trax inc. - Life goes on...

Yellow. Awesome.

2012-01-17T01:14:00.000+08:00

Peace and Zen.

2011-12-23T06:23:00.000+08:00

December december, the end of the year.
A time for festivities and cheer,
To find joy in our existence,
and solstice in the world of retail and food.

In this cyclical renewal,
Take a step back to take a step forward.
Thus far and further,
To where we have cometh and to where the headings precede.

The tides of Change,
Bringing away the most dire of moments this year,
and draws hope for the future,
To where the journey begins,
To wherein the journey heads,
To wherein the journey ends.

Beyond the fleeting shores of desire and retail,
Hold dear the relationships that grace us,
No matter how transient they may be.

To wherever we will go,
To wherever we have came,
To wherever the journey ends.

-trax 2011-

Imperial Treasure La Mien Xiao Long Bao - Marina Square

2011-11-28T16:30:00.001+08:00

Spicy Beef La Mien

Red Bean Pancake: light, crispy!

Salted Water Duck: I liked' this quite a lot.

Double Boiled Chicken soup with dry la mien

Professor Brawn Cafe - Novena

2011-11-28T16:26:00.001+08:00

Gourmet Bread with Cream of Mushroom

Fish n Chips

Gourmet Sausage with Rosti

Grilled chicken in truffle cream sauce

Xi Men Ding Taiwan Cuisine - Raffles City

2011-11-28T16:22:00.000+08:00

Just beside the Japanese Buffet Town, located within the basement of Raffles City:

Crispy Rock Salt Chicken - superb!

Fried anchovies with peanuts

Spring Roll

Braised Beef Noodles

Noodles in Clear Soup

The Cathay Restaurant

2011-11-28T16:17:00.000+08:00

Tucked away from the bustling Bugis and Orchard

Choose your tea leaves

Scallop dumplings

Golden Yolk Buns

Prawn dumplings

Xiao Long Bao

Southern Thai Authentica

2011-11-28T16:13:00.000+08:00

Quaint Coffee Pot and a Cuppa - Krabi Town, Thailand

Stir Fried Chicken - Krabi Town, Thailand

Crispy Pork with Assorted Vegetables - Krabi Town, Thailand

Tom Yum Soup

Ice Cold Beer - Aonang, Thailand

Grilled Squid - Aonang, Thailand

Tom Yum Pot

Pineapple Fried Rice

Deep city lights

2011-08-30T08:15:00.003+08:00

Dusk beckons the fading of the light,
the cityscape that gives respite,
from the stressors of work,
to the tireless transport commute...

Lights that gave life to concrete,
illuminating the duality of Night,
of serenity and calm,
of transiency and the fleeting moment...

Herein, lies the deep city lights.
(Trax, 2011)

2011-07-18T23:43:00.000+08:00

But I stand tall to get by.

2011-07-16T01:13:00.000+08:00

Music: Celine Dion: My Love (Live)
Yes this is an old song, but well, if you are reading this, you should know me better! Great song for the night.

I wasn't lying if I were to say "sorry I am busy". To many, this sentence is often commonly used and overly abused. But in a world of fast gratification and satisfaction, perhaps this sentence is frown upon. Yet, for the lack of pretense, I still patronize this phrase regularly.

I do admit that for the past 4 years, I have given up on a lot of opportunities to relax and go along with the flow. I had a precise goal in mind and set out to achieve it slowly. I was dead frank to anyone who asked me the reason why, when all I had to offer is "sorry I am busy". In the situations when I had to disappoint many invitations to social gatherings and outings, I was either striving hard on my studies or taking part in my CCA. In those situations, while I had to disappoint my friends, I disappoint myself at the same while, by giving up a chance to enjoy myself: to eat more, to shop more, to talk more, to sing more, to see more.

At times when I could afford it, I'd often make it up by planning something. And at the lowest rank of all my daily activities, is... myself actually. I hadn't the chance to properly rest for the past week, with a guaranteed knock-out session each night. And I can't find time to do the things I like/love to, as much as I wanted.

