be teaching them for P4. It's kinda sad when I had to tell em that it might not be possible.

I hope I can psycho myself to believe that it is indeed due to me and not some miraculous divine intervention. Soon.

One way ticket to the blues

2011-10-20T23:47:00.001+08:00

If there's one thing I don't like about joining musical groups, what would it be?

Nope, not the amateurish and silly politics. I mean, most of these groups are non profit organizations so I really don't understand why certain people fight tooth and nail over things. When such shit begins to bother me, I tell myself: "fatty-bon-bon, you have a life outside these groups. Why bother and make yourself so miserable?'"

Nope, it's not the amazing number of bitches you can find in such groups. Although they do get on my nerves sometimes. Maybe it's the nature of musicians. We all think ourselves so atas and cultured. But usually we are just really anal retentive people.

Nope, it's not the cliquish and exclusive nature of people in these groups either.

It is simply: selling tickets during concerts. This is the worst thing that happens in the planning stage of the concert. Of course this is second to screwing up the concert on stage lah.

The choice is obvious...

2011-10-09T23:17:00.001+08:00

Today at CSCO, we received news that for the February CO Marathon, we'll be performing with the orchestra that I was once so active in. And not surprisingly, HH came to ask me, "Eh, if people there come and ask you questions how?"

"Then answer them lor..."

"YA LAH! But answer them what? They are gonna ask why you are in CSCO and not there leh."

"Errrr. 'Cus my weekends are very precious. I don't wanna spend 3plus hours of my Saturday on public transport. AMK is so much more convenient."

Yup you heard me people. Don't ask ok? Peace. :)

And to you who thinks that I'm making excuses and "don't need to explain", screw you. Peace. :)

Doubts

2011-09-16T12:09:00.004+08:00

I'm facing a crisis of faith.

I am not doing a good job in the line that I (and many others) thought that I am most suited in. :(

Provisions

2011-08-30T12:57:00.003+08:00

My night light fused last night, so this morning I went to the provision shop to get myself a new bulb.

At the counter, an auntie was arguing with the young boss: “Huh，$12? 很貴咧。你們現在賣的東西都很貴。”

小老闆：“啊，沒有辦法咧，auntie。你看現在什麼東西都起價。我不起價，生意沒有辦法做。”

老 CB auntie：“沒有啦～你媽媽他們做，東西都便宜。”

小老闆：“哎呀 auntie，你看我們現在選總統咧。選總統hor，就是我們要給錢養他咧。東西當然要起價啦！”

Let the right one in

2011-08-28T10:04:00.004+08:00

I think I have a serious issue with people in organisations. I don't see myself whining too much about my own friends. But when it comes to people in groups, the situation doesn't really work too well for me most of the time.

There's this group that I joined. At first, things were good. Everyone was happy and jolly, as things usually were at the start. Slowly, I do not know why, I started to distant myself from these jolly bunch of good people. Perhaps they were too young and jolly. I started to find them a little too child-like for me to be hanging out with them. Of course I don't expect that we talk about the presidential elections everytime we meet. But to be behaving like secondary school wannabes all the time... Sorry I'll pass. I'm 25 this year.

There's this other group. At first, I was not jolly. Everyone else seemed the otherwise. I was a social misfit every week but slowly things got better after 2 years and a performance trip. Yet recently, I can't help but to feel a bit disappointed. Of course, I don't expect star-like treatment. Who am I to demand that when I'm the worst player. But it's disheartening to find out things by accident, when you thought you're pretty much part of the family.

I work better in small ensembles. Where things a simpler between two or three die-hard buddies. Better if it's not musically related. Musicians are a hard bunch of wackos to deal with. But looking at these two examples, I think it's obvious enough that the problem lies in me. A difficult and aging old man who is jaded and drained.

YK and VC come back soon. The rest of my old friends, you know who you are, meet up soon. .

Don't let the bedbugs bite

2011-08-16T21:27:00.003+08:00

You know, sometimes I feel that I am a jack of all trades. And my job requires me to be one.

A crowd controller, an artist, a linguist, an events organizer, a photographer, a counsellor, a punching bag, a psychiatrist, a mediator etc etc.

And I just realized someone else who has a job scope like mine.

God.

I heard this coming from a funky English speaking kentang teenager just now.

"Last night I prayed very hard to God that the bedbugs won't bite me. And guess what, this morning when I woke up, there ain't a single bite on me. But there's like a whole nest of them when my mom lifted the mattress."

Didn't know He doubles as a pesterminator. Why use Baygon when you have BayGod.

P.S: Oh yes, to some crazy people, He's also the Mafia who will "take care of me".

廢話

2011-08-14T01:11:00.006+08:00

I just got back from the cheapo ABC Bargain Store near my place. YK and I decided to just drop by and get some budget anti-bacterial wipes (only $0.60!). Apparently we got more than what we asked for. A little episode of drama between cashier and customer.

The cashier manning the cash register for tonight was some PRC FT. The fella in front of us was a typical local Ah Beng, who was strangely buying ALOT of Yupi Gummy Bears alongside a whole array of assorted candies.

After much deliberation on her calculator, PRC FT: "誒，你先給我$5.45。"

Ah Beng hands her $7. FT gives him change of $1.45. For some enigmatic reason, FT continues to punch away on the calculator as the queue gets longer with Minahs coming in to buy pads. Awkward silence...

FT: "這裡的東西一共$6.50。"

Ah Beng: "Uh-huh..." I think any of my P3 kid, with the divine help of a calculator, can deduce that Ah Beng needs to pay another $1.05.

(brace yourselves for the ultimate stupid question of the year)

FT: "這些東西你全都要買嗎？"　

Ah Beng:　＂不然我拿來這裡做什麼？＂

FT: "你要買多少錢的東西?" OMGWTFBBQ? Our jaws' on the floor now...

Ah Beng (a little pek-cek now)："我給了你多少錢？"

FT, now flustered, continues to punch on her calculator. I dunno where's the rocket science here. But Minah-buying-Whispers, YK and I were getting a little impatient.

(brace yourselves for the 2nd ultimate stupid question of the year)

FT: "這些東西你全都要買嗎？"　沒錯，你沒看錯。那傢伙又問了一次。Ah Beng, after waiting for so long, is obviously pissed by now.

Ah Beng: "廢話！"

FT (after using some complex algorithm to calculate the change, with the divine help of a calculator): "那你要多給我$1.05."

Ah Beng FLINGS the two dimes on the counter and muttered: "CCB..." Sudden awkward silence again and the rest of us in the queue all froze.

FT retaliates by slamming all that poor gummy bears into the plastic bag. As Ah Beng sweeps up his things and walked out of the store, the FT muttered (audible enough for YK and I): "真沒看過有人這樣買東西的。"

YK and I (in our minds quietly): "真沒看過有人這樣算錢的..." Lucky our items sum up nicely to $2, and we had a $2 note. Don't need to use her algorithm.

Oh man, I miss that Singaporean auntie who used to man the counter.

Spider

2011-07-27T23:48:00.003+08:00

There's this kind of co-worker. Sometimes they pose not much of a threat but many a times I find them the most annoying beings in the office.

B and I dub them, the Spiders.

They are forever ganchiong and they have the uncanny ability to induce their ganchiong-ness upon you and spread it around the department, like some air-borne disease. But to them, it may just be a really casual question. Whenever you do something different from them (or vice versa), they start to bombard you with a million and one questions and make you doubt yourself. A microscopic matter would usually blow out of massive proportions.

For example, "How come you don't have to do the survey? I had to when I was new here leh. Why ah? Why ah? You know why anot? You better check leh. You checked already? Then you better check again. If not you should go ask *insert someone that has no spider business*."

I always have the urge to ask them to go eff themselves. Maybe that's how the term f*** spider came about.

後生仔

2011-07-16T13:57:00.003+08:00

這份工的好處，是真的能夠讓你在學習的氛圍中過日子。在大家正在喝下午茶的時候，我正坐在國家博物館的“沙龍”裡。放心，不是來當文物，而是正準備要聽一個關於戲曲服裝的講座。

還好，我對這樣的講題還算有興趣。

不知道是不是講題的關係，大家好像都覺得只有LKK的人才會來。短短的半個小時，已有兩個人來和我小聊了幾句。他們的開場白，不約而同都是：“誒，你好年輕，是學生嗎？”

“額～不是嘢，恰好相反，我是老師。”

到底是因為我與小妖精們朝夕相對，變得年輕了一點，還是和整個講堂的老人家相比，看起來年輕了一點？

待會兒要去看 Harry Potter，希望沒有人會來說...

“誒，那麼老還來看 Harry Potter，你的孩子呢？”

鬥雞眼

2011-07-09T01:05:00.005+08:00

“看不開” 是件很可怕的事情。很多人就是因為這三個字，當了五秒鐘的空中飛人後結束了可悲的一生。

我對某些事情看得好開好開。例如，當有人 arrow 我做一些事情的時候，我十之八九都會任勞任怨。但是，對於一些事情，咳～真的是過了好久都 “看不開”。

上個星期天，我們的樂團（用我們還真的有些奇怪。很一廂情願。）再次不負眾望地又搞（砸）了一場音樂會。出於種種因素，音樂會看似一場天災。最令我不爽的是，我的 senior 竟然肆無忌憚地在化妝間裡質問 HZ 為什麼會出現，來看音樂會。不知道是誰賣了票給他。

有人竟然回复：“應該是[fatty-bon-bon]咯！”

我這位可愛的 senior 竟然說：“是hor，我忘了她有fanclub。”

好怪，閔惠芬、劉德海也不會選擇觀眾吧。我們憑什麼？那麼你們就中元節的時候去演出吧。看不到觀眾就不會嫌棄了對嗎？

而且明知道有其他人在化妝間裡，根本一點都不收斂，分明就是要人家講給我們聽。一時氣煞的我，也似乎很不應該地，到了FB上宣洩了一番（之後拿下來，是給一個朋友面子）。很自然的，又再一次引起軒然大波，讓人說我唯恐天下不亂啦，沒有責任感啦，沒有文化的肚量等等。

親愛的朋友，HZ已經被你們弄走了。這也大概過了一年多。你們爽爽又把人家揪出來當你們茶餘飯後的話題，真是很有肚量hor。還有，我們一進化妝間你就碎碎念，說什麼桌上不能放樂器（之後進去也沒看你桌上有任何其他東西），一副很不爽我們和你在同一個空間裡面呼吸的樣子，那也真有肚量。

你說要來一場 concert review，我可以告訴你結局。我在post那個comment的那一天就已經知道了。那就是：fatty-bon-bon是個troublemaker，唯恐天下不亂，把他趕走吧！我告訴你，那很好，我已經做好了心理準備。我不是死賴著不走，而是我覺得這個地方好像還有值得我留下的地方。但如果你們堅持我離開，我當然也沒必要那麼執著。我犯不著每個禮拜花一個半小時搭車去排練。但這就是我看不開的地方。

But anyways，我已經決定離開。This time for good。你們應該很高興你們贏了，我沒有精力和你們一起耗下去。因為當你對一個地方有太多的感情的時候，你又是會被這些不必要的枷鎖蒙蔽雙眼。你們可以拆掉我pigeon hole 上的名字。當然，你也可以說我不願意承擔責任。沒有解決問題，只會逃避（我怎麼都知道你們會怎麼回答）。但是我真的沒有時間，也沒有閒情和你們糾纏下去了。

我知道你們在看我的部落格，我也真的是寫給你們看的。你們有我的電話號碼，有我的FB可以隨時致電或FB msg 我來澄清/否認/吵架/討論，上班時間除外。

還有，沒必要再去糾纏一些很久沒有來排練的老朋友。感謝您。

P.S: 這是我的部落格，我不明白為什麼我不可以寫我心裡想寫的東西。當然，你們也可以說那是你們的嘴，愛說什麼就說什麼。

Jester

2011-06-26T04:13:00.003+08:00

Someone called me a clown the other day over a dinner at a gathering. I think (more like hope) he meant it in a fun/nice way, but it got me thinking over the image I portray to others.

