Saturday, August 26, 2006
I did it today!! I am amazed. Awestruck by the Lord's work. It's only by His grace.
Our band managed to minister the youths with the music we played... and it was just awesome!
I realise I need to play without stress and to ask from God first. It made me much more liberal in my playing, more Spirit-led rather than "mind-led". Cheri and sihui encouraged me about my playing as well :) Praise Lord!
Ahh.. I am satisfied. The Lord answered my request (for more info, read my Wed 23 Aug 06 entry).
Crash NUS
Yue and I are considering to crash each other's lectures! haha! it'll be so exciting! Hmm. How to get to NUS first? I can't wait! Lalalala~
One funny incident on the train
Last Saturday, as I was on my way home on the train, I heard this mother disciplining her son. It was absurd but I found it funny.
The son was going to sit on somebody else's seat.
Mother (in Mandarin): Don't sit!!!
Son moves away, visibly afraid.
Mother (in Mandarin): If you sit when it's so hot, your buttocks will ROT. Will ROT! You want ah?!!
oh man.
Friday, August 25, 2006
I just got a traumatising haircut. It was short and horrid! If Donald Trump's hair is bad, mine's worse.
Ok, maybe it's just exaggeration but it's close!
I wanted the front to be longer but that hairdresser just cut and cut and CUT, AND happily CUT! I was fuming and my mom tried to assure me that it wasn't very bad, but I just stubbornly argued my way through. Felt awful for being nasty to her after that. Afterall, it wasn't her fault. And so... I mustered ALL my courage, whispered a prayer, and said sorry to her. phew! A load off my chest.
Sarah came home and said it looks good. Now I am confused.
Got to make the best out of it. Style it up a little with leftover wax from Sarah's wild days.
My show-offish Ralph Lauren Polo
My grandaunt from KL recently went on holiday with her oh-so-gorgeous, 2 Masters-degree holder son, Matthew (My dad's youngest cousin - 28 years old. He's such an overachiever!!! Blah.), to HK and they bought me a Ralph Lauren Polo. I appreciate their kindness but I am not someone who always don branded togs because I can't really afford it.
Now, you see this model with a Ralph Lauren Polo Pink Pony on. Can you see how BIG the logo is?!! It's not subtle. It takes up half of her chest! And mine's like that too. I don't know if I am going to wear it...
Naming my laptop
I am bringing my lappie home from the computer shop soon... I want to give it a silly name. How about Lulu? Hmm nope, it sounds like that bar-girl at Geylang Lorong 13. How about "Lil'Lappo"? Perhaps you guys can suggest something.
My late hamsters used to be called "Snow White" and "Black Beauty"... How clever.
Right, off to brainstorm my journal-essay homework --- "Singapore- is it a nation or a state?"
Must hand in on time!! Because it contributes to 3% of my overall grades. Yay.
Thursday, August 24, 2006
There have been quite a few nice songs on the radio. You Give Me Something by James Morrison and John Mayer's Waiting on The World to Change. Check them out. They feature strong guitar and brass riffs.
I am finishing this book Hanna's Daughters soon. It's a captivating story of 3 women of different generations with fragments of one another. I like it. I've never enjoyed a book like that ever since Tuesdays with Morrie.
I want to meet up with Yue, Char, Wan and Pris. - just a random thought.
Blogging is so selfish. I just realised my entry this time round is littered with "I"s. Ha. My written narcissism.
Sunday, August 20, 2006
Happy 18th Birthday
Weiying!
Hooray! I hope your walk with God will be closer and deeper every single day!
It's nice being 18. Being 19 gives you a sense of dread cos' next year, your age will start with a "2". Yikes!
It is furiously exasperating to see Joakim Gomez still in Singapore Idol. What is worst was that he is NOT THE ONE in the bottom few of getting booted out EVERY SINGLE WEEK when he SHOULD BE.
Demoracy, i hate you!!! It shows how clearly democracy failed terribly in choosing a fantastic Singapore Idol. Only the popular wins, not the best.
If Jonathan Leong or Hady Mirza gets eliminated, I'll boycott Singapore Idol.
