my friend accompanied my home today. but we stopped by the nokia care centre for a little phone servicing. unfortunately, i was told that the servicing would take up four hours.
another day, perhaps.
i was also presented with a fairly late birthday present.
"fairly"? no i guess "extremely" would be a more accurate description.
my birthday was in october. i got my present today. but it was nice of him nonetheless. and just what i liked too.
anyhow. what do you reckon is the best best material ever invented?
plastic?
(afterall, plastic gave us tupperware)
rubber?
(where would we be without condoms?)
cotton?
(i guess clothes and cotton balls are somewhat essential)
wrong. the best material that mankind has ever invented is LYCRA.
where would we be without lycra??
look at halle berry in Die Another Day. would audiences have oohhhed and aahhhed had she not been donning a lycra swimsuit?
having realized the massive appeal of wonder material lycra, even hong kong clothes retailer Giordano has jumped on the lycra bandwagon. for quite a long while they've been featuring plain round necked lycra tees selling at $14.
and because people have realized the immense popularity and comfort of these tees, Giordano has released season after season of shades.
first it was the nude, blacks and whites (got 'em!),
then came bold maroons and military greens (yes sir!),
now it's the pastels' turn - pinks yellows blues.
it wouldn't hurt to own many many colours of the same t-shirt, right? besides, a girl can never have too many clothes.
not when i can get 'em at a 15% discount. pinks yellows blues here i come!
another day, perhaps.
i was also presented with a fairly late birthday present.
"fairly"? no i guess "extremely" would be a more accurate description.
my birthday was in october. i got my present today. but it was nice of him nonetheless. and just what i liked too.
anyhow. what do you reckon is the best best material ever invented?
plastic?
(afterall, plastic gave us tupperware)
rubber?
(where would we be without condoms?)
cotton?
(i guess clothes and cotton balls are somewhat essential)
wrong. the best material that mankind has ever invented is LYCRA.
where would we be without lycra??
look at halle berry in Die Another Day. would audiences have oohhhed and aahhhed had she not been donning a lycra swimsuit?
having realized the massive appeal of wonder material lycra, even hong kong clothes retailer Giordano has jumped on the lycra bandwagon. for quite a long while they've been featuring plain round necked lycra tees selling at $14.
and because people have realized the immense popularity and comfort of these tees, Giordano has released season after season of shades.
first it was the nude, blacks and whites (got 'em!),
then came bold maroons and military greens (yes sir!),
now it's the pastels' turn - pinks yellows blues.
it wouldn't hurt to own many many colours of the same t-shirt, right? besides, a girl can never have too many clothes.
not when i can get 'em at a 15% discount. pinks yellows blues here i come!
mum met up wth her secondary school classmates today. i thought it was pretty amazing they're still in touch with each other even after approximately 30 years.
it's all rather surprising, really. they do not have the advanced communication technologies people boast of today and yet, they've managed to keep up with one another's happenings and embarrassing gossips as well.
mum can still remember how her gal pal who's chinese name was really hard to write - in those times chinese words were written in the old taiwanese style which has more strokes and are naturally, harder to write - and gal pal couldn't really write chinese really well. you can't blame her, i never thought Cedar Girls to be anything but stellar in the chinese language.
so they quite laughed themselves silly recalling the way aforementioned gal pal wrote her chinese name. i guess when you're in the company of those women in their late 40s, their laughter kinda rubs off you and you find yourself chuckling along.
you'd think things were different then, but it's not. they laugh and giggle over the silliest things; fuss over clothes and hair; reminisce about the ole days and even compliment each other's homemade achar and pineapple tarts.
well i expect we'd be like that too when we hit the golden four-oh.
will we still be hanging out, watching movies, enjoying cheesecake at marriott hotel with husbands and 2 point 3 kids in tow?
i sure hope so. i've never seen mum so happy. it's like time's stood still and rewound for that couple of hours and they're back in their secondary school heyday.
one can be envious looking at them.
* * * * *
you know how singaporeans love to queue? we queue for everything, hello kitties, free return of the king posters, lottery tickets, national day parade tickets... if you ever see a queue anywhere, chances are 95% of those people are singaporean.
today while queuing (hey, i'm singaporean too) for dinner at Lau Pa Sat i chanced upon this obviously from china lady cutting our queue because she wanted to ask about the type of chicken served (what to do? bird flu mah).
singaporean hate people who cut their queue as much as they hate the GST hike.
the hawker lady, who's singaporean, did not answer her question as the first words out of her mouth was, "xiao jie, pai na bian hor." (miss, the queue's that way). she apparently knew about the ignorant who incurred the singaporean's wrath by cutting his queue.
so the china lady couldn't get the answer to her question and was forced to the back of the damn queue.
