Bad Minton

And this is a photo of me and my crazy/awesome colleagues during our badminton session at Tampines (which is so far from Woodlands) on Friday.

I have bin workin' on mah fidness to the extent that I am quite surprised at how non-skinny I look now!

My work place is awesome because there is a gym and I abuse it as frequently as I can, which is about twice a week. Also, I've been playing tonnes of badminton thanks to my badminton-crazy colleagues. We have a lot of fun because of all the terrible antics that we get up to - mimicking each other, making funny sounds and ridiculous badminton tricks (like hitting the shuttlecock with the wrong end of the racket).

And I'm thinking of joining the Standard Chartered half-marathon later this year. Or maybe the 10km. I'm not sure who I'm going to grab along with me but I'm really excited about going. I can't remember the last time I went for a run like this. Really looking forward to it.

I have never felt fitter after leaving the army. I'm not sure about IPPT in July though. That's a rather shitty test of what I've achieved so far but I think it's time I train for 2.4. Haven't ran in ages!

Shopping Ban Starts Now

Yes I got all these compulsively. Well, rather compulsively! I got them in the past two months and it is with startling realisation that I have spent too much at Topman. It is the only place that makes me part with my money.

I used to think that clothes were just clothes, but I think I've learned that they aren't! Still, I will not visit that place till October when I can get 20% off.

It is terrible that the shopping ban coincides with the Great Singapore Sale. But this makes it the most effective. There can be no better time.

ARGH.

A Little Nostalgic

I went back to NTU two days ago to submit some forms.

The bus was rumbling at its usual annoyingly slow pace into the compound. I hated the ride in. I haven't been back in six months. That hasn't changed.

When I alighted at Can A, I saw NIE. The place was where I took all my drama modules. I thought of all the fun I had. I wondered if I learned anything. Then I went to the wrong Office of Finance, I had to walk a hell of a long way to the Student Services Centre. I thought of the old Can A, before they had the air-conditioned one. I thought about getting lost in the North Spine. I climbed the steps that seemed to lead to the sky. I walked that long stretch of road. I saw shoes outside this room and there were people praying I think. I've never seen that before. I saw those pink flowers, the place where I took my OG to play games during FOC. I thought of how brilliant I was as an OGL. I thought about how happy moments were somewhat short-lived but how they stay with you forever. I went up to the building and submitted my forms. And came down. I walked down the steps leading to Hall 2. I remembered that I went there looking for a toilet. Then I realised that Hall 2 had toilets in their rooms rather than a common one. Like Hall 12. I walked some more, past the volleyball court. I saw myself playing there with my friends for my school. It was kind the corny flashback that you would see in movies. That's how I saw myself. I continued walking past Can 2. I thought of the porridge at Can 1.

And I arrived at the bus stop, waiting for 179 again.

I never remembered much about actually studying there. But the moments I had fun, those were the moments I felt for the most. I worked hard during the years I was there. And yes, the things I worked for were almost never academic. It was my home for so long, especially the 2 years that I stayed in hall. I never left, even for summer holidays. I relished having my own place. When I no longer stayed I had a new awesome group of friends who'd have Laksa Thursdays with me. The jokes and laughter and comfort of familiar company was what I felt when I walked through the school.

I have one more year and it will possibly never beat the years where I was really involved in non-academic activities. But it's one more year to spend in school as a student. After that, there'll be no turning back.

The Last Song

The Last Song couldn't be more formulaic but it really shows what you can do when you do everything, and I mean everything, right.

I have heard bad reviews. I have read about how formulaic Nicholas Sparks is. I really disliked Miley. I felt slightly better about her after being forced to watch her for 2 hours.

But everything came together in this film and made it work. Liam Hemsworth was endearing. The setting was gorgeous and made me feel that I should stay there for an extended period of time. Apparently states campaigned to host the production! The soundtrack was really amazing (and if someone else had sang The Last Song I would've loved it). I could relate to certain aspects, like volleyball, love of marine life, music (especially the piano-playing) and literature. The soundtrack was really summer-y. The dialogue made me laugh out loud at some parts. I could see most of the setup and payoffs from miles away but it was still satisfying, possibly because it was rather well put-together.

