Thoughts for the Day

A Harsh Reply and Moving On

2012-01-03T23:48:00.003+08:00

She did reply to my earlier text message, and answered the various questions, albeit in an indirect, harsh and cold manner. The following would be her reply (with the short forms extended and the errors, edited).

Response to Question 1 and 2:
Who do you think you are that I have to tell you about my personal stuff? Not all my friends know. Why should I tell the world about it? And it is not that I am quiet; it is just proof that you don't understand me enough coz to everyone I know I only choose to reply messages when I feel like it. If I don't think it is important and all my friends know this (?)

Response to Question 3 and 4:
Like I told you before, it is the feelings that count and not really what the person has. If you ask me why, I also don't know. And as to how long it will last, I also don't know.

Response to Question 5:
I think it is actually quite stupid as I will not even reply you if I don't consider you a friend.

When I first read the message, I was definitely angered. I was very tempted to reply in an equally harsh, if not worse, manner. However, I finally decided not to do so. "Thank you for your reply" was all that I wrote.

Perhaps my questions were too direct and straightforward, causing her to feel offended. However, I did not think they were rude in any way. Nonetheless, I so very much wish to defend myself:

All I wanted to know was whether she has been with her boyfriend for a long time. If so, why did she still go on outings (dates?) with myself, with the most recent ones in late Nov 2011? Why did she tell me she wanted to try out a new restaurant? Why did she say the choice to meet up lies with me? Why did she tell me she wanted a 1.6 metre teddy bear? Aren't these roles meant for her boyfriend? Even if she did get together with her boyfriend in the past 1 month, she could have informed me. To tell the truth, I did not mind spending my money on the various gifts, but I do feel aggrieved for not knowing the truth and being "led-on" to a certain extent. Of course, I should not place all the blame on the other party; perhaps I should have asked if she were attached in the first place. Right now, it is already too late to take back the sincere and genuine feelings which I had for her (and still do, to a lesser extent).

I believe I have put in quite a bit of effort to communicate and understand her, causing me to feel exasperated whenever she remains silent and answers in short sentences on certain occasions, be it face-to-face or via text messages. Yet at times, she is willing to tell me about her day and various events. Am I only there to ease her loneliness or serve as a plaything? Of course, I can't place all the blame on the other party again. Perhaps my method of understanding another person vastly differs from her usual methods of doing so.

Undeniably, feelings count when it comes to relationships and I am unable to refute this particular point. However, will there come a day when feelings for your partner fade suddenly?

From her response to question 5, I suppose we are still friends, even though I was deemed stupid. Being the soft-hearted bear that I am, I definitely wish to remain friends with her.

In conclusion, I personally felt that her reply was extremely rude, but placing myself in her shoes, agitation, frustration and other negative emotions are understandable. There is one good thing which came out of her reply - As much as there is lingering feelings for Xue Yun in my heart, it has also strengthed my resolve to move on. I cannot rule out the possibility that she said all these words to aid me in moving on. If so, thank you, not only for helping me proceed to the next chapter of my life, but also for the fun and enjoyable times which I spent with you.

And to all my readers, have I made the right decision in giving her up and moving on?

Poem: Memories and What May Never Come to Pass

2012-01-02T15:50:00.012+08:00

After speaking to a number of friends over the past few days, I finally came to a decision. I have decided to meet or at least, speak with Xue Yun, so that I can obtain some answers to the various questions which I have in mind. If I do obtain them and hopefully, be able to remain friends with Xue Yun, I should try my very best to move on with my life.

She did reply my text message: "What questions you want to ask?". However, before this particular message, I suspect she may have accidentally sent a message meant for another person (possibly her boyfriend) to me: "What do you mean? By hanging out, do you mean going out or hanging things at home?" This is the first time she has ever sent a message meant for another recipient to me. I really hope it was not done out of purpose to spite myself, and even if it was a coincidence, the error seems to have appeared at a very "timely" moment...

In any case, these are the questions I posed to her via text message. As much as I wish to meet up with her, or speak over the phone, the ball is no longer in my court.

1) How long have you been together with your boyfriend?
2) Why didn't you tell me about it and is this the reason why you became quiet recently?
3) What qualities does he have that I am lacking?
4) Did I ever stand a chance?
5) Are we still friends?

My friends have warned that I may never receive a reply and that things will never be the same ever again. In the worst case scenario, both Xue Yun and I may not even remain friends. I do not know if this is the correct decision, but something has to be done eventually.

In addition, in order to vent my frustrations and sorrow, I have composed yet another poem, entitled "Memories and What May Never Come to Pass".

When I look upon snow, as well as the clouds drifting high above in the sky,
Reminding me of your name,
I know your brightest smile will never be reserved for me.

As I walk past karaoke lounges,
Where singing emits from within the various rooms,
I know I will never be able to hear your cute, melodious voice ever again.

When I see couples on the streets,
Walking hand-in-hand, basking in bliss,
I know I will never be able to hold your hands.

As I look upon the important dates of my calendar,
From your birthday to the joyous Christmas,
I know I will never be able to kiss your lips nor give you my well-wishes.

When my heart and mind can't help but think of you,
Wondering if you are doing fine,
I know I will never again play the role of watching over and protecting you.

And while writing this poem,
Filled with my longing for a girl named Xue Yun,
I know you will never be able to read my words.

To end off this sorrowful post, I once had a beautiful daydream, whereby I am able to visit Japan on a trip with Xue Yun, especially since we are both interested in anime and manga. How perfect and wonderful it would have been... Unfortunately, my daydream has now been shattered, realizing that it can never be. :(

Rejection, Resentment, Jealousy and Most of All, Misery

2011-12-31T18:56:00.010+08:00

Today is New Year's Eve and I know for sure I am not entering 2012 in a happy mood. Why you may ask? I have been rejected by the same girl again, but this time round, she tells me she already has a boyfriend.

I have never mentioned it in any of my previous posts, but her name is Xue Yun (literally "Snow Cloud"). Even though we went out together late last month, she became very quiet all of a sudden. I wondered if it was something I did. On 28 Dec 2011 (Wednesday), I met up to pass her some books, but even during our short encounter, she remained extremely quiet and was reluctant to speak with me. Feeling exasperated, I went home, penned down all of my feelings on a letter and visited her workplace impromptu the next morning.

I openly expressed my feelings towards her and apologized if I have done anything wrong. Of course, she was extremely annoyed that I dropped by without notice and refused to accept my letter. I had no choice but to leave it on her desk. At that point in time, I told myself I only wished to be friends with her again, to be able to chat and speak freely about all matters under the sun, but when she finally texted me in the evening, it was the following: "I am sorry I have to reject you again and by the way, I already have a boyfriend." Given that I have already noticed a ring on her finger, I should have sensed something was amiss.

My world collapsed around me. On one hand, I want her to be happy, because in my opinion, her radiant smile is one of the most wondrous sights I have ever experienced, but on the other hand, I really wish I am the guy by her side. Is it selfish and greedy of me to think of the latter?

I have really tried my best in trying to make her happy. I believed my sincere and true feelings, as well as determination, would be able to touch and win her heart, but alas, I failed miserably. Right now, I am swarmed with negative emotions - resentment, jealousy, feelings of unfairness and misery. I am not ashamed to admit that I prayed to the powers above for help, but did they not hear my pleas?

Furthermore, all my current thoughts revolve around Xue Yun. I can neither eat nor sleep properly. I can't help but recall all the fond memories I had with her - from the first time I asked for her mobile number, when we visited Library@Esplanade together, our outings to Vivocity, our singing sessions, etc. Looking at the text conversations we had, should I have done things differently to win her heart? Possess more courage, be more assertive?

To a certain extent, it has been an enjoyable year, especially during those occasions where I spent time with Xue Yun. Ever since I got to know her, there is motivation in my life. Even looking forward to a simply text reply from her will make me happy. Am I such a naive bear? But now:

I know I will never be able to hold her hand.
I know I will never have a chance to kiss her.
I know I will never have the opportunity to bring her to movie dates and other places of interest again.
I know her smile will be reserved for that special person in her life.
I know I will never see her putting on the cute Nyan pose for me ever again.
And I know it is no longer my role to watch over her as an "guardian angel".

What should I do now? After speaking to a few friends, I could choose from the following options:
1) Give up. "Someone better will enter my life", but when will "she" appear?
2) Wait. If she ever wants me, I will gladly accept her.
3) Continue to pursue her. According to my friends, all is fair in love and war.

In addition, I have so many questions I wish to ask Xue Yun and I believe only she has the answers which I want to personally hear. Will she be willing to meet up and have a long chat with myself? Of course, my friends have advised me not to harbour any expectations of being accepted by her. To make matters worse, the miliary camp in which I am supposed to attend training soon is located close to her workplace.

Right now, these images represent my emotions perfectly. Up till today, only 2 girls have ever caused me to shed tears and Xue Yun happens to be one of them.

Can someone or somebody teach me what I should do and make this pain go away?

Beary Christmas and Happy New Year!

2011-12-25T18:06:00.013+08:00

I have yet to complete the poem which I promised previously, but since I am stuck at home right now, I have decided to update my blog by wishing everyone a "Beary Christmas and a Happy New Year!"

Over the past week, I took some photographs of the Christmas decorations in Singapore for one of the activities organised by an online forum which I frequent. Along the way, I captured some photographs of my fellow bearkind. For some reason, I knew exactly what they wished for this Christmas; being a "bear" (my online persona) myself, I long to be cuddled, hugged and given a sweet home by an owner of my choice. :) Too bad I wasn't able to help them out...

Enough of talk, here are the images everyone are looking forward to:

I really like the one on the left, with its -_- eyes.

Tatty Teddy! I saw an updated comic strip with regards to how Tatty Teddy turned grey and it never fails to warm my heart each time. :)

Aren't these little bears cute? They can be found at Takashimaya (Ngee Ann City) almost every year, during the Christmas season.

Rilakkuma. He has been overwhelmingly popular recently, making me feel kinda envious. :D It would be good to relax, have a nice home and family at the same time.

More bears with some other cute animals! They are calling out to us... :D

Even more Tatty Teddy!

Rilakkuma and Korilakkuma. Photograph taken by my colleague, Marz.

Once again, Beary Christmas everyone! May Santa bring you lots of presents and grant all your wishes! Otherwise, we will just have to work harder next year. *Bear Hugs*

Trying Your Best Is Never Enough

2011-11-29T12:33:00.002+08:00

A short entry before I start on a new poem.

I really tried my best to make it a memorable day last Sunday, 27 Nov 2011. However, it appears my efforts were not good enough. Perhaps I shouldn't have sprung a surprise by organising the activities so early in the day. Neither did I expect a lack of interest and worst of all, a sprained ankle.

I started the day in high spirits, only to end it with a miserable mood...

In conclusion, things never go according to plans and trying one's best is sometimes never enough.

Happy 25th Birthday, Shinobu Maehara!

2011-11-15T23:25:00.002+08:00

It has become customary for me to do so every year. Happy Birthday Shinobu Maehara! May all your dreams and wishes come true on this very special day!

Unfortunately, my personal laptop has crashed from the BSOD, and it is unable to boot up. This temporarily replacement does not contain the various images of Shinobu which I would like to share with everyone. :(

Furthermore, with my grandfather passing away recently, I don't think it would be appropriate to create a long, celebratory post. I am sure Shinobu would understand the difficulties I am facing right now.

Nonetheless, enjoy your day, Shinobu!

Real Steel (A Copy and Pasta From My Post on a Forum)

2011-10-12T00:23:00.005+08:00

I attended an event by one of our suppliers last Thursday, whereby we were invited to watch the movie entitled "Real Steel".

In the future, in-ring fighting and boxing have been replaced by robots instead of sportsmen. Hugh Jackman plays the role of Charlie Kenton, a former boxer, who now earns a living by controlling robots to win their fight. Unfortunately, he is currently in a slump, whereby nothing goes right for him. In addition, he is reunited with his 11-year old son, Max Kenton, whom he abandoned many years ago.

Together with the robot "Atom", whom they discovered by chance, both father and son rise to fame and challenge the reigning champion "Zeus" for the world title.

Since I do not watch movies all that often, each title tends to leave an impression on myelf. Some viewers may claim that the storyline is similar to other related movies, but I still found myself rooting for the underdog, or rather, under-robot, "Atom". In addition, the father-and-son relationship started out on a rocky path, but eventually ended on a perfect note. Again, some may claim it is cliche, but having this particular aspect meant that the human actors were given a fair share of screen time, not simply relying on CG and fight scenes to woo the crowd.

However, I suspect males and children will probably enjoy the movie more than females, although I could be wrong.

Since I am on the topic of movies, some of my friends always complain about myself being a spoilsport, especially when not joining them for movies. After some thought, I believe my criteria for watching movies is as follows, with number 1 being the most important factor.

1) Good company.
2) Free tickets.
3) It is an animation.
4) Movie should preferably feature some cute character(s) or animal(s).

Not all of these factors may come into play and I believe there might be exceptions every now and then.

Snow, Clouds and You

2011-10-05T23:23:00.005+08:00

It has been a while since I attempted to write a poem, but I did have some inspiration and motivation recently. However, it may not turn out as well as expected.

Title: Snow, Clouds and You

As snow begins to fall,
People may experience a sense of chilliness.
Yet when looking upon a terrain engulfed in snow,
Pure white and glistening,
People may experience a surreal sight.

Clouds sometimes block out sunlight,
Presenting a gloomy and overcast view to one's sight.
Clouds however also provide shade,
As leisurely activities bade.

Like the snow, you may appear cold at times,
But maintaining an untouchable aura of beauty.
Like the clouds, you could be expressionless at times,
But its ever-changing nature also means a brilliant smile may appear.

Snow and Clouds are integral parts of nature,
Together with your presence,
It paints a lovely picture.

That being said,
私は雪雲が大好きです。
しかし彼女に、私はただの友達です。
私の心が大変痛いです。
そして泣いています。

General Elections in Singapore... and Respect

2011-05-08T04:47:00.003+08:00

For those of you who do not know much about the ongoings in Singapore, the results of the General Elections for 2011 have been announced.

As expected, PAP managed to retain the majority of seats in Parliament, 81 out of 87. The Workers' Party won the remaining 6 seats, through Hougang and Aljunied.

Being a first time voter, I have been following news concerning the elections, as well as the different political parties, rather closely, via the internet, newspapers and television programmes. Furthermore, while travelling from one place to another throughout the past few days, either for work, classes or leisure, I have seen quite a few political parties and their respective members campaigning at public locations, such as stadiums, open fields, MRT stations and HDB flats.

From the various reports and images I have seen, there is a particular politician who has earned my respect - Mr Chiam See Tong. He is supposedly 76 years old and has suffered from a stroke previously, but yet he continues to work hard for Singapore. I don't know him personally, but I am quite embarrassed to say that on certain weekdays, especially Mondays, I wake up in the morning and the first thought that comes to mind is: Sianz, I have to go back to work today. Mr Chiam is old and he probably isn't in the best slate of health, but yet he works hard. On the other hand, I am so many years younger as compared to him and I am already "complaining" on a regular basis. If I were to be 76 years old, can I proudly proclaim that I will be as active and as motivated? On the bright side, perhaps this particular General Elections can spur me to take on a more enthusiastic approach and outlook to life.

A Really Bad Cough and Other Thoughts

2011-04-16T10:55:00.007+08:00

I have been coughing for about 2 weeks and during this period of time, I have visited the doctor thrice. Hopefully, I will recover by this weekend, so that I can head for Japanese class next week without any worries or discomfort. Which reminds me, I should revise what I learnt previously. Due to the limited availability of classes, it has been a month since I last attended any lessons on the Japanese language. I could have forgotten quite a bit of material. -_-

After looking through my blog recently, I realized that there is a lack of images for the past couple of posts. Coincidentally, I have just submitted an article along with some photographs for the latest issue of my company's internal newsletter. Therefore, I thought it might be a good opportunity to upload these photographs here as well. They were taken courtesy of my colleague, Benjamin, with his excellent photography skills. True be told, I am quite reluctant to remove my figurines from their packaging, especially since my room does not possess sufficient storage space right now.

Lala from To Love Ru, a birthday gift from my sister.

My favourite To Heart 2 character, Manaka Komaki.

One of the more popular 妹 in anime right now, Kirino Kousaka.