Maybe that's why people tend to joke too much with me, sometimes going overboard. I secretly hope they'll fall off the deck and drown sometimes. Pun intended.

But somehow, like a clown, I've learnt to keep that painted smile on my face, at least for the span of time when such things happen (except for perhaps once, after NTUCO practice), only realising after the whole show that I've bruises all over.

Jesters entertain, but please do not make them the butt of the jokes all the time.
Capable people do work, but please do not enslave them by making them do everything.
Strong people are hardy, but please do not hurt them time and again.

鬧 missing

2011-06-23T01:28:00.001+08:00

對，最近比較流行醬。想到東西寫我會回來。

I'll be back. 不要“失踪”我。

It's gross

2011-05-31T00:33:00.002+08:00

when you hear that some people are offered the cross-over, and they are the people who cheers when they don't have to teach for a month. People who think this is just a chance to get a varsity experience.

Why are deserving people with a passion to teach denied the chance of that, and have to juggle with ever-piling workload on top of part-time degree education, while shitheads like these get the deal?

The world's not fair and we know it. Suck it up and move on, fatty-bon-bon.

Shameless

2011-05-26T22:39:00.000+08:00

IKEA is a really nice place to thrash all your money. Especially when your room is undergoing some form of metamorphosis from a dumpster into a proper room. And more so if you've nothing to do during your holidays and can afford 3 trips in 3 days, 2 of which are on the same day.

And, IKEA is also the best place to observe the really shameless acts of Singaporeans. Eh wait, I've learnt not to jump to conclusions too quickly. For all you know, they may be our new citizens from the Middle Land, Nation of the Thousand Islands or Timbuktu in the near future for all you know, whatever. At least that was how I felt when I took the IKEA bus.

Sometimes I wonder if the whole IKEA furniture section is actually a farce. I half-suspect that most of its income comes from the restaurant, the self-serve Market Hall and the snack bar at the exit. And where else to observe shameless acts other than where most people would gather? The food places.

I think it is not news anymore if you're one of those exasperated diners at the restaurant, desperately looking for a seat, and to find a family slowly taking their time to sip that 8th cup of soft drink that they just refilled, or gnawing on the greasy (yet sinfully delicious) chicken wing. And when they're finally done with their French dinner, they pat their backsides and leave, in their wake, a chaos of bones, dirty cutlery and leftovers that will probably feed a village in India. Hello Conan the Barbarian, you're supposed to clear your own tables at IKEA.

But what I saw today at the snack bar takes the cake.

The IKEA management probably realised that the queue for the ice-cream cones is really getting too long for comfort. Maybe even longer than all the queues at the check-out cashiers added. So now, they let customers purchase the waffle cone (for $1.50) and they can go have fun at the ice cream machines.

You put the cone there, press a white button and the machine fixes a sweet, cold vanilla swirl for you. So being typical kiasu ~~Singaporeans~~ people, there were some shameless people who finished the swirl ONLY, and propped their cone back on the machine for a second serving. It was clearly stated that if you want a second serving, purchase a new cone at the counter, i.e to say, NO REFILLS!

And you know the annoying thing? Parents who ask their kids to do this ugly act because they are too ashamed to do it. But of course there's no lack of shameless parents who prefer to do the ugly job themselves.

Great examples.

Please hit me...

2011-05-23T23:23:00.006+08:00

with positive ions. Or cations, for that matter...

I feel like deleting a whole load of people on my FB, because all I see are complaints, whinings and negative anions laser-ing me at 5 million becquerels. Not that I purposely go read them, but they are on the 'Most Popular' page of my FB. My heart skipped a few beats when I just scrolled and glanced through my FB homepage.

We know how a rascal our 'customers' can be.
We know how tiring it is.
We know it's trying.
We know we have packed timetables.
(Now) We know that you have 10 years 135 days 6 hours 11 minutes and 2 seconds left before your bond ends.
We know your superior is strangling the life outta your esophagus.

I'm not saying we can't whine a little every now and then during trying times. I don't live in my ivory tower, nor in my small small world where even shit looks pink. But seriously, people, it's freaking DAY ONE!

Red-eared Terrapins

2011-05-21T02:37:00.007+08:00

Yesterday, during our delightful little shopping-cum-Pan-Pac-buffet outing, Missy Vi alerted Miss Ng and I regarding the fact that releasing animals (especially non-indigenous ones) into the wild, is indeed very harmful to the eco-system. And what do we release more than...

Red-eared Terrapins - boring little reptiles that shows no form of affection at all. It's worse than a cat, really. And they are constantly swimming in their cocktail of shit and food. Their only ability is to look cute, and that stops once they look like moving, snapping boulders in dirty water. No wonder people just wanna release them into drains and canals...

Anyway. Intrigued, I did a little research on my own and came across this website. For those that are too lazy to read, the gist of the story is that...

...the Red-eared Slider, an American terrapin brought into Singapore via the pet-trade in the recent past. Soon after, we began finding them in our waterways due to accidental/deliberate releases. Terrapins native to Singapore are the Black-Marsh Terrapin, the Malayan Box Terrapin, soft-shelled terrapins and several other species of terrapins. However, it is extremely rare to see them nowadays.

I was reiterating this little nugget of fact to T today, while waiting for bubble tea, and she said："那麼是我們本地的烏龜沒有用嘛！"

"不是的，是因為hor那些人家放生的太多了。而且它們比較兇，也比較會搶食物，所以我們本地的都餓死了。也沒有地方住，變成孤魂野鬼。" I very patiently explained.

At this point, YK suddenly asked: "Are you guys talking about FTs?"

你知道的事

2011-05-19T00:53:00.003+08:00

短短的假期，似乎更了解了我自己。

用 ‘似乎’ 是因為或許早就己經知道自己的種種 ‘臭款’，只是現在更堅信了。

當有人願意扛起我的責任，我會毫不猶豫地將它們卸下。
當有人質疑我的能力時，我根本懶得證明我的實力。
當有人不斷地認為我是怎樣又怎樣的一個人時，我也不會和你爭辯。

隨便啦。我真的不太在乎。你覺得怎樣就怎樣咯。

Block

2011-05-12T14:33:00.000+08:00

我想 blog 但是 blog 不出來。

League of Superheroes!

2011-04-28T13:32:00.004+08:00

At 25, I'm finally a qualified voter this year. The time has come for the city of Gotham votes for the resident Superhero.

Thor, with his mighty hammer, and the Flash, fast as lightning.

The Flash has been garnering the support of Gotham people for a very very long time but recently, it seems that citizens of the city are getting tired with the unfulfilled promises that the Flash has promised in the past 5 years.

Super villains from the far North are invading our lands a little too frequent;
the subs are constantly jammed-packed;
the overspending on Young Superheroes Conference;
not enough housing;
rising cost of living;
the escape of ultra-villain, Joker, from Arkham Asylum;
and to top it off, the Governors of Gotham are getting too highly paid.

As an educator, I worry most about the results of our education system, which has been rather screwed by NEH-Man since he took over.

Fighting alongside the superheroes are the latest sidekicks. Accompanying Thor is this promising sweet young thing called Seah-Zam and with the Flash, this disappointing bimbo called Tin-Girl. Seah-Zam, although junior in age, seems to have more impressive superpowers, compared to Tin-Girl, who only possess lame powers like 'Giggle', 'Stomp-feet' and 'Hide'. Hardly a fight, that.

The young residents of Gotham are often berated as having a sense of political apathy. So, it's interesting to see them all geared and actively participating in the voting this year. Much is abuzz on social media platform, a tool that wasn't as popular back in the past few elections.

Coming 7 May, remember to cast your 神聖的一票！

Bye bye

2011-04-25T01:05:00.002+08:00

I'm just around 12 hours away from my final paper, and most probably my final day at N**. Yup, I am still staring at my notes that look like the Dead Sea scrolls, sitting neatly in front of me.

I've no idea why I'm so 'nuah' this semester. Perhaps it's because I'm already so jaded by everything and so sick and tired of school. And also probably because of certain shitty episodes.

This place is quite a madhouse but still, I have some kind of affection for it. At least it looks decent, compared to the JTC factories just across the road. And I've forged some pretty great friendships in there: 王婆, Miss Ng, Vi, Ah Jun, JS. From the DipEd side: Nick-san and Veron. Not forgetting the CO people at NTU. It's been a good 4-years-run.

So long, farewell, it's time to say goodbye~

Medal chase

2011-04-22T02:18:00.002+08:00

The SYF Central Judging for Chinese Orchestras ended today, with much tears of joy/disappointments, shrieks and hugs. Oh yes, not forgetting the awesome smell of several hundred secondary school kids jam-packed in SCH. Almost made me retch my lunch.

If it was possible, I thought that people from 某某華樂團 should all go down to take a quick peek and wake up from their decade dream of 四連冠. I think any Silver medal school can beat us hands-down, and feet-bounded.

The past 3 days were really eye-opening as many secondary schools really displayed high standards of performances. But I paused and thought, how many of these kids will continue with music when they graduate, or even into their adulthood? How many acquired the skill of reading scores? How many really appreciated Chinese music?

At the end of the day, it's a little sad to see that many people are more concerned with medals, more than anything else.

Students who can't be bothered with what the adjudicators have to say;
Principals who blame students and teachers over results;
Conductors smug over undeserving honours.

As I stared at the kids from my alma mater cry, I couldn't bear to tell them that they really should be glad with the Gold they got. That's their standard and what they deserve. And, they are really not as good as the schools with Gold w/Honours (errm perhaps other than C***l Sec).

The idea of Honours is really intriguing. As I try to encourage these kids, I am also rather caught up in this chase of my honours for my B.A. But we've to realise, at the end of the day, when you go out to work, nobody gives a shit whether you're a First Class degree holder or you just smoked your way through the 4 years. What matters is you perform, and you've gathered great things in your schooling years.

You kids will know this someday.

