Sunshine In My Life

I'd like to thank Chris for popping by and visiting me at work yesterday! As he could probably tell, I was elated! The feeling of seeing an old friend's really quite amazing. And I'm happy how I'm not forgotten even though I've pretty much left the world of army far behind. Had a short chat with him because there weren't too many people, but during his presence I had 2 customers to serve so he left without even saying bye! Gosh. We'll probably meet up and have a meal during one of my breaks though, so all's cool.

Today I was actually supposed to be out in the morning. The sun actually looked pretty good. Well, while I was using the computer, I had the windows opened so the sunrays literally floated into the room.



It looks pretty and tempts me to go out, but usually I'm overwhelmed with a wave of early-morning laziness that just refuses to go away. I hate how I'm not motivated to go out in the morning. I prefer staring at the computer screen and doing stuff that's less physically-taxing, although there's no doubt that I'd enjoy it just as much. Sidney went to the gym (instead of our proposed running/swimming) and the skies became overcast with clouds, enough for Mel (whom I was chatting to online) to suggest that if I ever were omnipotent, I should get a eraser to rid the sky of all those clouds!

We had a chat about life and stuff, and managed to throw up some very interesting ideas for discussion. More on that next time though!

After that I went to take a nap. When I woke up, I watched the 4th episode of the OC and the sky cleared again.



Spurred on by the weather and a bit of newfound determination from seeing Ryan run on the California beach in his Nike Tee, I went out for a short jog myself. It lasted about 20 minutes and by the end of it all, I could hardly catch my breath. I'm repulsed at my current physical condition. I'm not even 10% of what I once was! I think I've got to start running again. Aching legs from work aren't going to stop me any more.

At night I went for a quick dinner with Ryan at Bishan. We window-shopped at Junction 8. Met Jeevaraj there as well! It was cool to stop for a quick chat and find out what's going on. We stopped by the library to borrow a couple of books before making our seperate ways home. I'm meeting Sid tomorrow for a swim. Hopefully I won't be late and the sun will be out in its full glory!

NW-S203F

Having a job that keeps me so busy helps me utilise the time when I'm free. I figure out what I want and make the most out of my spare time. My work really keeps me on my toes, so I don't have time to fantasize about being on the beach or stuff like that. That being said, the sun's been out in its full glory these couple of mornings, only to be replaced by terribly stormy weather in the afternoons. I don't know what the hell's going on but hopefully it won't mess up my plans to get a feel of the great outdoors tomorrow.

On a typical day before I get to work, I usually surf the net and then work out a little. Then I'd take a quick shower and a meal before going. Needless to say, I spend too munch time online and end up rushing through everything else! I should really resolve to channel the use of my time to other more meaningful pursuits. I'd love to go for a run or a swim but my legs are aching from standing most of the time that I dare not risk going through something so intensive for fear of not being able to work!

I'll probably be able to blog about something more interesting tomorrow, seeing that I'm on off. I haven't got an actual plan yet, but I'm sure it'll be good. Hopefully! Then you'd probably be able to hear less about my work! It's kind of like being in the army - where you have no life other than your life in camp, and so all you end up talking about is army, army and more army. That's the part girls don't understand - why guys talk about army, when the reason is relatively simple and obvious.

On a not-exactly-unrelated note, I'd like to get this:



It really amazed me that someone actually created an mp3 player with my lifestyle in mind. Of course, it does come at a hefty price ($219?)- I've to work for 34 hours ie 4 days (not counting OT) to own it. Of course I'm actually working towards saving for my university education but I want it very badly.



It really doesn't fucking help that I'd take a look at it about 20 times everyday.

And also, I'd like to tell Britney that I'm officially taking a break as her fan since she flashed her crotch to the photogs. Well at least she shaved. It's okay if Hilton or Lohan does it. Not her.

Overwhelming Hours

Overwhelming are the number of hours I spend at work. Luckily, like my job enough to not countdown the hours, seconds and minutes till I get off from work. Unlike the time when I was serving NS. Oh, and the pay I got by working these two weeks is equivalent to what I get in a month from SAF. Speaking of which, I saw Sgt Wei Jie yesterday. Although we are almost strangers, he was nice enough to talk to me and update me about what was going on in camp!

Work gives me the opportunity to mix with people of different nationalities. Yeah, you wouldn't believe the number of tourists that come to Singapore - better yet, the different nationalities that take a trip down to our sunny island. I've served customers from the UK, Iran, Egypt, Ireland, Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan, Philippines, China, India, Germany... and the list goes on. Of course with different people have different personalities, but there tends to be some kind of pattern. I know it's not right to stereotype, but more often than not, people from the same ethnic group or nationality tend to share common characteristics. I don't know how to put across what I want to say in a tactful manner, so I shan't!

With Singaporeans though, they are more straightforward, friendly, and tend not to waste your time. Basically there are two groups - the browsers and buyers. Of course there's the minority (but proportionately more foreigners) that are the bastards. They try to pick an argument with you, test your product knowledge, think of the most retarded questions to ask and just want to make use of you to pass time. I mean, do you ask D&G why they are priced more expensive than other places selling clothes or ask what's the difference between the coffee they serve at Coffee Bean and Kopitiam? I know there's a flaw in my comparison because sometimes the products that we're selling are exactly the same as elsewhere, but I think it's just plain rude to ask such a question. It's like would you go to your friend's house and ask why the dinner doesn't taste as good as your mom's cooking?

