The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

Heath Ledger's last release. It was thrilling to watch Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrel's interpretation of the character. It was out of necessity rather than creativity but it worked very well. It also made Ledger's loss harder to bear. He is immensely talented.

After watching a freak of a movie, this is probably another freak of a movie. It didn't have clear boundaries and acts which was what made it exciting to watch. I didn't know what to expect. Sometimes I didn't even know what was going on! But it didn't matter. There's no need to know everything all the time. It's the lack of straightforward-ness that compounded the air of mystery and magic.

The theme was all about making responsible decisions. Whatever you do will echo into the future. Like it or not, we are all gambling with the devil. When the time comes, hopefully you'll have a flute ready.

CNY-Ready

REDS Hairdressing, Takashimaya S.C. , Tommy Chin.

마더 Mother

I watched this movie with Ruiqi today at The Picturehouse. It is

fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking

brainspoil TTM.

Still sends shivers down my spine when I think about it.

Walking the Walk

I was walking down Orchard Road today in my cheap G2000 office wear. That's a $23 shirt, $29 pants and my shoes from Bata were "free". I was carrying that awkward, red Crumpler which looked decent but hardly sophisticated. I had my earphones on, hands in my pocket and an air of after-work glee. Gone were the tension accumulated from getting squashed on public transport and completing reports by deadlines.

A man, not much older than myself, waved his hand in front of my face. Out of politeness and my inexplicable good mood, I stopped, took out one of my earphones and waited for him to speak. He told me that he was a representative from a modelling agency and that I looked good and was well-dressed. His exact words were lost on me because I didn't really take what he said seriously. He asked if I was camera shy and answered the question himself, saying that I probably wasn't. He handed me his name card and said I had a nice smile. That was when I gave a small smile. He must not have noticed my teeth. He asked for my name, age and number, which I gave.



I'm not going to lie - I was happy. I have always complained to my friends that the only talent that I have as a CS student is that I look decent and even then, I don't "spoil market". If I were good looking, I'd probably be on the sides of buses, on television screens or in the pages of fashion magazines. And I probably would've gotten that Long John Silvers' ad!

But of course, I am not.

And I've heard of scams where people get approached, called to the agency, fork out hundreds to shoot a portfolio and never land a job. I won't fall for that! I certainly will not let vanity cloud my better judgement.

Whatever it turns out to be, it was a rather amusing encounter. I must say, it made my day!

Still Dreaming

It's hard growing up because you feel like you've to give up your dreams. You've got to be more realistic. You've got more responsibilities to handle. You feel troubled over things you wouldn't usually care about. That sense of awareness about the outside world and the factors and knowledge you've got to arm yourself with to face it is... crazy. Finance, fashion, property, entertainment. Knowing so much makes me want to protect myself even more because I feel the need to protect myself than go with the flow. I don't want to do what everyone does, I don't want to live who everyone lives, I don't want to do things because I have to, I want to do things because I want to. But I feel the pressure. I'm turning 24, I'm almost in my mid-twenties, I feel like my youth is behind me and I haven't done what I thought I'd be able to do at this age. I'm on the right track but it needs to go faster. I have to learn more, be faster, grow smarter.

Where's the part where I actually get to enjoy where I am now?

Making Grand Plans

When Ness told me the e-bill for the school fees were out, I freaked out. I saw it for myself today and it was $370.75, half of my internship allowance. I have 3 tuition jobs but it's still not enough. When is money ever enough anyway?

Ever since a friend put the idea in my head, I've been telling my other friends that I want to be an air steward at SIA. It is kind of strange and not at all related to my degree but it's going to give me good pay and the opportunity to travel. The money's better than any job I could possibly get. It's an interesting experience too.

After internship I'm thinking of working at Resorts World Sentosa. As a bell boy. I know it's not exactly a glamorous job but if I were to work at one of the IRs I think it would help if I had some experience in hospitality! It's a part-time job after all. It would probably keep me busy before schools starts. Who knows, I might be able to do it during the school semester too.

Once a week, after a day of work, I would teach tuition. After the lesson I feel a sense of satisfaction, like I've helped the kid and made a difference in his life. I have this sneaky suspicion that I will enjoy teaching. However I've heard of my teachers complain about teaching in Singapore. In addition to that I won't be able to party, say fuck on my blog and have to be wary of my public image. Be kid-friendly. I don't think I would be able to do that!

I'm somewhat stressed. There's a Genting trip planned for post-PI. Then there's also a grad trip to New Zealand. There're loans to be paid. Yes, I think the point is, there is money to be made.

A lot of money.

Tik Tok

So I learned today, that no matter how fucked up the world is, I can always find joy in laughter with my friends. It's something I treasure and look forward to, especially after a long day. They're my light in this dark world. We're always on the same page, we find the same things hilarious, we value each others' opinions, we enjoy spending time with each other and we're that tight. Heck, I hope we get the chance to grow old together.