埋·怨

2011-04-16T03:47:00.001+08:00

你会吗？

"你说晚时倒垃圾早时堵车
你说寒天太寒热天太热
你说甲意的人无甲意你啦
你说人生的路那会这陡"

有时候真的觉得古人造词真的很有智慧。
当你在 whine 的时候，请记得同时要把心中的怨气都埋进土里。

Bury all your grudges, stop whining and start living.

the X-Overs

2011-04-04T15:23:00.003+08:00

I think, if I were to choose a photo to aptly describe the intake of N*E, the above picture would be quite a good choice. Or this one also can...

So cute right.

I wonder sometimes, whether I'm a different person after crossing-over. I don't really feel any different but I'm perhaps not the best judge on my own character. But as I look around at the different nut-cases that surround me in this institution (pardon the coincidence), I can't help but to be very worried.

I was just sitting at the library cafe when a X-Over from the EMS department - let's just call her SL - walked by to grab a sandwich. I don't really know her personally but she's like a friend of wanwan and N. Well, when school first started in Year 3, we were still kinda talking. Not like I love her or what but you know, people just keep up with appearances.

A smile here. A wave of hand. That kinda crap, although I don't really like her.

Then all of a sudden, recently, she just looks at me straight but it's as if I'm transparent. I half thought that I could be transparent and she's really reading the posters behind me, straight through my chest. Then she just looks away, and drifts off like a specter.

Don't get me wrong. I don't feel upset or anything. I mean, why should I? But it's really strange how you could 'manja-manja' with me one minute, just because I'm your friend's friend. And the other minute, I'm like some kinda tempered glass sheet.

Sounds a bit like SC, during J's wedding dinner, when she chatted up with me, because I know Mel.

Well, at least I don't see these people everyday. And they are not as crazy as certain big time fruitcakes in my class. Those should really just be locked up in padded rooms.

Inspire!

2011-03-30T23:45:00.003+08:00

I would like to be the best teacher for the world, since I know I can never be the best teacher in the world.

I do hope that by then, I can find that spark of energy within me to do that.

This is totally random.

Post-concert thoughts

2011-03-29T01:41:00.006+08:00

My fingers are still awfully sore and there's still a small dent in nail of my index finger. Courtesy of all the glissando parts in the SanXian scores.

Despite the awful butterflies-in-the-stomach and incessant secretion of pespiration from my palms, I pretty much enjoyed playing with NUSCO, Maestro Chen Neng Ji and Mr. Lum (who's really nice, treating me to coffee!). Stress comes as a side-product and that's probably what made it so memorable. This is by far the scariest guest-play experience I ever had.

On my way back home, during the uber long bus ride on 61, I was thinking... Concerts are rather strange things, ain't they?

I wonder who enjoys it more? The audience or the musicians on stage. As much as I enjoyed playing, a good lot of the audience were telling me they were bored to death as the pieces were too long. And surprisingly, it came from the group of my friends who were actually from CO. And what's more surprising was that the friends who weren't from CO actually enjoyed the concert more.

Concerts pretty much deny the demand-supply theory. Nobody polls and asks what the AUDIENCES want to hear, but rather, everything's decided on what musicians want to play. Sometimes, come to think of it, musicians are also pretty much pawns that are foddered to satiate the desires of the committee or music director.

Nevertheless, it was a good experience as a guest player. One who even got to play a solo part in the epic symphonic poem.

P/S: I'm still pretty appalled over the ridiculous things that people can do during concerts, all in the name of 'good humour' (that I fail to see and appreciate), and feel alright about it. But then again, maybe I'm just petty and over-sensitive. There's a good time for everything, including affectionate name-callings. Not impressed at all... :/

#08: short term goal for March

2011-03-17T18:05:00.002+08:00

I hope to just get by hopefully with a little help from my friends. And hopefully, without further drama and madness. Just let me spend my last few weeks in NIE in peace, complete my assignments, exams and off I go to Hong Kong and Macau.

魑魅魍魎，速速退去！急急如律令！

#07: greatest impact

2011-03-13T02:53:00.000+08:00

Nobody I could think of at the moment... But if I really gotta put someone, I guess it's him.

He taught me how to think for myself, make an impact in others' lives, and most importantly, to impact my own.

活。動

2011-03-12T02:19:00.002+08:00

顧名思義，我們人類活著就是要動。對我而言，動的時候，才真正感覺自己活著的存在。
可能是因為這樣，所以才每天三更半夜不睡覺，還在搞東搞西，寫一些不正經的博客文章。
也可能是因為這樣，我超愛那種運動之後所帶來的酸痛與快感。

它們令我感覺我還活著。

原來，要體會真正的寧靜，就得先感受狂放的動態。
只有在動得厲害之後，才能感受安靜所帶來的喜悅。
很矛盾，我現在正渴望那份喜悅。

但我所真正希望達到的是...

在動的時候，能守著那顆平靜內在所給予的恬靜；猶如雨打荷葉時，雨滴瞬間滑落，不帶一點痕跡。
而在靜的時候,能夠體會生命流動所帶來的多姿多彩;猶如平靜的河面下的暗流，深藏不露。

好啦，晚安地球人。
要靜靜去就寢了。
為的是應對又將會是動得厲害的明天。

最後通牒

2011-03-09T11:24:00.004+08:00

要發顛的人，請你挖個坑死到裡面去才顛，不要妨礙我正常的人生。

我才不會任由你這種欺善怕惡的人放肆！

P/S: "God will deal with you, any injustice that is done to me, He will help me get it back, sooner, or later, He will." I see, you worship the Mafia as your God. Go fuck yourself, seriously.

狐狸精

2011-03-05T02:57:00.003+08:00

我生命中有個很重要的人。OK，也不能完全說是人，因為她是我的‘狐狸精’。*咳咳*這是暱稱，並沒有在貶她的意思。

她這樣的朋友，就像是星星一樣，雖然有時候見不著，但是你卻知道她一直都在。她不會硬要闖進你的生命中，但我們就是會不斷地和彼此聯繫。她也時不時會提醒你她一直都在，一直都挺你。發生什麼“吉普賽”的事情，她都會比我還生氣，比我還激動。

我有時候也很汗顏，沒能幫她做一些什麼，還常常都在麻煩她開車送來接去。她的不在意更讓我覺得她真的是一個很棒的朋友，也讓我更加感到歹勢。

為13年乾杯！

Good Enough

2011-03-04T00:00:00.001+08:00

So don’t tell me why
He’s never been good to you
Don’t tell me why
He’s never been there for you
Don’t you know that why
Is simply not good enough

這樣最好。

能者就要多勞？

2011-02-27T01:15:00.003+08:00

能者多勞。我認為是相當狗屁的一句話。

對我來說，這是不負責任的人會推卸責任時常用的藉口；
也是‘能者’出於無奈時自我安慰的一句O.S。

為什麼‘能者’就必須肩負整組人的學習？
單憑你一句風涼話：‘哇！你很厲害！’，加上一句‘我真的看不懂這詞兒’我就得每堂研討課硬著頭皮在那裡胡說八道。
我自己本身也壓根兒不明白那詞在說什麼。

我沒開口的話，我們整組人是不是就要坐在那裡等榴蓮掉？
看來，你們就是看死我肯定會開口，所以當老師發問時，連頭都懶得抬起來。這是最令我發火的事。
其實，你們大可以把你們手上那些大家都有的資料念出來，雖然我本人認為那是很無聊的研討方式。（我識字，不需要配音，謝謝。）

可是連續三個禮拜要我像主持人/小丑一樣，說一些我自己也沒頭緒、沒信心的話，我真的很厭倦，感覺很不實在。更何況，我已經告訴你們說我真的也不太會。

這個來臨的星期四，這個不太‘能’的‘能者’要偷懶，你們好自為之。

UPDATE:我有個19歲，等著入伍的朋友，說：“多勞者未必就是天生的能者，单因愿意扛起重担所以变成了能者”。人家19歲。

大不敬

2011-02-23T14:08:00.004+08:00

以下是兩個同樣是在觀世音菩薩誕辰出世的人之間的對話。

PF says
我现在dl iphone app, 明天观音吗看到我会不会罚我

fattybonbon said
應該不會
我相信她也有玩

PF says
是hor

fattybonbon said
那麼夯的東西

PF says
我也是观音诞生的

fattybonbon said
他應該也有

PF says
是啦
我玩刀锋

fattybonbon said
你不要亂來

PF says
玩到疯

fattybonbon said
哦

PF says
是啦，我也吓一跳
我的typo 很恐怖

他們兩個應該會被觀音媽收掉。

辛卯年快乐

2011-02-13T01:43:00.007+08:00

Hello. Happy bunny year, everybody. Haven't really been writing for a while because I was too busy and basically there's really nothing much going on in my head nowadays worth noting down.

Until now.

Today, I heard from YK that a friend, A, was diagnosed with brain tumour. The tumour is small and benign but a tumour is a tumour. I was pretty much startled when I heard the news, even till now, as I'm typing this. It made me feel really really small, like when I heard that a friend walked/hiked from one end of Australia to the other. I feel as if none of my problems (if any) are of any matter. But I really don't know how to react at that moment.

So, I was telling YK that I think I feel like a rather emotionless person. It's very seldom that I've very strong feelings, be it in everyday life or when watching movies. And even if they are, I think I probably look as excited as when I'm peeling potatoes. But really, sometimes when I do feel emotions, I don't really know how to express them. It's the feeling of "怎一个[喜/怒/哀/乐]字了得?".

But MUSIC is something that stirs me very much. I may not feel a thing watching Titanic, but I do feel waves of emotions when listening to music. So when I do feel anything, it's probably due to the OST. Which is probably why I'm so bent on playing in an orchestra even when I'm drowning in work.

I guess I should just marry a cactus.

Life is...

2011-01-16T01:41:00.000+08:00

according to Forrest Gump, a box of chocolates. But fatty-bon-bon says, life is like a cup of Milo. To taste the full flavour, we've got to stir everything and drink it down in a gulp.

You know how the Milo formula settles at the bottom of the glass when you let it sit?

Sometimes in life, we've just got to ignore the bustling of the ever-ADHD society, close our eyes to the spams of the consumerism-charged distractions, switch off the i-whatevers, leave your cellphone at home, let your modem crash a bit, deactivate FB for a while.

Some coffee, a patch of blue sky, a handful of clouds and preferably armed with a good read.

可能當我們靜下心來的時候，才能清楚看見生命中的各個成分。
可能當我們靜下心來的時候，才能清楚看見自己還有個心。

Commercial Break

2011-01-15T03:46:00.004+08:00

Check out this blog.

http://amor-platonicus.blogspot.com/

The authors are damn bloody talented and the contents not as humdrum and hateful. I wonder who the bloggers are. I'm like a big fan, like totally.

Final Sem

2011-01-10T01:16:00.002+08:00

In about 7 hours' time, I'll be starting the first day of my final semester in N*E. But like they all say, 'it's the first day of the rest of your life'.