Okay, I know that led to a tangent and a long rant, but then there are the nice cases. I've got locals who take their time to chat with me, asking me how old I am and which university I'm going to. I took a long time to entertain them, but it was my pleasure. It was kind of cool to see a the wife egging the husband to buy "the pink one" for her, and then asking me if I would get a pink one if my girlfriend asked me to! They were hilarious and very friendly. Certainly one of the most memorable people I've served.

And, like what everyone who has probably worked before would say, working made me realise the value of money. Now everything comes with a pricetag - a price that I pay for with my time and energy. I sort of think twice about spending - not that I have much time to do so anyway! Moeny certainly makes the world go round.

Ahh... work is crazy, but when that ONE day off a week comes, it's like heaven. Got to go plan what I'm to do to make full use of it!

JKYH Top 20 (73)

01. Irreplaceable - Beyonce (2) 5 **

02. Keep Your Hands Off My Girl - Good Charlotte (+1) 4
03. Fergalicious - Fergie (+2) 5
04. Lonely - Shannon Noll (+4) 6
05. Wei Wu Du Zun - Jolin Tsai (-3) 10
06. Lips Of An Angel - Hinder (2) 6
07. Rock Steady - All Saints (2) 8
08. Headlock - Imogen Heap (+1) 4
09. Lovelight - Robbie Williams (+10) 2
10. Something Kinda Ooh - Girls Aloud (-6) 10 *
11. I Belong To Me - Jessica Simpson (2) 5
12. Promise - Ciara (+1) 3
13. Smack That - Akon ft Eminem (+1) 4
14. A Town Called Hypocrisy - Lostprophets (+3) 2
15. Lost - Roger Sanchez ft Lisa Pure (2) 3
16. Money Maker - Ludacris ft Pharrell (+2) 2
17. Other Side of the World - KT Tunstall (-1) 3
18. My Love - Justin Timberlake ft T.I. (-8) 11 ****
19. Don't Need A Man/Wait A Minute - Pussycat Dolls (+1) 2
20. It Ends Tonight - All American Rejects (NEW)

I know right, like who's going to bother that this can't possibly be up today (Saturday) because I've got to be at work at 1045AM, so I'll have to do the writing over two days... that's how tough this shit is! Well, at least there's effort in here!

First up is the very brilliant Irreplaceable. Besides giving Beyonce a new-found ballad angle, it also manages to trump its successors from B-day. In addition to that, it broke the monotony (though equally tasty) of dance tracks from her previous album Dangerously In Love. It is doing wonders for the lady, as well as giving her a chance to show off her vocal prowess. She has been doing at least one huge performance every week, and this week, she returns to the USA to make her presence felt at the American Music Awards. Sensational is just one of the words you could use for this performance. She's doing fantastic on the charts around the world, holding on to #5 in the UK, while moving up 1 notch to 3 on Billboard, holding the titles of Greatest Gainer and Airplay Gainer. Go Bee!



While we're at it, here's a couple of people who performed at the AMAs but I'm unable to slot them into the commentary because their songs have yet to chart, but rest assured that they will in the coming weeks, especially since they are fantastic - Gwen Stefani - Wind It Up, Nelly Furtado - Say It Right and Carrie Underwood - Medley. Of course the one that drew a thunderous applause would be an appearance by the newly-divorced Britney and the one that drew the greatest laughs was a lot of jokes aimed at Kevin, just before Britney came out to present! I heard that she wasn't happy.

Isn't it amazing how I manage to make a quick mention of Britney regardless of relevance?



At #5 is Jolin's track from her latest album, which seriously lacks focus. Frankly, I am repulsed, but it's hard to sulk for long when there's such an amazing club stomper as the lead single! And she's getting better. From good songs, to better dance moves, hell I think she's becoming Asia's very own Britney Spears! (Oops! I did it again!) I have proof! This week, she does a Britney-Madonna (was Xtina even there?) with Elva which you can see here. It's great that she learns from the best. Except maybe not the part where she goes on to marry trash and then stay preganant for two years and leave her career in the dust.



At #13 is Senegalese (that's a nationality a'ight!) Akon with Smack That. Despite getting severely panned by launch.co.uk, I have to admit the song's growing on me. He hasn't quite cemented himself as the best artiste this year (despite the huge hits) but he is well on his way. As this track is at #2 on Billboard, his other track, I Wanna Love You ft Snoop Dogg has shot its way to #1, jumping up 16 to overthrow Timberlake (who is also overshadowed by aforementioned Beyonce track). He started making waves in 2004 with Locked Up, followed by Lonely in 2005, a track you either love or hate, and then moved on to decent songs like Bananza (Belly Dancer). Whatever it is Akon is definitely an artiste to look out for.