There were bits that were fairytale-like. You would totally be thinking: this would not fucking happen in real life. Sparks litters the film with juvenile angst, sickness, sibling's death and imperfections of like, 10 minor characters (Will's father, Will's mother, the person-playing-with-fire, the person-playing-with-fire's girlfriend, Will's ex-girlfriend), just to balance out the sappy stuff.

It wasn't "natural" because I could see the movie's "craftsmanship". It was obvious certain bits served certain functions.

It was slightly contrived but I guess we all want something larger-than-life when we watch a movie.

So yes, surprisingly, it wasn't bad. It was worth my 6 dollars. I liked it and I might, gasp, even watch it again.

I Assure You, My Friends Are Mad

And I have proof!

Case 1:



Case 2:



Proven guilty. Case closed.

Never Go To Zouk On Wednesday Again

I Will See You All Tomorrow

More Cam-whoring

More KL, some Sunway Lagoon, and a night of dinner and partying at Zouk KL.























And this was how I looked after clubbing at Zouk KL on the second night. DAMN HAPPY. It was super freaking awesome I wanna go club there one more time!

Sights of KL

I went to KL recently and I enjoyed myself there. The architecture was different, really unique and special. It was quite awesome to see how a city that was similar in so many ways and I'm guessing, started its rapid development the same time as Singapore, turn out.

I look forward to visiting KL again.

This Boy

I'm never tired
I'm always better than you

Iron Man 2

I really liked the film. If you're expecting a lot of action then you'd probably like to skip this! I thought this was pretty much the Hero's story. It's a great narrative that led from one thing to another. It showed Tony Stark's struggles with himself, with his past, with his love, with his friends and of course, his nemesis.

The one thing that failed the film and was possibly held it back from greatness was the lack of a very spectacular action sequence during the final showdown. Another thing was the lack of any real danger, something that I've read in another review and whole-heartedly agreed with it. He got banged up by the villain and War Machine but there was never a time he was in grave danger. He was always well protected by the suit. Too boringly well-protected.

Scarlett Johanson is the hottest woman to grace screens of cinemas every where.

Go watch it if you like talky films. If you expect it to be a generic, action film, well, you might want to readjust your expectations before stepping into the cinema.

The film was certainly worth my $6!

Fuck Yeah Jason Khor

Yesterday was incredible. I spent an entire day at work, before 2 hours of badminton with my colleagues. Admittedly I'm not fantastic, but it was a lot of fun. I was flooded with endorphins after that. It was an incredible high. I must play more often.

After that it was Filament 2010. Surprisingly I liked the documentaries better than the narratives. A New Hope was an exploration into two Thai women's lives coping with HIV. I was really moved by their honesty and their strength to live. It made me miss Thailand and I thought of the times that I've spent there. It is probably the country that I've stayed longest at, cumulatively. I also enjoyed the rather startling docu about elderly and sex. We learned about how it was to be like, going through the last stages of life and their views on life, love and death.

A small group of us went for supper at Kopitiam before trooping down to brotzeit, this German beer place at Raffles City. It seems that we always gravitate to that place whenever we're in the vicinity. The iPhones came in useful and we took a few photos.

Okay. They all tried to get me drunk and they succeeded. I am a bit embarrassed, not very proud of this. But I was a fun drunk. And I blame DJ for ordering the second glass. Only he and I had a second round. And I said things I never thought would come out of my mouth. And I laughed at Nessie's unfunny things. And Qiqi was busy turning my photos into Neoprints.

I can't remember all the shit I've said but I called DJ "a magic trick gone wrong" because he had two taller glasses of beer and it didn't seem to have any effect on him while I was er, well I got quite high. Stanley also mentioned that I said I was "walking straighter than normal" and "waiting for the train to come before we leave".

I am sure I said "change" and not "train" dammit.

In short they were all mean and even updated their facebook status with shit like that. They call this event FUCK YEAH JASON KHOR. I obviously do not approve but I was very very happy last night. And they were happy about this. Win-win.



















According to them I also start speaking in rhymes, singing, speaking loudly, scolding vulgarities and also they bullied me so I gave them the middle finger(s).

Next time I REFUSE to have more than one glass. It will not happen again (in the near future).

More good years ahead.