![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
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3 and a half long months... |
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a long long way from London back home... |
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and it's finally back in my arms! hahahaha all my precious buys from London. Yums. |
i'm feeling : 
ecstatic
ecstatic::tell me what you think!::
fall to fly
dance.like.no.one.is.watching.
05 November 2007 @ 11:13 pm
24 October 2007 @ 07:29 pm
SOURCE: CNN.com
NEW YORK (AP) -- With author J.K. Rowling's revelation that master wizard Albus Dumbledore is gay, some passages about the Hogwarts headmaster and rival wizard Gellert Grindelwald have taken on a new and clearer meaning.
Dumbledore, played by Michael Gambon, was in love with his male rival, the author of Harry Potter books says.
'"You cannot imagine how his ideas caught me, Harry, inflamed me,' " Dumbledore says in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," the seventh and final book in Rowling's record-breaking fantasy series.
The news brought gasps, then applause at Carnegie Hall, the last stop on Rowling's brief U.S. tour, and set off thousands of e-mails on Potter fan Web sites around the world. Some were dismayed, others indifferent, but most were supportive.
"Jo Rowling calling any Harry Potter character gay would make wonderful strides in tolerance toward homosexuality," Melissa Anelli, Webmaster of the fan site http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org, told The Associated Press. "By dubbing someone so respected, so talented and so kind, as someone who just happens to be also homosexual, she's reinforcing the idea that a person's gayness is not something of which they should be ashamed."
" 'DUMBLEDORE IS GAY' is quite a headline to stumble upon on a Friday evening, and it's certainly not what I expected," added Potter fan Patrick Ross, of Rutherford, New Jersey. "(But) a gay character in the most popular series in the world is a big step for Jo Rowling and for gay rights."
Dumbledore may now be the world's most famous gay children's character, but he's hardly the first. "And Tango Makes Three," a story by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell that features two male penguins raising a baby penguin, topped the American Library Association's latest list of books attracting the most complaints from parents and educators.
In 2005, PBS decided not to distribute an episode of "Postcards From Buster" that had been criticized by Education Secretary Margaret Spellings for including lesbian characters. The Potter books themselves have long been threatened with removal from school and library shelves, with some Christians alleging that the series promotes witchcraft.
In Rowling's fantasy series, Gellert Grindelwald was a dark wizard of great power who terrorized people much in the same way Harry's nemesis, Lord Voldemort, was to do a generation later. Readers hear of him in the first book, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," in a reference to how Dumbledore defeated him. In "Deathly Hallows," readers learn they once had been best friends.
"Neither Dumbledore nor Grindelwald ever seems to have referred to this brief boyhood friendship in later life,"' Rowling writes. "However, there can be no doubt that Dumbledore delayed, for some five years of turmoil, fatalities, and disappearances, his attack upon Gellert Grindelwald. Was it lingering affection for the man or fear of exposure as his once best friend that caused Dumbledore to hesitate?"
As a young man, Dumbledore, brilliant and powerful, had been forced to return home to look after his mentally ill younger sister and younger brother. It was a task he admits to Harry that he resented, because it derailed the bright future he had been looking forward to.
Then Grindelwald, described by Rowling as "golden-haired, merry-faced," arrived after having been expelled from his own school. Grindelwald's aunt, Bathilda Bagshot, says of their meeting: "The boys took to each other at once." In a letter to Grindelwald, Dumbledore discusses their plans for gaining wizard dominance: "'(I)f you had not been expelled we would never have met."'
Potter readers had speculated about Dumbledore, noting that he has no close relationship with women and a mysterious, troubled past.
"Falling in love can blind us to an extent," Rowling said Friday of Dumbledore's feelings about Grindelwald, adding that Dumbledore was "horribly, terribly let down."
Dumbledore's love, she observed, was his "great tragedy."
========================================
Hahaha, interesting interesting.
i'm feeling : 
creative
creative24 October 2007 @ 10:53 am
I HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE PMS-y, insecure, narrow minded, small hearted men.
Come on, grow up and start acting like a man.
Come on, grow up and start acting like a man.
i'm feeling : 
infuriated
infuriated23 October 2007 @ 04:19 pm
Ivy baby sent me this. It's an interesting piece. Very engaging, with an interesting portrayal of a modern woman's life. In the draw of all things materialistic and pretty, it's often easy to lose ourselves in this rat race to earn the highest pay, the most impressive sounding job title, the biggest house, the most branded bags, the most expensive shoes... the list goes on. Before we take our first huge step onto the highway of the working life, it's good to read such stories and remind ourselves about what is really important to us and not get lost in the high life. (and of course, not to become roadkill.)
Anyway, here goes...
Singapore girl wins Commonwealth essay prize!
A 15-YEAR-OLD Singaporean, competing against 16- to 18-year-olds, has won the top prize in a writing contest that drew 5,300 entries from 52 countries.
In the annual Commonwealth Essay Competition, Amanda Chong of Raffles Girls' School (Secondary) chose to compete in the older category and won with a piece on the restlessness of modern life.
Her short story, titled What The Modern Woman Wants, focused on the conflict in values between an old lady and her independent-minded daughter.
'Through my story, I attempted to convey the unique East-versus-West struggles and generation gaps that I felt were characteristic of young people in my country,' said Amanda, who likes drama, history and literature and wants to become a lawyer and a politician.
Chief examiner Charles Kemp called her piece a 'powerfully moving and ironical critique of modern restlessness and its potentially cruel consequences'.The writing is fluent and assured, with excellent use of dialogue.
