[deletia]

It's the end.. and the beginning.

2005-06-03T22:48:00.000-07:00

I've decided to stop posting on this blog. Not that I'm bored with writing or anything like that, but well.. it's time to move on. To another address. I'll be emailing you *soon* with the new address once everything gets set up. You can also email me for the new blog address.

Thanks.

Manchester

2005-05-07T10:47:00.000-07:00

*picture removed*
I'm back. Took some pictures that you can check out on flickr. They are mostly pictures of buildings. I havent uploaded them all yet though.

I had a great time in Manchester. It's more of a trip to chill out, not really a shopping trip or even one of sightseeing. We did check out a couple of places, and spent 2 days in London. London was fun, even when it was raining and we kept getting lost on the way to the hostel. I forgot to bring out my camera on the first day out and could have taken pictures of the magnificent British Museum. If you have been there, you will know what I mean. The building was gorgeous! And the Reading Room was breathtaking. The exhibits... wow! I dont even think we finished checking out half the exhibits before they close at 530. But stuff in London is so expensive!! I would have been so broke if I spent a couple more days there. Maybe next time...

I spent most of the time in Manchester. It's like most cities, only the buildings are really old and cool. It was cold though, about 12C everyday. It probably isnt much to bitch about but when you come from Singapore, which is about 20C MORE everyday, it's a pretty big deal. The worst is when you just get up in the mornings and it's so grrrwww cold that all you can do is pray that the water boil real quick so that you can get a cup of hot tea into your system as fast as you can, just to stop the insides from shaking, if nothing else. And sometimes the wind is so strong that I thought I was getting airborne the next minute if it doesn't stop.

But, stupid as it may sound, I like the cold. Even when your insides are shaking and the tea is taking such a long time to course through the body, even when your fingers are shaking as you try and smoke the first cigarette of the day, hell, even when you can't even feel your fingers shaking... it's invigorating. I feel more awake, more aware, more alive somehow in the cold.

It's a real shock to the system when I stepped out of the Singapore Airport yesterday. The rush of the first heat wave is like a slap to the face and it's disgusting! A coat of fine perspiration immediately clings itself all over your body and I feel so sticky within 2 seconds. I wanted so much to hop on a plane back, but I'm here now, trying to get used to the weather again, trying to get a grip cos I'm going back to work on Monday and that must be the single most depressing moment ever!

Leaving on a Jet Plane

2005-04-18T00:40:00.000-07:00

Today is the day! I'll be leaving for Manchester late tonight or actually, tomorrow morning and won't be back till May. Woo Hoo!

I Will Follow You Into the Dark

2005-04-11T19:07:00.000-07:00

Feeling a bit better after a disastrous start to the day. i didnt sleep well last night even though I crashed at 9:45 pm but woke up at 2:17 am and couldnt get back to sleep until of course, the alarm goes off at 6:15am. And *suddenly* I got so sleepy I would have given almost anything in the world just to continue sleeping. But i havent got much to give, and dont know who to give to anyways so I got up. My back is complaining now and I'm feeling old, very old. At the grand old age of 27.

It's 10:03am now and the coffee I drink every morning is taking a longer and longer time every day to take effect. At this rate, I would need to have coffee intravenously fed into my body. Surely the unmistakable signs of addiction.

On the plus side, it's 6 more days to Manchester! I've already got the days struck off from my work calendar and I'm trying to feel cheered thinking about it. But it's hard, when it's Tuesday and only 10:17am.

I'm also cheered that Death Cab's new album Plans will be out September. They can sell out for all I care (Atlantic, OC etc) so long as they continue making good music, in the words of Ben Gibbard, "I could really give a fuck."

Plans is made for Gibbard's favourite joke, "How do you make God laugh? Make a plan." In keeping with its black title, the record brings more melancholy tracks about love. "I was telling myself, "I'm going to stop writing depressing songs. This record's going to be really upbeat, '"says Gibbard. "Like, 'I will Follow You into the Dark' is a love song I wrote for my lady, really sweet and romantic. It's about someone dying, and the person they love saying, 'I'm close behind, I'll follow you into the dark.' But then I played it for her and she was like, 'This song is fucking sad!' Best to run with what comes naturally. I tried."

Woo Hoo

2005-04-06T21:11:00.000-07:00

At long last! The Yo La Tengo 3disc set I've preordered from Matador has arrived! I cant believe it actually took the package 3 goddamn weeks to arrive. Usually airmail from US takes only about a week or so. They must have sent it through the Silk Road or something.

But it's all cool..I've got it now. I've got most of the songs already but you cant just pass up on something like this, can you?

I apologise for the lack of updates recently. It's been tough and I've been uninspired by my 9-6 robotic existence. But all that is going to change now, my friend. I'm going to Manchester for about 3 weeks and I'm ecstatic! There had been some problems with the tickets but it's all sorted out now. I can hardly wait!!

Countdown: 12 more days.

New coldplay album artwork + tracklisting

2005-04-04T00:58:00.000-07:00

COLDPLAY X&Y out June 6, Tracklisting:
1. Square One
2. What If
3. White Shadows
4. Fix You
5. Talk
6. X&Y
7. Speed of Sound
8. A Message
9. Low
10. The Hardest Part
11. Swallowed In The Sea
12. Twisted Logic

Something to live for

2005-03-22T01:14:00.000-08:00

The new Teenage Fanclub is coming out May 9! This is their new album in like 5 years, no? I'm really happy. Although I probably get the US version from Merge instead of the UK one, even if that means I have to wait till June 7. Hopefully they will have some kind of preorder system. Is there a preorder thing going on for the UK release? I can't find the website for the label PeMa.

The Teenage Fannies mean a lot to me, and my ipod as well. It's one of the few bands that my ipod keeps throwing at me (when in random mode). Its favourite songs? "Mellow Doubt" and "Neil Jung."

Decisions...Decisions

2005-03-20T00:40:00.000-08:00

Emusic is a cool site that offers music downloads for a rather small monthly fee. There seems to be no other restrictions, as members have complete flexibility to burn CDs, and make multiple copies of downloaded music for personal use. I signed up for a free trial a week ago and they give you 50 downloads free, even if you decide not to stay on after the trial period.

Right now, I'm trying to decide which ones to download. For even if they do have a rather impressive catalog, some bands/labels are glaringly missing (e.g. Wilco, Bright Eyes, Subpop) and they dont always have the latest album for the band (e.g. they have every single album for The Wedding Present, except Take Fountain...which is also the only 1 I want). Help me decide.

My life is a bore

2005-03-16T19:30:00.000-08:00

There hasn't been much to blog about lately. I do just about the same things everyday: work, home, work, home. I dont know if I'm getting old but I sleep really early nowadays. When I say "sleep," I really mean "crash." It's all I could do to stay awake for Desperate Housewives (Mondays 10pm). Now that it's Thursday, I feel a little more alive. But just barely.

That, however, could be because of the Tortoise gig tonight. And I'm watching it for FREE! Aaahhhh...the power of connections.

Akvavit?

2005-03-05T21:01:00.001-08:00

*picture removed*
This is a really cool restaurant my friend and I stumbled upon on our way to somewhere else. It's called "Fisherman's Wharf: Oysters and Fish & Chips." The odd thing is that the menu has no oysters at all! But the Fish & Chips were really really good! They were huge, to begin with, and really fresh. And the whole thing was dirt cheap too! The only shitty thing about the restaurant is that they charge really high prices for drinks. Oh well.

That was more a week ago. Old news, I know. But I just realised I've been assuming the word "akvavit" in the picture is "upstairs" in English, but can someone tell me what language it is?

I've got bad karma!

2005-03-03T04:49:00.000-08:00

It's been an unbelievably horribly bad bad week, especially today. Someone must have put a goddamn curse on me cos there is no way I have that much bad karma. Everything that can go wrong did. From screwups at work to just basically bad timing, bad traffic, horrible people who think nothing of squeezing you into a corner in the train and basically just suffocating you with their super-bad breath (is it even possible to smell bad breath if the person doesnt even open his stupid mouth?? I know the answer now: YES) GOD!!

And I found out that I have been charged 7 times on my credit card for something I tried to get over the internet and my card was declined, because apparently my billing address doesnt match something-or-other, so obviously I thought I got my address wrong. After several attempts, I gave up since I kept getting that error message. And to my horror, when I checked my card, it's been charged every.single.time I tried getting the card through. I emailed the shop and someone had better get to me quick or I will really go.stark.raving.mad.

All these just put a new meaning to the phrase "Thank God It's Friday (tomorrow)."

WTF

2005-02-21T16:50:00.000-08:00

I almost spilled the coffee I was drinking when I come in to work today and found out that Hunter S. Thompson had committed suicide.

There really isnt much more to say.
R.I.P.

The Things You (wish you) Own Will End Up Owning You

2005-02-20T18:32:00.000-08:00

I've been lusting after several things for the past week and it's eating me alive. I dont know if it's just me, but everytime I want something that's just been released, no bloody shop in Singapore will have it. And when you call the shops in such excitement and are all ready to give them all your money, noone will take it. Bloody idiots.

This is their first album in like 8 years. I was almost bubbling over the phone, hoping against hope that Borders (it shall now be known as "bloody borders") will have it. I know it's hard for music buyers to gauge demand sometimes but when it's Wedding Present's first album in 8 fucking years, you can't just bring in 1 copy. What is infuriating is that the idiots refuse to let me reserve it!! Fine. You wanna play hard ball. I shall call you every.single.day.till the shipment comes in.

Robbers on High Street have been, perhaps rightly, compared to Spoon, but after listening to a few of their tracks, I think they are pretty damn good in their own right. Listening to the tracks made me really want to get the album and of cos bloody borders dont have it; it's not even in their system. With the shipping costs as high as it is, I really dont know how I'm going to get my hands on this. These people are driving me to be a pirate!