and as i watched her scurry to the back i caught the guy behind me glancing at her surreptitiously and his eyes spoke,
"walau, better watch her, wait she cut my queue again. as if i not waiting long enough oready, ta ma de she still want to cut my queue. kan ni na. next time she dare come in front lim peh will bloody well hoot her."
alas, such is the standard of the singaporean's english. we really cannot blame anyone. our primary school teachers spoke like that, our secondary school teachers spoke like that,
come to JC or poly our teachers spoke worse. how can one expect singaporeans to speak the queen's english at this rate?
it's all rather surprising, really. they do not have the advanced communication technologies people boast of today and yet, they've managed to keep up with one another's happenings and embarrassing gossips as well.
mum can still remember how her gal pal who's chinese name was really hard to write - in those times chinese words were written in the old taiwanese style which has more strokes and are naturally, harder to write - and gal pal couldn't really write chinese really well. you can't blame her, i never thought Cedar Girls to be anything but stellar in the chinese language.
so they quite laughed themselves silly recalling the way aforementioned gal pal wrote her chinese name. i guess when you're in the company of those women in their late 40s, their laughter kinda rubs off you and you find yourself chuckling along.
you'd think things were different then, but it's not. they laugh and giggle over the silliest things; fuss over clothes and hair; reminisce about the ole days and even compliment each other's homemade achar and pineapple tarts.
well i expect we'd be like that too when we hit the golden four-oh.
will we still be hanging out, watching movies, enjoying cheesecake at marriott hotel with husbands and 2 point 3 kids in tow?
i sure hope so. i've never seen mum so happy. it's like time's stood still and rewound for that couple of hours and they're back in their secondary school heyday.
one can be envious looking at them.
* * * * *
you know how singaporeans love to queue? we queue for everything, hello kitties, free return of the king posters, lottery tickets, national day parade tickets... if you ever see a queue anywhere, chances are 95% of those people are singaporean.
today while queuing (hey, i'm singaporean too) for dinner at Lau Pa Sat i chanced upon this obviously from china lady cutting our queue because she wanted to ask about the type of chicken served (what to do? bird flu mah).
singaporean hate people who cut their queue as much as they hate the GST hike.
the hawker lady, who's singaporean, did not answer her question as the first words out of her mouth was, "xiao jie, pai na bian hor." (miss, the queue's that way). she apparently knew about the ignorant who incurred the singaporean's wrath by cutting his queue.
so the china lady couldn't get the answer to her question and was forced to the back of the damn queue.
and as i watched her scurry to the back i caught the guy behind me glancing at her surreptitiously and his eyes spoke,
"walau, better watch her, wait she cut my queue again. as if i not waiting long enough oready, ta ma de she still want to cut my queue. kan ni na. next time she dare come in front lim peh will bloody well hoot her."
alas, such is the standard of the singaporean's english. we really cannot blame anyone. our primary school teachers spoke like that, our secondary school teachers spoke like that,
come to JC or poly our teachers spoke worse. how can one expect singaporeans to speak the queen's english at this rate?
... i will not have babies.
if i do find my soulmate and get married, that is.
i have been visiting relative after relative during this lunar new year and it has only taught me one thing:
not to have kids and one'd live happy.
you who's reading this may vehemently disagree but first, let me explain myself.
okay. so the scenario goes:
let's say i have not been feeling on top of the world for the past couple of days or so. i get nauceous when i smell fish from the wet market, every morning i feel like projectile vomitting my previous day's meals.
then perhaps during lunch hour i, on a whim, grabbed a box of home pregnancy test kit off the pharmacy's shelf.
when i get home i do the test immediately: peeing on the stick and then waiting 30 minutes to see if the blue line appears.
and it does! i'm pregnant!
so everyone's happy happy joy joy. we go out to celebrate (no fish of course) and over the next nine months i get cravings for char kuey teow from 88 stall, fishball noodles from newton circus, nghor hiang from maxwell market, pringles' sour cream and onion from the indian mamashop at bouna vista, casablanca, the godfather trilogy and titanic from video ezy, back scratches or massages at 3 am...
on top of those, there's swollen ankles, feeling bloated, having trouble getting from a lying down position to a sitting up position, stomach cramps...
with all these, how can people still say pregnant ladies practically glow??!? perhaps they were just being nice.
then after nine months i have to again endure 12 hours waiting for my vagina to dilate then push my bloody soul out into this ugly world.
post giving birth i have to take care cuz there might be post natal and a 2 month recovery period, the baby crying at 2 in the morning, feeding it 8 times a day, sore nipples, a belly that might never shrink, out of all these the only good thing that might come out of it is a beautiful baby's bottom.
you want more reasons? yes.
first you'd have to bring the baby up in a kiasu modern singaporean society, fighting for places in the nursery, kindergarten, primary school, spots to play hopscotch... oh wait, they don't have hopscotch and five stones anymore, it's the n-gage and 3G phones' era now.