Amanda gets (S$1,590). A Singaporean last won the top prize in 2000, said Britain's Royal Commonwealth Society, which has been organising the competition since 1883. Singaporeans also came in second in the 14- to 15-year-old category, and fourth in the under-12s. Other winners included students from Australia, Canada and South Africa.
========================================
What the Modern Woman Wants
By Amanda Chong Wei-Zhen
The old woman sat in the backseat of the magenta convertible as it careened down the highway, clutching tightly to the plastic bag on her lap, afraid it may be kidnapped by the wind. She was not used to such speed, with trembling hands she pulled the seatbelt tighter but was careful not to touch the patent leather seats with her callused fingers, her daughter had warned her not to dirty it, 'Fingerprints show very clearly on white, Ma.'
Her daughter, Bee Choo, was driving and talking on her sleek silver mobile phone using big words the old woman could barely understand. 'Finance' 'Liquidation' 'Assets' 'Investments'... Her voice was crisp and important and had an unfamiliar lilt to it. Her Bee Choo sounded like one of those foreign girls on television. She was speaking in an American accent.
The old lady clucked her tongue in disapproval. 'I absolutely cannot have this. We have to sell!' Her daughter exclaimed agitatedly as she stepped on the accelerator; her perfectly manicured fingernails gripping onto the steering wheel in
irritation.
'I can't DEAL with this anymore!' she yelled as she clicked the phone shut and hurled it angrily toward the backseat. The mobile phone hit the old woman on the forehead and nestled soundlessly into her lap. She calmly picked it up and handed it to her daughter.
'Sorry, Ma,' she said, losing the American pretence and switching to Mandarin. 'I have a big client in America. There have been a lot of problems.' The old lady nodded knowingly. Her daughter was big and important.
Bee Choo stared at her mother from the rear view window, wondering what she was thinking. Her mother's wrinkled countenance always carried the same cryptic look.
The phone began to ring again, an artificially cheerful digital tune, which broke the awkward silence. 'Hello, Beatrice! Yes, this is Elaine.' Elaine. The old woman cringed. I didn't name her Elaine. She remembered her daughter telling her, how an English name was very important for 'networking', Chinese ones being easily forgotten.
'Oh no, I can't see you for lunch today. I have to take the ancient relic to the temple for her weird daily prayer ritual.' Ancient Relic. The old woman understood perfectly it was referring to her. Her daughter always assumed that her mother's silence meant she did not comprehend.
'Yes, I know! My car seats will be reeking of joss sticks!' The old woman pursed her lips tightly, her hands gripping her plastic bag in defence. The car curved smoothly into the temple courtyard. It looked almost garish next to the dull sheen of the ageing temple's roof. The old woman got out of the back seat, and made her unhurried way to the main hall.
Her daughter stepped out of the car in her business suit and stilettos and reapplied her lipstick as she made her brisk way to her mother's side.
'Ma, I'll wait outside. I have an important phone call to make,' she said, not bothering to hide her disgust at the pungent fumes of incense.
The old lady hobbled into the temple hall and lit a joss stick, she knelt down solemnly and whispered her now familiar daily prayer to the Gods.
Thank you God of the Sky, you have given my daughter luck all these years. Everything I prayed for, you have given her. She has everything a young woman in this world could possibly want. She has a big house with a swimming pool, a maid to help her, as she is too clumsy to sew or cook.
Her love life has been blessed; she is engaged to a rich and handsome angmoh man. Her company is now the top financial firm and even men listen to what she says. She lives the perfect life. You have given her everything except happiness. I ask that the gods be merciful to her even if she has lost her roots while reaping the harvest of success.
What you see is not true, she is a filial daughter to me. She gives me a room in her big house and provides well for me. She is rude to me only because I affect her happiness. A young woman does not want to be hindered by her old mother. It is my fault.
The old lady prayed so hard that tears welled up in her eyes. Finally, with her head bowed in reverence she planted the half-burnt joss stick into an urn of smouldering ashes.
She bowed once more. The old woman had been praying for her daughter for thirty-two years. When her stomach was round like a melon, she came to the temple and prayed that it was a son.
Then the time was ripe and the baby slipped out of her womb, bawling and adorable with fat thighs and pink cheeks, but unmistakably, a girl. Her husband had kicked and punched her for producing a useless baby who could not work or carry the family name.
Still, the woman returned to the temple with her new-born girl tied to her waist in a sarong and prayed that her daughter would grow up and have everything she ever wanted. Her husband left her and she prayed that her daughter would never have to depend on a man.
She prayed every day that her daughter would be a great woman, the woman that she, meek and uneducated, could never become. A woman with nengkan; the ability to do anything she set her mind to. A woman who commanded respect in the hearts of men. When she opened her mouth to speak, precious pearls would fall out and men would listen.
She will not be like me, the woman prayed as she watched her daughter grow up and drift away from her, speaking a language she scarcely understood. She watched her daughter transform from a quiet girl, to one who openly defied her, calling her laotu; old-fashioned. She wanted her mother to be 'modern', a word so new there was no Chinese word for it.
Now her daughter was too clever for her and the old woman wondered why she had prayed like that. The gods had been faithful to her persistent prayer, but the wealth and success that poured forth so richly had buried the girl's roots and now she stood, faceless, with no identity, bound to the soil of her ancestors by only a string of origami banknotes.
Her daughter had forgotten her mother's values. Her wants were so ephemeral; that of a modern woman. Power, Wealth, access to the best fashion boutiques, and yet her daughter had not found true happiness. The old woman knew that you could find happiness with much less. When her daughter left the earth everything she had would count for nothing. People would look to her legacy and say that she was a great woman, but she would be forgotten once the wind blows over, like the ashes of burnt paper convertibles and mansions.
