The reason being?

It's been...how long...? I'm now back in the Little Red Dot. With plenty of mixed feelings. In the weeks before I left Leeds, my feelings were clear for all to see. Everyone knew that I was sad and that I wasn't my usual perky self.

Actually, there isn't anything I should be complaining about. Really. I have a roof over my head. I have a job and a new job that starts in April. I have great family and friends. So what and why should I be grumbling about and being less-than-happy to be back here? I don't know now. I used to think that I would lose my freedom and be stifled. Well, to a certain extent, yes. I miss doing things at my own time and own target. But now, I still am able to do this except that I have to think of others who will be directly affected by my choices. Come to think of it, it isn't as bad as I thought. I find it rather annoying, though, to have my Mum just come into my room to borrow some of my things or just adjust the furniture or whatever in here. But she's the Mum. Enough said.

My Papa is great. He's been fantastic. He sends me to work every morning and I am so grateful for that. My Mum is so lucky to have him as her husband. He really has raised the bar so high that I'm afraid that it's difficult for me to find anyone to meet the standard :p I love the morning drives with him. Although I am probably half or three quarters asleep, there's always something to talk about, from mundane things like the traffic or just giggling and commenting about whatever that is being broadcast on BBC World at that moment. I cherish moments like these even though they are only about 20 minutes long.

It was really good to have my brother back for about 2 weeks. I missed him and I still do and I always will for as long as we're apart. We share the same genes, for goodness sake! And really, he's one guy who's really grown and will grow old with me. From an irritating fat boy to a smart, eloquent buff fella, I'm so proud of him.

On top of that, it was great meeting up with friends again. Still somemore friends to meet and catch up with but since I'm going to be here for a while, I shan't rush. It's strange though because I feel like I am not a part of their lives just because I've been away for a while. I feel like I can't seem to catch up with their lives, or have I really just got so used to the leisurely pace of life?

I am still finding the reason why I'm back here in this Little Red Dot. I hope I get my answer soon or else I will go mad. But for now, I shall just enjoy whatever opportunities and time I have. Who knows? The answer might be closer than I ever know.

The intolerable cruelty of mankind

After reading, watching films & documentaries about it, I finally went to Auschwitz-Birkenau in Poland.

L: Auschwitz I, which started off as a camp built on Polish military barracks. This was, however, much smaller compared to Auschwitz II, which was found in Birkenau (hence, Auschwitz-Birkenau), a few kilometres away. That was where the majority of prisoners were kept & gassed.

R: The sign on the wall of the watchtower in Birkenau

The camp didn't just incarcerate or exterminate Jews, although they were the majority (90%). There were political renegades, Soviets, Poles, (Roma) gypsies or any other persons who were deemed out of line with the Nazi philosophy. For the purposes of this blog entry, I shall refer to the Jews since they were the majority and the reason for the camp(s) as part of The Final Solution.

L: Arbeit Macht Frei or simply translated, it means work sets you free. It was the slogan that was found in every concentration camp in the Third Reich and was found at the entry points of the camps. We know that it was all a lie because the only way the prisoners became free was probably through escape (if they were successful) or death.

R: A warning sign to prisoners to keep out of that strip of ground they call 'No Man's Land'. The soldiers could fire at will if any prisoner strayed in. However, the soldiers would always find reasons to get the prisoners to 'stray' in there. And they get 3 deutschmarks per head for each killing made.

There have been many films such as Schindler's List & The Pianist which capture what it was like back then but it truly is difficult to describe the place or the experience. I cannot find the right words to express how I felt and still feel about the place where man reared his ugliest and beastliest to another man. It sickens me that those bloody Nazis had no qualms about commiting atrocities towards another who has the same bodily functions, capable of experiencing the same emotions of joy & pain. They seemed to take great (sadistic) delight in torturing and brutalising the Jews. There was no form of reprieve or kindness at all. Were the Nazis even humans?! Just who were they calling sub-humans?

