The time is 1.24 am in Yokohama. I am seated on my bed, with my laptop and the TV on. Right now I am staying at Shin Yokohama Prince Hotel. A garantuan 42 storey modern themed hotel situated in the heart of Shin Yokohama.
Today was not a very good day to tour the place although I did go to Tokyo for lunch. IT is pretty amazing stuff considering that last friday I was still worrying my ass off whether I can handle the EOPT. Right now I am enjoying superb Japanese hotel services or rather courtesy because they are great at offering you services.
I arrived at NArita airport at 7.15am an hour later than Singapore's time. It is indeed a wonderful place, Japan. Everyone is unbelievably pleasant and helpful. Except I really cannot make head or tail what they are trying to say. It all sounds like a gigantic porn movie without the porn. Not that I have watched many but perhaps it might be a good way to improve my Japanese.
So there is this Limosine bus which took me straight to my hotel from the airport. A journey that lasted the whole of 2 hours. The wind was cold and the rain started falling in bits and pieces. Much like raining water crumbs. As the clock continue the its circular motion of its limbs, the temperature fell further and by the time I got to the hotel, it was really too cold to be going anywhere. The raindrops conspired to take away more heat from us.
I was told at the checkin at the hotel that the room is only available at 2pm. Something which I encountered during my trip to Ansaca Hotel in KL. So at 9.20am local time, I was left with the option of paying 1500 yen for each hour earlier I decided to check in or just hanging around and explore the place abit.
Despite the icy breath of nature abound outside, I decided to chance my thick layer of cold resistance fat against the peri-zero conditions. I started out by making a short run over to the mall just besides the hotel. With Yoshinoya and KFC in sight, there was a chance to settle in with some familiar food before I experience with something more adventurous. The whole menu was different for both restaurants but at least the cashier speaks good english at KEnturket Fried Chicken. She looked Fillipino but with a Japanese name I felt inappropriate to bring my curiosity further. The food over here is expensive. With a simple burger and drink costing almost 450 yen. That is around 8 bucks in Sing dollars.
By dinner time I had gotten over the huge price tags and decided that a $20-$30 dollar meal is acceptable for a few days. But back to morning, the kind lady took about 20 minutes or so and involved almost every staff just to answer my question of how to get to Tokyo cheaply and fast from Shin Yokohama. I was really touched by her heart of servitude and she even GAVE me an umbrella because she saw that I was not carrying any. She was phillipino looking and had dark skin and big nose, not to mention the Ronald Macdonald smile. Quite ironic considering that she is working in KFC. BUt i am truly grateful to her assistance because even with her advice, I got stumped a few times by the massive number of lines and train services at their interchange. She is definitely in possession of a gorgeous personality. By the way, another lady waitress who seemed to be in her 40s looks quite delicate and attractive for a 40-year-old. That was a trend I noticed, even the old girls here look quite decent. I began to wonder why so many of them look like Taitais with their big and expensive fur coat,classy boots and elegant gloves. Then I realized maybe they are really Taitais. The devilish part of me wonder if they worked part time to earn more income for the family.
Getting to Tokyo was a rather arduous affair. Taking the subway from Shin Yokohama to Yokohama was relatively fast and straight forward. But at Yokohama there are so many interconnected lines that it gave me a headache trying to figure just where is the correct line. I even spent 10 minutes studying a map of the route of one of the lines before the policeman told me I am at the wrong place. Finding the correct Tokaido line proved to be much more difficult than I orginally envisage. YEt getting back from Shin Yokohama was a much more direct and easy matter . Mainly because I have such a good memory for places.
I had wanted to go to the Imperial palace near Tokyo station but the heavens were not helping me. With the rain showing no signs of abatement, the cold wind proving too much for my lipo covering and jacket, I had no choice but to stay within the shopping malls. There was a food street which looks more like a food town. There were just so many interconnected streets and shops which made it definitely easy for me to lose my way. I was still getting to get used to the price, because everytime I convert the quoted price back to SIng, I was left gasping. SO i headed down to Daimaru and bought a ten piece sushi for 780 yen and a ebi for 280 yen. Green tea was 240. So that became my lunch, something detrimental to my wallet but still healthier than dining at those ramen or sushi shops. Finding a place to sit was the more tiring and monumentous task of my day. There were simply no seats to be had in that 100 acre of shopping and commerical district. Not that I am sure of how big exactly is 100 acre. I meant it figuratively. But there were really no seats. Except for a row of REST station where there were about 10 seats but they were all occupied. I suspect that those who sat on it gave people an impression of being downtrodden and jobless. Either it is the seats or they are really wandering souls.
So after half an hour or meaningless walk through the whole area and not really paying attention to the shops and surroundings we found some benches marginally beneath the external edge of the compound/ It was sort of a waiting place for people looking to embark on long distance journey to other parts of Japan. ok I mean it is a bus stop.
At first the bus was blocking the rain so I put up with the poisoneous fumes emitted passionately whenever the bus arrives or takes off. Even so, it was still cold. And towards the end, the buses started to run out and I was left with little cover and had to finish my cold sushi meal with my muscles in overdrive shivering.
That was when I decided I had enough and shall not scrap and save for any more meals here. After all it is only 4 more days and with so many top notched chefs and famous eateries around I am not doing myself a favour.
I made my way back after lunch and checked into my room on the 23rd floor. It overlooks the city and now the traffic has ceased to random moving spotlight once in a while. There is a pay TV for porn for 1000 yen in my room. You have to get this TV card from the vending machine outside. I slept straight away because I did not do so on the plane. With the inflight entertainment screening of Batman plus the attractive stewardesses proving too great an impetus not to sleep.
I had wanted to wake at 6 to explore the city but only managed to pry my eyes open at 9.30pm. So it was just a short trip around the area to get my dinner and I settled for Pizza. I should really be eating more Japanese food rather than Italian food. But more shops are closing and it was really hard to decide which was worth a punt. So I ordered a cheesy pizza and a cake. The cake was definitely worth every penny and must be one of the best I had ever tasted this year. It is a layered fruit cake with dough and egg layers interpersed by delicious cream and sliced picecs of fruits. Describing it hardly do any justice. I shall let my waistline bear testimony to the satisfaction I felt eating the cake.
So at 11pm I realized the time was right. So I took a 1000 yen and made my way out. The selection was immense and I was really impressed with the Japanese for being able to make everything vendingmachined. OF course I am not talking about the pay card that was required for me to watch porn. It is the vending machines on level one where I can get hotdogs and chicken pieces and ice cream and soft drinks and beer.
Too bad it was not a day I got to know more about Japanese culture and the places but hey at least I got a few shots with the staff at the Italian restuarants to show!
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Drogba is back, Anelka scored again and Chelsea drew again.
The title of the post says it all. It was another frustrating night for me as I watch my beloved team slump to yet another disappointment at home. Intriguing, I struggle to recall a time where I wore my Blue Chelsea Jersey and my team won. Perhaps I am just being paranoid but I am mildly convinced that I am a sort of curse to my favourite football club.
Knowing that tonight's West Ham is easy meat, or so I believed, I decided to test that theory again. Hoping to break the jinx once and for all, I ended up with eggs on my face as Chelsea couldn't score more than twice in 90 minutes and dropped points at Stamford Bridge once more.
Drogba is looking fit and dangerous again and Anelka is taking the chances coming his way. So I probably shouldn't be complaining. They do take time to gel and the most crucial part would be in February and March. That is when the top of the table is getting more defined and Champions League action is coming thick and fast. I am still unconvinced of the abilities of Deco even though he has scored a triplet of good goals so far. HIs passes appear to be always going astray and where is the vision that he guaranteed us? Nothing penetrating so far and nothing very exquisite. Perhaps he should be taken off instead of Joe Cole who can at least drag the opposition wide or beat them with his trickery and pace.
I am still betting on Deco to come good. Hopefully Ballack shakes off his rustiness soon and perform as he did the later part of last season. Sometimes we get too dependent on Bosingwa and if he has an off day, we usually stutter.
With the January transfer window looming, I think we really need a dynamic or willy player. Owen might be a good addition but he is only good at scoring. He no longer beats opponents with his pace and we have Anelka finishing off the moves already. With him in the team, either he has to be satisfied with not playing all the time or not lasting the whole match or just coming on as a substitute.
Ribery is involved in the Champions League with Bayern and Robben won't be returning. So two of the best players in creating chances and beating opponents are definitely not on the way to Stamford Bridge. I have always wanted Benzema, and I think he just might be another Fernando Torres. But he is ineligible for the Champions League and Lyon would want the world for him.
