A lucid moment in the madness

A New World Order

2011-03-10T22:42:00.001+08:00

http://mythoughtsyourfodder.blogspot.com/

100!

2010-12-22T13:04:00.004+08:00

This is an emotional moment...
i just realized...

That (points at below post) was my 100th post.

GOSH.

2010: on hindsight

2010-12-21T21:50:00.011+08:00

if life indeed is a school of hard knocks,
i have been a fairly diligent student in 2010,
taking more modules than is required for the year.

tough lessons they were,
but maybe these were mandatory lessons that we all must go through someday,
so better now than later.

sometimes, i just have to give credit to the trials and tribulations,
for they do make me stronger and more resilient (i know i sound masochistic),
and sift the 'good and must keep's in my life from the 'bad and must throw away's.

BUT I CAN DO WITH LESS OF SUCH TESTS PLEASE!

2011 is a blank slate.
Expect nothing. Live frugally
on surprise.
(Alice Walker)

aside: have you seen my new awesome nail color?
N.U.D.E. rocks!

stolen words of wisdom from someone else's blog

2010-12-07T22:25:00.003+08:00

here is a kind of monkey trap used in asia.
a coconut is hollowed out and attached by a rope to a tree or stake on the ground.
at the bottom of the coconut a small slit is made and some sweet food is placed inside.
the hole on the bottom of the coconut is just big enough for the monkey to slide his open hand in, but does not allow for a closed fist to come out.
the monkey smells the food, reaches in with his hand to grasp the food but is unable to withdraw it.
the clenched fist wouldn't pass through the opening.
when the hunters come, the monkey becomes frantic but cannot get away.
there is no one keeping that monkey captive except the force of its own attachment.
all that it has to do is to open his hand, but the greed in his mind is so strong that it is very rare for a monkey to let go.
it's the desires and clinging in our minds which keep us trapped.
all we need to do is to open our hands and let it go.
- the experience of insight by joseph goldstein

LETTING GO...
is easier said than done,
especially when we choose to indulge ourselves with imbecility
and close our eyes to reason.

untitled (due to defunct state of brain)

2010-12-02T23:12:00.010+08:00

when Good Sense is being kidnapped by Irrationality,
then Positivity goes missing,
and Happy Events fail to visit,
the spell to use is
"smallhothazelnutlattedecaftakeawayplease"

It staves off the arrival of Breakdown just a little.

a letter for September

2010-10-01T00:59:00.009+08:00

Dear September

I have no idea how things ended on such a sorry note between us.

You showed great potential. You held the promise of fun-filled, activities-packed weekends.
I was eagerly anticipating our meeting, pregnant with hope of a lift from the doom and gloom that had become the norm.
A good distraction from the uninspiring weekdays at work.

We started off fine. Pretty well, actually.
Everything was going according to my plans.
I was a (rare) happy soul.

Even the infamous workdays were getting easier to handle.
Maybe the distraction proved successful.
Or it was the excitement of being given a new project at work.
Or that the long work hours had reduced my ability to think and feel as a human being, I was numb to pain and stress.

Whatever it was, I should have known better than to allow Expectations to take a free rein hike.

As the Wise and Old said that all good things must come to an end...
As Newton proved with his Law of Gravity that what goes up must come down...
As Cynicism warned that this is all too good to be true...
Disppointments followed Expectations.

And remember what the Englishmen learnt from living on land with such dreary weather?
It never rains but it pours.
Weekends after weekends of major letdowns.
Do you know I have since developed a fear of weekends?

Of course, to be fair, the time with you was not all a blanket of despair. Else I would have taken the Long Way DOWN.

O claimed the sweetest spot.
My intended frivolous fling with O turned serious.
It gave me much much more than what I asked for.
The attraction was irresistible. I was hooked.

And you know what?
I am glad October is now here to sweep me off my feet.
A respite from having to swim in your pool of lies and away from your sweet nothings.
Also, I have ditched Expectations. At least it prevents Disappointments from following.

I have learnt the hard way. But I learnt.

No regards, no love, no thanks
Jasmine

things that made me happy

2010-09-26T14:35:00.008+08:00

Trust me, September has not been an easy month for me -
long, intense work hours,
disappointments that come one after another,
and
the burden of having to appear all normal despite everything.
(like what's new with Jasmine-the-Chronically-Depressed)

Therefore, I have to savour every little bit of happy stuffs...

RED PAINTED TOENAILS
Yes, I love red nails though the color turned out a tad too bright this time.
Don't you think they just go well with shoes of any type and color?

CUTE LITTLE NOTHING THAT MAKES ME SMILE NO MATTER WHAT

Doesn't this tiny cookie monster have the most adorable smile?

It caught my eye while I was browsing the arcade just before a movie.

I didn't actually manage catch this but the kind person-in-charge allowed us to exchange for it.

*positively delirious with my object of desire*

SONGS TO ACCOMPANY MY BLUES

Some songs on loop recently:

Train - Drops Of Jupiter

Fireflies - Vanilla Twilight

The Script - For the First Time

Maroon 5 - Sunday Morning

Katy Perry - Teenage Dream (I admit I do like trashy songs sometimes)

FRIENDSHIPS I CANNOT DO WITHOUT

My friends know who they are and thus no need to specify any names.

Thank you.

the unfamiliar black box

2010-09-02T22:10:00.004+08:00

Today, Jasmine switched on the TV and realized that she had forgotten the numbers for her favorite channels.
Took her quite a while to figure out how to navigate her way.
And it dawned on her that it must have been at least a week since she last watched tv.
Not like she remembered what she has been doing without tv.

And when did Discovery Travel & Living become TLC?

sometimes, it is just easier to quote than write

2010-08-24T22:13:00.003+08:00

"How long must a child try to walk before he actually does so?
Do I not have more strength than a child?
More understanding? More desire?
How long must I work to succeed before I actually do so?
A child would never ask the question, for the answer does not matter.
By persisting without exception, my outcome -my success- is assured."
- The Traveller's Gift, Andy Andrews

goodbye (long) work week, hello (short) weekend

2010-08-21T00:55:00.003+08:00

A lovely surprise to herald the start of weekend and the perfect remedy for my incessant coughing...

Thank you Sis...

I feel so loved!

i don't know

2010-08-02T23:11:00.006+08:00

is it plain stupidity or sheer perseverance if you keep knocking into brick walls but refuse to give up?

stu·pid·i·ty
–noun
the state, quality, or fact of being stupid

per·se·ver·ance
–noun
steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc.,
esp. in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement.

Source: Myself; Dictionary.com UnabridgedBased on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2010.

the last person who should give up hope on yourself is you

2010-07-19T01:59:00.002+08:00

I can’t stand to fly
I’m not that naive
I’m just out to find
The better part of me

I’m more than a bird...
i’m more than a plane
More than some pretty face beside a train
It’s not easy to be me

Wish that I could cry
Fall upon my knees
Find a way to lie
About a home I’ll never see

It may sound absurd... but don’t be naive
Even heroes have the right to bleed
I may be disturbed... but won’t you concede
Even heroes have the right to dream
It’s not easy to be me

...

Five For Fighting - Superman
_________________________________

Every day is so wonderful
And suddenly, it's hard to breathe
Now and then, I get insecure
From all the pain, I'm so ashamed

I am beautiful no matter what they say
Words can't bring me down
I am beautiful in every single way
Yes, words can't bring me down
So don't you bring me down today

To all your friends, you're delirious
So consumed in all your doom
Trying hard to fill the emptiness
The piece is gone left the puzzle undone
That's the way it is

...
...

And everywhere we go (everywhere we go)
The sun won't always shine (sun won't always shine)
But tomorrow will find a way
All the other times

...

Christina Aguilera - Beautiful

Look what Jasmine got in office today!

2010-07-12T22:22:00.007+08:00

Car decal with a cow wearing THE Brazil Number 10 jersey!!!

P.S. yes, that is about the happiest thing that has happened in office so far this year.

“Every 4 years, for 31 days, the world comes together... to stand apart.”

2010-07-04T12:13:00.009+08:00

So jasmine watched her first soccer match last Friday.
A significant milestone for someone who once said she would rather face the wall than watch a soccer match.
And she is quite ashamed to publicly admit that her reason for watching was for a particular Number 10 player in the Brazilian team.

Her mind is still reeling in shock over the results of the game.
Now she can kind of understand why some people get so emotional over a soccer match.
And why her colleague drowned himself with alcohol and turned up late for work the next day after his favourite Italian team got kicked off.

Two days after, her heart still wrenches at the news and thoughts of that fateful match.
She doesn't know which is worse... that Brazil is out of the World Cup, or that the haughty Orange team managed to get through again.
Aye, double whammy.

Do you know that she secretly applaudes Melo for what he did just before he got red-carded out of the match? Go Melo!

Oh Brazil, we all share your pain.

a song for thought

2010-05-11T22:00:00.003+08:00

Pirate Bones
Natasha Bedingfield

What if squeeze myself into any shape
And I still don't fit
What if I bend myself so much that I break
And I can't mend it
What if I burn so bright that the fire goes out
And I can't stay lit
What's the point in it

I could get good at cryin' crocodile tears
Just to get along
I could carry on telling you what you wanna hear
Til my voice is gone
But if I finally get to the place that I think is home
And I don't belong
What's the point in it
Where's the benefit?
When I'm gaining all but I'm losing it

It's not worth having
If it's too much to hold
You can dig so deep
That you're left with a hole
Thirsty in a desert with a bag full of gold

Don't wanna end up like pirate bones
What I thought was precious just a pile o' stones
I might not have the treasure but I'll be lying alone
Just a pile of pirate bones

If I forfeit my soul it ain't worth having
If it's something I stole it ain't worth having

What if I stake everything I am on a dream
And it's counterfeit
If I reach the end that justifies the means
Could I live with it?
And if it's true that havin' too much of any good thing can only make me sick
What's the point in it
Where's the benefit
When I'm gaining all but I'm losing it

It's not worth that much to me
If losin' out is what it means
To swim in shallow victory
Is empty, empty

It's just not worth the price
It's only a fools paradise
It's draining every drop of life
Til I'm dry like Pirate Bones

playing with my phone

2010-04-10T14:56:00.015+08:00

After one year, I finally figured out how to download the photos from my phone to my computer...
Realized that my camera has really bad resolution and ABSOLUTELY NO focus.

Anyway, below are the 'humblepieces' from tinkering with the photo-editing apps on my phone.

HAPPY AFFAIR AT THE PARK
Venue: Labrador Park

EMO-ing NIGHT
Venue: My Room

OUR FRIEND AT KIAMA
Venue: Kiama, Australia

A COLD FROZEN WORLD
Venue: Snowy Mountains, Australia

LIGHTHOUSES EXUDE TRAGIC BEAUTY
Venue: Kiama, Australia

FRIDAY NIGHT OUT
by butt

Venue: Brotzeit, 313 Somerset

WHEN MY HAIR WAS DIFFERENT
Venue: Gelare, Citylink Mall

I LOVE VINTAGE SUNNIES
Venue: My Parent's Room

I LOVE BIG SUNNIES TOO
Venue: Sydney, Australia

the mind is too crowded

2010-03-14T15:25:00.004+08:00

i really wish i could do the [shift] + [delete] function to my thoughts.
then perhaps i can get down to doing the things that i really ought to do.

The Mad Hatter: Have I gone mad?
[Alice checks Hatter's temperature]
Alice Kingsley: I'm afraid so. You're entirely bonkers. But I'll tell you a secret. All the best people are.

just so i don't forget rare happy days...

2010-03-08T22:43:00.000+08:00

the weekend was awesome. period.

another year...

2010-01-04T21:18:00.004+08:00

2009 was, in a summary, a tale of woe.
The moving finger writes; and, having write,
Moves on: nor all thy piety nor wit
Shall lure it back to cancel half a line,
Nor all thy tears wash out a word of it.
~ Edward Fitzgerald

2010 will be, in all aspects, a million times better!
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
~ Samuel Beckett

on a sidenote: on the way home today, i passed by redhill mrt station, and thought of the times after school when we would patronize the tiny mobile ice cream cart opposite the station. brought a smile to my face.
Time, you old gipsy man,
Will you not stay,
Put up your caravan
Just for one day?
~Ralph Hodgson

facebook jitters

2009-12-15T22:05:00.003+08:00

i get all nervous when colleagues add me on facebook.
it doesn't help when most comments i get from colleagues start with "jasmine, i didn't know that you ... ... ... !"

afterall, facebook is a social networking site which should not overlap with work life.
at least in my humble royal opinion, personal and work life should be kept as separate as north and south pole.

who do people see when they look at my profile?

this is a question i should have asked myself when i signed up for facebook.
the deal i got when i claimed a page on facebook was that i had to surrender my life for public scrutiny.
and public of course includes people in my work life, who should, otherwise, only be introduced to my work persona.

my above thoughts make me appear dodgy but faithful readers of my blog should know that i reveal very little about myself, even to friends i consider dearest.
issues in my life are available on a 'reverse enquiry' basis - ask and you shall get. Don't and i won't tell. no offence.

my only solace is that at least my blog is free from the discerning eyes of colleagues... or so i assume...

beyond the opera house (part ii): kiama

2009-11-27T21:45:00.008+08:00

i got to stop what i started.
part 2 will be the last part of my oz trip.
next time i know better than to be so ambitious to blog about trips.
oh well, we learn something new everyday, don't we?