I actually hesitated about posting this because it's a limited run EP--the last one Barsuk is releasing before DCFC skips over to the big boys. I'm so scared that it will be all sold out before i can get it. I guess when it comes down to it, I could live without this but they are offering a limited run of Tshirts too so I definitely need to get this. I'm a easy sucker for things like this. Stick the word "limited" in front of almost anything and something primal inside me will override all rational thinking. It's almost like I'm asking for it.

There's a lesson to be learnt here, I think. To prevent the frantic and ultimately disappointing phonecalls to bloody borders and HMV, I decided to shell out the money to pre-order the Mogwai (Government Commissions) and Yo La Tengo (Prisoners of Love). These are bands that I absolutely can't do without and with cheaper pre-order prices, I decided to go ahead with ordering them (though the shipping costs totally zapped out whatever "savings" I "enjoyed" by pre-ordering.

The Yo La Tengo is almost a mindless thing.
I have to have it. No question about it. It's a 3-cd compilation (and for the special pre-order price of US16, I thought it was pretty reasonable). From Matador website: "On March 22, we'll be releasing a career-spanning Yo La Tengo compilation, 'Prisoners of Love: A Smattering of Scintilliating Senescent Songs, 1985-2003' in specially priced double CD and limited edition triple CD formats."

Ah.. there it is again: the word "limited edition."

The Old and the New

2005-02-08T04:40:00.000-08:00

*picture removed*
I found this picture in far worse quality than you see right here. I installed Google's Picasa the other day and it's really easy to touch up pictures now. Not being very good with Photoshop, I can only do so much with it. But Picassa makes it simpler though I would prefer it if it comes with an adjustable degree of control.

First day of CNY tomorrow. Just had reunion dinner with family and it was pretty alright. Must.practise.smiling.more.tomorrow. I hope it's going to be a short day but it's probably going to feel twice as long. Damn it. I'd go stuff my face with more New Year goodies now.

*btw, I have like 10000 geemail invites. Is anyone still interested?

Sunday Bloody Sunday

2005-02-05T23:26:00.000-08:00

Bloody Sunday blues now, in dread of the work week ahead. Where did the weekend go?! Ahh I remember sleeping late on both days trying desperately to recover from the previous workweek (Saturday) and rest up for the next (Sunday). Funny how it's never enough. Although it's going to be a short week ahead, with Chinese ~~bloody~~ New Year, the dread of the bigass Monday still looms overhead.

Ahhh CNY. The good vs the Bad. The money vs the incessant rubbish questions from relatives you only see once a year. The good food vs the incessant rubbish questions from relatives you only see once a year. You get the idea

It always feels like the longest day of the year.

Reading Updates

2005-02-03T19:30:00.000-08:00

Coupland's latest, Eleanor Rigby, didnt disappoint. Though I must admit I didnt have high hopes for it in the first place; one must acknowledge that there's just no going back to the likes of Life After God and/or Gen X. The only bad thing is that I finished it in one sitting. I cannot believe myself. I was hoping that it will last at least for a weekend.

Thank goodness the good people at Kinokuniya called me a couple of days later to tell me that the book I ordered, Nick Hornby's The Polysyllabic Spree has arrived. I have enjoyed most of Hornby's stuff as well (except for maybe How to Be Good) but his latest is actually a really slim volume of collected essays for The Believer. Not that there's anything wrong with short essays but I was really looking forward to something more than 136 pages.

Right now I'm trying my darnest to read the book as slowly as I can, savouring every word. I daren't sit down in my nice reading chair to read it; I have to read snatches of it here and there, mostly on the bus or train. This isnt easy at all, since I'm a relatively fast reader (tell-tale signs of an ex-literature student) but I'm about 1/3 into the book and loving every minute of it.

What I really hate is the period inbetween books. If it was a good book you've just finished, you don't really want to mess about trying to start on another book, which would probably be alright on its own, but not after that good book you have just finished. I'm not sure yet what I'd be reading after Hornby, though it's most probably going to be the new Murakami. I heard and read good things about it but it's still in hardcover format and that's going to be hard to lug around.

Introducing...The Cubes!

2005-01-25T21:10:00.000-08:00

This is so sad yet so.. so...familiar.

via Cool Hunting.

It's hot and crowded

2005-01-21T09:40:00.000-08:00

Went out to town today to run errands, do some shopping and watch a movie with a friend. But since it's a public holiday, the whole world was in town and the day quickly turned rather bad. Since I hardly go near town in the weekends, the sheer number of people is just overwhelming sometimes.

And it was really hot today which made the whole trip even worse. Looking at the list I made for today (yes I make lists), I didnt do about half (which is 3) and that is very irritating for me. Some days you just can't win them all.

The good thing about public holidays though is that there is a sale almost everywhere. And since Chinese New Year is coming up as well, the stores are just going mad offering discounts. So instead of the 3 things I missed on my list, I got instead: Douglas Coupland's Eleanor Rigby. Being a Coupland fan for so long, I'm almost embarrassed that I didnt get the book earlier. Borders was having a 15% sale so it would be even more criminal if I didnt get it today. I also got me a CD: the excellent Ted Leo& The Pharmacists. The stupid part was that B. didnt have the CD I wanted, and they only have 1 of his albums anyway, so I just got it, without realising that it's only a EP! I feel stupid.

Pass the Baton..

2005-01-20T05:01:00.000-08:00

This looks kinda fun. Thanks, mike!

1. What’s the total size of music files on your computer:

13.28gb in iTunes

2. What is the last CD you bought?

Desperate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes, TV on the Radio I heard good things about it and I hope this is one of them stuff that grows on you but I really dont like it that much.

3. What is the last song you listened to before you read this post?

Like Herod, Mogwai (album: Young Team).
Feel a little under the weather, listening to Mogwai makes me feel better.

4. Name four songs that you listen to a lot or that mean a lot to you.

Consulting iTunes for a play count, it's
i. How to be Dead, Snow Patrol
ii. Ladies & Gentlemen We are Floating in Space, Spiritualised
iii. Untitled 3, Sigur Ros
iv. Gravity, Embrace

Although this doesnt necessarily mean that these songs mean a lot to me. That's a whole different list altogether.

5. Which three people are you passing the baton on to and why?

erm. Randy, Troy and Massimo
(no particular reason).

Books and more books

2005-01-17T00:18:00.000-08:00

I just finished The Time Traveler's Wife the other day. It took me a long time to read it cos it's such a huge book that I cant lug it around so I can only read it during the weekends. I got it really cheap too (S$5 I think), at a book warehouse sale where I also carted home loads of other stuff (which I havent got down to reading yet).

It's quite a good read though all the different dates/times (cos of the time traveling) were a bit confusing in the beginning. It's a love story in essence, but told in a different way. Not bad, but I dont think it's something I'd pick up and read again. 3 stars.

What I really really want to read though is Nick Hornby's The Polysyllabic Spree. I've been checking out the bookstores but none of them has it in stock yet. It's a disgrace really! But I've placed my order with Kinokuniya so I hope to get it within the "2 weeks" they promised me.

In the meantime, I'm reading Gabriel Garcia Marquez's Love in the Time of Cholera. I'm about 100 pages into the book, and I'm sorry to report that I dont see what the hype is about. It's not bad but it's not like, wow! you know? Maybe the wow! will hit me later in the book, which had better be quick cos I'm losing my patience with the book, and I'm never one to force myself to read from cover to cover if the story doesnt hold me.

Random is the New Order

2005-01-11T17:48:00.000-08:00

The new ipod

I will be calling the Apple Store every.single.day until they have stocks of the new ipod.

...What is it about apple products that make me want to rush out and give them all my money?

The Anti-Trend

2005-01-11T04:12:00.000-08:00

There's sure to be a backlash somewhere.

The Livestrong wristbands are so wildly popular that they are backordered 3 weeks on the website. And people are having a field day putting them up on auction sites. All of a sudden, it's cool to wear a wristband and there are so many colours available now (not affiliated to the Lance Armstrong Foundation though)

Yes, I do have one (thanks, mike). Call me shallow, whatever, but I think I will order this one too. "Live STRONG, Die HARD" does have a nice ring to it.

*image/artwork from deviant art

Yes I'm starting the new year with a rant. You got a problem?

2005-01-07T04:08:00.000-08:00

Talk about overkill. If I hear Maroon 5's "She will be Loved" one more time, I swear I will either smash the radio or go stark raving mad. It's a rubbish song with a rubbish MTV to match. It's absolute crap! How can anyone like this shit!
Hoobastank is another one. FOr goodness sake, these are in all likelihood one-hit wonders. I once had to go through Hoobastank blasting in the backroom with only "The Reason" on repeat.The whole day.For a week!

On this day

2004-12-31T05:31:00.000-08:00

*picture removed*
Testing out both Melissa's cameraphone (if there's a decent optical zoom, it will be perfect) and also the blogging function from within Flickr. It's pretty cool.

It's been pouring for days now and I'm wondering if it was because of the tsunami since it was really hot just the day before.

I like the cold and the rain. But the washing is not drying properly and I really prefer all my clothes dried by the sun (it smells so much better) and not the dryer.

I'm staying at home this New Year's Eve. I remember happier times this day just last year, but I shan't think of sad things when there are worse things happening in the world. I can't even watch the news anymore.

Here's to better days ahead. For you. For me. For all.

2004-12-29T19:43:00.000-08:00

It's a tragedy what has happened. The death toll is 81000, as of this morning and looks set to go beyond 100000 mark. Typing in so many zeros makes me ill. It's easy to type in a number and forget the number of lives that makes up that number. It's a terrifying thought.

I can't imagine how anyone will have the mood to celebrate New Year's Eve tomorrow. But all I see in between the news are advertisements for New Year Countdown parties and the such.