So where does that leave us? Amri Zaki with his powerful runs and skillful execution might be interesting but he is not the top of my list. Maybe Damian Duff can make a return or Robinho can still go on a strike and demands a move to London. Yah Robinho is definitely my first choice. Too bad he was waylaid by Mark Hughes' MAn City. I can imagine Chelsea leading with at least 8 to 9 points ahead of Liverpool if he had joined us.
Perhaps we should let Scott Sinclair establish himself with more first team experiences. His pace makes him an interesting prospect but he really needs time to settle down with the pace of top flight football.
Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps!
Knowing that tonight's West Ham is easy meat, or so I believed, I decided to test that theory again. Hoping to break the jinx once and for all, I ended up with eggs on my face as Chelsea couldn't score more than twice in 90 minutes and dropped points at Stamford Bridge once more.
Drogba is looking fit and dangerous again and Anelka is taking the chances coming his way. So I probably shouldn't be complaining. They do take time to gel and the most crucial part would be in February and March. That is when the top of the table is getting more defined and Champions League action is coming thick and fast. I am still unconvinced of the abilities of Deco even though he has scored a triplet of good goals so far. HIs passes appear to be always going astray and where is the vision that he guaranteed us? Nothing penetrating so far and nothing very exquisite. Perhaps he should be taken off instead of Joe Cole who can at least drag the opposition wide or beat them with his trickery and pace.
I am still betting on Deco to come good. Hopefully Ballack shakes off his rustiness soon and perform as he did the later part of last season. Sometimes we get too dependent on Bosingwa and if he has an off day, we usually stutter.
With the January transfer window looming, I think we really need a dynamic or willy player. Owen might be a good addition but he is only good at scoring. He no longer beats opponents with his pace and we have Anelka finishing off the moves already. With him in the team, either he has to be satisfied with not playing all the time or not lasting the whole match or just coming on as a substitute.
Ribery is involved in the Champions League with Bayern and Robben won't be returning. So two of the best players in creating chances and beating opponents are definitely not on the way to Stamford Bridge. I have always wanted Benzema, and I think he just might be another Fernando Torres. But he is ineligible for the Champions League and Lyon would want the world for him.
So where does that leave us? Amri Zaki with his powerful runs and skillful execution might be interesting but he is not the top of my list. Maybe Damian Duff can make a return or Robinho can still go on a strike and demands a move to London. Yah Robinho is definitely my first choice. Too bad he was waylaid by Mark Hughes' MAn City. I can imagine Chelsea leading with at least 8 to 9 points ahead of Liverpool if he had joined us.
Perhaps we should let Scott Sinclair establish himself with more first team experiences. His pace makes him an interesting prospect but he really needs time to settle down with the pace of top flight football.
Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps!
Thursday, December 04, 2008
Tokyo DisneySea is hosting the romantic and relaxing special event “Harborside Christmas.” Sparkling illumination, vibrantly colored ornaments and a magnificent Christmas tree in front of the luxurious ocean liner S.S. Columbia all help create the Park’s uplifting holiday mood for this “town and sea” Christmas. At night, the show “Candlelight Reflections” is performed on the waters of Mediterranean Harbor with the Disney characters lighting a giant, waterborne Christmas tree. Also, the live swing jazz show “Big Band Beat” at the Broadway Music Theatre will feature the Disney characters and dancers in some additional Christmas-themed scenes. There are also lots of programs during the daytime. In “Meet and Smile,” the Disney friends gather together to welcome Guests to the Park during this 25th anniversary year. Other shows and attractions around the Park will have their own Christmas surprises as well, so bring someone special and enjoy this wonderful Christmas event! 
Tokyo Disneyland hosts “Christmas Fantasy,” a fantasy-filled special event that can only be experienced here in this Kingdom of Dreams and Magic. The entire Park will be decked for the holidays to give Christmas cheer to all. For this Tokyo Disney Resort 25th Anniversary year, the area in front of Cinderella Castle has been transformed into a wonderful world of snow! Here, Mickey and his pals host a fun and lively musical show called “Mickey’s Jolly Snowtime.” The Disney friends are joined by charming snowmen, lovely snow fairies, and dynamic dancers for a jolly good time in the snow! The holiday fun continues with a special Christmas version of the nighttime parade “Tokyo Disneyland Electrical Parade Dreamlights.” This is a fantastic parade of twinkling lights, with special arrangements of popular Christmas tunes. Also, Stitch gives some Hawaiian-style Christmas cheer in the greeting parade “Stitch Presents ‘A Happy Holiday Greeting.’” Other entertainment programs and attractions around the Park will feature added Christmas touches of their own, so be sure not to miss this year’s magical Christmas at Tokyo Disneyland.Tokyo Disneyland hosts “Christmas Fantasy,” a fantasy-filled special event that can only be experienced here in this Kingdom of Dreams and Magic. The entire Park will be decked for the holidays to give Christmas cheer to all. For this Tokyo Disney Resort 25th Anniversary year, the area in front of Cinderella Castle has been transformed into a wonderful world of snow! Here, Mickey and his pals host a fun and lively musical show called “Mickey’s Jolly Snowtime.” The Disney friends are joined by charming snowmen, lovely snow fairies, and dynamic dancers for a jolly good time in the snow! The holiday fun continues with a special Christmas version of the nighttime parade “Tokyo Disneyland Electrical Parade Dreamlights.” This is a fantastic parade of twinkling lights, with special arrangements of popular Christmas tunes. Also, Stitch gives some Hawaiian-style Christmas cheer in the greeting parade “Stitch Presents ‘A Happy Holiday Greeting.’” Other entertainment programs and attractions around the Park will feature added Christmas touches of their own, so be sure not to miss this year’s magical Christmas at Tokyo Disneyland.
Prince
The Area
Although Yokohama is an integral part of the greater Tokyo area and a major urban center in its own right, it has its own personality stemming from its role as one of the greatest international seaports of Asia.
Thirty minutes by train from Tokyo, its broad, relatively uncrowded streets and mellow atmosphere provide a welcome contrast to Tokyo's congestion. Yokohama is a favorite holiday destination for those seeking sea air, tree-lined streets and harbor life.
The area immediately surrounding the Shin Yokohama Hotel is known as a huge sports zone featuring renowned facilities such as the Yokohama International Stadium and Yokohama Arena.
Activities Nearby
Ice Skating Rink - 10-minute walk
Bowling Center - 15-minute walk
Indoor Tennis Courts - 10-minute walk
Yokohama International Stadium - With a capacity of 70,000 spectators, this is the largest stadium in Japan and the home of the World Cup Soccer Tournament in 2002. (15-minute walk)
Yokohama Arena - A great spot for indoor track and field events, as well as music concerts, this facility holds up to 15,000 people. (2-minute walk)
Sightseeing Nearby
Chinatown - The largest Chinatown in Japan and great for an authentic meal anytime of day. (15 minutes by car or from JR Ishikawa-Cho Station)
Chinese Noodle Museum - Visit the museum, gift shops then sample the real thing in a variety of noodle shops. (10-minute walk)
Sankei-en Garden - Among the ponds and flowers are 16 architectural treasures, including a three-story pagoda from Kyoto. (10 minutes by car)
Minato Mirai 21 - An area of redeveloped docks featuring some creative architecture and street performers on the weekends. Focal point is Landmark Tower, one of the tallest buildings in Japan. (20 minutes by train, JR Neigishi Line)
Yokohama Bay Bridge - A famous local landmark. (25 minutes by car)
Kamakura - One of Japan's most interesting cultural areas with 65 Buddhist temples and 19 Shinto shrines, including the famous Great Buddha. (50 minutes by train, JR Yokosuka Line)
Shopping and Entertainment
Yokohama Bayside Marina - A shopping area with nearly 50 outlet stores selling apparel, sporting and outdoor goods. (10 minutes by car)
Yokohama-Hakkeijima Sea Paradise - A fun family place featuring an aquarium, fireworks shows, carnival and whale show. (20 minutes by car)
Yokohama City "Zoorasia" - See your favorite animals and some rare ones too! (30 minutes by car)
Shin Yokohama Prince Pepe - Shop for apparel, fine jewelry, purses, accessories and cosmetics. This shopping plaza is also famous for its liquor shop, which features 500 different types of wine from 10 countries.
Although Yokohama is an integral part of the greater Tokyo area and a major urban center in its own right, it has its own personality stemming from its role as one of the greatest international seaports of Asia.
Thirty minutes by train from Tokyo, its broad, relatively uncrowded streets and mellow atmosphere provide a welcome contrast to Tokyo's congestion. Yokohama is a favorite holiday destination for those seeking sea air, tree-lined streets and harbor life.