A group image.

On the left, 1/4 scale Fate from Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS. And to the right, Kallen from Code Geass, a gift from Luke and friends during one of my birthdays.

Moving on to a more philosophical aspect of this post, last Saturday, I was on my way home from Ang Mo Kio. Whilst travelling along a sheltered walkway, I happened to notice a snail making its way across the pavement, from one grass patch to another. Knowing that the walkway is often used by my fellow human beings, I considered picking the snail up to aid it in its slow journey, but ultimately, I decided against doing so partly due to a fear of coming into direct contact with the snail. After taking a few steps forward, a fellow human being walked past me, towards the direction of the snail, just as I predicted. Again, I could have warned the man about the snail on his path, but I did not. Watching the scenario unfold before my eyes, the man avoided stepping on the snail, but the movement of his feet kicked it quite a distance. I am unsure if the snail was killed during this unfortunate accident, but I can't help but feel a little guilty about not doing anything throughout the entire situation. Should I have left things to fate or perhaps it would be better if I had intervened?

Two of my friends have gone abroad for holiday recently - one to South Korea and the other to United States. The former should have been back yesterday and I hope I wasn't forgotten when it comes to souvenirs. :p

Last but not least, I would like to post a question to everyone. Have you ever encountered a situation whereby a simple text message can bring about a flood of mixed emotions - happiness, disappointment, relief, etc? It is quite amazing, wouldn't you say so?

Everyday is a Learning Journey.

2011-03-14T02:30:00.000+08:00

I managed to apply for a day of leave on 10 March 2011 and within that day, I gained quite a bit of knowledge. Some of these knowledge can be found or seen in our daily lives, but more often than not, we tend to take them for granted.

- Sometimes, a single phone call can save us quite a bit of inconvenience. Furthermore, an answer could be obtained on the spot.

- Shops and stores need to constantly upgrade in order to survive the competition. Upon speaking with the store owner after having my photograph taken did I learn that negatives are no longer provided; instead a soft copy will be issued within a CD-Rom.

- Waiting for others may not necessarily be frustrating, especially if one is anticipating the upcoming activity. In addition, the surroundings may provide some form of entertainment, perhaps in the form of animal (and human) behaviour.

- Is it true that males do not really like to consume sweet foodstuff? I should conduct a survey among my peers. Otherwise, I may be considered an anomaly or outlier.

- Depending on the situation, it may be impolite to speak while eating. Quite obvious isn't it, but most of us fail to take note of such behaviour... or is it only me? O_o

- Someone convinced me about how troublesome it would be to use an umbrella or raincoat, especially if the rain is still bearable. I am quite amused by the analysis provided. :) However, how can I abandon my trusty umbrella, who has gone through thick and thin with me over the years?

- Even though I am not very music-literate, I am impressed by how passionate and happy others can be while studying said subject. The same can be said of other fields of studies. Just take a look at your surroundings when entering the local libraries. That being said, is music performed by chinese instruments as widespread as its western counterparts? Looking back, I believe quite a few secondary schools would have chinese orchestra as a co-curricular activity.

- Perhaps I am indeed too mindful of the opinions of others. Instead of simply going along with their views (and/or words), I could be more pro-active by making a decision first, and subsequently informing the other party. The chinese saying "先斩后奏" comes to mind.

- Lastly, time always flies by when one is having fun. I do hope to spend more time with certain individuals, be it family or friends, assuming I am given the opportunity to do so. Now that quite a number of us are working, and some in relationships (I feel the envy rising within me), opportunities for us to meet up can be limited, even more so in a big group.

The above sums up my particular Thursday.

Moving on, I am sure most of us would be aware of the disasters which struck Japan recently. An earthquake of a huge magnitude occurred in Japan, and the subsequent tsunami, added to the woes of its residents. As I write, Japan is also facing another potential problem with its nuclear plants, which were damaged by the earthquake. Hopefully, with help from the international community, Japan and its residents will be able to rebuild the affected areas as well as their lives.

Last but not least, on another unrelated note, I just learned how to type sentences out in Japanese using my laptop. The following would be a simple test to see if they can appear on my blog.

熊さんは可愛いです。

あなたはとても可愛いです。

Thoughts on Reservist.. and An Upcoming Test!?

2011-03-02T02:56:00.002+08:00

I had wanted to write this post on Monday, 28 February 2011, my first day back at work after reservist. As the day went by, I was surprised to find myself missing reservist, most probably due to the backlog of tasks I had to clear in the office. I wonder if my fellow camp-mates and friends felt the same way?

To a certain extent, I have to say that my 6th In-Camp-Training was quite enjoyable. Throughout this period of time, I learned that there are some people whom we can never work smoothly together with, but yet we can still have fun together. The 1/3 lunch incident, dessert incident, banana jokes as well as the unfortunate event where I slipped and knocked my head were quite memorable. Hopefully, I will be able to see my fellow camp-mates and friends soon, possibly at a clubbing session since they seem keen on the idea. The only problem - I don't club nor drink. Maybe orange juice will be a wise idea.

In addition, my Japanese test for the Elementary 2 level is just a week away. I have a friend who has not attended classes for quite a while, but intends to sit for the test. I can't help but imagine the looks on the faces of our fellow classmates, even more so if my friend does well for the test. What will our Sensei say? :D

That being said, I should also make an effort to revise and study hard over the next few days.

Happy 25th Birthday Shinobu! And a Huge Update?

2010-11-15T21:45:00.015+08:00

I can't believe it has been a year since my last update. Thankfully for Shinobu, I will always return to my blog around 15 November of every year.

First and foremost, Happy 25th Birthday Shinobu Maehara! May all your dreams and wishes come true on this very special day! It has been many years since the publication of Love Hina, but I am sure said title remains fondly in the memories of many readers. However, for those of you who don't know, a special all-colour chapter of Love Hina was published to celebrate the 300th chapter of Negima not too long ago. One can easily find it by performing a seach on Yahoo or Google... or so I think.

Without further ado, here are more images to celebrate Shinobu's 25th birthday!

Looking good in whatever clothes she wears.

Even more kawaii when blushing.

Perfect day for a picnic. One should take the opportunity to enjoy good food and the beautiful nature surrounding us.

Shinobu is reminding us that Christmas is just around the corner. Have you been a good person this year?

Baths can be fun too.

Fond memories from the old days.

Enjoy your day Shinobu!

Moving on to some updates in my daily life, I am glad to say that I have been well. Not too long ago, I came to realize that the health of one's family members and that of oneself is of utmost importance. Of course, we should also show concern for friends who are close to ourselves. Although it is quite an easy concept to grasp, people tend to take it for granted, especially in the pursuit of other goals.

Throughout the past one year, there have been moments where I craved for companionship, hoping to find a special someone who will listen to all my troubles and speak of any topic under the sun with myself. Looking back, I must have been rather moody on those days. Romance cannot be rushed, as some would claim, but at the same time, one should not neglect it if the opportunity comes knocking. Hopefully, mine will arrive soon enough.

Japanese classes have also become a part of my weekly schedule. Although I am still at the early stages of learning, I do hope to become more proficient over time, assuming I make an effort to revise on a regular basis. Instead of heading straight home after work from Mondays to Fridays, I thought it might be a good idea to sign up for some classes, partly to improve myself. To a certain extent, I also believe it will open more doors in future, perhaps career-wise.

Apart from the above, I don't think I have changed much. Most of my interests remain the same, but my room is definitely piling up with additional anime magazines, manga titles and figurines. Perhaps it would be a good opportunity to spring clean my room by utilising the leave which must be cleared by the end of December. 7 days (as of this post) should be enough... right?

I assume the wall of text must have hurt some of your eyes? Here are the photographs which I promised my friends previously. I am embarrassed to say that some of them go as far back as August 2009. ^_^;;

Birthday celebration in 2009. If my memory serves me right, we had a Japanese dinner at Paragon. Call me superstitious; I read somewhere that it isn't appropriate to take a photograph of 3 people.

Only Aw was absent from this gathering. When was the last time we had full attendance? We had a great time eating at Dian Xiao Er and cracking jokes about the scenes in medieval martial arts related movies.

Dinner at Sizzler. We were the last few patrons to leave.

Another birthday celebration, this time in 2010. Coincidentally, we had Japanese food again. Then again, what other choices are available? ;)

Session 2 of the Zombies! boardgame which I played with Gan, Kester and Mark. This particular game brought out the worst in us as only one player can win, either by reaching the helipad first or killing 25 zombies. There was plenty of laughter when we turned on one another. And guess what? I won on both occasions. Woot Hoot!

Lesson Learned: Trust only yourself during a zombie outbreak. :P

That's it for now. Till the next time!

Happy 24th Birthday Shinobu! (A Quick Update)

2009-11-16T03:28:00.008+08:00

Ok, I guess I am a couple of hours late. Happy Belated Birthday Shinobu! May all your dreams and wishes come true!

How time flies. Yet another year has passed and my beloved female anime character is a year older. I am not sure if the younger anime fans know who Shinobu Maehara is, since a few years have passed since the initial airing of "Love Hina". Nevertheless, Shinobu will always remain important to me.

Here are some Shinobu-related images:

A cake to celebrate the occasion.

Christmas is around the corner and it appears that Shinobu is in the mood for some singing.

It has been raining over here recently; an umbrella would come in handy.

Don't fall ill.

An obligatory pic of grown-up Shinobu.

Have fun on this very day!

P.S. I should be getting around to posting all the birthday photos I took a few months back... I hope. ^_^;;

How My Heart Aches Too...

2009-05-17T15:45:00.004+08:00

Over the short timespan of 6 months, one of my closer female friends lost two of her loved ones. I can only imagine how miserable she must be feeling right now. When I met her last Thursday, few words were spoken between the both of us, but from her facial expression, I did not need to hear them to understand her emotions.

I believe this is the first time I ever saw her cry, not to mention so badly, in our 9 years of friendship. It is inevitable for human beings to grieve when a loved one leaves our side; suppressing the tears would definitely make things worse... at least in my opinion.

While she sobbed and recalled her memories of her loved one, plenty of emotions surged within me as well, most notably that of helplessness, since I couldn't provide her with much comfort. The scene in which she said "I really miss her" remains deeply etched in my mind. How I wish I was able to hold her and wipe away those tears of sadness; unfortunately, I wasn't even able to offer her a packet of tissue.

The road ahead remains difficult, at least in the near future, where you have to adapt to quite a bit of changes in your life, but if you are reading this post, I sincerely hope you remain strong to overcome all hurdles. If the need ever arises, don't ever hesitate to seek my assistance. I will always be around.

Disappointment... and A Lack of Conviction

2009-05-09T01:57:00.006+08:00

I am sorely bitter that my planned trip to Japan in August, to attend Comiket 76, has been postponed, most likely till December. Although there will be a winter Comiket held at the end of the year, it is usually of a smaller scale as compared to the one in August.

Warning: I am going to rant in this particular post and obscenities will be used. More importantly, my rant is directed at some people whom I know, so if you are going to get offended, don't read on.

First off, let me start by saying that all my friends are nice people. Otherwise, they wouldn't be my friends in the first place.

Now comes the horrible bit. It is inevitable for human beings to have flaws, but some antics of my friends have definitely gotten on my nerves, especially with regards to our planned trip to Japan.

Being the person that I am, I asked around to see who else is interested in visiting Japan and attending Comiket 76. Although there were some negative replies from a couple of friends, telling me to go ahead without them, either due to potential work commitments or lack of funds, I don't really blame them, since their answer were pretty clear cut.

After some searching and discussion, I thought I had finally found someone to accompany me on my trip. Around 3 weeks ago, we were talking about booking the flight tickets, but until yesterday, nothing has been done. Instead, the entire trip has been postponed to December! Although I am still keen on visiting Japan, a huge portion of my enthusiasm has been lost.

I can't help but feel that I have been played out by a friend. If you aren't interested in the entire trip or unable to do so at this time of the year, just FU*KING say so! Maybe I am jumping to conclusions, but the delay in the booking and purchase of the flight tickets seem to indicate that he wasn't interested. In fact, I doubt he knew which part of Japan he would like to visit, nor the hotels he would like to reside at. I admit the recent Influenza A outbreak may have caused some worry, especially if one were to get quarantined. Still, that does not appear to be the case.

Although I have on many occasions stated that I would require the air tickets soon, if we were to visit Japan in August, since documentary proof of my trip has to be submitted to Mindef and my unit, he has clearly ignored this particular piece of information. Better yet, one of his main reasons for postponing the trip to December would be the cooler weather. Of course, he did add that there will be fellow travellers.

Two words come to mind: FU*KING PU**Y! If you are so damned scared of the sun and humidity, why not use an umbrella while living in Singapore for past 20-odd years? In fact, don't head out at all! When one provides such reasons, it only goes to show that they are less passionate about attending the convention as compared to myself. Maybe he simply wasn't as hardcore an anime and manga otaku as I made him out to be.

I wouldn't say I am not at fault. Since the entire trip was my idea, I should have made a firm stand on all decisions, instead of leaving them to the convenience of others. I did notice his lack of interest, and perhaps I should have voiced it out along the way. Unfortunately, I didn't, leading to the current situation.

There are definitely pros and cons to visiting Japan at different times of the year, one of which would the submission of documents to the authorities. However, one can never tell when I may be called up for military duties again.

In addition, there are a couple of lessons I have learned from the whole saga:
1) Clearly indicate my stand. If I had been more determined, with a stronger sense of conviction, my attendance at Comiket 76 would definitely been confirmed.

2) It is all right to be angry. Recently, I have been trying much harder to put myself into the shoes of others, from the slow driver on the road, all the way to the passengers not moving to the centre carriage of a train. For some reason, I just can't empathize with my friend, since I was so looking forward to the vacation.

Lastly, if you are the friend whom I mentioned in the above post, please kindly take no offence to my harsh words. I sincerely wish that our friendship will remain at the same level as it is. I simply had to vent my anger and frustrations somewhere. Even as I speak, these negative emotions are still present within me... unfortunately.

Has it been 5 Months since my last post!?

2009-05-01T02:35:00.009+08:00

Welcome to yet another episode of Gambler's somewhat random "Thoughts for the Day"! It has definitely been a while and I hope the following post will keep you deeply entertained.

Well then, let me start off with my work life before proceeding on to the juicier bits. In the past 5 months, I have gotten to know some of my colleagues a lot better, which helps to improve relationships. Of course, some of my negative traits may have revealed themselves, *cough* gambling habits *cough*, and I doubt they have gone unnoticed. However, we are only human and there are bound to be some faults with each and every one of us. As long as they aren't serious flaws, I assume everything should be fine.

Apart from inter-personal relations within the office, my workload has increased significantly too. Gone are the days where I can ask if anyone else needs any assistance with their various tasks. Although I have been completing my work on time, I am also the type of person who needs the affirmation of others, especially my managers, on my progress and contributions. There hasn't been any complaints so far, which may be a good sign, since some may say "No news is good news". Then again, neither is there any form of commendation... at least not to my knowledge.

There are many things I have yet to learn, but hopefully, opportunities will present themselves, allowing me to grasp them soon enough.

Moving on to my personal and financial life, the Champions League has been both a source and loss of income for my wallet and bank account. I managed to win around $30 from my soccer bets on the results of the quarter-finals, but I also lost 1/3 of it on the semi-final matches held over the past couple of days. I did not expect both Barcelona v Chelsea and Man U v Arsenal to be that low-scoring. Anyway, some of my winnings did go to the poor and needy, notably through the purchase of tissue packets.

A dollar may not mean a lot to us, but this sum of money could have a significant impact on the daily lives of the old, poor and needy. My less than postworthy gesture of kindness reminded me that there is no way I can help everyone, everyday. IF ONLY I HAD MORE POWER... To a certain extent, I understand how the protagonists of the recent Gundam series (Seed, Destiny and 00) feel. Power in the right hands can change the world; at the same time, the possibility of corrupting one remains very real.

I have also been planning for my trip to Japan in August. At the moment, nothing has been confirmed, since there are a couple of obstacles hindering my path. Hopefully, all will turn out fine, allowing me to visit the biggest and most popular convention of them all: Comic Market, commonly known as Comiket to those familiar with the anime and manga scene.