I'm not too excited about it, except for the fact that I'll be seeing my 2 dear friends, plus Miss Ng and Vi. I really miss them. On the other hand, I'm also quite thrilled to be learning new things, yet again.

Oooh the joys of learning. It's like opening a box of chocolates. My experience was that sometimes, they turn out to be dead, maggot-infested, rotting rats in nice Godiva boxes. But nevertheless, it's the thrill of receiving them that makes learning so fun.

Then there's the other half of the student population that I miss. The wannabes, the imbeciles, the snivelling gossip-mongers and disgusting sodomite worms. Really I miss them too.

'Miss' as in the context of, 'can't seem to hit them with a .44 Magnum revolver'.

Vigilante

2011-01-05T00:23:00.000+08:00

Hitching on the topic of a vigilante superhero in the last post.

Like I've said, there's a plethora of vigilantes in our daily lives. But in real life, there's certain people who think they are vigilante although I'd prefer to call them 雞婆s.

You know, out there in this not-very-innocent world, there live people who leads sordid lives. And also there's a bunch of sordid people who will happily dig out the lives of these people and publish them to the world.

So how to differentiate a kaypoh from a vigilante? If your act would ensue the arrest of these creeps, then you're a vigilante. If it's just 唯恐天下不亂, then I'm sorry, I guess you're just some kinda 三姑六婆 who has too much time on your hands and should go volunteer at some local orphanage.

Alternatively, 雞婆s speak with the most malicious intent, touching on topics like A wanting to sleep with B, or... C who has a family is having an illicit relationship with D.

When I heard of these disgusting acts, my first thought was to remove all my friends' blog links from this website. In case certain stalkers broadcast media-worthy issues about people in N*E. Then again, being a model citizen, I've pretty much very decent friends who don't have illegal or low-life business. So, no fear.

Kaypohs like these are seriously whatever. 胡不遄死.

#06: superhero

2011-01-04T01:46:00.002+08:00

When I was young, I never liked Batman. I thought that he's the most useless compared to all the other superheroes in the universe. Well, he's got no super powers. Take away all his smart-ass gadget, and you'll get a street-side gangster who doesn't even have a parang and no 369 to back him up. So I used to prefer the X-Men to him, because they have awesome powers like the ability to conjure up storms and firing laser beams from your eyes, teleportation, flight and telekinesis and shit-like-that.

As I grew up, I just thought that the X-Men is just a circus of freaks. And I started to really like Batman.

It was the fact that he's really ordinary that's cool. No frills, no gimmicks, just pure brawns and brains. And of course a shit load of money. Well, he could've squandered all that money on flashy sports cars, a whole cat house of Catwomen and gorge himself to death with all the best food on Earth. But nope, he chose to be a vigilante.

And I really think that we're all vigilantes in our own little ways. Even fatty-bon-bon.

On the 3rd day of the New Year, I successfully landed 2 good-for-nothings in detention at the neighbourhood-friendly police station. I was returning from YK's place and saw them picking the bikes parked at Bedok Station. Being a model citizen, I called 999 and was so freaking terrified when they started to ride the stolen bike towards me. I thought they were gonna slash me to 滅口 or what.

Then I guess I looked too adorable to be of threat that they U-turned after they past me. When I got home, I received a call from the police that they've got the 2 low-life creeps detained in the station. ORBI GOOD.

That's my first good deed for 2011.

Hello 2011

2011-01-01T01:26:00.003+08:00

Hope it'll be a good year. 2010 has been good, not very awesome, but good enough although when I look back, a lot of things seem a bit silly.

2011 will be good. A year to improve, a year of changes.

Actually, this New Year's eve was more or less quite sane. Just some grocery shopping, cooking, dinner, watch TV at YK's. Which made me realise, what I need and what I want is actually very simple.

Good food, good TV, good company. Not too much to ask for I hope.

造口業

2010-12-29T01:49:00.002+08:00

One of my 2011 Resolutions is to reduce my 口業.

It's known to all that 我的嘴巴超賤, and in fact, I do notice myself too. But I guess other than the fact that it does bring some kinda entertainment to you guys (admit it), it's not something to be proud of. Especially when it does cause collateral damage. I suppose the Gift of humour and of the gab shouldn't be used in this way. And like what they all say, "You are what you say."

But of course, it doesn't mean I'm gonna be any less of a person I am now. It's just a slight tweak to be a better person for a better year.

I do not like it when people say, "我說話一向都是很直的。" That's because it's a sign that he/she is gonna say some 不中聽的話, or merely trying to justify some 不中聽的話 that's just been uttered.

Saying whatever's in your mind doesn't necessarily make you a genuine person. It probably just means that you have Tourette's, like Ruth over here...

The reverse is true too. Not saying everything that's in your head doesn't make you anyone less genuine.

Which makes me ponder. How do we draw the line between what's to said and what's to be just shouted down the toilet bowl and flushed away? I guess there's no TYS answer to such a question. It's just a matter of who, when, what and most importantly, how. And these are some things I hope to learn and hopefully, be good at, when the New Year comes.

My dear YK posted this on FB today, as I was thinking about this issue.

Luke 6:
"No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.
Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers.
The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart.
For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.

Guess He does work in mysterious ways.

2011年注意事項

2010-12-28T01:22:00.003+08:00

不要太在意金錢。破產的時候還是可以擁有破產的快樂。朋友之間擁有彼此的陪伴是比較重要的。

不要太在意學校那些三八婆/馬屁精。我只要活在我們“三小無猜”的泡泡裡頭。

不要一直說錯話開罪人，尤其是身邊的朋友。

砍掉糊塗的腦袋。

佛陀或天主只不過是名字，最重要是要找回“生命的呼喚”。

開工大吉。

完成未完成的事情：考車、考級（八級/九級）。

出國旅行。

Christmas 2010

2010-12-25T02:24:00.006+08:00

Oh Christmas lights
Light up the street
Light up the fireworks in me
May all your troubles soon be gone
Those Christmas lights keep shining on

Christmas is a little different for me this year. I've dedicated most of it to myself, my family and well... a small portion for God.

I just returned from the Midnight Mass at the Church of Saint Stephen's. It was very very nice to bask in the mood and to understand the true meaning of this celebrated festival. Also, for the first time in my life, my family's celebrating Christmas! So at evening today, we'll be carving turkey, chowing on ham, exchanging gifts and celebrating Money's (the crazy Jack Russell) birthday!

I've no idea why nowadays I don't feel like meeting many people. So if I've recently met up with you, you should feel very honoured. I've really no idea why but I kinda turned down several X'mas gatherings, or simply ignored the other lot.

I don't know. This probably happens when you are 24 going on 25.

P/S: But of course, there's the Miss Ng and Vi gang that I'd really wanna meet but am 'unable' to. Forgive my sins, friends! It's Christmas!

#05: 到過的地方

2010-12-22T17:20:00.000+08:00

I'm here almost everyday, for the past 4 years of my life. I think I'll miss it very much next year, when I step out into the land mine-filled battleground. It's like playing minesweeper with your own flesh and blood. And there's no reset button.

I guess the reason I chose this place is because it is a place where my life took a big turn, heading towards a direction I've never imagined.

Although to many people, this is where they see their dreams come to a halt, where they bow down to fate and practicalities, I chose to see it as a place...

Where passions are fulfilled.
Where friendships were born, strengthened and continued.
Where learning is lifelong.
Where role models are sculpted.

Sick

2010-12-20T18:37:00.008+08:00

I feel kinda sick about how people around me constantly make me sick. You know, it's like I've been constantly talking about shit people and how they piss me off and I guess many of you are rolling your eyes as soon as your eyes hit this page.

"Again? Not that we don't know how an angsty guy he's been."
"Get over it. Grow up."
"I'm past getting pissed with people, why don't he?"

But well, if you're still here by this sentence, instead of sextube.com (well, the internet is for porn, right?), it means that perhaps you'd like to read about all this sickness. If not, perhaps you can just go to sextube.com.

Yeah, so this time it's about people I hang out with, or rather, the unappreciated comments and opinions regarding the people I hang out with.

I don't get what's the big hype bout being good friends with people of the opposite sex. Yeah so most of my friends are females. SO? Why do busybodies have to always think that we're a couple or that we're having illicit relationships. Are we living in medieval China now? Go bind your stinking feet then. In fact, people in the Tang Dynasty seem to be more liberal about such matters.

And even if so, what business is it of yours? I'm really not an object of your little tabloids.

Come on, I'm a human being, not a baboon. It's not my agenda to shag every single female in my view. Besides, the college that I'm in is basically 80% females, and so is my CCA. Does that mean I'm supposed to just stray alone like a lost soul on my own?

Yeah I DO believe in platonic relationships between guys and girls you know. And if you don't, I guess you're pretty much an under-evolved proboscis monkey.

And to those snivelling gossip-mongers out there. Go screw yourselves.

UPDATE: While peeing at the urinal just now, I kinda made a mental list on the people that I dislike at this current moment. Dislike not as in wishing them dead but more like why the f*** did I ever have to cross paths with them?

Guess what? There's only 5! Outta the 615 FB 'Friends' that I have, that's not too bad right. And ironically all 5 are my 'Friends'. How plastic can we get.

1. The Petronas
2. The Grasshopper
3. The Cervix
4. The Chrysanthemum
5. The Fag

See, I even have endearments for them. Ain't I such a nice dude. I'm now thinking of a post to introduce them to all of you guys.

Return of the Jedi

2010-12-20T01:48:00.004+08:00

Hello my avid readers. It's been a while since my update and I know you stalkers can never get enough of me eh. So yup, my exams are over and I'm supposed to be less busy and should have more time to update this forgotten space.

It's been a mental semester and I'm just glad that the exams are over. Mental as it may be, this semester should be the best one ever since I crossed-over. Learning interesting modules, mending my bad, making awesome new friends and not to mention, getting myself a shit-load of crazy commitments with NTUCO, NUSCO and TMSACO. The third one was WTFBBQ as I really didn't expect it to turn out the way it was. Totally not what I signed up for. To top it off, my school term begins on 10th Jan instead of 20th-ish. Like WTFBBQ, I've gotta see those shitheads sooner than I thought.

So yeah, my short-lived holidays ain't gonna be free of work, nor entertaining. That's what you get when a passion or hobby becomes work. It turns into a chore. And also when you don't have a few grands in your account so that you can fly away from all these crap.

So, once again I have to quote Ms Ng "May the force be with me."

Expectations

2010-12-04T01:23:00.004+08:00

I guess everyone has certain levels of expectations of a friend. Especially good ones. And when they don't meet them, I suppose it's fine if we get a little... disappointed.

I THOUGHT you'd understand. But I guess I placed my bet on the wrong team. Of so many people, I thought you'll understand the situation. Key word: THOUGHT. So now, I just have to not see your face. Lest I envision you rolling your eyes again. One month. One month is all I need. I think.

Now I need to study very hard. Before I fail my own expectations of myself.