***********************
Kiama (say kai-"A"-ma) was my favorite destination in the trip and the weather was insanely good when we were there!

the decision to go to this little unheard of town was quite random.
i chanced upon the Kiama Tourism webpage and ordered their brochure.

then i got blown away by the photos and decided i MUST make a trip there.

so we arrived, after a 2.5 hours train ride, with not a clue of how to get to the places featured on the brochure.

but it is ok. blue sky, gentle winds, glittering water... we will figure out somehow.

And to cut a long story short, fortunately and unfortunately:

we were told there is no public transport in the town.
We can only drive and the closest car rental shop is not really close (not that i have intentions of putting my driving skills to the test there. i may be ambitious but i am not suicidal).
walking is possible, given the good weather. just that it takes much longer.
we resigned to our fate of an afternoon of walking.
we met this guy who volunteered to take us around the sights
we took up the kind offer, at the risk of losing our kidneys or lives.

Kiama landmarks

Lighthouse and Post office.

Kiama Blowhole

We were told the blowhole was unusually active that day. Hooray!

i could stand there all day looking at it.

it is therapeutic.

Saddleback Mountain

The view was breath-taking - literally.

my eyes were so busy taking in the view i forgot to breathe.

Bombo Headland

Never seen such a scenary before.

Feels as though i am on Mars (not that i have been to Mars).

ok we were real lucky that day.

Kiama is a gem.

thanks for the glorious weather, warm friendliness and unforgettable sights.

i should have seen it coming

2009-11-27T18:35:00.003+08:00

picoult is one devil of a writer.

just finished one of her novels "Handle with Care", which felt like a spin-off of "My Sister's Keeper".
Another family wrecked by a sick child, matters brought to court, and an ending which left a bitter aftertaste.

i should have seen it coming.
fine.
if I diligently filipped through 500 pages of your novel, can you at least have an ending that is more digestable?

that said, i think picoult is a good writer.
i just have to be more careful in selecting titles by her.

10 things that happened today

2009-11-08T23:03:00.007+08:00

woke up at 11am
had favourite HONEY BUNCHES OF OATS cereal while watching Anthony Bourdain
had YAMI YOGURT while watching 3 back-to-back episodes of F.R.I.E.N.D.S. re-run
2-hour afternoon siesta -> Singapore should legalize this
lunched
read Sunday Times, a must-do on Sundays
ran / developed serious cravings for iced latte / tried somewhat unsuccesfully to block out unhappy thoughts
watched part of a documentary on History channel about this ingenious German family who hot-airballooned across the Berlin wall, from communist-occupied East Germany to West Germany
cold-showered
wondering what makes a good dinner at 10.30pm

Landlords knocking at my door cussing me out
Got laid off my job the night before
Can’t figure howI’m gonna fix tomorrow away
If today’s still a mess
Can u tell me what’s the point man,
It all seems meaningless
I wish that I could step away and breathe
This world’s trying to swallow me
Clear away the clouds inside my head

Someone just tell me
That it’s ok now
What are you worried about
Got my dreams, got my life, got my love
Got my friends got the sunshine above
Why am I making this hard on myself
When there’s so many beautiful reasons I have to be happy

People lie, people hide, people cry, people fight
And they don’t know why
If fear is all that we should fear
Then what are we so afraid of
Cause fear is only in our heads

Someone please say...
That it’s ok now
What are you worried about
Got my dreams, got my life, got my love
Got my friends got the sunshine above
Why am I making this hard on myself
When there’s so many beautiful reasons I have to be happy

Any day I’ll go bad thinking bad
Everyone is against me and the world wants to fight me
Preparing to battle an enemy unseen
During my stressing I’m blinded to the lesson
That could be a blessing if I'd be confessing that the enemy
I’m trying to beat is hiding inside of me

But it’s ok now...what are you worrying about...
Keep your grind on girl...it’s your love, it’s your world...

Natasha Bedingfield -Happy

and this is only the fourth day...

2009-11-04T23:02:00.003+08:00

i know! i know! i know!

of course it is only ME who can help ME

*kicks the wall

i want to be a dolphin

2009-11-03T23:30:00.002+08:00

Have you ever felt breathing takes such great effort that you wish you were a dolphin, choosing not to breathe if you don't want to?

beyond the opera house (part i): katoomba

2009-09-13T11:33:00.017+08:00

Since Sydney is such a popular tourist destination, i shall not bore you all by bombarding you with more photos of the opera house (which bears a striking resemblance to Esplanade) or the harbour bridge (which is a ... bridge) etc etc. and anyway, for me to blog a full 12 days account of my trip will take me till Christmas 2012 - and many more vicious circle of late nights and hard core caffeine. so i shall just present the sights which i think most tourists to Sydney will miss and prove that Sydney is an interesting place to go too!
__________________________

Blue Mountains is a must-go travel destination in Sydney famed for the Three Sisters rock formation. Due to budget constraints and our inability to adhere stictly to tour schedules, we took a 2 hour train ride to Katoomba where there are 2 bus operators which offers a "hop-on, hop-off" bus service around Blue Mountains and we can tour the sights at our own pace.

The touristy thing to do to show that you have "been there and done that" is to take a photo in front of the 3 pieces of rock named Three Sisters... so of course we have to do it!

Then we decided that seeing is not enough, we have to touch it since we travelled so far for it.

So we embarked on some serious steep stairs climbing to reach the Three Sisters.

And after lunch and some standard cable car ride stuff, we embarked on a 1-hour trek through the forests on tracks like the one below to seek out this place called Leura Cascades. So it was one hour of walking through trees and more trees but there are several good lookout points along the way which offer great views of the place. On a side note, Blue Mountains is a great place to trek. Compared to the Tropics, it is less humid and there are less horrible insects and snakes to look out for.

Leura Casacdes: The sight we walked one hour for...

Pretty but I wish we could get down and touch the water

So we were pretty much done with the Blue Mountains part of Katoomba as the other place that most people associate with Katoomba is the Jenolan Caves - supposed to be one of the most extensive limestone cave systems in Australia, but don't quote me for this as i am not sure of the source. As we were based at Sydney, we had to endure another 2 hour train ride back to Katoomba again and another hour of bumpy-puke-inducing bus ride to visit the caves but it was well worth it...

The Blue Lake: first sight of the place where the beautiful blue is caused by some reflection of the minerals in the water... i forgot how. i am not a scientist.

Going down into the underground caves...

I should let you know that this is not a dark, smelly, bat-cluttered cave as people would normally associate with caves. I would classify this as a five-star cave, complete with remote-controlled lighting and sound systems. i know this doesn't sound very "natural", but the lights give a very good view of the interior of the caves and the sound effects highlight the good acoustics of the cave which is used frequently as a venue for musical concerts.

The famous Cathedral Chamber: What happens here is that the guide will switch off all the lights and a nice "church-hymn-soundalike" melody will start playing. Then the lights will start lighting up one by one according to the music. Quite an experience...

The Jellyfish rocks: named for obvious reasons...

Artificial lights? Yes.

But I like the way the lights gives the rocks a certain mysterious feel.

The stairs which leads to the entrance of one of the caves.

Rocks, rocks and more rocks!

(i do like rocks, by the way... hahaha)

The washroom is built right from the rock wall....

Very authentic!

OZ-licious food

2009-08-24T21:30:00.019+08:00

i want to blog about my trip but am unsure about how much of it i can finish.
let me just kickoff with the food and i will see how the progress goes.

Of Pies and Hotdogs
i doubt i told anyone about this, but part of the reason i wanted to go Sydney was because of the pies from Harry's Cafe De Wheels at this place with an ultra cool name: Woolloomooloo. Silly reason it may be but totally true! If you dont already know, Anthony Bourdain is my favourite food channel personality and I remember this particular episode a few years back when he went Sydney and he ate at this place. Somehow, it appealed to me so much that I told myself I want to go there someday.

And I did.

Believe it or not, I actually looked up the street directoy to search for directions from our hotel to the place (ok I am THAT desperate, nah - determined to eat that pie). They have other outlets at more accessible places e.g. the airport, but Anthony Bourdain said nothing beats woffling down the pie by the pier and I believe him... haha actually my friend who used to stay at Sydney told me so too.

With some enormous stroke of luck, my friend and I managed to find the place on our first night... dont ask me how we did it.. we just did. And... drumrolls...

(top-bottom)
1. view of the Woolloomooloo store (taken from the web coz we have bad camera skills): People either stand around the store or sit by the harbour to eat it. Very unglam but who cares when the pies are sooooo good.
2. the pies: apologies for the bad picture as we were too hungry. it is chicken/beef pie slapped with enormous scoops of mashed peas and mashed potatoes then covered with yummy gravy. i felt so touched i almost cried when i had my first bite.
3. the hotdogs: by sheer coincidence (i promise!!!), we ended up back here for our dinner on the second night again. We were just strolling from Opera House down to the Royal Botanic Gardens when we found ourselves in the Woolloomooloo area during dinner time again. Except for a few overpriced pubs in the area, there was only one clear choice.... But why fight with fate especially when it deals you such a good set of cards? We happily ordered their second speciality - HOTDOGS! Again, the portion was huge... stuffed with layers upon layers of yummy-i-can't-remember-stuff beneath that hotdog and toppped with best buddies cheese and ketchup!

Of pancakes and rocks (Part 1 of 2)
We did our homework before heading over, and was told by the same friend who recommended the pies above to try "pancakes on the rocks". So we happily went over to THE ROCKS area for our first breakfast where we can shop at the weekend market after breakfast. Thinking we were as lucky as the night before with finding Harry's, we could not believe our extreme good fortune when the first cafe we saw at the place was called "THE ROCKS CAFE". So our friend must mean having "pancakes at THE ROCKS CAFE"? Nevermind the preposition...

(top-bottom)
1. THE ROCKS CAFE: there was this little story on their menu about how they were here since eons ago etc etc... which made us more certain that this must be the place which our friend was referring to.
2. pancakes with strawberries, whipped cream and maple syrup: obvious choice as it was the only pancake selection on the menu and turned out to be very yummy too! All the more convincing from someone who doesn't touch whipped cream at all ever!
3. eggs benedict: poached eggs on top of ham and some bread topped with yummy hollandaise (i think it is spelt like this) sauce.

Of pancakes and rocks (Part 2 of 2)
So after the very satisfying meal and feeling very pleased with ourselves for finding the recommended place so easily, we walked about the weekend market and saw THIS ->

(top-bottom)
1. the queue outside the real deal - PANCAKES ON THE ROCKS: Our Singaporean instincts tell us that this is something not to be missed and managed to fit this in for our last day of breakfast.
2. Strawberry pancakes with vanilla ice cream: yes, ice cream for breakfast...
3. Pancakes with egg and hashbrown: the savoury option, superb when drizzled with the maple syrup!

Of ribs and beach
Moving on with our quest for good food, we timed our itinerary so we were at Bondi Beach for lunch. This time, after the pancakes boohoo, we were extra careful about finding the right restaurant for good food. Our same friend recommended pork ribs at Bondi called Hurricanes. The cafe opens for business only during dinner so we verified that Hurricanes Express (for takeaway only) is the same as Hurricanes before placing our orders.

(top-bottom)
1. me in front of the takeaway counter: no queues as no one in their right state of mind would go to the beach in winter.
2. half-chicken and 8 pieces of ribs: yummy ribs but chicken was a little dry. set meal comes with delicious fries too. oh and halfway through our lunch, a dog came by our table and greedily eyed our half eaten mess of meat and bones. luckily the dog-owner came by in time before the dog pounced on our food. what a scare but now you know how good it is!
3. lunch with a view: nice little hut which faces Bondi and the Pacific. you smell the sea and feel the breeze against your face as you savagely devour your carnivorous lunch. What more is there to ask? .. except not to grow fat after that...

Of fish & chips and the uninvited guest
If you have not eaten fish & chips during your stay in Australia, don't count yourself having stepped foot on the land. The best fish & chips in town is of course touted to be at the Sydney Fish Market.

