Hello Again

I am sick and tired of my comp. It's behaviour has reached the ultimate in all notorious comp behaviour. It lags. It doesn't boot properly. I can't go online. It REFUSES to shut down. That's it. Whatever sentimental reasons I have for prolonging the life of that sad piece of scrap metal is gone. Vanished. Up in smoke. Good. Now I feel better. Yay. For your information, I am not being a hypocrite. This is being typed out on my school's comp, which has also chosen to defy me, by preventing me, the user from migrating to the new server. This means that come Monday, I most probably won't have a backup plan to freely sponge off the school's free Internet service. Double yay.

Anyway, I've decided that the old cantakerous persona I gave my comp is dead. Or at least semi-paralysed from stroke or heart disease (in other words, Spyware and viruses most probably both or at least one of them). So maybe I can get a laptop you know...Haha

So, what is the point of this? Well actually nothing. I just had to blast my comp somehow... Now I feel slightly better.

OK, now on to more interesting things. I recently read Douglas Adams's Hitchiker's Guide to the Universe. It is one of the funniest books I've ever read. It is so funny I can't describe the kind of laughing it induced in me. I think the amusement waS partly from feeling post-prelims euphoria. The euphoria was supposed to last the weekend only. Somehow the damn "fun for all" feeling has transposed itself onto this week as well. Bad bad me. Must study you know.

In any case, if there are any sad or depressed souls out there, I suggest you read the Hitchiker's Guide to the Universe. It is a mockery of anything serious (and that includes Doomsday; in the book that happens on a nice Thursday). I guess it pays to have an alien friend. I feel quite relieved on this point. Hey Kappa, where do you park your spaceship?

The other book is I read is one that PY lent me. It is funny too, though the irony and sarcasm is easier to get. The lunacy level is lower too (thank goodness - i can't be reading mad books all the time). It's called "How I became Stupid" by Martin Page. Really nice book too. I intend to buy that, along with Sophie's World (when I find it)...

Happily, I am going to vanish again. It is so shitty but hey, maybe I'll get a new comp out of it...

Learning Grace

Aha! The utterly villainous and insufferable blogger is back (SADLY enough for some.) Anyway as a NOTE OF IMPORTANCE, I am warning all who are looking for a serious post to set their sights elsewhere. Pronto. Muahahaha...

First of all, I would like to announce that I am going to vanish for the next two days. Feel free to tag all you want. I shan't be looking, which gives you evil taggers to rumble on and on. How effective I shall vanish depends on well, a) How well I'll get away with it and b) Whether I will even properly vanish. [Anyone who knows the following personally and am able to help are highly appreciated: Christopher Chant, Howl, Prof Dumbledore or Ganadlf (Gandalf is particularly useful. How many sorcerers, wizards and etc can disappear in the middle of a war and come back unlooked for days later with not unwelcome backup cavalry?) P.S. Funny how they are all not women either]

Next. Since I am leaving my blog alone for sometime (of which my disappearance which is NOT planned by me but forced by circumstances), and which is only a part of why I am leaving my blog alone, I have decided to give you a horribly long and didactic sermon on Learning Grace. This also happens to be the title of this post, which for some insane reason, I am extremely proud of.

Yesterday, I had lunch with Kappa. It was a nice lunch, at Han's in Park Mall. Kappa is finicky about service and wants her food brought to her by a waiter. The other choice was Jack's Place. Unfortunately I have no fancy for red meat just then (or salmon either) and apart from that, I had the most unfortunate experience dining there the last time. =(

The important however, is not the food. Kappa was just telling me about this repellent snoot from her night class. He offered to pay Kappa's friend money to teach him something to do with singing or something like that. The Repellent Snoot was from some JC Choir by the way. In any case, he said that his music school was in Geylang. Now we all know what that region is notorious for, so I won't go into details of the horrible experience the fickle-minded namby-pamby Repellent Snoot did by making the girls walk the seedy streets of Geylang at night in an attempt to find the school since the *&^%$^ can't be bothered to give them proper directions or offer to walk them from the bus stop.

Anyway, although Kappa and Co. were really pissed off by the Repellent Snoot (who acts as if he can throw away $$ like his father prints dollar notes for a living), Kappa maintained a kind of tact and calm in the face of the blustering moron and came out the winner, The thing to do, as Kappa tells me, is always to remain gracious to people of that unevolved sub-species of the human race, even if you are most likely seething with rage and want to tear him to pieces. I really wanted to. I for one cannot remain gracious in the light of such ungentlemanly and nauseating behaviour.