The old woman wished she could go back and erase all her big hopes and prayers for her daughter; now she had only one want: That her daughter be happy. She looked out of the temple gate. She saw her daughter speaking on the phone, her brow furrowed with anger and worry. Being at the top is not good, the woman thought, there is only one way to go from there - down.
The old woman carefully unfolded the plastic bag and spread out a packet of beehoon in front of the altar. Her daughter often mocked her for worshipping porcelain Gods. How could she pray to them so faithfully and expect pieces of ceramic to fly to her aid? But her daughter had her own gods too, idols of wealth, success and power that she was enslaved to and worshipped every day of her life.
Every day was a quest for the idols, and the idols she worshipped counted for nothing in eternity. All the wants her daughter had would slowly suck the life out of her and leave her, an empty soulless shell at the altar.
The old lady watched her joss tick. The dull heat had left a teetering grey stem that was on the danger of collapsing. Modern woman nowadays, the old lady sighed in resignation, as she bowed to the east one final time to end her ritual. Modern woman nowadays want so much that they lose their souls and wonder why they cannot find it.
Her joss stick disintegrated into a soft grey powder. She met her daughter outside the temple, the same look of worry and frustration was etched on her daughter's face. An empty expression, as if she was ploughing through the soil of her wants looking for the one thing that would sow the seeds of happiness.
They climbed into the convertible in silence and her daughter drove along the highway, this time not as fast as she had done before.
'Ma,' Bee Choo finally said. 'I don't know how to put this. Mark and I have been talking about it and we plan to move out of the big house. The property market is good now, and we managed to get a buyer willing to pay seven million for it. We decided we'd prefer a cosier penthouse apartment instead. We found a perfect one in Orchard Road. Once we move in to our apartment we plan to get rid of the maid, so we can have more space to ourselves...'
The old woman nodded knowingly. Bee Choo swallowed hard. 'We'd get someone to come in to do the housework and we can eat out - but once the maid is gone, there won't be anyone to look after you. You will be awfully lonely at home and, besides that, the apartment is rather small. There won't be space. We thought about it for a long time, and we decided
the best thing for you is if you moved to a Home. There's one near Hougang - it's a Christian home, a very nice one.'
The old woman did not raise an eyebrow. 'I've been there, the matron is willing to take you in. It's beautiful with gardens and lots of old people to keep you company! I hardly have time for you, you'd be happier there.'
'You'd be happier there, really.' Her daughter repeated as if to affirm herself. This time the old woman had no plastic bag of food offerings to cling tightly to; she bit her lip and fastened her seat belt, as if it would protect her from a daughter who did not want her anymore. She sunk deep into the leather seat, letting her shoulders sag, and her fingers trace the white seat.
'Ma?' her daughter asked, searching the rear view window for her mother. 'Is everything okay?' What had to be done, had to be done. 'Yes,' she said firmly, louder than she intended, 'if it will make you happy,' she added more quietly.
'It's for you, Ma! You'll be happier there. You can move there tomorrow, I already got the maid to pack your things.' Elaine said triumphantly, mentally ticking yet another item off her agenda.
'I knew everything would be fine.'
Elaine smiled widely; she felt liberated. Perhaps getting rid of her mother would make her happier. She had thought about it. It seemed the only hindrance in her pursuit of happiness. She was happy now. She had everything a modern woman ever wanted; Money, Status, Career, Love,Power and now, Freedom, without her mother and her old-fashioned ways to weigh her down...
Yes, she was free. Her phone buzzed urgently, she picked it up and read the message, still beaming from ear to ear. 'Stocks 10% increase!'
Yes, things were definitely beginning to look up for her... And while searching for the meaning of life in the luminance of her hand phone screen, the old woman in the backseat became invisible, and she did not see the tears.
Anyway, here goes...
Singapore girl wins Commonwealth essay prize!
A 15-YEAR-OLD Singaporean, competing against 16- to 18-year-olds, has won the top prize in a writing contest that drew 5,300 entries from 52 countries.
In the annual Commonwealth Essay Competition, Amanda Chong of Raffles Girls' School (Secondary) chose to compete in the older category and won with a piece on the restlessness of modern life.
Her short story, titled What The Modern Woman Wants, focused on the conflict in values between an old lady and her independent-minded daughter.
'Through my story, I attempted to convey the unique East-versus-West struggles and generation gaps that I felt were characteristic of young people in my country,' said Amanda, who likes drama, history and literature and wants to become a lawyer and a politician.
Chief examiner Charles Kemp called her piece a 'powerfully moving and ironical critique of modern restlessness and its potentially cruel consequences'.The writing is fluent and assured, with excellent use of dialogue.
Amanda gets (S$1,590). A Singaporean last won the top prize in 2000, said Britain's Royal Commonwealth Society, which has been organising the competition since 1883. Singaporeans also came in second in the 14- to 15-year-old category, and fourth in the under-12s. Other winners included students from Australia, Canada and South Africa.
========================================
What the Modern Woman Wants
By Amanda Chong Wei-Zhen
The old woman sat in the backseat of the magenta convertible as it careened down the highway, clutching tightly to the plastic bag on her lap, afraid it may be kidnapped by the wind. She was not used to such speed, with trembling hands she pulled the seatbelt tighter but was careful not to touch the patent leather seats with her callused fingers, her daughter had warned her not to dirty it, 'Fingerprints show very clearly on white, Ma.'