The area immediately surrounding the Shin Yokohama Hotel is known as a huge sports zone featuring renowned facilities such as the Yokohama International Stadium and Yokohama Arena.
Activities Nearby
Ice Skating Rink - 10-minute walk
Bowling Center - 15-minute walk
Indoor Tennis Courts - 10-minute walk
Yokohama International Stadium - With a capacity of 70,000 spectators, this is the largest stadium in Japan and the home of the World Cup Soccer Tournament in 2002. (15-minute walk)
Yokohama Arena - A great spot for indoor track and field events, as well as music concerts, this facility holds up to 15,000 people. (2-minute walk)
Sightseeing Nearby
Chinatown - The largest Chinatown in Japan and great for an authentic meal anytime of day. (15 minutes by car or from JR Ishikawa-Cho Station)
Chinese Noodle Museum - Visit the museum, gift shops then sample the real thing in a variety of noodle shops. (10-minute walk)
Sankei-en Garden - Among the ponds and flowers are 16 architectural treasures, including a three-story pagoda from Kyoto. (10 minutes by car)
Minato Mirai 21 - An area of redeveloped docks featuring some creative architecture and street performers on the weekends. Focal point is Landmark Tower, one of the tallest buildings in Japan. (20 minutes by train, JR Neigishi Line)
Yokohama Bay Bridge - A famous local landmark. (25 minutes by car)
Kamakura - One of Japan's most interesting cultural areas with 65 Buddhist temples and 19 Shinto shrines, including the famous Great Buddha. (50 minutes by train, JR Yokosuka Line)
Shopping and Entertainment
Yokohama Bayside Marina - A shopping area with nearly 50 outlet stores selling apparel, sporting and outdoor goods. (10 minutes by car)
Yokohama-Hakkeijima Sea Paradise - A fun family place featuring an aquarium, fireworks shows, carnival and whale show. (20 minutes by car)
Yokohama City "Zoorasia" - See your favorite animals and some rare ones too! (30 minutes by car)
Shin Yokohama Prince Pepe - Shop for apparel, fine jewelry, purses, accessories and cosmetics. This shopping plaza is also famous for its liquor shop, which features 500 different types of wine from 10 countries.
Stormtroopers arrest Santa
SANTA'S FACTORY, North Pole (Agencies) - An Imperial Stormtrooper commando broke into Santa's Factory on the North Pole yesterday evening, killing an undetermined number of elves, arresting the owner and confiscating his sled. Joe Kwazansky, local spokesman for the Evil Galactic Empire in Los Angeles, appeared in a press conference this morning confirming the rumors of an Imperial takeover of Christmas' celebrations. "The Emperor wants to assure His subjects that Xmas will continue as planned. The pug-nosed fatso, however, will pay for his crimes," Mr. Kwazansky said amid the palpable shock in the press corps. Apparently, the arrest has occurred in connection with earlier reports on the manufacturing and stealth placement of Weapons of Mass Destruction:Answering questions about the causes of this assault and Santa Claus' detention, Mr. Kwazansky pointed out that Imperial Intelligence had undeniable proof of Santa's production of WMDs at his factory located near the North Pole. "He is also a perv, you know," he added, "a guy who goes around his house clad in red velvet and has underaged boys assisting him all day long. Illegal sex? Forced labor? You gotta be kidding. We have the patent on forced labor too. Ask the wookies."
Later in the press conference, Mr. Kwazansky, 48 years old and still living with his parents, revealed that Santa may have been stealing industrial secrets from Imperial-exclusive defense contractor Sienar Fleet Systems. "And what's with the bloody flying reindeers anyway?" he said, "how the Force do they fly? I bet they have Twin Ion Engines up their butts. That's classified technology, people. Fatso is finishing his days in the Great Pit of Carkoon, I tell you." The spokesperson left the stage laughing maniacally, muttering something about how Santa was going to suffer for all those years of coal back at the Imperial Orphanage.
Commenting on the strike, UN's North Pole representative Kalle Jugercømmandersson said that "we don't understand this act of unprovoked agression. The North Pole has been weapons-free since 1959, when Timmy the Polar Bear was killed by a drunk seal using a 38." Then, he started sobbing, crying "and we are not little boys! We are little grown men!" out loud.
Lord Darth Vader was unavailable to comment at the time of this report.
(Photo of Santa being taken to an Imperial Shuttle—or something like that—courtesy of Michael Sibbernsen)
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
Sunday, November 30, 2008
A little bit of PLP, a little bit of chinese
亲爱的《女友》，
我是你们最新的崇拜者(convert)。我是在一个月前，刚好周末有空就买了本《女友》来打发时间。没想到，一看就不能自拔，爱上了你们。我年轻时有学过裁缝与摄影，结婚后便没再如何地去追寻这些兴趣了。不过，当我看到你们一页页如诗如画的服装，便觉得每张照片都拍得很美，把那服装与模特儿的精华展现的淋漓尽致。瞬间，我对服装潮流和摄影的热忱又被点燃了。如果时光能倒流，也许我会执着地往理想迈进。我也被你们所介绍的精美高贵的手表给打动。我的儿子是个爱表之人，常常出国收集寻觅非一般的手表。看来有你们的好介绍，他也能留在新加坡满足他的恋表欲望。
谈谈你们的《当你跟伴侣只剩亲情》，我觉得这并非升华或升天，而是一种自然的过程。即使，男人在婚姻里没了爱情，也不必再“出巡民间”，另结新欢。亲情包含了爱情，也是爱情所剩下的回忆。爱情的回忆是可以让人回味无穷和死而无憾的。爱情的回忆也是一种爱。它虽然不是情窦初开，热情奔放的那种爱，但它的悠悠情意，阵阵芳香也能让人满足。爱是永恒，指的不是一段爱情会经的气时间的摧残而完好无损。它指的是爱情的回忆，它的余味在我们心里是持久的。过了数十载，也能在我们的心池中找到一段一段爱情的涟漪。在热恋当中的情人，那一刻的刻骨铭心，为了爱情而作出的重重蠢事或烂漫的壮举，是在心里找到永恒的。
热爱中的那种感觉，是由新鲜与超高的荷尔蒙所保持的。人一旦习惯了，荷尔蒙的效应也会变淡。这是自然规律。爱情变亲情的过程，相似进化论。亲情和稳定才是可以伴人终老的。只有在亲情里才能看到真理。他们说爱情是盲目的，没错，因为我们在热恋中做出的傻事，往往只有在事后情绪稳定头脑清醒后才发觉做错了。
有人觉得亲情少了爱情里的那份刺激和未知数。有人是为了那刺激与兴奋而活，没了就走人，去开启另一段爱情。大多数，这种人都永远找不到幸福，应为他们不懂得付出。在亲情里也能有爱情一般的刺激，只不过需要你下功夫，找出让生活更有新鲜感的事情。烛光晚餐，亲手做的小礼物，国外旅行都需要你的费心力血，不过所得到的满足会远超过付出的精力。
如果当爱情变成亲情时便另结新欢，那就是说当初的爱情只是虚情假意。又何必流泪，依依不舍呢？
碧琦
PS:
迷糊主编的佳静，其实你的风格在《女友》让我欣赏不已。迷糊到可爱也不容易，乱中有序也是需要功夫的！
Food, books, camera and jewellery
There is a reflection of a dreamy stare upon the 13" widescreen laptop of mine. That is a glaze devoid of feelings and yet able to expertly communicate the feeling I am having now. It is one of tiredness and a wish for the familiar comfort of my bed. Yet I am a few blocks away from home, sitting at Starbucks like a freeloader and indeed I am one.
I abhor the costly prices of beverages and food at Starbucks or Coffeebean. I still view myself as a customer because I have purchased something from them before and has been doing so occasionally. That should entitle me to occupy a chair and table in the establishment as and when I like.
I am debating whether to make my way to the Sitex exhibition. Perhaps I could pick up a good deal or two as the vendors are scramble to offload their mechandise during the final hours of the exhibition/sale. I have heard of Creative players going for as low as $10 or $20 as the sellers just wish to recoup whatever bare minimum they can. Or was it even lower.
The week was a delicious one as I scintillated my tastebuds with treats from many gourmet eateries. There were a couple of misses as well and they proved to be quite expensive too. Thanks mainly to Women's Weekly's one for one coupons, I was able to enjoy chicken rice at Chatterbox, pasteries at Bakerzin, Michelin Star pasta at Restaurant Bologna and so on.
The regret was definitely Window on the Park buffet which is merely a collection of average tasting hawker food. There is mixed rice with the standard dishes and some fanciful veal or mutton which really resemble burnt rubber. DIY laksa was fine and the nonya desserts collection was paltry. Even the chocolate fondue fountain could not temper the disappointment and sense of loss with the $40 bill.