L: The watchtower and the railtrack that carried the Jews in and went out to pick up more of them. This is where most of them would have arrived, in Birkenau. They often arrived after travelling in overcrowded boxes for days & weeks. They had to put up with unspeakable conditions - no air, no toilet facilities, no food or water. By the time they arrived, the whole train would have been in a foul state filled with human excrement and the human remains of those who did not make it through the journey.

R: And this was where the infamous selections took place. The trees in the background are part of the forest where the ashes & remains of the gassed & cremated bodies were thrown into. The crematoria were situated next to the forest.

The only form of charity that they showed was to lie to them and keep the truth of what they were headed for from them till the very end. The Jews were told that they would all be relocated to the east and to pack for it where they will lead new lives. Some of them even paid the Nazis money for 'plots of land' as part of the resettlement in the east.

L: The suitcases that they brought along with them were taken away upon arrival. They were often stored away in warehouses & the items often 'plundered' by the kapos (they were Jewish prisoners selected for physical labour) & the SS or shipped back to Germany for sale

C: The shoes were removed from the new arrivals before they were sent to the gas chambers. It was just overwhelming - the mountain of shoes that filled the length and height of the wall where they were being displayed.

R: The hair that was shaved off the heads of the Jews & other prisoners. I was speechless when I saw that & even more disturbed by the next display which I couldn't bear to see - bales of cloth weaved from hair.

L: The bunkers were no more than a 100m long and up to 2,000 people shared the space. 30 people slept on 3-tier bunk beds.

R: Toilet facilities in bunkers

L: Gas chamber. I didn't know how or what to feel as I stood in there. It was a completely surreal feeling & too overwhelming to imagine the suffering and pain of the innocent people who were sent there to die.

R: The Zyklon B used in the gas chambers. The pellets would react & turn into a gaseous state upon contact with heat (think about how much heat there would have been with 400 people holed up in a small space) which would ultimately suffocate the people in there because of the fumes.

The visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau will stay with me for the rest of my life. I had so many questions 'Why?' 'How?' I don't think I will ever understand how it is possible for humans to inflict such cruelty upon other humans. The sadness that I felt and still feel is something I can't explain. One of the other things that made me angry, besides how the Nazis were running the camps, was why didn't the Allies do something about it even though they knew about it from as early as 1942. They could have stopped or prevented so many people from being exterminated.

This is the best I could manage in capturing Birkenau. It's so massive and no camera lens is able to capture the entire grounds. In another sense, it is impossible to envisage the true extent of what happened there. This didn't happen a few hundred years ago. It happened only 60 odd years ago, not too far back in the past. Yet to this day, it seems that people haven't and probably never will learn from history. Why do people deem themselves superior over others and therefore engage in hostility and conflict? We are all equal, all made with the same flesh & blood. And how dare we condemn another & subject them to such beastly treatment & behaviour?

Perhaps Shakespeare put it best in The Merchant of Venice when Shylock was being persecuted for being a Jew.

"Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions?

Fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer, as a Christian is?

If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that."

The Merchant of Venice Act 3 Scene 1

I know I will think about the place for as long as I live and I want people to know and remember that we are the same and no one is more equal than another.

I am where I am

I quite like where I am - job-hunting, doing close to nothing everyday and making short trips to destinations in Europe. I am enjoying it while I can because I will be envious of this self years down the road when I am busy with everything life has in store for me.

Nonetheless, it is also at this time where so many questions pop up in the head. For one, it looks like I'll have to head back to Little Red Dot. Nothing wrong but the thing is that I've always felt displaced since I went back after finishing undergrad. I may have worked and lived there but I've always felt quite out of place since then. Could it be my the way I think, the way I work, my unconventional 'kick-arse' attitude that makes me stick out like a sore thumb?

I am already starting to miss my life in England even though I haven't left the place. I don't know why I have such a sense of belonging to this place even though it's not my home country. I fear what I will feel when I am back in Little Red Dot - the hangover and longing to be back in England. Although I may have lived in England for 4 years but I feel like these 4 years have been the years where I truly grew up. I have learnt and discovered so much about myself and picked up some wicked humour along the way. And I like it. I like who I am, where I am.