It reminds me how my mum has been complaining about our jolly neighbours again. Apparently, someone poured urine into my mum's rose bush. How nice. Free nutrients for the plant. Pity that comment only appeased my mum for like 5 secs. She has therefore adopted the front door and gate slamming aspect as revenge. Unfortunately, I know what that means. Violence begets violence. And yes. Measure still for measure. Its that dumb eye for an eye thing in one of my lit texts. However, trying to tell your mum to behave calmly and rationally in view of obnoxious neighbours is a no-no. She might turn on me instead and give me a good hiding for being less than respectful. Sadly, that also means that I shall have to endure all that door slamming. I hate it. The sound drives right to the back of my brain and exudes bad vibes. It is extremely distressing to both mental and physical health.

What I'm saying is, lets all treat others the way we want to be treated. The other thing is to never let your enemy know you've been truly irked by him/them/her. It defeats the purpose of showing them up. Besides, it's always nice to be nice. I still smile at my noxious neighbours. That is, until they go too far. Like maybe now.

The beauties in the world are best seen by those who strive to see them
- Unknown

Seriously Funny Business

Well then. My exams are finally over. Actually not really. I've still my Lit PC paper tomorrow. Of course I'm celebrating a day earlier! Haha. Already what I'm blogging is making me feel the tiniest bit guilty. I shall look through my skills notes tonight then, when I can finally stop torturing myself by refusing my poor eyes sleep and scaring everyone in the dead of the night by getting up at 3am in the morning to study. I had just switched on the living room light and sat down with my pillow when my mum came out of her room and stared at me.

"What are you doing with your blanket over your head?"

Obviously I was studying. What else could I be doing, especially when your eyes are watering and itchy from a lack of sleep? Happily that stage of the prelims are over and I do not have to face the evil Geog paper until 6 weeks later. Well. Suppose I'm just glad that I can take a break for a while before getting back to you-know-what.

Until then, I shall just be happy revising day in and out I guess. =(

Why isn't the "gahmen" laughing? [Ppl who have read the sat paper will know what I'm talkin abt]

I've just been thinking about the white elephant issue at the Buangkok station. I don't know about you, but I was really amused by the cardboard cutouts. Speaks a lot without having to say anything you know... Anyway my question is simply why is the government so upset? Personally I cannot understand why they would be so unhappy. Wait. Maybe I can. No authority would want to be slighted so rudely. However, I see the white elephants as merely a joke. OK, So the person was trying to protest against something. The fact is, we've really come a long way from the Hock Lee bus rioting days. Must there be such a hue and cry over who the culprit is? The thing is, to me, just about anybody who lives near Buangkok would hope the station opens. Anyone can also easily interpret the station as a metaphorical white elephant.

After all, it has been closed for the time ever since NEL opened. Even if the protest came in the form of a polite letter to the town council, it will still be a protest. Perhaps it is wrong or rebellious or plain rudeto say so, but funny, the elephants really made me laugh.

Why? (or That post on anything remotely to do with exams)

I think that if Shakespeare is still alive today, he will be highly amused by us Lit students poring frantically over his works. If he were alive, it would clear up a lot of the contradictory views on his plays. It is even worse when the one of the themes of his play is on OPPOSITES.

Sigh.

This indomitable warrior wants to go to sleep!

"If thought has attempted and failed,
lose not courage
O indomitable warrior,
Fight and return to the charge still and always"

Saw this quote plastered all over school (well not really, but I saw it in the library and I-Space or Ice-Space whatever it is called) and have been itching to post it for sometime. Just never got round to it.

Funny how it doesn't sound very motivational. I found it funny in fact. However if anyone does need a morale booster well, may it do you all the good a poster can.

Random thoughts that are not really random. Actually.

On English literature criticism:
I have no idea what Harold Bloom* is saying. I sometimes think that he is trying to sound like the high-brow English professor that he mostly probably really is.

On kids running around in KFC during lunch:
Smile and sympathise with the cleaner aunty. She can't run after them.

On the kid hiding next to the trash bin in KFC:
Hey kid. Why don't you hide IN the rubbish bin instead. There, your comrades won't ever find you... Hopefully they'll leave you behind when they go home too.

On the parents/child minders of kids running around in KFC during lunch:
Please don't take an hour to purchase just one reg. Coke. It looks so bad. Especially when you have 5 children jumping on the plastic seats. By the way...did I mention that you make horrible child minders/parents?

On Toa Payoh Library:
Too...many...familiar...faces...

On seeing familiar faces:
It can be both a good and bad thing.

On the 7pm Chinese period drama on Channel 8 (weekdays):
I cannot fathom WHY my sister likes to watch it. Actually I find myself quite taken with the show too, which MYSTERIOUSLY ENOUGH, advocates the wonders of the Singapore Education System and the benefits of academic advancement to the individual and the intrinsic capitalistic value to the country. (I won't say anything about NS)

On reading Sophie's World:
Funny, but I think I've been introduced to Aristotle throughout my life. It hasn't been a very long life, but still... Biology, the Sciences (especially Biology), Chaucer and the First Mover thingy. Being organised. I am constantly reminded of the fact that I am messy daily by my dear Mum.