An ode

2004-12-21T18:38:00.000-08:00

The things you take for granted the most are often the ones who've gone through the thick and the thin with you.
Today is a year to the day I've got my lifelong companion. The one who's been through all kinds of shit with me and never once complained. Without him, I dont know if I will still be the same. I might still be alive but probably just barely.

2004 has been a tumultous year for me: I've switched jobs, made and lost friends, had a shit relationship, all in all a year of change. Looking back, I still dont know if it's all for the better or worse, but I take comfort in the fact that he's always been at my side, always knowing what I need before I even know it myself. He knows when it's time to wallow in self-pity, to blast out in anger and indignity, when to let go and to move on. Every morning, he sets the pace for the unfolding day, sometimes it's good, sometimes it's not but he's always there, gently prodding me on. He opens my mind to the new so that I won't be bored but always knows the precise time in indulge in the old as well.

I've always taken it for granted but I thought it fitting that, on this one-year anniversary, I should say thanks. Thanks to my friend. My precious.

Forget Google Desktop search, I need one for my head

2004-12-17T04:33:00.000-08:00

For someone whose memory is like a sieve, meeting acquaintances and familiar faces on the street is very stressful. There are 2 scenarios.

First scenario: I remember the face but not the name, or the context in which we know each other (ex-schoolmate, acquaintance, ex-colleague, friend of a friend of a friend etc.). This is actually the less stressful of the 2 scenarios cos I'll just go along and chat happily should he/she approach and say hi. And then throughout the conversation, I'll try and pick up things to jog my memory, all the while thinking "who the fuck is this!!?" There have been many times where I was stopped by someone, we chat, and I dont remember who he/she is, and the worst part is, after racking my brains like crazy, I realise that in all probability, he/she thinks I'm someone else and we don't even know each other!

2nd scenario: I manage to put a name to the face, but I can't remember the level of familiarity, that is, how comfortable I was with the person. Today, I met an ex-colleague, and I remember we were quite chummy back when we worked together. We were both walking to the train station and as we chatted, I keep getting the feeling that I probably wasnt that chummy with her, because she kept giving me weird looks when I bitched about work, etc. Then comes the inevitable exchange of name cards. I hate that! I never have mine with me, and I dont understand how people can buy those cases just to put their namecards inside, just in case they meet people on the streets. It's ridiculous!

Am I too Late?

2004-12-14T00:20:00.000-08:00

I can't believe I forgot to add my amazon wishlist link to the template! Would it make a difference though? :-)

Make my Day.

The door is finally closed but I dont know if I locked it properly

2004-12-04T21:58:00.000-08:00

Well. The reckoning is here and gone. The dreaded but unavoidable "getting your stuff back" ritual is done. It's such a sickening thing to have to do; I dont know why nobody came up with a better way of doing it. For example, someone can set up a store and the person who has to get his/her stuff back from their exes can register and the store can contact the ex with the list of things and pass them back for a small fee (I'll be the first to sign up). This way, everyone will be happy.

Well. I got my shit back, sans 1 item that couldn't be found. Damnit. There is some sort of closure now but I still have to go through the dread of "I'll call you when I find it." I dont want it back now (but it's a gift from a friend and I have to get it back). IT's a sick feeling in your stomach to realise that the past can just creep up when you least expect it and bite you in the arse. It's just so fuckign tiring. I'm not young anymore-I can't do this mind-fucking shit the way I could. I just want to fuck it all and move the fuck on.

But where to? I'm too.tired.to.think.

I love (and want) this tshirt

2004-11-29T19:30:00.000-08:00

The US dollar has been weakening these couple of days and I've been running amok online buying stuff. I just bought a Yo La Tengo tshirt from Kungfu Nation.It's hard to shop online if you are not from the US, I realise. Shipping charges, for example, are very erratic among the different online tshirt shops I've checked out. Kungfunation is only charging me US$5.23 for shipping within 2 weeks and bloody hell the Mogwai store was going to charge me US$14.50 for shipping! It seems really stupid to be paying so much more!

But damnit! I really like that shirt! I've looked at ebay and there wasnt any to be had. Any ideas?

Stab a fork into my eye. please.

2004-11-17T21:43:00.000-08:00

So. It's been horribly busy these couple of weeks. I like being busy at work; keeps me from falling asleep and time passes much faster as well. But keep it constant, you know what I'm saying? One day I will not have enough hours in the workday to get through the shit, and the next I will be twiddling my thumbs and playing games like this and this.

You wouldn't believe this but just as I was typing the above paragraph, more work came! And I was planning on going out for coffee and smokes too! Damn,*look busy*. Anyways, I have some pictures posted up at Flickr (on your right), some new, mostly old stuff. Take a look.

The premiere of Amazing Race 6 was shown last night and while I was a big fan of the show, I wished they would find "better" contestants. These people all fit into the show's past prototypes: there's the "father and daughter looking to bond again," the "separated couple who wants to see if they are meant together," the "obnoxious guy" (God! 5 min into the show and I already hate him!), the "couple who wants to know if they are meant to be (bleh)"... you get the idea. How boring!

I was also thinking that I should start writing again but I've always been too lazy. Because of this, I decide that maybe I should detail everything I see, hear or experience coming to work or going home or whatever, and it would be so boring that at some point, my imagination will have to take over.

I'm just thinking.

Random Thoughts I

2004-11-13T21:44:00.000-08:00

My right forearm is killing me. I'm going to die from Repetitive Strain Disorder.

Someone accidentally stepped on my toe in the train the other day and my first instinct was not to see if my toe is alright but to push her away. hard.

I think my Sims are laughing at me

I want to see the Northern Lights

My ipod knows me better than I know myself

The smiling goldfish crackers taste better than the non-smiling ones

I can't sit behind a desk from 9-6

My hairstylist hates me

It's hard enough to find a soulmate much less the all-important One True Love™

This Hour of Lead

2004-10-28T06:06:00.000-07:00

I watched Before Sunset last night. It was totally refreshing because it was all talk and no action. In fact, talking is foregrounded in the movie. There is strictly speaking no plot at all, and that is so refreshing sometimes. I guess because the director wanted to have a conversational feel to the whole movie, he adopted very long shots throughout. For example, a shot may typically last maybe 4-5 min? And that is a long time in cinematic terms, for that's about 5 pages of script you have to memorise, and not screw up! And Julie Delpy is so good! I love the show.

The weather has been rather cool these couple of days and there's something about weather like this that makes you think, contemplate, reminiscence whatever. I don't know if I'm sad thinkng about the past; there's some inkling of pain left but I don't want to go too deeply into that. I guess I just want to be numb to things for a while.

I've dug out some of my old notebooks and I'm really surprised to see that I'm still feeling the same way about a lot of things 5 years ago. My handwriting has really changed quite a bit though. Hmmm.

RIP John Peel (1939-2004)

Wong Kar Wai is god!

2004-10-22T23:32:00.000-07:00

For Mike who asked for a review:

I watched 2046 last night and it was gorgeous! A friend who watched it already suggested that I should only watch it in a pensive mood because it's kind of slow and loops around. The movie is a little slow but once you get into it, it will just sweep you away. The cinematography is so breathtakingly beautiful, you have to excuse the man for taking 5 years with it. And the music is also very good; fits the mood very well. I have to admit though the last 20 min was a little draggy but it's all good nonetheless.

The plot is also a little confusing at times but this is good because it gives me the excuse to watch it again just to clear up some parts. 2046 is supposedly a sequel to In the Mood for Love which I havent watched, so I dont know how much is already assumed in 2046. I think I will get the In the Mood for Love dvd and then watch 2046 again. Oh and I'm in love with Takuya Kimura. Irrevocably.

I got into a discussion with a friend online abt wkw and he thinks that Happy Together is his best film while I was rooting for Chungking Express.

This is ridiculous!

2004-10-21T20:56:00.000-07:00

I'm so fucking pissed with the liberty some record stores take upon themselves to price cds as they please. I've been wanting the Wicker Park OST for a while now and checked prices among the usual suspects. I can't believe the disparity between the 2 stores I've checked. Borders is sellign it for $28.95 but they are out of stock right now; probably for a good reason too cos HMV is selling it for $49.90!! WTF! You dont need a goddamn calculator to see how they are ripping people off. And don't give me that crap about double imports or whatever.Now I have to wait like 10 years cos anyone who wants the CD and owns a goddamn phone will get it from Borders.

I'm back in ze game, baby!!

2004-10-19T04:51:00.000-07:00

A stranger just tried to pick me up!! hahaha

As I was waiting to cross the street on my way home today, a car stopped by my side and the driver gestured to me. He looked familiar and so I went up, thinking it's an old schoolmate. But the thing is, we don't know each other!

me: erm, i'm sorry. I dont think we actually know each other
stranger: I thought you were my friend. But you look so familiar, are you sure we don't know each other?
me: no. sorry.
stranger: well, we can get to know each other now. You want to exchange phone numbers?
me: er, I dont think so. Sorry. And I think you have 10000 people at the back waiting to kill you.

So he drove off amidst blasting horns, nothing came out of it, though he's not bad-looking. As I put my earphones back on, White Stripes "You are pretty good looking (for a girl)" has just started and I have to smile. I feel good now.

Dear Diary

2004-10-17T06:52:00.000-07:00

I have been writing a lot in a thick notebook that I lug around every day. I actually got it because it's got perforated pages and it's a nice letter-writing size. I have a fetish for notebooks. I keep buying them but never once have I used a notebook till the very last page. I have pretty ones with stripes and stuff which are expensive, but also free movie tie-in ones. I even used to make my own notebooks too.