Batshit crazy

2010-11-30T16:16:00.008+08:00

I'm now sitting in my Chinese History lecture and I'm listening to my mad last-minute-lecturer talking about the exam madness, alongside with this bunch of batshit crazy year 3 NIE people.

He very crazily asked us to do very last minute stuff last week and it kinda created some pandemonium in our little faculty. Which in turn caused the crazy year 3's to make cockster requests like...

"我们的作业可以考试后才教吗？"

这种问题好像用膝盖想都知道答案。

And today, they grilled him (like how they do it in Fringe) for exam tips in a way which I felt, you might as well get him to give you the script. Then there's this one who just talks to the lecturer in a blardy rude manner that makes me wanna just cast a hex on her.

There's just a lot of madness in NIE lately and I wish that I could just turn a blind eye to all these batshit crazy people.

Distracted

2010-11-29T22:17:00.004+08:00

In around a week's time, I'll be having one of the worse exams I'd ever have in NIE. 5 papers to battle, and it begins with 3 papers on 3 consecutive days.

Only in dire times like this will you realise all the little distractions in the house that you've never noticed. Like...

the 7 Harry Potter books waiting silently on the shelve, dying to be re-read (again).

Or Philip Pullman's 'His Dark Materials' lying beneath the English dictionary, looking like a Yellow Pages directory, beckoning me to pick it up.

Or the Funshion icon on my computer, screaming for me to click it, just for another episode of Fringe or Friends.

Or the 中阮 sitting in the corner of the living room.

Or the Julie biscuits in the kitchen, crunchy and yummy as ever.

Or the Marvel Encyclopedia, filled with all the cool X-Men and ridiculous villains with seemingly useless powers.

Or my little black sketch book, wanting me to draw 一些不正经的图画, instead of scribbling annotations.

Why can't the lecture notes look as enticing as a Playboy magazine?

God, Buddha or Life

2010-11-23T16:17:00.010+08:00

Many people like to ask me "Which religion do you believe in?". Everyone seems very confused about my faith, as much as being confused over whether 王力宏 is gay or not.

Well, no doubt that everyone knows I AM a Buddhist. They always get puzzled when they see her...

instead of her...

when they open up my wallet, which is usually preceded by under-appreciated comments on how expensive my wallet must have been. It's mildly annoying, really.

Actually, what's the big deal with believing in God, as a Buddhist? What makes you think that the God that I believe in, is the one that you assume to be? To me, God simply represents Life. "God will provide" to me, simply means that "Life opens up endless doors to us, if only we are willing to walk through them". You may argue that it may not be what our Christian friends meant. But if I choose to understand it that way, and if it benefits me, then who-the-GuanYin are you to judge me?

I read the Bible, not because I worship Jesus Christ but because it opens up a new world to me, just like any book does. I attend mass, not because I want to get to heaven, but it offers me peace and serene, just like any religious activity does.

I believe in God, not for salvation, but simply because I believe in Life, just as any sane person should.

So I don't get it when small-minded people thinks that I'm confused, or when they make snide remarks at what I believe in. And when smaller-brained people 'likes' that kind of comments. It's funny when you call yourself a Buddhist/Christian/whatever but you've totally no understanding of what's on the other side of the pasture. That's like saying you don't like Ben & Jerry's, when you've never tasted how orgasmic it is. How sure are you of your own faith then?

Next time, when people ask me that question again, I'll answer...

"I believe in Life. Do you?"

#04: 壞習慣

2010-11-18T14:48:00.005+08:00

除了咬手指這種無關緊要的壞習慣外...

我每次和一些人相處得太近的時候就會開始抽離自己，縮回自己的烏龜殼裡。

有時我覺得我只是想冷靜客觀地考慮兩人（or more）的關係。就像在看一幅畫一樣，我們總不能一直用鼻子貼在畫紙上，還妄想可以看到畫的是什麼。最後還說：“畫得真好！”。

但這樣的行動往往讓人覺得我搞自閉。

我現在正在認真探討我和一些人的關係。工作夥伴？因為活動而鬧在一起？畢業後就擱在msn，永遠不會去click他們的朋友？

慶幸的是在這群被我 “檢討” 的人當中還真的能找到幾個能交心的人。在不爽時還能及時給我回應，讓我檢討自己的言談；能爽快地答應陪我搭地鐵，完全不顧自己背著多重的東西；能主動地約大夥兒到機場過夜k書；能陪我在新加坡東部（還是我陪她？）從下午走到凌晨，聊著一些我平時不會說的事情。

這些就是 “知足” 給我的便利貼。

P/S: 好像離题了喲~

#03: fatty-bon-bon & friends

2010-11-16T15:20:00.001+08:00

#02: blog name

2010-11-14T10:22:00.005+08:00

I wasn't a fatty-bon-bon all the time actually. In fact, I kinda resembled a malnourished Zimbabwe child before I was 7. So much so that my parents thought I looked like an earthworm.

Earthworm Vin. Sounds good too.

But ever since I seek the mysterious help of TCM since 6 years old, I started to eat like crazy and by the time I was 7, VOILA! You get a fatty-bon-bon. (It's believed that TCM aids in the appetite of young children.)

I came up with this blog name around the time when I resolved to make an effort to lose weight as it hit me that 这样肥下去是不行的. So in the 4 months of my 'maternity leave', I managed to shed around 10 kilos.

Many told me that I've slimmed down and am no longer a fatty-bon-bon, and indeed, slimming down has kinda made my life better. Now I'm not as clumsy and I feel more energetic. I fit into the clothes that I want, although a good deal of my closet is slipping off my waist. People tell me I look better (BHB!), and it's kinda a confidence boost. Well, that's other than YK who's constantly reminding me that I'm ugly like hell.

I was told by QAD that her friend remembered this blog because of the cute ring to the name. And so, why not? Fatty-bon-bon stays. :D

#01: Recent photo + 15 facts

2010-11-11T22:15:00.005+08:00

1. Lefty.
2. Fat.
3. Plays Ching-chong classical instruments.
4. Perhaps a little OCD.
5. Just realised that his sweaty palms went away.
6. Childhood ambition was joining the Interpol, despite the fact that I'm a fattybonbon.
7. I think therefore I talk.
8. Feline o'philia.
9. Allergic to doxycycline.
10. Eats almost anything.
11. Feels insecure without a hanky.
12. Trembly hands.
13. Tenor (1).
14. Has moles almost everywhere on his body.
15. Multi-tasker.

I'm doing this 30 day challenge thing as a feeble attempt to breathe life into my dying blog. Just... Humour me.

怪咖

2010-10-29T15:32:00.005+08:00

学校里面的怪咖好像越来越多。但是我们在以异样眼光看这些人的时候，比较重要的应该是要以他们为借鉴。以下是小弟我从怪咖们的怪-ness所学到的几点。

1. 不要，千万不要用三角眼看人。原来妈妈讲的话是对的。每隔十秒就用三角眼看人的阿婶真的是很令人讨厌，想用拖鞋巴她的脸。

2. 不可爱就不要装可爱，一直觉得自己是幼幼台的人物真的很恶心。

3. 穿裙子不要脚开开，看起来好像很LH。这一点对我可能比较inapplicable。But以后我的女儿还是老婆这样我一定巴给她死！呵呵~

4. 虽然脸黑黑是自家的事情（至少我是那么认为），但是原来面色真的是会影响身边的人的心情。

5. 原来hor，戴面具做人虽然是一件讨人厌的事，但是为了明哲保身，这是不得已的。尽管这些人看似是你的好友。这一点，大家好像都感同身受。

哎哟，有我们这班马戏团的怪类当老师，难怪小孩也越来越奇怪。

矛盾

2010-10-27T21:46:00.002+08:00

"We miss you" contradicts the act of disappearing straight after lecture.

歹死

2010-10-25T00:05:00.004+08:00

Sometimes, being overly expressive of your disdain to certain people is not very good. For example, being indifferent to her presence as if she was a specter (which would most probably garner more attention from me), avoid any conversations and appearing like an emotionless android when you talk to her. That is if there's even a need to talk to her. Probably if NIE is collapsing and you need to ask her where the nearest emergency exit is.

In English, that can be summarised in one term: BLUNT.

Especially when you know that the person is a hyper-sensitive female homo sapien capable of stalking your FB profile, blogs, even friends to pick up any gossip about you so she could publish her version of 苹果乱乱报 back in school. So you purposely do this kinda things to let her know.

In Chinese, that can be summarised in one term too: 心机.

我要去念佛求忏悔.

>:D

洪媽媽受難日

2010-10-23T01:33:00.004+08:00

春有百花秋有月，夏有涼風冬有雪
若無閒事掛心頭，正是人間好時節

24年前的今日，媽媽在手術台的劇烈燈光下，忍著劇烈的疼痛，把我帶來了這競爭劇烈的世界。

謝謝你，媽媽。

24年後，這個大男生正尷尬地處於工作與求學的界線。一方面想儘早踏出社會掙錢養家，一方面又覺得會不捨得這種精彩的校園生活。噢人生就是這樣hor，“正當燈光消失的時候，才會發現天上的星星在發亮”。這是小狐在煙霧籠罩下的 Jalan Kayu 告訴我的真諦。抬頭一看，只見灰茫茫一片，半顆星星都沒有。真是諷刺。

儘管口上一直說不喜歡飯局，不喜歡應酬交際，但是當朋友與家人做出一些事情的時候，還真是讓我感到無比的榮幸，莫名的感動。

謝謝你們，我會好好打拼，好好過我人生的下一個24年。

Vibes

2010-10-18T23:18:00.007+08:00

有時候，我打電話/msn給某些人純粹只是為了聊天或寒暄兩句。可是，每次得到的回應竟然是......

"Are you okay?"

"You wanna talk ah?"

"Are you very stressed?"

"你是不是不開心?"

今天就問了朋友，我是不是給人很沮喪，很頹廢的感覺。她說我給人的是一種很stressed，很...

的感覺。一方面感到欣慰，朋友都很願意分享我的煩惱，但另一方面又覺得人和人之間的感情很多時候原來是建立在不快樂的情緒之上，現代人也已經脫離了那種閒話家常，慰問的關係。當然，也對自己散發這種vibes的這個事實感到一點失望。

好，我應該去反省反省。晚安。

One cat and a dog

2010-10-18T00:55:00.004+08:00

It's sad that I haven't been reading fiction in quite a long time. So I grabbed two books from the MPH warehouse sale at Expo today, after the engagement. Only $5 each! Cheap like mad.

Although I've caught this on the big screens, I thought it'll be good to read the original work. They always say that the publication is better.

A book about a cat and reading. How could I miss that?

Hope I'll find the time to savour them in the midst of reading history texts and readings that don't make sense half the time. Actually, it's quite ironic that we can never understand certain truths but are always ever interested to seek solace in make-belief.

Love Your Ride!

2010-10-16T21:13:00.002+08:00

2 Saturdays ago, I realised how important it is to "Love Your Ride", having spent around 6 hours travelling within our little booger island, thanks to my beloved ex-employer - SAF. Thus, my hypothesis that they SAF and LTA are close business partners, still stands.