I didn't want to be a complete wet blanket at times. I can't be explaining everything and pouring all my fuss balls out to everyone, with the exception of semi-anonymity of my blog. On Wednesday I reached home at 9pm, and after doing house work, its almost 1030. Leaving me just 1 hour and thirty minutes to unwind.

Recently when I had my commencement, my mom told me that she was breathing heavily and panting after climbing what seemed like 5-10 steps of the stairs to the venue. She said she'd almost go (to heaven) if we haven't slowed down our pace. And I don't deny the validity of that sentence at all. Ever since she had went to Emergency twice, her health isn't going to improve. Nope she ain't.

Truth is, back at home, on the pretense that she might spoil my clothes while ironing, and spoil my clothes while washing in the washing machine... plus a dozen of such reasons, I had to contend with housework. I'd figured that if I could have some energy to do more chores, it will lessen her burden. And it really is tough. Well, as Peter says, we do what we can as children to our parents. Well, call it a personal choice of sorts maybe.

Yet back in the social world, who wants to hear any of these long and never-ending stories. Everyone pretty much have their issues to tend to at home too, ain't it? As much as I hate to be caught in the doldrums of full explanation or the silent excuse, I'd go for the latter. "Sorry I am busy". A short sentence that encapsulates untold stories underneath. Someone said to me "you can't have everything...". True. Very true.

Well, I will do what I possibly can for my family, for others and for myself. I sure hope I can pamper myself more though. Heh. As I previously blogged, I have tried to keep myself happy each and every single day with a small idea or act. I had bought 2 boxes of ice cream yesterday night. One for myself, one for my mom. I knew she wouldn't normally buy ice cream cones that cost more than $5 for 4 cones or a tub. She went " wah, why did you buy such expensive ice cream". (p.s. it its $10+, not even any premium brand). It wasn't expensive in my view, but i caught sight of a glitter in her eyes that night. I was glad that she was happy. It made me happy. The sort of warm fuzzy feeling that buying a new phone or the galaxy tab never leave me with.

When troubles seem too much to bear,
and the way forth seems shrouded with uncertainty,
But I stand tall to get by,
Keeping the world of negativity within,
and looking at the world so bright.
In the pursuit of happiness,
that one day will cometh.
-trax 2011-

Looking Back.

2011-07-10T21:31:00.000+08:00

Music: The Dance - Westlife. Yup yup yup, its more originally by Gareth Brooks (but the song was from Tony to begin with). Well, anyway, its a real nice song for the night. A tad sad but still nice.

Its funny how sometimes I take a step forward while looking at the past 5 steps, or 10 perhaps.
Its funny how time goes on and beyond yonder whilst at times, I felt as if I were looking at a replay of my life.
I cannot totally forget the past which made me who I am today, I hold on to what I have at this moment, and look forward to a brand new day.

Anyway, my dad brought home 5 bowls of cup noodles for me. He noticed that I've been having biscuits for breakfast. In a supermarket plastic bag, I caught sight of the different flavours: spicy mushroom, korean, seafood, chicken.. I guess he's too shy to ask which flavour do I prefer, which is typical of him to buy all different flavours, and stash it at the kitchen area quietly for me to choose. I used to recall the times when I was young, he would literally buy back prawn crackers, fish crackers for me. This was after he discreetly observed the wrappers i threw in the bin after I'd snacked.

Well, I guess this is how my dad shows care to us discreetly and indirectly. Makes me think of the time when I observed a dad picking up a teddy bear from a neighbourhood shop with the slightest glitter in his eyes of wanting to make his kid feel happy. He was too shy to choose but just picked one up awkwardly. It may not have been the most pretty teddy bear or the most expensive for that matter. But I sure hope that the kid who receives it, receive something more precious than what money could ever buy.

Heh. Perhaps I took after my dad. I would buy those chinese pastries that he likes and put it on the table but casually tell him that I got him some stuff to eat. A dollar and forty cents. I hope he is as happy as me when I saw the bag of cup noodles.