Mostly I'm not too fussy about them, just as long as the paper is nice to write on with my favourite pen and it's lined. Well, I was saying. This thick notebook I have, I have been writing in it almost everyday since the breakup. For some reason, my thoughts flow easier when I'm writing in it. I haven't really read what I've written for the past 2 months till today and I realise that it charted everything that I've gone through. From the little irritations that gnawed at me on the way to work, to the weird dreams I've had, to the sleepless nights and the hot weather, to the major breakdowns where everything falls apart and I will wonder how I am going to pick myself up after.

Despite being a really thick notebook, I've already written about 1/2 way into it. And I promised myself in the beginning that I will be alright by the time I reach the final pages. It seemed now that whether I want to or not, I am getting better, and I may need to get a new notebook soon cos I'm getting bored with this chapter of my life.

il n'ya pas de hors-texte

2004-10-09T08:56:00.000-07:00

Jacques Derrida died Friday night at 74.

He is someone I hold in high esteem for a long time now. It's hard to even type right now. I saw the news today and stared at the TV for a long long time. Tears start flowing and I don't even know why. I mean, I dont even know the guy.

But I've been studying him for so long that I do feel as if I do. I didn't like his stuff at first because I didn't know what he was talking about. But studying him for my dissertation has changed everything. He changed the way I looked at things and taught that I shouldn't take things at face value without analysing the underlying structures on which they are based. This is deeper than mere academics; I try to apply whatever I think I know onto life itself, and it's scary to see how his philosophy holds true even beyond the academics.

R.I.P.

King for a Day, Fool for a Lifetime

2004-10-07T19:11:00.000-07:00

It's Friday again and I sigh
The weekend feels hollow now that I no longer look to it
With the same impatience as I used to.
Mondays or Fridays--they are but
Little squares on a calendar to be stuck off
As each day passes me by.
Every little square I strike off takes me
Further away from you and into a place
Where the faceless crowds loom over me and
I no longer have the strength to fight through them as I used to.

That was my weak attempt at writing. From Guardian, a personality test that hooks you up with poem that best describes you.

You're experiencing a bit of an existential crisis, aren't you? Here's a poem to help you through your long dark night of the soul.

World-Strangeness

STRANGE the world about me lies,
Never yet familiar grown -
Still disturbs me with surprise,
Haunts me like a face half known.

In this house with starry dome,
Floored with gemlike plains and seas,
Shall I never feel at home,
Never wholly be at ease?

On from room to room I stray,
Yet my Host can ne'er espy,
And I know not to this day
Whether guest, or captive I.

So, betwixt the starry dome
And the floor of plains and seas,
I have never felt at home,
Never wholly been at ease.

Sir William Watson (1858 - 1935)

Songscape #3: The Shining

2004-10-04T18:40:00.000-07:00

It was one of those days where you wake up and the whole world has gone to blazes. It's running late and if you don't move your arse, you are going to have to spend money that you don't have on a potentially stroke-inducing cab trip through the morning traffic.

It was one of those days where Murphy's Law ruled. You can't find your this-and-that, and the shirt you want to wear is not ironed, etc. After stumbling out of the bathroom and throwing the essentials (iPod, wallet, cigarettes etc) into your bag, you struggled into your adidases and dashed out of the house.

Muttering and cursing under your breath the entire time, you keep checking to see if you've forgotten anything, hoping that something halfway decent will start playing to drive the monday blues away. Dodging in between cars, while the opening chords*of Badly Drawn Boy's "The Shining" trickle out, you suddenly look up at the sky and there is a faint sliver of rainbow among the gathering clouds. You can barely make out the red and the blue bits and the rest sort of just blends into the sky. But it is a rainbow nonetheless.

You stared at it for a while, forgetting that you were in the middle of the street. A car horn blasts through and you moved out of the way in time. The day just got that wee little bit better.

* Sorry, I can't find the entire mp3 for "The Shining." The opening chords can be streamed from Amazon while the part where the vocals start can be streamed from here.

Sad Bastard Shite

2004-10-03T05:08:00.000-07:00

My current playlist: (put on repeat)
1. Bright Eyes: Black Comedy
2. Coldplay: The Scientist
3. David Gray: This Year's Love
4. Embrace: Gravity
5. Embrace: Keeping
6. Embrace: Out of Nothing
7. Nine Inch Nails: Hurt
8. Radiohead: Let Down
9. Radiohead: True Love Waits
10. Radiohead: You Never Wash Up After Yourself
11. Sigur Ros: Untitled #3
12. Spiritualized: Ladies and Gentlemen
13. Teenage Fanclub: Mellow Doubt
14. Yo La Tengo: Demons

It's been a bad day today.
:(

Breakup Reason #1: Our record collections disagree violently

2004-09-29T00:26:00.000-07:00

I love Nick Hornby. One of my favourite Top 10 books ever is High Fidelity. He makes so much sense! I particularly love the discussion among the guys (Rob, Barry and Dick) who agreed that "what really matters is what you like, not what you are like." One of them (Barry) even devised questionaires that covered all the music/film/TV/book bases to distribute among prospective partners.

I understand why Barry did what he did. I mean, why take all the trouble of getting to know someone and then you realise that neither of you have anything in common? You could be going on and on about Interpol or something and s/he would think you are talking about world politics. Or worse, what if the person doesn't even care for music, films and books?! The horror!

droooool....

2004-09-25T23:24:00.000-07:00

It's getting hot outside again despite a nice downpour in the morning. I'm beginning to think there is a very direct relationship between the weather and the mood I'm in. I like cold weather more than this stupid hot and humid one we get here like 350 days out of 365.

I've been downloading like crazy from Ares which is not a bad P2P program. Right now, I'm sourcing for Album Leaf's In a Safe Place. I hate it when I am just 2 songs away from a complete album. I know. I know. I should be buying the album instead but the exhorbitant prices at HMV are really pissing me off. They seriously mark up the price because it's an import. Depending on the label they are on, there is cheap cds to be bought if they are on the relatively bigger labels (Sony, Warner, EMI etc.) but I'm not really interested in those. I would infinitely prefer buying the original cds (nothing beats holding the cd and admiring the album art in your own hands) if I don't feel as if I'm getting seriously ripped off!!

I'm getting very impatient with my computer. It works fine for normal day-to-day things but playing The Sims II has really pushed it to the utmost limit. It breaks into a sweat and threatens to give out on me. I can't even play music when I'm playing the game which is a real downer. God!! The game hasn't even started loading!! That's it! I'm throwing this dinosaur away and getting me a G5!!

Rrriigggghhhttt. Who the hell am I kidding!?

Deckchairs and Cigarettes (from The Thrills)

2004-09-24T23:02:00.000-07:00

This is the life! I'm sitting on my newly-acquired director's chair and lounging around with a cigarette, waiting for the new Interpol album to finish downloading, with a killer track blasting from the speakers (iTunes is on shuffle, but "Mr Brightside" by The Killers is playing now. The Thrills track "Deckchairs and Cigarettes" was playing before this, hence the title for the post).

My new blog template looks great, all thanks to Mike, and it's a nice feeling to know I can always count on him for help with it. There's supposedly a lizard (it ran in from the other room, according to my mom) running loose in my room but as long as I see where my feet land, I don't really care. I'm more or less cool with lizards--so long they dont come near me and stay where I can see them.

It's Saturday afternoon and it's dreary and cloudy outside. It looks like it's going to rain soon. I realise that given all the shit I've been going through for the past month or so, I'm still very lucky to have my own space to which I can retreat and surround myself with things I know that will make me feel better (right now, The SimsII).

I love my new chair!

The Nicest Person I've (never) Met Award

2004-09-23T20:54:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Mike, the template problems I have over the past week have been solved! Not only was he patient with my demands, he truly enjoyed helping me out as well. According to him, it's a testament to the power of the internet that 2 people at different ends of the earth can collaborate on this (actually I didnt do anything; I merely screwed up the template and Mike had to clear it up for me). Thanks MIKE! :)

Help!

2004-09-19T17:46:00.000-07:00

I know I said I will try and fix the template but I got caught up playing the new Sims 2. Oh my god, it's so fun, you would not believe it! Almost everything is customisable!

Can someone help me with my new template please?
Thanks!

Northern Exposure II

2004-09-18T10:03:00.000-07:00

Northern Exposure is coming up with Season II end November! I've got the first one and although it was really expensive, who cares! It's Northern Exposure! Season II has only 7 episodes and it's going to cost as much as the first.

So. Who's feeling generous? It will just be in time for my Christmas!

*Update: tried changing template and lost comments somewhere along the way. am. way.too.sleepy.to.care. Will fix tomorrow. Email me instead.

The Songscapes Series: Part II

2004-09-15T22:58:00.000-07:00

To be read together with the following: Explosions in the Sky, First Breath After Coma. Click here for a download link:

When the first chords trickle in, she opened her eyes and wondered where she is. From where she's lying in the bed, the rain looks like another layer of glass through which the outlines of the buildings outside seem distorted, almost fluid against a reddening sky. But the music... it's becoming such a part of the rain that she almost forgets about its existence. Unlike the rain, it is subtle and unobtrusive.

It seemed to her that the rain and the piece of music belonged together. She could not imagine it without the backdrop of raindrops and she would never listen to another rainstorm without hearing the opening chords. She gets up from the strange but warm bed and decides to find out where it's coming from. The door leads outwards to a long and dark corridor. The floor boards creak under her weight while she gropes along the walls not knowing where she is. She has never been here before yet it feels right to be here.

She suddenly notices, from a distance, a small ray of light streaming through from beneath a closed door. That must be it, she thought, that's where the music is coming from. Her strides began to be less apprehensive and she walked towards it with purpose and resolve. The drums are coming in now and the incessant sound of raindrops is beginning to fade away. Turning the knob, she looks in and is immediately bathed in a light so strong she had to shield her eyes with her hands. When she has finally adjusted to it and looked around the room, there is a smile on her face.