then you lose about 3 quarts of your family income to pocket money, school fees, textbooks, toys and clothes all of which they're probably gonna outgrow in 2 months' time.
what good do i get out of a damn baby? gosh my parents probably went through hell trying to bring me up.
you know they should probably come up with virtual babies like those tamagotchi eggs. so humanity can experience the trials and tribulation of bringing up a kid but at the same time, being able to escape "reality" whenever they feel like.
yes, sign me up! -raises hand-
if i do find my soulmate and get married, that is.
i have been visiting relative after relative during this lunar new year and it has only taught me one thing:
not to have kids and one'd live happy.
you who's reading this may vehemently disagree but first, let me explain myself.
okay. so the scenario goes:
let's say i have not been feeling on top of the world for the past couple of days or so. i get nauceous when i smell fish from the wet market, every morning i feel like projectile vomitting my previous day's meals.
then perhaps during lunch hour i, on a whim, grabbed a box of home pregnancy test kit off the pharmacy's shelf.
when i get home i do the test immediately: peeing on the stick and then waiting 30 minutes to see if the blue line appears.
and it does! i'm pregnant!
so everyone's happy happy joy joy. we go out to celebrate (no fish of course) and over the next nine months i get cravings for char kuey teow from 88 stall, fishball noodles from newton circus, nghor hiang from maxwell market, pringles' sour cream and onion from the indian mamashop at bouna vista, casablanca, the godfather trilogy and titanic from video ezy, back scratches or massages at 3 am...
on top of those, there's swollen ankles, feeling bloated, having trouble getting from a lying down position to a sitting up position, stomach cramps...
with all these, how can people still say pregnant ladies practically glow??!? perhaps they were just being nice.
then after nine months i have to again endure 12 hours waiting for my vagina to dilate then push my bloody soul out into this ugly world.
post giving birth i have to take care cuz there might be post natal and a 2 month recovery period, the baby crying at 2 in the morning, feeding it 8 times a day, sore nipples, a belly that might never shrink, out of all these the only good thing that might come out of it is a beautiful baby's bottom.
you want more reasons? yes.
first you'd have to bring the baby up in a kiasu modern singaporean society, fighting for places in the nursery, kindergarten, primary school, spots to play hopscotch... oh wait, they don't have hopscotch and five stones anymore, it's the n-gage and 3G phones' era now.
then you lose about 3 quarts of your family income to pocket money, school fees, textbooks, toys and clothes all of which they're probably gonna outgrow in 2 months' time.
what good do i get out of a damn baby? gosh my parents probably went through hell trying to bring me up.
you know they should probably come up with virtual babies like those tamagotchi eggs. so humanity can experience the trials and tribulation of bringing up a kid but at the same time, being able to escape "reality" whenever they feel like.
yes, sign me up! -raises hand-
i'm becoming quite the ditsy driver, i think.
today's driving lesson was my first time on the public road. previously i was confined to circuit training because i haven't got my provisional driving licence.
but now i do. =)
perchance i was nervous, or perhaps this dumb blonde disease's finally caught on to me. so i guess, thanks pk, perr, and in a minute way, val.
-____-"
here's what happened:
1. i was paying too much attention to the rear view mirror and when this quite gradual turn came, i continued straight instead, thus going onto the neighbouring lane.
thankfully there weren't much cars around.
2. i had signalled to turn left at this junction. but due to a little confusion at down-gearing and a little fancy footdance with the clutch, brake and accelerator, i forgot about the turn.
so the other cars were accidently led to believe i was going to turn left, which i was going to initially, but like i said, i... forgot.
3. so the lesson was nearly coming to an end and we were heading back towards the driving centre. now the entrance to the centre has this little slope that's not too steep but still steep enough to apply the handbrake so the car wouldn't roll back.
and roll back was exactly what my car did.
so there was this little flurry of panic in which i hurriedly stepped on the brake, then pulled up the blasted handbrake. by then the cars in front of me had already moved off so it was kinda stupid being stuck alone on the slope.
i feel like such a blonde.
anyways, enough about me already. i'm embarrassed enough as it is.
today, being a saturday and like all saturdays, there're bound to have secondary school kids miling around asking for donations in a little tin can.
once upon a time i went through this too, the powers-that-be dictate us to, and i quote, "do our part for charity" and so we grudgingly lined the streets like the little beggers we're so not used to being, flashing grimaces- oh i mean smiles, asking total strangers to part with their loose change and do some good deed.
so is it just me or are those kids becoming a tad too overzealous?
they've invaded even the mrt platforms for christ's sake.
if this carries on i'm gonna start contributing measely one cent per saturday and wear those sticker flag like a shield to repel those who dare approach me a second time.
or better yet, i could simply donate one cent and recycle that flag every saturday so no one asks me to loose my loose change for the rest of my saturdays. yay.
today's driving lesson was my first time on the public road. previously i was confined to circuit training because i haven't got my provisional driving licence.
but now i do. =)
perchance i was nervous, or perhaps this dumb blonde disease's finally caught on to me. so i guess, thanks pk, perr, and in a minute way, val.