(top-bottom)
1. me with my fish & chips by the harbour: my verdict is that the first bite of the fish tastes good. i don't know how subsequent bites went... coz... haiz. Minutes after the photo was taken and just after my first bite, one seagull actually flew to my table, grabbed my fish and flew away with it!!! Like what -censored-! Totally demonic behaviour!
2. me with my fish & chips at Nicks: determined not to end my trip with such a bad experience, i decided have a nice sit-down seafood dinner on my last night by the "Clarke Quay of Sydney" - Cockle Bay Wharf. Nice setting and fresh seafood... with prices that are more than triple normal ones. but hey, at least i get protected from barbaric birds. i think it is worth it.

Of hot chocolate and heaven

It is known that chocolates release endorphins that make people happy.
Of course i barely need that when i am there.
But nothing beats a cup of hot chocolate on a cold winter day.
Add the fact that work is literally miles away from me.
Add the fact that i am at Australia's most iconic and famous beach.
Add the fact that i am looking up at the clearest blue sky.
Add the fact that i am listening to the loveliest symphony of the waves hitting the beach.
Add the fact that i am lying on a soft, dry patch of grass that does not have yucky creepy crawlies that will climb in my pants.
Add the fact that the hot chocolate is a swiss-branded foreign import.
That is the formula for heaven.

Don't ask me why I actually came back.

MY SISTER'S KEEPER by JODI PICOULT

2009-08-22T23:03:00.006+08:00

"At the beginning of this hearing, Mr. Alexander, you said that none of us is obligated to go into a fire and save someone else from a burning building. But that all changes if you're a parent and the person in that burning building is your child. If that's the case, not only would everyone understand if you ran in to get your child - they'd practically expect it of you.
In my life, though, that building was on fire, one of my children was in it - and the only opportunity to save her was to send in my other child, because she was the only one who knew the way. Did I know I was taking a risk? Of course. Did I realize it meant maybe losing both of them? Yes. Did I understand that maybe it wasn't fair to ask her to do it? Absolutely. But I also know that it was the only chance I had to keep both of them. Was it legal? Was it moral? Was it crazy or foolish or cruel? I don't know. But I do know it was right."

Just finished this novel and not satisfied at all with the ending. =(
I seriously enjoyed the story - except the last 12 pages of the novel which left a terrible aftertaste.
I shall not be a spoilsport and reveal the ending lest any of you are planning on reading this....
Overall, I think it is a good read - just be ready for a jaw-dropping ending.
It is the only one of Picoult's many novels to be adapted to a movie, starring Cameron Diaz and Abigail Breslin (my favorite kid actor... from "Little Miss Sunshine"!).
It is supposed to be in theatres 26 June 2009 but somehow I have not seen it in Singapore.
Please let me know if any of you knows anything about this movie e.g. when is it showing or if i had missed it?

humour - the cfa way

2009-06-18T22:59:00.006+08:00

when the 'under-the-weather' days
come a little too often
last a little too long
hit a little too hard
humour (in whatever form) is what keeps Jasmine staying on the side of mental sanity.

sharing depression

2009-05-15T21:58:00.007+08:00

An insight into the mind of a depression patient...
Ultra-long article but guaranteed to be worth your time.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/10/magazine/10Depression-t.html
A Journey Through Darkness
By DAPHNE MERKIN
Published: May 10, 2009
What one woman learned from four decades of psychotherapy, three hospital stays and the ever-present fear of returning to the psychological dungeon.

Multiply the writer's situation by the population of the States
And you now know why we are all stuck in this depression.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/17/magazine/17foreclosure-t.html
My Personal Credit Crisis
By EDMUND L. ANDREWS
Published: May 17, 2009
How love, subprime lenders and willful self-delusion led one man, an economics reporter, to the brink of foreclosure.

Two Things In Life Are Certain, Death & Taxes

2009-04-14T21:55:00.003+08:00

One more item to add to the "List of Growing Up Woes".
Today, Jasmine filed her first income taxes.

Of course, things never proceed as smoothly as expected for Jasmine (if i may add - ever).
Or I think it should be better phrased as "In typical, Jasmine style, ..."

After she patiently clicked through the not-very-aesthetically-pleasing pages to hit the SUBMIT button, she was kindly informed that her session has timed out.
Don't ask her how many times she had to hit the BACK button because of the lovely message "We are currently unable to process your authentication request. Please try again later."

when the soul is no longer in the body - Part 2

2009-03-09T22:01:00.002+08:00

I am listening to this song "It's Amazing" by Jem...
How apt a description of the silly things I am capable of...

It's amazing, it's amazing
all that you can do
It's amazing, makes my heart sing
Now it's up to you

Sunday
Woke up at 10.15am
Supposed to catch a 11.15am movie in town

Why
Phone went dead in the middle of the night
Alarm did not ring
Tried to resuscitate the phone
To no avail

Made a big fuss
Well what else do I do best?
Daddy fetched me to town
What can I do without him!

Brought dead phone to service centre
Told lady behind counter
Phone went dead
And cannot be revived.

Lady pressed 'start' button
!!!
Phone came alive with a weak vibration
Though battery is flat

Lady promptly informed me
Please charge your phone
And kindly asked
Would you still like to send it for servicing?

Good job, Jasmine!

when the soul is no longer in the body

2009-03-06T23:07:00.002+08:00

I remember I poured some milk in a bowl and brought it to the living room to watch tv.
Then somehow something happened... which I have completely no memory of.
And my bowl of milk is gone from the table.
I then walked around the house looking for the bowl.
Finally I asked my mum if she had seen my bowl.
She looked at me, her expression a mixture of bemusement and disbelief, "Didn't you finish it and left it in the sink? Are you ok?"

I feel senile.
I am convinced my brain has reached its maximum utilization and is in a state of decline.

Jasmine went to the Police Post

2009-02-17T22:06:00.003+08:00

12 noon:
Jasmine discovered her staff pass was missing after she returned to the office from an external meeting.

12.01pm:
Jasmine called the cab company (some obscure cab company) and was transferred from one department to another and went through several rounds of "Press 1 for English... Press 0 to speak to our operator". Finally, she managed to lodge a missing item report. She is thankful that she has the receipt with her.

12.47pm:
Jasmine got a call from the cab company informing her that they are in the process of locating the cab driver and asked how she would like to collect the pass IF it was found.
Option 1 - Collect from LTA
Option 2 - Collect from Police
Option 3 - Request for the driver to return to the office and incur the transport charges.
She told them she will decide when the pass is found.

3.30pm:
Jasmine got a call from HRXXX (the company's India centralized HR team).
HR - Hi Jasmine, please collect your employment pass from the police.
Me - (getting the shivers from hearing the word "police") Erm, but I didn't apply for an employment pass. Why do I have to collect it?
HR - Your employment pass is now with the police. Can you give them a call to collect it?
Me - I am a Singaporean. I don't think I need an employment pass to work here... right?
HR - (in a clearly frustrated tone) Can you just take down this number and give the police a call to collect your employment pass?
Me - But I didn't apply for one - oh wait are you referring to my staff pass?
HR - Yes miss, your employment pass is with the police. Can you take down this number?
So she obediently did what HR said.

3.31pm:
Jasmine called the number given to her.
Me - Hi, I am Jasmine from X bank. Did you find my staff pass?
Police - Ah Yes, Jasmine! A taxi driver dropped your pass at our police post.
Me - Oh great thanks! How do I collect it?
P - You can come by our police post at MacPherson today to collect it.
Me - (muttering under her breath that the cab driver could have taken it to some place more centralized/closer to her home) Ok! You are open 24 hours so I can collect it anytime?
P - No, Jasmine. We are closed at 9.30pm.
Me - Can I come by another day then to collect it?
P - Then I will have to pass it to our HQ.
Jasmine has learnt enough economics to know that the trip her staff pass makes to the HQ would be an absolute waste of taxpayers' money and decided to collect it on the day.

4.30pm:
Jasmine got another call from the cab company.
Cab company greeted her "Hi Mdm, this is to inform you that we are still in the process of locating the cab driver so please be patient. We will inform you when we have found your staff pass."
Slightly amused, Jasmine still patiently told her the good deed the cab driver has done.

8.50pm:
Jasmine's staff pass sits comfortably back in her bag unscathed.

Lessons to be learnt:

In the midst of crisis, do not panic.
Police posts are not opened 24 hours.

a moment in history

2009-01-23T21:38:00.006+08:00

I have never been an avid reader of political news.
Seriously, I was not even concerned when Obama was elected President last year.
Sure he won THE most powerful seat in the world and he is an African American, but when my pea brain can barely comprehend the happenings of my daily life (especially at work), I will gladly let the rest of the world decide and debate on whether he is the right person to save the world from the dumps.

I was reading the papers on my way home from work on the day of Obama's Inauguration and came upon his speech - which I actually found interesting (ok call me a nerd). And I am now watching his Inauguration on Youtube, completely bizarre for a Youtube-luddite like me.

Excerpts which caught my attention:

"That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our healthcare is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet."

"The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified."

"To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist."

"It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate."

"This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed - why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath."

And the grand finale that is oozing with hope and optimism...

"Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations. Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America."

Before I youtubed his speech and seeing how well Obama delivered the speech, I was actually in awe of his speechwriter's capabilities to write such a moving speech (of course I know Mr. President wouldn't have to write his own speech!)... coz I have always been enamored of people who can write well...

So the Mastermind is him - Jon Favreau (Chief Speechwriter)

*Picture courtesy of Guardian

I must say I was flabbergasted that this 27 year old chap is the person behind the speech. I was imagining a 60 year old, silver-haired, english-professor-type of person. Oh well, do away with stereotypes, Jasmine!

Racial discrimination has always been a topic I am quite interested in coz I was so disgusted to know that people actually thought it was legitimate to judge the superiority of one over the other based on skin color??!! I mean, why was there ever a theory that humans are different from animals coz humans can think?

Not having to grow up struggling with these "color issues", I cannot really imagine the significance of Obama's triumph at the election. But after the Americans have made the choice of choosing an African American as their leader and seeing how the massive crowd rallied for him during his speech, I guess they are now ready to embrace change and to see abilities over skin color.

Below is an excerpt from one of his past campaign speeches I found worth a read...

"I am the son of a black man from Kenya and a white woman from Kansas. I was raised with the help of a white grandfather who survived a Depression to serve in Patton's Army during World War II and a white grandmother who worked on a bomber assembly line at Fort Leavenworth while he was overseas.

I've gone to some of the best schools in America and lived in one of the world's poorest nations. I am married to a black American who carries within her the blood of slaves and slaveowners -- an inheritance we pass on to our two precious daughters.

I have brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, uncles and cousins, of every race and every hue, scattered across three continents, and for as long as I live, I will never forget that in no other country on Earth is my story even possible"

The world is counting on him to deliver on his grand ideals.
And I would say he had a good start.

I wish Mr. President all the best.

2008 to 2009

2009-01-02T22:21:00.005+08:00

In a word, 2008 was UNBELIEVEABLE, both on a personal and a world-global level.

What it means is up to your imagination.

Guide: Refer to media for events which generated unprecedented carnage literally and figuratively across the world, while personal issues will remain personal.

With the rate thoughts are running through my head now, i can't write fast and frequent enough to pen it all down (read: lazy). I know it is the new year and I should do one of those "farewell 2008, hello 2009" kind of entries. i actaully stayed up yesterday night to do my strictly confidential Annual New Year Resolution Setting in my diary and it took tonnes of effort and willpower. No way am I going to do it again (read: lazy).

Dear readers...
In 2009 i wish for you:

Good Health - to enjoy all that life has to offer
Lots of Love - surrounded by family, friends, other halves
Truckloads of money - from pay rise, bonus, windfall
Optimism - to last you through the "under-the weather" days which should not happen too often
Luck - one can't get too much of it yeah?
Plenty of smiles and laughter - spread your good fortune! (=

Happy New Year!

fodder for thought

2008-12-18T20:43:00.013+08:00

I received this in the mail and thought I should share with all.
I hope I am not infringing any copyrights law by posting it here.
It is quite a long article but definitely worth your time.

A Wall Street Job Can’t Match a Calling in Life: Michael Lewis
Commentary by Michael Lewis

Dec. 10 (Bloomberg) -- Recently I received a letter from a young employee of a well-known financial firm, who asked that I not mention his full name, his employer or anything else that might give him away. Though a bit short on self-pity and self- dramatization, this letter was otherwise a fine example of a sort
I’ve received often these past few months.

“I am writing you for advice,” Anthony (let us call him) began. “I graduated in May of 2008 and since July have spent my time entangled in the culture of (his well-known New York bank). I’m thinking about leaving. My dad labored his whole life so I could have the opportunity to do something like this, so leaving isn’t exactly what I want to do. I know if I stay here I could work unbelievably hard and move through the ranks, or maybe move firms… (but) I guess I’m starting to question the whole securities industry.”

The young man went on to concede that what attracted him to Wall Street was the chance to get rich quickly, and the excitement -- but that both of these things now seem gone forever.