Celebrating at Sizzler's
I trust that we had a good time together today. It has been far too long. You know who you guys are :)
Had a blast looking at weiying and shumin doing their dares. They were supposed to "complain" to the waiter that their water is not enough when the glass is filled to the brim, and that the ICE-CREAM is TOO COLD. hahahahaha! they did it.. and the waiter thought we were interested in him. -_-"
Trooped down to Bras Basah to get some supplies for posters for my mega mission sunday exhibition after that. ahhh.. so many things to do!
Priscilla
Pris sms-ed me just this Saturday! I am very glad to receive her sms because I haven't been contacting her for a about 1 month ever since she went to Perth. She said it's boring in Perth and it's freezing. Bad winter. But she's coming back this September. Soon soon...
Advice on buying a laptop - no mac.
Go and read Yue's blog :)
Thursday, August 17, 2006
Blogging live from NTU
Just got news from Newsweek's University's ranking that NUS is one of the top 35 (31st, if i'm not wrong) universities in the world.
How about NTU? It's only at top 75.
I don't know whether to laugh or cry.
I attended HS103's tutorial in the morning. My tutor... eh, I forgot his name!... is one funny guy who engages the class in discussions very well. I must find out his name. He looks interesting as well - idiosyncratic in a Johnny Depp way, with a prominent mole on his nose. hoho!
First thing he said in a tutorial class (as accurately as i can):
"I suck. That's why you all have to lead the tutorials."
And yes, we have to lead tutorials in pairs. We have to engage the class in any activity (acting a play, shoot a video... etc) so as to teach our "mini-lecture" effectively. I am so excited about it!!
Canteen A has this wonderful yoghurt ice-cream shoppe that sells incredible ice-cream! yummy! I get to choose 3 toppings, and there are many to choose from! From oreo cookies to kiwi to raspberry) After which, the lady of the shoppe will blend all the toppings together with vanilla yoghurt ice-cream. I have to applaud myself for coming up with a perfect combi of raspberry, blueberry and kiwi. hmmm. I relish every bite of it. Plus point: $2 only for a regular cup. Cheap, considering that blueberries and raspberries are expensive.
Everyone, come and visit NTU to try it yourself!
I wrote this on 17 August 2006,
Thursday @ 230pm.
What's wrong with the blogging system?!! urgh.
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Oei Joakim! Why are u still here?!
I cringe. I cry. I curse.
alrights, I didn't curse! but it's near man. because JOAKIM GOMEZ digusted me with his painful singing in the Singapore Idol Rock Show!! AHHHHHH!!!!!! *cringe* It was so painful to my ears, I thought i needed a strong anaesthetic.
I know I am no good singer but any man on the street, any construction worker, any hawker uncle, any housewife (except naive teenage girls) would agree that Gomez cannot make it.
And he is still in! BLAH.
On the other hand, Jasmine Tye is improving tremendously and I was very impressed with her rendition of "Sweet Child of Mine". You go girl! Nurul, the bland one, is also standing out. Paul Twohill's novelty is wearing off slowly. Yawns. He can't really pull it off as a singer though I must say he has very good showmanship.
Life in campus NTU.
I've bumped into so many familiar faces... my primary, secondary and jc schmates! Don't want to say Hi cos I don't know if they remember me. hee hee.
Even though i nearly lost my way for one tutorial, i still found it in the end. I am proud of myself! I know how to read a map much much better.
My sociology professors are witty, esp. Prof Jonathan London. We even have a blog (an initiative of Harvard's Berkman Center for Internet and Society) to discuss our own opinions and learn from one another's comments. Prof London even introduced this response card in lectures where we can press to indicate our answers during quizzes. It is like being in America's Funniest Home Video! They always press this remote thingy to vote for funniest video, isn't it?
My Singapore studies' Prof Kwok is very engaging too! In our 1st lecture he mentioned of this advertisement he saw in Singapore.
Celebrate National Day, visit Malaysia!
hahaha!
Anyway, there are tons and TONS and TONS of notes to print and read!!! I have been visiting my freezing cold library a lot just to photocopy from textbooks and get notes online.