After all, we are family. I guess the day we stop feeling is the day we cease to be living.

Ramen/Pasta: Clark Quay & Bishan; Wet vs Dry

2011-06-19T16:50:00.000+08:00

Heh heh heh, in this edition of noodle-themed food post; I shall combine blog about the dry ramen/pasta from Waraku @ Clark Quay and the soup-based ramen from Ramen Play! @ Bishan. Waraku's east-meets-west style of pasta is interesting in their combination of ingredients I would say, but the Ramen Play!'s soup-based noodles are as good too!

Waraku @ Clarke Quay

Squid Ink Pasta: Hmmm, the taste resembles a heady mushroom dish, kind of unique! But it does makes your teeth go dark.

I know I know, a Chicken and Mushroom Pasta (with chilli padi for my taste) seems common, but sometimes simple ingredients make a good dish!

Ramen Play! @ Bishan (Just outside of J8)

The service, firstly, is top-class. Before I had even begin to look around for someone to fill up my hot green tea, it is done! Yup yup, look at this big bowl of spicy chashu ramen! I liked how the ramen is garnished with sesame seeds and a properly done egg. Its hard to actually find one that is gooey in the center and with the egg whites tasting savory enough.

Ramen in thick gravy with seafood. This sort of tasted like a Chinese dish but the gravy is more sukiyaki then the normal chinese-style gravy.

Table Top BBQ: Japan and Korea combine.

2011-06-19T16:37:00.000+08:00

Table Top BBQ: Hmm, hot plate + meat = works for me! Here are two locations, one at Jurong Point that sells Korean, the other at Marina Square for Japanese Sukiyaki.

Baek Doo San Korean Restaurant, Jurong Point (FEAST)

BACON BACON BACON: this is GOOD. BACON is always good. Heh heh heh.

Yup and of course, the mixed vegetables for the counter balance of the meat dishes.

More meat! And it comes with extra mushrooms for the hotplate

Of course, some creative talents required to garnish the hot plate with onions, chilli flakes, pumpkin slices, meat and sauce.

Sukiyaki, Marina Square (Centre Stage)

Compared to the previous one, this is hotpot-based instead. Half sukiyaki and half kimuchi soup. The meat is on a per-order basis (but unlimited) and comes in thinly-sliced portions, good for shabu shabu-ing in the soups.

Oh yup, I might add that this is buffet-style with a flat price per head, one serving of ice cream and drinks are not included in the price.

The yong tau fou ingredients

Perhaps its how looking at a big pot of soup with ingredients make me very happy, but well, yeah. I liked how the venue is clean and its buffet spread is minimalist - focusing on few selections and many choices of sauce/soup base/garnishes. Not bad not bad.

Coffee Club

2011-06-19T16:23:00.000+08:00

Mexican Quessadilla with Bolognaise: Hearty hearty tortillas!

Honey Glazed Chicken: Nice presentation!

Herb Crumbled Fish Fillet

Chicken Soup with Pearl Barley: A bit on the salty side, but great amount of ingredients inside which makes its very savoury

Spicy Chicken Pasta: The chicken was well prepared and delicious. Pasta was okay.

Coffee Club: I liked the one at Raffles City during the weekend-lunch for the not-so-crowded location and sofa seats to enjoy a nice meal. Heh, perhaps I am not a crowd-lover, but the location here is great since its located at a quiet corner of Raffles City.

Ajisen: Budget Japanese Food

2011-06-19T15:58:00.001+08:00

Ajisen, its kind of interesting how it is a regular food joint that sells japanese food even in your neighbourhood heartlands malls yet does not really gets featured. Food photography comes more convenient and more discreet as compared to wielding a hefty DSLR - the pleasures of an iPhone 4. Well, lets begin: Tamago with stuffed rice. Usually I'd have eaten the reverse: sushi with tamago on the top.

Crayfish Ramen: I liked the combination of sweet/sour sauce for the crayfish with ramen! However, perhaps a personal issue, a fork would have been a better utensil to draw out the meat from the crayfish.