“So I have this plan to go to Hollywood,” he wrote, but then instantly undermined himself. “I feel confused, a little stupid, but yet somewhat confident. I mean, I read your book, I figured out how to get to Wall Street from a non-Ivy League school, and I got here. The only question now is, if I leave, where do I go?”

Let me try to help sort it out:

Dear Anthony,

On several occasions I have taken my own advice and it has almost killed me, and so I’m a tad uneasy about offering it up to you. But if you promise not to take it any more seriously than I do, I’ll answer you as best I can.

Let’s start by putting your problem into perspective: You still have a job. You work at one of the world’s biggest banks. It’s true: The thrill and money is rapidly being drained from such places. Your big bank, like all the other big banks, seems to be in the process of being nationalized -- thus the longer you stay the more you may find yourself in something resembling a government job.

But that’s not all bad: Government jobs are secure. You are also young, in your early 20s, and without a family to support. That is, unlike the vast majority of the people on and off Wall Street, you have the luxury to wallow in your misfortune.

Now let’s wallow. We’re at the beginning of a recalibration of the role of finance in global economic life. The excitement and the money that attracted you to Wall Street will probably not return for a long time. If these really are the only reasons you became a financier you probably should find something else to do with your life.

Hollywood Lurch

But before you go lurching into Hollywood let us make sure you aren’t simply repeating the mistake you made by lurching onto Wall Street. That is, let us focus less on your immediate condition -- safely employed but disillusioned -- to the habits and beliefs that led you into it.

You were never exactly wrong. If you’d been born 10 years earlier and behaved exactly as you have done, your career might well have made you as rich and seemingly successful as you imagined your father wanted you to be. You simply came to Wall
Street too late, and are in the strange position of a man who won the lottery on the first day there was nothing in the pot. The mistake you made, in your view, is to have played the lottery on the wrong day. The mistake you made, in mine, was to have played the lottery at all.

There’s a question you might ask yourself: Am I looking for a job, or a calling? On the one hand the importance you attach to your career suggests a desire for a calling; on the other, your instinct to abandon your chosen career the moment it ceases to offer an easy path to fame and fortune, suggests that what you’re really in the market for is a job.

Job vs. Calling

The distinction is artificial but worth drawing. A job will never satisfy you all by itself, but it will afford you security and the chance to pursue an exciting and fulfilling life outside of your work. A calling is an activity you find so compelling that you wind up organizing your entire self around it – often to the detriment of your life outside of it.

There’s no shame in either. Each has costs and benefits. There is no reason to make a fetish of your career. There are activities other than work in which to find meaning and pleasure and even a sense of self-importance -- you just need to learn how
to look.

Reading between the lines of your letter I sense that some of your anxiety is caused by your desire for the benefits of each -- job and calling -- without the costs. Perhaps that is what led you to Wall Street in the first place, and why your mind now
turns to Hollywood.

Doing Well
What Wall Street did so well, for so long, was to give people jobs that they could pass off to themselves as well as others as callings. Such was their exalted social and financial
status: Wall Street jobs made people feel special without actually having to be special. You never really had to explain why you were doing it -- even if you should have.

But really, the same rule that applies to properly functioning financial markets applies to other markets: There’s a direct relationship between risk and reward. A fantastically rewarding career usually requires you to take fantastic risks. To get your seat at the table on Wall Street you may have passed through a fine filter, but you took no real risk. You were just being paid, briefly, as if you had.

So which is it: job or calling? You can answer the question directly, or allow time to answer it for you. Either way, I think you’d be happier if you stopped thinking of what the world had to offer you, and started thinking a bit more about what you had to
offer the world. Real excitement isn’t just in whatever you happen to be doing, but in what you bring to it.

In the end, you have to look for it not on the outside, but on the inside. In my experience, if you find it, the other stuff will take care of itself.

Michael Lewis, author of “Liar’s Poker,” “Moneyball,” and “The Blind Side,” is a columnist for Bloomberg News. The opinions he expresses are his own.)

--Editors: Marty Schenker, James Greiff

To contact the writer of this column:
Michael Lewis at mlewis1@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this column:
James Greiff at +1-212-617-5801 or jgreiff@bloomberg.net

-----------------------------====================------------------------------
Copyright (c) 2008, Bloomberg, L. P.

i love to doodle

2008-09-29T21:26:00.011+08:00

In conjunction with Singapore Biennale 2008, a bunch of aspiring artists decided to hold a spontaneous
"Post-it Doodle Art Exhibition".

PS: You should really expand the picture to see the cute little pieces of masterpiece... quite blur though.

This is what you get when you leave a box of markers and post-its with some overstressed bank labourers. Our right brains can do extremely remarkable feats!

"The decision marks the end of Wall Street as we have known it'' - William Isaac

2008-09-22T22:09:00.005+08:00

This blog is supposed to be for my frivolous, shallow thoughts and not meant to be taken seriously. But...

I am seriously disturbed by the spate of jaw-dropping finanical upheavals in recent weeks.
In awe and total disbelief at what has happened because I will never imagine that such a complete shakeup of what was previously entrenched in my mind as a stable, legitimate financial system can possibly happen right before my eyes.

Sept. 22 (Bloomberg) -- The Wall Street that shaped the financial world for two decades ended last night, when Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Morgan Stanley concluded there is no future in remaining investment banks now that investors have determined the model is broken.

I keep thinking back one year ago when I just graduated, my dream was to (someday) get into one of the cool and swanky investment banks. I am sure I was not alone. And now... look at the turn of fortunes. *shudders*

Happy to have a job now.
Thanks to whoever and whatever.

!stunned

2008-09-15T22:36:00.002+08:00

While I was busy on a shopping spree today, the financial market came crashing down (as if trying to prove how deep down it can fall to). And it all has to happen on this fateful day - 15 September 2008 - dashing the tiniest hope of recovery of even the most optimistic of the lot. -Haiz-

One bank filed for bankruptcy
Another was bought over
One insurance company went into a frantic search for money

It is funny that what goes up must come down but what goes down... well... can stay down or go even downer...

the sky is blue

2008-09-10T22:39:00.004+08:00

Captioned is a fact that everyone knows, yet nobody appreciates.
I just realized I have the habit of looking up, and be very fascinated by scenes of white, formless fluff against an unnaturally blue backdrop.
(On a sidenote, to illustrate my look-up habit, I was on a course a few weeks ago and I was the first to notice that someone had stuck a piece of post-it on the ceiling of the classroom with some scribble which I cannot remember. Haha. I am not alone in this business of looking up.)

Snapshots of my white and blue.

On the way home today... very early day!
Looks so pretty though captured on my lousy camera phone.

Over the weekend...
Just love the very very very big cloud that seems to float so effortlessly...
I wonder if angels do stay there.

misses

2008-09-06T20:47:00.006+08:00

Other than the break from the monotonity, there is nothing much during weekends that I look forward to.
These days, with the constant firefighting at the office, facing boredom at home is more appealing than wrestling through weekend crowds.

So, with nothing to do, i decided to check my yahoo mailbox which I have yet to clear for the past 6 months. Found some old long forgotten photos, which boredom has driven me to patiently struggle with the user-unfriendly photo upload tool of Blogger to share with what is remaining of my audience...

I don't remember when this was taken but Ying sent this to me in Year 2006. Really miss those girls as it has been a long time since I met them, especially Ying and Aiqi... Our lives have changed so much since then, from students to working adults... haiz.. and it is tougher and tougher to find a common time to meet up... The possiblility of another trip to the zoo is not even remotely possible. Sob!

In typical Ying's style, she titled this photo - "Ying Er's Boyfriend". I wonder how her boyfriend now will feel. Talk about change... from single to happily ever after now... Ying do you see any resemblance?

This is the first photo taken from my first camera phone with the ever lovely cousin of mine. Wah been a long time since I met her and I am reminded I owe her some money from the last shopping trip. Haha~

Manz, I really ough to go through my list and start meeting those long lost friends.. which I have been conveniently putting at the back of my mind.

How often have I said to meet up soon but it never happens?
Countless... gosh I ought to be ashamed...
_________________________________________

It is funny how weekends are so significant once you shed the skin of a student and get sucked into the evil corporate world. Students can never understand what TGIF means.

overworked office labourer

2008-08-30T14:43:00.003+08:00

3 signs of office overdose:

You want to press CTRL+ALT+DEL even on your home computer when you walk away.
You search for your Security pass when you want to leave any room.
You move the tv remote control so that the tv will not go into screensaver mode.

old fogey jasmine

2008-08-23T01:14:00.003+08:00

8 signs of premature ageing:

You reset the pass word for internet banking again and again yet can never remember the user id and password for more than a day.
You walk back to the study with the intention of switching off the computer, after doing so about 12 seconds ago.
You take a while to recall which day of the week it is and can never figure out the date without turning to the calendar.
You forget to reply to SMSes.
You start to like tea appreciation.
You need a whole weekend to recuperate from the damage of a late Friday night.
You often find yourself staring at nothing without realizing it.
You find your skin sagging!!!!!!

angels in disguise

2008-07-29T21:38:00.006+08:00

Every morning (as you probably already know),
I dread the moment when the alarm jolts me awake
as it marks the start of the
brush teeth-wash face-dress up-make up-wear heels-take train
routine.

As I carry my sullen face to work, I meet 3 Angels in Disguise.

The cleaner of my block,
a middle age foreign worker from India/Bangladesh,
loudly greets me 'GOOD MORNING'
with a wave of his hand and a friendly smile.

The security guard of my office building,
a middle age Malay guy,
enthusiastically holds the lift door open for me,
and wishes me 'GOOD MORNING. HAVE A NICE DAY AT WORK! CHEERS!'
flashing his trademark Victory 'V' sign.

The restroom cleaner of my office,
a young lady from China,
flashes a really lovely smile,
and says ‘小姐早安!'

And in all three instances, I cannot help but change my frown to a smile.

Then I wonder why they are so happy.

Maybe whatever life's circumstances, only I can make myself happy.

the tree bark

2008-07-24T21:49:00.004+08:00

My life is about as exciting as a tree bark.

ok.
I am just being dumb.
Sorry for wasting 5 seconds of your time.

a saturday morning

2008-07-05T15:59:00.003+08:00

A few weeks ago I stupidly changed my NTU webmail password and tried to log in yesterday night only to realize I have not got the faintest idea what my new password is.
(A simple case of memory failure which happens more than frequent recently.)

I called the IT Helpdesk this morning and asked the guy on the other end of the line what I could do.
He told me to email my login ID and scanned copy of my IC to him.
Expecting cumbersome beaureacratic days-long delay, I asked how long it will take.
He immedately replied "As soon as I receive it."
And in my mind I was telling myself " Yeah right. After passing it around the globe from counterparty 1 to counterparty 58 and back."
But still I dutifully did all the required and emailed him.
Barely 5 minutes later I got an email informing me that my password has been reset.

HAPPY!

So goes my very happening Saturday morning.

Longing to be on the plane for a good holiday...

blue

2008-06-29T14:51:00.002+08:00

Finally it didn't rain and I managed to cycle from East Coast Park to Changi Beach - and back.
Saw this very pretty sight which, for a moment, made me feel as though I am not Singapore.
Oh why is the sky so blue so blue?

happiness

2008-06-25T21:41:00.002+08:00

Happiness is scary.

Because when you are at the pinnacle of happiness,
the only way to go is DOWN.

Do you believe happiness can be used up?

so you think you can dance

2008-06-09T21:43:00.002+08:00

Was lucky enough to be flipping through the channels while looking for a decent program to accompany me while I have my dinner.
VERY pleasantly surprised to see that SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE was premiering tonight.

*beams* -glad that I knocked off early today-

I was very impressed with the quality of dancers I saw during the last series and am positive that this series will be even better. I like the fact that the dancers are made to be 'all-rounders' as they cannot just stick to their preferred dance genre. Prim and proper ballet dancers must groove to hip-hop music while street-side freestylers have to move to move according to the beat. This is what (in my very humble opinion) a good dancer should possess - the versatility to dance any form of dance; Afterall, what good is a dancer who can only move to certain types of music but is completely hopeless at others?

... ...

I have more things to say about the show. And about my life too.
But it is so hard to spell them out.
I wish I were a Sunday Times columnist coz I can pen my feelings and get paid for it too.

Another time my readers... (hears echo) ...

of everything

2008-05-16T22:45:00.005+08:00

-warning: thoughts are going to be lengthy and super disorganized-

*shakes head* I never thought that I could make it through the week.
But I did. Guess that is some cause for celebration?
*hooray* -> that was about the most unenthusiastic cheer you have ever heard.

Work is challenging (absolute understatement!).
More challenging than what I thought my pea brain could take.
Maybe just that my pea brain cannot process anything more complicated than Primary 3 Math.