At #19 (yay, we're almost at the end) are the Pussycat Dolls. They are really lucky to be backed by fantastic marketing and brilliant songs. This double combo comes hot on the heels of the steamy hit Buttons. Speaking of Buttons, here is a performance of it at the recent AMAs. I would like to tell Nicole that the way she spoke the chorus is an awful turn-off. Please purr instead. And here's a comment from Cruise from the forums, "NICOLE, Have you gotten any sex lately...you sounded as HORNY as MARIAH." Arhm.
Everyone's already slammin' Melody for her wailing at the end of the song, but seriously, despite her singing influence being Christina A, she isn't anything like her! I must say though that the dance break (also featured in the video) was nothing short of brilliant. I was looking forward to it and it didn't disappoint. That aside... this performance is really a thorn in their credibility.



And what you people have been looking for, really. New songs. All Saints - Always Something There To Remind Me, Girls Aloud - I Think We're Alone Now, Fallout Boy - It Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race, Avril Lavigne - Keep Holding On (!), Chamillionaire - Grown & Sexy and Pink - Nobody Knows.

Next week!

Road Less Travelled

I'm in a rush so I've got to keep this short. 8 minutes and counting till I make a run for the MRT station. Got to meet David and Jie Yu for a morning swim! And the sun's looking good.

Yesterday was my off day for the week. Yeah, that means I'll be working consecutively for the next 5 days! Jie Yu and I met at 930AM at Harbour Front MRT. This time round he was late again, so he held charageable for a treat to Delifrance, which later got traded for Subwaym which was better! Anyway, we had out meal at Palawan Beach before borrowing a frisbee to play with. I think I'm getting weak on my feet because I was worn out after a short while!



After that we went to the "Southern-most" point of Singapore, and got this tourist to help us take a photo. (Funny how it seems the other way round!) We got up the towers and took a couple more but they didn't come out too good because I didn't put the flash. The one with the flash came out kind of crappy because of bad facial expressions so...



*shrugs*

After that we took the tram all the way to Siloso beach before renting bicycles to cycle. I got a lot of flak from him for cycling without my shirt, but I ain't going to trade the feeling of the full impact of the wind on my torso! We took the usual route - from Siloso beach to Tanjong and back. After that we went to the Jungle trail, a place I've never gone before. It was then linked up with the Mythology trail, a path that's not very popular nor well-known I think. The view of mainland from there was bloody cool! It used to be that only the skytrain had access to the place. I can't wait to return and take photos of that place! The feel of the place is really unique. Too bad that my camera ran out of batteries!

We had a buffet at Sakae Sushi and talked about important stuff in life - like success and the future, as well as people that we both knew, from school and at work. It was a long 2 hour plus meal, and the waiters were quite surprised by the amount we ate. Oh, and they thought we were 16! I'm still surprised how young I look for my age! Hahaha!



The sky was overcast with clouds but we went for a swim anyway. At least till it rained! Then we both made a mad dash to the shower before making our way out of the Island.

Alright, I'm running late already! More on other stuff tomorrow! (Hopefully!)

JKYH Top 20 (72)

01. Irreplaceable - Beyonce (+11) 3*

02. Wei Wu Du Zun - Jolin Tsai (5) 9
03. Keep Your Hands Off My Girl - Good Charlotte (+7) 3
04. Something Kinda Ooh - Girls Aloud (-3) 9 *
05. Fergalicious - Fergie (+3) 4
06. Lips Of An Angel - Hinder (-2) 5
07. Rock Steady - All Saints (-1) 7
08. Lonely - Shannon Noll (-1) 5
09. Headlock - Imogen Heap (2) 3
10. My Love - Justin Timberlake ft T.I. (-5) 10 ****
11. I Belong To Me - Jessica Simpson (+3) 4
12. I Still Believe - Vivian Hsu & Cao Ge (-9) 6
13. Promise - Ciara (+5) 2
14. Smack That - Akon ft Eminem (+1) 3
15. Lost - Roger Sanchez ft Lisa Pure (+5) 2
16. Other Side of the World - KT Tunstall (+3) 2
17. A Town Called Hypocrisy - Lostprophets (NEW)
18. Money Maker - Ludacris ft Pharrell (NEW)
19. Lovelight - Robbie Williams (NEW)
20. I Don't Need A Man/Wait A Minute - Pussycat Dolls (NEW)

I know you're more interested in what Fergie said that caused a stir in the music scene than what I was doing at Geylang at 2AM today, so let's get this shit started.

"In the closet, that's my stuff. Yes if I bought it, then please don't touch!" At #1 is Beyonce with Irreplaceable. It seems that she's really busy recently. After appearing on TRL last week, she made her way down to the UK. London specifically, for the World Music Awards. It was there that she performed Deja Vu (it was single of the year or something. I cannot confirm.). However, I'm not here to throw such a passe track into the limelight again. Irreplaceable was performed live on Strictly Come Dancing. Due to the unique nature of the performance, and that every time she does the song, there are slight differences, here's the link to it. The song's doing very well in most territories, most notably in the USA where it's at #4, earning the title of Greatest Gainer and Airplay Gainer; in the UK it's at #5 after peaking at #4; in Australia it's a new entry at #9. And I'm sure you can see the shock leap of 11 notches to claim the #1 on this chart!