On the topic of Japan, I would think its people are quite a creative and innovative bunch. Such a trait can be clearly seen in their re-invention of certain goods and services. Don't ask my how I came across the following product (photo courtesy of a member on a forum I frequent):

Yes, you got it right; those are mousepads with "boobs", also known as oppai mousepads in the otaku community. Apparently, they are rather popular among certain anime and manga fans. A simple search on hlj.com and hobbysearch revealed that these mousepads cost slightly more than 3000 yen, which would amount to around S$50. The contours of the mousepad supposedly provides wrist support for a computer user, though how effective the product serves its purpose remains to be seen. Nonetheless, the companies which came up with the idea to manufacture these products seem to be making good money...

To further prove my point, the Japanese have recently taken the traditional workout video and re-packaged it with anime scenes and sequences. From the image below, one can easily tell why the DVD is popular among the male audience.

Entitled "Isshou ni Training (with Hinako)", the workout anime is suitable for viewers of all ages. As long as it helps viewers to engage in some form of exercise, I would think it has served its purpose as an useful product.

Last but not least, there is "K-On!", an anime which began airing in Japan recently, focusing on 4 highschool girls and their lives as band members. Apparently, there is an ongoing "K-On!" craze, where sales of guitars are going up in Japan. People have even starting purchasing left-handed guitars, which I didn't think were very popular to begin with.

To end off, I shall leave all of you with an image featuring the K-On girls and their teacher in meido outfits. Enjoy!

P.S. My next post is going to be a f**king rant.

December: The Month of Giving... and Plenty of Birthday Celebrations

2009-01-01T16:29:00.012+08:00

Once again, I apologize for the late update. I promised you people I would post the respective photos we have taken as soon as possible, but my friend "procrastination" prevented me from doing so. Nonetheless, better late than never right?

The first birthday celebration was that of my "Sis", which was brought forward by a week due to our respective busy schedules. Since all of us couldn't decide on a present, our next best alternative was to go for dinner at Crystal Jade Kitchen, where Chai Bak and I split the cost among ourselves. As usual I ended up eating the most, not because I wanted to, but rather, due to the fact that everyone else ordered too much and leaving the food un-eaten would be such a waste. Although we did not take any photos while at the restaurant, we made up for it with those shot at Heeren.

Chai Bak and I, with my usual stupid pose

Cailin and I, this time imitating Ranka from Macross Frontier

Chai Bak and Cailin

Chai Bak and Cailin again, with the Coca-Cola decoration located just outside of Heeren as a background

Cailin and I. My pose keeps getting all the more ridiculous.

Ran out of ideas, so I just stood still.

The following week was just as hectic. Apart from accompanying Hui Shi on her hard disk shopping trip at Funan and dinner at Waraku (Marina Square), I spent Sunday night, all the way till Monday morning, together with Kester and Gan, at Mark's place, killing zombies... or rather, getting killed by them, as Gan would put it. Now that I have started working, I have come to appreciate public holidays all the more, since they provide a break from my weekly working schedule, and also an opportunity to meet up with friends.

Fast forward to 13th Dec, where I organized a birthday celebration cum gathering for the close friends I have made during my national service days, whom coincidentally, fall under the "Singles Club", perhaps with the exception of Gerald. Oops... did I let loose a secret? Jokes aside, everyone, with the exception of Jason Tay, who is still in America, and Luke, who wanted to watch his weekly episode of Star Wars: The Clone War, were present. Before anyone starts flaming my blog, the main reason for Luke's absence was due to the pain in his leg. If I am not wrong, it should be healing properly by now. Aw did not join us for dinner, but graced us with his presence at Swensons, before we dug into the extremely hard yet delicious ice cream cake. However, I would like to apologize for presenting you people with such a simple gift; I had wanted to treat everyone whose birthday falls in December to dinner, but with 5 of you celebrating it together, the cost would be unbearably high, even with Luke and Wong chipping in.

The only and only photo we took for the night. From left to right in a clockwise manner: Marcus, Gerald, Jeffrey, Aw, Wong, myself and Jason Tan. And yes, the table does look rather messy after our meal.

Hopefully, I will be able to organize another of such outing some time soon, with an equally high attendance, if not more.

Since it is already 01 Jan 2009, I would like to wish everyone a Merry New Year! May 2009 be a good, if not excellent, year for all us, filled with good health, peace and prosperity!

P.S. Why do people tend to use the phrase "Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year" instead of "Happy Christmas and a Merry New Year"? Just a question that has been bothering me for a while.

Happy 23rd Birthday Shinobu!

2008-11-15T04:53:00.007+08:00

Before I begin on the main theme for the day, I would like to post some update on my previous post. I finally opened up the last of my booster packs and unfortunately, the card which I so desired, featuring Manaka Komaki, wasn't a part of it. I could go on and on about being unlucky, but today isn't the appropriate time for such a rant, lest I spoil the mood of an important birthday celebration.

Yes, you guessed it! Happy 23rd Birthday Shinobu, mai beloved waifu! May all your dreams and wishes come true on this very special day!

How quickly another year has passed. I would like to take the opportunity to thank you for being by my side, rain or shine. You were there to support me when I was struggling with my exam revisions, there to give me encouragement when I applied for a full-time job. When I overspent on anime- and manga-related goods, you trusted me to manage my own finances and neither did you complain about the figurines and mousepads I bought. More importantly, when I was ill (and recently too), you were there to nurse me back to health. Thank you for all that you have done!

Here are some images in which Shinobu does not mind sharing with all of you:

Am I ronery?

Swimming is a good form of exercise.

Meido outfit

Kawaii when angry...

Even cuter when blushing.

"Gambler~~~! I told you not to embarrass me by announcing my birthday on your blog."

Enjoy your day Shinobu!

Well, I hope all of you had a good laugh. Jokes aside, I know Shinobu isn't real, or at least I have yet to meet her, but I do wish that someday, I can find a partner who will care for me in the same way I mentioned above.

Fate Works in the Most Unpredictable Manner

2008-11-12T03:22:00.013+08:00

Some things were never meant to be.

As a follow up to my previous post, the above statement could apply not only to relationships, but to all other aspects of life as well. For those who are still single, one may wonder why the other party is already attached or has no feelings for oneself. For those seeking employment, one may bemoan not being given a chance by his/her potential employer. Of course, I am not suggesting that people should use "Fate" as an excuse to give up easily, but there are times when trying hard just does not produce the desired results.

On the other hand, Fate can bring about pleasant surprises at times. On Halloween, I was feeling rather moody after receiving some unexpected news, thanks to my nosey nature. Like they say, "Curiosity killed the cat". While wallowing in self-pity, I decided to open a few more packets of my newly acquired Lycee Cards (credit going to Luke for his help in ordering the product online) to ease my sorrow. All of a sudden, everything became much brighter when I obtained the following card:

A Multi Lucky Card! It is supposedly an ultra-rare card, which can be exchanged for another 5 limited edition cards, although such a service is only available in Japan. I guess it is time for me to start seeking help from my online friends living in that region.

Now that I am on the topic of Lycee, I might as well showcase my other cards. Being a big fan of To Heart 1 and 2, I simply had to buy a booster box of Lycee's Leaf Based Edition 1.

Young Tamaki promo which comes only with the purchase of a booster box.

My other cards, notably those featuring the characters from To Heart 1 and 2, starting from the "rares" all the way to the "commons":

And lastly, an image of the Lycee Leaf Based Edition 1 booster box and my last unopened booster pack. Although I have gotten quite a number of nice cards, my favourite character from To Heart 2, Manaka Komaki, still eludes me. Please let her be in this very last packet! I wouldn't mind another Lucky Card Multi though. :p

In addition, I have received my confirmation letter, so I am officially a full-time employee at my new workplace. Three months has passed rather quickly, but I am glad to have learned many new things and meet plenty of people, some of whom are very nice, which I can call "friends". Hopefully, they see me in the same light too.

"Loneliness Knows Me by Name"

2008-10-31T03:55:00.004+08:00

It is close to 4am and even though I have to work later in the morning, I am still in front of my laptop, typing this very post. Is it that important for me to complete this post before I hit dreamland? Actually, it isn't, just that I am in one of my "emo" moods.

I may not be the richest, most handsome, most intelligent or physically fit male, nor am I anywhere near such levels, among the billions found on our planet, but I would like to think I am one of the most sincere people around. Perhaps that may be my only saving grace. Why then, am I unable to find the love of my life, the princess of my dreams, the Shinobu of my fantasies? Is it because I am not trying hard enough, or is it written in the stars for me to spend more lonely nights awake on my bed, pondering over this particular question?

As I look out of my window, staring into the dark, night sky, breathing in the scent of the night breeze, I wonder if my future partner is doing the exact same thing, wishing for true love to appear soon? Whenever I read the highschool mangas lying around my room, I somehow wish that the romance opportunities given to the male protangonist would befall myself too.

To end off, here are the lyrics of "Loneliness Knows Me by Name", performed by Westlife, one of my favourite boybands during my secondary school days:

Loneliness is always looking for a friend
It found me once and it has been around since then
Loneliness is never waiting by the door
It sweeps right through and it will never be ignored
Why, Why was I chosen?
Why am I left without?

The love of my life, the love that I need
The love that they say is in life for free
The love of my dreams, the love that I want
Loneliness knows my by name

Loneliness knows everything I keep inside
My endless thoughts in the silence of the night
Loneliness is the one who made me see
Ain't nobody else who can make a change but me
Why, Why was I chosen?
Why am I left without?

The love of my life, the love that I need
The love that they say is in life for free
The love of my dreams, the love that I want
Loneliness knows my by name

Less is more and that would be the vacant space
The cried out tears and the neverending maze
I have found what only loneliness provides
A strength within knowing I will find

The love of my life, the love that I need
The love that they say is in life for free
The love of my dreams, the love that I want
Loneliness knows my by name

The love of my life, the love that I need
The love that they say is in life for free
The love of my dreams, the love that I want
Loneliness knows my by name

Newspapers, Public Transport Fare Hikes and A Belated Birthday.

2008-09-21T16:26:00.007+08:00

Before I go on to tell you about how newspapers, public transport fare hikes and belated birthdays are related, here is a little update on myself since the previous post, which was a backlog.

-Lost quite a bit during my Euro 2008 gambling campaign, but within the $100 limit set down
-Attended my fourth ICT. 6 more left to go; Unfortunately all of them are high-key.
-Found a full-time job at a major bookstore, but I better leave the company name unmentioned until I get confirmed. Those who know me personally should already have heard of the news.
-Took up a part-time job at ISS Facility Services upon the recommendation of Mark before my current position. Learned quite a bit during those 2 weeks
-Passed my Management Accounting paper. Received an overall classification of Second Class (Lower) Honours. I wouldn't say it is the best of results, but neither it is too shabby. I should be content with what I have.

Now that the update on myself is over, I should warn you readers to be prepared for a rant. If you do not wish to go through a wall of text with some crude language included, then I would suggest that one skips the next couple of paragraphs. Here goes nothing:

Since starting work at my office located in the CBD area, the MRT has become my main source of transport. It is common knowledge that the carriages are packed every morning, apart from weekends. However, there are still some commuters who are oblivious to the fact that others need to get onboard, happily reading their newspapers, books, magazines, or playing their addictive PSP games. Hohoho! Must one really carry out such activities on the train!? Do it anywhere else, at home, at the office, in the washroom... Anywhere except the train during the morning peak hours! I don't f**king care!

When one holds the newspapers in front of himself/herself on the train during the morning peak hours, it takes up space which could allow for at least another half a commuter to stand. Imagine the space available if everyone stopped reading the papers. Then again, there will be the issue of commuters not moving to the centre of the carriage because they are afraid of "ghosts".

In my opinion, it should be these inconsiderate commuters who should bear the brunt of the upcoming fare hike in October. OMG 4 f**king cents! Why do I say so? Like I mentioned earlier, reading newspapers on the train takes up more space, leaving some commuters unable to board the current train. When SMRT sees the number of commuters in queue, they may assume that the frequency of trains is low, thereby increasing it, which eventually leads to cost being passed on the public. One suggestion to make public transport more efficient: Ban newspaper reading during the morning peak hours. Oh, and add reading of any material as well as the playing of portable consoles to that list as well. I don't even want to go into how much 4 cents can do for an ordinary person.

How then does belated birthdays come into the picture? To tell the truth, it has nothing to do with the above issue, at least not right now. Just added it in for the lulz! The following would be some of the presents I received for my birthday last month, and hopefully, with a few more to come.

"This is delicious cake. You must eat it." A simple present from my parents.

-3 ball like plushies from Chai Bak
-A card from my financial consultant, Joey
-A dolphin keychain from my sister
-A Negima fanbook and a Haruna fanbook from Kester
-A portable hard disk and a Maison Ikkaku OST from Hui Shi
-Chi Sweet Home Fan, Chi keychain, Lycee Pencil Production ver 1.0 starter deck and Leaf 4.0 booster pack from Mark. Initially I thought he forgot, but I am glad he didn't.

Thanks everyone!

In addition, I received a free meal from my "sis", Cailin, during my joint birthday celebration with Chai Bak.

Chai Bak and Cailin

Here's me looking extremely stupid with my "sis".

Other people on my thank you list include:
-Marcus, Luke, Jianwen for their SMS
-Janice for the message on friendster
-Members on TH and HL for starting a birthday thread on each forum
-Shinobu, Nodoka and Haruna for their lovely present, which I am unable to reveal on my blog. :D

If I left any of you out, I am sorry. Remind me and I will add it to the above list.

I guess this marks the end of another long post.

Transported to an Alternate Reality and Back... Not Really

2008-06-06T14:19:00.037+08:00

To my readers, I have a perfectly good reason for not blogging since November. Right after Shinobu's birthday, I was mysteriously transported to an alternate reality where everyone I know possess a totally different personality from which I initially knew. One of my best friends, K, who likes gothic-related stuff, became a collector of plushies. Another friend, L, famed for his gaming habits, decided that he has no need for technology, living a secluded life in the mountains. The list goes on, but to cut the long story short, I finally made my way back to this world with the help of 3 females who uncannily seem resemble Shinobu, Nodoka and Haruna. Now that I am back, you people must be happy for me... right?

Returning home has its share of problems, with the main one being examinations. Since I had no idea how much time has passed, my celebrations of making it back safely in one piece was cut short by the notification letter indicating my examination dates and venue. Willing myself to cram as much information as possible into my brain, I managed to attend all four papers, with the last 3 taking place on consecutive days. It does not take a genius for one to know that he has fared badly in his management accounting paper, since the answer booklet has plenty of empty space between questions. By praying and performing more acts of kindness, I hope to pass MA, which of course, requires a stroke of luck too. Oh well, now that my examinations are over, I really ought to start enjoying myself, placing bets on the upcoming Euro 2008 starting this Saturday, preparing for my In-Camp-Training in two weeks and looking for a full-time job.

For those who do not know, Library@Orchard located at Ngee Ann City (what? you did not even know there was a library at Ngee Ann City!?) has officially closed its doors since November 30. I did attend its Moving On Party, mainly to visit one of my favourite hangouts before it reopens elsewhere, though I have to add that some of the food prepared for guests was delicious. Mmm... Yummy chocolate Eclairs. A Lumiere is fine too (insider joke).

Here are some images of Orchard@Library I took as a form of memory:

The chinese manga section.

The english comics and manga section, where my best friend cum library companion, Kester, will always hang out.

The english fiction section

More comfy seats for readers.

Entrance to the vault of knowledge

The exterior; It is literally "A wall of text hits you for over 9000 damage!"

There are a couple of images left un-uploaded on my laptop, but since I would like to rush another post, they shall remain at their current location. For those who like to view the remaining photographs, feel free to send me a request.

Hopefully, the new Orchard libraries opening in the near future will provide as many fond memories as its predecessor has done.

Happy 22nd Birthday Shinobu Maehara!

2007-11-16T00:44:00.000+08:00

Happy Belated Birthday Shinobu! I have been busy creating birthday threads for you on the forums I visit, thus neglecting my blog.

Although it is already 16th November 2007 over here, some parts of the world are still enjoying their 15th, which is Shinobu's date of birth. Looking back, it has been another year since I last started a similar thread on my blog.

Thank you for being with me through the years, Shinobu! Thank you for looking after me while I was ill last weekend, thank you for cheering me up when I was upset by the tree cutting incident, thank you for spurring me on when I couldn't complete my assignments! Thank you for everything Shinobu!