While so many questions about life and in life remain unanswered, I appreciate where I am and when I am in the seasons of my life. After all, seasons change and life goes on so what better to to treasure the beauty of season than to celebrate it with the right clothes, the right attitude, the right state of mind and to store them in the memory for the future.

At long last!!!!

I decided to post something in here after a 5 month hiatus as a result of laziness. Or perhaps the result of too many things that take priority over the blog.

May
- submission of linguistics assignment
- working feverishly on dissertation proposal: I still didn't know exactly the direction the dissertation was going to take. The supervisor took a rather hands-off approach. The other supervisee and myself basically struggled and worked our way through on our own.
- A visits me: late May. She went to her holy ground and the Docks by the Mersey while I stayed in to nanny 480 residents. A and I had fun. Pure hilarity - in Leeds, York & London. Too much laughing and talk of food. To this day, nothing changes

June

- STA Trips : this is work of some sort. I took 2 groups of students from Singapore who were here on their Literature fieldtrip round the UK. It took up about nearly all of June.

Met some terribly spoilt brats in one group. They came mostly from overly well-to-do families. According to the teachers, the cost of the 10-day trip (at least S$4,000, inclusive of airfare, accom, meals & spending money) was merely spare change to their parents. In fact, they were only interested in shopping and anything that had nothing to do with Literature. One girl spent £1,500 in 2 hours on a Miu Miu and LV bag. I felt sorry for the teachers who sacrificed their school holidays to accompany this bunch of kids who didn't seem very appreciative of the opportunity or their teachers. I hope that they grow up and learn the value of anything and anyone besides their own selves.

The second group was lovely, although a little annoying at times. Then again, teenagers will always be teenagers. But they didn't seem very interested in Jane Austen since Old T was the highlight of their trip (which was basically on their first day here). For me, the highlight of the trip was going to visit the Houses of Parliament. One of the students had connections with a member of the House of Lords and took us into the lovely Gothic building by the Thames. My jaw literally dropped when I went into the rooms. It was Constitutional Law and History alive.

After the 2 trips, I had 10 days to finish up a 3,000 word assignment.

July

- worked feverishly on the dissertation. Managed to complete the draft by the end of the month and planned for August

Discovered the intelligent and good-looking Dan Snow while I was browsing the history category on BBC iPlayer. He hosted a documentary on the Roman emperor, Hadrian.

History has never been more interesting. And I watch Battlefield Britain on UKHistory these days.

If only I knew him in person. I think he and I will have a lot to talk about because I am such a history buff. Such people don't come by that easily. Especially if they are fit (he used to row for Oxford) and good-looking, without the nerd factor.

If anyone knows how I can get to know him in person, I will cook dinner for you for a week!! (I put in effort in cooking ;p)

August
- went to The Netherlands. G was so super nice and accommodated me. In return, I fed her with so many useless facts...tee hee!!
- G's wedding in Gretna Green. Simple and sweet while encapsulating the significance of the union.
- submitted the dissertation a week before it was due because I was sick of seeing it floating in my laptop and reading it till I wasn't able to think
- started saying 'goodbye' to friends

September
- continued saying 'goodbye' to friends. How sad.
- moved out of the little room and moved into a lovely flat: the reward for putting up with awful flatmates (besides L) for almost a year
- Greece!!!! It was just SOOOO amazing to see history come alive. The Acropolis, the Arch of Hadrian, the Tholos at the Sanctuary of Athena Pronaia in Delphi...I couldn't believe that I was standing in the midst of history. And the island of Santorini was beautiful. This beautiful island was the site of the Minoan civilisation nearly 4,000 years ago but an earthquake about 3,600 years ago was mostly responsible for wiping out the Minoans. Instead, it left behind a caldera which itself forms the landscape of this idyllic and picturesque island.