State of brain after work: DEFUNCT.
I didn't recognize the seriousness of the situation until I realize that I was kind of addicted to the Channel 8 9pm drama serial - I had actually quit watching serials about eons ago.
Coz that was about the only thing that my brain could digest.
Trust me - MSN or novels seemed like rocket science.

I wonder why I work so hard.
I thought I just wanted to be happy.

I hate to wake up to the dumb alarm when the sun is still not out.
I hate to put on makeup.
I hate to wear heels.
I hate the crowd in the trains.
I hate to gobble down my breakfast. (I am a strong believer of GOOD BREAKFASTS!)
I hate to miss lunch.
I hate not being able to chat coz I cannot afford the time.
I hate ignoring smses.
I hate having no eye candies.
I hate being overburdened with work when people are starting to pack up and go home.
I hate being hungry during the evening in the office.
I hate having dry eyes from staring at the tiny screen for too long.
I hate losing my appetite.
I hate going home when the sky is dark.
I hate being only able to stone on the way home.
I hate removing makeup.
I hate sleeping with wet hair.
I hate having nightmares about work.
I hate the repeat of this routine everyday.

THIS IS GETTING DUMB...
ENOUGH OF GRUMBLING!!!

Daddy was looking at the news of Myanmar's and China's disasters and commenting on how pitiful the people are.
I thought he should continue with... oh how fortunate are we!

The collapse of the World Trade Centre, the Bali bombings, Hurricane Katrina, and even the continuing war in the Middle East...
We were merely onlookers.
Yes we felt the pain.
Yet what do we understand of their anguish?
Just passive television viewers in front of the black box hungry for some heart-wrenching story.
Hoping that our money will in some way make up for our guilt in being so comfortable when others are suffering.

I just hate it when this sort of things happen.
Makes me feel as though I should be doing something more noble than sitting in the office.

I know I know I know!!!
I know my complaints are frivolous and superficial compared to what others are going through right now. But this is my space so let me rant k?

I have seriously contemplated leaving my current life (not triggered by the recent spate of disasters).
I have no idea why I am doing what I am doing when so many people in this world needs help.
Even without the cyclone and the earthquake, poverty is an ongoing issue.
Yet I waste food and spend money on stupid things.
Which is not fair when we are humans and we should be equal.
If I am given a chance for education, he/she should be too!

Ok my thoughts are running quite wild tonight i am a bit incoherent.
Shall retire for the night and brace myself for the long weekend of hardwork!

touched

2008-04-27T10:57:00.003+08:00

There is a saying "Friends - the older the better."
I do believe it.
Friend of nearly 13 years dropped an Ecard for me - just when I needed it the most.
I smiled when I saw it. Thanks my dear.
How I wish I could go over and give you a hug too!!!

pandemonuim broke out

2008-04-26T20:00:00.005+08:00

You know how sometimes what you do is a physical manifestation of your state of mind?

Yesterday night I got down to sorting out the jumble of papers which somehow became part of my possession because they bear my name - bills, brochures, salary slips, faded receipts... ...

And ended up with this...

Yet I don't feel better after all the shredding and dumping.

I think it is the weather.

The temperature literally boils my blood.

Everytime I speak I feel like shouting. So I would rather not.

Not speak, I mean.

Not that I love rainy days. I just hate to be home when the sun is out.

NO, I just hate to HAVE TO be home when the sun is out.

I feel like an unwilling turkey in an oven.

Should abstain from oven-cooked food - I empathize with thee.

monday blues

2008-04-06T22:45:00.000+08:00

sadness upon sorrow stacked on grief

grumble

2008-03-31T00:59:00.002+08:00

Q: when was the last time you sat down and watched a good 2 hours of tv?
A: dunno

Q: when was the last time u spent a whole day in town shopping and not feel guilty?
A: dunno

Q: when was the last time u were on MSN coz u had extra time to kill?
A: dunno

Q: when was the last time u curled up in bed with a good book and good music for companion?
A: dunno

__________

but i feel happy generally.... just tt i wish i have more time for myself and my family and my long lost friends... haha.. who doesnt?

really sorry for being a bad grand daughter, daughter, sister, cousin, friend recently.. for having no time for anything and anyone...

am sure this period will pass and i can have the luxury of free time again!

(=

!!! - traumatised

2008-03-12T23:08:00.002+08:00

happened to catch 10 minutes of this documentary my mummy was watching just now....
still breathless from what i saw...

seals were chasing penguins and eating them....

quite freaky... coz u see sharks and tigers and lions prey but not SEALS!
the same seals u see in the zoo that clap hands and dive into pools and balance balls just to get the prize of a fish.
!!!

another heavy-hearted post... sorry

2008-02-14T21:58:00.002+08:00

today's events set jasmine thinking once again... but about stuff she has never thought about before (which is kinda good!) ... and certainly not related to the special significance hopelesss romantics tag to 14 February.

sometimes she thinks she needs another brain to help process the thoughts that flow through her pea brain every minute. sometimes she thinks she simply should not think.

ok jasmine is just a pathetic melodramatic nut case... ignore her at all costs!

anyway anyway anyway... happy valentine's!

springclean!!!

2008-02-05T23:14:00.000+08:00

List of Springcleaning tasks I did:
1. Threw 4 pairs of shoes away
2. Removed 5 copies of Time magazine from my table

Realized that I am such a perfect minimalist, I have nothing much in my possession.
Kinda reflective of my life now.

Oh Jasmine dear what have you done?

Time for MORE serious-hairdropping-late sleepless nights-thinking time...

"Action may not always bring happiness, but there is no happiness without action"
~ Benjamin Disraeli

the older you are, the better you get... unless you are a banana

2008-01-11T23:41:00.000+08:00

It would be great if i could make my first post for 2008 a happy one, but I, unfortunately, cannot.
Not that my life hasn't been good... I am always grateful... just that... you know... things do happen...

I thought age would bring about wisdom...
I thought if I pondered about a topic hard enough, epiphany would strike...
I thought if I feel the world is a wonderful place, it will be...

So -I really hate to say this coz it looks ugly, smells revolting and tastes horrible -
I guess I am a banana...

It is now up to me in 2008 to sort out the mess I created in 2007. Oh what a year!

argh

2007-12-20T23:42:00.000+08:00

Princess Jasmine is royally pissed... coz things didn't work out the way she wanted. And she is so in need of a good full body massage. And her sleep debt is accumulating like mad.

And... ... she just needs a break. A well-deserved one, in her royal opinion.

But still, she is thankful. She knows this tiring period will pass.

It will.

Appear offline

2007-12-06T22:52:00.000+08:00

I didn't realize how addicted I was to the "Appear offline" status of MSN until I got this email while attempting to chat when appearing offline coz the other party was using ebuddy which I think prohibits offline conversations.

Eileen Ang, by the way, is THE bestest cousin anyone can have... who tried to extort me of a $400 bag for her birthday. All she is gonna get is a place on my blog - priceless. I know, I know she is gonna be so touched she is just gonna melt when she comes back from her holiday and see this. Haha...

spotcheck

2007-12-01T22:11:00.000+08:00

been quite a while since my last entry... things have been going pretty well - i guess. i mean, i have a happy family, lovely friends, pretty ok job, wonderful colleagues, a roof above my head, money to spend, a degree in my bag. ALL i have to be thankful for. really... i ought to be shot to say i am still not satisfied. so to whoever/whatever made this possible, THANKS!

it is funny how i live everyday dreading going to work and whining about every minute detail, yet when i make a list of things i have to be thankful for, i end up feeling that i am very fortunate. so friends, please also make a list like me... makes you think that life is so wonderful... if you don't already think it is.

And i must say i really do not, i repeat DO NOT, have THE perfect life. I don't have 5 million to spend or stay in a bungalow along Orchard road. I would love that of course but it is just not possible now. and i can totally accept that fact. People look at me and think i am happy coz my life has been pretty smoothsailing and tell me how fortunate i am. But NO! I still have my fair share of grumbles but it's ok! i am, as i said before, optimistic that things will change for the better as long as i retain my enthusiasm and i believe that someday i can get what i want. for now, i am just contented. PERSPECTIVE - makes all the difference!

transferred some photos from my cranky handphone so gonna share with you all... since life is good.... for now... haha

Dinner 'feast' (actually it is only simple foodcourt fare but yummy too) with fellow colleagues who were stuck in the office on a Friday night

The 'O Rings' which turned out to be 'C Rings'. But it is still nice coz it is made from real onions and not the BK-styled-mashed-up-onions. Seen here with my current favorite sauce - KETCHUP!

My precious lunch break spent with my Sis - the leftover cream skeleton of a funny tasting orange cake

Cheap thrill in town with my dear sisters from A02. We make the best shopping khakis coz when asked for comments, we only say "gosh it looks sooooooo nice on you! just buy it!!!" REAL destructive... tsktsk

of love

2007-11-05T23:14:00.000+08:00

i don't understand... why relationships turn sour. why you can bear to say goodbye to the very same eyes you looked into when you said the magic three words fortnights ago.

that said, i wanna announce i just found the love of my life today!

photos...

2007-10-05T23:34:00.000+08:00

I don't mind blogging.. coz I love to write. But the thought of uploading photos irks me so much... the tedious process of trying to make the captions appear in line with the photos which is quite an IMPOSSIBLE task on blogger if you don't know HTML. What a putoff! And my sisters all did a very good job loading the photos on their blogs I see no point in me using the same photos again to talk about what great fun we had. But I promised photos, so for your sake and my word and the ugly state of my blog, I have to. Haiz (I know it must be the first time you see anyone uploading photos with such great reluctance it seemed as though I am blackmailed).

ok so the story goes... some saturday morning, I went with some very dear friends to some brunch buffet and had some food and gained some weight but had LOTSA fun.

For you voyeurs out there, this is about as much as you can wring out of my private life. Well, not exactly trying to be secretive. But if you are my friend, you should know I am not one to give a minute-by-minute account of my daily life when we meet up so I think this elusive style is soooo me. And if you are so dying to know what I have been up to, then you should be friend enough to give me a call or drop an email or swing by my house rather than try to peek into my life using my blog.

ok PEACE~ (=

a prayer

2007-09-29T01:08:00.000+08:00

no pictures yet.. coz I wanna do something.. to say a prayer for all my loved ones - my dearest family & loveliest friends, who may be facing some problems or who are stuck in some quagmire or who are suffocating under immense stress...

Dear whoever-is-watchin-over-us, please please please make my loved ones happy. Make everyday a sunny day free of worries. Build rainbows of hope. Make it rain smiley faces and clap thunders of laughter. Coz they are such nice people who do not deserve the bad weather days they have been getting. Thanks.

a book - part 2 - THE END

2007-09-28T22:48:00.000+08:00

well actually the title should be many books. Been reading quite a bit recently and I am happy that they were all very worthy to be recommended. I love the feeling when you know you have with you a really good book and it provides a respite from the regularities of your life to delve into another world - a world where you don't have to play a part, where you are merely an onlooker.

1. The Shadow of the Wind (Carlos Ruiz Zafón)
I ABSOLUTELY ADORE THIS BOOK! Put simply, it is a book about a book. Muddled? I am not sure how to classify this book because it is a book of mystery, of love, of friendship, of history, of magic, of fate, of simply everything. I am amazed by how well the writer ties so many seemingly fragmented pieces of episodes together yet makes it so easy for the reader to understand and follow. Very original, attention-grabbing and well-written.

Plot: *****
Words: *****
Thought: *****

2. Shopaholic Takes Manhattan (Sophie Kinsella)
This is the first and only book in the shopaholic series which I have read (as yet), but not the first book of Kinsella for me. I read 'The Undomestic Goddess' last year and had quite a good impression. Kinsella's style is easily digestable - very entertaining. Light-hearted and flavoured with a generous dose of humour. The only downside is that the plot is slightly predictable and tends to cater to the girlish audience. haha. But who can resist a fairytale perfect ending? Not me! Definitely THE book to grab when you are looking for something to keep you occupied on long train/bus rides or a light read before you sleep.

Plot: ***
Words: ***
Thought: ***

3. A Place Called Here (Cecelia Ahern)
Another good book as well. My second book of Ahern after her much-loved 'PS I love You'. The book is about.. hmmmm... about being lost. I like the storyline for its novelty, which evolves in a way that is totally unexpected. And it closes wonderfully with a sort-of-perfect ending. I like this much better than 'PS I love You' and decided to give 'PS I Love You' another try coz I sort of got lost in the windy plot. A small warning for you if you want to give her books a try coz they do get a little draggy and, like Kinsella, favours the pretty-&-smart a.k.a. female species more. Haha. And the book cover is so attractive it makes me happy just to admire it.

Plot: ****
Words: ***
Thought: ****

___________________

Sadly, for me but I am not sure if it is for you, I think I gonna stop my book recommendation thingy. I realize I sound like some boring, underpaid book reviewer, which was not my intention.

___________________

Argh! Poor blog! You have no photos on you but just a boring mess of words. Really gonna stuff in some photos -hopefully- in my next entry.

omg!