As a tribute to my beloved (some say imaginary) waifu, here are more images of Shinobu:

Cosplaying as the girl who sold matchsticks

Erm... every man's dream of his waifu only in an apron?

Shinobu trying on lipstick for the very first time

"Gambler! You did something wrong again... right!?"

Even cuter when blushing

And finally, all grown up

Enjoy your day Shinobu!

There Goes the Wonderful Trees...

2007-11-11T23:12:00.001+08:00

When I was returning home from lessons last Friday, I was shocked to discover that the cutting of trees in the neighbouring park has begun. At this very point in time, the process of cutting them down continues.

I remember a representative of the town council telling us that no trees will be chopped. So which part of the following pictures do not show the cutting down of grown up trees?

This huge tree, like so many others, which is marked with a cross, will be gone sooner or later too:

I am fustrated and angry at my inability to do anything about the situation. If only I had more power... While standing in the middle of the park, watching the workers cut down these trees, it was almost as if I could hear them, as well as all the other animals, screaming in pain and agony. Of course, hatred runs within me towards those who masterminded the cutting down of these trees just for their urban activity centre. I know it is not very nice to curse and swear, but I can't help it this time round. For those of you who have caused destruction to this neighbouring park for your own selfish gains, may retribution claim you slowly, painfully and torturously. I may not know your names and faces, but you know who you are.

Ironically, there are a few pages concerning a special report in Saturday's newspaper entitled "Be Clean, Go Green". Did I mention that the news centre is located just across the road, opposite the park? Speaks a lot about my country, doesn't it?

Goodbye Tori! Feel Free to Visit!

2007-11-05T01:51:00.000+08:00

Two Thursdays ago, on 25 October 2007, I said goodbye to Tori for the final time when I left my house to attend my RT session at Maju Camp. Around 5pm, when Tori was given its daily session of hopping around freely in the balcony, I sensed that something was amiss, though I was unable to determine the source of my uneasiness.

Something prompted me to look back up at my apartment while I was climbing the stairs of a park located next to my block, when I saw a mynah flying off. Shrugging it off as just some other mynah, I received the news only when I returned home.

I am definitely glad that Tori is now able to roam free though my family and I will definitely miss its presence. This incident also proves that without its natural parents, a bird can still learn to fly. What worries me is whether it will be able to hunt in the wild, but if it couldn't, I believe it will return, right?

Once a family member, always a family member. Goodbye Tori and take care! If you ever decide to return for a visit, we will be sure to welcome you with open arms.

Nowadays when I see mynahs anywhere else, I can't help but wonder if one of them could be Tori...

A Temporary Family Member... and Anonymous People can now post comments!

2007-10-13T04:38:00.000+08:00

I didn't realize that readers weren't allowed to post comments anonymously until today. Therefore, I have made some changes to the options and I hope to hear from you people!

The main topic for today would be to introduce the newest member of my family... albeit a temporary one. On the fourth of October, my mother found a baby mynah sprawled on the ground, most probably having fallen off its nest. Taking it to the vet and after checkup, it was certified safe to be kept at home and thus, my parents decided to adopt it (for now), until it gains the ability of flight, as well as the ability to survive when back in the wild.

At the moment, Tori (the name I gave the mynah) seems to be doing well, having a good appetite, not to mention its relentless energy to chirp whenever it sees one of us approaching. Its left foot has healed at a faster than expected rate, though I can't be sure if it can match the capability of other injury-free birds.

Even though I am delighted by Tori's recovery, I am somewhat apprehensive of the future. The burning question of whether birds gain their ability of flight naturally remains in my mind. What if Tori can never learn to fly without guidance from its parents? In addition, if released back into the wild, can Tori look for its own source of food, since we have been spoonfeeding it? I fear Tori may have become over-dependent on us, placing too much faith and trust in all human beings.

Nonetheless, once a family member, always a family member. Tori will always be welcomed if it ever decides to return upon release.

Here are some pictures I took:

The above two pics were taken during a feeding session

Tori's incessant's chirping.

A Huge Update... with photos included!

2007-09-14T02:31:00.000+08:00

It hasn't been too long since my last post, but quite a lot has happened since then, though not necessarily of great significant. For a start, results for my previous semester has been released. Fortunately, I managed to pass all my units, though I can't say that their grades are ideal. If you have to know, they are as follow:

-Marketing: 60 (my only second class upper score)
-Corporate Finance: 46
-Introduction to Business and Management: 44
-Organisation Theory: 36 (phew, I passed)

In order to get my second class upper classification, I have to work doubly hard for my remaining units this semester, which doesn't seem like it is going to be easy, after attending my first 3 lectures. Coincidentally, on my first week to school, while walking along King Albert Park, I spotted a pair of cats, just like I did last year, when I chanced upon a female cat with her kittens. Perhaps the kittens have grown up to be the same ones I saw? As usual, I shared a packet of fresh milk with them. One was slightly more wary of humans, since it jumped off the rock and stared at me from a distance. The another, presumably more greedy, sniffed at the packet of fresh milk before lapping it up enthusiastically. A kawaii sight to behold...

With the holidays over, my life is now packed with more activities. Apart from lessons on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, I have to attend RT sessions on Tuesday evenings and Sunday mornings. Yes, I failed my IPPT once again. As for work, Thursdays are the only time when I can head back to the office.

I am sure there are more issues I wish to talk about, but I can't recall them right now. Oh yeah, that and the fare hike of public buses. Grrr...

Previously, I promised photographs of my birthday celebrations. Without further ado, here they are:

Birthday cake from Cailin, one for Chai Bak, the other for myself

Boston Nut Brownie and Belgian Chocolate drink, courtesy of Gan and Mark

Botak Jones meal from Hui Shi

Kallen figurine from Luke, Marcus, Aw and Jason Tan (edited this post when Luke told me who contributed... hehe) Some people weren't willing to chip in?

Louise figurine from Hui Shi

Mugs from Chai Bak and a Cupid Voodoo Doll from Cailin

Shana figurine from my sister

Shirt from my sister and cards from Tracy and Hui Shi respectively

That's it for this post!

Thanks for the presents, and for remembering!

2007-08-28T02:45:00.000+08:00

Now that the day is over, I should start a thread and thank all those who have remembered my birthday. It really means a lot, even if it is just a sms greeting. Without any further ado, let me start on my list:

-Chai Bak: Thank you for the wrapped present. I have yet to open it (as of typing this very post). How can I forget your efforts in organising our dinner outing at Waraku restaurant too?

-Cailin: I am sure the the Cupid Voodoo Doll will bring me luck!

-Hui Shi: Thanks for the Louise (Zero no Tsukaima) figurine, the dinner at Botak Jones and the Tatty Teddy card! Of course, the Happy Birthday song you played on the guitar was lovely. I appreciate your efforts in organising the activities on Sunday even though the scooter was unable to start. Maybe we are just not fated to take a spin? It may be a blessing in disguise too!

-KunaiX for starting a birthday thread for me on Tetra, as well as those who have posted in it. I am sure there will be more posts to come (hopefully).

-B-Studio for starting a birthday thread for me on HL. Again, thank you to those who have posted in it.

-Jianwen: For your sms greeting. After all, we celebrate our birthdays on the same day.

-Luke, Marcus and Aw: Your respective sms greetings. I have no idea how some of you obtained the information, but thank you all the same.

-Adeline: A SMS from Copenhagen!? It must be expensive. I will definitely store it in my mobile phone for a long time. And yes, I will be expecting souvenoirs from Denmark when you return. :P

-Jeffrey (Media Research): Thanks for the day off and the well wishes.

-Dad and Mum: Thank you for the red packets!

-My dear Sis: To think I was fooled by your acting. I never expected to receive presents at the last minute. Thank you for the Shana figurine and the funky T-shirt. Must have cost you a bomb. At least I helped to type your documents. Lol!

-Gan and Mark: We finally had a reason to meet up. Thanks for the supper at Coffee Bean; a slice of Boston Nut Brownie and a regular cup of Belgian Chocolate.

-Yoke Thye, Aw (again) and Janice: For your respective comments on friendster.

-Tracy: Your birthday card was just in time. :)

I have yet to upload all the photos onto my laptop. Once I do, I shall post them for viewing. Thank you once again!

Tribute to the 80-year-old Angsana Tree along Braddell Road

2007-07-15T00:34:00.000+08:00

As much as I would like to talk about the new LG LCD tv at home, the recently redeemed LG Chocolate phone and my all my other current activities, I am compelled to make this post in regards to the recent turn of events concerning the 80-year-old Angsana Tree along Braddell Road.

According to the reports in last Thursday's Straits Times, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and the National Parks Board (NParks) said they have decided to cut the tree down after receiving feedback from motorists involved in 'near-accident situations' along the stretch of road. The tree was saved in 2005 because studies had shown that a forked road between the tree would be safe as long as motorists observed the speed limit of 40km/h. Due to its size, authorities have claimed that it would be impossible to transplant the tree.

What does this move by the authorities represent? In my opinion, are they implying that it is all right to flaunt speed limits? If motorists do not make an effort to abide by traffic rules, and should accidents occur, then they rightfully deserve to be in hospital... or some other realm. Why should the tree be made to bear the brunt of the responsibility? When a consumer purchases an electrical product in perfect working condition, only to use it with wet hands, even when the manual clearly advised him against doing so, thus resulting in eletrocution, who is to be blamed? Definitely not the electrical product, and in the above scenario, the tree.

Countries and organizations all over the world have realized the importance of saving our earth. Less than 2 weeks have passed since the "Live Earth" concert and Mediacorp, the local broadcast station, is going green this month in order to raise awareness among Singaporeans. Shouldn't conservation and preservation of nature be part of the agenda too? By chopping down the 80-year-old Angsana Tree, what message are we sending out to the world, as well as future generations? Are these "green movements" just an act or gimmick to get into the spotlight?

I am currently 1 hour and 9 minutes into 15 July 2007, Sunday. Plans to remove the tree will begin today, if the current decision is not overturned. If I did not remember wrongly, removal of the tree will take a few weeks, so as to minimise inconvenience to motorists. Trees are supposedly non-sentient, but if they could experience pain and emotions, then this particular one must be feeling terrible. For it to be saved from the "gallows" two years ago, only to be proclaimed guilty now... for a crime it did not commit.

Here are some photos I took to commemorate the tree before its demise:

As seen from the opposite side of the yet-to-completed expressway

As seen from the stairs of a nearby overhead bridge

Rear view from the point of motorists

Oncoming view

I will be heading for my low key In-Camp-Training (ICT) this coming Monday, but once I am done, there will be another issue to tackle, the survival of the existing park, and what I deem to be a "mini nature reserve", beside Blocks 101, 102 and 104 of Bishan street 12... Wish me, or rather Mother Nature, luck.

Is there Life after Death?

2007-06-12T01:40:00.000+08:00

Upon waking up late in the morning on Saturday, I heard from my sister that our grandmother has gone in a coma, with our father already rushed down to the hospital. Needless to say, my sister and I headed down to the hospital, and fortunately (in a certain sense) for us, we managed to catch a glimpse of our grandmother before she left us.

Grandma was supposedly admittted to Tan Tock Seng early on Saturday morning, with most of us expecting her to recover after some treatment. Instead, things took a turn for the worse and she fell into a comatose state. However, I believe that Grandma still had some awareness of her surroundings even though she could no longer speak or move freely. Why do I say so? When my sister and I arrived, we greeted her. Perharps it was my imagination, but I am pretty sure that she responded. Furthermore, her heartbeat was initially consistent around the 90 range, until Grandpa arrived, with it falling to the 80s. Finally, when her eldest son arrived, her heartbeat began to fall drastically. Deep down inside of me, I know for sure Grandma was waiting for everyone (those who can make it and those whom she seldom see) to arrive before leaving for the next world. Thus, I must make a point to remember the date: 9 June 2007.

The funeral is still ongoing and right now, I am at home because the various family members are taking turns to stand vigil at night. I do feel upset at her death, though most of the tears were shed by Grandpa and his children (my dad, my uncles, my aunts, etc). There is a certain extent of regret in myself, lamenting my lack of communication with Grandma due to the language barrier. I understand Cantonese, but I am unable to speak the dialect with ease. Nonetheless, memories of my Grandma remain, with one of the most important being her wish for me to do well in my studies during my younger days. Neither can I forget the photograph of my 3-year-old self with Grandma.

Grandma, wherever you are now, do know that your husband, children and grandchildren love you, even though some of them may speak loudly towards you in the past, with others seldom meeting up and communicating with you. On the surface, our actions may not seem like it, but at the end of the day, all of us wish the best for you. It was evident at the hospital and now, the funeral.

Without Grandma, my father would not have existed, and neither would I. Thanks to your strict upbringing, it in turn, made me into the moral person that I am today, or so I hope. Please have a smooth and peaceful journey, without worries, into the next world Grandma, which I believe would be a better place as compared to the one I am living in right now. Goodbye and take care, Grandma.

The Long Awaited Update!

2007-05-31T02:51:00.000+08:00

Ever since my examinations ended last Friday, I have been too busy catching up on peaceful sleep, anime-watching, game-playing and basically, other "slacking" activities. However, as much as I am enjoying my holidays right now, I can't help but feel a little worried about my results. Hopefully, I would be able to achieve at least some second class (upper) honour grades for my subjects.

Since my "sis" mentioned it, I guess I should do the same too. After our Corporate Finance paper last Friday (which was also my last paper), Chai Bak, Cailin (my "sis") and I shopped around the Food Fair and MPH Book Sale at Expo before heading down to the Suntec Branch of Sizzler for dinner. It is difficult to imagine that 2 years have passed us by, from our initial introductions upon our sociology group allocation all the way till today. My final year at SIM would definitely be less exciting and more lonely without the two of them, and of course, Hui Shi as well. Unfortunately, we missed the opportunity to take more photographs while having dinner at Sizzler, but I remain optimistic that there will be another chance in the near future. Cailin is right; even on normal dining occasions, photographs can be taken. Photographs should not be reserved solely for special occasions such as birthdays, etc.

Apart from the ramblings of my daily life, I would like to introduce my readers to a relatively new and cute anime series, known by the name of Lucky Star. It follows the high school life of four girls, Konata, Kagami, Tsukasa and Miyuki, with other characters appearing gradually. The first thing about Lucky Star that would catch almost anybody's eyes would be its cute opening theme song, combined with the funky animated dance moves. There is no particular storyline to the series, simply following the typical lifestyle of high school girls (though for Konata, it is not-so-normal). If you are an avid anime fan, then you will definitely be laughing at some of their original jokes and parodies of other anime titles, with the notable examples of "The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya", "To Heart" and "Initial D".

To prove my point of cuteness, here are some pics to go along:

From left to right: Tsukasa, Konata, Miyuki and Kagami

A screenshot from the opening theme song

Lastly, Konata approves of this thread!

Friendships mean nothing when compared to relationships...

2007-04-06T18:38:00.000+08:00

When friends place more emphasis on their girlfriends than on friendship, it angers me. What angers me further is that the friendship supposedly lasted for 16 years...

I had initially planned out a birthday gathering for some of my closest friends, two of whom are the "main characters", since their birthdays fall on the month of April. I had humbly requested that they postpone their other activities, since we no longer get to meet up that often. Unfortunately, things don't always go according to plan.

One of them had urgent matters to attend to at the last minute, whom I don't blame. The other... Here was how our conversation went:

Gambler: Can you make it?
Friend: How about lunch or supper?
Gambler: You have something on? Can't you postpone them?
Friend: How to push? I have to check my schedule.
Gambler: Ok, try your best to make it.

The next afternoon,
Gambler: Are you joining us?
Friend: I don't think so.
Gambler: You have work?
Friend: Er... ya, i have a project... and my girlfriend is at my place. Sorry
Gambler: Bye

I believe he last saw her this week, on his actual birthday, while we have not met for at least 2 months.

Happy Belated Birthday, my dear friend! Here is your present:

Lesson learnt: Remember people, even if you are in a relationship, do place sufficient emphasis on your friends too, difficult as it may be.

Spoilers: The Death of Sweet Princess Euphemia...