At #5 is you-can-see-me-you-can-squeeze-me Fergie with Fergalicious. Well, there's not doubt that the song is fun, but when you see her perform live, it looks like any talentless bitch could do it because she just says the lyrics. She's errr, physically hawt and all, but yeah, it doesn't look very impressive. However, Fergie has taken time out to give a good smack to people like me by saying, "I may not have the type of voice you like, but I can sing. You can't take that away from me, 'cause singing is a gift from God, and when people say I can't sing, it's kind of like insulting God." Ooh, I'm sorry Fergie. I know you can sing and all, it's just that your singles aren't really showcasing your potential. A ballad for the 4th single perhaps?

At #7 are the All Saints, who are doing pretty well with their comeback single. However, midweeks suggest that their album may not even make it to the Top 40. They should've waited for another single to impact, really.



Time to dish the dirt on Justin Timberlake, who is at #10 this week with My Love. The track holds steady at #1 on Billboard for a third week. Strangely, the biggest news about the guy is his recent collaboration with Nelly (not the ugly rapper) and Timbaland, which is rumoured to be Timbaland's first single off his album. I have my doubts considering he only appears for a few seconds, while Nelly and Timberlake sing on most of it. Here's Justin's verse,

Could you speak up and stop the mumbling
I don't think you came in clear.
Sitting on the top it's hard to hear you from way up here.
I saw you tryin to act cute on tv "Just let me clear the air."
We missed you on the charts last week....
Damn that's right, you wasn't there.
If sexy never left, then why's everybody on my shi it it?
Don't hate on me just because you didn't come up with it.
So if you see us in the club go on and walk the other way
Cuz our run will never be over; not at least until we say
The first line is said to mock Janet on her track "So Excited" which does contain a certain amount of mumbling. The 3rd line is probably connected to their chart positions on Billboard (as with the very impactful, "We missed you on the charts last week, Damn that's right, you wasn't there."). The one that's most direct and obvious would be the 4th line, where she said, "Just let me clear the air" at the beginning of the Oprah interview, most of which you can witness here. Then there's also Prince, who was asked a few weeks ago what he thought about Timberlake's hit song saying he's bringing Sexyback. Prince replied "Sexy never left.".

At #19 is a new entry by Robbie Williams. I said last week that the guy's single's really addictive. However, it sort of reminds me of some of the tracks of Justin's album! Coincidence or not, I think Robbie is trying his best to revolutionise music, or at the very least not reuse old formulas for the sake of getting hits. His first single Rudebox is sufficient proof. He has had 2 huge Christmas hits (if I'm not wrong Angels and Somethin' Stupid with Nicole Kidman), so I am wondering what odds the punters will give for him to get to the top on the very distinguished X'Mas #1.



New tracks that I have to give a shoutout to this week are Westlife - The Rose (UK #1), Fredde Le Grand - Put Your Hands Up For Detroit, Bodyrox ft Luciana - Yeah Yeah, Simon Webbe - Coming Around Again, Taio Cruz - I Just Wanna Know (!), James Morrison - Wonderful World, Nelly Furtado - Say It Right, Meat Loaf & Marion Raven - It's All Coming Back To Me, Oasis - Stop The Clocks, Orson - Already Over, Snow Patrol - Set The Fire To The Third Bar, Five for Fighting - World, U2 - Window In The Skies. Hot releases to keep you on your toes this week!

And MJ sucked on the World Music Awards.

Ooh, I couldn't help it. Although we've had enough Jackson bashing this week.

Till next week!

Chocolate Overload

Err, this is just something I did last Saturday! Haha... seems like I haven't got much of a life after taking on this job. But anyways. This is something I've wanted to do for a long time. Previously, I made this when I was in Primary 2 and shared it with my classmates and it was one of the most memorable things I've did ever.



I think the pics are quite self-explanatory. Except the Baileys! I think I've got a bit of an obsession. But it tastes great. Not that you can tell when it gets added to the chocolate...



Heated the chocolate up over a pan of hot water and mixed it. It took quite some time to get it to smoothen out. But after 15 minutes of good mixing, it turned out rather well. It was then that I cut up the kiwi. Made a bit of a mess there! The end product turned out something like so:



Due to the lack of brains, we actually stored the strawberries in the freezer. And it tasted somewhat like that MOS thing. I can't remember the name for it. The one that tasted the most decent was the kiwi one. I ate all of it! The grapes were convenient to make and eat so... that one was good too.

I'm so brain-dead now, despite it being my off day. Need to do something. Bah.

Busy Bee

Woah... I must say that there are too many accessories that I can't seem to learn about them all. Everyone's asking me to take my time, but I want to be of help when the weekend comes, so today's my last day to learn as much as I can. I'm on off tomorrow! Wooohooo!

I am guilty of having fun at work. There are stressful situations and moments, but on the whole, I think I've just begun having my fun. I don't stare at the clock and pray for the time to go faster, or start daydreaming and wishing I was some place else. There's some kind of rush that goes with making a sale, and just showcasing what we have that I enjoy.