- working in my faculty to welcome the freshers and also sitting in the reception for the person who was away on sick leave
- marching towards the new 20 :)

Life can only get more exciting from here. The one thing that is foremost in my mind is getting a job. I have given up on getting a job in UK or anywhere in the continent because Fortress Europe is too formidable and have too many strict laws on immigration and employment. I am still miffed by the fact that so many less qualified and skilled people are getting jobs in the country. Never mind, I am sure there is something good out there for me.

Otherwise, I am comfortable with things status quo. The future is out there but I shall let it be. Sometimes, if not all the time, surprises make the unknown all the more exciting.

Here's to an exciting new decade in my life!!!

Tired of typing/writing/talking.

...or to be honest, I think I'm just plain

LAZY

Hair-headed

It goes to show that some of these celebs merely have hair on their heads and nothing else. Like I've always believed, the cranial connections of these people whom many young people admire are ermm...poorly connected or even unconnected.

Here are some stupid celebrity quotes:

"What’s Wal-Mart? Do they sell, like wall stuff?” Paris Hilton (OK, can't blame her. It's too downmarket for her. I wonder if she knows that the value of the organisation is worth far more than she is, both money-wise and value-wise. Otherwise, she's just another heirhead..excuse the pun :p)

"So, where's the Cannes Film Festival being held this year?" Christina Aguilera (Ermm... in Cannes.)

"I get to go to lots of overseas places...like Canada." Britney Spears (Did she say this after she shaved her own head bald? Probably. Too much air got into the head.)

"Smoking kills. If you're killed, you've lost a very important part of your life." Brooke Shields (I wonder what you've lost in your life, Ms Shields.)

And finally....my favourite

"I think gay marriage is something that should be between a man and a woman." Arnold Schwarzenegger (Hasta la vista, Governator!)

blank

We, the Fearsome Four of the Far East, made our presence known in the beautiful Czech capital. Armed with plenty of noise and cameras of several brands and sizes, we attacked the capital despite our pint sizes. It is said that big things come in small packages and indeed, it is true of the Fearsome Four of the Far East because our laughter was heard everywhere we went. MWAHAHAHA!!!

















That's me making a wish on Charles Bridge. Apparently, some revered person was pushed into the River Vlatva below the bridge for offending the king ('tis a tale from ages ago). As a result, this revered person was seen as a martyr in the name of religion and canonised. The spot where he was thrown over the bridge is now marked by two nails (my right hand and right foot are covering them) and a cross (my left hand is covering it), where you are supposed to make a wish when you are positioned in such an awkward pose. I personally think that this revered person was quite tall because I wasn't at all comfortable having to stretch to cover those 3 points. Blimey. Height matters.
















It is said that the Czechs consume a year's intake of calories in a meal. Ermm, let's see... they eat plenty of dumplings, which is essentially bread-like but there are variations, like potato dumplings or sour bread dumplings, for example. And the meat. It's sausages or something like pork neck or pork knee or pork shoulder or else, it's beef. Just beef. Oh, the sauces and gravy are very creamy and high sodium and MSG but very delicious. In the plate in the picture above, it's a pork-laden meal with dumplings and seasoned cabbage (which tasted sourish-sweet).













The healthier option - salad leaves, red capsicum and feta cheese. It made me feel less guilty for consuming too meaty Czech meals.

Mighty Prague Castle at night

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Oh yes. My greatest accomplishment for the year so far. I gave up chocolates and crisps for Lent. I survived. It must have been 46 days I went without chocolates and crisps. And I managed to resist temptation at Cafe Nero, Starbucks, Tesco and even in Prague (heh, for once, I can disprove and disagree with Oscar Wilde on his notion of temptation). Friends have been wonderful by buying me chocolates and crisps to stuff my face in on Easter morning and that's exactly what I did on this white Easter morning (yup, it was snowing).

At least I will have some comfort while I plough through my assignments. Bliss.

I kid you not...

...but I really felt it. The earth moved. Here in England. I kid you not. Who would have thought that an earthquake that measured 5.2 on the Richter scale would rock England at about 0100 GMT 27 February 2008?