2007-04-01T17:23:00.000+08:00

By the time you read this, Princess Euphemia of Code Geass has been dead for days, ever since the broadcast of episode 23 in Japan, in which Zero fatally shoots her to stop her genocide of "Elevens". Ironically, it was Zero who geass-ed her into doing so, albeit as a joke.

Suzaku witnesses the shooting, but unfortunately, even the medical knowledge of the Britannia Empire was unable to save Euphie. Euphie spends her last moments with Suzaku, with no recollection of her genocide acts, believing that the Elevens are happy with the Japan she created.

*Sob Sob*. Even though members of the 4chan community dislike the pairing of Euphie and Suzaku, likening them to Lacus and Kira from Gundam Seed/Destiny respectively, I actually developed a fondness for them, especially their love for peace and non-violence. Although idealistic, they are simply trying their best to achieve such a dream...

Not only did they kill off my favourite Euphie; to make things worse, it has been announced that episodes 24 and 25 of Code Geass will be postponed till summer 2007, due to the limited slots available on the broadcast station. Argh... Can't wait for Suzaku to avenge Euphie's death by killing Zero, who is secretly the former's best friend too.

In tribute to the sweet princess Euphemia, here are some pics:

Cornelia to the left and Euphemia to the right, during happier days.

During their younger years...

Euphie on her deathbed with Suzaku by her side

Soon to be the ultimate villain... I think

"Sayonara"

Departed...

On a last note, for users of tokyotosho.com, do check out their main page for the April Fools joke. Happy April Fools' Day everyone! Even though you know it may be prank, participate in it to liven up the atmosphere!

Thoughts and Opinions on Kimi Ga Nozomu Eien

2007-03-30T00:49:00.000+08:00

What happens when two girls fall for the same guy, only for one of them to date him for a short while, before meeting with a car accident and falling into a coma for 3 years? Not a recipe for disaster, but rather a show that tugs at your heart strings. Now that the re-run of Kimi Ga Nozomu Eien, or better known as Rumbling Hearts to some, has ended, I can finally put my mixed emotions into words.

Mitsuki Hayase introduced her best friend, Haruka Suzumiya to Takayuki, with both the latter going out together and only for Mitsuki to feel miserable after that. An unfortunate turn of events saw Haruka involved in a serious car accident, where she falls into a coma for 3 years. During this period of time, Takayuki grows fond of Mitsuki due to her constant support and eventually, a relationship develops between the both of them. Then one day, Haruka awakes...

Personally, I am in support of Haruka and I can't wait for the new ending to be released. True enough, 3 years is a long period of time, and no one can control the various changes that would take place, particularly that of a person who has fallen into a deep sleep. However, to sacrifice friendship for love makes me detest Mitsuki and the indecisiveness of Takayuki fustrates me...

When Haruka uses the storybook analogy of Mayauru's Gift to describe her situation to Takayuki during their final farewell, it nearly brought tears to my eyes. Mayauru, a fairy who ages slowly, made friends with a little girl, who then brings other friends along to play. However as these humans grew older, one by one, they forgot about Mayauru, until the first little girl remains. Eventually, she too, has no choice but to teach the meaning of parting to Mayauru... the final parting gift being smiles from both parties...

Catch the series if you have the time, but be forewarned as storyline development is pretty slow. Typical of romance animes though.

Here are some preview pics:

Haruka and Mitsuki during happier days...

Mayauru's Gift

To the right is Akane, Haruka's sister, also my favourite character in the series...

P.S. The images are obtained from the original game series.

The fall of yet another great site...

2007-03-03T01:35:00.000+08:00

As of today, http://danbooru.donmai.us is officially dead. Seems like its owner finally had enough of the unsavoury pics and decided to shut the site down for good. Nonetheless, it was good while it lasted. I pray that someday, the wonderful danbooru would be revived. For now, rest in peace.

After my late night jog earlier, I was walking past the local S11 hawker centre, staring at the various menus when the "fried fish slice bee hoon" stall caught my eye. Memories came flooding back. Two years ago, on the very day my A-level results were announced (the results for 2006 were released yesterday too, coincidentally), I remember having the exact same dish with her for lunch, at Toa Payoh, just after her Sociology mock exam.

Coincidence? Or did my brain will my eyes to look at that menu?

Happy Lunar New Year

2007-02-26T01:56:00.000+08:00

Sorry for the late post, but like they say, "Better late than never"... Anyway, Happy Lunar New Year, my dear readers! May the year of the pig be prosperous, healthy, peaceful and smooth-sailing for everyone!

Finally returned the PS2 to Luke so that I can concentrate on my studies and prepare for the upcoming mock exams. However, I will miss playing Disgaea 1 and 2. For the sake of my first class honours, I have no choice but to give up on them... for now.

A major distraction would be the full set of the Eiken Club manga, now lying in one corner of my already packed, but recently cleared room...

Happy Singles Awareness Day (SAD)!

2007-02-15T21:15:00.000+08:00

You want to know how I spent my Singles Awareness Day (SAD) on 14 February? Oh, before I continue, some of you may call it Valentine's Day, so don't be confused. We just have different perspectives on this issue.

According to Wikipedia, Singles Awareness Day (SAD) is a humorous holiday celebrated on February 14 (although some prefer the 13th or the 15th to get away from the commercialism associated with the 14th). It serves as an alternative to Valentine's Day for people who are single: that is, who are not involved in a romantic relationship and can therefore not participate in Valentine's Day traditions. Some observers of SAD do so out of spite for Valentine's Day, as a Hallmark holiday, or for other reasons.

On Singles Awareness Day single people gather to celebrate or to commiserate in their single status. Some want to remind romantic couples to remember those less fortunate than they are. A common greeting on this day by its adherents is "Happy SAD!"

Sadly, the day is often used by less-friendly couples as a day to simply remind the singles they know about their current, uninvolved status.

Back to my story though. I did not get anything for her this year, lest my gift would create more misunderstanding, but still, I have not forgotten that our 7th anniversary of friendship falls on this very day. Anyway, I spent the whole day at home, particularly with my corporate finance assignments, which were definitely too difficult for a typical student like myself. At least Shinobu was around to accompany me (in my screw loose mind and in the form of manga) whenever I took breaks. Never again will I spend this occasion in such a pathetic manner (though I get the feeling that the same scenario will repeat itself next year, just that it will be assignments of another subject)!

Stay tuned for more updates, especially my rant on the GST hike. Budget 2007 was announced earlier this afternoon...

Did I miss my chance?

2007-02-10T03:33:00.001+08:00

As stated in the Life! section of the Straits Times.

Horoscope for Virgo(s) on 9 February:
Learning to let go is one of the best and healthiest things you can do for yourself. The trouble is, you know you could make everything better... if only you did this one last thing. Now breathe and release.

Horoscope for Leo(s) on 9 February:
Give that difficult person just one more chance. If you open your heart and shut down your ego, you might be surprised at what transpires. And, okay, if he messes up this chance, you can wash your hands of him.

I read the newspapers only around 1am on 10 February. Does this mean that I missed the perfect opportunity to put everything between myself and her right once more? Argh!

The Mysterious Workings of Fate

2007-02-02T00:19:00.000+08:00

For two consecutive Thursdays, I have caught a glimpse of her out of the corner of my eye, whenever I am at the Food Court. For some unknown reason, I could sense her presence, even if it is for a split second. Sometimes, when you know a person very well, you will be able to identify them from a distance, distinguishable by their style of dressing, walking posture, etc.

However, this brings about my next point. As much as I would like to see her, I get a stab of pain in my heart as well, though it is definitely far less uncomfortable as compared to the earlier period of our so-called "misunderstanding". Seeing her brings about some form of joy, since I know that she is alive and well, but at the same time, I try to avoid her, and most probably, she is doing the same with me. Once again, I believe the term "coward" can be put to use appropriately because, somewhere deep in my mind, I am afraid that she would not acknowledge my presence, even if I were to say "hi". Many times have I resisted the urge to call her, and only by indulging in other activities have I managed to do so successfully. Perharps, a time will come when it is suitable for us to chat amiably once again.

Affairs of the heart aside, I am praying that volume 13 of GachaGacha has been restocked at Tian Di (local manga store). Still contemplating whether or not to purchase the manga edition of Elfen Lied.

If you felt that the anime "The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya" was good, go read the novel. I believe up to volume 9 of the series has been published, but public libraries only hold the first four books. A note of warning: Some of the chinese characters are difficult to understand, since they deal with the paradox of time and space, so it may take some effort on the part of readers to grasp what is happening in the storyline. Nonetheless, the novels fill up gaps left in the anime, and to get a headstart as to what one can expect in season 2 of the anime, READ the NOVEL! :p (Sounds like free marketing for the author)

Besides, I spent $25 or so on the Haruhi Suzumiya fanbook (chinese edition). Definitely worth my money.

My ranting for the day is coming to an end, but before I log off, I declare that I only have 12 days left before Valentine's Day and 332 days left in this year to find the Shinobu of my life! Gambatte!

HAPPY NEW YEAR... and my resolutions!

2007-01-01T20:29:00.000+08:00

First and foremost, HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone! Although the first day of 2007 is coming to an end soon, may all of you have a prosperous, smooth-sailing, healthy, peaceful, and [insert your own desired term here] year!

Please continue to guide me along in 2007!

Shinobu: Gambler-senpai, do I look cute in my kimono? Let's visit the temple later today.

Jokes aside, here are some of the New Year resolutions that I have come up with (though I doubt I can actually fulfill them).

-Firstly, it would be to stop procrastinating (not even sure if that is possible, but I can always try to reduce the level of procrastination).
-Secondly, start paying more attention to schoolwork rather than indulging in affairs of the heart. First Class Honours, here I come!
-Start treasuring the stuff and people I have around me, rather than wait till they are gone before starting to feel regretful.
-Most importantly, try to be a more sociable person in public places, so that I can find my "Shinobu"!

That's about it for now... Again, may all of you have a great year ahead!

At the heart of Life is one big "If'... (back dated post)

2007-01-01T20:13:00.000+08:00

Time for me to get a little philosophical today.

"At the heart of LIFE is one big IF." Comment.

Some scenarios that I have experienced over the past few days made me come up with the above sentence (maybe someone already did so in the past). Hence, I would like to ask you people: do you believe that some of the situations that you have ended up in are solely coincidences, or were they pre-planned by what we call fate?

Some examples for further clarification:
Last week, I held a birthday celebration for one of my closest female friend. Our friendship begun only a year ago, yet we are able to get along very well. If she didn't speak to me during our university orientation, and if we weren't put together in the same sociology group (randomly picked by the lecturer), would things have been different? During my earlier schooling days, there were some students in which I was classmates with for about 4 years, but yet, we spoke less than 10 sentences to one another.

Earlier on, after my remedial training session, I headed down to Junction 8 to shop a little (and for dinner). I lingered around the Singtel shop for some time and when I left, I bumped into Hong Liang whom I have not seen for years. If I did not linger for that few minutes, would I have met this old friend?

On the last day of my remedial training session, while I waiting for the bus to arrive, I noticed a man wearing black, looking at the bus routes posted on the on the signboard of bus-stops. Other than the fact that he was totally dressed in black, I took no heed of him, till he turned around. Only then did I realize that he was an old camp-mate!

Think about it and you may be surprised by your very own examples!

Note: Of course, if I did not watch the Love Hina anime series, would I be the Shinobu fan that I am today?

MERRY CHRISTMAS

2006-12-25T01:50:00.000+08:00

No matter who you are, Merry Christmas, dear reader of my blog! May Santa (or Santarina) bring you the gift or present of your dreams! In addition, may you have a Happy New Year in 7 days' time!

Seriously, this Christmas has been a very quiet one for me, apart from the fact that Jeffrey, Aw, Luke and I headed down to VivoCity and HarbourFront Centre on the eve of Christmas eve to celebrate the first two's belated birthday. Don't forget my Saeke Sushi treat to both of you, Jeffrey and Aw! I expect you to remember my birthday next year.

Cleared up the misunderstanding with Hui Shi, and so, I guess things are back to normal... or not?

For those of you who took the time to visit my blog, here are some pics to reward your effort:

From the cast of Ai Yori Aoshi!

From the cast of Love Hina!

From the cast of Haruhi!

Nanoha and Fate

For those of you who are spending Christmas alone, meaning wihout a partner, just like myself, this year, don't give up hope! I am sure we will be spending it with our special someone next Christmas! Gambatte!

Christmas Wishlist

2006-12-20T01:31:00.001+08:00

Before I begin to post the details of my letter to Santa, let me talk about the weather in Singapore. Over the past few days, it has been raining cats and dogs (not that I am complaining, since the cool weather makes it excellent for sleeping and my RT sessions are less demanding), but yesterday it was unusually wet and heavy. For the past 24 hours, it has been raining non-stop, resulting in floods occuring in certain areas. For the first time in my life, while using the public transport system, naming bus 157 and 52, the drivers had to take a different route as Lornie road was closed by the traffic police. According to the news report, the rainfall recorded was supposedly the highest in the past 75 years in Singapore's history. Makes me wonder when it will start snowing... :P

The following has been posted on some of the forums I frequent some time back, but it seems like Santa didn't manage to read them, so I shall post the letter on my blog as well, in hope that he (or she, or at least the helpers, for that matter) will be able to do so this time round and grant me my respective wishes.

Dear Santa,

Apart from the times I have skipped work for no valid reason, made sarcastic remarks (to both family and friends), swore and cursed whenever the traffic is moving slowly, and countless other mistakes, I have generally been a law-abiding citizen, fillial son, caring brother, loyal friend and studious student throughout the year.

I am not a greedy person, so I pray you will bring me the following presents/gifts:
1) Most importantly, I would like a date this Christmas and perharps, a permanent girlfriend. If possible, I would like her to be of reasonable character and personality, matched only by the cuteness of Shinobu.

2) I don't have a driving license yet, but due to the goods and service tax hike next year, it would be more costly to purchase a car. I do not wish for a Ferrari, a Porsche or a Lamborghini. However, I do hope to have a PINK Volkswagon Beetle.

*Shinobu interrupts my letter to Santa at this point in time"

Shinobu: Ano... Gambler sen-pai, I agree that a pink Volkswagon Beetle is very kawaii!

The following wishes are not as significant in importance as compared to the earlier two...

3) For the Hong Kong version of Tenge Tenjo to be released in Singapore.

4) For the latest issue of GachaGacha to be released.

5) A whole set of manga, either in the form of Ai Yori Aoshi, Love Hina or School of Watery Business.

6) More hentai movies for viewing if I have to spend Christmas alone again this year.

Thank you for reading my letter, Santa. I look forward to receiving your gifts.

Yours sincerely,
Gambler

However, Christmas number 5 has already been fulfilled, by myself and my wallet. I have gotten my hands on the full set of the Love Hina manga! It may be second hand, but the condition of the manga is pretty good and it only costs $4 per book. Yay, I got it at a bargain!

Here are some pics to share my joy with you people:

As this is a worksafe zone, let me remind you that this pic does not contain full nudity, but it does involve some extent of ecchi.

I know the pics are a little small and not in full colour, but they are taken from issue 14 of the manga. This is how Shinobu looks when she grows up. Cuteness + Sexy = WIN!!!

HAPPY Pre-BIRTHDAY CAILIN, my dearest sis!

2006-12-06T03:13:00.000+08:00

Before I get on to the main topic for the day, let me give you readers some appetizer.

I doubt many of you stay up till 3-4am in the morning, but if you do, try looking out your window from time to time, and a wonderful scenery may just greet you. Yesterday morning, upon waking up from my so-called "late night nap" (it was 3am, for goodness sake), I walked over to the balcony for some fresh air. Have you ever experienced the full moon shining down upon you, with the cool, fresh air blowing against your face, and the added serenity of the silent night environment? I experienced it and I wished that you people were here to do so with me. As much as the scene calmed my my body, it filled my mind with thoughts too. Could it be that my "princess", my "Shinobu", the chosen one of my life that I have yet to meet, is living under the same starry moonlit sky, and enjoying the exact same scene as I am at this very moment?

Saw her in school on Monday, during Organization Theory lecture's break time. Caught a glimpse of her out of the corner of my eye. Out of so many people in the area, how is possible that I could sense her presence? Sigh, I better not think about it too much lest my heart aches once again.