Oh, as I was squeezing to board the terribly-crowded 179 today, this very nice Senior (from HSS FOC 06) Xun Ning said hi to me! I thought it was very very generous of her to be the 1st one to extend a HI. She even remembered that I was from Ahto. heh heh. Maybe Ahto was very noisy.
I am really glad i attended orientation cos I made good friends there. They helped a lot in lectures and basically, just getting use to campus life. Just this Monday, some of our OG mates and i troop our way to Canteen A to escape from Canteen B's Inedibles. Canteen B is baaaaadd.
Prayer meeting
Last night, i attended a powerful prayer meeting and I tell you prayers work wonders. Our Lord was definitely in the midst as people cry out their hurts and embrace God's new blessings & promises. At that time of worship, I asked to know Jesus more - know more of his character so that I can claim the many beautiful promises in His Word as well as know Him as a friend. I was personally affirmed by Heavenly Father last Saturday in youth service that I am a DAUGHTER OF FAITH. :)
I am His daughter and nobody can spoil this truth.
No school on Friday
I can't wait for Friday! I think I am meeting Angie to go to the national library! YAY!
- i wrote this entry at 10pm.-
Thursday, August 10, 2006
On Singapore Idol
I am furiously APPALLED by the fact that Joakim Gomez is still in Singapore Idol (SI)! WHY??!!
Seriously, loyal teenage fans of Gomez, please use your common sense.
Do you really want him to stay on and embarrass himself every single week with his feeble singing? Don't sabo him leh... SPARE him from national embarrassment and spare me from the injustice I feel every week for the good singers.
Hady Mirza and Mathilda D'Silva are the only ones I think deserve the title of Singapore Idol. So please, those who have many 60 cents to vote, please vote for them! They will make Singapore proud.
Oh yea, Kit Chan came onstage for SI to sing "Home" and let me tell you, she is excellent stuff. I thought it was lip-sync until she took the microphone away from her and urged the audience to sing with her. Wow! She is good!
Anyway did you guys notice how crudely obvious they employ the marketing tactic of PRODUCT PLACEMENT in SI's music video? Creative was hugely zoomed in one of the scenes for the music vid. They try too hard. Really. And it makes it so uncool.
Be subtle. Like the MacBook.
MacBooks are always harmlessly in the backgrounds of movies. When the A-listers' characters use them in the movies, it makes us all go...
"Hey, this is cool."
So my suggestion to Creative is to up its "cool" factor by getting up and rising popular bands/artistes like Electrico or Ronin to plug it. After all, it is about music, so they should get music artistes involved. Don't put a Panda there in their ads! For what? To make it cute? For crying out loud, listening to music is NOT about cute, it's about "Cool".
If you can't beat them, join them. Mr Sim, if you can't beat Steve(Jobs of Apple empire), join him.
My Name is Earl
The one show you need to make you laugh like never before. Here is the timing for it:
Saturdays, 10pm on Mediacorp Channel 5.
Encouragement for all
Love the Lord, all his saints!
The Lord preserves the faithful,
but the proud he pays back in full.
Be strong and take heart,
all you who hope in the Lord.
Psalm 31:23-24
I declare to the world that i pledge my allegiance to NYJC 04A3A.
Never will i deny it nor isolate it in my life.
With them, I feel completely myself and we could just joke and tease anyone. MOE should make junior college 3 yrs instead of 2, then we can spend more time as a class! As for university, just 2.5 years is enough! Let's just say I'm blessed to have them as my classmates and friends.
I just came back from a gathering with some my classmates (who: Suan Jin, David, Edmund, John, Daph, Chong Ying, Xiuwen, Wei Qi, Cindy, YingShing, Yueli and me!). We went to Grand Hyatt's The Straits Kitchen for dinner on National Day itself. The whole place was filled with many MANY families.
This is a farewell dinner for SJ as he is leaving Singapore for University of Southern California in the US to study Business. Actually, to say the truth, he will be missed because he is quite prominent in class gatherings with his "Squidward-ness" (pls watch Spongebob to find out more) Haha!