Chatterbox was worth it for the novelty of uberexpensive chicken rice. It certainly delighted my palate as the chunks of cold, melt-in-your-mouth chicken meat entered my mouth. The warm and fragrant rice was a direct constrast which only served to complement the whole gastronomic experience. I have long learnt not to associate price with taste because very rarely if ever do astronomically priced food warrant the price tag. Value for money, I would go for an egg or Kaya toast at home any day. The view on the 38th level of Meritus Mandarin was unspectacular, simply because everywhere our sight falls on appears to be a construction site. The view was ameliorated when the sun went down and only the bright streetlamps and christmas lights reached my retinal.
Bakerzin never disappoint as I ordered an apple tart and a warm chocolate cake. It was a mistake to be eating both simultaneously though as the strong and sweet chocolate overwhelmed our taste buds, rendering the apple tart slightly sour and offbeat. However they are both princely in dessert terms when eaten on their own. The night was completed by a meal at NYDC. It was not part of SWW's promotion but I have vouchers for it so I might as well use them. Hawaiian Pasta definitely will rank high up in my food heaven. Speaking of which, the seafood pasta at Bakerzin deserves another look from me soon.
Speaking of vouchers, the $50 NYDC vouchers were used in 2 settings. I also managed to acquire in my possession a $50 Border gift card and $60 worth of Times vouchers. They were won by simple written submissions to the New Paper, CATS classified and Library Board. I think another $60 to $80 is on the way and I can make another onslaught at Times soon. My latest trip earned my 4 books: Eclispe, Un Lun Dun and two other books which I struggle to remember. I bought them because the authors won the Man Booker prize and the Pulitzer prize, accolades which the publishers unabashedly printed on the front of the books.
Then you have Ristorante Bologna. If ever I were asked for a definition of exceptional service, I would not hesitate to use RB as an illustration. Yet to just praise them for having wonderful waiters would grossly undermine the restaurant. The Squid Ink ravinalli with such generous helpings of fresh prawns mimicked the effects of ecstasy and heroin to a great extent. The bread they served before the main course was made to shine with their special olive sauce.
Mushroom Pot is something C would like. There is something similar with all steamboat places and to be successful you really need a good soup base. MP delivers on that count and the meat and vegetables added more brownie points to them. However I get tired of steamboat easily so I definitely will not return there by myself soon.
Last of all Friends at Chomp Chomp brought an end to my gastronomic adventure together with a high note. The ambience is wonderful and because the whole restaurant was empty even on a sunday morning, it felt like I had booked the place exclusively. I enjoyed a 3 course meal with each of the courses being just less than filling. That of course when added up do just nicely. The mushroom soup with white truffle essence was a mouthful. Truffle is actually a type of mushroom but you cannot be blamed if you detect a hint of dark cocoa in the soup, such is the richness of it. The perch fillet was just fried fish in a big plate but it was not unpleasant. Lastly the desserts consist of a marble cake and an upgraded($8 more) chocolate cake. The chocolate cake had sticky thick fudge oozing out of it and the cold ice cream almost made the whole experience spiritual.
I have no idea why I lunged into such a lengthy chronicle of my dietary memories. Perhaps it was a welcome break from my writeup. I am left with the last part on discussion and I really need to find extra motivation to finish it.
The picture I sent in for Spring@Northeast was selected and published. That earned me a cool Nikon S3 camera as a prize. I was just deliberating on whether to borrow a camera for my Japan trip. My present Kodak camera is a tad too bulky and sells me straight out as a tourist. If I want to utilize or practise my addictive bargaining skills, I should be better off appearing as a local. I would not look out of place in Japan I guess with my fair skin and oriental looks. Some people thought I was Taiwanese and M actually asked if I were from Korea.
My mother was also delighted when she saw the article I wrote on her behalf appear in Nu You magazine. Perhaps she was astounded by my chinese pensmanship or she was just really happy with the pendant which she would soon receive. That comes hot on the heels of her Risis Bamboo inspired Jewellery set. Since I am too poor to buy proper jewellery for her, earning them as prizes would not be too bad either.
So the debate within my head rages on. Sitex, writeup or just go home and wait to go for dinner with my parents?
Clueless, blur and unmotivated.
I abhor the costly prices of beverages and food at Starbucks or Coffeebean. I still view myself as a customer because I have purchased something from them before and has been doing so occasionally. That should entitle me to occupy a chair and table in the establishment as and when I like.
I am debating whether to make my way to the Sitex exhibition. Perhaps I could pick up a good deal or two as the vendors are scramble to offload their mechandise during the final hours of the exhibition/sale. I have heard of Creative players going for as low as $10 or $20 as the sellers just wish to recoup whatever bare minimum they can. Or was it even lower.
The week was a delicious one as I scintillated my tastebuds with treats from many gourmet eateries. There were a couple of misses as well and they proved to be quite expensive too. Thanks mainly to Women's Weekly's one for one coupons, I was able to enjoy chicken rice at Chatterbox, pasteries at Bakerzin, Michelin Star pasta at Restaurant Bologna and so on.
The regret was definitely Window on the Park buffet which is merely a collection of average tasting hawker food. There is mixed rice with the standard dishes and some fanciful veal or mutton which really resemble burnt rubber. DIY laksa was fine and the nonya desserts collection was paltry. Even the chocolate fondue fountain could not temper the disappointment and sense of loss with the $40 bill.
Chatterbox was worth it for the novelty of uberexpensive chicken rice. It certainly delighted my palate as the chunks of cold, melt-in-your-mouth chicken meat entered my mouth. The warm and fragrant rice was a direct constrast which only served to complement the whole gastronomic experience. I have long learnt not to associate price with taste because very rarely if ever do astronomically priced food warrant the price tag. Value for money, I would go for an egg or Kaya toast at home any day. The view on the 38th level of Meritus Mandarin was unspectacular, simply because everywhere our sight falls on appears to be a construction site. The view was ameliorated when the sun went down and only the bright streetlamps and christmas lights reached my retinal.
Bakerzin never disappoint as I ordered an apple tart and a warm chocolate cake. It was a mistake to be eating both simultaneously though as the strong and sweet chocolate overwhelmed our taste buds, rendering the apple tart slightly sour and offbeat. However they are both princely in dessert terms when eaten on their own. The night was completed by a meal at NYDC. It was not part of SWW's promotion but I have vouchers for it so I might as well use them. Hawaiian Pasta definitely will rank high up in my food heaven. Speaking of which, the seafood pasta at Bakerzin deserves another look from me soon.
Speaking of vouchers, the $50 NYDC vouchers were used in 2 settings. I also managed to acquire in my possession a $50 Border gift card and $60 worth of Times vouchers. They were won by simple written submissions to the New Paper, CATS classified and Library Board. I think another $60 to $80 is on the way and I can make another onslaught at Times soon. My latest trip earned my 4 books: Eclispe, Un Lun Dun and two other books which I struggle to remember. I bought them because the authors won the Man Booker prize and the Pulitzer prize, accolades which the publishers unabashedly printed on the front of the books.
Then you have Ristorante Bologna. If ever I were asked for a definition of exceptional service, I would not hesitate to use RB as an illustration. Yet to just praise them for having wonderful waiters would grossly undermine the restaurant. The Squid Ink ravinalli with such generous helpings of fresh prawns mimicked the effects of ecstasy and heroin to a great extent. The bread they served before the main course was made to shine with their special olive sauce.
Mushroom Pot is something C would like. There is something similar with all steamboat places and to be successful you really need a good soup base. MP delivers on that count and the meat and vegetables added more brownie points to them. However I get tired of steamboat easily so I definitely will not return there by myself soon.
Last of all Friends at Chomp Chomp brought an end to my gastronomic adventure together with a high note. The ambience is wonderful and because the whole restaurant was empty even on a sunday morning, it felt like I had booked the place exclusively. I enjoyed a 3 course meal with each of the courses being just less than filling. That of course when added up do just nicely. The mushroom soup with white truffle essence was a mouthful. Truffle is actually a type of mushroom but you cannot be blamed if you detect a hint of dark cocoa in the soup, such is the richness of it. The perch fillet was just fried fish in a big plate but it was not unpleasant. Lastly the desserts consist of a marble cake and an upgraded($8 more) chocolate cake. The chocolate cake had sticky thick fudge oozing out of it and the cold ice cream almost made the whole experience spiritual.
I have no idea why I lunged into such a lengthy chronicle of my dietary memories. Perhaps it was a welcome break from my writeup. I am left with the last part on discussion and I really need to find extra motivation to finish it.