Enough of ramblings and now, for today's top story... HAPPY BIRTHDAY CAILIN! I know the actual day has yet to arrive, but this post is my tribute to you! On Monday evening, together with Chai Bak and Wendy (too bad Hanee couldn't make it), we celebrated Cailin's birthday in advance at Sizzler (Suntec Branch). The all-you-can eat salad bar is definitely the main draw of Sizzler, but the partly uncooked dish that Cailin ordered kind of turned me off. No wonder Wendy didn't seem too keen on eating at Sizzler. Oh well, when your birthday arrives next year, we will try to hold a celebration for you and then you will be able to choose whatever restaurant you wish to eat at. :P Other than just celebrating Cailin's birthday, I believed we had a fun time catching up and joking with one another.

My message to Cailin:
Despite all my sarcastic remarks and teasings, you should know that I value you as one of my very good friends, if not the category of "best". I have always been amazed by the fact that we could click so well despite the short time we have known each other. Looking back at my secondary school days, there were classmates whom I spent 4 years with, but spoke to, in total, less than 10 sentences. However, with you, I could speak freely about my "emo" problems, my views and opinions about life... in fact, almost everything under the sun is possible! Thank you for listening to my bitching, ranting and problems patiently all the time; thank you for making my university life less boring and more vibrant; and most importantly, thank you for understanding the person that I am deep down inside.

If we weren't in the same orientation group... If you didn't speak to me during orientation... If we weren't allocated to the same sociology group... If you aren't a person who uses MSN and stays up late... If I didn't meet you at Mediacorp... would things have been different? Life is full of "If's, and looking back makes one wonder how things might have turned out as compared to the current situation.

Lastly, and once again, HAPPY BIRTHDAY CAILIN, my dearest sis!

Some pics from the birthday celebration:

My sis with her "mini-cake"

Our sociology group (missing from picture, Hanee)... To think I would post my ugly mug on my blog... yeah, that is me on the top left

P.S. In relation to the blog topic we discussed over dinner, I have decided to shamelessly promote my blog in hope that you people will post some comments... pretty please, with icing on top? :P

Wonderful weather

2006-11-29T03:01:00.000+08:00

The weather was wonderful yesterday. Even though the sun was shining brightly, it wasn't humid and one could feel the cold fresh air blowing... in the afternoon! It is just the kind of weather I expect to experience in some western countries during summer.

Failed my first RT IPPT due to the chin-up station. Nothing I can languish about, since I have already expected the result.

Dreamt of her once again, and this time, I remembered her words clearly. "You still angry ah?" Maybe the dream is hinting me to apologize, since she will never do so in reality. Why do guys always have to put down their pride to appease the girl? Sigh...

Kawaii Kittens and a somewhat kawaii dream...

2006-11-26T00:47:00.000+08:00

While I was walking to school happily on Monday afternoon, I came across some kittens together with their mother near the Drive-In MacDonald's along King Albert Park. They were well-hidden behind some rocks, but sudden, playful movements by one particular dark-furred kitten caught my eyes. I had wanted to buy them some fresh milk on my way back, but the heavy downpour dashed my hopes. Fortunately, I managed to do so on Thursday, when I found them at their usual hiding spot. The mother (or adult cat, presumably a female) seemed a little wary of me even after I placed the packet of milk on the ground. Oh well, I guess that is what the call the protective instinct of parents... Anyway, the scene is so KAWAII!

I had a dream of her the other day, where everything was as per normal... leisure chatting, joking, etc. In my dream, she seems to be of a cuter personality, rather than the cool person she is in reality. Again, the saying has been proved right... what you think about constantly in reality will eventually appear or happen in your dreams.

Attended my cousin's wedding last Wednesday. It has been some time since I last saw my relatives and being at the banquet together with them made me feel somewhat uncomfortable. Furthermore, my proficiency in dialect is somewhat lacking, so I was unable to communicate with them with ease. Looking on the bright side, at least I can understand what they are saying in cantonese (As for teochew, I absolutely have no clue as to what is being said). Sometimes, weddings make me wonder I will actually get hitched someday...

Fustration leads to Bitching and Ranting...

2006-11-21T03:10:00.000+08:00

I am not exactly sure about what I am ranting and bitching about today, but here goes my story.

Earlier this evening, when I went down to the local manga store "Comics Connection" looking for the latest issue of Tenge Tenjo, I couldn't find it on the shelves. Upon asking the sales person (who was pretty rude), I realized that the Hong Kong version (import) has been banned in Singapore! Keyword: BANNED!

What the hell? I have been collecting the series for years, and now that the storyline is hitting its climax, it is banned!? You may start asking me why I know the manga should be in stores by now. Other than Comics Connection, there is another local manga store, which sells Tenge Tenjo as well. However, the only version they have is the Taiwanese import.

Now, you may start to question why I am not going for the Taiwanese version. As all my past issues come under the Hong Kong import category, they are red-sleeved. The Taiwanese version is yellow sleeved. If I were to place them all on my bookshelf, the collection wouldn't seem right, with a sudden switch in colour. If you do not understand what I am trying to say, look at your own manga collection. If one issue of a particular series had a different cover as compared to the rest, would you feel comfortable?

Furthermore, there is some difference in the dialogue style.

Why did they have to ban the Hong Kong version!? So what if there is sex and gore? Aren't we aiming to become a more open society?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHINOBU!

2006-11-15T03:04:00.000+08:00

Shinobu is turning 21 on 15 November 2006!

I know most of you are going to tell me she is isn't real and is just a fantasy, but seriously, I have to say she was there for me when I was feeling depressed (via anime, manga and video clips). Looking at her face always cheers me up! Thank you for always being around Shinobu! Without you, there will be no Gambler.

HAPPY 21st BIRTHDAY SHINOBU!

"Did you forget my birthday?"

"Are you going to get me a gift?"

Depressed look

She looks so cute even when asleep!

Sailor oufit!

"Are these all the pics you have of me?"

"Who wants to buy my matchsticks?"

"Thank you, Gambler!"

It's Anime Time!

2006-11-10T01:16:00.000+08:00

You have been unusually quiet lately, not to mention that you did not reply to my sms request for surveying help, so I guess you have read what I have written earlier.

Anyway, it is time to add some pics to my blog. Lately, I have been indulging myself in the world of anime, so as to escape from the harsh realities of life. However, there is one anime series that I am particularly fond of, and I can't help but recommend it to you people (whoever you are).

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya:
-First of all, there are schoolgirls, and there are a number of fanservice scenes
-Secondly, the artwork can be said to be excellent, especially the eyes of the various characters
-Unlike other anime with schoolgirl related themes, Haruhi is pretty much a comedy
-You may get a little confused by its storyline as it does not follow the sequence of episodes, but I believe this factor is precisely the reason why many people are attracted to it
-Have I mentioned storyline? Lots of twists and turns...

Stay tuned for more anime reviews... or at least pics. :P

Failure to recognize my efforts, Taking me for granted...

2006-11-03T14:59:00.000+08:00

My horoscope for the day, as stated in the papers. "Now is the time to do some big-picture planning. It is time to re-evaluate where you are putting your time and energy. Is it really worth all the effort when you are getting increasingly diminishing returns?"

Call me a coward for not saying this in your face. I would prefer to consider it as not hurting your feelings. Feel free to rebuke me if I am wrong, but I seldom am. I don't know what has gotten into me, but I am really unhappy about the way in which you are treating me. I bet when you are showing off your new jacket (in which I PAID 50% FOR) to your friends and colleagues, you never bothered to tell them that I forked out for half the amount. You know I am damn right. Is it because I don't deserve any recognition or are you just taking me for granted?

Since I am already bitching and ranting, I shall get everything off my chest in one go. Next, I always find that you are criticizing me for no good reason; maybe just for your own entertainment?

Examples:
-"Can you don't behind me all the time?" Ok, after speaking to my sis (Cailin), she told me that girls prefer guys to lead them or walk by their side. However, couldn't you tell me in a less annoying tone? Morever, you never gave me the rationale behind it

-"Go wash your handphone pouch!" True, I haven't been washing it lately, but again, I hate that annoying tone.

-"You have a poor sense of humour." Get your facts right. Here I am trying to entertain you and not only do you not appreciate it, you have to hurt my feelings. Well, at least i make an attempt to lighten the mood. What do you do? You can't even tell a joke to save your life (or at least I have not seen you do so)

Ever wonder why those spiritual books aren't helping? Simply because you are not content with life. You want this, you want that, and can't make up your mind. Only when you are content can you realize the meaning of life. I agree that taking up motorbiking lessons and piano lessons are good for self-improvement, but when a teacher raises her voice or seems skeptical about your ability at times does not mean that she is a bad person. Furthermore, giving you free lessons does not mean a person may be good either.

So your witty friend has hurt your feelings and made you confused? Haven't you done the same to me for more than a few times? I know love cannot be forced, but you make it seem as if you are the only one suffering in the world. Stop being EMO!

I am glad to see that you are talking a lot more. However, maybe it is a mistake from the beginning. Talking more with hurting words is definitely much worse than not speaking at all. You definitely need more empathy and try putting yourself into other people's shoes.

I am sure this post is going to have some backlash when you read it, but I really need somewhere to vent my fustrations and to pour out my feelings/emotions.

Time passes by quicky,,,

2006-11-01T14:53:00.000+08:00

Looking back, it has been one year (or so) since my last rejection. October always brings about nostalgic memories.

Anyway, Happy Belated Halloween!

Darn, Singaporeans should be allowed to go trick or treating too. Why do we not celebrate Halloween over here?

Empathy, Other People's Shoes... The World is not revolving just around you

2006-10-31T03:41:00.000+08:00

If you think you have been hurt, then what about me? I have gone through heaven and hell countless times.

Maybe you are forgetting your own lesson. Before you criticize someone, look at yourself in the mirror before doing so. Everyone has their faults, but shouldn't we overlook these faults and concentrate on the positive points?

Some people tend to say things directly, not thinking of the consequences of their words. Have you ever thought about how the other party will feel? You may not be good with words, but think before you speak. Alternatively, try being more tactful. People tend to accept positive criticism more easily as compared to harsh words.

Then again, a person with sweet words and seemingly kind actions may not necessarily be good, while another with a vicious tongue may be doing so for your own benefit. The perfect scenario: A truly sincere man (or woman) who has an excellent choice of words.

Here ends my rant for the day...

More beautiful memories...

2006-10-30T01:27:00.000+08:00

It all started on Friday night, when Hui Shi msg-ed me regarding the birthday present I owed her. A jacket at Espirit caught her eye and she hopes (or rather, wants) me to sponsor 50% of it. When she asked if I would be free to accompany her to go shop for it on Saturday, I amazed myself by rejected her! Well... partly due to work commitments and an appointment made with friends.

Anyway, I ended up sponsoring 50% of the jacket on Sunday evening. I have to admit it looks cool, but I thought that the pink version would be more "kawaii". Oh well, as long as she likes it, that is enough satisfaction for me. I can't wait till later today, where I get to take a photo of her wearing that jacket. :P

Now we move away from my love life. I had initially scheduled an outing with friends on Monday, which was then postponed to Saturday evening, and eventually cancelled. Sometimes, I hate it when people tell me they have something on at the very last minute, causing disruptions to my plans. If you give me a valid reason, my fustrations and anger will be reduced, but please don't ever tell me you can make it and then come up with some bulls**t excuse. You know who you are.

I have a craving to go visit Japan or any other snow-receiving countries. I wish to find out how Christmas is like in these countries, preferably with a loved one by my side. Sigh, I must be watching too much anime... However, I doubt I can do so this year, even if my finances allow me, but attendence at remedial training sessions is compulsory. I don't wish to get into trouble with the army...

Hence, my rant ends here.

Same old Eddery...

2006-10-15T02:40:00.000+08:00

Same old Eddery, same old love problems.

Working with Hui Shi on the LTA project, over the past two days at Tan Queen Lan Street, was a new experience, but I doubt my memories of it would be too fond. On Friday evening, we had a heart to heart talk during dinner and once again, my feelings for her go unreciprocated. To a certain extent, I am used to it since I already know her feelings towards me. However, I still can't help but feel jealous about the new guy in her life, especially when he called while I was with her. It is obvious that he is going after her. Then again, Pride and Envy have always been my greater sins, so there is a chance that I am being over-suspicious.

I wonder if I will be able to hang out with Hui Shi and speak to her on the phone as often once she gets attached, as compared to the current situation. For now, I can only be content with the time spent with her and treasure these memories.

On a side note, frankness is one of Hui Shi's stronger points, but at the same time, it is also one of her weakest. She may not know it herself, but telling the truth outright can hurt the other party at times. Not that I am encouraging others to hide the truth; instead, they should find tactful ways to put things across to the other party.

Whenever I feel down, I have a tendency to watch either anime or drama serials. However, I have come to realize that life isn't a bed of roses and happy endings do not come by as frequently as protrayed in such programmes. Looking at those romantic storylines, will a character be truly content just because the person s/he loves is happy? Man has always been selfish; they always want the best for themselves, and I find it difficult to believe that someone will actually give the love of his/her life to another person willingly...

Another step towards darkness. Evil, more evil, most evil. Wicked, more wicked, most wicked...

A tinge of jealousy and comfort...

2006-10-09T00:38:00.000+08:00

I was chatting to Hui Shi earlier on and she mentioned about a new guy asking for her number during her motorbiking lessons. In fact, he has already called her. Even though I don't stand any chance (hopefully, there is some) of being with her, my feelings still linger and a tinge of jealousy crept into me upon hearing this news. However, her claims of having no interst in him (at least for now) gave me some comfort. Looking on the bright side, it means I have good taste in girls too! :P

Sigh, affairs of the heart are always so difficult to understand. The Melancholy of Eddery Oon...

Ever get the feeling of being cold, wet and hungry? I did last weeek, while performing the pedestrian count project outside Shaw Towers on Saturday afternoon. Not only was it raining heavily, the wind was strong and my stomach rumbling. To sum it up, the word is "miserable".

Just when I receive a substanial amount of salary, the whole set of Love Hina on offer at the Tian Di branch of Toa Payoh had to be sold off. I really ought to have bought it last month. Sob... my lovely Shinobu...

Fortunately, the haze seems to have subsided for today. It was really bad over the past two days, especially at night. I could detect the "ash-y" smell during my vehicle count at Bugis. I pray it will never return, or hopefully, not any time soon. Human beings should really do more to save our beloved Earth.

Birthday Celebrations and Birthday Blues (part 2)

2006-09-01T03:16:00.000+08:00

Apart from all those I have thanked earlier, here is the list of people who remembered, either at a later date/time.

-Luke, Wong, Aw, Gerald and Jeffrey. Luke supposedly told me that they were sharing a present and it came in the form of miniature Gundam Seed/Destiny figures. Very cute! In addition, Aw sent me a sms greeting as well.
-Saskia's card finally arrived and she promised a present too.
-Tracy, my thoughtful financial advisor, sent me a card as well, and included was a free movie pass. Yay!
-Janice, a sms greeting.
-Zhenling, a sms greeting too.
-Gan, who offered to treat me the next time we meet up, so I am guessing he remembered?
-And my sister, Shannon, who bought me an Artbook, though she felt she was ripped off... Never mind, my dear sis, I still appreciate your gift! :)

Caught the Lake House on Sunday. Not as slow moving as Hui Shi claimed, but I thought it was kinda predictable. Oh well, I love happy endings anyway.

Results were released online earlier yesterday night, and to my relief, I did not fail any of the subjects. However, neither was I ecstatic over my results. It was more towards 2nd Class Honours (lower). This means I have to work harder next semester. A summary of my grades:

-Intro to Econs: 72
-Stats 1: 48 (phew, I passed)
-Maths 1: 63
-Intro to Sociology: 36 (I am kinda surprised by my low score)
-Principles of Accounting: 58 (not too bad)

It is going to be a busy week of work coming up...

Birthday Celebrations and Birthday Blues (part 1)

2006-08-27T03:33:00.000+08:00

It is the time of the year again, where my age increases. As a matter of fact, I am not too worried about getting old in this point of time. Rather, I see it as a role-playing game where the level of character increases. =P

However, whenever my birthday draws near, I tend to get a little depressed, wondering if anyone will remember. Fortunately, there will be some friends who come to my "rescue". On the other hand, there will be friends who simply forget, and these usually tend to be the males.