The Songscapes Series: Part I

2004-09-13T20:26:00.000-07:00

There are some songs that just conjure up a specific mood and atmosphere every time you listen to them. My current re-obsession is Sigur Ros's () album. I've always liked it alot but it's one of those things that really grow on you. My favourite track right now is Untitled #3 (a.k.a. Samskeyti attachment). Every time I play it, I feel as if I have been transported to another place, instead of being stuck in a crowded train (or insert mundane everyday circumstance).

I'd close my eyes and imagine myself to be on a ship/boat in the middle of the Antarctic surrounded by towering icebergs and glaciers and floating ice sheets. The water will be sinisterly dark but in perfect contrast to the icebergs. Everything is still and peaceful; there's noone around. The boat will go slowly but purposefully to avoid any accidents. I think it's the danger of it all that makes it so starkingly beautiful. I can feel the chill on my face even though I'm all wrapped up. It's the feeling of being alive. In a quiet way. In my own way.

Drag

2004-09-10T00:09:00.000-07:00

It has been a dreary week. I've been assailed by a cough that only acts up when I lay down to sleep, thus wrecking my daily sleep cycle. The antibiotics the doctor gave did shite for me, though I suspect the cough may be actually aggravated by my incessant smoking. But that's another kettle of fish.

Time is a funny thing. It's never there when you need it and it pops up everywhere in large chunks when you don't. I never used to have to think about what to do with my free time, but now, it seems that it's all I have nowadays.

A weird thing happened the other day. My colleagues and I were having lunch. They expressed interest in my iPod and requested to scan through my playlists. I realised, from their quizzical looks and raised eyebrows, that they have no idea what I've been listening to. Yet they were all polite and everything, and didn't say anything. They were probably wondering how long they need to look interested before decorum allows them to stop. I was very amused.

Now, playlists are a very personal thing. It's one of the most accurate introduction to anyone's life. Here are some of mine:

Fresh Tunes: Stuff that I've just added

Angry Bastard Music: Self Explanatory. I'm looking to expand this.. mainly NIN

Get up and GO: For those dreary Monday mornings. Le Tigre's Let's Run (when you are running late), Bright Eyes' A Song to Pass the Time (when you're waiting for the stupid bus), White Stripes' 7 Nation Army (when your boss sees you coming in late).

In the Greenhouse: Stuff that I haven't really gotten into but making an effort anyway. Postal Service (everytime I hear Ben Gibbard's voice, I just feel like listening to Death Cab instead), Raveonettes, Tindersticks (how low can that guy's voice go?), My Morning Jacket

One Hit Wonders: Singles I like but not enough to get the whole album (or too embarrassed to). No Doubt's Running, Mazzy Star's Fade into You, Simple Plan's Perfect, Black Box Recorder.

Lyricless Stuff: Post-rock stuff. GYBE, Mogwai, Explosions etc

Music by the Window Smoking: Self Explanatory. Of a more "contemplatory" nature but not unduly depressing: Yo La Tengo, Wilco, Teenage Fanclub

Music to Read By: Background Music basically.

Top Rated Haunts: Self Explanatory. Right now it's Radiohead's True Love Waits (uh oh.. see below), The Strokes' 12:51 and Death in Vegas' Girls (from the excellent Lost in Translation OST)

Sad Bastard Music: To be avoided at all costs right now. Deadliest possible combination for the broken-hearted: Coldplay's The Scientist, Radiohead's Let Down and True Love Waits. Will make 50 cent shed a tear.

Shuttle Service: Commuter Music. "Happier" music like Belle & Sebastian, New Pornographers, The Shins, Spoon.

Songs to Play Chess to: duh. Gastr Del Sol, Bedhead, Mogwai

Nice to meet you too.

Gmail

2004-09-02T05:58:00.000-07:00

They are drowning me with invites! After giving away so many invites, the google people keep piling invites on me. I don't have THAT many friends!

So anyone up for gmail?
Email and let me know.

Monotony

2004-09-01T20:34:00.000-07:00

I had previously thought that the hardest part to the breakup would be the constant self-loathe and questioning, as well as the incessant cryings. But it's not. It's harder to pick yourself up once you've gone to pieces. I have no desire to cry anymore, not that i have the energy to but I just don't know what to do after all that. I'm more or less accustomed to the fact that everything is set and done and nothing can be changed. But there's just this void ahead that I feel as though I have to traverse in blind faith.

Sometimes I feel that I've been led into a false sense of security that I'm fine. Not thinking about things doesn't make them go away. And they do come back with a vengeance. I know. I know. Everyone goes through that. Maybe it's worse now because I feel I've lost a friend as well. But the bridge has already been burnt ("burn, motherfucker, burn").

The World is a Noisy Place

2004-08-31T23:11:00.000-07:00

Yesterday has got to be one of the worst days of my life. Frankly speaking, I am surprised to be still in one piece. In the morning, I had a run-in with one of the rudest people I have ever met. He just literally pushed me out of his way and it threatened to turn ugly when I pushed back. There were a few "what the fuck"s exchanged but we went on our ways.

Throughout the day, there was this overwhelming realisation that I am still not okay despite surviving 2 weeks after the breakup. Work was piling up and I was ready to scream from all the stress. I'm almost embarrassed to recall it now but I was breaking down in toilet quite a bit yesterday.

And to make matters worse, my fucking ipod ran out of battery and died on me on my way home. Ok, this is not funny to someone whose entire plan to tune out from the world relied on that white box. I pleaded with it, asking all the gods to help me out and make my ipod last for just 1 more stupid hour, just until I reach home, but no one was listening. It was horrible!

On the bus, I had to sit beside this guy whose clothes were not aired properly and it stank like HELL. I almost puked, I tell you. There was a horrible start-stop traffic jam which made my head spin and there's this stupid couple in front of me trying to gossip after their office mates despite having NO chemistry what-so-fucking-ever.... etc. etc. etc.

Having been used to tuning out from the world on commutes, I had no fucking idea that the world is such a goddamn noisy place. GOD!

The Sound of Music

2004-08-29T03:53:00.000-07:00

It's amazing what music can do to lift your spirits. I made the mistake of listening to Death Cab for the whole of last week and finally the cocktail of an inadvertently shuffled playlist (Coldplay's The Scientist, followed by Radiohead's Let Down and True Love Waits) finally did me in and I cried like a baby on the train. This made me so worried that I resort to listening to postrock tracks like Mogwai, Explosions in the Sky and Godspeed. My mood wasn't much helped by this, though I didnt break down upon listening to some sad bastard emo songs, I was still quite down.
Today, I thought ah fuck it, I have to listen to something else before this whole sad bastard emo do me in. I compiled a killer fuck-it-all punk playlist with songs of a more upbeat nature. And I must say, even I doubt if it could work, I do feel much better. I rediscovered some old bands that I thought I'd outgrown. I'm particularly interested in The Weakerthans. They have a nice way of putting things.

I may be just deceiving myself with all these, but I intend to "fake it till I make it." Wish me luck. And if you have any suggestions on music, let me know. I'd appreciate it very much. Hell, if you have any suggestions on how to distract myself, I'd like that too.

Dial R for Revenge or M for Move on

2004-08-25T04:41:00.000-07:00

I'm really exhausted. I havent been eating or sleeping well and I've lost some weight. All in all, I'm a deplorable sight. I know that this is something everyone goes through but does it really make a difference to know that someone else is feeling the same shit you are feeling somewhere else? I guess solidarity (knowing that you are not alone) may sometimes alleviate the pain and hurt one is feeling. But sometimes I can't help but feel resentful since my hurt, my pain, seems trivalised somehow.

It's times like these you know who your real friends are. Of course you can't expect them to drop everything and pull you out of this but it's nice to know that if they can, they probably will. I'd like to think I'm on the road to recovery (how bloody long does it take anyway?) since I was plotting a scheme just yesterday and was so swept away with the possibility that once again I'm back in control of my own life that I was almost beside myself.

Thank goodness, I had the semblance of mind not to trust myself in situations like these and I defered my elaborate scheme and consulted friends. On hindsight (I slept on it) and a long-distance call from Leicester (thanks, michelle), I am so grateful that I didnt go through with it. It involves mind games, something I'm never good at, since I have no virtue of patience whatsoever and usually find it hard not to lose my cool and blow it all to blazes anyway.

Thinking back, I think I know that, by playing mind games, I'm setting myself up to fall again. And I think it's because I need the anger (of failure) to help me move on. Without the anger, I feel lost because the hurt and pain can be overwhelming. It's not healthy of course.

Tomorrow is another day.

Desiderata of Happiness

2004-08-24T00:20:00.000-07:00

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and ignorant; they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexatious to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment, it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labours and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

Angry Bastard Mood

2004-08-22T21:13:00.000-07:00

You know all that bs about being friends after a breakup? It's all bs. I've given him too much credit for the past year and now it came back and bite me in the arse. I hate it when stories and reasons don't match up. He fed me a crock of shit and told his friends another. Does he really think he can get away with that? His friends are my friends too, bloody hell.

I'm so angry now that my chest feels as if it's going to explode.
Bloody fucking hell.

Save me from myself

2004-08-20T00:43:00.000-07:00

It's looking dark outside and about to rain for sure. Strange in this time of the year. The world is going bonkers and so am I. I'm trying really hard to not think too much and let go whatever needs to be gone from my life. I guess there are some things that cannot be held on to and that is a fact of life.

But the very thing that is most hurtful will actually be the most beneficial to the healing process, and that is time. Time. Since time is relative, I suppose if I change my mindset about things, I will get on top of it.

Reading the news about Paul Hamm's miraculous turn from failure to winner in just about the most stressful of situations make me realise that no matter how trite and cliche it may sound, I am really stronger than i think I am. And I think I'm setting out to find out exactly how much.