On watching Scrapped Princess:
I wonder...that blob monster looks awfully (no pun intended) familiar... Did I see it in Princess Mononoke?

Lastly and speaking of Hayao Miyazaki... I find several parallels between him and S.T. Coleridge. Good excuse to watch movies as part of revision...the wonders of Lit.

* Harold Bloom needs no introduction in the world of a A level Literature student. If you aren't one, just pick up any book on A level lit (especially one on Shakespeare) and chances are, it has H. Bloom in it somewhere. Try the first few pages. Chances are, he is the editor if not writer. Talk about unique views...

On 31st September 2005

Sidelined. Marginalised. Peripherified.
I'm a J2 for heaven's sake.
Ineffieciency at its best.
Rise, sir, from this semi-recumbent posture. It is most indecorous. - The result of studying "Importance of Being Earnest" by O. Wilde. =D

Thought I might as well post what some of the things happened on Wed. That would have been yesterday. Went back to Beatty. Think I went loony going back down memory lane. Wondered why I never got to know my clasmates better. They are such a lovely bunch of people. That means you too Al. I promise a drink and lunch. Cheers!!

What is the world coming to?

Now, for the past few mornings, in fact I should say few weeks, i've been observing something that annoys me very much. on most mornings, on my way to school, I'll pass a primary school girl on her way to school, in the opposite direction that I usually head. I shall not name the school, though it's pretty obvious if you know what primary school happens to be in my vicinity.

So, everyday, I'll see her whizzing by on her skate skooter. Dear readers, I'm sure you all know what that stupid thing is... if you don't, it is something like the thing the Po teletubby likes to ride on. The thing is, she does look extremely adorable in it. The problem is, her maid with pink school bag in tow has to run after that zooming behemoth every morning. Times like this, I wonder who is to blame. Her parents? The media? Or simply the girl herself? Maybe it is the maid. However I find myself doubting the last theory of mine.

I think that the sense of dignity of a person no matter the job... no wait, the job IS important. Pride and self-esteem is all the more important in the jobs most people consider lowly. So what. Just because someone is a maid does not mean that as the employer you can let your child treat the person who cooks and cleans after her to chase after a mere girl. It is hardly graceful behaviour and reflects the general opinion I have of Singaporeans - uncouth and self-centered. So let me hit myself. Hey. I'm a Singaporean too.

It puzzles me very much that we should have so little faith in our fellow countrymen. Somehow I don't think that that is normal in any country outside of here. Ah... But that is the faithless me talking again isn't it?

So let us just focus on the girl's family instead. No need to drag in the whole of our sunny tropical island. Sometimes I wonder what parents are teaching children nowadays. It is really upsetting to think that the girl with such an innocent look on her face would be behaving so rudely to her elder. I watched for other people's reaction to the interesting duo. When a well-dressed wman stared at the scene unfolding begore her eyes, the maid stopped running. But I know she has been running for the past few days. At least she seems to be preserving some sense of dignity.

Why should she run? Just because you are a maid doesn't mean you should subject yourself to the every whim and fancy of others. One should respect oneself. And one should respect others. I hope for the day when the maid will be skate skootering beside the girl. Really I do.

The Epic Trudge

Off we went, the three of us,
To our farewell party via a bus.
We reached the East Coast, and looked all round.
To our horror, we three found,
That Pit 61 was on the other end of the coast.
Boy were we toast.
Thus we began, our epic journey, from Pit 5
And walked on, determined, that for all our lives
We would surely make it there in one piece or otherwise.
We advanced, past Pit after Pit, footsore and weary. (Let's hijack bikes.)
On and on, the beach was a vast sea of sand and wind,
Punctuated by alternating pit and pitless lands; the horror it seemed,
When we past a deserted coast and Pit 45 was no where in sight.
A curse and a blight!
On whoever booked the pit!
Unfortunately, there was no way we could rest or sit,
For fear we'll be later than we already were.

Past the deflation hollow (an empty lake),
We walked on, blisters and all. And followed,
A bunch of boys, who might've been as lost as we were.
Cursing the J1s (though it wasn't their fault)
Wondering if being stabbed by pinecones was worth the walk.
I think I can see Changi.
Even worse, "Bedok" was the name of the jetty.
All the way from Marine Parade. I'm happy though,
For I see familiar faces, ready to accept us into their fold,
Though we walked right up to the pit, and no one (at first) noticed us.
We sat down on the stools, the result of an hour and half's march.