I started the day rather bright and cheery, heading down to JP for breakfast, before the freshmen orientation camp for CO. So yadda yadda yadda, we continued to head to NTU, totally forgetting that I'm on Ops Manning...

Yup, so you guessed it. As soon as I stepped into the orchestra room, I received the phone call from Sadako. Instead of telling me that I "must acknowledge this message" in a voice that sounds like the aunty that sells fishball noodles, Sadako was telling me that "this is an urgent message".

HONG KAN LIAO LOR...

So, I went from Pulau NTU back to my home (in Bedok), gathered all the things I could find in case a war breaks out (which reminds me, I lost my SBO) and went out to Mandai Zoo Camp in my green armour (the nice, non-Matrix looking one).

The trip back to MZC was very... nostalgic. Too bad it was for business, not for pleasure.

1. Get your camera phones sealed at the guard room with a stupid SAF sticker that makes your phone cover sticky like you've just used it for obscene reasons.

2. In-processing with a bunch of old man whom I don't know. From what I eave-dropped, they only have one last ICT left.

3. Check field-pack by a sergeant who's about 6 years younger than me who urges you feebly to get whatever you don't have from e-Mart. FYI, he said that my field pack is very up. Heh.

4. Go listen to stupid announcements that's none of my business by a lame regular who got mocked by the reservist. Pfft.

5. Play with gun. I forgot already but they very nicely taught me how to do it again. At this point the whole thing is basically over and they'll give you a chop in the shape of a cock (erm, the chicken) on your process chit.

6. Take a walk back to Signal Coy just for the heck of it.

7. Get stunned when you see Master Bloody Mary Magdalene Monroe walking out of the signal store smiling like a sunshine, waving at you, looking like she remembered who you are.

8. Make small talk, realise that Sor Mui is now a low-life DXO and most probably clawing the scalp and fats outta Ai Hui (the bitchy S1 clerk with a mound of tidbits behind her).

9. Happily out-process, take free shuttle bus to Woodlands and back to NTU.

Calculate yourself, 1.5hours to NTU, 1.5 hours back, 1.5 hours to Mandai, 1 hour back to NTU, 1.5 hours back home. At the end of the day, I was a limp lump of green mess and really hoped that someone would "Give up give up give up your seat, to those in need."

生于忧患，死于安乐

2010-10-12T11:55:00.003+08:00

故天将降大任于是人也，必先苦其心志，劳其筋骨，饿其体肤，空乏其身，行拂乱其所为，所以动心忍性，曾益其所不能。人恒过，然后能改；困于心，衡于虑，而后作；征于色，发于声，而后喻。入则无法家拂士，出则无敌国外患者，国恒亡。

I'm sure Heaven has a great great great job for me. Really.

Down to Earth

2010-10-09T11:03:00.002+08:00

Stuck at home due to a million assignments and dreadful dreadful tuition in the afternoon. But bo bian 功课还是得做, 钱还是得赚。虽然知道那P6的小鬼“临时进补”应该不会有什么用，但我这儿还是得开饭。

Did you think that your feet had been bound?
By what gravity brings to the ground?
Did you feel you were tricked
By the future you picked?
Well come on down!

觉得很压抑吗？那就解放吧！觉得很伤心吗？那就快乐吧！觉得很压力吗？那就放轻松吧！Simple isn't it? :D

You know...

2010-10-02T00:46:00.002+08:00

that an organisation is 'not-sound' when it gets media coverage that has no relevance to its primary function.

You know, like a news report on a bakery that makes very good fishballs.

有累到

2010-09-30T20:44:00.006+08:00

I'd like to compose one called 沒有錢花的日子.

Been feeling pangs of depressing moods these few days. Especially so after those counselling sessions, I'm discovering this side of me that I suppose nobody else knows.

Well, I've got my stipend and a good part of it went to paying for the forsaken NIE laptop. Another good half went to paying what's left of my installments for my Lenovo laptop. Tuition is hard to find and I really don't have time to teach more. On the other hand, I foresee the P6 kid's one ending real soon as PSLE is coming and I'll be put on hold soon. But I will feel yao-siu if I take up any more kids because I don't intend to continue when I start my full-time job. So yeah, I'm back to square one - 沒有錢花的日子.

Then there's the part where I geh-kiang go join NTUC's main comm. Made myself extremely exhausted on Mondays and Tuesdays. Not to mention, I've personal issues that I have to overcome myself when working with the comm. But the friends that I meet there are what keeps me going. I hope things won't change so soon.

No money, no honey, no energy. How not to be emo? Quote, unquote Ms Ng "May the Force be with me!"

女人

2010-09-26T02:08:00.007+08:00

有時我覺得自己很像一個女人。而且是那種活在封建社會的大宅院裡，還纏著小腳的那種。

甲、嫉妒心作祟。
從以前到現在，我就對‘他’沒有啥好感。最近，‘他’卻又闖入了我的生活，我的圈子，令我有點不爽。

乙、太注重一些不重要的細微末節。
朋友間就該畢恭畢敬。怎麼我和其他人說話，‘他’總愛靠過來插嘴。

丙、習慣不作聲。
多數時候會當背後的幕後功臣。當我碰到指揮慾的‘他’在大聲吆喝時，總覺得渾身哪兒不自在。

丁、不能太能幹。
所以，當我一直聽‘他’口若懸河在炫耀自己的知識時，很多時候都想掉頭走人。

咳～難怪說

“唯女子與小人難養也，近之則不孫，遠之則怨。”

聲明：以上所述之‘他’純屬事實，絕非虛構。但如有雷同，即屬巧合。對號入座者，後果自負。

A Moral Situation

2010-09-20T00:26:00.003+08:00

Last week, just a few days after Miss Ng faced her moral-bread-situation, I was faced with one myself. No breads involved, no money involved, just a witness of something really not-very-nice.

Like almost every other module, the History module for this semester requires us to do a presentation. So every week, 2 classmates will be sacrificed in front of the whole class, like in some Aztec virgin sacrificial ritual, to talk about some archaic dead character.

What better way to decide the sequence of our sacrifice than to draw lots? Let the higher powers play our fate, like they've been doing for the past several millenniums.

What would you do if your classmate swapped his lot for another (absent) classmate's?

As I watched him do this little act, my heart clenched and I wondered if I should tell him to just put back the lot. Turned out I didn't. I could make excuses saying that it happened too fast and I was in a deep trance communicating with seraphims on the other planes, but truth was that I failed to stop this from happening.

Turned out that the absent classmate had to present on the first week of presentation. Which was why her lot was swapped in the first place. Although we're not really on talking terms anymore (and I do bear guilt despite the common consensus that I'm a heartless creep), I felt that it was injustice done to her. Feeling rather guilt-stricken with my failed sense of justice, I got another classmate to inform her of her misfortune.

All it took was probably just a "Eh, 這樣不好."

But I didn't.

Saint Kelvin's Analogy of Infatuation

2010-09-16T23:53:00.007+08:00

Tea with YK always bring new light into things and make me come up with nonsensical theories.

She was telling me about this friend of hers, who is trying to import his PRC girlfriend over to Singapore. He suggests that she live separately so that she can be 'independent' and 'not-so-sticky'.

What a load of bullcrap.

So I came up with an analogy that I dub Saint Kelvin's Analogy of Infatuation.

I theorised that what we consider 'love' is more like a kind of infatuation. Like a crazy obsession over pretty-looking Korean boys and Hello Kitties. Over time, this infatuation will fade and thin, leaving a pile of trash in your house.

So I conclude that, this kinda infatuation is like sweets and candies. At the beginning, it seems like the only thing we wanna eat, like when we were young. Imagine if mommy replaced white rice with M&M's. How nice.

Then slowly, as days passed, you come up with reasons like. "I'll get fat", "Eat too much will get diabetes" and "A lot of artificial colouring and sweetener".

Simply because you're sick and tired of eating all this junk.

Nike vs Adidas

2010-09-15T01:52:00.003+08:00

I wanted to sign up for the Nike run with my NTUC friends but it's like full already. Sian or what. And I can't believe I asked such a stupid question on the Pioneer shuttle bus just now.

SW: Eh, 今年那個 Nike Run 的衣服很美咧.

Me: 哦是咩? 是那個 Adidas 的啊？

SW: 都講是 Nike Run 咯！Nike 還會送 Adidas 的衣服咩！

Must be the adverse effects of going home at 11pm for 2 consecutive nights...

開學了！

2010-09-10T00:01:00.002+08:00

Yes, school resumed last week and now it's the second week already. I'm loving this semester because I really like all the modules that I'm taking. Learning such things make me feel very smart, although my grades would prove otherwise. Some modules look challenging but I'm quite determined to work my ass off. Also, It's good to see all the familiar faces, students (the selected ones) and teachers, breathe in the stale west-side air and feel alive, being busy with school and work.

First day of school, the first person that I know that I actually saw in school was actually XRG. Gosh, 擺什麼臭架子，本王爺我心情好才和你這賤民打招呼，竟然連基本禮貌都不懂！小心我抄你全家！Nevertheless, I don't let annoying pricks spoil my day.

Some old habits die hard. The lectures are still noisy as ever. Not all the time but annoying enough to make me snap 'SHHH!'. Oh well, I think after my 4 month maternity leave, I've stepped into andropause, making me very sensitive to noise.

All I'm hoping now is that certain people don't 出 stunt this semester, cause inconvenience to the whole class by changing our timeslots and in the end, don't turn up for lessons.

Other than these complains, I'm very glad that school's started and I'm seeing some light at the end of the tunnel.

Confessions of a Fat Boy

2010-09-03T01:22:00.009+08:00

I stepped into Canteen 2 at Pulau NTU the other day, just to grab a sinful waffle as a quick bite before scaling the hills Nanyang House for orchestra practice. For a split second, I thought I walked into NIE's Faculty of Physical Education. Every guy's a jock and every gal a bimbotic-cheerleader-look-alike.

Hmmm, must be the YOG mood in the air. Or maybe NTU altered her admission criteria:

1. All males must score Gold for IPPT, possess a deep dark tan, look remotely like an athlete and have an undying passion for NUM's gay-looking singlets. Loud, ra-ra, vulgarity-spewing applicants will be given priority.

2. All females must also possess dark tans, able to shriek and giggle loudly in public with boys. They must have the uncanny ability to punctuate their sentences with "loves", "jiayou", "yeah", "ok", "right" and also be die-hard fans of FBT shorts and sloppy flip-flops. Good if you can't speak a word of Mandarin.

I've never been a great fan of sports because I really don't see the point in most of the things. And perhaps because I'm blessed with the figure of a soccer ball and the reflex of a sloth. It was my agenda every week to try to skip P.E since primary school. I prefer my storybooks, cartoons, potato chips, action figures and instrument, thank you. Chasing a ball all over a court, kicking another around a field, smacking tiny white balls halfway cross a countryside just to wonder where it went. All these swashbuckling ball actions' just not really for me. Although I do applaud the institution and nation's effort for YOG, I never could really feel too excited about it.