The Asian-inspired, "marketplace" restaurant is divided into sections with Malay, Chinese, Indian and desserts counters.. The range of food is fantabulous! It is fresh and juicy as it's cooked on the spot. Oh the steamed fish with Tofu! Yum! I had 2 portions of it. There were satay, indian curry, prata, briyani, freshly-baked pineapple tarts (piping hot ones), mini Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, sherbets, roasted duck, oyster omelette... Delectable! I can never finish naming!
Well, after dinner, it was time for our usual tradition. Taking photos!
We had a RIOTOUS time posing for the camera. We girls took photos of us pretending to be teenage cute girls with the "world peace" signs. Cindy is really good with it! It's au naturale man. And with the boys, we had the "Men in Black" pose. ie. the COOL pose. The best part was when we used SJ's MacBook (the Mac has an integrated camera) to take a pic with all our faces grossly stretched. Some of us had huge noses, VERY long chins, wide eyes and horrendous face shapes, but it was hilarious and these pictures sent me laughing off thousands of my calories!
I am going to send SJ off this Friday... I hope i have nothing on on that day itself.
Getting a Laptop
I am getting a laptop... I am getting a laptop~! Yay!
Which one should i get? Fujitsu LifeBook, IBM or Acer TravelMate?
Ahhh. Many loans to repay after i graduate. I MUST find a rich husband. ;P
ok, I'm kidding! I just need a good job after i graduate :)
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
As a tribute to Singapore's 41st national day, we shall look at our evolving national day songs. Check out the change in tone and words. Look how creepy is it that they are using music/lyrics to make us feel more and more sentimental towards Singapore.
Stand Up For Singapore
Stand up for Singapore
Do the best you can
Reach out for your fellowmen
You've got to make a stand
Recognise you can play a part
Let it come right from your heart
Be prepared to give a little more
Stand up! Stand up for Singapore!
Message: Look, we want you to contribute to this growing nation. So get your lazy bums up and do something big to make Singapore proud!
My Island Home
(this year's national day theme song)
This is my home
She's everything to me
Grace and beauty
In all that you see
My island home
Wherever I may be
I never will forget her
Nor will she forget me
Chorus ^
And I will sing
A song of home
A land of peace
Where dreams are born everyday
My home
Wherever I may be
I believeYou will always be a part of me ^
My island home
Home of my family
This is my future
Where I want to be(This is my futureThis is my home)
Message: Dear fellow children of Singapore, this is your dear home where your loved ones are and where you can fulfil your dreams. Even if you do leave, we will still welcome you back. We love you.
Ed's note: Actually, i do treasure Singapore a lot and I am proud to be a Singaporean.
Just that I feel that such changes are really drastic and I would like to show you guys how they are like.
HAPPY NATIONAL DAY!
Sunday, August 06, 2006
SLAMSouls
SLAMSouls is a gospel-sharing project that i'm undertaking with Chuanyan/Rach (hmm, which name shall i call her now? i'm very confused) and Raymond. Sounds cool huh?
BUT, I was sorely disappointed by the turn-out of teens/youths who participated the first training series just this Sat on "Little Ways to Share". There were only about 20 people or lesser. Sob.
Ahhhhh. Of course, i will not let this discourage me. I trust that those who came on the day learned something meaningful through a fun way!
My Name is Earl
To the clueless world out there, and thanks to yap yueli (my tasteful TV critic friend), let me to introduce you this blastin', side-splitting, hilarious and riotous TV dramedy *drums roll*
MY NAME IS EARL.
Woohoo!! Yay! It is the best show i've watched since ... uh, i can't remember any good shows cos My Name is Earl is FLOODING my mind now!
Earl is this regular, moustache-spotting guy who believes in KARMA. So to get rid of the Karma, he made a list of things to do to make up for his past wrongs.
In this episode, Earl wants to pay the govt the taxes which he BELIEVES he owes. He tried means and ways to do it, including filling a pithole in the middle of the road. Violently stopped by a policeman, who thought that he was a murderer trying to bury a dead baby, Earl decided that the best way to pay the govt is to do something bad and get fined.
And so, Randy (earl's rotund and TERRIBLY naive younger bro) and Earl climbed up this high tower (think: container that exploded in the beginning of Smallville) so that they can be fined for trespassing.
While on top, they jumped vigorously to get people to notice them. AND OH NO! The roof gave way and they fell into the container but they had ropes secured to them, so they didn't fall flat. They were hanging in the middle of the air.