-____-"
here's what happened:
1. i was paying too much attention to the rear view mirror and when this quite gradual turn came, i continued straight instead, thus going onto the neighbouring lane.
thankfully there weren't much cars around.
2. i had signalled to turn left at this junction. but due to a little confusion at down-gearing and a little fancy footdance with the clutch, brake and accelerator, i forgot about the turn.
so the other cars were accidently led to believe i was going to turn left, which i was going to initially, but like i said, i... forgot.
3. so the lesson was nearly coming to an end and we were heading back towards the driving centre. now the entrance to the centre has this little slope that's not too steep but still steep enough to apply the handbrake so the car wouldn't roll back.
and roll back was exactly what my car did.
so there was this little flurry of panic in which i hurriedly stepped on the brake, then pulled up the blasted handbrake. by then the cars in front of me had already moved off so it was kinda stupid being stuck alone on the slope.
i feel like such a blonde.
anyways, enough about me already. i'm embarrassed enough as it is.
today, being a saturday and like all saturdays, there're bound to have secondary school kids miling around asking for donations in a little tin can.
once upon a time i went through this too, the powers-that-be dictate us to, and i quote, "do our part for charity" and so we grudgingly lined the streets like the little beggers we're so not used to being, flashing grimaces- oh i mean smiles, asking total strangers to part with their loose change and do some good deed.
so is it just me or are those kids becoming a tad too overzealous?
they've invaded even the mrt platforms for christ's sake.
if this carries on i'm gonna start contributing measely one cent per saturday and wear those sticker flag like a shield to repel those who dare approach me a second time.
or better yet, i could simply donate one cent and recycle that flag every saturday so no one asks me to loose my loose change for the rest of my saturdays. yay.
a month to the much commercialised valentine's day now. the editor of CLEO wishes us all Happy Val's Day, which kinda sounds weird.
maybe it's just me.
yesterday's driving was a breeze compared to my previous's. it was like God's sent me someone to answer my prayers. at times like this it's nice to be awed by His omnipresence.
in fact, i was so impressed i requested to have that instructor for every lesson. of course i'd have to pay a surcharge, but if things go as per normal i'd be able to save about $200 with my new instructor.
yay for showing signs of typical singaporean-ness.
yesterday morning was terrible for me. for some unexplanable reason i kept being reminded of a recent incident that made me feel angry at everyone even though i tried not to show it.
and no, it's not PMS.
i wanted to rant but there wasn't anyone i could go to. not anyone present physically, at least.
then by afternoon something just lifted. i thought of that particular event and could not be pissed anymore. like my emotions in the morning simply sapped all my energy so i couldn't feel anymore.
i have to admit. i do go through mood swings. (so perhaps yesterday morning's turbulence was a bit of a swing)
and i do realise when those periods occur but i simply allow myself to be defeated and not do anything about it. how does one deal with something like this?
in restrospect, though, it does amazes me how i could get majorly affronted and vexed just because some stranger said or did some things in a way i didn't quite favour.
maybe it's just me.
yesterday's driving was a breeze compared to my previous's. it was like God's sent me someone to answer my prayers. at times like this it's nice to be awed by His omnipresence.
in fact, i was so impressed i requested to have that instructor for every lesson. of course i'd have to pay a surcharge, but if things go as per normal i'd be able to save about $200 with my new instructor.
yay for showing signs of typical singaporean-ness.
yesterday morning was terrible for me. for some unexplanable reason i kept being reminded of a recent incident that made me feel angry at everyone even though i tried not to show it.
and no, it's not PMS.
i wanted to rant but there wasn't anyone i could go to. not anyone present physically, at least.
then by afternoon something just lifted. i thought of that particular event and could not be pissed anymore. like my emotions in the morning simply sapped all my energy so i couldn't feel anymore.
i have to admit. i do go through mood swings. (so perhaps yesterday morning's turbulence was a bit of a swing)
and i do realise when those periods occur but i simply allow myself to be defeated and not do anything about it. how does one deal with something like this?
in restrospect, though, it does amazes me how i could get majorly affronted and vexed just because some stranger said or did some things in a way i didn't quite favour.
the onset of school has brought along forgetfulness in me. aye, pathetic, i know.
here's what happened:
i help my mom keep and fold the clothes everyday. now my mother only does the ironing on tuesdays and fridays.
and i don't know why i have been asking my mother everyday since school started, "mom are you ironing the clothes today?"
ok. i shall elaborate. if my mother's ironing clothes on that particular day, then there isn't any need for me to fold clothes which would end up being ironed anyway.
so i just throw them on the couch, instead of putting them folded into the IRON basket.