Her daughter, Bee Choo, was driving and talking on her sleek silver mobile phone using big words the old woman could barely understand. 'Finance' 'Liquidation' 'Assets' 'Investments'... Her voice was crisp and important and had an unfamiliar lilt to it. Her Bee Choo sounded like one of those foreign girls on television. She was speaking in an American accent.
The old lady clucked her tongue in disapproval. 'I absolutely cannot have this. We have to sell!' Her daughter exclaimed agitatedly as she stepped on the accelerator; her perfectly manicured fingernails gripping onto the steering wheel in
irritation.
'I can't DEAL with this anymore!' she yelled as she clicked the phone shut and hurled it angrily toward the backseat. The mobile phone hit the old woman on the forehead and nestled soundlessly into her lap. She calmly picked it up and handed it to her daughter.
'Sorry, Ma,' she said, losing the American pretence and switching to Mandarin. 'I have a big client in America. There have been a lot of problems.' The old lady nodded knowingly. Her daughter was big and important.
Bee Choo stared at her mother from the rear view window, wondering what she was thinking. Her mother's wrinkled countenance always carried the same cryptic look.
The phone began to ring again, an artificially cheerful digital tune, which broke the awkward silence. 'Hello, Beatrice! Yes, this is Elaine.' Elaine. The old woman cringed. I didn't name her Elaine. She remembered her daughter telling her, how an English name was very important for 'networking', Chinese ones being easily forgotten.
'Oh no, I can't see you for lunch today. I have to take the ancient relic to the temple for her weird daily prayer ritual.' Ancient Relic. The old woman understood perfectly it was referring to her. Her daughter always assumed that her mother's silence meant she did not comprehend.
'Yes, I know! My car seats will be reeking of joss sticks!' The old woman pursed her lips tightly, her hands gripping her plastic bag in defence. The car curved smoothly into the temple courtyard. It looked almost garish next to the dull sheen of the ageing temple's roof. The old woman got out of the back seat, and made her unhurried way to the main hall.
Her daughter stepped out of the car in her business suit and stilettos and reapplied her lipstick as she made her brisk way to her mother's side.
'Ma, I'll wait outside. I have an important phone call to make,' she said, not bothering to hide her disgust at the pungent fumes of incense.
The old lady hobbled into the temple hall and lit a joss stick, she knelt down solemnly and whispered her now familiar daily prayer to the Gods.
Thank you God of the Sky, you have given my daughter luck all these years. Everything I prayed for, you have given her. She has everything a young woman in this world could possibly want. She has a big house with a swimming pool, a maid to help her, as she is too clumsy to sew or cook.
Her love life has been blessed; she is engaged to a rich and handsome angmoh man. Her company is now the top financial firm and even men listen to what she says. She lives the perfect life. You have given her everything except happiness. I ask that the gods be merciful to her even if she has lost her roots while reaping the harvest of success.
What you see is not true, she is a filial daughter to me. She gives me a room in her big house and provides well for me. She is rude to me only because I affect her happiness. A young woman does not want to be hindered by her old mother. It is my fault.
The old lady prayed so hard that tears welled up in her eyes. Finally, with her head bowed in reverence she planted the half-burnt joss stick into an urn of smouldering ashes.
She bowed once more. The old woman had been praying for her daughter for thirty-two years. When her stomach was round like a melon, she came to the temple and prayed that it was a son.
Then the time was ripe and the baby slipped out of her womb, bawling and adorable with fat thighs and pink cheeks, but unmistakably, a girl. Her husband had kicked and punched her for producing a useless baby who could not work or carry the family name.
Still, the woman returned to the temple with her new-born girl tied to her waist in a sarong and prayed that her daughter would grow up and have everything she ever wanted. Her husband left her and she prayed that her daughter would never have to depend on a man.
She prayed every day that her daughter would be a great woman, the woman that she, meek and uneducated, could never become. A woman with nengkan; the ability to do anything she set her mind to. A woman who commanded respect in the hearts of men. When she opened her mouth to speak, precious pearls would fall out and men would listen.
She will not be like me, the woman prayed as she watched her daughter grow up and drift away from her, speaking a language she scarcely understood. She watched her daughter transform from a quiet girl, to one who openly defied her, calling her laotu; old-fashioned. She wanted her mother to be 'modern', a word so new there was no Chinese word for it.
Now her daughter was too clever for her and the old woman wondered why she had prayed like that. The gods had been faithful to her persistent prayer, but the wealth and success that poured forth so richly had buried the girl's roots and now she stood, faceless, with no identity, bound to the soil of her ancestors by only a string of origami banknotes.
Her daughter had forgotten her mother's values. Her wants were so ephemeral; that of a modern woman. Power, Wealth, access to the best fashion boutiques, and yet her daughter had not found true happiness. The old woman knew that you could find happiness with much less. When her daughter left the earth everything she had would count for nothing. People would look to her legacy and say that she was a great woman, but she would be forgotten once the wind blows over, like the ashes of burnt paper convertibles and mansions.
The old woman wished she could go back and erase all her big hopes and prayers for her daughter; now she had only one want: That her daughter be happy. She looked out of the temple gate. She saw her daughter speaking on the phone, her brow furrowed with anger and worry. Being at the top is not good, the woman thought, there is only one way to go from there - down.
The old woman carefully unfolded the plastic bag and spread out a packet of beehoon in front of the altar. Her daughter often mocked her for worshipping porcelain Gods. How could she pray to them so faithfully and expect pieces of ceramic to fly to her aid? But her daughter had her own gods too, idols of wealth, success and power that she was enslaved to and worshipped every day of her life.