Spicy Chashu Ramen: I had at least seen this a ga-zillion times. P.S Usually, I am not the one who order this! =P But well, at the end of the meal, I would get to enjoy the minced meat + chashu (yup its missing here).

California Maki + Wasabi

White Fish: This comes as an add-on ala-carte with the ramen set purchased.

Hmmm, Ajisen's prices are sure friendly on the pocket and good enough for noodle-lovers like me. (p.s. I would gladly choose noodles over rice. anytime.)

StreetScape 2.0 - Photojournal

2011-05-25T01:36:00.000+08:00

Music: Christina Perri - Miles (p.s. her album's really good)

Its been a long while since I last had some minuscule chance of reliving memories - of the sights and sounds of the places I been through thus far. The various landscapes caught my eye as something special and definitive. In the eyes of the beholder, truly.

Thailand: A place of many faces, a land of many places.

Traffic Jam - The buzz of the city life (Bangkok)

The harsh afternoon sun and busy busy street traffic interweaved with pedestrians and vehicles was characteristic of this city when I was there. The giant-sized shopping malls are literally everywhere in sight, competing with small road-side vendors of sorts and the numerous convenience stores.

The Awakening - shops rising from the slumbering heat of the day at dusk (Aonang)

The coastal beach destination that gave me a nice tan everytime I was there. Heh. The linear-styled shops that run parallel to the main roads are mostly eateries, souvenir shops, tour operators and pubs. I liked how the local food street rose to life just in front of Mac Donalds' and Subway - a plate of pad thai and a chocolate pancake, coupled with tidbits and drinks from the nearby 7-Eleven sweetens the deal for a satisfied stomach and a lazy rest at the hotel. Not forgetting the sunsets and the longtail boats of course. Hmm, the next time, I am going for more adventures!

The fields of Northern Thailand

My memory of northern Thailand was one of regret: regret that I only get to visit on a 1-2 week stretch of time. The gigantic night market that carry street wares, food and everything else. The panorama of the terraces and fields of agriculture.

Coastal wonder of Southern Thai - Railay (Krabi)

Railay from the viewpoint's view. This place changed for the three occasions that I have been there in 3 years. Positively, there is a mangrove rehabilitation project on-going to ensure tourism-related damages are reduced. However, the informal vendors seem to have been removed from the beach front altogether. Previously, the area is populated by vendors selling grill chicken/corn/fish and mineral water; rent out beach mats and provide message services on-the-go. Well, now the beach front is but a rock climbing area. Different priorities perhaps?

Malaysia: For the plantation landscapes and Kinabalu

The Bust of the Morning Glory - Sedanak Plantation, Johore (Malaysia)

There was a time when I had the chance to venture IN the oil palm plantation, not just whizz past the landscape in an air-conditioned bus (I did that twice). It was part of a research/module trip that gave us the opportunity and it was an eye-opener. For one, that trip saw me eating the most number of plates of ayam penyet in my entire life. And ayam penyet in the plantation too. Heh! It reminded me of the days in the green chalet and of the life I had once lived through. The good' o' days...

Top of Mount Kinabalu (Sabah, Malaysia)

And how could I forget this once-in-a-lifetime experience of conquering Mt Kinabalu. The locals called it 'sacred mountain' or 'sheng shan'. It was indeed magical to see the sun rising on the horizon and at the back of the mind, remind myself that I am freezing to death (tropic city folk like me ought to go to colder countries for a change!) and I had ascended to about 4km vertical height to see this! Yep, here's the old blog post that tells the story...
http://trax1986.blogspot.com/2011/04/long-before-due-post-kinabalu-2010.html

Donkey Ears - Mount Kinabalu (Sabah, Malaysia)

Twin Towers of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Ahhh, a blurry picture that is caught from my canon G11 held over a wall beside a swimming pool overlooking the twin towers of KL. Yep, its at Berjaya Times Square Hotel, right smack in the heart of the shopping district. Heh, Berjaya Times Square is one BIG shopping mall with everything. P.s. actually, I am no shopper-holic myself. =)

Reflections of a Bus Ride - Malaysia (p.s. the intense dark blue was the tint of the windows!)