The picture I sent in for Spring@Northeast was selected and published. That earned me a cool Nikon S3 camera as a prize. I was just deliberating on whether to borrow a camera for my Japan trip. My present Kodak camera is a tad too bulky and sells me straight out as a tourist. If I want to utilize or practise my addictive bargaining skills, I should be better off appearing as a local. I would not look out of place in Japan I guess with my fair skin and oriental looks. Some people thought I was Taiwanese and M actually asked if I were from Korea.
My mother was also delighted when she saw the article I wrote on her behalf appear in Nu You magazine. Perhaps she was astounded by my chinese pensmanship or she was just really happy with the pendant which she would soon receive. That comes hot on the heels of her Risis Bamboo inspired Jewellery set. Since I am too poor to buy proper jewellery for her, earning them as prizes would not be too bad either.
So the debate within my head rages on. Sitex, writeup or just go home and wait to go for dinner with my parents?
Clueless, blur and unmotivated.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
My night at the airport
Within my memories or brain, there is a very serene night at the airport. I am not certain if such an event actually happened but the feelings it inspires are very real. Let me describe the scene to you. It is a quiet and blue night, the airport runway is lit up by thousands of lamps and everything is very peaceful.
There are some movements by cargo trucks or technicians on the runway. Very subtle but because it is so quiet, their actions are magnified. The droning sound of a landing airplane is heard. The plane is then spotted faraway and gradually becomes bigger. It is a night where you can see the stars but not from the plane. However the ground looked like dense clusters of stars albeit very squarish from the plane.
The stars on the ground are golden in color interspersed with rectangles that are dark blue and very dull. Although the plane is very noisy while landing, there is a serenity contained in the night that overwhelms everything. I do not notice other passengers, not even my mother who was with me. I know in my subconsciousness they should be there.
Perhaps they are too tired. I suspect their tiredness comes not from the flight but a wariness of life and of the lonely night. I feel like I am among zombies. Not those vicious menacing ones but people without souls. They move around me in a slow blurness. I am in high contrast and richly colored.
AS I moved towards the arrival hall, everything seems so vivid and yet silent. No, they are loud, not audibly but visually everything is loud and clear. I know somewhere in B1 the hall is empty and there is an emptiness waiting for me to occupy. I know that I will find solitude in the level directly below mine.
Why am I writing this? Because it is a sleepless night for me again. How I long to return to this airport of my dreams. So I may enter the basement of loneliness. The nothingness within it will engulf me and I will finally find my peace.
There are some movements by cargo trucks or technicians on the runway. Very subtle but because it is so quiet, their actions are magnified. The droning sound of a landing airplane is heard. The plane is then spotted faraway and gradually becomes bigger. It is a night where you can see the stars but not from the plane. However the ground looked like dense clusters of stars albeit very squarish from the plane.
The stars on the ground are golden in color interspersed with rectangles that are dark blue and very dull. Although the plane is very noisy while landing, there is a serenity contained in the night that overwhelms everything. I do not notice other passengers, not even my mother who was with me. I know in my subconsciousness they should be there.
Perhaps they are too tired. I suspect their tiredness comes not from the flight but a wariness of life and of the lonely night. I feel like I am among zombies. Not those vicious menacing ones but people without souls. They move around me in a slow blurness. I am in high contrast and richly colored.
AS I moved towards the arrival hall, everything seems so vivid and yet silent. No, they are loud, not audibly but visually everything is loud and clear. I know somewhere in B1 the hall is empty and there is an emptiness waiting for me to occupy. I know that I will find solitude in the level directly below mine.
Why am I writing this? Because it is a sleepless night for me again. How I long to return to this airport of my dreams. So I may enter the basement of loneliness. The nothingness within it will engulf me and I will finally find my peace.
Friday, November 21, 2008
I am going to Yokohama to watch Man U in action for their FIFA club world cup tournament semifinal. Of course me in any state of mind will not pay to go and watch the Red Devils. Blue is the color of the blood coursing through my veins. However this is an unexpected present and a free trip. It took me all of a minute to participate in the Sony Football Moments contest, a contest that requires you to vote for the best goal out of five selected moments. Naturally I chosen Samir Nasri's 2nd goal against Man U because it is indeed a work of beauty. I summed it up with the words: flowing football with a gush of quality at the end. And in the end I got a pair of tickets to Tokyo, accomodation for 2 nights and 2 tickets for the competition which is Chelsea had won in May, it would be the best thing that had happened since the invention of Katong Laksa. So well, this comes in second but it is still not bad. I probably have to start my revision like right now so I can spare that few days away frolicking in the white cold city of Yokohama and Tokyo.
I think I was wondering how wonderful it would be to be able to go to Disneyland. I think there is one is Tokyo, and I will be going there. If it is indeed in Tokyo. I should start digging my old Jap textbook out and relearn those hanakana or whatever those basic jap words and their pronunciation are. A 2-3 day itinery should not be too hard to plan. Without expenses like hotel and air tickets, I probably can spend a tiny bit more on food and sovenoirs over there. Not everyone will get one from me becauase I am not exactly that rich. Perhaps I should just get some for my parents. Since I am going with my uncle I probably will not have the chance to witness the sleazy side of Tokyo. I shall take plenty of pictures and visit all their famous attractions as I possibly can in 3 days. I will be watching the match on the evening of 18th.
Yesterday I went to watch Hell's Highway KM31. It is a mexican flick and another pair of free tickets. I still have not used my Dragon Hunters' tickets. There is only 1 screening time left at PS. I certainly hope it will still be around by next wednesday. Pray hard. Another way that was my 12th or 13th pair of free tickets this year. I guess it is pretty easy to win tickets to shows which are not that popular. Xueting did not find the Dragon Hunters interesting. My dad thought Hell Highway was crap. At least my mum was appreciative of Journey to the Center of the Earth. She got really anxious when the dinosaur started snapping at the heels of the kid who was looking for his dad or his legacy. Let me recall, the other shows I got free tickets for are: Black Magic 4, Dragon Hunters 2 pairs, Sing to the Dawn, Clones War, Boy A, Mama Mia, Babylon AD, 2 pairs of GV tickets which have no restriction on what I watch, a pair of Beyond concert tickets, 2 pairs of Misia concert tickets... Somewhere there.I think I missed out a couple of shows but it doesn't really matter.
I feel like eating rum and raisin ice cream. I cannot remember where I had last eaten it or whey is there such a craving. I shall buy it later after I have finished at least 2 chapters of my OBGYN notes. Today was a pain really. I had to lug around my laptop and two thick files worth of notes from NUS to KKH and back home. My back and neck is still aching from that exertion.
Someone mentioned that the prevalence of HPV is around 70 to 80 %. I was thinking ruefully that we as a batch probably end up in that 20% who get no exposure. It is kind of sad. After all my friend wisely said that we are like teapots, waiting to pour our tea into the teacups that are around. Stale tea doesn't taste too good.
So I shall spend an hour or so tomorrow to plan for the trip to Japan. Then many hours on studying the notes which I had reclaimed from the photocopy shop for a princely sum of 30++ bucks.
Life goes on.
Fucking hell. I am glad I copied this entry before attempting to upload. The connection almost took me for aride again.
I think I was wondering how wonderful it would be to be able to go to Disneyland. I think there is one is Tokyo, and I will be going there. If it is indeed in Tokyo. I should start digging my old Jap textbook out and relearn those hanakana or whatever those basic jap words and their pronunciation are. A 2-3 day itinery should not be too hard to plan. Without expenses like hotel and air tickets, I probably can spend a tiny bit more on food and sovenoirs over there. Not everyone will get one from me becauase I am not exactly that rich. Perhaps I should just get some for my parents. Since I am going with my uncle I probably will not have the chance to witness the sleazy side of Tokyo. I shall take plenty of pictures and visit all their famous attractions as I possibly can in 3 days. I will be watching the match on the evening of 18th.
Yesterday I went to watch Hell's Highway KM31. It is a mexican flick and another pair of free tickets. I still have not used my Dragon Hunters' tickets. There is only 1 screening time left at PS. I certainly hope it will still be around by next wednesday. Pray hard. Another way that was my 12th or 13th pair of free tickets this year. I guess it is pretty easy to win tickets to shows which are not that popular. Xueting did not find the Dragon Hunters interesting. My dad thought Hell Highway was crap. At least my mum was appreciative of Journey to the Center of the Earth. She got really anxious when the dinosaur started snapping at the heels of the kid who was looking for his dad or his legacy. Let me recall, the other shows I got free tickets for are: Black Magic 4, Dragon Hunters 2 pairs, Sing to the Dawn, Clones War, Boy A, Mama Mia, Babylon AD, 2 pairs of GV tickets which have no restriction on what I watch, a pair of Beyond concert tickets, 2 pairs of Misia concert tickets... Somewhere there.I think I missed out a couple of shows but it doesn't really matter.