Every day was a quest for the idols, and the idols she worshipped counted for nothing in eternity. All the wants her daughter had would slowly suck the life out of her and leave her, an empty soulless shell at the altar.
The old lady watched her joss tick. The dull heat had left a teetering grey stem that was on the danger of collapsing. Modern woman nowadays, the old lady sighed in resignation, as she bowed to the east one final time to end her ritual. Modern woman nowadays want so much that they lose their souls and wonder why they cannot find it.
Her joss stick disintegrated into a soft grey powder. She met her daughter outside the temple, the same look of worry and frustration was etched on her daughter's face. An empty expression, as if she was ploughing through the soil of her wants looking for the one thing that would sow the seeds of happiness.
They climbed into the convertible in silence and her daughter drove along the highway, this time not as fast as she had done before.
'Ma,' Bee Choo finally said. 'I don't know how to put this. Mark and I have been talking about it and we plan to move out of the big house. The property market is good now, and we managed to get a buyer willing to pay seven million for it. We decided we'd prefer a cosier penthouse apartment instead. We found a perfect one in Orchard Road. Once we move in to our apartment we plan to get rid of the maid, so we can have more space to ourselves...'
The old woman nodded knowingly. Bee Choo swallowed hard. 'We'd get someone to come in to do the housework and we can eat out - but once the maid is gone, there won't be anyone to look after you. You will be awfully lonely at home and, besides that, the apartment is rather small. There won't be space. We thought about it for a long time, and we decided
the best thing for you is if you moved to a Home. There's one near Hougang - it's a Christian home, a very nice one.'
The old woman did not raise an eyebrow. 'I've been there, the matron is willing to take you in. It's beautiful with gardens and lots of old people to keep you company! I hardly have time for you, you'd be happier there.'
'You'd be happier there, really.' Her daughter repeated as if to affirm herself. This time the old woman had no plastic bag of food offerings to cling tightly to; she bit her lip and fastened her seat belt, as if it would protect her from a daughter who did not want her anymore. She sunk deep into the leather seat, letting her shoulders sag, and her fingers trace the white seat.
'Ma?' her daughter asked, searching the rear view window for her mother. 'Is everything okay?' What had to be done, had to be done. 'Yes,' she said firmly, louder than she intended, 'if it will make you happy,' she added more quietly.
'It's for you, Ma! You'll be happier there. You can move there tomorrow, I already got the maid to pack your things.' Elaine said triumphantly, mentally ticking yet another item off her agenda.
'I knew everything would be fine.'
Elaine smiled widely; she felt liberated. Perhaps getting rid of her mother would make her happier. She had thought about it. It seemed the only hindrance in her pursuit of happiness. She was happy now. She had everything a modern woman ever wanted; Money, Status, Career, Love,Power and now, Freedom, without her mother and her old-fashioned ways to weigh her down...
Yes, she was free. Her phone buzzed urgently, she picked it up and read the message, still beaming from ear to ear. 'Stocks 10% increase!'
Yes, things were definitely beginning to look up for her... And while searching for the meaning of life in the luminance of her hand phone screen, the old woman in the backseat became invisible, and she did not see the tears.
i'm feeling : thoughtful
thoughtful10 October 2007 @ 10:35 pm
woah, it's been 2 months since i last posted anything on my blog. i haven't had much inspiration to blog and so, no posts.
i'm feeling like a little incoherent talking today and so, here comes a post.
i was bathing when i thought about something. ENVY. it's so darn easy to be envious of someone's life. the grass IS greener on the other side, no matter how carpety soft and vast it might be. it's of NO use.
someone else's life always sounds more exciting, more fun, more happening and more fulfilling. there's always something to complain about, something to be unhappy with. envious is a sneaky little bastard, sneaking up on the mind so viciously. HAIYA, why like that?
but it doesn't have to be. i frequently tell myself that envy is unnecessary because it just breeds discontent. i don't want to feel discontent with my life now because i like how things are.
and well, ENVY is just the easy way out isn't it? it's just always easier to believe that you would be happier if you had THAT, THAT and THAT. and with THAT, THAT and THAT, life would be perfect, so till then, life just isn't good enough.
HAIYA, it's really damaging to be envious. you just tend to neglect to appreciate the GOOD things you already have. and basically, it's a bloody vicious cycle. when you finally got THAT, THAT and THAT, someone else around you has something new you don't have. and thus, another reason(s) to be envious and so, discontent breeds once again. okay, i think you get my drift.
so, i tell myself that being content is the best way to enjoy what i have now. :) i don't want to lose sight of the pretty things i already have in my life in exchange for some thing that i wish i had. it's just not worth it. :) it's definitely a struggle to stop and tell myself to learn how to appreciate because that is just NOT the way we have learnt growing up. It's always about looking forward, about fighting for what you want, about planning to get something you want but don't have yet. SEE, so it's a whole new learning experience in this world where we are taught not to be too pleased with what we have.
so, time for some unlearning and relearning. boy do i sound like some NE text. hur hur.
i'm feeling like a little incoherent talking today and so, here comes a post.
i was bathing when i thought about something. ENVY. it's so darn easy to be envious of someone's life. the grass IS greener on the other side, no matter how carpety soft and vast it might be. it's of NO use.
someone else's life always sounds more exciting, more fun, more happening and more fulfilling. there's always something to complain about, something to be unhappy with. envious is a sneaky little bastard, sneaking up on the mind so viciously. HAIYA, why like that?
but it doesn't have to be. i frequently tell myself that envy is unnecessary because it just breeds discontent. i don't want to feel discontent with my life now because i like how things are.
and well, ENVY is just the easy way out isn't it? it's just always easier to believe that you would be happier if you had THAT, THAT and THAT. and with THAT, THAT and THAT, life would be perfect, so till then, life just isn't good enough.