Don't ask me why we didn't take a cab, and for good measure I'll highlight where we began, and what major landmarks we saw...
Started near the old road safety park. Walked past Barbecue Pit 22++ near Mac. Past Costa Sands (Pit 30-40++). Past the No Signboard Seafood and Long Beach Restaurant. No Pits here. Walked ROUND enormous empty lake under construction. Then through a hawker centre. Found ourselves at the end of EC, near car park F2.
I had lots of fun last night, despite the stupid walk. If anything, the absurdity of our arrival made the party even more memorable. There was not bad food, though BBQ onion rings are a bit strange. Played Frisbee and Monkey. It was great fun, though I kinda wished everyone could make it...so few turned up, no doubt the effect of the oncoming prelims...All in all, a party to remember, especially photo taking sessions and the free smoke machine courtesy of the J1 (the BBQ had a lot of smoke), lovely special effects turned out in some of the cameras. I’m gonna miss drama. Never really wanted it to end. Even the sleepless nights and exhaustive and stressful bits.

Chaotic times

Ah yes. The spanking new TVs decorating my school compound are happily flashing the news: 7 days to Prelims!! I feel so happy. I should be studying. In fact I'm going to, after blogging though. Am now waiting for Geog lect to start. Spent last Tuesday with the similar situation of waiting around, nothing to do. Oh well. Life's like that.

So.. this is going to be a random blog. Few things to say. No.1. Sorry Kappa, I can't go out with you to enjoy your b-day present. Really and truly and absolutely sorry I'm gonna miss the concert!! I am getting mushy, which is a bad sign. Then again, I've been getting a lot of bad signs lately.

In Harbin, your breath mists in front of your face when you breathe. We are all smokers! Ice isn't cold to the touch when your hand is colder than ice. Ice slabs are really good to sit on though... My face was really cold...felt as if my nose had fallen off...kept touching it to see if it was there. Being a general klutz, I fell down on the snow slide, before even getting on the float thingy for the slide...shit. lol. Was really winded, because falling on ice is NOT a good thing...the coldness of the shock gets to you. Had apple strudel after that. Anything warm to taste after -10 degree celsius weather is good.

Broke my no coffee rule that day. Bad time to be doing that...coffee was really gross. Even seasoned coffee drinkers like my aunts said it was appalling. Sigh. Coffee has no effect on me. Was stoning by 8pm. Fell asleep round 10+ that night (Sunday) waiting for hair to dry out after bath.

Maybe coffee wasn't strong enough.

Go to www.animalinyou.com

This is a decidedly unconformist creature, for as an airborne personality, the bat tends to look down at the conventions of the ground animals. And yet, since it is not a true bird and having not mastered the art of smooth controlled flight, it often appears awkward in social situations. (Hence the term -- acting batty). But as compensation for this social ungainliness, many bat personalities sport a built-in radar, which enables them to intuitively read the motivations of others.
Identifying bat personalities is not difficult. Being nocturnal creatures, they come alive at night and can be spotted in underground clubs or dimly lit bars. They prefer the sanctuary of dark clothing and dark corners, and you'll never see a bat sporting a heavy tan. These are intelligent, spiritual, creative individuals who use their full range of senses (other than their poor eyesight) to carefully navigate their way through life.
Bats have a habit of flitting in and out of social situations, swooping down to interact briefly with others before quickly flying off to resume their bat lives. Unassertive and aloof, they'll take flight at the first hint of a confrontation to seek comfort in their personal spaces that are decorated in unusual but expressive ways. The bat's sixth sense gives it a number of advantages in its work, and its insightful nature enables it to understand others better than it understands itself.
In the romance department, bats are enamored with the idea of love more than they are with its colder realities. Decidedly untraditional, they are prone to flights of extraordinary fantasy -- and it's not the traditional Ken and Barbie type of romance that tickles its fancy either. It's the Bram Stoker kind: dark, moody and gothic.
Bat personalities have an enormous sense of loyalty and if you ever do a favor for a bat, it will never relax until it has paid you back. In fact, in nature, the bat is the only animal (other than man) to demonstrate true altruism when unrelated individuals will unselfishly offer food to a cave-mate without expectation anything in return. This powerful sense of quid pro quo is one of the defining characteristics of the bat personality and anyone should consider themselves lucky to be in a bat's good graces.
Bats have no strong yearning for parenthood, for the kind of ego gratification that comes with having one's own children doesn't appeal to its karmic temperament. They are instead quite content to satisfy their maternal or paternal instincts by adopting or merely baby-sitting. If they do have children, they prove to be perfunctory parents: methodical yet unconventional . Still, bats place great emphasis on ethics and morality and insist that their children be indoctrinated in the values of good citizenship.

Hit/Run

You know, sometimes things just hit you and you end up flying back a mile or more. I've just gained access to my school's new server and there are tons to copy from my tutors' private files. Everything from tutorials to lecture notes and extra readings. Then I mail them to my classmate. I SO need to buy printer ink. Why am I procrastinating. All that work (the size of a mini mountain at the least) are the result of not bothering to migrate to a new server. Yup. I feel like I'm caught up in a backwash dating a few months worth of work. Actually I don't feel it, I'm trapped in it literally. It is quite a shock for me...all that things to read and do. I'll be having a busy weekend. And printer ink...been printing multi-coloured notes since one printer prints blue ink and the other has been reduced to doing red ink. I'm in a mess.