Hardship, loss, pain, and embarrassment are not necessarily the thieves they seem to be if a person can learn from them and grow stronger.
At the heart of this life exercise is the ability to know oneself and to let neither inflated expectations nor disappointment obscure that connection to the core.

Yes. You've guessed right. It's another failed relationship for me.

Justfuckinggoogleit

2004-07-27T21:03:00.000-07:00

Came across this hilarious website. Very useful too!

It's Friday!

2004-07-22T18:10:00.000-07:00

Nicked from Kristiv:

You speak eloquently and have seemingly read every
book ever published. You are a fountain of
endless (sometimes useless) knowledge, and
never fail to impress at a party.
What people love: You can answer almost any
question people ask, and have thus been
nicknamed Jeeves.
What people hate: You constantly correct their
grammar and insult their paperbacks.

What Kind of Elitist Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

The sun can't make up its mind today; it's real cloudy and I hope it will clear up by lunch as I've got plans to swim today. I need some exercise!

We Have the FACTS

2004-07-21T21:03:00.000-07:00

Quote of the day: Never vote for the best candidate, vote for the one who will do the least harm. -Frank Dane.

bits and pieces

2004-07-14T18:25:00.000-07:00

This week has been a rather busy one. I'm never going to take leave on a Monday again; it upsets the carefully set up work routine, sending everything into the blazes when i get back the next day. It's Thurs now, and the weekend still looms far ahead. I watched a scary episode of CSI Season IV yesterday and I still feel rather uncomfortable about it. On the bright side however, I'm glad that The Amazing Race is back. It makes the horribly long middle of the week pass by just a little bit faster.

I found this old comic from Australian cartoonist Michael Leunig. It just makes so much sense in the current context. Please click for larger image.

From Kristiv:

Wackiness: 44/100
Rationality: 44/100
Constructiveness: 48/100
Leadership: 38/100

You are an SEDF--Sober Emotional Destructive Follower. This makes you an evil genius. You are extremely focused and difficult to distract from your tasks. With luck, you have learned to channel your energies into improving your intellect, rather than destroying the weak and unsuspecting.

Your friends may find you remote and a hard nut to crack. Few of your peers know you very well--even those you have known a long time--because you have expert control of the face you put forth to the world. You prefer to observe, calculate, discern and decide. Your decisions are final, and your desire to be right is impenetrable.

You are not to be messed with. You may explode.

I just might indeed...

Peter Parker vs. Weezer

2004-07-04T19:04:00.000-07:00

I watched Spider-Man 2 the other day; all in all, it's a pretty good show, much better than the first one I thought. Although it's a 2hour-plus movie, it really didn't feel that long. And Doc Ock is cool! As I watched the show however, I grow more and more convinced that Peter Parker (as played by McGuire) has a uncanny resemblance to Weezer's frontman, Rivers Cuomo. See for yourself!

I can just see Rivers Cuomo standing in as Peter Parker!

What is happening to the world!

2004-06-29T20:30:00.000-07:00

Because I'm more or less at my computer at work everyday, I'm reading more and more news online. And it saddens me. Take for example, the controversy over Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 911. It hasn't opened in my area yet, but there's already a red circle around Aug 5 on my desk calendar.

Well, I would have thought it common sense to only criticise something--anything--only after one has read all the facts. Granted, it's not possible to read everything before one offers his/her opinion, but it sure comes across as dumb to bitch about a film before you have even watched it. I was surprised at an article by an Observer film reviewer:

I'll be reviewing the film in full when it opens here in a couple of weeks, but suffice to say that it was neither the sharpest, the funniest nor the most politically potent documentary screened at Cannes this year.

In it, he was making more noise about the publicity surrounding Moore, and how he is more or less a media whore (my term) about Fahrenheit. I don't know if it has ever crossed the reviewer's mind that maybe the only way Moore is able to "educate" the public in this media-frenzy world, is to make some noise of his own. His methods may not be pretty but it sure gets the message across, doesn't it?

I'm not an American, but I'm curious about how the US Elections will turn out. From Karen's blog, I have been
reading a forum board about the Moore film. I don't think it is my place to criticise anything that I haven't seen but you'd think that if you want to bitch about something, the least you could do is have a coherent argument first! These people are calling him fat and idiotic and "ungrateful heathen." I mean, come on! Are we still in the school yard?

i dont have a problem with his weight. i jus have a problem with his attitude. if he dosent like the gov't then get out of the country or run for Prez and win. he needs to be thankful he has a gov't that allows him to bash the Prez. he is nothing moe than an ungrateful heathen!

would like start off by saying that mr. happy funtime can suck my conservative bush-supporting ****. your an idiot to all are delight. fahrenheit 9/11 is nothing more than a liberal movie, for young voters to vote for kerry. well i will be voting for bush. im 18, and i know that moore is nothing more than a fat idiot that pays his wife to sleep with him.

All I can say is, if you don't have a coherent argument, at least run a spellcheck over what you are going to bitch.

Pre-Monday, Sunday-Afternoon Blues

2004-06-26T23:21:00.000-07:00

You are Lime.
You are quirky and misunderstood. You are
definitely your own person. You don't let
anyone tell you who you should be. You never
sell out your values and beliefs, no matter
what. However, you can sometimes have trouble
fitting in, but only because you are
misunderstood.
Most Compatible With: Wintergreen

Which Tic-Tac Flavor Are You?
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Getting to know you...101

2004-06-20T23:23:00.000-07:00

Nicked from Mike:
How to:

Make me cry: I cry quite easily actually; it doesn't take much.

Inflate my ego: telling me i'm right.. all the time.

Piss me off: be late without first telling me.

Gain my respect: explain something abstract in simple terms

Spark my interest: enthusiasm about anything

Drive me insane: interrupt me when I'm forming my thoughts.

Get what you want from me: be really sweet and nice, Ps & Qs etc.

Make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside: do something nice out of the blue, for no special reasons (guilt trips don't count)

Piss me off (II): too many to list

Surprise me: be understanding

Get on my shit list: oh this is easy but there isn't enough space in my top 10 now.

Melt my heart: a hand-written (nice) letter, via snail mail.

Linkin Park

2004-06-15T20:21:00.000-07:00

There will be a open-air Linkin Park concert next Tuesday, and I've taken a half-day leave in anticipation of it. But right now, I really don't know if I should go. First off, the tickets are really expensive: S$150 for the mosh pit, S$85 for the free-standing ones (behind the mosh pit). Here's the thing: I'm really short and the concert being a open-air event, I'm not going to be able to see much at all, and I don't fancy the thought of sweaty bodies elbowing into mine in the mosh pit either. (eeww)

And I dont think the acoustics are goign to be good at all, being an open-air event and all. How? AND, I'm not really a fan of LP, sometimes they are alright for Angry Bastard Mood (TM) [can someone teach me how to enter (tm) the proper way, please?] but other times, they get boring.

Should I go?

Something to blog about

2004-06-13T22:34:00.000-07:00

Thanks Kristiv.

Which Family Guy character are you?

Someone, anyone, give me somethign to blog about. Please.

Comme ci comme ca

2004-06-08T22:44:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone. I'm beginning to settle down in my daily routine of waking up at 6. It's easy to just plop down in the train and sleep the entire journey away. The days are all merging into one now and I have trouble telling the days apart. Everyday I look forward to the next and so on. It's not that the job is horrible or anything like that. It's actually quite alright. Granted, editing papers to be published gets on your nerves alot but it's something I think I can adapt to.

There doesn't seem to be anything worth reporting, other than the dismal state of affairs in the world. Everywhere I see instances of Bush's arrogance and stupidity. I cannot believe that he still has the gall to go for a second term! At times like this, I'm reminded of a nice quote from Einstein:

Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.

Weekend Notes

2004-06-05T04:15:00.000-07:00

It's the weekend. And the weather here has a penchant of raining on work mornings while trying its darnest best to be hot like hell on the weekends. Nothing much happened today; I did crash at 9 pm last night and woke up in time to watch Coupling, which I mistakenly took for the UK one. Instead they were showing the crappy, and I really do mean CRAPPY U.S. version. Why in god's name do they think that they would do as well as the UK version with the exact same words in a different accent!!?? This is well beyond my understanding and I spent the time finishing my Murakami (Wild Sheep Chase) instead.

While admittedly it was not as good as Norwegian Wood but Wild Sheep Chase still has the classic Murakami touch: the irreverence, the sudden plot twists, the lone male in a new environment..etc. It was still pretty good though, although I very much prefer Norwegian Wood. Next up, I will be reading Dance Dance Dance. This won't be available at the school library so I guess I have to shell out money for it.

On a happier note, I got my Northern Exposure DVD! And god! the parka packaging is out of this world!! Although admittedly, it really is quite expensive considering the 1st season of NE had only 8 episodes. And the interior of the DVD really is cheap-looking. There aren't any nice inlays detailing the history of the series, for example. It looked like a bootleg, in fact! But then I'm mindful that gripes are not acceptable here. I did wait for so long for the DVD Boxset, and here's to more boxed seasons of NE to come!

Help! Something New is Needed

2004-06-01T20:41:00.000-07:00

Ever since I started working, I realise I had more and more time on the work computer and it's getting boring. Other than going on my usual rounds of blogs, emails, the Guardian, and some music sites, I need some more topics to get interested in, on a daily basis. Does anyone have any suggestions? Where do you guys go to get your daily I-need-to-Know fix?

The criteria is simple: It has to be interesting, and preferably updated daily or at least on a regular basis.

Lazy Day today

2004-05-27T22:54:00.000-07:00

Oh no, you're always so sleepy- the Garfield who
naps the whole day long! Wake up, won't you?

What Garfield Personality do you Have?
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via Kristin.