Then again, it's always the hot (literally), sweaty, balls-kicking guys that snag up all the chicks, are considered cool, get all the good-paying and easy jobs (like walking around a mall with a sign on your back).

But that didn't stop me from biting into the awfully sinful chocolate waffle.

Prophecy

2010-09-02T11:41:00.004+08:00

I foresee a massive chaos and the full-fledge outrage of Singaporeans at JE MRT station and Clementi MRT station, this coming weekend and the next.

Reason is simple. Yet another incomplete and misguided news that has been disseminated on a large scale, leaving commuters bewildered and disoriented.

TRAIN services will not operate between Jurong East and Clementi stations this weekend (4 & 5 September).

This is due to the Land Transport Authority (LTA) modification works at Jurong East Station.

Commuters who need to travel to these areas are encouraged to plan their journey and make use of alternative transport options.

Questions:

1. does the train skip the two stations and continue its journey, or
2. do we have to get off the train as the train's not able to pass these two stations? Or,
3. since it says BETWEEN, am I right to assume that the stations are still functioning, just that the train does not pass through? Or,
4. do the stations cease function entirely?
5. does the service stop at Dover and Pioneer, or
6. JE and Clementi?
7. how bout Bukit Batok?

For me alone to come up with so many MCQ options, shows how many different possibilities there are in interpreting this notice. And how un-informative it is.

Then, I saw this line on TODAY's webpage: LTA and SMRT will provide free bus bridging services to ferry commuters between Jurong East and Clementi stations - something not displayed on the notices in the stations, which are all in English only.

This is when iphone users will beat us in reaching their destinations first, and when skeptics like me wait and watch the world go up in chaos; when the media will release news on how smooth the transit was, and when I'll roll my eyes in disdain.

Happy Teachers' Day '10

2010-08-31T21:38:00.008+08:00

Took a little trip back to my alma mater, TPJC, today with $$$ and MM, yes I know the combi sounds a little weird and I'm like a mega gooseberry. But it's fun to be in part of the haha-you-all-don't-know-that-I-know-bout-you-guys kinda situation.

It's strange how I do actually have affections for my college, considering the short stint I had there and how not-very-nice things ended on the last day there as a student (collect A levels results mah). It was quite a horrible yet bitter-sweet 2 years there, with all the fun people and interesting scandals in school.

Not forgetting the incredible teachers who left me with great passion, well not for the subjects they taught me, but more of the love for learning.

The bus ride there felt nostalgic, exactly like how it felt on the first day of school there. Walking along the perimeter, I was looking out for the hole in the fence where people used to crawl out before 1.30pm, just to see it sealed up (finally!). The foyer looks bare without the tables where I used to slack while the rest slog their guts out during Chinese class. The canteen looks good, with clean and new tables and nice looking stalls, but the food sucks, according to Mrs. Lee.

Best part was when we all sat down with our tutors, reminisced our past naughty acts and discussed how everyone's been doing. That's when I realised the way that teachers remember their students - scandals and gossips. Like who got married with an imported husband, who dedicated a song for a chick during SongFest and which giggly girls had huge rocks on their fingers.

A pretty cool experience, listening to your teacher talk bout your halcyon days as a student, when you're gonna be a teacher yourself pretty soon.

Everything just felt really surreal...

P/S: Happy birthday to you too, OWX!

人生幾何？

2010-08-30T01:34:00.000+08:00

十年一刻

2010-08-27T11:05:00.000+08:00

"可能忙了又忙可能傷了又傷
可能無數眼淚在夜晚嚐了又嚐
可是換來成長可是換來希望"

不管是人生中的任何一刻，都是珍貴的。因為當下一刻消逝後就不會再回來，也不會有相同的那一刻。感受生命，把握當下。

台灣追想 - 可敬的精神 Part II

2010-08-25T01:03:00.006+08:00

好像有點過期了，但是沒啥辦法，誰叫我在 Part I 中說會有 Part II。其實我已經有點忘記要寫的是什麼...

只記得台灣的朋友在搭捷運的時候都好守秩序，就連歐吉桑和歐巴桑們都乖乖地站在黃線後面，等大家下車了才慢慢地上車。即使是繁忙時間也是這樣。不像一些國家的人喜歡玩“夾夾樂”。

在捷運車廂裡大家也不會吵死人。捷運公司也有宣傳，教導人們在搭捷運時的一些基本禮貌。好像這個...

又不像一些國家的人，把車廂當作菜市場。還在故宮博物院大肆喧嘩，一點文化涵養都沒有。要人家“歸順朝廷”，至少也要提高自己的素養吧！哪裡有“京城”比“外省”落後的？要人家“歸順”也應該要讓人家心悅誠服嘛。看，即使收復了“香江”，香江人還是不把你們當一家人，還以你們為恥。

哎呀哎呀，言歸正傳。

台灣的朋友們很自動的咧。不論繁忙時間與否，搭電動扶梯時大家都很自然地靠左邊站，讓趕時間的公眾能用右邊。有時我們好像還得提醒同行的國人記得站在左邊。也不像一些國家的人，喜歡站在電動扶梯中間，zor deng 得要死。

還有，不用我說大家都知道台灣的服務業是一流的啦。伍小姐曾經說過，他們好像太過做作了，好像不是真的發自內心的提供好服務。但我認為，不管他們是不是發自內心想幫你爬上爬下找貨品、對你鞠九十度的躬、大呼“歡迎光臨，喜歡可以打折哦～～～～～～～～”，他們那麼做已經是一種十分敬業，專業的服務精神。還是不像一些國家的人，自己國家服務爛就算了，還到我們這裡來搗亂。

哈哈！寫着寫着，不知不覺就寫了一堆，還說自己不太記得了...其實那整個行程真的很令人難忘，根本就不會不記得。

療傷歌手

2010-08-23T02:58:00.005+08:00

I've always found Sarah MacLachlan's voice a soothing band-aid for all those who are down and depressed. Although some of her songs do get quite emo, I do feel better after wallowing in them. Like what they say, there's no way but up after you've hit rock bottom.

Here's a rare, upbeat one from her. Look out for all the little joys, the little ordinary miracles happening around you everyday. :D

"Life is like a gift they say

Wrapped up for you everyday

Open up and find a way

To give some of your own."

老套

2010-08-20T03:37:00.000+08:00

積極與消極、悲觀與樂觀，這是個很老套的課題。大家常常以半滿/半空的杯子來比喻人們看待事情的角度，這也是相當老套的比喻。

幾日來留意到友人FB上的status，忽然又突發奇想。

年初一，你看到的是死氣沉沉的鄰里，還是共享天倫的家家戶戶？
國慶日，你看到的是奪目的煙花，還是在公共假期七早八早吵死人的慶祝會？
中元節，你看到的是反映我們南洋‘鬼節’的傳統習俗，還是超標的空氣污染指數？

其實，兩種景象大家當然都看得到。問題是，你選擇見到那一個咧？我們舉國歡慶的節日來來去去不外乎這幾個，何不樂在其中？老是哀嘆那半空的杯子，又是何苦？

很老套，但還是要講。

Hardly rocket science

2010-08-18T03:01:00.004+08:00

I was heating up some chicken curry just now and I was rather surprised to see a tiny little ant scrambling around the insides of the microwave oven when the timer 'ding!'ed.

Having watched too much Supernatural, where people microwave their own heads and create a bloody mess, I kinda wondered why ants don't get nuked. Well, there has to be some liquid in them right? And the microwaves should efficiently vibrate those water molecules and fry it.

Curious, I attempted a Google search. And wow, am I surprised... A search on 'ants microwave' actually generated 1,400,000 search results. I'm surprised that there's even an answer to my random question, which can be seen HERE.

So we learn something new everyday, despite it being a useless information that we might never use. Unless you get trapped in a mega microwave oven.

P/S: In case you don't know, that's how microwave ovens work - vibrate the water molecules to generate friction and heat so your pie gets hot.

P.P/S: Microwave ovens usually make your food really dry. So, just sprinkle a little water over your noms before toasting them to retain the moisture. Now this is a useful fact.

And the living is easy

2010-08-16T00:11:00.008+08:00

45

2010-08-09T14:25:00.005+08:00

It's my nation's birthday today. So here's wishing every Singaporean and the nation, a very joyous 45th National Day.

Thanks you Singapore,
for granting me a safe haven;
for raising me to be who I am;
for giving me a vision for tomorrow;
for providing for my needs all these years;
for being the mighty and beautiful little red dot;

Thank you Singapore, for being paradise on Earth.

Mysterious ways

2010-08-07T01:46:00.007+08:00

You know what people always say about God - that He works in mysterious ways. Well, I think he does, because as soon as I posted bout having nothing to blog about, he gave me one.

Visiting IKEA has its adverse effects. Every single time I go there, I'll come back feeling very resolute to clear the junk in my house, in an attempt to make it look like one of those model rooms. And despite my best attempts, I think my house still pretty much looks like IKEA's janitor's closet.

For those of you who don't know, (I think you should've by now) I live in what seems like a mini junkyard / garage sale.

So today, I went to IKEA with my crazy sibling for dinner, walk-about and check-bicycle-price. And as usual, I came back home and threw out around 10 bags of nonsense into the recycling bin at my void-deck. I walked so many times pass those guitar-playing, lepak-ing MLRs sitting around there that they kept staring at me. It almost filled the bin and trust me, it's not even the tip of the trash-berg in my house.

It would amuse you what kind of nonsense I'd find in my house, not that it doesn't amuse me. It ceased to. Now I'm just pissed. A quick summary of what I dumped or rather what the Mother hoards.

1. Calendars. 2010 and older.
2. Organisers. As above.
3. Disposable wooden chopsticks. I think she's just trying to be green here but I found enough for a wedding banquet.
4. Plastic spoons. As above.
5. Plastic bags. Enough to supply Carrefour for a month.
6. Plastic boxes. I can build a castle with what I found.
7. Fugly clothes
8. An eclectic boomerang
9. A cup in the shape of what looks like a cross-hybrid of a sheep and a chicken.
10. Another cup in the shape of Simba's head, along with Minnie, Tweety and Donald.
11. An ashtray in the shape of a typical image of a Grim Reaper - the hooded skeleton.
12. Close to 20 spectacle cases.
13. Around 10 combs. FYI, my Dad and I keep a crew-cut.

The only amusing things that I found, which I did not dump, were my Dad and Brother's report books.

Apparently God ain't the only one who works in mysterious ways...

Been a while

2010-08-06T12:27:00.010+08:00

since I blogged. Please wait a while more because I'm not really in the mood to write anything recently. In the meantime, enjoy this nice song.

And to (all) the LCB(s) reading this space, I'll be nice for now so be glad I've nothing to write about you this week. Yet.

In case you haven't realise...