I love the location and hope I'm not going anywhere else! There's a good mix of locals and foreigners... a lot of tourists come over. And my friends visit me too! On Tuesday, Fukang dropped by, and I was really happy to see him. After that on the way home, I met Edwin, who's working at CK. Yesterday Sidney came by with Beryl and Sequeena visited me after work. Sometimes I'm unable to talk for long because there are customers, but I'm really happy to see a familiar face or two! It keeps me going!

Sometimes I indulge in work till I forget my hunger and aching legs, until I go home. That's when it hits me like a sledgehammer!

But still, I'm not complaining. How many people make a living out of what they enjoy?

First Day

I need a bit of time to learn everything but there's no doubt that I'll get good at it. I give myself 4 days to do so. When the weekend comes, the shop is sure to be flooded with customers. And I want to do my part.

It's nerve-wrecking but cool at the same time. Unlike just any other retail outlet, there's a lot of specific things to learn. And for now I'm overwhelmed. But everyone's been very friendly and helpful. Being the new guy, I feel like the weakest link. And I've never stayed standing for that number of hours before! I saw 2 of my company's ex-sgts (Ernest and Shi Wei) as well as You Zhi. I shudder at the thought of meeting more familiar faces brought on by the weekend shopping crowd. So I really need to buck up and gather as much knowledge and hone my skills in promotion to save me from embarrassing myself!

I read the brochure on my way home from work. Okay, I've been studying it a bit before I went to work, but it wasn't quite enough.

I've always thought that as long as I put my heart into it, there's nothing I can't do.

And here's the chance to prove myself right.

Old Friends

There are plenty of retarded pictures that I took but to maintain my image and theirs, I've decided to exercise heavy censorship. And to reduce the size of the photos into midgets. I've got my hair cut so it doesn't look like a cap any more!

These are my oldest group of friends. Of course it's not as if I don't think of my friends in my RV and BPSS days as friends anymore. It's just that we've grown too much and well, in a way, we've sort of lost touched. Anyway, Si Hua, Sequeena and Fukang are my closest pals in Sembawang Sec and to see them again after a somewhat lengthy hiatus is amazing. It was a very last minute decision to meet up but it went so well. On the contrary, when we plan ahead and try to meet each other, our timetables always clash!

We even took a video of our retarded, childish conversation, carried out in the most repulsive mix of English and Chinese. Yeah, it feels like we're back in the innocent and immature Sec school mentality. I wonder how they'll feel if I put this up on youtube! Here's a mere transcript of it:

Jason: Wo de side view hen chou, ni you pai wo side view!
Si Hua: Ni ying gai kan straight at the screen what!
Sequeena: Wo men ying gai pai si ge ren de.
Si Hua: Wo jing tian mei you fang make-up bu ke yi!
Fukang: Ying gai zhe yang jiang - ni she me angle dou bu hao kan.
Jason: HUH?!
Fukang: Ni she me view dou bu hao kan!
Si Hua: Heh! Ahnoh ahnoh!
Jason: Eh Woah lao eh! That's untrue lar!
Fukang: She agree with me.
Jason: Is only from here see very nan kan!

I think it's pretty hilarious. Whenever we view it, we end up collapsing in laughter. It's cool. I think having grown up with each other, we've seen the way we handle different situations and how we were like in the past. And nothing can be more embarrassing than my hairstyle back then! We're not afriad to make a fool of ourselves in front of each other. Our personalities clash in the rawest ways. Having known each other for six years already, we know what makes the other person tick, what hits a nerve, and where to draw a line with the jokes. It's cool.

Abscence does make the heart grow fonder.

JKYH Top 20 (71)

01. Something Kinda Ooh - Girls Aloud (+4) 8 *

02. Wei Wu Du Zun - Jolin Tsai (4) 8
03. I Still Believe - Vivian Hsu & Cao Ge (2) 5
04. Lips Of An Angel - Hinder (+3) 4
05. My Love - Justin Timberlake ft T.I. (-4) 9 ****
06. Rock Steady - All Saints (+3) 6
07. Lonely - Shannon Noll (+3) 4
08. Fergalicious - Fergie (+3) 3
09. Headlock - Imogen Heap (+5) 2
10. Keep Your Hands Off My Girl - Good Charlotte (+6) 2
11. Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol (-7) 9
12. Irreplaceable - Beyonce (+6) 2
13. Nothing In This World - Paris Hilton (-5) 7
14. I Belong To Me - Jessica Simpson (+3) 3
15. Smack That - Akon ft Eminem (+5) 2
16. Take Me As I Am - Mary J Blige (+3) 3
17. Hurt - Christina Aguilera (-2) 6
18. Promises - Ciara (NEW)
19. Other Side of the World - KT Tunstall (NEW)
20. Lost - Roger Sanchez ft Lisa Pure (NEW)

This might probably be my last proper chart. I've come to realise that my new job's going to eat up most of my life, which includes the time I spend finding out about music. Pop - being music that's the hottest of the moment - requires a bit of effort to keep up with. Anyways, this week's #1 is quite a shocker. It's more of a stomper actually. It is difficult for people living outside the UK to know what a phenomenon Girls Aloud are (I've wanted to live there since I was 13, so no issue about that.) They've been around for 4 years and have consistently churned out the hits. They have 13 Top 10 singles to date, with the current one choking the #3 position of the UK Singles Chart for the second week in a row. Unlike Mcfly's Star Girl, which was #1 last week and toppled to #9 this week, they have shown that their fanbase consists of more than the ordinary single-buying-teen demographic. The last time a UK act topped this chart was at the end of July, 15 weeks ago, in the form of Keane with Is It Any Wonder, who ownned it for 3 weeks. Check out the video for GA's Greatest Hits Megamix on their Official Website.