Funny, I've been repeating the same thing over and over again. Well, I guess the impact is just so strong. Serves me right for running away from all that. Must be the approaching prelims (12 days and counting!). So yeah, I don't know why I'm blogging this...except that...all my friends out there doing their 'A' levels....good luck. We're in the deep end now and it's about time I woke up to that...

Timetabling woes and other stuff

Today might just rank as no. 1 of The Top 10 Most Pointless Days of 2005. Let's see...most Tuesdays are usually pointless anyway. It's the day I spend more time waiting for classes to start than actually attending something useful. Here is my normal Tuesday timetable:

0740-0840: Geog lecture
0840-0940: Lit tutorial
0940-1110: break
1110-1210: ct
[which is a sort of form teacher's period for all the admin and occasional enrichment things]
1210-1340: GP
1545-1800max: Geog lecture

Today's pointless timetable:

0740-0840: Geog lecture
1210-1340: GP

That's it. Yup. I've to wait 4hrs for a lesson. Yay. The 2nd geog lect was cancelled because the tutor is sick. Ah well. I've got the whole day to do revision and homework. I expect I should somehow feel happy...hey...there is also free internet!
Right. somehow I had an ominous feeling that today was going to be a day of pointlessness.

See. My day began with this announcement at assembly: "I will now read out to you students a message from the principal of a certain sec sch...So went on the message...blah blah blah. It was abt some J1 from my JC who had yanked two misbehaving sec students back to thier school to be dealt with. The mesage ended with a grand and ostentatious praise of this J1 - 'I congratulate him on his moral courage..." in the hope that all of you should emulate him and bring glory to our JC. Oh yes.

I cannot help but think that the congratulatory email was slightly out of place. Praise for reporting on misbehaving students? I've this impression that it is like praising someone for being nosy. It is silly to magnify the litle things in life. If we were to go on glorifying the little things in life whose true merits are dubious I shudder to think what will happen to us. Oh let's trumpet gloriously on about our 'clean & green' environment. May I know why it is so clean and green? Oh. It's because no one dares to litter for fear of that $10000 fine.

Things like reminding others of proper behaviour and disposing litter responsibly are things that are EXPECTED. Just because someone reported the students doesn't mean it is right because the sch think it is. I just can't help thinking that the J1 should have just told off the students. Was there really a need to report them? Of course there is the issue of the degree of misbehaviour - was it just being noisy? Or vandalism? Or something worse like harrassing the public? Whatever it was, punishment does not change such behaviour overnight. Instilling fear only makes one cynical and rebellious. And maybe, that's what I am.

Shh!

Am so tired. Too...tired...to...blog... Haha. I AM blogging, which is the irony of it all. After 2hrs++ of Econs mock prelims today, my hands feel like lead. For some strange reason, my left hand aches too. Could it have been due to the Hazelnut dance yesterday? Well. I do not wish to post anything in relation to my least favourite subject. U might like it, Kappa - it is a very evil subject.

Anyway, PY, Jane and me went to the National Library to study. We had lunch before that at the Food Court. Poor PY found ham slices in her supposedly vegetarian spaghetti - the nerve of some cooks. The ham tasted gross too...like plastic.

The NL was really nice. Didn't like it initially - it was obstructing my way to Bras Basah, and I recall being forced to walk on the double yellow lines on the fringe of Victoria Road when the NL was still in its construction stage. So many cars...it was quite scary. But that is besides the point. Today marks my first visit to the newly constructed National Library, and it is really a beautiful building, inside and outside. There is this zen-like landscaping with lots of bamboo trees, and black/white pebble paths. It looks so cooling and airy compared to all that concrete. The whole building comprises of vast glassy panels, and looks a tad too futuristic, but if u look at SMU just down the street and I guess the architecture is comparable, though SMU has a wavy glass facade that looks as if it is about to topple anytime.

When u enter, u are greeted by a blast of cold air, which Jane tells me, is due to changes in the air pressure...cool. The building looks fantastic in the interior too...lots of glass linkways that criss cross the various levels...very very sci-fi. And the silence. U sound like u are yelling when u are really whispering as softly as u can. They say silence is golden, but I would have given anything for a bit of noise. It feels like you are sitting in a vacumm when it is too quiet.

Spent an afternoon there. Was completely disoriented when we left the building - one gets the feeling that u are on the same floor all the time because each floor is structured similarly. Only changes are floor tile colours. It doesn't help if u've contracted a headache reading tourism notes...well. Will stop here I guess. My fingers are dropping off...