Yup, this is the bus ride in Malaysia where I caught this photograph with the tint of the bus window giving a nice colour perspective to the landscape.

Hong Kong: Contrasting Modernity

'Signs' of Life - Hong Kong

It has been years since I last stepped in Hong Kong but I still find it a destination that I have yet to fully discover. Here, the streetscape is still characteristic of mainland Hong Kong: glitzy signboards and highrise buildings in the background.

Walled Fort Entrance - New Territories, Hong Kong

Tucked in a corner of New Territories: a walled fort with people still living inside.

Skyline of Hong Kong

At times when I look back, I remembered the cable car and the short journey that brought me there to the Peak to have a glance at Hong Kong's cityscape. One of modernity and the testament to human ingenuity. The marvel of what a collective human society can do is impressive. I remembered the cold cold cold winds and the Burger King at Ngong Ping 360 tourist destination too!

Cambodia: Of rustic charm and flavour

Tongle Sap Sunset

I was here twice on the river cruise down the Tongle Sap. Great sunsets!

Cambodian Sunset

Of Shophouses and Bikes - Prey Veng Province, Cambodia

I have no idea why I had an innate liking for this place. The landscape is not complex, not bustling, not posh nor air-conditioned. I was nearly ran over by cows that trot the area too. But somehow, this market reminds me of home. In the mornings, the housewives mingle amidst the crowd, planning their daily meals, some with child-in-tow. At times, school girls visit the cosmetics stalls looking at hairbands and girl stuff. There is even the jeweler who welds and molds jewellry onsite. In the open areas, the street hawkers certainly add to the colour and life of the place. See below!

Husband and Wife - Prev Yeng Province, Cambodia

'We'd only just begin' - Prey Veng Province, Cambodia

Singapore: (fill in the blanks)

Life Down Under - Esplanade Area, Downtown Singapore

I'd wonder if my buddy remembered this photograph but it was one of few/last times we went out together before he left the country. =) This was the time in my life where I was also the fittest! And life seems simpler and my mental calendar never looked too far beyond the week.

Roaring Thunder in the Heartlands - West Singapore

The untold amount of time I spent to stake out for the right moment! It ain't the best in terms of composition and lighting but this is the best I have at that moment: compact digital camera!

p.s. all of the photographs are shot with compact digital cameras, some using HDR (eg. Kinabalu sunrise!), others with iPhone.

I may or may not live another chance to relive the moment.

The streetscape may or may not be the same if I went back to the same place.

But somehow, just somehow, memories are like photographs stored within my mind, preserving the exact way it was like, a snapshot in time.

Snapshots that I will always remember as I grow older that stood testament to different times of my life thus far and further.

To tell myself, I was there.

Most importantly,

To tell myself, I am here.

Good night, world. Cheers. =)

15th May

2011-05-15T22:07:00.000+08:00

Nice music once again: Christina Perri - Distance. Singer songwriter. Great ambiance for the night.

Sometimes, words are not needed to enjoy the simple pleasures of music.

Cheers world. :)

Have the time passed away?

2011-05-02T02:27:00.000+08:00

Great music for the night: Daughtry - September.

I'd wanted to fall right asleep at 1.20am save not for the distracting stomach. Grabbed a quick fix from the last granola bar in my wardrobe and here I am! Well, its been nearly three weeks since the last post and much has happened since then. For starters, I am done with my academic life - all 18 years worth of it. Yup, I would have to revisit the 'books' regularly for many more years to come, albeit from an entirely different perspective. :)

Its strange having to give up the life that I have been living for the most part of my life thus far. As I look forward to the future of possibilities, I look back at the times that passed. All I can say is... it has been one hell of a ride. Its kind of amazing how uniquely Time is... it creeps when you are at the present and blazes past for you to catch up with your past. It enables optimism and uncertainty of the Time that had yet to be, yet allows for the present Time to constitute the future. And after having experienced the wonders of this Earth for a third of my life... its kind of a lingering sadness, a silent reminder of the limitedness of human life and at the same time, the precise preciousness of such.