At #7 is Shannon Noll, a real gem from Australia whom I featured last week. (Seems that I'm ostracize US acts!) His music is a real inspiration, with titles like Lift and Shine. His previous single to chart was Now I Run, which he wrote about his father who died in a farm accident. He said that it was his best and he couldn't have written it better, and I agree. With lyrics like, "I'm just my father's son" and "He taught me to walk, but now I run", it's an inspiration and it really shocked me because I thought only the Chinese language could be used to write a song like that, and not sound cheesy. Think Jay Chou. If I'm not wrong, he's going to have a new single titled Don't Give Up featuring Natalie Bassingthwaighte. Because he makes music from his heart, I think he'll be around for a long time to come.



At #10 is Good Charlotte, my favourite punk rock band. They should be yours too! With slammin' past hits like The Anthem, Hold On, Predictable and We Believe, Good Charlotte are set to add another unforgettable single in their discography. Despite the cringe-worthy cameo in Material Girls (damn you Hilary), they're pushing the musical boundaries with something I haven't quite heard before. I guess this would go under vocoderised vocals (maybe a tad more than Madonna's Music), and there's much more "talking" than singing but it's an irresistible listen. "Let the record play..."

At #12 is Beyonce with Irreplaceable. Nothing much. I just want to share a video of her doing it live on TRL. She sings fantastic live. When she's not doing Ring The Alarm.

I don't think I have the stamina to type anymore, so we'll go straight into introducing the new songs that are going to find their way to the listening-public. Basement Jaxx - Take Me Back To Your House, Kasabian - Shoot the Runner, Depeche Mode - Martyr.



Oh, and Robbie Williams - Lovelight. Brilliant.

Ooh, and I just found out that Sugababes' Easy was written by Orson. No wonder it sounds so Lite!

PS - K-Fed has been forcibly thrown out of the chart. I don't think I need to give reasons. I'm a nice guy, I give people chances. Last straw. Oops.

Jobless No More

So I went to take my pink IC on Monday. Bumped into Sgt Wei Jian. Didn't meet up with the rest of the guys who ORD on the same day as me because they managed to collect theirs much earlier in the day. Before I left the camp, I ran into Max who told me about interesting MSN conversations. Then, when I wasn't looking, this car sneaked up on me. I know, how could a freaking huge car sneak up on me right? But I was probably too engrossed in the conversation to notice that it came so close that I could touch it if I held my hand out! It was my PS, and wound then the window and demanded for his ORD present - roast chicken or roast duck. Not that he was ORD-ing too, you know what I mean; it's for his contribution to his ORD-ing platoon - us. Apparently another platoon gave their PS some souveneir.



Maybe I'll blow this image up to 8R and give it to him to remember us by! This was taken at our unit anniversary celebrations last Friday. Hahaha... He's the guy on the right side of the top row. Anyway, I can't describe the feeling of collecting the pink IC. It's like losing something and finally finding back after 1yr and 10 months!

The day after I went around reporting to various job agencies and reporting for one interview, which didn't go down too well. I don't think they wanted me in the first place. After a generally tiring day, I got a call at night that gave me a confirmation - I would be employed starting from Monday, at Wisma Atria! The pay's decent and I'm quite excited about it. Afterall, it's going to be the first real job that I have. Throughout the day I was anxious about not getting a job, and the feeling of getting one was like lifting a huge load off my shoulders.

I spent yesterday stoning at home. It's a horrible feeling. To be in between jobs (if you could consider being an NSF a job) makes me feel that there's something lacking in life!

Thankfully, I spent this morning rather productively by visiting the swimming pool with Sidney. I got a chance to tan and swim before the sky became crowded with clouds. The weather is terribly unpredictable! He treated me to a can drink before I went to get myself chicken noodles for lunch at home! I'll be meeting Si Hua and Sequeena later! How exciting! Considering we haven't met in 2 months or so, we're just dying to see each other. Haha...

On other Britney news (I think I'm overdoing it already), she appeared this week in NYC for the David Letterman show, and seems very happy about the divorce. And she's back in shape. It's not good enough for touring, but certainly good enough to pose for magazines and her new album cover!



Ooh, and here's a clip of how Rosie O'Donnell celebrated the good news. *throws confetti*

Spears is Single

Spears is Back

www.breatheheavy.com

Everybody knows I don't do youtube videos on my blog. But special occassions deserve special treatment. And Britney Spears just appeared on David Letterman. Remember the times when I would be blogging about her every 3 entries or so? The time has come for that again.