so about after the third day of me asking the same question, even an idiot could spot an obvious pattern, right?
then mum tells me, sounding rather annoyed, "i only iron clothes on tuesdays and fridays. why do you keep asking me whether i'm ironing?"
well. oops, then. wonder what's gotten into me.
on a lighter note, however, was that i discovered i've lost one kg since school started.
oh i don't think i should be elated. should i? one's weight probably fluctuates between one and two kilos everyday. no biggie.
and you could probably tell this entry isn't really about anything. but thanks for reading anyways. this just goes to show how über cool you are.
here's what happened:
i help my mom keep and fold the clothes everyday. now my mother only does the ironing on tuesdays and fridays.
and i don't know why i have been asking my mother everyday since school started, "mom are you ironing the clothes today?"
ok. i shall elaborate. if my mother's ironing clothes on that particular day, then there isn't any need for me to fold clothes which would end up being ironed anyway.
so i just throw them on the couch, instead of putting them folded into the IRON basket.
so about after the third day of me asking the same question, even an idiot could spot an obvious pattern, right?
then mum tells me, sounding rather annoyed, "i only iron clothes on tuesdays and fridays. why do you keep asking me whether i'm ironing?"
well. oops, then. wonder what's gotten into me.
on a lighter note, however, was that i discovered i've lost one kg since school started.
oh i don't think i should be elated. should i? one's weight probably fluctuates between one and two kilos everyday. no biggie.
and you could probably tell this entry isn't really about anything. but thanks for reading anyways. this just goes to show how über cool you are.
met up with some girlfriends on friday night for Mona Lisa Smile. sorry i mistook the ticket to be $7.50. -oops- damn the cinemas for creating so many different ticket prices!
Mona Lisa was pretty cool a movie, in my humble opinion. very chick flicky. julia roberts was great, albeit her role wasn't anything to holler about.
it was actually kinda cliche, the whole art-history-lecturer-come-to-break-deeply-rooted-traditions thang; but the movie was still mostly enjoyable, nonetheless.
oh, and cro-magnum males may skip this and simply head for paycheck, scary movie 3, brother bear or any current movie that does not require a whole lot of thinking.
saw this amusing advert on the bus while going to the cinema, too. it's about proper bustiquette. yes, i kid you not.
it was something like,
"flag the bus before it reaches the busstop, then you're sure to catch your bus",
"do not run around on the bus, so you won't fall (or something along those lines)",
and then there were more lines about pressing the bell before the bus reaches one's designated stop, and so on, so forth.
i can't believe they've actually come up with these. it's positively embarrassing. i shall cease to be a member to the bus-taking public.
-shudders-
and i had driving lesson today.
it was absolutely horrid.
the instructor i got just had to insist on being completely mute throughout the entire lesson, save for the occasional turn left, turn left, and what else? turn left, please.
i was negotiating sharp corners today. after about 3 sharp left turns it was pretty obvious i needed some guidance on that because i kept going onto the neighbouring lane, i didn't turn as quick and i also didn't return the steering wheel as fast as i should have.
i expected the instructor to at least take the initiative to advice, teach, or say something that would at least be of some help to me;
but nooooo, i guess this guy just wanted some independent learning on my part while he lepak-ed in the passenger seat.
dude! i didn't pay $66.54 to rent the bloody car and the bloody circuit just so i could make 40 odd appalling 90 degree left turns while you lean back and watch my oscar contender Horried Left Turns.
so today was a wasted lesson. sheesh. the worse thing was he even had the audacity to tell me that my left turns weren't good at the end of the lesson.
oh hello?? did it ever occur to you that by the tenth turn i was nearly seething with anger with each turn i made because you refuse to contribute?
i suppose not since you were probably hallucinating about your next smoke break.
oh excuse me while i'm pissed. i cannot help if some people just weren't able to do their jobs properly.
Mona Lisa was pretty cool a movie, in my humble opinion. very chick flicky. julia roberts was great, albeit her role wasn't anything to holler about.
it was actually kinda cliche, the whole art-history-lecturer-come-to-break-deeply-rooted-traditions thang; but the movie was still mostly enjoyable, nonetheless.
oh, and cro-magnum males may skip this and simply head for paycheck, scary movie 3, brother bear or any current movie that does not require a whole lot of thinking.
saw this amusing advert on the bus while going to the cinema, too. it's about proper bustiquette. yes, i kid you not.
it was something like,
"flag the bus before it reaches the busstop, then you're sure to catch your bus",
"do not run around on the bus, so you won't fall (or something along those lines)",
and then there were more lines about pressing the bell before the bus reaches one's designated stop, and so on, so forth.
i can't believe they've actually come up with these. it's positively embarrassing. i shall cease to be a member to the bus-taking public.