The good thing about working for the university, as with all government bodies is the fact that there's a strong emphasis on staff and their development. This morning, after dragging myself up at 6, I had to go for a half-day Orientation Programme. God! It was excruciatingly boring! I udnerstand the intentions behind it, blah blah blah, but it needn't be THIS long. I'm definitely no good in the mornings for meetings with strangers-you-will-never-see again (actually make that the whole day, not just the mornings) and after all the names, faces, videos, slideshows, and goodness knows what, I'm all but drained. I don't believe I'm actually saying this but I'd rather be working my arse off.

Blueprint Car Crash

2004-05-25T00:10:00.000-07:00

I stumbled across this band, Blueprint Car Crash, when I was out at HMV last night. Does anyone know about this? It supposedly resembles Mars Volta, or a Drive-in-meet-Pink-Floyd. It's from the label The Militia Group so it might count for something.

I haven't been to HMV, or any record store for that matter, for a couple of weeks now, and I have so much to catch up! There have been so many releases that I haven't the time (nor the money) to check out. I bought the Keane album while I was there, if only to get that tenacious hook of a song (Somewhere Only We Know) out of my head. I was also hoping to get the new Northern Exposure DVD, excited as I am about the release, though it is only officially released today. Well, as can be expected, they haven't got it out on display. I figured: what's one more day?

Blogger has been acting weird. As of today, I am still unable to view the page at all, despite email reassurances that there have been outages on some Blogger's servers. I hope they get it all sorted out soon. It's weird blogging when nobody can read it.

Blogger Problems

2004-05-21T00:37:00.000-07:00

There seems to be some problems with the server at Blogger's. I can't seem to load the page on my browser. If anyone can see this post, please drop me an email: sharon.koh at gmail.com. Thanks

It's been a real hectic week. And I'm not talking about the new job. It's adjusting to the new job adn all that it entails that is really wearing me down. I've never been this tired and sick of life. Whenever I think about this having to last me till I fucking retire, I just get a bit sick. People here, although nice, seem to belong to another planet. The pace here is very slow, and that, in a way, adds more toll to my body than anything else. I've always thought that I will be content with a desk-bound job (and incidentally, I can just feel myself getting fatter every minute I sit my arse down); one that sufficiently wrings out enough time for me to do my own thing at my own time. But this sadly, is not coming up as planned. The commute, as I have mentioned earlier, is killing me, despite being to get a seat everyday adn hence snatching a little much-needed nap for at least 50 minutes on the train. It's just not working out the way I wanted. But then, since when has life happened the way it's planned?

I'm beginning to think that I'm meant for other thigns. They may not necessarily be better but I just need them to be at a better-suited pace.

2nd Bloggiversary

2004-05-19T20:46:00.000-07:00

Hey all! I just realised today that I've been blogging for 2 years! As you can no doubt guess, I must have been so bored out of my mind reading and editing things that don't necessary make much sense that I'm going blind!

On the job front, I guess things are going as well as can be expected from a desk-bound job. I edit articles that come in and that's about as interesting as i can make it. Sometimes it really takes a toll on the eyes, and I try to go out and sneak a cigarette or something. This is not really that easy as the campus is a rather strict non-smoking one. But one can always find little-known stairwells or spots around the campus.

First Day

2004-05-18T00:32:00.000-07:00

It turned out better than I've expected. Everyone is super-nice to me and it's always nice to have everything set up for you already, so you don't look like a total idiot, running around for the "right" person to ask. The people here are making me feel comfortable too so I'm really glad for that.

Two things though: My feet are literally killing me because the loafers I've bought are so stiff; they haven't been broken in yet. The good thing is I've been told that people here don't actually follow a strict dress code so long you don't look sloppy or smell like you haven't bathed for 10 years. That's the best news I've had today: I'm definitely getting the Pumas I've mentioned in an earlier post. But probably not today though: I'm so dead tired; I can collapse right now, if not for the copious amount of coffee I'm consuming. I should just have the coffee intravenously fed to me.

The second thing is the distance i have to travel to get to work. I have to work up at 6 in the morning! And that only gives me enough time to bathe, change, get on the train and get a cup of black coffee and have a much-needed cigarette.

That will definitely take a lot to adjust to.

Books! Books! (more money please!)

2004-05-16T06:59:00.000-07:00

Inspired by Murakami, I spent the better part of the afternoon searching for similar genres and authors on amazon. It's amazing how sometimes one can get inspired by just seeing what other people read. Granted, most of those "lists" of books "you absolutely have to read before you die" are rubbish but there are some gems hidden there as well, which is the whole point so..here's what I've found out.

It's going to be a long, (and expensive) day at the bookshops tomorrow.

1. Perks of Being a Wallflower . Stephen Chbosky.
2. From Murakami: Hard-Boiled Wonderland, Wild Sheep Race, Dance, Dance, Dance, and The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle.
3. The Book of Disquiet. Fernando Pessoa.
4. The Periodic Table. Primo Levi.
5. Selected Poems. Milosz Czeslaw.

Has anyone read them before? Any suggestions, recommendations are welcome!

Murakami ROCKS!

2004-05-15T21:49:00.000-07:00

I know many of you guys have already read Murakami's stuff before but I had just recently discovered Murakami through a friend. I've always wanted to read him but never knew where to start. Enter my friend whom I never knew is a big Murakami fan and he recommended Norwegian Wood.

It's not often I get this but I feel both happy and sad as I'm reading the book. Happy because I really enjoyed it, and a little sad because it also means that the book is coming to a close with every page I read. I can barely remember the last time I feel like this with a book, but I suspect it was probably a Milan Kundera's novel. My friend puts it best when he says that Norwegian Wood is the only book he's read cover to cover, twice, immediately after he's finished it the first time through.

As for me, I'm reaching the last quarter of the book, and I'm restless for more Murakami. If you guys know which other Murakami is good, let me know.

Dr Jekyll/ Ms. Hyde

2004-05-14T20:50:00.000-07:00

I've never had a good temper to begin with but the weather is making it much worse than before. It's hot and humid here, but with temperatures going up to 34C, it's hard to even get up and roam around the house. I get so irritable that the slightest thing will set me off.
This is terrible! I don't even recognise myself when I'm in these moods.

So to all those I've yelled at or threatened to put in my shit list, I apologise. It really is not me; it's the weather.

New Look

2004-05-14T00:37:00.000-07:00

Wow. Blogger has gotten a new look and is even offering a commenting system! This is good.

2004-05-07T05:40:00.000-07:00

You are a GRAMMAR GOD!

If your mission in life is not already to
preserve the English tongue, it should be.
Congratulations and thank you!

How grammatically sound are you?
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2004-05-07T00:42:00.000-07:00

new beginnings

I've got a new job starting about 10 days from now. It's kinda sad to have to leave a friendly working environment for an unknown one but I guess one has to move on. It's going to be a drag because now I have to wake up at 6.15 and it takes one and a half hours to reach work! I seriously hope I have made the right decision.

Another drag: I have to have a decent working wardrobe but according to a friend, you can basically get away with most things after about a month or two. So I'm planning to buy a pair of pumas about a month from today: I hope it will be one of the things I can get away with. I really want to get away with wearing it!

Right now, it's a mad dash for cheap, office-y clothes. I never thought I will end up saying this but I'm begining to hate shopping! Or wishing that I'm a guy.

2004-04-28T09:45:00.000-07:00

Kill Bill 2: The Bride is Back

(Spoiler ahead)
Alright, I finally watched the show today. I don't know if it's all the hype and anticipation that got all my expectations sky-high, but I felt strangely let down. Well, first things first, it was a really good show; I would even say one of the better shows this year. The cinematography is excellent, and you get to see all of Quentin Tarantino's influences, like film noir, the chinese martial arts cinema, the revenge genre etc. And he mixes them really well together. I particularly like the Chapter with Pai Mei (?) The actor is actually a regular in Hongkong swordfighting martial arts drama/ movies. QT got all the details right: the suffering disciple made to bring up buckets of water up endless flights of stairs; the humiliation and suffering of the disciple, the satisfaction of the Teacher when he sees progress etc.

But.

Despite all that, there was just too much talk in the show. I don't know why but I really liked the mindless violent bloodbath that was Vol. 1. It was different, refreshing even. But I guess ends have to be tied up in the end and to his credit, QT did it fine. And the soundtrack rocks too!

2004-04-25T23:10:00.000-07:00

Finally!!

I don't know about you guys, but I am an avid fan of the TV series Northern Exposure. For years, fans have been lobbying for the DVD release of the series. And finally, on May 24, 2004, this wish can be fulfilled! It's a tad expensive: 2 discs/ 8 episodes for US41.99 but who cares! This was the 1 DVD I promised myself for which I will get a DVD player.

Looks like it's going to be a real expensive month ahead as Gilmore Girls is also coming out with the box set of Season 1. Yes, guys. All 21 episodes on 6 discs for the same US41.99 I'm going to have to shell out for Northern Exposure.

2004-04-24T21:40:00.000-07:00

From Kristiv:

My Dr Phil's Test score is 36

Interpretation:
Others see you as sensible, cautious, careful & practical. They see you as clever, gifted, or talented, but modest. Not a person who makes friends too quickly or easily, but someone who's extremely loyal to friends you do make and who expect the same loyalty in return. Those who really get to know you realize it takes a lot to shake your trust in your friends, but equally that it takes you a long time to get over it if that trust is ever broken.

2004-04-21T05:45:00.000-07:00

Oh MY GOD! I have a GMAIL Account!

Ain't that cool!? I'm so excited! Apparently Google has tied up with Blogger to offer test-driving of the new Gmail service to active Blogger users. Woo Hoo!!

I was going to blog about how boring my life is but hey! it's just looking up now! Alright, everyone just drop me an email NOW: sharon.koh[removebracket]@gmail.com

Anyways, here is what I was planning on writing:

The TV Programs I can't live without:

Mondays: Comedy night with King of Queens, Everybody Loves Raymond, Fraiser, Judging Amy.