Her face is back to the sharpness that it once was. That killer bod. Sexy legs. Her arms need a little bit more work but she's getting there. And she even did a model-like 360 spin just so we can see... her shoulders. Now look at who's bringing sexy back ya'll!

With that, I'm now confident that she will release an album soon. Her name is still huge in the circle. After all, who else can call up Letterman and demand an under-a-minute appearance just to show off to all the LOSERS who think that she'll never be as hot as she was.

DAMN.

Media over here
Kinda feeling like a world premiere.
Trench coat and my underwear
Let's go with this freak show
It's Outrageous.

ORD Loh!

These are the guys, that...
coax you to be cool upon encountering F*-up commanders,
help to clean your arms knowing that you are all too tired,
assist you during combat operations and missions,
influence you to 'mount the bed' during lou periods,
laugh with you over silly and pathetic instructions,
shit with you after marching back from breakfast,
compete with you for a better record in IPPT,
shares their personal stories with you,
wrestle with you during admin time,
pace you for the SOC (CFT) run-down,
eat with you during meals time,
sleep with you after lights out,
share their snacks and food,
.
..
and not forgetting
fighting alongside with you.

These are the guys, that...
use unorthodox methods to achieve their ulterior motives,
fight for their own priviledges without any considerations,
find ways and means to push the responsiblities to you,
yell, shout, scream at you over mundane tasks,
save their arse by pointing their fingers at you,
tease you right in front of the commanders,
harbour ill intentions to fully exploit on you,
slap literal harsh comments about you,
backstab right deep behind you,
.
..
and still not forgetting
fighting alongside with you.
- Melvin

This was written by a friend who's still serving NS. It describes my entire NS experience with the guys. The photo above is of our latest (and probably last) gathering as a platoon. I'm sure that no one will disagree with me if I say that our platoon is full of politics. I look back at photos from the past and see those who were once chummy with each other but not on talking terms at present, and I feel a tinge of regret, and sadness. I was going to ask for his permission to switch the poem around, illustrating the nasty before leaving the reader with the comfort of brotherhood. However that would totally defeat the description of bittersweet army experience emphasized with the final words, "and still not forgetting, fighting alongside (with) you".



Like most people, my journey kicked off with a 3 month stint famously known as BMT at Tekong. It rips my heart apart to think of those hours away from home and civilisation. I was a bitter boy back then. Thankfully I enjoyed the company of my section. Our frequent food parties and music appreciation sessions are the things that stay stuck in my mind. Despite harbouring an intense dislike for my buddy, I made it through field camp in one piece - and that was a hell of an experience.



We didn't go out as often as we'd like, which was not entirely our fault because during those 3 months we had less than 30 hours away from camp every week, and after being stuck together for such long periods of time, there was a part (in everyone) that just wanted to leave it all behind upon booking out. Even though I haven't met (some of) them since we POP-ed, a deep impression of them remains in my head. Yu Wei, the chill-out dude; Zhi Wei and Alan, both masters in DDR, till now I don't have any friends who're better than me; Jia Wei, the resident John Constantine; Jeremie, the nurse and storyteller; Mao Xiang, the section IC; Shawn, the fit, friendly and destined-for-OCS guy; Song, the regular techno-lover; Julian, the guy who'd holler his lungs out while singing; and Wei Hao, probably my best pal in the platoon.

After that I got posted to unit straightaway, though I was a bit taken by surprise but it's not as if I could do anything about it. And the pay was good, so I guess I shouldn't complain. It was as if I were in a weirdly exclusive club - everyone's worn MOPP 4, but how many make it their vocation?


1. Merchant Court, 11th July 2005 2. Marina Outcamp Run, Oct 2005 3. Carnival at Marina, 14th August 2005 4. Platoon BBQ, 12th September 2005

Initially our platoon was rather united. My section was well-bonded. We went for our first outing together at Merchant Court for a buffet. There was a time when some of us were chosen to do the display and I went over and paid them a visit. Then there were numerous outcamp runs that took us all over Singapore. Our training was fierce as we were on course. On top of that we had the responsibilities of setting up the decorations for SAF Day on our shoulders. It was painful, but it sure brings back a lot of memories.


1. Cocksters 4ever, 23rd Oct 2005 2. Chicken Little, 2nd Dec 2005 3. Sushi Buffet, 15th Oct 2005 4. PS Treat

Slowly but surely we started breaking up into cliques. I didn't know where I stood at that time either. I was too busy with other things, and always put my friends as my top priority. I didn't go out often with my sectionmates and wasn't into gaming as the rest of the platoon was. In truth, it was an awkward period and I felt a little out of place. I found my own clique though - Daniel, Terence and Sern Hong, whom I would later go on 2 overseas trips with.


Bravo Chalet, 10th Nov 05

The end of the year brought two huge events that contributed to platoon cohesion. First was the memorable company chalet where we spent 3 days 2 nights still eating and sleeping together, but this time, out of camp. The next was a two week trip to Brunei. Although only a few of us went, it gave me a chance to know my platoonmates better, especially Jeffrey, Chris and Guo Rui.