2007-09-25T21:55:00.000+08:00

was watching <开运万事通> on ch49 just now. And I tried this question which tested my mental age. Guess wat? I am actually not a 'grumpy 45 year old divorcee facing midlife crisis'. PHEW! The results revealed that I am actually an 80 year old trapped in a 22 year old body. FAINTZZZ!

Whoa... told you so. I am not lying when I say that I think a lot. I am glad I still have black hair at the rate I am working my brains out. Arrrgghhh! -cough cough- Ops what just happened?!

______________

Ok, I do realize my blog is kinda boring without photos... shall try to dig around and see what I have. But I doubt so. I cannot remember the last time I said cheeeeseee!!!

Parts 1 & 2 & 3

2007-09-21T23:10:00.000+08:00

so for the sake of my very-not-diplomatic friend... i shall give an update of my 'life... or lack of'

work, eat, sleep, work, eat, sleep

(in increasing order of importance)

multiplied by seven

and to be multiplied by a million more weeks.

There, you got an update of my life this week, a recap of what happened last week, and a preview of my life in the subsequent weeks, succinctly packed into four lines. *beams*

______________

Here is part 2 of the agenda of this entry...

I was thinking, yet again, about how bizarre the world is. And how scary it is to live in a world where nothing is permanent, where no theory holds true for long, where no relationship is permanent. And that I can do nothing about it. And my pea brain simply cannot process the tumult of new information. It is like each time you think you are standing on firm ground, you realize, much to your dismay, that you are standing on quicksand. Then you struggle to pull yourself out to what seemed like firmer grounds, only to realize that you have misjudged. Logic and reason are like archaic ideas of the long forgotten past. ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN, why care about them?

I remember having this nightmare where I woke up one morning and went to my parents' room where they asked "who are you?" -PANIC DESCEND-

______________

ok part 3 and the last part...

I want to clarify something. Contrary to my heavy-hearted blog entries, I think and feel I am a generally happy person. I may sound like a grumpy 45 year old divorcee facing midlife crisis but I am not! I think a lot, seriously A LOT, sometimes too much for my own good. Afterall, what I get is only sleepless nights. But I cannot really do anything else when my thoughts run wild but to run after them.

But don't worry. I have an optimistic outlook towards life. I am positive that the future holds infinite possiblities if I seize the right opportunities. And I am really grateful for my circle of support - my family and friends, including the *ahem* not-so-tactful ones haha.

hmmm

2007-09-20T23:03:00.000+08:00

Don't we all know that 'Singapore is a country free of natural disasters'? And as a child, I always thought - rather naively- that Singapore is located at such a strategic location where tornadoes, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tsunamis etc etc cannot, and will NEVER, hit us. I never thought that I would one day feel the building shake on this island I have called home for 22years and go 'another tremor... ... oh well!'

Maybe I should start to worry.

Worry about whether Volcano Ah Beng will erupt in my backyard.
Worry about whether Typhoon Durian will blow my HDB block away.
Worry about whether Earthquake Ah Lian will reduce all shoppping centres to pieces and where else I can shop.
Worry about whether networks will be down so I can ask my friends out via SMS to chill.
Worry about staying overnight in a sleeping bag at some school or community centre.
Worry about whether the delivery man will still deliver food when the roads are flooded.
Worry about whether the makeshift shelter has hot water for my 1 hour bath.
Worry about whether canned food is tasty.
Worry about whether I can still munch on peanuts when I feel like it.
Worry about whether my blog can be updated so my friends can know how I feel when a natural disaster strikes coz they are so nosey they wanna know ALL about me.

hahaha GOTCHA!.. ok this is a weird entry... coz BEDTIME!

zZZZZ

the little ironies

2007-09-15T12:03:00.000+08:00

THEN: You were not allowed to address any one older than you by their first names. You have to call them Mr/Mrs/Miss/Aunty/Uncle/KorKor/JieJie.
NOW: You are told to drop all formalities and address superiors/lecturers directly by their first names.

THEN: You had to stand up when voicing your opinions in class.
NOW: You can just sit down and talk to your lecturers during lessons without having to stand up and attract unnecessary attention.

THEN: You were instructed to return your plates and utensils to the respective pails of the canteen vendors.
NOW: You have people four times your age to clear your table and clean up after you.

THEN: Getting 4As was all that matters.
NOW: You ask so what?

THEN: You were encouraged to dream.
NOW: You know it is reality that matters.

latenighttalk

2007-09-15T02:34:00.000+08:00

Life.

It is its many twists and turns that makes even the self-proclaimed-most-boring-person's life seem like a blockbuster. Just when you think you have seen it all, it swerves and heads off in a completely different direction before you can shout 'stop'. Or it thrusts you something completely unexpected.

We are so minute, even insignificant. Just where do we stand in this amorphous concept/definition/space/dictatorship/thing called Life?

Life.

It may be a rollercoaster, according to Ronan Keating. Or a box of chocolates, according to Forrest Gump.

It may be a bed of nails, or equally bad, a bed of unidentified creepy crawlies. Or it may be a bed of roses or sunflowers or any type of flowers which you can possibly feel comfortable lying on.

It may taste like a bad cup of coffee on a Monday morning. Or it may taste like a steaming hot chocolate on a cold winter night.

A thousand million gazillion -or more realistically- infinite possibilities awaits you the minute you open your eyes in the morning (though you probably feel like closing them for another 5 minutes).

Well, what can you do except to rise up to the challenges? Coz brave souls we are.

Or are we just hapless beings embroiled in a struggle of power between reality and dreams?

I, or rather, we, can only find out tomorrrow. I am optimistic... I really am. (=

my-oh-my

2007-09-07T22:39:00.000+08:00

Sometimes, on one of my many biscuit-munching or nut-stuffing escapades that has almost become a ritual, I wonder if someday, I might just die of cardiac arrest while gorging myself crazy. Imagine the amount of trans fat that is already clogging up my arteries, and my brain too!

evolution?

2007-09-02T00:56:00.000+08:00

"Apes, that's what we get in the classrooms.
Darwin was a dreamer, I can assure you.
No evolution or anything of the sort.
For everyone who can reason, I have to battle with nine orangutans."
~The Shadow of the Wind, Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Don't you find it weird that we keep talking about the advancement of Mankind and the progression of society, yet when we try to look back, we find that we are barely just a few steps from where we started?

It was 1854 when Dickens wrote Hard Times. Victor Hugo penned Les Misérables in 1862.

In 2007,
We are still selfish and still greedy.
We are still obsessed with power and with money.
Our society is still plagued with discrimination and with poverty.

Do you hear the people sing?
Singing a song of angry men?
It is the music of a people
Who will not be slaves again!
When the beating of your heart
Echoes the beating of the drums
There is a life about to start
When tomorrow comes!

Will you join in our crusade?
Who will be strong and stand with me?
Beyond the barricade
Is there a world you long to see?

Then join in the fight
That will give you the right to be free!

Do you hear the people sing?
Singing a song of angry men?
It is the music of a people
Who will not be slaves again!
When the beating of your heart
Echoes the beating of the drums
There is a life about to start
When tomorrow comes!

Will you give all you can give
So that our banner may advance
Some will fall and some will live
Will you stand up and take your chance?
The blood of the martyrs
Will water the meadows of France!

Do you hear the people sing?
Singing a song of angry men?
It is the music of a people
Who will not be slaves again!
When the beating of your heart
Echoes the beating of the drums
There is a life about to start
When tomorrow comes!

~Do You Hear the People Sing?, Les Misérables

Sorry Hugo, your tomorrow never came...
Sorry Dickens, Bounderby didn't die...

the frump

2007-08-25T12:15:00.000+08:00

weird.

I have no idea how I came upon this word and i don't know what it means but it kept popping up in my mind.

frumpy
frumpyfrumpy
frumpyfrumpyfrumpy
frumpyfrumpyfrumpyfrumpy
frumpyfrumpyfrumpyfrumpyfrumpy
frumpyfrumpyfrumpyfrumpyfrumpyfrumpy
frumpyfrumpyfrumpyfrumpyfrumpyfrumpyfrumpy
frumpyfrumpyfrumpyfrumpyfrumpyfrumpyfrumpyfrumpy

It appears so often that I thought I should make sentences with it. So I began...

I feel frumpy.
I look frumpy.
I am frumpy.

From the sound of it, it doesn't seem too flattering (think: grumpy). Oh well, not that I am feeling fabulous these days. Then today I decided to look up its meaning.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source
frump /frʌmp/ –noun
1. a person who is dowdy, drab, and unattractive.
2. a dull, old-fashioned person.
[Origin: 1545–55; orig. uncert.]
—Related forms— frumpish, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

And i decided to look further...

American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source
frump (frŭmp) n.
A girl or woman regarded as dull, plain, or unfashionable.
A person regarded as colorless and primly sedate.
[Possibly short for Middle English frumple, wrinkle, from Middle Dutch verrompelen, to wrinkle : ver-, completely; see per1 in Indo-European roots + rompelen, to wrinkle.]
frump'i·ly adv., frump'i·ness n., frump'y adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth EditionCopyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Argh.

Quotable Quote

2007-08-18T11:30:00.000+08:00

I really like this quote I read on my friend's blog...

There is no such thing as chance; and what seems to us the merest accident springs from the deepest source of destiny.

- Friedrich Schiller, 1759-1805

Show & Tell (Miscellaneous Edition)

2007-08-16T17:51:00.000+08:00

PARIS, FRANCE: Art Nouveau Metro Sign

Even Metro signs have to be this wacky in arty-farty Paris. And the photo looks like a scene out of R.L.Stine's Goosebumps books, doesn't it?

VATICAN MUSEUM, VATICAN CITY: Commonly-seen sign

Overheard while walking down the stairs: 'Hey, is this the way to move down the stairs?'

TYROL, AUSTRIA: Sign in Pub

Anybody needs help? Get details from me!!!

TYROL, AUSTRIA: Photo of cruelty to animals.

It is normal to see a dog on a leash. But a cat? I dunno about you, but I was very uncomfortable with it. And I was creeped out when the owner actually smiled at me. %$#@*!!! Sorry I don't make friends with animal-abusers.

LONDON, ENGLAND: Street signs!

I got all excited seeing the names on the Monopoly Board right in front of me... I want to build a hotel there!

LONDON, ENGLAND: Advertisements for new book by Mark Haddon

Ahhh... surely Singapore can do better than advertise only Harry Potter books yeah? This is what we all need - food for the soul... and not another mascara to clutter my dressing table, or another magazine telling me how to lose weight...

LONDON, ENGLAND: Binoculars for hire in Queen's Theatre for Les Misérables

We could only afford the cheapest tickets and you get an idea of how far we were from the stage. Haha... but it was a superb show and I thoroughly enjoyed it - without the bino.

a book

2007-08-15T14:31:00.000+08:00

Been reading quite a bit recently but i have not come across any books which I would absolutely recommend and put it on my 'must-read' list. I look out for three things in a good book - plot (how engaging is the story), words (the way the writer writes) and thought (if it prompts me to think further). A good gauge is when I am stuck in a dilemma where I want to finish the novel quickly yet cannnot bear for such a good novel to end.

I always lament at my lack of reading khakis. Most of my friends are people who are proud of the fact that their Literature books are the only novels they have read. They are not wrong obviously, it is a personal choice. But I wish for friends who can discuss with me the latest book they have read or their favourite author. Haiz.

So i decided to use this blog to spread my love of reading to everyone and hopefully convert my blog readers to bookworms... hahaha.. so beware!

I just finished "Purveyor of Enchantment" by Marika Cobbold and thought that it was well, not too bad but the plot failed to grab my attention. I particularly like Cobbold's writing style - witty and satirical, yet easy to understand. I could say that she is the female version of my favorite writer Nick Hornby (but more about him another time coz he deserves one full entry on my blog).

The story is nothing really interesting, about this overly-paranoid woman who finally comquered her fears and lived happily ever after with her Prince Charming. But there are lots of parts in the novel that are really funny or thought-provoking which made plodding through the somewhat confusing storyline very worthwhile.

Some snippets...

'I know I worry a lot,' Clementine whispered to Mr Scott. 'And right now, it seems to have been the most cruel waste of time, but then again, how can people not worry? I know that sleeping with a condom under my pillow might be thought of as going a little too far.'

Mr Scott stirred in his chair. 'Would that be some modern version of The Princess and the Pea?' he asked.

Clementine shook her head. 'Rape,' she hissed. 'The thought is bad enough as it is, but if you add the risk of contracting Aids.'