I feel like eating rum and raisin ice cream. I cannot remember where I had last eaten it or whey is there such a craving. I shall buy it later after I have finished at least 2 chapters of my OBGYN notes. Today was a pain really. I had to lug around my laptop and two thick files worth of notes from NUS to KKH and back home. My back and neck is still aching from that exertion.
Someone mentioned that the prevalence of HPV is around 70 to 80 %. I was thinking ruefully that we as a batch probably end up in that 20% who get no exposure. It is kind of sad. After all my friend wisely said that we are like teapots, waiting to pour our tea into the teacups that are around. Stale tea doesn't taste too good.
So I shall spend an hour or so tomorrow to plan for the trip to Japan. Then many hours on studying the notes which I had reclaimed from the photocopy shop for a princely sum of 30++ bucks.
Life goes on.
Fucking hell. I am glad I copied this entry before attempting to upload. The connection almost took me for aride again.
Monday, November 17, 2008
I am really random.
I hate public hotspots. Forget to save whatever you are typing and the next time you click post, the computer fucking redirects you to log in again. What the fuck.
Anyway I am trying to recreate word for word a blog of a few thousand words because my fucking computer pulled this stunt on me.
I was just having a lazy afternoon where I do not feel like doing anything. I whisked a few hours away doing precisely that. Even when I feel like doing something, the hours spent on deliberation means I usually end up doing nothing. So I got to the point this time round. In the morning I wanted to go to the clinics but every one of them had a student in it already. The doctors only allowed one per person. One even told us that since its her first day, she prefers not to have anyone near her. Well suck thumb. It is their right. So not really feeling dejected, I trooped home for a rendezvous with my bed. I remained status quo till 2pm in the afternoon when my phone started ringing. It was the unwanted call. From the tuition agency asking for payment. LEt them wait. Ignore the calls. There is a perverse satisfaction in the whole evasion exercise. Eventually I will pay up. It is just a matter of time. I have plenty. Not money though. Something that is unlikely to change until next year when my students return to me.
It is not bad though, to be taking a break and engaging in some serious studying. Or some studying. I like getting phone calls from unknown numbers. Got a few from some insurance agencies and financial counsultancies. Then you have people from Serangoon Gardens Country Club calling to ask you to take up membership. Maybe if they pay me. So I told them to call me again in 2 weeks time. This has been going on for a few months. They are patient. Then I got another one. This time from the Singapore FLyers. Somehow I managed to get into their FIrst Anniversary celebrations list. I have no idea what that means. Just gave them my details. Last friday was the best. GOt a call from ESPN. Informed me I am in with a chance of winning a bonus prize for a trip to Japan. To watch Man U play in the semi finals of the World Club Championship. If Chelsea had beaten them in May, I would have been drooling till now. So if I do get it and since it is right smack in the middle of my study period, I can either sell it or enjoy a plane trip and visit some kawaiii girls before making my way back. Lets not count the chicks before they are hatched.
Talking about last friday, i attended a wedding of a cousin of this 4th Aunt that I supposedly have. The guy was a block of lumbering giant. I think his wife cannot speak English. No shame though about that. It is just education and the right opportunities. HOwever some of my relatives, alot of my aunties, in fact all of them are born with some hereditary ancephaly or had methane rich craniums. I think most of them do not know my name. Somehow they think they have a really intelligent nephew who is called YANhong. You know the thing about the old chinese folks, they are really bad at HanYuPingYing. In part they are heavily influenced by their mother tongue: Hokkien and the other reason is they couldn't complete their primary school education. Most of them are not working. Find a partially blind or tasteless businessman and get married and be a TaiTai. The only one who managed to find a job became a police. That is what happens if you do not study hard. Anyway they have farts for brains. I rather liked the sound of it. FARTS FOR BRAINS. They are now pursuing their hobby of imitating a barrel quite successfully. EMpty barrels. I guess the guys are not so much affected because they seemed to have some semblance of normality.
The wedding was held at FUrama Riverfront Hotel. Right beside 3 night clubs and I would not be surprised if they gifted the groom discount vouchers there for his bachelor's night. The wedding went quite well except my grandmother lost her ear rings. Someone said it was a heirloom, so I guess effectively she lost my earrings. The kind old lady is already 90 years old. Bless her and when I get my first pay check for an honest day's work, I will buy her another one. As long as she makes it a heirloom and passes it to the eldest son. The food was okay. Nothing spectacular. in Fact I have not been to a really memorable wedding. I guess we have to wait till I get married before things get really impressive. The gifts were quite poorly made. The colors were awful and the handphone holders still retained some of the plastic edges.
SPeaking of weddings, I had some inspirations about proposals. The kind that negotiates a contract with the girl of your dreams to become the woman of your life, the wife of the goon in your house and the mother of the kids if you are fertile. SO indeed such proposals tend to require the guy to be creative and romantic. The ingredients are usually the same:candles,romantic music, flowers, soft toys like teddy bears or hEllo Kittys, flowers, lots and lots of flowers: roses, tulips, lilies.. never crysanthemums even if they are are really cheap, chocolates, red wine, and a diamond ring. Of course the probablity of success is proportionately linked to the size of the diamond or the male phalanx.
Picture this: a hotel room, plenty of flowers and soft toys on the bed, the flowers arranged to form the words I love you or a heart shape. Gentle music playing in the background. Really romantic and soft ambience, dim orange light. That is the recipe of success. Change the settings, posh restaurant, candle light dinner, a bouquet of roses and a violinist playing a song for you two and you present her the diamond ring. I am glad I know a few musicians so getting a violinist to play for me should be no problem. I can even get it outdoors by the beach. If there is no violinist, perhaps I can go for a cello player! I know one as well. Another scenario: a trip on the boat along Singapore RIver. A nice dinner and floating candles forming a heart shape on the river. I have plenty more ideas up my sleeve but you have to pay for those. Too bad I will only do it once, what a waste of a whole host of splendid ideas. One note on the girl of your dreams, after marriage and giving birth, she will no doubtedly still remain the girl! But you might be having nightmares already.
I was just giving tips to my friend on how to celebrate his anniversary. LAst year I suggested a mini bbq for two by the beach. It worked like a beauty. Quite a simple idea, grab those disposable bbq trays and some seafood. You cannot really go wrong with bbq food. This year I suggested going to this teddy bear factory and make a teddy bear. The product of your love. So now you have added another layer to your relationship, you have created something together. Of course I would encourage him to translate that metaphor into physical actions. The time is ripe, the girl is right and the parents has left. Tian shi di li ren he.
Anyway I am trying to recreate word for word a blog of a few thousand words because my fucking computer pulled this stunt on me.
I was just having a lazy afternoon where I do not feel like doing anything. I whisked a few hours away doing precisely that. Even when I feel like doing something, the hours spent on deliberation means I usually end up doing nothing. So I got to the point this time round. In the morning I wanted to go to the clinics but every one of them had a student in it already. The doctors only allowed one per person. One even told us that since its her first day, she prefers not to have anyone near her. Well suck thumb. It is their right. So not really feeling dejected, I trooped home for a rendezvous with my bed. I remained status quo till 2pm in the afternoon when my phone started ringing. It was the unwanted call. From the tuition agency asking for payment. LEt them wait. Ignore the calls. There is a perverse satisfaction in the whole evasion exercise. Eventually I will pay up. It is just a matter of time. I have plenty. Not money though. Something that is unlikely to change until next year when my students return to me.
It is not bad though, to be taking a break and engaging in some serious studying. Or some studying. I like getting phone calls from unknown numbers. Got a few from some insurance agencies and financial counsultancies. Then you have people from Serangoon Gardens Country Club calling to ask you to take up membership. Maybe if they pay me. So I told them to call me again in 2 weeks time. This has been going on for a few months. They are patient. Then I got another one. This time from the Singapore FLyers. Somehow I managed to get into their FIrst Anniversary celebrations list. I have no idea what that means. Just gave them my details. Last friday was the best. GOt a call from ESPN. Informed me I am in with a chance of winning a bonus prize for a trip to Japan. To watch Man U play in the semi finals of the World Club Championship. If Chelsea had beaten them in May, I would have been drooling till now. So if I do get it and since it is right smack in the middle of my study period, I can either sell it or enjoy a plane trip and visit some kawaiii girls before making my way back. Lets not count the chicks before they are hatched.