-shudders-
and i had driving lesson today.
it was absolutely horrid.
the instructor i got just had to insist on being completely mute throughout the entire lesson, save for the occasional turn left, turn left, and what else? turn left, please.
i was negotiating sharp corners today. after about 3 sharp left turns it was pretty obvious i needed some guidance on that because i kept going onto the neighbouring lane, i didn't turn as quick and i also didn't return the steering wheel as fast as i should have.
i expected the instructor to at least take the initiative to advice, teach, or say something that would at least be of some help to me;
but nooooo, i guess this guy just wanted some independent learning on my part while he lepak-ed in the passenger seat.
dude! i didn't pay $66.54 to rent the bloody car and the bloody circuit just so i could make 40 odd appalling 90 degree left turns while you lean back and watch my oscar contender Horried Left Turns.
so today was a wasted lesson. sheesh. the worse thing was he even had the audacity to tell me that my left turns weren't good at the end of the lesson.
oh hello?? did it ever occur to you that by the tenth turn i was nearly seething with anger with each turn i made because you refuse to contribute?
i suppose not since you were probably hallucinating about your next smoke break.
oh excuse me while i'm pissed. i cannot help if some people just weren't able to do their jobs properly.
i think i'm quite anal retentive.
because according to freud (again), the term anal retentive means meticulous, parsimonious and obstinate.
i feel that a couple of these three words just about summarise the way i read newspapers.
i suppose in some strange way i see the newspaper (the current day's, no less) as a fix or perhaps as a replacement for a morning cuppa.
some people cannot wake properly without coffee; i somehow feel that my day is unfulfilled without The Straits Times.
which probably, in some way, led to the fastidious way i tackle every day's headlines.
meticulous: excessively concerned with details.
parsimonious: Excessively sparing or frugal
and lastly, obstinate: Stubbornly adhering to an attitude, opinion, or course of action.
while i'm not exactly parsimonious, not when it comes to newspapers, anyways. i do agree with the remaining two words.
it's like this:
1. you will not disturb me when i'm perusing my daily gazatte.
2. i do not share when i'm in the midst of reading newspapers. no dividing up into separate sections and passing it around until i'm absolutely done.
3. i read it in the same order everyday: main paper, Home, Life!, classifieds. i skip the Asia section.
4. you will not insist i change the way i read it, otherwise you'll be branded a sonofabitch for life.
ok i think that's enough for now. this is a weblog, not a place to scare my faithful readers away.
now tell me, is that anal or is that anal? even my mom tells me i have this truly uncompromising and rigid way of reading the newspaper. well i'm sorry if i like monopolising them.
one does have one's quirks, fancies and peeves.
live with it.
because according to freud (again), the term anal retentive means meticulous, parsimonious and obstinate.
i feel that a couple of these three words just about summarise the way i read newspapers.
i suppose in some strange way i see the newspaper (the current day's, no less) as a fix or perhaps as a replacement for a morning cuppa.
some people cannot wake properly without coffee; i somehow feel that my day is unfulfilled without The Straits Times.
which probably, in some way, led to the fastidious way i tackle every day's headlines.
meticulous: excessively concerned with details.
parsimonious: Excessively sparing or frugal
and lastly, obstinate: Stubbornly adhering to an attitude, opinion, or course of action.
while i'm not exactly parsimonious, not when it comes to newspapers, anyways. i do agree with the remaining two words.
it's like this:
1. you will not disturb me when i'm perusing my daily gazatte.
2. i do not share when i'm in the midst of reading newspapers. no dividing up into separate sections and passing it around until i'm absolutely done.
3. i read it in the same order everyday: main paper, Home, Life!, classifieds. i skip the Asia section.
4. you will not insist i change the way i read it, otherwise you'll be branded a sonofabitch for life.
ok i think that's enough for now. this is a weblog, not a place to scare my faithful readers away.
now tell me, is that anal or is that anal? even my mom tells me i have this truly uncompromising and rigid way of reading the newspaper. well i'm sorry if i like monopolising them.
one does have one's quirks, fancies and peeves.
live with it.
on the bus ride home today this little thought managed to lodge itself into my mind.
it was an event which happened last year, not so long ago now.
and it made me realize how innately selfish people can get. yes, we're all selfish animals who do not give a concern for others around us.
i believe everyone's born selfish. they are often unwilling to share their toys, stationeries, clothes, food, boyfriends, girlfriends, pets and also dentures.
however, because society dictates oneself to always be generous to others, and with the addition of one's superego psychological system (thank you freud), people learnt that they have to share and be altruistic, ungrudging and magnanimous.
yes. easier said than done.
here's an incident:
our schools encourage group work. more head are better than one, i guess. and most of the time, people have diverse priorities, which leads to them placing varying importance to the tasks set out for them.
one thing leads to another and then we'll have group menbers putting in different levels of effort.
one will stress upmost concentration on this particular project, while another will do the same to another project. all of which have the same deadline.