Twisted jelly and pretzel legs.

Can't BELIEVE the things they make you do fpr P.E. OK. So Teacher's Day is coming and say, why don't we learn some social dances the liven things up on that day?? Yup. The dances have such interesting names too. Names like the "Little Hazelnut" (do they mean horses or falling nuts; all that prancing could mean either) The other was even funnier - didn't know blacksmiths originated from the Institute of the Mentally Inept. The dance was called "Hammersmith" and it involved lots of clapping...and I mean really. I always thought smiths were busy people, didn't know they had time for dancing in circles. Then again, they might have been freaking out because it was the Black Death, and that's when the song "Ring around the Roses" originated from.

After all that is said and done, the stupid dances were quite fun. At the very least it was excercise...but wouldn't I give anything for badminton lessons again next week... Now, I ache in all the wrong places and my feet feel permanently twisted from all the feet crossing steps...But hey. It wa all in the name of a bit of fun.

Chocolate Charlie is so Sweet.

Watched Charlie and the Chocolate Factory today with my sis. Was not impressed by it. Instead I was Totally Blown Away by the film!! What an excellent piece of work! Haha. I've not even gotten to why I love the movie and already I am singing its praises. Hmm. I suppose it was because the film was way better than what I expected it to be. I did think it will be good, just not that good, if u follow me. Well, happily, even my sis was impressed and that's saying something. She is a picky movie goer (how can anyone not like LOTR??). Anyway, am feeling the itch to review the movie. Beware of spoilers. (see post below for safety sake).

You look really Weird...

WARNING: Spoilers ahead!
Charlie & the Chocolate Factory
reviewed by none other than ME. of course. Who else is there?
The film opens with a nice bit of music (composed by DannyElfman - don't know who he is? Well I don't either), with really nice graphics of the chocolate packaging process. Knowing Tim Burton, it is weird. The chocolate bars all have individual white mini parachutes that float down in a spiral. Really nice. The sets are lavish. I mean, it is Tim Burton after all; so you can expect things to look a little less ordinary. The story, as anyone knows, is adapted from a Roald Dahl book of the same name.

The movie follows quite truly to the book, in terms of the things said and sequence of events. What deviates from the book, however, is Willy Wonka. There is an added feature on Willy Wonka's youth. The movie also strangely shifts focus away from Charlie, the lead protagonist to Will Wonka. Now that, in itself is not a bad thing (more screen time of the world's coolest actor can't be bad). However, Charlie does play a crucial role in helping to adjust Wonka's skewed world view that parents are nasty creatures that inhibit individuality. I suspect that as the anticipated audience would largely consist of kids, it would be neccessary to restore the morals of the story. One tends to get carried away by Wonka's evil antics, especially that sinister smile on his face whenever the 4 rotten kids get their just desserts.

Some people have remarked that Johnny Depp looks really weird. I mean what's with all that white makeup? I however feel that the costume sits well the "look" of the film, especially since Wonka is such a child-like character - it would be wrong to portray him as the old eccentric complete with goatee and all. Rather, the androgynous look is a success here.

Great film overall. Go watch it. There were some misses though. But hey. Perfection is boring.

Invasion!

Today began normally enough. Woke up. Ate breakfast. Read newspaper. Go to school. Got D&D ticket fixed (For some reason, I was given a torn ticket). Went home. Computer hanged. Gave up on it and decided to just help my mum prepare lunch. I was slicing prawns while she de-veined them. All pretty normal, especially the comp hanging bit. Then things got a little weirder.

I was clipping my fingernails when I thought I heard a knock on the door. Turns out I did hear a knock - when I opened the door, and out of the blue I see Jane and PY standing outside, and I was thinking...OK...umm what are they doing here?? Haha. Teach me to look at my handphone more often huh. PY was convinced that after missing 3 days of school, there was actually a lot of notes for her. Funnily enough there actually wasn't much. We discussed the mysteries of Balance of Payments (BOP). Played with my hamsters. Laughed and talked a lot. Complained about this strange theory found in our Atmosphere and Climate notes (the earth wobbles every 21000 yrs?! You've gotta be kiddin!) Then they went home and I had lunch. Lunch was yummy!

Then my sis' classmates came and played x-box. I suspect it is because one of them broke his x-box and was suffering from withdrawal symptons. Haha. Nah. So they spent the afternoon oogling at the gogglebox and talking really loudly. Went to buy dinner. For some reason, the guy at Mac's gave me one twister fries when I asked for two and two fries when I wanted only one. I kinda felt sorry for the guy and decided that the extra fries could go to my sis' classmates. Went back home. There is a lot of air pollution out there - it's the first day if the chinese 7th month. So you know what I mean...Got home. Was still eating when the two guys (my sis' classmates) decided they had enough of oogling the gogglebox and went home. Funnily enough, one of them actually said "Thank you for having us". Not the typical reaction from a gaming addict if you ask me. They usually walk away with a slightly bemused look on their faces... Shows how much you can judge from people's appearances yeah... At least this time someone was nice enough to say "Thank you". Goodness knows I've to put up with weird people every time they come here. Who eat my food and don't go home. Oh well. Nice to see that my sis has SOME polite classmates, always did have the impression that they were all ah bengs. Haha. Prejudices will get you nowhere, but I can't be too trusting too.