I was writing an email to my brother when I heard some rumbling. Before I knew it, the rumbling became louder and I felt the entire building shake. My table shook as well. A good thing that it wasn't strong enough otherwise I would have suffered some head injuries had the tremor cause my books and files to fall from the bookshelves overhead.

Everything was over in a matter of seconds. I couldn't believe it. But everything is fine right now. No damage or whatsoever. In fact, I don't mind having some tremors again (slight ones, of course!) just to make sure, just because it's ephemeral.

OK, maybe not. Some people had it worse that I did. But yes, I was part of a phenomenon that has captured me since I was little. Earthquakes are my interest. I kid you not.

Tales from the Crypt

It isn't as cryptic or sinister as it sounds. In fact, it's bigger and brighter. I am a volunteer at the ministry that serves the poor, hungry and homeless people. What was once used as a crypt in the church has been cleared and for the last 77 years, it has been providing shelter and food for those who are most vulnerable and are in need of the basic things we take for granted.

The clients, as the staff and volunteers call them, are actually quite a diverse lot of people. And most of them are harmless. They just want to be fed, respected and heard. This is where the crypt comes in. Just being there for one afternoon a week has really humbled me.

Many of these people live rather aimless lives. They live from day to day and find company and solace in their 'brothers' and 'sisters'. I haven't heard their sad stories yet, as to how each of them ended up in their current states. But I reckon some of them are where they are as a consequence of their folly while some of them are where they are because they are no longer respected or loved by those nearest and dearest to them. Each of them has a story to tell. Each of them has the right to be respected and loved regardless of their background and who they are.

Some of them just sit in the social hall, waiting for the day to go by, as marked by meal times, while some of them spend it more productively by reading and some just chatting with others. It is heartening to see that some of them have dreams and ideals they are waiting to live for while some of them have just given up on life completely.

Me? I don't think I can change the world. But I think that for as long as I'm blessed, people around me, near or distant, deserve that portion of blessing too. Sometimes, we only learn to live and love when we forget ourselves. Is it very cryptic? Well, I have an entire lifetime to find that out if I am capable of that. And I am learning, by being a blessing, even if I'm tucked away, in the crypt.

==================================================
Aside: So I was at The Beatles Museum in Liverpool a couple of weekends ago. And across the universe, the sounds of one of the greatest bands ever was broadcast to this galaxy and even beyond. I love this song - it makes me feel happy....the feeling of cycling in the open with the breeze in my face and me going 'here comes the sun...doo doo doo doo'

UGG!!!

Firstly, it's the same old problem again. Blogger doesn't like me. I can't upload pictures again. Why others can while I can't is mind-boggling. Perhaps, it's because of the previous post...hehe!

Secondly, I want a pair of UGG boots. They are expensive but well, I always invest in shoes. I was looking at them in eBay but I don't know if they genuine. The fakies are everywhere. And if I decide on a pair, should I get it in the crochet style which is more like a cardigan material or the thick bulky one which is suede? The latter costs more, obviously but doesn't seem like something I can wear year-round while the former may not seem warm enough for winter.

UGGhhh!!!!

A dangerous post

Disclaimer: What I am going to say in this post is purely my opinion and does not reflect the opinion of any government, international organisation or their associates. The views here are likely to be controversial and debatable. So if they offend, I apologise but otherwise, I shall exercise my rights to civil liberty and free speech.

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There have been a couple of interesting programmes on TV in the last 2 weeks. They were mostly about the war in Iraq (see, a contentious topic in itself). Watching these programmes reinforced my opinion(s) that it has all been a mistake. A BIG fat mistake. The result of one man's (was it really that one man?) recklessness has led an entire country into anarchy.

Before I go any further, some might say 'why bother with such politics?' Of course, one has to show some interest in such politics. Each of us are beings on this planet and whether we like it or not, whatever politicians do, however remote they are in relation to us, will have an impact on our daily lives. Take a look at fuel prices. They have been climbing. Why? It's politics. Even if you don't drive, your electricity and gas bills will be affected. No interest in politics? That's fine. Then perhaps you might want to generate your own energy by ermmm...rubbing your palms together :)

When Bush was pushing his case for war in Iraq, he got his poodle, Blair, to join him in the cause. So they came up with the argument that Saddam was in possession of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and therefore, he should be stopped lest he went berserk and release one of those WMD. Of course, we now know that there were no WMD but that paranoia has certainly unleashed WMD (wide-spread mass destruction) of Iraq.