Talking about last friday, i attended a wedding of a cousin of this 4th Aunt that I supposedly have. The guy was a block of lumbering giant. I think his wife cannot speak English. No shame though about that. It is just education and the right opportunities. HOwever some of my relatives, alot of my aunties, in fact all of them are born with some hereditary ancephaly or had methane rich craniums. I think most of them do not know my name. Somehow they think they have a really intelligent nephew who is called YANhong. You know the thing about the old chinese folks, they are really bad at HanYuPingYing. In part they are heavily influenced by their mother tongue: Hokkien and the other reason is they couldn't complete their primary school education. Most of them are not working. Find a partially blind or tasteless businessman and get married and be a TaiTai. The only one who managed to find a job became a police. That is what happens if you do not study hard. Anyway they have farts for brains. I rather liked the sound of it. FARTS FOR BRAINS. They are now pursuing their hobby of imitating a barrel quite successfully. EMpty barrels. I guess the guys are not so much affected because they seemed to have some semblance of normality.
The wedding was held at FUrama Riverfront Hotel. Right beside 3 night clubs and I would not be surprised if they gifted the groom discount vouchers there for his bachelor's night. The wedding went quite well except my grandmother lost her ear rings. Someone said it was a heirloom, so I guess effectively she lost my earrings. The kind old lady is already 90 years old. Bless her and when I get my first pay check for an honest day's work, I will buy her another one. As long as she makes it a heirloom and passes it to the eldest son. The food was okay. Nothing spectacular. in Fact I have not been to a really memorable wedding. I guess we have to wait till I get married before things get really impressive. The gifts were quite poorly made. The colors were awful and the handphone holders still retained some of the plastic edges.
SPeaking of weddings, I had some inspirations about proposals. The kind that negotiates a contract with the girl of your dreams to become the woman of your life, the wife of the goon in your house and the mother of the kids if you are fertile. SO indeed such proposals tend to require the guy to be creative and romantic. The ingredients are usually the same:candles,romantic music, flowers, soft toys like teddy bears or hEllo Kittys, flowers, lots and lots of flowers: roses, tulips, lilies.. never crysanthemums even if they are are really cheap, chocolates, red wine, and a diamond ring. Of course the probablity of success is proportionately linked to the size of the diamond or the male phalanx.
Picture this: a hotel room, plenty of flowers and soft toys on the bed, the flowers arranged to form the words I love you or a heart shape. Gentle music playing in the background. Really romantic and soft ambience, dim orange light. That is the recipe of success. Change the settings, posh restaurant, candle light dinner, a bouquet of roses and a violinist playing a song for you two and you present her the diamond ring. I am glad I know a few musicians so getting a violinist to play for me should be no problem. I can even get it outdoors by the beach. If there is no violinist, perhaps I can go for a cello player! I know one as well. Another scenario: a trip on the boat along Singapore RIver. A nice dinner and floating candles forming a heart shape on the river. I have plenty more ideas up my sleeve but you have to pay for those. Too bad I will only do it once, what a waste of a whole host of splendid ideas. One note on the girl of your dreams, after marriage and giving birth, she will no doubtedly still remain the girl! But you might be having nightmares already.
I was just giving tips to my friend on how to celebrate his anniversary. LAst year I suggested a mini bbq for two by the beach. It worked like a beauty. Quite a simple idea, grab those disposable bbq trays and some seafood. You cannot really go wrong with bbq food. This year I suggested going to this teddy bear factory and make a teddy bear. The product of your love. So now you have added another layer to your relationship, you have created something together. Of course I would encourage him to translate that metaphor into physical actions. The time is ripe, the girl is right and the parents has left. Tian shi di li ren he.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
EastcoastLife
I just had a very interesting day. Saw a delivery and a Cesarean Section. IT was bloody but the babies were beautiful.
So I thought I might get another pleasant surprise as I checked on Eastcoastlife bfore going to sleep after a long tiring day.
The competition draw was postponed and my entries were submitted. However I do not know if I had any incorrect answers. That is making me nervous.
Good luck to me and the rest of those who joined.
And best wishes to the new parents!
So I thought I might get another pleasant surprise as I checked on Eastcoastlife bfore going to sleep after a long tiring day.
The competition draw was postponed and my entries were submitted. However I do not know if I had any incorrect answers. That is making me nervous.
Good luck to me and the rest of those who joined.
And best wishes to the new parents!
Thursday, October 23, 2008
EastCoastLife is giving away a 60" LG HD Plasma TV!!
EastCoastLife is giving away a 60" LG HD Plasma TV!!: "or the next 5 weeks (from 15th September to 25 October 2008, 12 midnight), read my blog and then answer 10 questions based on the articles I wrote. One question will appear on certain posts.
Write down your 10 answers and personal particulars on an A4-sized white paper, send to me..... by Slow Mail or you can send your entry form personally to the address below :
EastCoastLife/LG Contest
1 Coleman Street
#02-35 The Adelphi
Singapore 179803
Please give your Full Name (as written in your NRIC and Passport), ID number, Address, Contact Number and email. If you are a blogger, please give your nick and blog url. The winner will be notified by phone.
Attention Singapore Bloggers!!
Blog about my contest and link to me. Every time you do that, you'll be rewarded with a duplicate copy of your entry form to enter for the draw. Maximum 5 times. That means you get more chances of winning this TV!!
In addition, there will be mystery prizes for 3 lucky bloggers who participate in my contest but didn't win this TV. Prizes from EastCoastLife."
Write down your 10 answers and personal particulars on an A4-sized white paper, send to me..... by Slow Mail or you can send your entry form personally to the address below :
EastCoastLife/LG Contest
1 Coleman Street
#02-35 The Adelphi
Singapore 179803
Please give your Full Name (as written in your NRIC and Passport), ID number, Address, Contact Number and email. If you are a blogger, please give your nick and blog url. The winner will be notified by phone.
Attention Singapore Bloggers!!
Blog about my contest and link to me. Every time you do that, you'll be rewarded with a duplicate copy of your entry form to enter for the draw. Maximum 5 times. That means you get more chances of winning this TV!!
In addition, there will be mystery prizes for 3 lucky bloggers who participate in my contest but didn't win this TV. Prizes from EastCoastLife."
I have finally researched and obtained all the answers to the questions Eastcoastlife set on her blog. At least I made it before the deadline. There was one particular tricky question in the sense that I could not locate where it was. It took me a cool hour to figure out where exactly in the blog the question is.
Now it will be time for me to go to school soon. I missed only one day this week so it is not such a bad week. On the way to school I shall drop by the postoffice and drop my letters to ECL.
Here are some of the details:
or the next 5 weeks (from 15th September to 25 October 2008, 12 midnight), read my blog and then answer 10 questions based on the articles I wrote. One question will appear on certain posts.
Write down your 10 answers and personal particulars on an A4-sized white paper, send to me..... by Slow Mail or you can send your entry form personally to the address below :
EastCoastLife/LG Contest
1 Coleman Street
#02-35 The Adelphi
Singapore 179803
Please give your Full Name (as written in your NRIC and Passport), ID number, Address, Contact Number and email. If you are a blogger, please give your nick and blog url. The winner will be notified by phone.
Attention Singapore Bloggers!!
Blog about my contest and link to me. Every time you do that, you'll be rewarded with a duplicate copy of your entry form to enter for the draw. Maximum 5 times. That means you get more chances of winning this TV!!
In addition, there will be mystery prizes for 3 lucky bloggers who participate in my contest but didn't win this TV. Prizes from EastCoastLife.
Now it will be time for me to go to school soon. I missed only one day this week so it is not such a bad week. On the way to school I shall drop by the postoffice and drop my letters to ECL.
Here are some of the details:
or the next 5 weeks (from 15th September to 25 October 2008, 12 midnight), read my blog and then answer 10 questions based on the articles I wrote. One question will appear on certain posts.
Write down your 10 answers and personal particulars on an A4-sized white paper, send to me..... by Slow Mail or you can send your entry form personally to the address below :
EastCoastLife/LG Contest
1 Coleman Street
#02-35 The Adelphi
Singapore 179803
Please give your Full Name (as written in your NRIC and Passport), ID number, Address, Contact Number and email. If you are a blogger, please give your nick and blog url. The winner will be notified by phone.
Attention Singapore Bloggers!!
Blog about my contest and link to me. Every time you do that, you'll be rewarded with a duplicate copy of your entry form to enter for the draw. Maximum 5 times. That means you get more chances of winning this TV!!
In addition, there will be mystery prizes for 3 lucky bloggers who participate in my contest but didn't win this TV. Prizes from EastCoastLife.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
EastCoastLife and a 60 inch LG plasma TV
Speaking of famous bloggers, EastCoastLife comes to the mind almost immediately. She is a multiple blog award winner amd talks about the fun things in Singapore, PM Lee, politics and can even blog in chinese. Hats off to her.