Hah! I am going to watch Charlie and the Chocolate Factory on Monday!! I can't help announcing to the world!!! I am so excited. Finally! A movie worth every cent I'm paying for!

July/August

I've not been blogging for a while as you can obviously see. Anyway, I'm glad the stupid tag-board is up and running again. Was so frustrated when it decided to do strange things. Happily, it wasn't just me for once...friends had a similar problem too. When you have a temperamental computer akin to a grouchy old man, you question every weird thing it throws at you...

So. Just an update. Last WKEND was spent doing things...decided to wrap Kappa's present a day in advance. It was a blue wrapper, with darker blue teddies I found off Google Images. I was lucky that my printer was printing blue ink...I ran out of black a few months back. Just haven't bothered to replace ink. If I had black ink I would have to print them in greyscale, which doesn't sit well with the light blue paper, and of course, I've no photoshop to do things with the teddy photo. Yup. Luck or something I guess. Anyway, we had lunch at Hans. Am HAPPY that I was late for once. I've complaints that I go to pre-arranged venues too early. Hans was ok. Watermelon wasn't sweet enough if you ask me. Went shopping after that. Thanks Kappa, for humouring ol' indecisive me while I circled Borders like some insane metal institute escapee with a fetish for walking in circles.

Bought Michael Chabon's The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay. People who watch the OC would know Seth mentioned it in one of the episodes. Dun know if this is true. Ask Kappa. The book is very thick. It's about WWII. Its also a book only mad people would recommend. Have found nothing entertaining from it so far. But hey. I've only read like...4 pages? Haha. Tracy Chevalier's Girl with a Pearl Earring was great though. Finished it already. For a historical fiction, it really is quite well written. Go read it.

Went sofa cloth shopping with Aunt and Mum in Choo Chiat. For those out there who suffer from chronic "Where is this place hah?", Choo Chiat is in Geylang. But that is besides the point. The point is, I went cloth shopping with them, and we bought the cloth that I picked out. I shall take the liberty of looking smug. It's a light cream coloured cloth with silvery leaf and vine motifs on it. It LOOKS nice. Anyone who says otherwise will answer to the chopper poised in my hand. Nah. Just kidding. I don't like choppers in the first place...so violent and unwieldy.

Last of all, my pet hamster gave birth to 3 babies on the 2nd of August!! That's same as you Kappa! They look quite gross actually - all wobbly and pink and for some reason, a bit shiny too. Heehee.

Last night was bad though. Fell asleep waiting for Inuyasha to start at the unearthly hr of 11pm. I missed the damn episode and woke up just in time to catch the ending credits rolling. Luckily my sis wasn't too pissed off that I only managed to tape Shaman King for her. Sat through that with a highly dissatisfied feeling of having missed a TV show you stayed up for.
Well. here ends this post. Will blog again some time soon.

Baka Cat

Sometimes, animals will behave in the strangest ways. Take the following real-life encounters as proof.

I am out with my parents and sis at the Whampoa market. Don't know where that is? It is in a godforsaken part of Singapore. Before anyone points out that they live there, I will say that there is nothing wrong with living in a secluded part of Singapore; there are times when I would envy the ones who live in blissful isolation. Right, as I was saying, we were at the market for lunch. It is very strange. There are bees at the hawker centre. They buzz around the seats nonchalantly, and cluster around the beancurd desert shop. One wonders why. Apart from being a general nuisance, they are a danger to society (they would have to buzz around my rice, and no one else's).

That was the first of the animal mysteries. Next, a black cat, full grown mind you, and therefore had the mental capability of a mature, thinking animal, came and sat at the periphery of our table. It looked at us with that typically endearing big-eyed look that said, "Aww. Look at the cute kitty. Feed me please!" Being animal lovers, me and my sis began discussing (in an undertone, cos my dad doesn't like us playing with or feeding strays) whether we should feed the cat. It went something like that:

SIS: Should we feed the cat?
ME: (eagerly) OK. (pause) You do it.
SIS: You feed lah.
ME: Why me? Anyway, it might not eat chicken...
SIS: I'm not sure.
(In the meantime, Cat starts cleaning itself next to my table. After dithering about for a few minutes agonising over whether I should feed it, I decided I should.)
ME: Right. What about Dad?
SIS: I'll distract him...Dad! Look over there! [I am serious. My dad really looked 'over there']
(I quickly throw a piece of chicken to the cat)

Guess what. The stupid cat got up from cleaning itself and walked right past the piece of chicken that I had painstakingly deboned for it. Stupid stupid cat. Then, the best part comes. It stalked round our table once and settled down to stare at us eating our chicken rice - with the same appealing look it had before I tried to feed it. The piece of chicken lay folornly on the opposite side of the table, forgotten by the cat.