I had recently been to the city's main shopping district to be alarmed at the crowd on a public holiday. Yup, I had spent literally most of my time fighting for my academics, to achieve the goal I'd wanted to. Trade-off: the shopping district seemed REALLY alien to me - the crowd, the glitzy street lights and the world of consumerism.

Well... I'd cherish the experiences I have had in the academic world: the travels, the knowledge, the people. Somehow, besides picking up the skills I'll need for the career ahead, Sangkhem was vivid in my memory. Not for Angkor Wat or the ultra-cheap ice cream in the city. Not for the tongle sap lake or the river cruise. But the beautiful place of Prey Veng and the people I've the privilege to meet. Amidst the littered streets and dilapidated market place, the province has a certain charm that is hard to describe nor pin down. The place where I found the sunrise and sunsets charming, the place where I found peace at heart and serenity for the weary spirit. Yes, the place is not free from its negative aspects, but I guess it made me ponder what kind of life I am having back here. It made me ponder deeply about what makes people smile? What makes a family stay cohesive? What makes a child happy? What makes a satisfying day?

Somehow, as much as we left a little bit of our country over Sangkhem, we brought back a little Sangkhem with us. In our fast-paced society, I look for that little bit of Sangkhem in my heart and mind for peace and solace.

p.s. Sangkhem is not just the name of our youth center, it means 'hope'. :)

Heh. Perhaps, its just the plain o' me going all nostalgic and sentimental. Alright, good night world and to you who are reading the post. Cheers.

Sometimes...

2011-04-14T00:45:00.000+08:00

Cat Stevens (Yusuf Islam): Father and Son. Good calm and peaceful music for the night. This song was made popular by Ronan Keating but well, this version is nicer I guess.

Once again, I had some content here in which I had removed after typing it out. Well, cheers world. If anyone found this page, enjoy the music. :)

Silence of the night.

2011-04-06T23:18:00.000+08:00

Great cover work here.

Hong Kong Soon Kee Desserts

2011-04-02T10:14:00.000+08:00

This relatively cheap joint is located in the new Clementi Mall - that we discovered, is not bad! Currently, they have a $7.80 promotion: a noodle dish, a side dish (eg. carrot cake, water chestnut cake, or custard buns) and a dessert (almond paste, etc).

There was once they had a mango sago promotion too.

Call me an ill-informed person and I shall agree. I didnt know about the existence of custard buns till that day I had it there.

What I really like is that they steam the buns after you order (no additional service charge, GST included!) so that the custard flows out of the piping hot bun.

Char Siew buns!

Sesame paste

Dumpling noodles. The dumpling, contrary to what people usually perceive, is not entirely filled with meat, but with strips of black fungus! Making it very crunchy rather than meaty. Coupled with nice boiled vegetables and noodles. (by its own, $5.80)

Under the recommendation of the cashier aunty, I ordered this. Osmanthus Jelly $3.90. The jelly is made with the brewed liquid of the herb. with gouqi. Light and refreshing.

Long before due post: Kinabalu 2010 - Climb of a lifetime

2011-04-02T09:45:00.000+08:00

Firstly, pardon me for the late post. Secondly, pardon me for the slogan 'climb of a lifetime' because it is the hardest climb I had which is accurately described by peter as making the hill we climbed in the green chalet look like an ant hill instead. I have to agree. But well, here are the pictures.

Day Break at Inanam, Kota Kinabalu (HDR composite).
Nice view out the window. This is the first night we stayed at before making our way to Kinabalu Park.

Hotel is on the left, second floor I guess. Well, we didnt have the time/opportunity to explore the streets much.

Road to Nature.

Here is the Northern Bus Terminal Inanam towards Ranau. It was quite a interesting place, having a lot of "overly-friendly" touts walking up and down beside us even though we bought the bus tickets. Oh well, competition for them is tough no doubt, having like 7 different counters right smack under one roof.