HAIYA, it's really damaging to be envious. you just tend to neglect to appreciate the GOOD things you already have. and basically, it's a bloody vicious cycle. when you finally got THAT, THAT and THAT, someone else around you has something new you don't have. and thus, another reason(s) to be envious and so, discontent breeds once again. okay, i think you get my drift.
so, i tell myself that being content is the best way to enjoy what i have now. :) i don't want to lose sight of the pretty things i already have in my life in exchange for some thing that i wish i had. it's just not worth it. :) it's definitely a struggle to stop and tell myself to learn how to appreciate because that is just NOT the way we have learnt growing up. It's always about looking forward, about fighting for what you want, about planning to get something you want but don't have yet. SEE, so it's a whole new learning experience in this world where we are taught not to be too pleased with what we have.
so, time for some unlearning and relearning. boy do i sound like some NE text. hur hur.
i'm feeling : contemplative
contemplative14 August 2007 @ 09:36 pm
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| Alvi and I |
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| Alvi and Yuanrong |
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| The three girlssss |
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At the cheesecake cafe! |
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i'm feeling : 
cheerful
cheerful14 August 2007 @ 01:42 pm
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| Committee Boat Love the custom made flag raiser. hur hur. |
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| Prize Giving at the Lobby |
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| Wacky photo This was NOT done on purpose. Most of us really didn't know they were going to take the photo. hahaha but it's so CANDID and FUNNY. |
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| Our Medals!! 1st for SMUve and 3rd for QUARTERDECK! :) oh and ignore the feet at the back. hahaha |
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| QUARTERDECK crew!! Quarterdeck crew with our hard earned medal! and with the extra Renfred at the back. hahaha |
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| Quarterdeck rocks! Our helm, Winfrid poses with our medal! :) |
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| Quarterdeck hard at work At the docks, rigging up! |
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| Out at sea Us, out at sea!! |
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| SMUve crew The crew of SMUve - Tim, Justin Wong, Fiona, Louis, Youjin and helms - Renfred - with their FIRST place medal! |
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| SMUve out at sea |
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| The girls Som (contributor of ALL these photos), Junjia (my dearest BOX on Quarterdeck), ME, Karene! Oh, i posted this photo because you can see Jason in the background! hahaha |
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| twins mania Hahaha, the TWINS!! Don't they just look THE SAME? hahaha |
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| Yes, we love SMU. |
i'm feeling : 
accomplished
accomplished05 August 2007 @ 09:26 pm
A sumptuous feast prepared by our lovely chefs - Ade and Cheng + Dressed to the occasion + Performances by the guys = SUPERB PARTAY!
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| Our chefs yummy little pizzas, salad, onion rings and cheesy nachos |
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| FRESH beer battered onion rings Yummiest i've ever tasted! :) |
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| Mini burgers |
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| RETRO mania do we look like we're from the 80's? |
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| Hello Frankie Foo Hahahaha, Isaac was definitely our best dressed of the night! HELLO Frankie Foo, complete with the leopard print shirt, white pants and sideburns. WAHAHAHA. |
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| more S'mores and so we chanted "MORE S'MORES, MORE S'MORES, MORE S'MORES" Hur hur hur, that is a S'more i'm chewing on. SOOO amazingly yummy and incredibly easy to make!! Just biscuits, marshmallows, chocolate and a microwave - VIOLA - S'mores! |
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| RETRO RETRO RETRO Yes, i look incredibly fat here. DAMN. it's the top and the pose la, I SWEAR. hrmp. but yes, i love this photo cos it's sooo retro and cute! |
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| OH YEAH... |
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| Our cool retro boys Hahah that's Micheal Jackson on the left and Frankie Foo on the right!! |
i'm feeling : 
giggly
giggly03 August 2007 @ 01:24 am
Many have asked why my blog has been stagnant for almost a month and I thought, YEAH, why has it been stagnant for such a long time?!! And so, I decided to post something.
Only that I have got nothing to post about. Thus this DUH post.
Erm.. Hi everyone! Glad to know you're still checking my blog. *very big toothy grin*
WILL BLOG SOON. Promise. With erm, something interesting.
i'm feeling : ditzy
ditzy07 July 2007 @ 05:53 pm
Was packing my room today and i found this old copy of magazine produced by SMU Gourmet Club. There was this INTERESTING article on facts about chocolates!
In Denmark, they reason like this:
Chokolade is obtained from cocoa beans.
Beans are vegetables.
Sugar is extracted from sugarcane.
Both beans and cane are vegetables.
Consequently, chocolate is a vegetable!
I like the way they think.
i'm feeling : amused
amused07 July 2007 @ 05:45 pm
I'M HOME!!!!!!
feels DAMN good to be able to walk around the house without slippers, to bath in CLEAN toilets, to sleep in my good old comfy bed, to eat 2 dollars carrot cake, to drink 60cents (that is only 0.30euros!!!) soy bean drink, to hear all the "leh, loh, la, hor" along the streets and to feel like i've matured. :)
and well, to bake in the blardy hot humid weather. DAMN. it was almost perfect.
feels DAMN good to be able to walk around the house without slippers, to bath in CLEAN toilets, to sleep in my good old comfy bed, to eat 2 dollars carrot cake, to drink 60cents (that is only 0.30euros!!!) soy bean drink, to hear all the "leh, loh, la, hor" along the streets and to feel like i've matured. :)
and well, to bake in the blardy hot humid weather. DAMN. it was almost perfect.
i'm feeling : chipper
chipper12 June 2007 @ 05:48 pm
Roshni and well, a lot of other people have told me about the TERRIBLE weather in Dublin and that it rains 360 days in a year.