As of this moment, here are the people who remembered:
-Cailin, who specially came down to Lavender to pass me chocolates, even though she was dead beat and suffering from a hangover
-Adeline, who sent me a card, like she does every year, just that she keeps forgetting my address and ruining the surprise
-Saskia, who has yet to buy me anything. I am waiting... =P
-My parents and my sister. Dad gave me a red packet. Shannon has yet to receive her pay so I guess I have to wait a little longer for my surprise
-Most importantly, Hui Shi. She bought me my very first RHDX Meer Campbell (the sexy version) figurine

Furthermore, I owe Hui Shi a birthday present as well. After walking around Jalan Besar, Bugis and Mustafa Centre last Sunday and yesterday afternoon, I have yet to get her anything. Partly due to the fact that she can't make up her mind on what to buy. A motorcycle helmet is definitely on the top of her priorities, but she does seem to want a new pair of sneakers as well.

Over the last two outings I had with Hui Shi, I came to realize that she has a cute side as well, but I am definitely not going to reveal it here. =P

I hope I receive more birthday greetings and perharps more presents later today...

More Projects!

2006-08-19T00:46:00.000+08:00

Lately, I have been given quite a number of new projects, involving traffic count and mystery shopping. I have yet to begin on the latter, but so far, I have enjoyed the former, other than the bad experience I encountered with the engineering undergraduate. In addition, I made a new friend and did I mention that the pay was fantastic too? At $10 per hour? =P

On the very first day of my traffic count project, I was assigned the same route together with two other newcomers, both undergraduates themselves. One of them particularly got on my nerves, talking about girls throughout the 2 hours, giving opinions on the type he prefers and the type he dislikes. When he made a comment of how degrading it was for him to be counting vehicles, given his undergraduate status, I felt as if my fist would connect with his face. However, after some discussion with my forum members, I realized that I should simply ignore him. If he felt that it was beneath his status to perform such a task, then why was he there in the first place?

Caught the fireworks festival last Friday and Saturday. Some of the pictures I took using my camera phone came out fantastic, just that the silhoutte of trees and buildings can be seen. Was it worth plowing through the crowd just to catch the fireworks? Definitely yes, because such events only occur once a year.

Backtracking a little further, I dined with Hui Shi at the Newton Food Centre on 3rd August. Not really worth mentioning, but I did feel the food sold there were quite pricey.

End of the World Cup, In-Camp-Training and lots of Jealousy

2006-07-27T03:05:00.000+08:00

It is time for another blog update.

The World Cup 2006 has officially ended, and unfortunately for me, I lost $20 or so on my various wagers. The biggest controversy surrounding the final would be Zindane headbutting Materazzi. Even after reading all the reports, I can't decide who is right and who is wrong. Italy, on the other hand, even upon lifting the World Cup trophy, is still faced with problems regarding their domestic match fixing scandal. Although Fiorentina and Lazio were initially demoted to Serie B, their appeals were successful and are now reinstated to Serie A. Such scandals, in my opinion, allows one to identify which players are truly loyal to the club and those who simply play for money.

As for my 12 days of in-camp-training, I actually find it kind of fun, even though it had a much busier schedule as compared to the low key one last year. Yu Fong, Gabriel and Mogana, my newly made friends, were absolutely hilarous in their various antics.

Just had a chat with Saskia on MSN earlier. Surprisingly, I actually felt kind of jealous when she told me about some of her "wilder adventures" in Ireland. Is it because I am still single or have i developed a deeper level of friendship with this online friend of mine?

A new laptop and the World Cup!

2006-06-22T02:15:00.000+08:00

Time for some updates again. I finally purchased a new laptop, and a NEC one at that! It was quite a bargain since I headed down to the PC Show 2006 on the very last day (4 June). $1800 for a Pentium M Processor of 1.86GHz, 2GB DDR2 RAM, 80GB hard drive, DVD+/-RW drive, bluetooth and wireless. How much more can you ask for? In addition, it comes with a free 1GB thumbdrive, a wireless optical mouse, carrrier case and 4 years warranty.

The World Cup has begun, and so has my betting spree, just that I am not as hardcore as compared to the past. Small bets of $5 and $10 for selected matches.

Celebrated Luke's birthday on 16th June, last Friday. Headed down to Suntec with him. However, it was he who treated Aw and I to dinner at Swensons. Since they couldn't finish the apple crumble, I had to do it after my main course of fish and chips, followed by my own sundae. Indeed, I must admit that the apple crumble was really filling

Had dinner with Hui Shi on Tuesday evening, 20 June. It has been a long time since we last hung out together. Due to a lack of funds on my part, I suggested Sakae Sushi and we eventually decided on it since I beat her at Scissors, Paper, Stone. Childish but fun! I only paid $10 and she forked out the remaining 20. I must remember to repay the treat the next time round.

Oh well, time to wake Mark up for the soccer match. More details on my next updates...

Exams are over and it is time to look ahead!

2006-05-20T02:34:00.000+08:00

My final exams for my first year in university has officially ended on Tuesday. The papers were tougher than expected and I would be more than satisfied with second class (lower) honours for each subject. However, I have a bad feeling about statistics. Spent too much time on the stem and leaf question. Not to mention I was still tired out by the econs paper the previous day. Oh well, I can give all the excuses I want, but it is not going to help... In the meantime, I would like to wish Cailin, Wendy, Hanee, Chai Bak and Hui Shi all the best for their remaining papers. Gambette!

At least I am feeling better now. The cough is starting to subside. Must have been due to stress and heatiness of drinking essence of chicken for 3 consecutive days.

When I meet up with my friends these days, their first sentence would be "Eddery, you cut your hair!?" Even when I went to Luke's place the other day, his sister, whom I seldom speak to, asked me the same thing. Kester was equally shocked. LOL! I had to cut it before the exams, otherwise, I would be pushing my fringe back all the time at the exam venue. The good part is that it takes a shorter time to dry upon shampoo-ing.

Shannon has yet to assemble the figurine set I bought her. She claims that they look nicer in the box. Huh?

Lost $30 on bets for the Champions League final. As usual, I bought draw, and it turned out that Barcelona scored twice in 5 minutes to end the game in normal time. Couldn't they have been less kiasu and waited for extra time to finish Arsenal off? This way, I get to win some cash and they still win the trophy. Darn...

It feels weird not to be studying these days. With everyone still having their papers, and other friends at work, I am at home most of the time. Boring...

My latest update

2006-04-15T01:43:00.000+08:00

I have been too lazy to update my blog lately, but after chatting with my dear sis, Cailin, I have decided to revive it.

Exams are drawing near, and I have done some revision. However, the economics UOL revision lecture was kind of demoralising. Everything the lecturer said was so difficult to understand, and I had plenty of questions to ask, just that I did not know where to begin.

Thanks to the free USB modem given to me by Kester, I am now able to access my broadband connection. Gone are the days of 2kb/sec download and here I am come, anime! I really should refrain from coming online too frequently, with the exams just a month away. Perharps I can leave the downloads on while I study.

A lot of events have happened over the past few months, but I can't remember them all, so I shall leave it for now, until they come flooding back.

It's raining men...ok, maybe not

2006-01-13T03:10:00.000+08:00

It has been raining for consecutive days, and laundry seems to have a hard time drying. Not to mention it makes life difficult for me when I walk to and fro from King Albert Park to school.

Rainy days always make me feel nostalgic. Memories of stuff I have done on rainy days just seem to flood my mind, especially those that I have spent with "her".

Ever had your shoes and socks soaked with water? They make funny squishy sounds, reminding me of shoes that toddlers wear, so that their parents can keep track of where they are.

Have I really gotten over it or am I self-deluding?

It is about time I went for a haircut. Lunar New Year is just around the corner and my parents would most probably want me to do so. Cailin would be surprised and pleased to see my hair short.

Wendy always seem so distant during lectures. Makes me feel intimidated.

Hopefully, most of my "single club" members can make it for the outing this Saturday evening.

First update for 2006

2006-01-08T00:38:00.000+08:00

It took me quite awhile to overcome my sadness and pain, though I doubt I can ever forget Hui Shi.

I did nothing productive during the one week break given by SIM for the festive season. Although New Year's eve and New Year's Day were pretty boring and fustrating, due to the fact that I had to complete a 2000 word essay on the theories of Karl Marx and Max Weber, Christmas eve was far more interesting.

Played in another soccer match on Christmas eve and again, my team failed to chalk up a 1st win. Perharps it was due to the fact that one of our star players was absent. 4-0 isn't a pretty sight and I must definitely train harder so as not to let the team down.

Special thanks to Wendy for inviting me to attend the church service conducted by City Harvest. I have to admit that the play they staged was excellent, combining acting, singing, together with lessons from the bible. Made a couple of new friends, and learnt quite a few things from my trip. Felt a little bad that she had to pay more attention to me than to her friends, making me feel a little awkward at times, but at least I got to know more about her. During our sociology lectures, she always seem kind of cold and aloof to me. Of course, I have to thank her for taking the time to decorate the glass container as well.

During our sociology "gift-exchange" session, Hanee brought hair-clips, Chai Bak chocolates, and Cailin, some random gifts and her specially made peach jelly. Thanks to all of you.

Paid my examination fees at RELC on Friday morning. Wonder if my parents truly have enough money for themselves after sponsoring my education. I should spend more time on my notes rather than in front of my laptop.

Seen Hui Shi's latest blog updates on frienster. Somehow, I feel she seems more depressed and gloomy as compared to the past. Maybe I should ask her about it and hopefully, she tells me more. Cheer up Hui Shi! A pretty face like yours should emit the warmth similar to that of the sun!

At long last, volume 10 of the manga Gacha Gacha is out! Time to re-read it later!

My world is falling apart

2005-11-11T01:29:00.000+08:00

After so many years and trying my best to make myself into a better person, I still failed. For those that are close to me, you should have known that I was rejected by Hui Shi for the 5th time over 6 years on Halloween night. It all started off very well with dinner at Marina Square, followed by a bowling session.

When I met her at the bus-stop near her place again later that night, I confessed my liking towards her. Though she said she would think about it, she still rejected me via email on Thursday, 3 Nov.

Over the past week, lots of thoughts have been going through my head. If I did not confess my liking towards her, I am sure she would not be avoiding me now, and we could still chat, sms, hang out with each other as per normal. However, with Hui Shi getting prettier over the years, and getting to know more guys in her social life, I would be even more devastated if some other guy popped the question to her & succeed. It was a gamble I had to take, and unfortunately, I lost.

I hate the feeling of trying my best and still failing. "God helps those who help themselves" goes the saying, but after praying, it does not seem to work. Perharps, by selling your soul to the devil, your wish can be granted...

I thought that by my 5th rejection, I would be able to take it lightly, but I guess I was wrong. I felt I no longer had any motivation in life; all my past 6 years, I have been living my life for her. I tried my best to learn music as she was interested in it; took up a part time job so I can earn more money to take her out on dates and buy her stuff, etc. Now, everything I do daily just seems pointless.

Not to mention that when you are at the lowest point of your life, fate just wants to make it worse for you. I went drinking and cried. Went for my late night jogs, but somehow, I ended up tripping and falling. Hung out with a 2 new friends, but coincidentally, I ended up at Marina Square again, where it all started.

I don't really blame Hui Shi for rejecting me, but sometimes, I wonder if she does appreciate all that I have done for her? Maybe she has not gone through the process of waiting and rejection, and I doubt she ever will, given the beautiful lady she is growing into. Most likely, guys will be queueing up for her, and sincerely, I hope she will never have to go through all the pain that I went through.

If you ever read this post someday Hui Shi, know that a part of my heart will always belong to you. I am not even sure if I am able to move on in life anymore. Though you brought me great joy at times, there was as much sorrow, if not more. Like I mentioned in my email, you are the one and only person that made me shed more tears than everyone else I know combined.

Corpse Bride

2005-10-05T03:20:00.000+08:00

After many hitches in our plans to catch "Corpse Bride", I finally managed to catch the movie with Hui Shi at Plaza Singapura's Golden Village earlier yesterday evening.

The movie was quite short, around 1hour 20minutes, but I don't really expect it to be too long either, considering that it is an animation. I have not watched Tim Burton's previous work, "Nightmare before Christmas", but after watching "Corpse Bride", I have to agree with the critics that he is good.

The movie is a combination of comedy and romance, with a tinge of musical aspect to it. If you are looking for a light-hearted movie, then go catch it!

Post-Birthday Update

2005-08-31T02:00:00.000+08:00

In addition to all the greetings that I mentioned in my earlier post, the following came a little late. However, for those who remembered, I greatly appreciate it.

Additional birthday greetings and gifts:
- A card from Adeline
- A card from Saskia, all the way from Holland!
- My much desired 1/100 Freedom Gundam figurine from Hui Shi
- A brand new leather wallet from Hui Shi as well
- A Haro toy cum Shin figurine from my dear sister, Shannon
- Not forgetting the large peach cake that my parents bought for me.

On my birthday, I finally bought a new mobile phone, namely, Sony Ericsson's K750i. After using it, I feel that it is definitely one of the best phones available on the market at the moment. Though it cost me quite a significant amount of money, its 2.0 megapixel camera, 262k colour screen, and the memory provided (can be upgraded further all the way to 2GB) makes the purchase worthwhile. Call me crazy or arrogant, but whenever I walk the streets these days, I tend to look at other people's mobile phone and scoff at them. Ah... the hazards of using Nokia 3210 and Ericsson GA628 for the past 5 years, causing me to lag behind in technology as compared to others.

Happy Birthday to me!

2005-08-27T12:05:00.000+08:00

It is my birthday today and as expected, not many people remembered. The only people who remembered were my family members and Hui Shi (thanks a lot for remembering!) She is the first and I believe, would be the last person to send me a SMS greeting.

Oh well, I cannot really blame my friends for forgetting. Guys aren't really good at remembering birthdays and such. They are usually more concerned with their girlfriends or the amount of money in their wallet. Maybe the reason why I am different from them would be because I understand the pain of spending birthdays alone. When you receive a gift for your birthday, or even a simple sms, I believe you would get warm and fuzzy all over. That is the kind of feeling that I want others to have on their birthdays.

And yes, I did not forget you Gathius. I am so very surprised that you actually started a birthday topic for me on the JPN forum. Even if no one posts on it, I am still grateful to you. JPN is definitely my second family!

One of the best days in my life!

2005-08-15T00:05:00.000+08:00

For the first time in many years, I made a trip back to Sentosa's Underwater World, with a beautiful girl, by the name of Lam Hui Shi, accompanying me.

Although it was $19.50 per ticket (and I paid for both, since this outing was to celebrate her birthday), I felt it was worth my money. The ticket was inclusive of entry into the dolphin lagoon and for the first time in my life, I managed to come up close to those cute and intelligent pink dolphins. The tricks and feats they performed were fantastic!

I did enjoy my time at Underwater World as well, but what upset me was that some tourists simply did not know how to read instructions. They lifted the starfish out of the water when it was stated clearly, together with pictorial instructions, that they were not supposed to. Children were banging on the glasses, causing disturbance to the fishes, and yet their parents did nothing to stop them.

Took the cable car transport system back to Mount Faber (again, for the 1st time in my life) and the view was pretty awesome.

By evening, we headed down to Marina South to view the Fireworks Festival 2005. It was very crowded and I felt fustrated. However, seeing the majestic fireworks display erased all my grumpiness and sense of impatience. It was probably one of the best displays that I have seen for a long time.

All in all, I had a tiring day, but to say the least, it was enjoyable. However just like my current MSN nick, I do feel tinge of lonliness and sorrow. Every perfect day must come to an end and for most of the scenes that I saw throughout the day, I come to realise that certain things may seem to within your grasp, but no matter how hard you try, it will forever be so far.

A long story

2005-08-01T01:02:00.000+08:00

It has been sometime since I posted on my blog, but since I have the time, here goes nothing.

Updates on myself:
-Currently holding 2 jobs, one at Media Research Consultants, the other at Prudential (though it has been pretty quiet the past few weeks)
- Attended my 1st In-camp-training (ICT) since I ORD-ed in March
- Starting my lessons at SIM later in the morning

The job at Media Research Consultants is quite interesting, calling random people up via the phone from our population to answer questionaires, and at times, there are outdoor projects as well. Met all kinds of people, from friendly ones to rude, digusting motherf**kers. Damn you a**holes who slammed the phone down on me after making crude remarks.