On the 2nd night.
Randy: Are we going to die here?
Earl (adamantly): NO!
After a 10 seconds.
Earl: Maybe.
After a few more seconds.
Earl (softly): Probably.
On the 3rd day, they started arguing as they got VERY hungry. Realising that there was an echo when he shouted loudly...
Randy (in a sing-song manner): Ricola~! (think of Ricola ad where the Ricola boxes "sang")
By then, i was bowled over in hysterical laughter with Sarah.
Classic!
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Laugh at this:
Signs that your band probably cannot make it (by Colin Goh for 8Days, Aug 2004)
1) You are the opening act for Willliam Hung
2) At your gigs, you keep hearing strange sounds in the background that sound like "Shaddup!" and "Balik Kampong!"
3) You have to go a acapella because you kena pawn all your instruments.
4) You smash your guitar during the concert, then realise later you don't have money to buy a replacement.
5) At some more at the next gig, you boh pian but to play your smashed guitar.
The Lake House
I was apprehensive about watching this movie because
1) I was afraid that Keanu Reeves would make me sleep with his emotionless expressions. Being a good-looking chap is not enough to get me to watch his movie!
2) It is a romance story! One doesn't have to watch it with digital SURROUND SOUND IN A CINEMA!!
3) It is a romance story. YAWNS.
BUT
Hey, it's part of my OG group outing! So why not? I cannot be such a wet blanket!
When i entered the theatre, couples littered the whole place. Succumbing to pressure, elaine and i started to pretend to be a couple. It was pretty convincing, except that nobody could see us doing that cos it was really dark.
The Lake House (the actual house) is an idyllic and lovely glasshouse, built on the clear waters of the lake, with a wooden pathway that leads to the it - perfect setting for a romance story. Sandra Bullock's character, uh, what's her name...? i forgot. let's just call this character SB is living in the time of 2006, is the tenant of the house while Keanu Reeves' character... i forgot his name too! ok, KR, the male character, is/was living in 2004 (the previous tenant) They wrote letters to one another earnestly through the mailbox outside the house. The mailbox has time-travelling powers. OoOOOooOO. wow.
SB and KR fell in love through letters and they tried to meet, but can't.
I was so confused by the whole time concept that I lost the movie's pace midway. Nearly fell asleep!!!
SPOILER ALERT: they got to see each other at the end of the movie. And I am still not sure how they did it. YAY!! end of Romantic Story.
I wouldn't denounce the movie as trash but the saving grace was the beautiful Lake House and the apt and soothing soundtrack. I love this particular song by Paul McCartney in the movie... but i forgot the name! Somebody PLEASE tell me?
Subjects registration. In one word: Hellish
It was horrible!! There were so many unknown jargon in the system that I was nearly on the verge of pulling my perfectly-highlighted hair out. What selection? What timetable? What INDEX NUMBER?!!! i don't know!!!!
thank my wonderful God for Bernice and Afiah who helped me through it. PHEW. Turns out that the people of NTU have already planned the timetable for us and all we need to do is to select an elective with timings that do not clash with the other subjects.
Good News: I've got NO SCH on Friday! prolly going to teach tuition to earn extra bucks.
Bad News: I am packed on Wed - from 1030am to 430pm. NO BREAKS. URGHH!!!!! kill me.
Feel the laid-back vibe of City Hall/Bras Basah/Bugis
I love this stretch of road. The streets and walkways are more quaint and the crowd is more artsy and unique, unlike Orchard Road, the mediocre shopping strip. The pace at this stretch somehow seems much slower and relaxed. Go try it.
Yesterday, Angie and I walked all the way from Raffles Hotel to Bugis Village after our filling dim sum lunch. It was an excellent way to shake off the calories. We stopped to browse through some books at the National Library. Psst. Secret: THE NATIONAL LIBRARY has a HUMONGOUS collection of comics like Baby Blues and The Far Side. Whoa.
Bugis Village is officially my favourite clothes haunt for its wide range and the BARGAINING RIGHTS I can have.
Hooray! So far so good. ***
What to expect from here
FLASHBACK
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