The third stars of absurdist animal behaviour were put on by none other than my own hamsters. Both of them were playing on the hamster wheel. Only one thing. They were both running in the opposite directions. Yup, so the total action was that there were two hamsters scrambling happily on a stationary wheel. They did this at least 3 times that night too. Ah well. The mysteries of animal behaviour...

Kappa's Guide to Natural Highs (Villian Version 1.1)

I recently visited my friend's blog and saw this article entitled 'Natural Highs'. It is supposed to "lift your spirits". That, was a goody-goody version. Now, I will impart to you, the Sith's version to Natural Highs. May the force be with you.

1. Sitting in your school canteen with your good friends and makingsnide remarks at everyone. ("Look at that bald donkey!" "That teacher looks like a bulldog, shouldn't he be at the pound?")
   
2. Bullying inexperienced relief teachers. ("Where's the chalk?" "Oh, you are sitting on it, 'cher!")
3. Playing the violin (especially when you aren't too good at it yet)when your mum is taking her afternoon nap.
4. Playing the piano when your family is watching television.Watching "American's
5. Funniest Home Videos" (Moral of the story: Laugh when tragedy befalls others)
6. Watching reruns of old local series, e.g. Triple Nine. (Oh god! LiLin in high waist jeans! She looks like a poulet when she put on too-red lipstick! Oh, and that crappy hairstyle! (laughs hysterically))
7. Imagine the guy or girl you have a crush on walking about naked. (It will be good if he or she had a great body, if not...erm...you will just have to imagine it.)
8. Mixing your father's hair tonic into your mother's shampoo. (The result's pretty interesting!)
9. Accidentally-on-purpose sending your friend spoilers for Harry Potter. (Oh, I'm sooo sorry! I sent it to you by mistake! It was meant for another person!)
10. Hearing Leong read Chinese, or speak Chinese; it's hilariously funny. (Ask her to tell you the sunflower incident)
11. Watching a guy's expression when you tell him his zippers are undone. (Even if they are not...undone, I mean)
12. Whipping up some weird-looking food and ask your sister to try them. (younger sister or brother, preferably)
13. Looking at old photographs of your form teacher (Look here! Here's when Mr X still had his hair!)
14. Sticking a picture of your school rival on a dart board. (10 points if you hit the body, 20 if you hit the face and 100 if you can hit the groin!)
15. Confusing your friends. (Kappa, so which one is it? You are confusing me!)
16. Hearing Leong shrieking* at you, waving her fists in the air ("You villainous villain!"..."This is utter villainy!)
17. Hearing or smelling somebody fart in public.
18. Looking at a guy digging his ears, then smelling his earwax and then telling your friends about it. Enjoy the gross expression on their faces.
19. Consoling your rival in school when she/he failed the exams.("Poor thing, never mind, you can do better next time!" Think: If there even is a next time.) Then mocking her/him behind his/her back.
20. Clipping a clothes-peg onto the nose of a person sleeping.
21. Drinking coffee. (My friend always gets high after drinking coffee, she would giggle and shriek, laugh and yell. That, in essence, is that she has lost control.
22. Seeing your rival lost her place as queen of the high-and-mighty in school.
23. Watching man-hunt on television.
24. Watching Jim Carrey's "Lawyer, Lawyer".
25. Last but not least, writing obscenities on somebody's cast.(One, look at the poor person hobble about on the cast, or trying to feed himself, and two, the obscenities.)
    

That's all folks! If you have any suggestions on this article, please feel free to flood Leong's tag board. Ciao.This Guide is in near pristine condition. I hardly made any changes. Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.*I do NOT shriek.

Poll Time!

OK. There are some people who seem to think that the font size is too small and will subject them to a state of perpetual blindness. Because of this there is now POLL TIME!

Just tell me if the font size is too small...dun mail me. Use the tag-board. It is there for such things. It has however been used for other, less, amiable things like insulting my organisational skills [or the lack of it], my blog and me in general. Sigh. What are friends for? I thank all those who have made useful and or encouraging comments and as for those with less than useful things to say...well I must admit that it has been fun - all those verbal warfare and somehow me on the losing side...haha. It is a humbling experience. Don't laugh. I am being serious.

Right, before poll time, I can say that the font size is simply for asethetic purposes. If it hampers reading, I will forego art and do something to make your reading a pleasure. Thanks!

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