2010-07-27T18:30:00.000+08:00

I've removed the stupid tagboard as I really don't need to know howtogetsixpacks.com or wanna getlaidtonight.com.

So if there's anything you wanna say, just use the "comment" function. Alternatively, you may find your nearest friendly neighbourhood gossip-monger/LCB. They'll be very glad to help. If you don't know any, I can give you the numbers to one of those...

Prices and extra services are negotiable. Batteries not included. Each sold seperately.

And speaking of LCBs like again, I recently came to know of the Whore of Babylon, thanks to watching Supernatural.

Now that's one biblical LCB of epic proportions.

人類篇

2010-07-26T01:01:00.000+08:00

有時覺得人類真是一群看似很理智但其實是沒有什麼理性的動物。我們一直理性化地認為自己能夠選擇要和什麼人喝咖啡、打交道、聊是非、看電影，但其實我們都不斷地被“人事”這個東西玩弄於股掌之中。

玩樂團確實給我很大的樂趣，但樂團中的“人事”卻是令人非常頭痛的問題。以前是因為喜歡某某樂團玩的音樂而參加，卻因“人事”而（常常）萌生離開的念頭。現在是因為樂團程度的每況愈下而想離開，卻因為身邊的很多好朋友、新朋友而捨不得。但當然，程度的每況愈下也和“人事”與管理有一定的關係啦...

真是得學會“百花叢裡過，片葉不沾身”的絕世武功才可以。

P/S：我最喜歡那些會對號入座的讀者。雖然證明他們心裡有鬼但同時也證明他們至少有自知之明/還有點人性（所以應該還有得救）/知道自己不是什麼好東西。有時候還會露出一些馬腳。其實很多時候寫的根本不是指他們。呵呵～

Hello, LCB

2010-07-18T14:48:00.009+08:00

You know, some things never change. Like how dogs can't help but to eat their own poop, how leopards can't change their spots, how geckos can't stop their tails from snapping off, how I can't stop watching Supernatural and how LCBs just can't stop gossiping behind others, lest their CB mouths itch like hell.

Best part of it is that they pretend to be your BFF after that. Just makes me wanna punch their fat heads. Grow up, for the Pope's sake.

In case you think that I'm like this LCB, you're wrong. Because this LCB I'm talking about actually reads this space. Secretly, but not secret enough.

And LCB, you know what? Next time you should really choose carefully who you tattle to. Enjoy your weekend, while you can. I'm sure they reserved a space for you where they yank off your tongue with pliers, in the pits, sulphur and all. :)

And what you said about me, how different are you? Food for thought for your corroding grey matter.

P/S: LCB actually means lao char bor and thus CB would be short for char bor, but of course you could get creative with a bit of dialect.

Save your comments

2010-07-12T23:36:00.008+08:00

Unlike Thorne here, I do not hate Christianity, nor its believers. In fact, I really like the latin prayers from the Novena and Rosaries. In fact, I do enjoy reading the Bible once in a while and many of my good friends are in fact, Christians, although the other good percentage of them are blasphemous Satanists.

Of course by Christians, I define them as believers of Yahweh and Christ, not pre-pubescent fan-girls armed with DSLRs, yelping in what seems like a rock concert of a passe Hollywood star, in worship of a queer and scantily clad scam.

Like this one..

It's a big joke, if you ask me.

But I seriously do not appreciate it when people comment on my beliefs. It's my choice if I choose to believe that kissing gerbils will bring me to heaven, and even if it might sound awfully incredulous, who are you to comment?

For the past year, I've been secretly tolerating this acquaintance of mine. He's a nice guy but kinda has low EQ when it gets to beliefs. Although I may not believe in half the things my friends talk about, I choose to shut up and keep my comments to myself, unless it is a misinterpretation of my religion.

When we were talking bout 拜太歲 during Chinese New Year, he comments 'It's all 心理作用'. Whenever I go vegan during lunch, he says 'Why torture yourself like that?'. When someone talks about certain taboos during pregnancy, he asks 'Why so superstitious?'. When a newly wed girl talks about practices during a move-in, he questions 'Whatever for?'

'Just because, dickhead. And I choose to believe that we were once monkeys and rainbows are really just refracted sunlight.'

And no, I don't believe that kissing gerbils will get me to heaven.

P/S: I'm beginning to recall this rude comment from a friend bout my religion, again. 觀音 spare my soul...

Wet Blanket

2010-07-10T01:31:00.008+08:00

Just as I'm enjoying my uber-long holidays, I'm slapped with a blanket as wet as a trout. An email which reads...

Hi *fatty-bon-bon*,

We have been informed by the insurance company that your lost notebook claim has been unsuccessful. Kindly contact me at 61234567 or 91234567 to arrange for the payment of $1411.33 for the lost notebook which you are liable for. Thank you

Regards,
*Mr. Associate ICT Engineer of the VeryRichSchool*

Awesome. I guess it's time to execute my plan to sell my soul or other parts of my body. So, before I go sleep and have nightmares of demons chasing my ass for money, here's a little something that you can have fun watching, and at the same time pray for my degenerated soul.

P/S: All names and information in this post have been censored for your viewing pleasure and of course, confidentiality. Don't attempt to call the numbers, they don't exist. I think.

PP/S: It's interesting to note that with all this talk bout demons, degenerate souls, nightmares and prayers, this is my 666th post. o_O

On animal control

2010-07-01T03:33:00.002+08:00

I desperately need animal control in my residence now. If you've been secretly stalking my FB statuses, you'll see that I've this uncontrollable desire to tickle the Corgi upstairs with a chainsaw.

At around 0930HRS every single morning, the female master of that hellhound would walk it down my corridor, like Little Bo Beep herding her sheep. Just that this sheep is actually a freaking alarm clock on four short legs. It never fails to jolt me outta dreamland. The only reason stopping me from making stew with it is that it still looks quite cute and its male owner is one of my many insurance agent.

To sweeten the pot, the black Schnauzer next door would start its day with a morning gossip with that mad dog and it kinda sounds like a Bon Jovi rock concert outside my unit every morning. Since it's the holidays, I'd (like to) still be sleeping like a log at that hour.

And no, these hounds are not done yet. There's a fleabag that resides two doors away that bears uncanny semblance to a Pakistani shaggy door mat. I can't even tell what breed it is. It's owned by 2 nice old couples residing with their children and grandchildren. Unlike the previous two, this one doesn't really make so much noise. But you know there's a common belief that 臭屁不響，響屁不臭.

Let me tell you, that's true for dogs too. Imagine this: a laundry-basket-full of sweaty PE shirts belonging to smelly Saint Patrick's guys (I like to call them Patricia) that's been left to stand for 2 weeks. Blend that smell with a burst sewage pipe - what you smell outside Takashimaya all the time. Yup that fleabag smells like this deadly cocktail.

Sometimes when I see it at the lift lobby, I'd suddenly have the urge to return to water my plants before going out. And a few months back, my sister told the old man off 'cause he actually attempted to dump that fleabag downstairs for good, claiming that it's very noisy. o_O

Nowadays before leaving home, my Mom would go on and on about how we should remember to close the kitchen windows. Not because of rain, but because of this....

Yup, the national bird of Singapore - 烏鴉.

Like their sisters stalking the corridors in Joo Chiat and even-number Lorongs in Geylang (流鶯), they've become a little too brazen. My mom is not the littlest proud that these feathered fiends have been swooping into my kitchen, their little beady eyes fixated on her yummy dishes, pecking away. And mind you, I live on the 12th floor.

But then, we've gotta be thankful that we have, in our friendly neighbourhood, the trusty dark-winged, yellow-beaked whistle-blower...

As the crow hops in for his feast, this little mynah will perch itself on my bamboo poles outside the window and caw so loudly that we'll go check out the kitchen and find ourselves a nasty surprise. A very extraordinary vigilante for a common mynah, I'd say.

So the perfect scenario would be:
1. I make stew out of those 3 bloodsucking hellhounds.
2. I leave the pot of stew on the dining table.
3. Crow comes in and slurps up everything.
4. Crow dies cuz I assume dog number 3 to be poisonous.
5. Mynah and I sing in delight.

But before this fairytale comes true, I'll just have to get Ace Ventura's contacts.

Another quickie

2010-06-28T03:12:00.003+08:00

After reading about what LY-er dreamt of, I feel compelled to pen down this weird dream I had last night.

I was groggy, either drunk or really sleepy, in my dreams. And the first thing I saw outta that groggy state was my Burberry wallet. To my horror, it looked as if a 5-tonne truck had ran it over and the Corgi upstairs chewed on it and spat it out.

The dream ended there abruptly. I think it was meant to be a nightmare.

When E heard about it, she laughed very hard.

A quickie

2010-06-28T03:00:00.002+08:00

I never understood why people would post episodes of their crisis with family members / partners / friends as their Facebook statuses. I mean, not like we're all dying to know how much you feel like tossing a cleaver at your dad, or how your siblings are slinking into the endless depths of depression or how much you love your boyfriend but you guys have actually broken up.

Not that it bothers me or is any of my business but it's baffling why people wanna do that.

And moreover, isn't it better to keep your dirty linen inside your laundry baskets?

台灣追想 - 可敬的精神 Part I

2010-06-17T01:15:00.004+08:00

Even after all these years, this little video here still makes me a little peeved.

Which made my impression for Taiwanese 大打折扣 even further...

Yet I've to admit that some of the attributes Taiwanese have, had indeed impressed me during the Taipei trip.

Firstly, Taiwanese are awesome when it comes to saving the environment. Almost everywhere, there's the abundance of recycling bins and recycling is like a ritualistic part of their lifestyle.

I remembered the bewildered looks on the faces of the NTUCO people when they stood in front of the 3 boxes, when asked to separately dump the lunch box, food waste and cutlery.

Next is the how 人性化 the whole society functions.

While the signs in Singapore all sound more like commands and threats, I feel that the signs in Taipei are filled with nice, pleasing words to evoke compassions of commuters. Thanks to their great command of their Chinese language, or 國語 as they would call it.

But sometimes I do feel that their speech and choice of words gets a bit 煽情.

Not just that, their announcements in the train are in 4 different languages. English, 國語, 閩南語(the Min dialect or Hokkien) and 客家話 (Hakka). That's to cater to the many old folks who can speak neither of the official languages.

It's sad that now in Singapore, they don't even bother to announce the station names in any languages other than English. So it seems they expect our senior citizens to understand English. They keep telling us our population is ageing, meaning to say that a good percentage of our commuters do not understand what's announced.

Like what a senior in Taiwan told me, "新加坡感覺上就少了我們台灣的人性化，大家都好像被壓迫一樣。" Totally agree. I feel that sometimes, it's not that we don't want to be more "human" but our society focuses too much on tangible growths and that affects how we function.

Hmmm, this post is getting kinda long so I'm gonna continue when I come back from my (a little dreadful) Indonesia trip.

Miss me and stay tuned. :D

Let's be thankful...

2010-06-15T00:46:00.002+08:00

... and STOP whining.

Picture taken from dhamma musings.