5 years on and still no end in sight. Sectarian wars. Random shootings and bombs going off. Hunger. Poverty. That's why I laughed out loud when Bush said, "We are here to give the Iraqi people food, hope, life and freedom."

Think about it. The coalition soldiers, led by the Americans went in, threw Saddam out and went on a manhunt for him which ended some 9 months later. But as the initial euphoria of victory died down, the Iraqis became increasingly frustrated and dismayed because life never got better. Looting and chaos. It was revealed by officials that there was never a plan for post-war reconstruction in Iraq. (They took only 3 months or less to plan the war. It took about nearly 3 years, from 1942 or thereabouts, to plan the reconstruction of Germany after the end of WW2).

So enter smart alecs who disbanded the Iraqi army of 400,000 and did away with the Baath (government servants of the previous government). What did the coalition forces know about running Iraq? Nothing. And they got rid of the ones who knew the country and the people best. That decision to dismiss such key roles in the country resulted in a few more million poor and hungry people. Think about it: 400,000 soldiers lose their jobs. They have wives and children to feed. And we all know that hungry men are angry men. How many people have gone hungry? Do the math.

Sectarian wars. One can easily argue religious divisions are treacherous grounds to tread on and that it was just a matter of time that that would erupt at some point. But if Bush promised peace and freedom, why do the women on the street beat their chests in agony when their children are killed by a random bomb all because they were playing a game of ball on the streets? Clearly, this was something that the Bush administration never thought of because they were simply unfamiliar with the intricate dynamics that laid beneath the surface of the fragile country. It has come to a point where people start calling out for Saddam to come back because things were better in his time. While he might have been a tyrant, ordered killings and made life miserable, at least they were somewhat organised but these days, it could be anyone anywhere. Did the Bush administration even think about that? Hope, life, food and freedom? Only in their dreams. It's Bushsh*t.

(Aside: I'm not surprised if Bush has a personal agenda here. Besides being the C-grade prez he is, I'm sure he has interests in the defence industry, perhaps as a director or shareholder because he cannot afford to perpetuate his C-grade performance. So with the ongoing war, US Defence has to buy weapons from the defence industry. The industry profits and so will their stakeholders, which might possibly include Bush. Think about the billions/trillions that have really been blown off, literally.)

This makes one wonder if the Americans were actually thinking at all, or were they just rolling out plans to suit personal agendas (if you think about it, Dick and Donald were behind most of it. - probably entertaining some D&D. And Donald quit sometime later. What a quack.). Whatever that was, it has certainly made the Americans more enemies. Ignorance, arrogance, cockiness, dominance, disrespect...at least that's what the war was all about, in my opinion. Or is that a display of what the people are like?

With just a few more months to the end of the presidency, I think it was foolish of Bush to tell members of Middle Eastern countries that Iran is another potential time-bomb. Just what was he talking about?! He has obviously dug in too deep into the hole and he can't get out. If he did go back on his tracks, he would only be proving his critics right. Either way, it's a lose-lose situation. The next president, I hope, should have a lot more intelligence than Bush. Whoever assumes the space in The Oval Office has a lot to repair in the area of foreign policies.

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I know. I have rather strong opinions. There are a lot more I have to say but I shall leave it for now. Look what I've got myself into...hurhur!! I still have my humour. Maybe next time.

Eat your greens

I came across this on the BBC website which featured reknown photographer, Carl Warner's, works. This is from his series Foodscape. Remember everybody, eat healthily - your 5 a day portions, plenty of water. If at all possible, have as much fresh food as possible. Make your food from scratch and avoid processed and microwaveable meals. Fruits are important too. And don't forget to run 3 times a week for 45 min each time.