'I think it might be a little too optimistic to expect an intruder with rape in mind to agree to protect you against sexually transmitted diseases?' Mr Scott suggested.
__________

Once she had dreamt of making people stop and gasp at the beauty of her music, but that was before reality had pushed a stake through the heart of fantasy. As she wandered on down the garden, she found herself asking how it was that she had wasted quite so much of her life. There were a few rare people in the world whose lives took flight, who made their moment on earth count as they soared above the rest of humanity. Clementine had been born without wings, leaving her scurrying hither and thither with an occasional longing glance at the heavens. Maybe, she thought, those other people had simply been elsewhere when the rest of us learnt the meaning of pie in the sky and that life was short and ugly.

ok i decided to create my own scale... (5 stars is the maximum)

Plot: **
Words: *****
Thought: ****

Show & Tell (France Edition)

2007-08-12T23:34:00.001+08:00

PARIS, FRANCE: The pockmarked pavements of the beautiful city of Paaarr-hee.

Now you know why our government bans chewing gum.

COMPIEGNE, FRANCE: The cobbled streets characteristic of France.

Pleasant to the eye, but a menace to your soles. You have to pray very hard that friction is on your side when you try to walk fast on rainy days.

PARIS,FRANCE: The tables and chairs in cinema-like arrangement that line the Parisian streets.

People watching is the national sport. But it is an elite sport. You need time and money, which i have neither.

PARIS, FRANCE: Parellel parked cars along the streets.

Land is scarce in Paris. So save space by parking as close together as possible. Move out by mounting the kerbs or by hitting the cars blocking the way.

TROYES, FRANCE: The only bakery in town!

We each bought a pain (=bread) in the bakery and sat in front of it to eat while waiting for the supermarket to open after its 2-hours lunch break (??!!). The boss or some worker came out and stood behind us. We all thought he was going to chase us away but guess what he did? He passed serviettes to all of us! Ahhhhh! Please don't say the French are snotty, rude and proud. They are nice, freindly and helpful! I really cannot remember any unpleasant interactions with them, even when we didn't understand a word of French initially.

PARIS, FRANCE: Yummy looking treats in the boulangerie and patisserie.

I miss the days when a typical bakery in the neighbourhood looked like that... ...

HAPPY NATIONAL DAY!

2007-08-09T22:58:00.000+08:00

Overheard...

Little girl: I want to go there!
Daddy: No. 6 o'clock we must go home to watch the national day parade.

Ahhh.... how he loves Singapore... (note: no hint of sarcasm here. i am serious.)

There’s No Place I’d Rather Be
Singer: Kit Chan
Music & Lyrics: Jimmy Ye

I’ve walked the streets of Cairo & Bombay
I’ve seen the neon signs on old Broadway
I’ve climbed the Eiffel Tower
The Great Wall in one hour
Experience sweet and sour
But that’s ok
Seen Hollywood, the sunsets in LA
The London Bridge, Big Ben, The Thames, UK
I’ve crossed the River Kwai
Yet still I don’t know why
I think of you each night and every day
There’s no place I’d rather be
You’ll always be a part of me
And even though I’ve roamed the world
It’s still my home I long to see
This is where my family
And my friends grew up with me
So I’ll cross the skies and sail the seas
To be where I wanna be
There’s no place I’d rather be
You’ll always be a part of me
And even though I’ve roamed the world
It’s still my home I long to see
This is where my family
And my friends grew up with me
So I’ll cross the skies and sail the seas
To be where I wanna be
Cos there’s no place I’d rather be

I was tinking what I will miss most about Singapore when I am away... being greedy as I am, the first thing that came to my mind was FOOD! On second thought, maybe not coz

1. DURIAN - yucks!
2. CHILLI CRAB - dun lyk crabs... eat about a claw once a year
3. LAKSA - seldom have cravings for it... eat it maybe once a year
4. CHAR KWAY TEOW - prefer the malaysian version... never touch the singaporean version
5. CHICKEN RICE - eat it when my whole family eats it and I dont wanna be such a bother by ordering smthg else

anyway for the 2 months I was away, I missed my mummy's home cooked food and bak chor mee only. So the 1st meal I had when I came back was bak chor mee. After craving for it for so long on cold, windy and rainy days in europe, it was disappointing and unsatisfying coz the weather was sweltering hot and actually all I wanted was smthg cold. so i haven touched another bowl since then...

haha... my diet is about as un-singaporeanish as you can get - bread, biscuits & wat else... nuts.

ok, back to wat i will miss... actually it shld be wat i missed yeah? yep i missed whining to my daddy and mummy, missed irritating my icky brother, missed talking abt everything under the sun with eileen, missed calling my grandma 'ah-ma', missed gossiping and giggling with my frens, missed sms-ing many people at once, missed yakking for hours on the phone...

does tt constitute missing singapore?

i was just telling eileen the theme of the national day song this year seemed to steer away from the traditional. Rather than play on the patriotic feelings of Singaporeans or reflect on the good old days, the song this year seemed to be targeted at Singaporeans overseas... part of the govt's ploy to woo back Singaporeans who are doing well abroad, i guess. And i thought it weird coz the group of people who will sing it most often or care about it are kids in school, who may not even know where Cairo or Bombay is. And the idea of roaming the world? oh puh-leez...

anyway...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SINGAPORE!

an insatiable appetite for nuts

2007-08-03T23:08:00.000+08:00

sometimes i wish i were allergic to nuts. just so i can resist the urge to munch on them right after dinner, which consisted of nuts (ok, and a muffin, but tt is not the main point). i must be a squirrel in my previous life. a very hungry squirrel indeed.

Listen

2007-07-25T19:19:00.000+08:00

I was watching tv when I saw the video for Listen by Beyonce. Throughout the video, my mouth was hanging half open all coz I was m-e-s-m-e-r-i-z-e-d. By the lyrics, by the melody, by Beyonce's charm, by the power of her voice, by the way she can bend her back backwards while hitting high chords... ...

Listen to the song here in my heart
a melody I start but can't complete
Listen to the sound from deep within
Its only beginning to find release
Ohh the time has come for my dreams to be heard
They will not be pushed aside and turned
Into your own, all 'cause you won't listen

[chorus]
Listen
I am alone at a crossroads
I'm not at home in my own home
And I've tried and tried
To say whats on my mind
You should have known
Now I'm done believing you
You don't know what I'm feeling
I'm more than what
You've made of me
I followed the voice, you gave to me
But now I've gotta find my own

You should have listened
There was someone here inside
Someone I thought had died
So long ago
Oh I'm screaming out
And my dreams will be heard
They will not be pushed aside or turned
Into your own
All 'cause you won't listen

[chorus]
Listen
I am alone at a crossroads
I'm not at home in my own home
And I've tried and tried
To say whats on my mind
You should have known
Now I'm done believing you
You don't know what I'm feeling
I'm more than what
You've made of me
I followed the voice, you gave to me
But now I've gotta find my own
You should have listened
I don't know where I belong
But I'll be moving onIf you don't, if you won't

Listen to the song here in my heart
A melody I start, but I will complete
Now I am done believing you
You don't know not what I am feeling
I'm more than what you've made of me
I followed the voice you think you gave to me

But now I got to find my own - my own

childhood

2007-07-25T14:17:00.000+08:00

Just now, I saw a group of kindergarten kids doing arts & crafts and they looked like they were really enjoying themselves.

And I wondered... should I feel happy for them as they are having so much fun or should I feel sad for them because their road down the tedious path of education has only barely begun?

Save the Earth

2007-07-17T23:28:00.000+08:00

I know this topic is kinda passe now that the concerts are over and the excitement is gone. But the plight of Mother Earth has always been one of my concerns so I shall put my 2 cents worth here.

Global warming was a topic I learnt in JC from Ms Ting... how the temperature of the Earth has shot up, how natural disasters are more frequent and more potent, blah blah blah. I knew something was wrong but the problems seemed very remote, living a protected life on the sheltered island of Singapore. The dire circumstances of global warming was, therefore, simply something that has to be memorised for the exams. Surely some smart award-winning scientist in some faraway country will come up with an amazing plan to save the Earth, yeah?

So the years flew by with the Earth still suffering, the scientists still clueless and her people still in delusion.

Well, the turning point seemed to be this year, or at least for Singapore. The government decided to tell its people they are using too many plastic bags and declared Wednesday to be 'plastic-bag-free day' in all supermarkets.

I certainly applaud the government's efforts to educate the public BUT I do not think the message have gotten across AT ALL. The 'plastic-bag-free day' turned out to be 'pay-for-your-plastic-bag day' and no one really cares what happens to Mother Earth as long as they can get their groceries back safely.

Just yesterday, I was queuing to make payment at a supermarket when I saw the cashiers use the plastic bags a tad bit too gernerously, when they are wearing a badge that says 'USE LESS PLASTIC BAGS'.

The ban of plastic bags has long been implemented in other countries and more rigorous green policies have also been in place. The seemingly very BIG step that Singapore has taken towards being a green nation is, compared to developed nations, a minor one.

Yeah, it seems like plastic bag consumption is only one aspect of going green but it just reflects the attitude of self-centered Singaporeans towards global warming -it is none of my business. Look into the recycling bins (if you can find one) and see what crap people stuff in them. That is why I feel that unless something drastic is done, such as a total ban, our 'efforts' will contribute absolutely nothing to save Mother Earth.

Yep, and I am heartened to see the live earth concerts and that celebrities are stepping out to drive the message home that Mother Earth is really sick. Yeah! Finally a call for help and a glimmer of hope for Mother Earth!

Well, maybe not everyone who attended the concerts knew that their idols were there for a much more noble cause other than to perform. And even the stars themselves may see the concerts as another publicity act. But I like the fact that the concerts organizers have made clear that Mother Earth belongs to us all, not just people of the developed nations and that everyone, you and I, can make a difference. Ok, I know that sounds cliche, but I think that the concerts have actually served their purpose of creating environmental awareness.

For me, I have showered with cold water since I was back (I am not sure how long that will last though). Hmmm... and maybe I should get a bigger bag to store my buys when I go shoppping to cut down on plastic bags yeah? A reason to buy another bag --> wwwhhhhooooooppppeeeeeeeeeeee!

unpacking...

2007-07-06T18:34:00.000+08:00

things that were indispensible during the past 52 days:

1. MY TRUSTY SUITCASE (also my portable wardrobe) which performed a stunning feat of not failing me at all despite the 20kg load and the annoyingly uneven streets.

2. MY DURABLE WATER BOTTLE which stored a precious liquid that kept me hydrated, called tap water. Here is a last shot before saying my final goodbye at Malpensa Airport Terminal 1.

3. MY SLEEPING BAG which shielded me from the who-knows-wat evil elements lurking in dirty budget hostels beds.

4. MY MONEY POUCH which did a good job of protecting my money and passport, especially in crime-ridden areas like Italy.

5. MY PUMA SHOES which took me to the beatifullest and wonderfullest places from the top of Europe at Jungfrau to the near-sea-level-places at Venice. Here is a really cool pic of my shoes looking v happy hanging from my feet in Austrian air.

6. MY SLING BAG, courtesy of Eileen Big Babe, which stored my daily belongings from money to food and is somewhat waterproof, wearproof and dirtproof to survive the grumpy weather and land conditions.

7. MY NIVEA HAND CREAM, ops! courtesy of Eileen Ultra Big Babe again, which did their best to make my 22 year old hands look their age, considering the frequent lug-20kg-suitcase-up-and-down-metro-stairs ritual, near-endless handwashing of laundry and perpetual super dry air.

8. MY 3 SWEATERS which gave all they can to fight the cold and wind, together with their hoods to hide from the rain and pockets at the tummy area to warm chilly hands. I remember someone saying 'you never know tt these pockets actually serve a practical purpose other than an aesthetics one.' Brrrr.. true.

H-O-M-E

2007-07-06T14:42:00.000+08:00

After 52 days of wandering around on very expensive land, I am back.

It is unbelievable.

history

2007-05-31T19:42:00.000+08:00

You know what it means to be smart when choosing your modules? Lemme tell ya...

You think it is hard learning the history of Singapore? Think again. France has a history dating back to 800BC.

I am studying French History.

Be smart.

2007-05-23T19:11:00.000+08:00

When in France, do as the french do.

1. Speak french. duh!!! Bonjour!

2. France is a bread loving nation. And I feel so at home coz I absolutely adore bread and cheeese!

3. I find their Metro-culture very interesting. You gotta press the button at the door for the Metro door to open. And you gotta talk very softly or not at all, unlike us crude asians, whose voices could be heard 5 doors away. And escalators are rare in their stations. So imagine lugging a 20kg suitcase up and down their stairs... and u want an idea of wat a scene we made? Multiply the suitcase scene by 7... *shudder* If you have no tickets to get through the gantry, you either just hop over the hurdle or crawl underneath, which we saw several times on the few days we were in Paris. But being law-abiding Singaporeans, we paid every cent of our fare.