We had spent a good amount of time (3hours or was it 4) waiting at the Kinabalu Park compounds as check-in is at 2pm. The air is distinctly fresher, COLDER and lighter here. This was the second time for me to witness how the mist descends and engulfs the landscape. Beautiful yet very cold.

The Summit Trail park map. The official trail is around 17.44km.

Free meals at the Balsam buffet restaurant from the package we booked via Sutera Holdings.

Call us "overly-prepared" if you wish, heh. Nope the pouches contain cameras instead. We bought water-proof camera casings (made like a transparent zip lock with dedicated lens section!) too, backpacks with rain covers. Guess what? It was so bad that our water-resistant + rain cover bags were internally wet after we reach Laban Rata.

The visitor centre/museum

Yup, this IS our lunch while waiting to check-in. The cold weather makes this cup of hot noodles the perfect meal.

Nice. These huts were nicely done and comes with slippers (room, bath) and amenities galore.

The night trek from the guest house to the restaurant and back (yes. it was this dark. but G11 rocks. lol)

Our initial climb was... a descent!

Add caption

I hate to sound like an old guy trying to repeat myself umpteen times but there were staircases after staircases (5 hours worth of it and an hour wading in rain-induced 'rivers' and rocks). These staircases last at least 1000metres in vertical elevation.

My trusty and best friend: the hiking stick.

Laban Rata - 3200m+ elevation, rest point till the summit climb at 2am. The electricity was out (except for lights) - no hot showers. It was darn cold that I had thermal wear, my clothes and wool jacket + blanket, gloves to sleep.

View of the summit trail from Laban Rata

After the adventure of a lifetime night climb with a headlight, ropes and steep cliff faces... day break at the top.

The way down.

Words cannot describe the feeling of it all. If anyone is seeing this, this experience may be yours. Go for it!

I remember...

2011-03-31T23:05:00.000+08:00

It must been some years back since I first heard this song. Solstice for the night, perhaps?

peaceful vibes, world.

Of consciousness and connectivity.

2011-03-26T08:50:00.000+08:00

Of late, I having been looking at certain issues... and reflecting on the claims of 2012-end of days. Nope, I personally do not believe in any sort of fear-mongering and apocalyptic scenarios of December 21, 2012. The following videos are those I found to be intriguing to reflect on, not to be taken at face value, yet not to be blatantly dismissed either.

On the fallacy of apocalyptic 2012 (Interview with Dr Michio Kaku)

On Pole Shifts ( History Channel)

On the possibility of Pole Shifts and Solar Winds (Fox News, interview with Dr Michio Kaku)

On the possibility of Pole Shifts and Solar Winds (Fox News, interview with Dr Michio Kaku)

On the possibility of solar storms (CNN reports on NASA)

On Nasa's Solar Warning
http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2006/10mar_stormwarning/

On the updated solar storm date from NASA
http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2009/29may_noaaprediction/

Skeptic's response to hmmm... everything?
http://fora.tv/2010/04/24/David_Morrison_Surviving_2012_and_Other_Cosmic_Disasters#fullprogram

Which versions do you subscribe to?

Peace.

2011-03-10T23:55:00.000+08:00

On a cool and rainy night, the temperature reads a desirable 27. The faint sounds of traffic against damp roads of tar, the serene from Damien Rice and individual solace.

Finally, that faint smile which hides the feelings within.

Smile.

If anyone is wondering, I might have posted the same youtube video over and over again. But extraordinary music deserves extraordinary mention. Somehow, music is like a cuppa. On different occassions, music invokes a myriad of different feelings and thoughts. A unique blend of voice, instrument and thought of the listener. An expression of serenity in the midst of the smile.

2011-03-03T21:57:00.000+08:00

Music: Adele - Hiding my heart

I kind of liked how the soothing music blends well with the ambiance of the night. The great rendition by Adele for Brandi Carlile's song. Enjoy everyone.