Tuesdays: A rather boring night I usually try to schedule meetings with friends (so that they don't clash with other nights' programs) But if I'm at home, I watch Zoe Busik, Discovery Tuesday etc

Wednesdays: Most important day of the week because of CSI Season 4. American Idol follows next and there are always some interesting Discovery program going on at the same time. My right thumb gets much exercise from working the remote.

Thursdays: Used to be one of the more boring nights of the week but now we have American Idol Results, and The O.C. which aren't too bad.

Fridays:Survivor All-Stars but it's getting extremely boring as I'm getting irritated with how stupid they are. Boston Rob is so SLEAZY!

Saturdays: NOTHING interesting. So I usually try to go out

Sundays: Everwood, Star Trek Enterprise, Simpsons, Discovery etc.

So there you have it. My entire life lived out according to the TV guide.

2004-04-20T05:49:00.000-07:00

some random photos:

2004-04-18T07:11:00.000-07:00

This is embarrassing but does anyone know how to enter accented characters on the keyboard? Please teach me!?

2004-04-14T20:01:00.000-07:00

Generation S.L.U.T.

S.L.U.T.=Sexually Liberated Urban Teens

I couldn't remember the exact reason why I picked up the book, but I found it to be an interesting, engaging read. It's really short, and published by MTV (yes, I know) but Marty Beckerman turns out to be a pretty insightful writer, skirting the line between fiction and facts (in the form of stats and news clippings) with finesse.

I woke up pretty early today; I have another interview lined up in the afternoon. And it's hot like hell outside (it's about 32-34 celsius). I'm sure my disgust with the weather around here is sure to be translated into some kind of attitude during the interview, which by the way is at a god-forsaken place--the other goddamn side of singapore to be exact--and I'm sure to screw it up. When the interviewer called me the other day, she asked if I would like the interview to be in the morning, I should have just said yes. But then a big part of me screams "Are you mad! How the hell are you going to wake up and locate a place you've never been in middle of the morning!? (read: 8a.m.)

But I shouldn't complain. I really shouldn't.

2004-04-11T22:12:00.000-07:00

Thanks Kristiv:

Doctor Unheimlich has diagnosed me with Sharon's Lurgy
Cause:	overwork
Symptoms:	regurgitation, stigmata, vague muscle spasms
Cure:	paint a black cross on your front door and wait
Enter your name, for your own diagnosis:

2004-04-08T20:56:00.000-07:00

if you're reading this michelle...

Take care of yourself, and I'll see you in October.
Email me whenever, and I'll be writing you v. soon (address first, though).
Remember the Stonehenge postcard you promised me.

2004-04-08T20:32:00.000-07:00

Just for fun: 20 18 Questions

Thanks Troy:

1. Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 18, find line 4, write down what it says:
"Doesn't matter," Esperanza said. "I really like David." <--from Harlan Coben, One False Move. It's first on a pile of books beside me (I'm at work).

2. Stretch your left arm out as far as you can. What do you touch first?
The above said pile of books

3. What is the last thing you watched on TV?
Premiere episode of The O.C. Not bad, given the show is filled with more or less beautiful people. I like the soundtrack a lot!

4. WITHOUT LOOKING, guess what the time is:
About 11:25am?

5. Now look at the clock; what is the actual time?
11:30a.m.

6. With the exception of the computer, what can you hear?
The CD playing in the system: the new Franz Ferdinand (verdict: pretty good!)

7. When did you step outside? What were you doing?
Going to work. It was hot like hell

8. What are you wearing?
A Kenzas Royals Tshirt, with a number 8 at the back. And Levis. And Converses. Underwear/Socks etc.

9. Did you dream last night?
No. I dont think so

10. When did you last laugh?
Just now, with a work colleague. Can't remember about what, though

11. What is on the walls of the room you're in?
Bunch of movie posters: LOTR: ROTK, Band of Brothers (my boss's), Kill Bill.

12. What is the last film you watched?
The Passion. There were only 5 people in the theater. I cheated and skipped the torture and the actual nailing scene, somaybe I'm not affected?

13. If you became a multi-millionaire overnight, what would you buy first?
2 tickets for a round-the-world trip

14. Tell me something about you that I don't know
hmmm. I'm massively paranoid, and will obsess about things people say to me, and the manner in which the information is transmitted. And I'm told that I over-think on several occassions. Also, I have a tendency to correct people's spelling/pronunciation mistakes, which I must admit, can be rather irritating.

15. If you could change one thing about the world, regardless of guilt or politics, what would you do?
It's a corny thing to say, but ensuring that the environment is better taken care of would be good.

16. do you like to dance?
No.

17. George Bush: is he a power-crazy nutcase or someone who is finally doing something that has needed to be done for years?
The former.

18. Would you ever consider living abroad?
Oh. Yes. Please.

God! I'm SO bored!

2004-04-04T18:18:00.000-07:00

it's me birthday!

One year older, none the wiser.

2004-04-02T04:50:00.000-08:00

This is exciting! Google is offering a new email service soon called gmail. Its key features are:

Search, don't sort.
Use Google search to find the exact message you want, no matter when it was sent or received.

Don't throw anything away.
1000 megabytes of free storage so you'll never need to delete another message.

Keep it all in context.
Each message is grouped with all its replies and displayed as a conversation.

No pop-up ads. No banners.
You see only relevant text ads and links to related web pages of interest.

Very exciting indeed. I've put my email down for more updates. I can't wait!

2004-03-31T21:18:00.000-08:00

sorry all, for not updating. That is, if anyone still checks this site out.
Nothing much happened this week or so. It's been spent in more or less a blur. But what really grossed me out is this:

This is William's new album cover to his debut CD "Inspiration" and we have 4 sample sound clips! The album ships April 6th, will retail for $12.98 and include both a full-length CD and DVD with "A Day In The Life of William Hung". We will be making this CD/DVD available to pre-order soon online, along with an exclusive t-shirt bundle offer.

For the love of GOD!
Enough already

2004-03-22T03:43:00.000-08:00

you mean you only knew this now?

From BBC, a research surfaced, arguing that iPod allows for the reorganisation of personal space.

Through interviews with Walkman owners and now iPod buyers, he [Dr. Bull] found that listening to music acts as a shield, aura or cocoon. Using headphones helps to keep the world at bay and reclaim some space. Donning a pair of earbuds also grants a certain amount of licence. They let listeners become witnesses without the risk of getting too involved. The earphones absolve them of some responsibility.

But what you listen to and when has a more subversive edge as well. It can undermine some of the messages aimed at you. Shopping for food while listening to a Bach violin concerto completely remakes the experience. It turns you from a grazing animal into something finer. In the same way listening to David Bowie's The Laughing Gnome would radically alter a dressing down from a policeman.

However, I'd like to point out that there is often a flip side to everything. Being permanently plugged, there are lots of things you tend to miss out on commutes. For me, just the other day, I was rushing up the escalator because I mistakenly thought that the train was arriving, when it was just the music to which I was listening, and I fell down! It wasn't much, but my shins hurt like HELL. And there is some nasty bruise too! God.

2004-03-17T18:48:00.000-08:00

Help!

Just when I am losing faith in the postal system, since I never get a call back from all the resumes I've sent out, I finally got a call-back today!! And it's for a pretty good position, one I thought I would never get.

Ok. Here's the deal. I have NOTHING to wear for the INTERVIEW! I have a black skirt that looks more or less presentable but that's about it!! I have no good shoes, all i have are sneakers, trainers, birkenstocks, etc. HELP!! And exactly how important is a jacket anyways?

2004-03-16T05:41:00.000-08:00

now for some real fun

From Massimo, this test seeks to find out what type of man/woman you are most attracted to. I'm alright with what they have chosen for me, though the type that they are certain will turn me off really did. So. According to them too, I'm like super-picky as well.

God, i feel superficial!

2004-03-15T23:38:00.000-08:00

this is fun!

If you are interested to test the rationality of your belief in a God, this is the place to go. As you think about the qualities that God should have, the game will tell you if your belief is rational and/or consistent.

My Score is 0.9 out of 1.0!

Plausibility Quotient = 0.9

The metaphysical engineers have determined that your conception of God has a plausibility quotient (PQ) of 0.9. A PQ of 1.0 means that as far as the metaphysical engineers can determine your conception of God is internally consistent and consistent with the universe that we live in. A PQ of 0.0 means that it is neither internally consistent nor consistent with our universe. More than likely, your PQ score will be somewhere between these two figures. But remember that this is your PQ score as determined by the metaphysical engineers.

What kind of God is that!?

The metaphysical engineers are happy to report that, to the best of their knowledge, the God you conceive is internally consistent and could exist in our universe. But they are less sure that what you have described deserves the name of God. She is not, for example, all-powerful. A God which knows everything or is totally benign may be a wonderful ideal, but is she really a God unless she has ultimate power?

We suspect that your God is not the traditional God of the Christian, Jewish or Muslim faiths.

What's your score? But I guess if one truly has a strong unshakeable belief in an omniscient being, more commonly known as God, they probably won't need to take a test anyways. But it's all in good fun.

2004-03-13T01:19:00.000-08:00

a very boring saturday

Another week has just flew past, and I'm not sure if I was all there when that happens. Time just passes so much faster when you get older. I remember when I was younger in school, it just seemed like an eternity to school holidays, and then another eternity to just get out of school.

But once I get out of school (which technically wasn't that long ago) I just want to plunge back in. I suppose it's the security of structured school life, with everyone knowing exactly what they are doing (or most of the time anyways): they are just supposed to get through the day, the assignments, the exams etc. But in real life, that doesn't happen. It seems that everyone has their own personal agenda and sometimes doing a good job just isn't on it.

People are weird!