so what do we have now? A says oh i think this module's more important. but B argues no, this should be emphasized!
we have a conflict, thus.
oh, but that's not all. suddenly,
suddenly, a terrible mistake happens. this is but nobody's fault.
now those who haven't been contributing much to the project divert their undivided attention to this mishap. why?
simply because this concerns their grades.
a badly done project pulls down one's overall score. obviously nobody wants that to happen, they're not stupid.
and that's why they're selfish. they've never been so much enthusiastic for this project, but now that it jeopardizes them and perhaps their shaky future, they decide they can make things right under they solid leadership.
selfish, selfish. why are they participating only when there's a possibility of an F grade for themselves? why didn't it occur to them to help out at the very beginning?
huh?
i rest my case. no further questions.
it was an event which happened last year, not so long ago now.
and it made me realize how innately selfish people can get. yes, we're all selfish animals who do not give a concern for others around us.
i believe everyone's born selfish. they are often unwilling to share their toys, stationeries, clothes, food, boyfriends, girlfriends, pets and also dentures.
however, because society dictates oneself to always be generous to others, and with the addition of one's superego psychological system (thank you freud), people learnt that they have to share and be altruistic, ungrudging and magnanimous.
yes. easier said than done.
here's an incident:
our schools encourage group work. more head are better than one, i guess. and most of the time, people have diverse priorities, which leads to them placing varying importance to the tasks set out for them.
one thing leads to another and then we'll have group menbers putting in different levels of effort.
one will stress upmost concentration on this particular project, while another will do the same to another project. all of which have the same deadline.
so what do we have now? A says oh i think this module's more important. but B argues no, this should be emphasized!
we have a conflict, thus.
oh, but that's not all. suddenly,
suddenly, a terrible mistake happens. this is but nobody's fault.
now those who haven't been contributing much to the project divert their undivided attention to this mishap. why?
simply because this concerns their grades.
a badly done project pulls down one's overall score. obviously nobody wants that to happen, they're not stupid.
and that's why they're selfish. they've never been so much enthusiastic for this project, but now that it jeopardizes them and perhaps their shaky future, they decide they can make things right under they solid leadership.
selfish, selfish. why are they participating only when there's a possibility of an F grade for themselves? why didn't it occur to them to help out at the very beginning?
huh?
i rest my case. no further questions.
in my warped opinion i think "relationships" is one of the most cliche and boring topics i can talk about as a diary entry.
but in today's case it'll be about online relationships, which - i think - puts a whole new spin on this otherwise insipid subject.
so, hands up any one of my loyal readers who has had an online fling before?
so what of them?
a lot of us have been really wary of engaging in an online thingy simply because of the numerous warnings about people being closet nymphos or a wolf wearing sheep's clothing or whatever.
and i'd say they're about half right but it really isn't necessary to overreact when it comes to things like that. are most people overreacting?
yes i'd like to think so.
i think going into an online fling is fun, provided you know where the OB markers lie. do most people know?
no i reckon not.
wait, i'm straying away from my intended path.
what i really want to say is how online relationships differ from normal, real life going-ons.
for starters, it is the physical contact that online rapport obviously cannot provide.
plus, the computer / laptop screens is another apparent barrier to couples seeing each other's real, achne-filled visages.
(though for some people, that is a good thing. sad.)
and as appealing, mushy and affectionate internet couplings can get, there is still that obstacle one cannot overcome unless you physically meet each other, which then changes everything because you're bringing things up a step and actually be a real couple. as in touchy-feely huggy-kissy fucky-screwy.
i mean, he can be scowling, smirking, laughing his head off at you
but he types a cute smiley, or a hugging smiley, or a smiling smiley and you believe in him. you lap it all up.
which is really sad because this guy's having his way with you and you are still completely besotted. like he's screwing you over and over again and you let him.
i think that's the greatest downside to internet relationships.
i know they're not all wolves and toads out there, that there're actually nice princes and all one's gotta do is look.
easier said than done. well, most things are.
moving on.
school starts tomorrow. aren't i excited. -yawn-
oh and, i did mention this in previous post.
my top 5 movies of 2003:
1. Finding Nemo
2. Catch Me If You Can
3. Chicago
4. Lord of the Rings: Return of the King
5. School of Rock
return of the king's at 4th spot because it deserves to be there. it was too draggy. so there.
plus, there's a lot of other movies not yet released in singapore, like mystic river, lost in translation, etc.
and next, top 5 english albums:
1. Elephant by the White Stripes
2. Hail to the Thief by Radiohead
3. Make up the Breakdown by hot hot heat
4. Songs about Jane by Maroon 5
5. Fever to Tell by yeah yeah yeahs
and there you have it. i'd really have liked to include muse's absolution, the rapture's echos, the shins' chutes too narrow, jane's addiction's strays and cat power's you are free but i haven't had a chance with 'em.