Carl Warner - Foodscapes

Amazing how you can create a landscape using the food you find in the kitchen

Long live the Broccoli!!

The Italian countryside created with my favourite food

Remember, fresh food, vegetables and fruits are good for you. This has been a public health notice to encourage healthy eating.

Becks to be a Gunner?!

Goldenballs was spotted in the North London club recently.

For goodness sake, he speaks only English, so how is he going to communicate with the rest of the team?

By the way, his age is showing. And his wife continues to diminish physically.

Oldie but goodie

As some of you will already know, I have a thing for old songs (ermm..because I'm old or getting there? :p) The 80s were a fantastic era with all the different styles and perhaps, the era where many singers will forever be immortalised with their music.

However, some groups, like Chicago, go further back to the 70s. What would that group be without Peter Cetera? Here's a really old video clip of my favourite Chicago song. It's such an oldie but oh-so-good a song.



Can't wait to get my hands on the keyboard. God forbid that I slaughter this song with my hands.

It's 2008!!!

Blessed New Year!!!

I blame Blogger.com. The reason why I don't feel like blogging these days is because I have problems uploading pictures onto the blog. And it annoys me that others can do it while I can't.

They had better do something to fix this unstable bug.

Otherwise, have a great year ahead :)

I am a celebrity...not!

My celebrity look-alikes...hahaha!!!

We are the reason for Christmas

Amidst all the frenzy for the holiday season packed with manic shopping and endless feasting, let us pause for a while and think why Christmas came to be. This is my statement of faith - that Christmas is the time when the Saviour was born. Born to live as a man and to die for the ones He came for. It is for me, it is for you that Christ was born so that we have a reason for the season.

Blessed Christmas, everyone!

Absolutely fabulous

My Mum. She is absolutely fabulous. She is more happening and hip than I am. She, with her sister, aunt and cousins, are going CLUBBING.

She is so funny because yesterday, she sent me an email to ask me to get online to webcam with her because she wanted to show me her clubbing outfit. And asked me what bag to carry. My goodness!! She's wearing my clothes and wearing her own knee-high boots. She's going to look better than me!!

I actually reminded her not take alcohol because she's on medication. And my dad is driving her there and back.

What am I doing? Fussing over my mum and 'nerding' away for my assignments. My mum? She's absolutely fabulous.

I tell you what I want, what I really, really want

1. Crab-soup bee hoon (from Melben Seafood, nowhere else)
2. Oyster omelette (from Glutton Square or Geylang)
3. Beef hor fun (Lor 9 Geylang)
4. Chye tao kway (white, no chilli)
5. Chwee kuay (from Tiong Bahru or Lor Ah Soo market)
6. Yong tau foo
7. Sashimi salad (from Sushi Tei)
8. Soft-shell crab hand roll (where else, but Sushi Tei?)
9. Soto ayam
10. Chicken rice (roasted & boneless)



As you can tell, I'm suffering from the effects of homefood-sickness. While I haven't lost weight, I haven't put on any either - I am still fitting in my clothes and very comfortable in them. It will be a long time more before I get to sink my teeth into any of these. Maybe I should lose weight now so I can eat them with a vegence in future..hehe..

Shock attack

New details have emerged in the investigation of the gruesome discovery.

Investigator (me) caught the suspect in action and questioned her. She claimed that there was no space in the fridge. Am I blind or what?! So I opened the fridge and showed her the space and she said that the space didn't belong to her (because we have 'designated' space in the fridges). But I told her that since it was food that was meant to be eaten and not kept for the long-term, it shouldn't affect the others who use that space. And I emphasised that it was NOT hygienic to keep food in the cupboard. She said 'OK' and 'thank you'. I told her that there was nothing to thank me for because I was just knocking some commonsense and more commonsense. 'OK' was all she said.

Isn't it shocking....she's doing a course in Translation and doesn't understand simple English, keeps leftovers in the cupboard and...one more, leaves the door opened while in the toilet. By the way, she owns a really cool, sleak laptop and one nice PDA. Shocking, isn't it?