I was pretty worried about my ICT, but after attending it, I realized that it wasn't so bad after all, other than having to count thousands of rounds.

Currently deciding on which mobile phone to purchase. My final decision should be made over the next few days, but that means the purchase of my "Freedom Gundam 1/100 figurine" would have to be postponed.

My laptop is starting to show its age. The screen suffered a burnout after I came back from my ICT, and now, its colour looks faded.

With lessons starting today, I am bound to have less free time, but still I want to thank Luke for leaving his Playstation 2 at my place. The console games have brought me endless hours of fun through the wee hours of the night. And how can I forget the JPN forums? Though not everyone may like it, I have made a number of online friends and gained new insight to the rest of the world. Thank you, JPN!

Ups and Downs

2005-06-04T02:16:00.000+08:00

Just last week, I found a job that was willing to employ me for a month and the pay was exceptionally good. However, just after 2 days of work, I quit. Not because I do not have the determination to continue, but rather, due to some disagreement with my family. Anyway, it was a door to door sales job and the working hours require me to stay out till midnight or so, and when I do reach home, everyone else is asleep. In short, I do not get to see much of my family members, even on weekends, as I am required to work too.

Over the last few days, I have been to many parts of Singapore, for both work and leisure. Going from apartment to apartment to perform my sales job was an invaluable experience. I came across all kinds of people, some, kind and friendly, others, rude and unreasonable. Though I have to admit it was kind of tiring, I did learn a lot of new stuff.

Just yesterday, I accompanied a friend for a job interview and to collect some prize she won as well. Though envious that my friend got employed, I am happy for her at the same time. However, I guess she would not be free to accompany me on outings anytime soon, other than on weekends. And yes, we did try out the Haagen Daaz ice-cream at Junction 8, and I seriously think that it was costly.

Its been some time

2005-05-21T02:48:00.000+08:00

I can officially declare that my chances of getting a job by August is close to 0%. It does not really matter if I have no job experience or whatsoever, but whenever potential employers hear that I can work for only such a short period of time, with my in-camp training schedule in between, they reject me, albeit some do so in a more polite me. When I went for a job interview last week at the National Archives, the lady was quite appreciative of my frankness, but there was nothing she could do about my employment. Being honest or getting a job? Which is of higher priority to me?

Putting myself into the employers' shoes, if they employed me, and all of sudden, I announce that I have to leave, I am sure they would feel very cheated, having trained me and all. Maybe someday, some employer would appreciate my honesty, but until then... I guess I better be more accurate in my soccer predictions, if I want to earn some extra cash for the time being. And yes, I know gambling is unhealthy.

I heard from Saskia that her horse had been euthanized and I truly feel sad for her. In a way, I am upset too because I have heard so much about her horse from her.

Although I am quite broke and do not have much interest in star wars, Mark persuaded me to watch Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith with him. I was reluctant to do so until he volunteered to sponsor half of my entry ticket. Thanks, my friend! I will say that it is a great movie but I agree that the length of the show is value for money... 2 and a half hours. "You were the chosen one!" is now my new MSN nick.

Went job hunting with my friend earlier yesterday and for a change, I am accompanying someone else rather than friends going along with me. It is indeed difficult to find a part-time job especially for students on vacation.

To backtrack a little further, I bought the whole set of "Salad Days" at a bargain price of $54, meaning each comic costs only $3! The artwork is above average but some of the stories do touch me at times. Not everyone has a happy ending, and that applies to real life as well.

Still Jobless

2005-04-22T00:27:00.000+08:00

It has been some time since I last posted on my blog. I have been busy looking for a job, which unfortunately, up till now, is still unsuccessful. I do hope that the personnel from Riverview Hotel will call me up soon cause I believe that is my best chance. The restaurant manager had initially wanted me to start work the next day after my interivew, but after some discussion with one of his supervisors, they decided to call me back. Good or bad?

After my ORD, I am now posted to 732 SIR. I can't believe that my in-camp-training (ICT) is coming up so soon, from the 18-22 July. I guess I better get myself mentally prepared for my trip back to the army.

Just in case I do not get a place in NUS, NTU or SMU, I have to decided to apply for Bachelor of Science (Business) at SIM. I guess it is good to have a backup plan.

Late again!

2005-03-29T01:15:00.000+08:00

Last Friday, I asked my friend out to accompany me on my job hunt. As usual, I was late, though I tried my best to be early. In the end, I was yelled at, making me feel so embarrassed. I guess I just have to work harder at being punctual.

In any case, to atone for my "sin", I suggested treating my friend to Swensons. The fact that Swensons' ice-cream tastes great cannot be denied, but having to wait at the table for half an hour is far too long. Business at the Plaza Singapura branch is either overwhelming or there is simply a shortage of staff. Maybe they should hire me...

Shortage of Dough

2005-03-20T02:57:00.000+08:00

As I am going to ORD this Wednesday, cash flow problems seem to arise. Without the army giving me a monthly allowance any longer, I have to look for a job. Spent the last two days job-hunting at Orchard and Suntec. Surprisingly, lots of restaurants are in need of part-timers. However, I did not apply for them as my confidence level was quite low. I have absolutely no job experience and furthermore, I would like to find ways on how to handle interviews before doing so.

Finally found Boys BE season II at the Toa Payoh comics connection outlet. Wanted to buy it there and then, but once again, the problem of money sets in. I have the money with me at that moment, but it is meant for buying breakfast for my colleagues before I leave. Realized the importance of getting an ATM card. If someone gets to the comic before I do so later today, I will definitely be devastated.

And of course, thanks to Mark, I now have all the episodes of Kiddy Grade. Yippee!

Learning is for life

2005-03-06T02:56:00.000+08:00

I was taught by a friend how to play an electone earlier yesterday afternoon. I have absolutely zero knowledge of music before the lesson, but at least now, I have gained a new experience. Since I am at it, I might as well try and find out more about music and most importantly, learn how to read those notes.

I always wonder why we have to pay service charge at restaurants even when the service is poor. I was dining at the Junction 8 Sakae Sushi outlet last evening and when I was shown my seat, I requested for 2 cups of green tea, but the waiter most probably forgot due to the overwhelming number of customers. In the end, I had to obtain them myself. Furthermore, when I was paying at the cashier, I was accused (too harsh a word?) of eating 5 plates of sushi when I never did. Partly, it was my fault as I did not ask for billing beforehand. In conclusion, I rate my dining experience at this particular outlet as poor.

Results

2005-03-06T02:44:00.000+08:00

After a long wait, I finally received my a-level results on Friday. I personally do not think that it is good enough for me to get a place in NUS, NTU or SMU, but I am glad that I have made improvements. As compared to my previous grades of CDE B4, this time round, I obtained, CDD C5. True enough, my standard of GP has fallen, but my maths has improved a grade too.

Met up with my friends at night, hoping that they can share my joy with me, but instead, they told me that they were disappointed. Maybe Aw and Jeffrey had higher expectations of me, but like Jason (Tan) mentioned, having to study while serving NS and without guidance from teachers, is not an easy task. However, after my talk with them, I am no longer sure if I had really put in my best effort in the first place. This current phase of life is over and I should look to the future. First and foremost, I would be applying for all 3 public universities and SIM. Hopefully, I can get a place in one of them, preferably the public universities as their fees can be paid via CPF. Secondly, I am about to ORD soon and I should take the opportunity to look for a job rather than laze at home. Lastly, I must definitely find out what subjects interests me so that I can take up the appropriate courses and look out for future job opportunities.

As compared to Pin Jing, Janice and Luke's sister, I have fared much worse than them. However, I am happy for Pin Jing as she has done remarkably well and Janice, for being optimistic about her future.

Last but not least, I repaid Luke and his family by buying them a box of Royce' chocolate. Whenever I am at his place, I always feel like a free loader because his family provides me with free food.

Stress

2005-03-02T00:46:00.000+08:00

I just received news that the A-level results will be announced this Friday. Feeling kinda stressed and worried at the moment. It will be my third time collecting my results. All my camp mates tell me not to worry and that I will do well, but this just makes me feel even more pressurized. What if I fare worse than my last two attempts? How am I going to face them? Not to mention the neighbours that keep asking which university I will be heading to. I guess I can only pray and hope for the best...

Closure of MPH at Junction 8

2005-02-24T02:12:00.000+08:00

When I heard news that the MPH bookstore at Junction 8 was closing down soon, I immendiately made a trip there earlier last night. Alas, I was too late...

Felt kinda sad that I lost the chance to grab some books during the 30% off clearance sale, but more importantly, I will miss the bookstore. It has been there ever since Junction 8 was officially opened in 1994 (around that time, I believe). Ah... the memories of spending time browsing in the bookstore during my younger days. I guess I am getting old...

UK fair at Woodlands

2005-02-22T01:39:00.000+08:00

I recently heard that there is a fair ongoing at Woodlands, with some exciting rides available. I admit I do not have the guts to take such rides, but I always wonder why others do so even though they are scared stiff. Thrill? Curiosity? Going with the crowd?

Those who have fun and do not feel unwell at the end of the day, I am happy for them. Others who pay money to feel giddy and nauseous... Anyway, I reckon its just like watching a horror movie even though one knows that he or she will be terrified.

Singapore Pools

2005-02-10T01:16:00.000+08:00

Went to visit my relatives earlier this afternoon. Ended up going to the Singapore Pools outlet with my aunt to buy 4D. As it is a brand new year and everyone hopes to win some money, including myself, the queue was exceptionally long. Waited for one hour until it was my turn at the counter.

During this period of time, I saw a car with a broken number plate. The first thought that came to my mind was that the driver would be caught by the traffic police sooner or later, but when the vehicle U-turned, I noted down the number plate immediately. Coincidentally, it was the same 4 numbers that I wanted to buy, except that it was in a different order. Haven't checked the evening newspaper for the winning numbers yet, but if you were in my shoes, you definitely would have believed that it was a sign from the gods.

As I was nearing the counter, a middle-aged guy tried to cut the queue further up front but was violently stopped by an elderly Indian man. Obscene words were exchanged between both of them, and a fight nearly erupted within the outlet. Thankfully, someone else intervened. However, when the elderly Indian man stepped out of the outlet, I heard the sound of someone being punched/kicked. It is amusing to note that people would fight over queuing up to buy a number that has only 0.01% of getting the top prize...

Happy Lunar New Year

2005-02-09T01:34:00.000+08:00

The year of the rooster is finally here! Hopefully, this will be a prosperous and smooth-sailing year for myself, my family and friends. In addition, I do hope that everyone will be in the pink of health.

I just bought the 3rd season of the Boys Be comic last Friday since it was on offer and I don't regret my decision. The artwork may be a little mature at times, but the artists really brought out the emotions of the characters. Not to mention, the jokes were quite funny. If possible, I would like to look for the 1st and 2nd season.

Leave

2005-02-05T02:38:00.000+08:00

Spent the first day of my leave not doing anything productive. I was either sleeping, watching TV or using the computer. Although it feels great to wake up in late in the morning, knowing you do not have to report back to camp, having no plans for the day makes it seem meaningless. Perharps, I should start packing up my roon for the new year...

Blisters?

2005-02-02T01:43:00.000+08:00

I never knew that sweeping the floor too much while using a broom would result in blisters. The positioning of the hand on the broom plays a part...

Light and Darkness

2005-01-27T02:00:00.000+08:00

While hitching a ride down the hill in a van last Friday, I finally understood the meaning of the word "darkness". The moment Wong and I entered the vehicle, we could not see our 5 fingers even if they were placed right in front of our eyes. For a moment, we had the feeling that we were being kidnapped...

On Tuesday, while I was about to leave camp in the evening, I happened to look up into the sky and saw a scene that awed me. The evening sun was blocked by clouds, but its rays could still be seen protuding from the edges. Mere words simply cannot describe the scene that I saw.

It is kind of coincidental that I first experienced darkness, then followed by light.

Duty, Duty and more Duty

2005-01-23T02:29:00.000+08:00

While others are having a long weekend, from Friday (Hari Raya Haji) all the way to Monday (clear off), I have to perform duty on Friday and Sunday. Hopefully, I won't have to perform any more duties next month. Kinda glad Palace beat Spurs 3-0. Boost their chances of survival in the premiership.

Fool?

2005-01-20T17:17:00.000+08:00

Whenever a guy goes out on a date with a girl, who should be paying for the expenses? If both parties were to pay for their own individual expenses, it would seem a little stingy on the part of the male. However, if the guy were to pay everytime, then he might be seen as a fool and also treating as a "money shaking tree". Why do I always have the time to ponder over such questions in which there are no definite answers?

Don't break the law

2005-01-18T06:51:00.000+08:00

Performed my duty last night without fail. Managed to take half-day off today (thus I am now typing my new post). My friends wanted to leave camp earlier than as stated in their off passes and encouraged me to join them as well. In the past, I would have done so without hesitation, but with my ORD date drawing closer and my unfortunate incident of "getting caught", I rejected their offer. I guess I can say that my "balls have shrunk". Better to play safe than to be sorry.

Great Saturday

2005-01-16T18:40:00.000+08:00

Played soccer early in the morning. Sustained bruises and abrasions again, but still, I guess it is necessary if I want to become a better keeper.

Met up with Hui Shi to visit the Philatelic Museum. As usual, I was late. I guess I have to change this bad habit of mine as well, otherwise, people will keep nagging. The museum is not very big, but if anyone ever wants to look for stamps, this is definitely the place to go. Sat down for some time to search for stamps; some of them are quite old, whether or not they are valuable, I can't tell. At the end of it, I paid for all her stamps she chose, just to redeem myself for being late.

Always felt that Bugis Junction is small and crowded. Maybe it is the shape of the building. Bought takeaway sushi, but eating is public seems a little weird.

Surprisingly, I did not exceed my budget for the day. My legs are tired from the exercise and walking. Worse of all, I have to perform duty later in the morning...

Disappointment

2005-01-14T00:35:00.000+08:00

As expected, I failed my IPPT due to the pull-up station. Somehow, I feel that I did not put much effort into the entire test. Perharps it was due to my mentality.

Morale in the platoon has fallen as our plans for cohesion have ran into some obstacles. Hopefully, the next one that we plan would be more successful (if I am still around; 43 more working days).

At the very least, my leave has been approved. Very thankful to 2LT Clara.

2005-01-13T17:01:00.000+08:00

Taking my IPPT later in the morning, but I don't have much confidence in passing. Maybe a miracle will happen?

Coward?

2005-01-09T01:29:00.000+08:00

Before I left camp yesterday, CPT Lim wanted the personnel, who volunteered to help out in Aceh, to reconsider their decisions.

He spoke of the harsh conditions in Aceh, no proper food and water, the presence of rebels, and the possibility that we may come home traumatised for life, if we even do come home alive. If an officer like him does not even have the confidence to help out in Aceh, then how can I, a mere soldier, expect to be of greater help to those victims?

I had really wanted to go and help out in this operation and to gain new experiences. However, the risk of losing everything that I currently possess greatly outweights my sense of adventure. Not drinking clean water and sleeping in the mud is not of much concern to me. Rather, I am afraid that I may come home short of a leg or arm. Does the decision to withdraw show that I am a coward?

CPT Lim felt that I am not suitable to go for this operation as he believes that I am more of a perfectionist, unable to take failures. Perharps his words are true. This incident gives me another resolution for the year: To be a stronger person both mentally and physically.

2005-01-07T17:02:00.000+08:00

Finally got my own blog account. I must have been influenced by my friends around me to start an account.

Assigned myself to the movement team today and realized that it has been some time since I last performed such a task. Glad that the people in my platoon are so united; can't say the same for our neighbours. Our officers were asking for volunteers to help out the victims of the tidal wave and I signed up for it. Wonder if it was a good idea?

Organized a farewell dinner for Jason Tay who is going to USA for his studies. Went to Sakae Sushi (Suntec Branch). Jason and Luke complained about the poor service, but I think their expectations are too high. Anyway, I was too tired from work at camp to argue with them.

Always disliked the pain I feel whenever I apply medicine onto an open wound, and I still do. Cut myself while shifting the boxes up the flatbed. At least the wound is nothing serious compared to the sliding tackle I received last year.