Right now she is actually giving away a 60 inch plasma tv if you can answer 10 questions of hers correctly and get chosen by her in a lucky draw. I wonder how she manages to draw sponsors to give away such big and wonderful prizes.
I am watching the Uefa Champions League now on my LCD Tv. A 60 inch plasma tv? That would be heaven in terms of football watching. With Chelsea scoring freely and playing silky football, I can catch and be mesmerized by their actions and goals on a 60inch TV. Right now is half time and the score is zilch to both sides: Roma and Chelsea. I bet there would be goals after I finish blogging and return to the couch.
I spent quite a lot of time reading her blog and she is actually sponsored by LG. They give her phones and what not. I wonder if LG would sponsor my phones and household appliances if I tattoo their logo on my arm. Or perhaps shave on my head the letters LG.
Ponderings aside, the 60 inch plasma tv is not even out in stores here yet. I wonder( still pondering) how much electricity it will suck right from the socket. I am not very sure about the specifications but I guess you just have to look around for the specifications of the best plasma TVs and this one will top everything.
Right now she is actually giving away a 60 inch plasma tv if you can answer 10 questions of hers correctly and get chosen by her in a lucky draw. I wonder how she manages to draw sponsors to give away such big and wonderful prizes.
I am watching the Uefa Champions League now on my LCD Tv. A 60 inch plasma tv? That would be heaven in terms of football watching. With Chelsea scoring freely and playing silky football, I can catch and be mesmerized by their actions and goals on a 60inch TV. Right now is half time and the score is zilch to both sides: Roma and Chelsea. I bet there would be goals after I finish blogging and return to the couch.
I spent quite a lot of time reading her blog and she is actually sponsored by LG. They give her phones and what not. I wonder if LG would sponsor my phones and household appliances if I tattoo their logo on my arm. Or perhaps shave on my head the letters LG.
Ponderings aside, the 60 inch plasma tv is not even out in stores here yet. I wonder( still pondering) how much electricity it will suck right from the socket. I am not very sure about the specifications but I guess you just have to look around for the specifications of the best plasma TVs and this one will top everything.
Friday, October 03, 2008
那些女孩教我的事
品冠 - 那些女孩教我的事
作词：阿信 作曲：阿信
要不是你让想念猖狂打破天窗
我不会发现枕头上的光亮
以为你就是故乡
却变成我的流浪
谁的傍晚是谁的天亮
十九八七六十六亿人同时狂欢
五四三二一个人倒数孤单
回忆的拥挤广场
假装你还在身旁
就像你最爱依赖我的肩膀
第一行诗的狂妄
第一首歌的难忘
第一次吻你的唇
你的倔强
第一颗流星灿烂
第一个天真愿望
第一个诺言美丽的荒唐
你叫我爱的善良
你教我恨的野蛮
你教我忘记该忘
伤心太伤
那些你教我的事
让思念更苦更长
只想问
想念的 想念的 想念的你
怎么样
爱情是信仰
或只能是旅途风光
那女孩带我漫游一次天堂
你教我怎么爱上
却没教怎么遗忘
让我的阳光都换成了泪光
第一行诗的狂妄
第一首歌的难忘
第一次吻你的唇
你的倔强
第一颗流星灿烂
第一个天真愿望
第一个诺言美丽的荒唐
你教我爱的善良
你教我恨的野蛮
你教我忘记该忘
伤心太伤
那些你教我的事
让思念更苦更长
只想问
想念的 想念的 想念的你
怎么样
第一行诗的狂妄
第一首歌的难忘
第一次吻你的唇
你的倔强
第一颗流星灿烂
第一个天真愿望
第一个诺言美丽的荒唐
你教我爱的善良
你教我恨的野蛮
你教我忘记该忘
伤心太伤
那些你教我的事
让思念更苦更长
只想问
想念的 想念的 想念的你
怎么样
那些你教我的事
让思念更苦更长
只想问
想念的 想念的 想念的你
怎么样
作词：阿信 作曲：阿信
要不是你让想念猖狂打破天窗
我不会发现枕头上的光亮
以为你就是故乡
却变成我的流浪
谁的傍晚是谁的天亮
十九八七六十六亿人同时狂欢
五四三二一个人倒数孤单
回忆的拥挤广场
假装你还在身旁
就像你最爱依赖我的肩膀
第一行诗的狂妄
第一首歌的难忘
第一次吻你的唇
你的倔强
第一颗流星灿烂
第一个天真愿望
第一个诺言美丽的荒唐
你叫我爱的善良
你教我恨的野蛮
你教我忘记该忘
伤心太伤
那些你教我的事
让思念更苦更长
只想问
想念的 想念的 想念的你
怎么样
爱情是信仰
或只能是旅途风光
那女孩带我漫游一次天堂
你教我怎么爱上
却没教怎么遗忘
让我的阳光都换成了泪光
第一行诗的狂妄
第一首歌的难忘
第一次吻你的唇
你的倔强
第一颗流星灿烂
第一个天真愿望
第一个诺言美丽的荒唐
你教我爱的善良
你教我恨的野蛮
你教我忘记该忘
伤心太伤
那些你教我的事
让思念更苦更长
只想问
想念的 想念的 想念的你
怎么样
第一行诗的狂妄
第一首歌的难忘
第一次吻你的唇
你的倔强
第一颗流星灿烂
第一个天真愿望
第一个诺言美丽的荒唐
你教我爱的善良
你教我恨的野蛮
你教我忘记该忘
伤心太伤
那些你教我的事
让思念更苦更长
只想问
想念的 想念的 想念的你
怎么样
那些你教我的事
让思念更苦更长
只想问
想念的 想念的 想念的你
怎么样
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Books
I just finished Comprehensive Opthalmology by Khurana, Prisoner of Birth by Jeffery Archer, Magic Kingdom for Sale, The Black Unicorn, The Tangle Box and Wizard at Large by Terry Brooks, I also finished Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman and is currently on his Stardust. I am waiting for Dusk Watch by Sergey Lukyanenko and Brisingr by Christopher Paolini. Maybe I can also start on a Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain. Should I buy the erotic Sleeping Beauty series by Anne Rice? How about Midnight Children By Rushdie?
Depends on my mood!
Depends on my mood!
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Can't Smile without you
You know I can't smile without you
I can't smile without youI can't laugh and I can't sing
I'm finding it hard to do anything
You see I feel sad when you're sad
I feel glad when you're glad
If you only knew what I'm going through
I just can't smile without you
You came along just like a song
And brightened my day
Who would have believed that you were part of a dream
Now it all seems light years away
And now you know I can't smile without you
I can't smile without you
I can't laugh and I can't sing
I'm finding it hard to do anything
You see I feel sad when you're sad
I feel glad when you're glad
If you only knew what I'm going through
I just can't smile
Now some people say happiness takes so very long to find
Well, I'm finding it hard leaving your love behind me
And you see I can't smile without you
I can't smile without youI can't laugh and I can't sing
I'm finding it hard to do anything
You see I feel glad when you're glad
I feel sad when you're sad
If you only knew what I'm going through
I just can't smile without you
I can't smile without youI can't laugh and I can't sing
I'm finding it hard to do anything
You see I feel sad when you're sad
I feel glad when you're glad
If you only knew what I'm going through
I just can't smile without you
You came along just like a song
And brightened my day
Who would have believed that you were part of a dream
Now it all seems light years away
And now you know I can't smile without you
I can't smile without you
I can't laugh and I can't sing
I'm finding it hard to do anything
You see I feel sad when you're sad
I feel glad when you're glad
If you only knew what I'm going through
I just can't smile
Now some people say happiness takes so very long to find
Well, I'm finding it hard leaving your love behind me
And you see I can't smile without you
I can't smile without youI can't laugh and I can't sing
I'm finding it hard to do anything
You see I feel glad when you're glad
I feel sad when you're sad
If you only knew what I'm going through
I just can't smile without you
Sunday, September 07, 2008
More...
I needed a new belt.. since I have only one.
I needed a new pair of shoes, the one I am wearing now is wearing out.
I needed a new pair of specs, 3 years have seen the rims fading.
I need a new printer, I just broke my printer of 3 years also by a roundhorse kick.
But I got a new belt and new shoes today. :D Almost free.
Hopefully I can also have the other two at no costs..
:D
I needed a new pair of shoes, the one I am wearing now is wearing out.
I needed a new pair of specs, 3 years have seen the rims fading.
I need a new printer, I just broke my printer of 3 years also by a roundhorse kick.
But I got a new belt and new shoes today. :D Almost free.
Hopefully I can also have the other two at no costs..
:D
Thursday, August 14, 2008
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