In that moment, their company meant everything. And I want them to know that.

You guys are awesome.

About Life

It's hard to swallow all the sorrow that's going on in the world right now. I'm exposed to how cruel others can be, from petty crimes to corporate greed. There's a depressing sense of helplessness when I feel that I am just one person and I can't change the grand scheme of things.

Today I wondered if it was better to remain ignorant. It's easy to be ignorant when you're comfortable and you've got nothing to fight for except selfish, materialistic gains. It's hard to balance thinking about others when we're so caught up in our own lives. It has something to do with the environment of course. We're competitive, working within the system, striving for measurable results, caught up in the rat race. How many of us are sure of what we really want?

And instead of doing what we really want, what are we really doing with our lives?

I've learned two things during the course of the week; a week of uncertainty, devastation in Haiti, molestation of an 8-year-old and senseless religious conflict. Take control of where life takes you, because you'll never get to do it again. And make a difference to someone else's whenever you can.

Picspam

Went out with Si Hua and Sequeena after close to 6 months of not meeting them. We vowed, as usual, to meet up more often! Hahaha... they are very into camwhoring. Very good.



And I got an awesome tumbler from Starbucks thanks to the both of them! My first, very own, Year of the Tiger Starbucks tumbler!









Wasn't too hardworking when the gang went to celebrate YT and Qiqi's birthday at Timbre... but it was crazily fun, as usual!







Blogging is harder than I imagined. Especially when there is work. Gah!

AltLife S01E09 - Stomp's The Shit

"Nobody talks about important stuff nowadays! We have citizens who are interested in rubbish," snarled Justin.

"That's not true! Look at the number of people commenting on that woman who got molested by these Indian guys," commented Rachel, staring at her laptop wide-eyed in amazement.

"Do not tell me you're on Stomp," I said, wide-eyed in disbelief. "It's full of shit!"

"How would you know?" said Justin slyly.

"It's full of shit!" I reiterated, ignoring Justin. "They even reported that some idiots set up a Facebook group for that silly woman."

"I wish my hip bones showed like that," whined Rachel, her boobs bobbing in envy.

"Is there a chance that Singaporeans can comment on something more intellectual, like the bombing of churches in KL?" asked Justin.

"Ooh, those guys really got a handful," exclaimed Rachel. "The video's addictive. I feel sorry for her though."

"She deserved it. I don't know what's the fucking fuss! If she didn't want that she wouldn't be at the party, she wouldn't have drank, she wouldn't have dressed like that," I said agitatedly. I was as disgusted as Justin at the amount of news coverage this was getting, but I was guilty of fueling the number of views on the silly Stomp pages.

"The comments are really boring though. Why don't people help her; she deserves it; nobody deserves such a thing; what are the police doing. These people must have never clubbed before in their lives!" mused Rachel. "The number of comments are dizzying!"

"That's because we don't have ONTD," dismissed Justin. "We have limited people to bitch about and limited avenues for bitching!"

"Speaking of bitches, have you heard about the Kitchen Tigress?"

"OK, I'm bored. There're only so many stupid comments I can read before it becomes non-entertaining," said Rachel as she stood up, stretching.

"These people have no life," said Justin.

"They provide good bitching material though."

"Yes. It's only after reading that you know how many stupid people there are in Singapore."

Singpost Publicity Stunt is FFOF

There seems to be a lot to be outraged about these days, living in Singapore. So let's get straight to the point.

Singpost's publicity stunt. Singpost sent a guy to "vandalise" its mailboxes. No doubt it was a cheap way to gain media attention. The endless coverage by Stomp (although I'm sure they planted people to post this crap up) and TNP and other news sources were proof of this. It is a joke that the media were so easily manipulated.

Was it a success? Hell no. Not all publicity is good publicity and this is one that cheapens the brand. Haven't they learned anything from Upstream Asia's mock protest? A police spokesperson mentioned that it caused "unnecessary public alarm and wasted valuable resources". Singpost is welcomed to compensate taxpayers' money.

I'm all for creativity and novelty, but in any PR event, there should be two things. Firstly, a strong message. Secondly, a pleasant, memorable experience. Unlike Silk Air's Cinema Takeover, Singpost used vandalism. I don't know what message vandalism sends. And, it got citizens worried about possible crime. Hardly a pleasant experience. Verdict: Fucking full of fail.

Controversy is good if you're Britney Spears. Otherwise, keep your panties on. We have no need for your vag.

Next, another issue making my blood boil - Social PR reports a crazy perverse woman who went up to OCBC staff asking for a birthday cake because she saw a similar advert of a woman getting a cake on her birthday. There's a limit to PR and I think we've got to draw the line. OCBC gave her a cake eventually but I have a feeling that it's more out of fear than an example of "it's our pleasure to serve you".