And so, I was all prepared... I didn't mind spending my time holed up in a nice little pub, listening to live traditional Irish music (whatever that meant, I will find out in a while! I'm heading off to the oldest pub in Dublin in a while! woot!) and just soaking in the ambience! But noooo, the weather is SUPERB today! The sun was shining and the wind was cool and light! YUMMY.
I'm pleasantly surprised by the weather and I'm soooo thankful! :) I think I like Dublin. There are tons of things to do here and the one day I'm giving this city is simply NOT enough. Hee but I guess the unexpectedly good weather helped as well.
So, I'm off to try the best fish and chips in Dublin and then to the oldest pub in Dublin. And then... to the airport and off to Paris!
I'm ALMOST there. *rubbing my hands in glee and overflowing anticipation for Paris and what is to come*
CAN'T WAIT.
i'm feeling : excited
excited09 June 2007 @ 05:26 am
bouncy09 June 2007 @ 03:34 am
ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.
GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.
PUI.
I thought lightning does not strike twice on the same spot. Apparently, it does.
I can't believe my luck, or rather, the lack of it. I got bed-bugged AGAIN. And the bites are getting worse. I feel diseased, I look diseased and well, I am! URGH.
i'm feeling : grumpy
grumpy06 June 2007 @ 07:23 am
Woahh...
I almost got pick-pocketed today!
I was taking bus 38 from Piccadilly Circus and it was so crowded. (As it has been the past few times I've taken it. Taking the public transport in London is in itself a unique experience, and well, to say the least, quite a squeeze.)
And so, there was this woman standing beside me and when it got a little more crowded, she ducked behind me and out of my sight. I didn't think much of her, partly because I don't expect such things to happen to me but mostly because I was so exhausted from having been walking for the past 5 hours.
And then, I felt as if there was something, or someone for that matter, pushing against my bag. I turned around casually, just to reduce the pressure on my bag and noticed that my zip was halfway opened. *GASP* And in pure wenfang manner, it took me a full 1 minute to realise what was happening. But thankfully, it didn't take me that long to put my bag in front of me instead of slinging it on the side. By the time the nerves transmitted all that information to my brain, the woman had already hastily alighted at the next stop.
In fact, I would not have thought much about her if not for the fact that there was another woman, whom she obviously knew, who was standing a distance from her. I thought it strange because if they were friends and were travelling together, shouldn't they stand near each other? But no, they were standing quite far apart, with one person standing in front and the other standing behind me.
*GASP GASP*
And when I turned around to shift my bag, I noticed that the woman in front of me was jerking her head, as if she was communicating with the woman behind me! And yes, that too, took a while for me to put together.
But DAMN, that was close. Thank goodness my bag was zipped (right, after my camera incident, I try to zip my bag shut once I've taken whatever I need from it. So, Roshni was right to say that the camera incident is a reminder for me to keep my things safe and to be alert! It's a warning!) and all my valuables were kept to the side of the bag that was nearer to me.
Thank goodness. I've really got to sweep that "That won't happen to me" mind set out of my brain. It's bad. But well, lesson learnt! And a valuable one!
I almost got pick-pocketed today!
I was taking bus 38 from Piccadilly Circus and it was so crowded. (As it has been the past few times I've taken it. Taking the public transport in London is in itself a unique experience, and well, to say the least, quite a squeeze.)
And so, there was this woman standing beside me and when it got a little more crowded, she ducked behind me and out of my sight. I didn't think much of her, partly because I don't expect such things to happen to me but mostly because I was so exhausted from having been walking for the past 5 hours.
And then, I felt as if there was something, or someone for that matter, pushing against my bag. I turned around casually, just to reduce the pressure on my bag and noticed that my zip was halfway opened. *GASP* And in pure wenfang manner, it took me a full 1 minute to realise what was happening. But thankfully, it didn't take me that long to put my bag in front of me instead of slinging it on the side. By the time the nerves transmitted all that information to my brain, the woman had already hastily alighted at the next stop.
In fact, I would not have thought much about her if not for the fact that there was another woman, whom she obviously knew, who was standing a distance from her. I thought it strange because if they were friends and were travelling together, shouldn't they stand near each other? But no, they were standing quite far apart, with one person standing in front and the other standing behind me.
*GASP GASP*
And when I turned around to shift my bag, I noticed that the woman in front of me was jerking her head, as if she was communicating with the woman behind me! And yes, that too, took a while for me to put together.
But DAMN, that was close. Thank goodness my bag was zipped (right, after my camera incident, I try to zip my bag shut once I've taken whatever I need from it. So, Roshni was right to say that the camera incident is a reminder for me to keep my things safe and to be alert! It's a warning!) and all my valuables were kept to the side of the bag that was nearer to me.
Thank goodness. I've really got to sweep that "That won't happen to me" mind set out of my brain. It's bad. But well, lesson learnt! And a valuable one!
i'm feeling : thankful
thankful06 June 2007 @ 06:47 am
I've been bed bugged. I've heard so many horrifying stories of people being bitten by bed bugs and all but i've never really thought it could happen to me. Oh well, don't we all always have the idea that "THAT WON'T HAPPEN TO ME!"
and well, it just did for me!