but in today's case it'll be about online relationships, which - i think - puts a whole new spin on this otherwise insipid subject.
so, hands up any one of my loyal readers who has had an online fling before?
so what of them?
a lot of us have been really wary of engaging in an online thingy simply because of the numerous warnings about people being closet nymphos or a wolf wearing sheep's clothing or whatever.
and i'd say they're about half right but it really isn't necessary to overreact when it comes to things like that. are most people overreacting?
yes i'd like to think so.
i think going into an online fling is fun, provided you know where the OB markers lie. do most people know?
no i reckon not.
wait, i'm straying away from my intended path.
what i really want to say is how online relationships differ from normal, real life going-ons.
for starters, it is the physical contact that online rapport obviously cannot provide.
plus, the computer / laptop screens is another apparent barrier to couples seeing each other's real, achne-filled visages.
(though for some people, that is a good thing. sad.)
and as appealing, mushy and affectionate internet couplings can get, there is still that obstacle one cannot overcome unless you physically meet each other, which then changes everything because you're bringing things up a step and actually be a real couple. as in touchy-feely huggy-kissy fucky-screwy.
i mean, he can be scowling, smirking, laughing his head off at you
but he types a cute smiley, or a hugging smiley, or a smiling smiley and you believe in him. you lap it all up.
which is really sad because this guy's having his way with you and you are still completely besotted. like he's screwing you over and over again and you let him.
i think that's the greatest downside to internet relationships.
i know they're not all wolves and toads out there, that there're actually nice princes and all one's gotta do is look.
easier said than done. well, most things are.
moving on.
school starts tomorrow. aren't i excited. -yawn-
oh and, i did mention this in previous post.
my top 5 movies of 2003:
1. Finding Nemo
2. Catch Me If You Can
3. Chicago
4. Lord of the Rings: Return of the King
5. School of Rock
return of the king's at 4th spot because it deserves to be there. it was too draggy. so there.
plus, there's a lot of other movies not yet released in singapore, like mystic river, lost in translation, etc.
and next, top 5 english albums:
1. Elephant by the White Stripes
2. Hail to the Thief by Radiohead
3. Make up the Breakdown by hot hot heat
4. Songs about Jane by Maroon 5
5. Fever to Tell by yeah yeah yeahs
and there you have it. i'd really have liked to include muse's absolution, the rapture's echos, the shins' chutes too narrow, jane's addiction's strays and cat power's you are free but i haven't had a chance with 'em.
happy new year to all my faithful readers!
celebrated new year's eve with my friends over at perr's place. her mum was kind enough to let us stay over, bless her, and stay over we did.
a little side note before i start on today's entry proper: my mum and perr's mum kinda share the same logic. do mums all think along the same wavelength?
we were waiting for the rest to turn up and us three were having a little chat and it was just like talking to me mum. they share the same unique line of reasoning and all. kinda amazing if one was there to experience it.
and we counted down according to this teevee programme and when the magic hour came, we just kinda burst into this popping and hugging frenzy. lol. after which we went down with noisily equipped with clappers, sparklers, candles, horns, what have yous.
oh we were noisy, no doubt about that. even ran up to this cosy couple on a park bench and a taxi driver and yelled happy new year!!! to their shocked faces. 'twas fun.
i just realized how smoooooth a dancer justin timberlake is.
no, the man's not a musician like he claims to be but simply a recording artist. people write songs and tunes for him and he does the simple job of singing it.
if he ever realizes how thin his vocals are, or how sissy he sounds with his larger-than-life vocal range, or if his star power's diminishing (not happening in the near future unfortunately);
he's really got nothing to worry about because he's got his smooth moves to back him up.
celebrated new year's eve with my friends over at perr's place. her mum was kind enough to let us stay over, bless her, and stay over we did.
a little side note before i start on today's entry proper: my mum and perr's mum kinda share the same logic. do mums all think along the same wavelength?
we were waiting for the rest to turn up and us three were having a little chat and it was just like talking to me mum. they share the same unique line of reasoning and all. kinda amazing if one was there to experience it.
and we counted down according to this teevee programme and when the magic hour came, we just kinda burst into this popping and hugging frenzy. lol. after which we went down with noisily equipped with clappers, sparklers, candles, horns, what have yous.
oh we were noisy, no doubt about that. even ran up to this cosy couple on a park bench and a taxi driver and yelled happy new year!!! to their shocked faces. 'twas fun.
i just realized how smoooooth a dancer justin timberlake is.
no, the man's not a musician like he claims to be but simply a recording artist. people write songs and tunes for him and he does the simple job of singing it.
if he ever realizes how thin his vocals are, or how sissy he sounds with his larger-than-life vocal range, or if his star power's diminishing (not happening in the near future unfortunately);
he's really got nothing to worry about because he's got his smooth moves to back him up.