4. Baguette is their staple and their fashion accessory. You can eat your baguette anywhere, in the Metro, along the streets, while waiting for the traffic to turn green... ... and it is the IN thing to carry your baguette around either stuck in your bag, or carried with your hands using a piece of paper wrapped round the middle of the long bread. dun ask me how hygienic that is...

5. They luuuuurrrrvvvvvvvveeeee hot water baths... ... the water from the shower can be used to cook cup noodles. This is a fact which is not yet proven by experiment coz no one is gonna waste one precious cup noodle on proving this meaningless theory.

6. Get used to paying exhorbitant prices for normal things. Making a phone call from a payphone to a cellphone in Paris costs 2€ (S$4.10). *Scream*

7. It is true that their wine is cheaper than their water. Haha... coz their Evian has to be transported from the french alps while the wine can jst be made from the grapes in their vineyards. We bought a wine that costs lyk 0.15€ (S$0.40) per bottle at the supermarket last week.

8. If you think you have talent, flaunt it! I am not sure if busking is legal but you find them everywhere. In tourist spots, in Metro stations, and even in trains.

9. Draw... on every single available space... I am not sure why graffiti is so common here.

This was taken from the train...

10. Basically, just sit around and do nothing. Everywhere, you can find people, either alone or in groups just sitting and staring. You find a nice spot on the steps, you sit and rest. You find a nice spot on the grass, you lie and sleep. You find a nice shade under the tree, you cross your legs and eat your baguette.

Oh yah... their pigeons here are so fat coz they always get free baguettes from the people...

Thank You

2007-05-15T14:33:00.000+08:00

I am just very very very very very very thankful.

To all who made this possible and the 'divine intervention' for that stroke of luck, please understand that my gratitude extends far beyond a simple thank you.

I love my family and friends V E R Y M U C H.

sorry!

2007-05-11T23:59:00.000+08:00

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source
sor·ry/ˈsɒri, ˈsɔri/ [sor-ee, sawr-ee]
–adjective, -ri·er, -ri·est.
1. feeling regret, compunction, sympathy, pity, etc.: to be sorry to leave one's friends; to be sorry for a remark; to be sorry for someone in trouble.
2. regrettable or deplorable; unfortunate; tragic: a sorry situation; to come to a sorry end.
3. sorrowful, grieved, or sad: Was she sorry when her brother died?
4. associated with sorrow; suggestive of grief or suffering; melancholy; dismal.
5. wretched, poor, useless, or pitiful: a sorry horse.
6. (used interjectionally as a conventional apology or expression of regret): Sorry, you're misinformed. Did I bump you? Sorry.

Daomingsi had a famous line in Meteor Garden "如果对不起有用的话，那要警察来干嘛?" (loosely translated, it means in english "what are cops for if a sorry is enough?")

I met with an incident today which made me ponder about why people say sorry. After all, what is done cannot be undone. Pure expression of apology without real action is not gonna help anything.

I am on the side where the other party, or rather parties, said 'sorry' to. But their 'sorry' will not help the situation in anyway and no matter how apolegetic or guilty they feel, nothing is gonna change.

Then why do people still say sorry? And I realize people often misuse 'sorry', using it casually when they do not mean it at all or when they need not feel sorry at all. To the latter group, I will always say 'your apology is not accepted coz you were not in the wrong in the first place.' To the former, it is total disgust. *yucks*

I tried looking up wikipedia hoping that it will provide some history of how this word came about but to no avail.

But according to a famous scholar JASMINE ANG, saying sorry is a verbal manifestation of guilt or regret since there is no possible facial expression of it. And saying sorry is only meant to appease the offended party and for the offending party to take the blame and admit the mistake. Referring to my incident, before the other party said sorry, I was furious that they did not say that magic 'S' word to claim their resposibility though I jolly well know that the harm is already done. After the magic word was uttered, I was frustrated because the situation cannot be salvaged.

Arrrgghhh... I hate apologies!

i love reading the papers!

2007-05-10T15:04:00.000+08:00

I just realized that my blog entries are getting longer and longer and I am getting more and more long-winded. But who cares? You are in my blog so you obey my rules.

Rule #1 My blog is a dictatorship, not a democracy. So you have no vote.

__________

I was reading the papers today and I came across some pretty interesting articles.

I finally remembered the name of the memorial hall the man we befriended at Taiwan brought us to. It was Chiang-Kai Shek Memorial Hall but it is now the National Taiwan Democracy Memorial Hall. According to the article, it was a move to water down the legacy of the late KMT leader. Hmmm... why deny him the name when his great big statue is housed there and EVERYONE knows the hall is built for him? And they are gonna blow S$364,000 to change the public amenities built after him.

But when you are in the building, you just gotta lift your head and this is what you will see...

They might as well tear down the whole building.

Speaking of the weird things that people do, do you know that Maybank revised a ruling that legal firms wanting to do business with it must have at least 3 partners, one of whom must be a bumiputra with a 50% stake. Is it that hard to see that the ruling is plainly discriminatory? But that said, what systems are in place to ensure that fair competition really takes place? We are still treading on murky waters.

Yep and I was happy to read on life!, an article on afternoon tv. The columnist was recalling her 'afternoons spent in the company of this hour of escapist television' where the shows are genres like those hosted by Martha Stewart and Oprah Winfrey and also soap operas such as the never-ending 'The Bold & the Beautiful'. Seemingly boring and dated. But according to her, she enjoyed it coz 'it had no bearing on my real life whatsoever'.

I must sheepishly admit that I do that too. Sometimes I just turn on the tv and watch shows like this. There are periods of time I get ultra-addicted to them such as the Debbie Travis Maleover, the Ellen DeGeneres Show and even cooking shows by Martin Yen and Jamie Oliver. Ops!

But according to the columnist's analysis, people are hooked on to such shows coz it is a 'break from reality'. Is that so? Am i like this? What is so bad about my reality that I have to run away from?

nah, i love my life... her interpretation is flawed. But I seriously cannot figure out the appeal of such shows.

Post-Amazing Race Thoughts

2007-05-09T00:36:00.000+08:00

I cannot remember how long I have been watching The Amazing Race. But I am so addicted because teams get to travel around the world and do all sort of activities from adrenaline-pumping skydiving to downright gross stuff lyk eating metres and metres of sausages. *puke* My dream! Minus the stuff-urself-till-u-are-fuller-than-full part. And I really wish to participate in it. Yeah, but I missed the dateline for the 2nd Asian Edition. Blame it on my lack of conviction.

I really like how you get to see the real character of your partner sans the facade and pretense. And as audience, I get to see the side of people that I don't like, and try to not behave like them. Like how partners like to argue and go on and on abt how he should have listened to her and how he should have asked for help at that pertol station they just passed.

That is why I swore not to argue with anyone. When you are angry and you try to fight for your stand, you end up sounding lyk a broken recorder repeating the same grouses and saying words so hurting that you will just regret later. So anytime I feel lyk yelling at someone, I remain silent. I hate REGRETS and to hurt someone with words is just about the worst form of pain you can inflict on anyone.

And yes. I am a person of WORDS. Simply because they are so, so impactful. I collect quotes, short phrases and articles I like and read them over and over again, revelling in the sound of them and their message, and harboring a deeeeeep admiration for the author who can actually put across a message so powerful in a string of seemingly simple, unrelated nouns, verbs and adjectives. So please dear friends, be careful of what you say, not only to me, but to your dearest others, coz they are SOPHISTICATED WEAPONS OF IMMENSE DESTRUCTION.

Back to the Amazing race and the topic of fiesty teammates. I wanna share with you all an 'exemplary model of arguing' by the Beauty Queens team, Dustin and Candice (my fave team!).

They screwed up their canoeing at the sea and were both pissed at each other. On the car ride to the next stop, they were saying stuff like 'i did not like the way u...' They were clearly agitated and angry with each other and themselves but they never once hurled abuses at each other. They told the partner what they felt went wrong and what they could have done instead. At the end, they shoke hands and said 'we're in this race together' and patched up.

See? I like the last part. But it applies not only to the race too. It holds true for our life as well. Why you wanna screw up a relationship with people you love? We are all in this journey called life.

And so, please allow me to say this (but why do I have to ask permission when this is my blog? I shall make an official declaration then.) I HATE PEOPLE WITH BAD TEMPERS. If you wanna be my friend, you either make sure your temper stays away or you have a good temper. I don't tolerate tantrums or verbal abuses. It is just another antic of deprived attention-grabbers. So there.

And it is so ironic that the winners Danielle and Eric were all ovey-dovey when they won the $1million when they have been pissed and complaining about each other THROUGHOUT the race. Cut the act!

_________

Well, to compensate for the mess of words up there and lighten things up, shall upload some photos I took just now which I did not have the intention of putting them here initially. You are in luck!

About the crappiest & silliest girls you can find (notice the superlatives)

Princess Jasmine just set a new rule for playing blokus...Clap!

Ying, do you see how Sheena & Christ totally ignore when they are next to you?

And how happy mh looks next to me?

PS: thanx girls for the wonderful night!

Morning!!!

2007-05-07T11:30:00.000+08:00

I woke up at 10.30am by a call from my mum and she reminded me that I am home alone. So with a hot, lazy day stretching ahead of me, I thought it would be cool to go have a nice American breakfast in an air-con restaurant by myself so I ended up at MACDONALD'S.

Now I wished I had cooked myself some instant noodles in the nice quiet retreat of my lovely home.

First, a bunch of about 20 secondary students were making a big ruckus. But I was already equipped with my lappie so I thought maybe they will go off soon. But no! Nearly an hour later, they are still here and still as noisy as ever.

Time check: It is Monday morning, 11AM... don't secondary school students go to school these days? And I believe I have not expressesd any form of desire to participate in their discussions so can they please kindly keep all things to themselves?

And I was hoping to flip through The Straits Times while trying to enjoy my meal when this man came and grabbed the only copy of the main sections of the paper after I just put the Life Section back in place. And he is not even a customer of the store! *yucks* How can he paper-hog??!! *double yucks*

I truly understand the debate over whether Singaporeans are rude. But why the debate when the answer is clear? Totally disgusted. Yeah I was rude too. For shooting them countless dirty looks. Absolutely grossed out.

P.S. After my ranting above, the students have miraculously vanished and the paper is back in place. Complaining does help yeah?

__________

Ok. In response to my previous entry, I found 2 reasons.

I was tired.
I have not told anyone about this blog so bascially I was just feeling stupid just talking to myself. Imagine me talking to myself along the streets and you get the idea.

__________

Taiwan is like the new IT place. Bangkok is so passe.

While I am alone here furiously ranting away, my friends - Apple, Yinghan, Qiuyan, Jielin, Sandra, Peishan and LiLeng are in Taiwan for grad trip. AHHHHH! I wanna go too! I am so excited for them when they were planning. More excited than about my own trip. I wanna go again! ...... if I have the money ......

I remembered there was this news about how South Korea's entertainment industry is bringing them big tourism dollars (or won?). It should be the same case for Taiwan right? Surely you all have the impression of Taiwan as a gastronomic haven, shopping paradise and land of pretty babes from the numerous Taiwan variety shows and dramas yeah? Ok, that is so irrelevant. haha

And I shall now take on the ardous task of uploading never-before-seen photos of my trip there last year with Hsien. Now I am wondering: why haven't I shared my photos with my friends yet?

Post-upload blues: My neck is aching and my temple is throbbing. Another group of students are back and they seemed to have the admirable determination of competing with the previous group for the record noise level. HELP!

I should be headed for home.

Disillusioned

2007-05-06T21:24:00.000+08:00

I knew this day is gonna come. But I certainly did not expect this to be so soon.

WHY AM I BLOGGING?

Why do I want to announce to the world what I did today? If you really wanted to know so badly, couldn't you have given me a call? Am I not worth that 5 minutes of your time?

*yucks* I knew I wasn't cut out to be a blogger.

My new home

2007-05-05T23:50:00.000+08:00

I am starting to know why people invest so much of their time in blogging.

After this blog was more or less done up, I felt really happy. The happiness stemmed from the satisfaction of having found a space in the blogosphere to call my own. The feeling is almost the same as buying your dream home.

When you buy a house, you have to:

Find a house which you like and that you can afford.
Renovate the house.
Throw a housewarming party to let everyone see your nicely done-up home.
Constantly keep your home in good condition.

When you create a blog, you have to:

Find that blog address which you like and is still available.
Beautify the blog.
Tell everyone about it.
Feed the blog constantly with lotsa juicy gossips and pretty photos.

Ah, I foresee spending lotsa time in blogosphere.

Inaugural Post

2007-05-05T16:24:00.000+08:00

Jasmine has just hopped onto the bandwagon and joined the rest of her friends in blogosphere.

She is not sure where to go, what to do and why she is here in blogosphere.

Moreover, she has always resisted the idea of putting her life on display and has deliberated on this matter for quite some time.

But she gathers that since so many friends are here, it must mean that this is a good place to hang out.

And the rest will be history.