Grr.. damn the bed bugs. and the hostel bed.
And thanks to them now, i'm going to get really paranoid about my beds, especially in hostels.
TMD.
and well, it just did for me!
Grr.. damn the bed bugs. and the hostel bed.
And thanks to them now, i'm going to get really paranoid about my beds, especially in hostels.
TMD.
i'm feeling : grumpy
grumpy06 June 2007 @ 03:07 am
***
Do your boobs hang low,
Do they dangle to and fro?
Do they stop traffic flow,
or do they grow green mould?
Do they shimmer and glow
or are they covered in snow?
Or do they just grow grow grow?
***
Chopsticks are lots of fun
Easy for everyone
Just to keep steady bit
One Two Three Four Five Six
Chopsticks go chop chop chop
Sparrows go hop hop hop
Water go drip drip drip
How can I stop?
***
Will add more songs to the list as we embark on more walking trips!
Do your boobs hang low,
Do they dangle to and fro?
Do they stop traffic flow,
or do they grow green mould?
Do they shimmer and glow
or are they covered in snow?
Or do they just grow grow grow?
***
Chopsticks are lots of fun
Easy for everyone
Just to keep steady bit
One Two Three Four Five Six
Chopsticks go chop chop chop
Sparrows go hop hop hop
Water go drip drip drip
How can I stop?
***
Will add more songs to the list as we embark on more walking trips!
i'm feeling : ditzy
ditzy17 May 2007 @ 10:25 pm
Some days ago, I was feeling rather proud of myself for seeming to have out grown my characteristically short term memory. And so, as I was busy patting my back for appearing to go against the principle of aging -- meaning further deterioration of my memory, I disproved my hypothesis.
GRR.
Right, so here was what happened.
I THOUGHT I remembered my final exam to be held on 28th of May and Ivy and I were sort of mourning over the fact that we might not see each other again until we return to Singapore. That is because if my exams were to be on the 28th, then I might check out of my hostel room earlier than the 30th, which is when Ivy comes back from Italy. This means that we will miss each other and will only get to see each other (and watch Heroes) only in mid-July when I return to Singapore. And as we were feeling rather sad that Wednesday's dinner signified our last meal together in Europe, Roshni informed me that my exam was actually on the 30th and that there were even classes on the 29th! Like, WTH. Hahaha.
So, I am still me. Blur old me.
i'm feeling : 
silly
silly13 May 2007 @ 09:49 pm
Although it was raining the whole time we were at Disneyland, we still had a really good time. But well, we must admit that we're just a little too old for some of the rides. Haha i.e. it's a small small world. :) |
| Held hostage! by a very cooperative and pretty pirate! Loved how she just whipped out her sword when i indicated that i wanted to take a photo with her! |
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| Zhixian on the carrousel |
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| On my handsome stallion |
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| Zhixian feeling shy Apparently, riding the horse on the carrousel is extremely unmanly! Haha that's why he decided to act like my chaperone and just stand around until the ride ends! Haha, boyss... |
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| The evil emperor - ZURG Zurg zurg zurg - "You are my son." Hahaha if you remember Toy Story 2, you'll have a good laugh at that line. |
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| OOH... AHHHH... Love these cute little 3 eye aliens... |
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| Cool spectacles eh? We were just about to go watch the 3-D "Honey, I shrunk the kids" show. |
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| The space mountain This was the ride that got Zhixian and I super pumped up. Hahaha, no pun intended. This is THE rollercoaster ride! |
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| Hey, check out my ride! :) |
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| To infinity and beyond! |
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| ATTENTION! This was the beginning of the parade! WOOT! The toy soldiers were so adorable! |
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| The Toy Story Float Yipee, all my favourite characters in the movie! This is my favourite conversation in Toy Story 2: [the toys are trying to enter an apartment building] Mr. Potato Head: I say we stack ourselves up, push the intercom and pretend we're delivering a pizza. Hamm: How about a ham sandwich? With fries and a hotdog? Rex: What about me? Hamm: Ah, you can be the toy that comes with the meal. |
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| Mary Poppins dancing! |
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| The Snow White wicked queen! She is exactly how I thought the wicken queen should look like in person! I wonder where did they find someone who looks so much like the wicked queen in the story!? |
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| Fugly birds. Haha, Adorably fugly... |
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| One of my favourite cartoons Little mermaid! I love the prince. But i pity little mermaid, she must be freezing in that costume! |
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| Another of my favourite! Aladdin! :) Although the photo is a little blurred! |
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| Snow white and her prince |
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| The disney castle! |
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| The beautiful Disney castle |
i'm feeling : hyper
hyper13 May 2007 @ 07:49 pm
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| Ade and I at the Tour de Joan D'Arc |
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| Hand in hand When we were walking around town, we came to the Museum of Fine Arts. It seems like these kids are here for an excursion! Wow, they really start them young on appreciating art! This is something we should learn from them. The kids looked so absolutely adorable holding each other's hands and following the ones in front of them. :) They reminded me of ducklings. |
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| St. Ouen Abbey This abbey was closed for winter when we first arrived in Rouen. As proof of the arrival of spring (:)!!!), the abbey is once again, opened to visitors! |
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| In the abbey |
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| Where the light is I've never really noticed the beauty of the shadow of the stained glass until now :) Thanks to Ade for pointing it out! :) |
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| The beauty of shadows |
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| The 3 of us The chef cook, the sous-chef and the makan-er. (ivy tried to call me the pig!!!) |
i'm feeling : 
loved
loved