I'm just going through the most unforgettable events off the top of my head, so if I've missed out on stuff or sound incoherent, please forgive me.

The year came and went and I went for jeep course. For me, despite having the privelige of staying out, it was the most hellish period of my NS life. I have never been screamed at with more frustration, anger and disgust. The thing that I gained from that period of time (despite what you all may believe were the free driving lessons) was the friendship of the platoonmates who attended the course with me, and empathised with what I was going through. Guo Fei, Kenneth and Zhi Cong were especially close to me (Chris was in another group) during that period of time. It was also then that GF'd start tempting me to give in to the comforts of good food.

"Jason, yao bu yao qu canteen?" would be the question that'd be repeated countless times throughout the year, even after we returned to unit, and to me it was more than asking if I'd like to indulge in some oil-drenched toasted bread wrapped around a hotdog. It was extending a hand of friendship.

For the first time, I also got the chance to interact with people outside of my platoon like Taffy and Chee Wee.

Back at the company, there was massive reshuffling going on. Sern Hong, Daniel and Jeeveraj got transferred out of the platoon, while Platoon 4 was split up and redistributed to the other 3 platoons. They breathed new life into our platoon, and I couldn't help but welcome their presence. Hong Yee, Max, Samuel, Desmond, Shao Wei and Michael took some time, but eventually found their place and fitted right in the platoon, perhaps even better than I did.

The most enjoyable guard duty I did was with Samuel. Surprisingly we hit off well despite being almost complete strangers before. We talked about everything - from our platoons, our lives, music, driving, thoughts and attitudes towards life. Time flew. It was really amazing. Sometimes it was as if he could read my mind (with one guess he knew I liked Birtney Spears), although I couldn't exactly do the same. We had musical discussions of acts who used to be popular when we were in Secondary School, everyone from The Cardigans to a1. It's hard to find someone with such musical knowledge and appreciation. Despite the both of us being quite different, it was really cool how we could talk in the face of such a dreary activity. After that we also shared a crazy obsession with Franz Ferdinand - to the extent of singing it madly on the minibus which we were having night driving orientation. It irritated Kenneth so much that he undid my shoelaces and stole the ball! It's a moment forever etched in my mind.


Vertical Marathon, 12th March 06

The National Vertical Marathon was a really cool event as quite a lot of us decided to do something we'd never try before - climbing 43 stories. The only commander was our OC, but as his men we rallied behind him and the attendence was nothing short of impressive. It was a truly exhausting but fun experience.


1. Jurong Pool, 13th March 06 2. Sakura Is Good, 12th May 06 3. Ivan's Stayover, 5th July 06 4. New Balance Real Run, 20th Aug 06

It is only when I see these photos that I realise how much these people have become a part of my life. We rocked the Lazy River at the Jurong Pool, wiped plates clean with our tongues at Sakura, went to Ivan's house for steamboat, PS games and to watch one of the World Cup matches, and even took part in the New Balance Real Run. You'd think we'd be thoroughly sick of running already! After that we had a whole lot of fun at the beach, a first for my platoonmates and I.

The operations that I went through were really cool because they brought me to places that I'd normally never get access to. It let me do things I would never get to do. I worked and got to know my Sergents very well during the time we were stuck together, namely Sgt Nicholas and Sgt Wei Jian. I got the chance to look smart doing security. I got the chance to drive the SUV around Suntec. I went to the secret places of hotels and The Esplanade, which sort of reminded me of Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory. It's so behind-the-scenes that you never knew it existed!

There are so many people I'd like to thank for making my stint in 39 SCE a happy ride, despite the many bumps along the way. Most importantly it'd be Daniel and Terence, without whom there'd be no one to watch my back, help me apply off and take leave, and chat with in the most brain-numbingly boring times. They are the ones I travelled on 2 consecutive trips overseas (along with Sern Hong), and I don't think there's a need for me to post pictures of those already heavily-blogged-about times. I trust them to look out for my best interests when I'm not around, and in turn, I offer the same. Heck, when we did standby together, few had better chemistry than us.

Last but not least, at least for the purpose of this entry, I'd like to give a shoutout to my buddy, Jian Hong. He's the reknowned slacker in our platoon, but for some reason he's always available to help me. I could still remember the first week in camp, he left his phone in his father's car and I lent him mine to call his female friends. We have a ritual of pulling our bedsheets together, despite being perfectly able to do it alone. We help each other out a lot, sometimes silently, sometimes making a big fuss out of it. We don't think along the same lines yet we've never gotten into conflict with each other. We blatantly share each others' food, always on the claims that we can't finish it individually. I helped him to dekit, and he's helping me to get the Senior Medic's signature for my clearance form. Deep down, he's a good guy, and I wish him all the best for his A levels. Thanks buddy.

There's so much more I want to write and people I don't want to forget, but I think I'll need another entry. This one's... staggering.

I'm going to collect the PINK IC in a few hours. I haven't seen it for 1 year and 10 months. Wonder if it still looks the same as before.

ORD LOH!