I got this quote off @mrlx on twitter: maybe she believes that when she eats a magnum she gets treated like a queen. it is damn sad. and pathetic.

80/20 rule. 80 percent of the profits come from 20 percent of the people. And 20 percent of the profits come from the other 80. Some customers are not worth the cost to maintain and they should be shown the door. It is often these high-maintenance, low-returns customers who affect morale and profit. Just like the police are better off fighting real crime, OCBC is better off serving the ah ma who doesn't know how to read her bank statements. and not satisfying some bitch's huge ego! Get a life Kitchen Tigress!

Or better yet get laid.

Start of Internship

Internship is a really exciting period of time. We get to learn from each other and experience more than what we do at work. We also bond closer together despite not being able to see each other as often as we would if we were in school. I'm really excited about being with my friends, seeing them and talking to them. My whole week is lined up with meet-ups! I think I need a break from enjoying myself!

Ooh, there is also an awesome gym at my workplace. Hopefully I'll get to use it.

It's kind of weird to build my life around work. It's now my "new" life. It's kind of tough learning another culture, doing things a different way and my shoes hurt me because my socks weren't thick enough! As with everything, there're pros and cons. I'm hoping to strike the balance, let the pros cancel out the cons, be positive and try to achieve as much as I can in my, roughly, 120 days of work.

I've only been at work for 2 days. Gah.

AltLife S01E08 - Blooper

"Ooh, what's this! It's so cute," gushed Rachel, her boobs bouncing like they were excited Teletubbies. Oh what I am talking about. Teletubbies are always excited.

"It's a USB suction device!" announced the salesgirl.

"Who the hell would use such a thing?" remarked Justin, waving his hand dismissively.

"Well, my student uses this one," I replied, holding up another cutesy device that ran on battery instead. "He tears paper and chops up his eraser just to use this to suck it all up!"

"That's very cute! Is he like primary 3 or something?" gushed Rachel, her ovaries probably taking over her mind.

"Erm nope, he's Sec 4," I whispered, eyes wide open in mock horror.

"Orh then he's not cute already," said Rachel, disappointed.

"Control your maternal instincts, woman!" clucked Justin. As we continued round the store, my handphone rang with an alarming tone.

"It is time to change that ring tone! You're no different from the uncles at that Toa Payoh coffee shop!" snarled Justin.

"It's Bobby."

"Who's Bobby," asked Rachel, her eyebrows arched.

"That student of mine..." I said distractedly, my eyes still going through the message for a second time. "Listen to this! Oh I won't be able to do justice to the smiley faces! Look at this!" Excitedly, they looked over my shoulder.

'Good evening :) how is your day? Got miss me? :) - Bobby.'

"Are you guys...," whispered Rachel, trembling in horror.

"No!"

"You've got to teach him grammar! Isn't it 'how was your day'?" bitched Justin.

I replied, 'You know i'm gonna give you grief for that right?'

"Poor Bobby. Wait is this the same Bobby who broke up with the girl because she had to concentrate on her school work? So is this meant for her?" rambled Justin as his eyes went wide with realisation before squinting accusatory.

"I guess so!"

"Well what's his reply!" asked Rachel.

'Well.... that's a technical problem...sorry:) - Bobby.'

Immediately, I typed, 'Haha you're so dead prepare a good story for me on thurs'.

'I think i will rather cancel tuition...haha... - Bobby.'

"Well that's kind of a low blow don't you think!" laughed Justin.

"Change of tactics! Maybe I will go soft on him. Shit I'm so kaypoh," I muttered.

'Eh eh wa lao cannot like that one la.'

"He's gutsy for a 16 year old! Or maybe you're not fierce enough," commented Rachel. We waited and grumbled about our hunger before my embarrassing SMS ringtone rang so loudly that the salesgirl looked at me.

'Then no stories lor:)haha....very embarrassing leh... - Bobby.'

"I can't wait to teach him on Thursday," I declared, beaming with confidence.

Beginning 2010

I shall -

1. Exercise thrice a week
2. Spend $550 a month (for Jan-Jun that would mean I can save approx $750 a month)
3. Travel overseas twice
4. Host 3 people visiting Singapore
5. Learn about internet marketing
6. Start a new blog/website

That's all I can think of now. I've already kick-started on a few of these towards the end of 2009 so it's not going to be one of those "impossible resolutions". Just felt the need to give myself some concrete direction.

I'll probably make up the rest along the way.

I know for sure that it's going to be a good one though. As I've gotten to understand myself better, become more confident of my abilities, I've been able to design my life and live the way I want to. It'll be another year of learning and growing and working towards making dreams a reality.