Anyway, today marks the turning point. The point where academic life will begin to fade into the yonder. Nope, I ain't shutting myself down for I have to maintain the grades. But I guess I have a short 50 odd days to the end of it. All 16 years of *nearly uninterrupted* education have been a long long journey of my life thus far. Somehow, I had a fair bit of apprehension, of uncertainty, of emancipation, of joy and the ones in between that words could do no justice to.

I'd guess this can be sort of a thought/feelings tsunami. Heh. Pun intended.

Well, life goes on. I had printed the final hard copy of the thesis today. Looking back, it was one eventful six months worth of work. With it, came great sacrifices and nights of endless effort. In my opinion, it is my best work, the best that I could have done. Now, I can only hope for the best outcome. Nevertheless, there is a strong sense of ownership of the book that I've printed. At the very least, my book reminds me of the past four years. Man... I hate to sound so emotional but its almost like my baby. Heh...

I will accept whatever the outcome. No regrets.

Now...for new year resolutions...nope, it aint too late. I just started my 2011 proper.

and lastly, happy birthday to myself.

To the rest of the world out there that happened to pass by, cheers.

On the Feb of Twenty One.

2011-02-21T23:53:00.000+08:00

the virtual recluse is ending soon. well, I'd still love to share a nice music for the night.

Adele - Turning Tables, from the album '21'

cheers world.

I can see in colour.

2011-02-13T22:31:00.000+08:00

Music: Mary J Blige: I can see in color (live on Sirius XM)

A 6min 47 seconds worth of great vocals. A pair of good speakers. A silent night.

Yup, for the uninformed, I will be temporary out of action till I settle my work proper. Enjoy the music for those who drop by!

Cheers world.

Life goes on...

2011-02-02T21:37:00.000+08:00

Somehow as the year goes on by, I have lost the feeling of excitement or joy during the new year. Beyond stating the obvious work that I have to do, the new year celebrations seem to have past me by. Perhaps too much incidents have happened to stay abreast with the joyous mood and festivities?

Looking forward to taking a breather real soon.

May I find peace. May all of you find your peace.

Happy new year, world.

Food (again) - Universal Studios, Singapore.

2011-01-26T01:53:00.000+08:00

After the inaugural Universal Studios visit X number of weeks ago, I have to say, Universal Studios should have cost a whole lot of money to construct! Heh. Random thought here. Anyway, I caught sight of this cute (purchase item - not free) potion bottle which is sold just outside of Shrek's 4D Adventure Castle at Far Far Away Castle. Its a great way to rehydrate after being under the scorching sun, spending most of the time (on a weekday still) waiting for the turn to take the rides. Somehow, I was staring blankly at the 'VIPs' who paid 50% more of the ticket price (SGD30+) for the express pass who could bypass the queues and go straight to a dedicated/separate queue (which is usually empty!). =(

Yup, here is a shot of the cute potion bottle with ice blended (erm... guava? or green apple! i forgot!!!) juice. Heh, yeah it costs quite a bit to purchase the bottle but it somehow fits in with the ambiance of Far Far Away.

Lunch/dinner was at Loui's New York Pizza Parlour @ New York section of the park. A slice of Tiramisu cake which tasted okay but not too special, after since a fly landed on it the moment after I took the photograph.

Honey Roasted Chicken Wings. Hmmm. The photograph didn't turn out quite well but the chicken wings sure did. I mean, it does resemble those you could get over a slightly reputable grill chicken outlet at a food court but its at a tourist destination!

NY Pepperoni Pizza slice. Hmm, thin-crust pizza is always good enough for me because I simply do not like to nibble on the thick and wheat-filled crust. Taste-wise, average.

Chicken burger, nicely displayed and presented to the dinner. Taste-wise, average too.

Berjaya Times Square Food, Kuala Lumpur

2011-01-26T01:35:00.000+08:00

Berjaya Times Square, a hyper-shopping mall that incorporates twin tower hotels in the central Kuala Lumpur, Western Malaysia. Well, This place is sure popular with loads of people on the weekends!

Wendy's. This western fast food chain, though not unique to KL, is the second time which I tried Wendy's (and the first time I had the burger there). Teriyaki chicken burger, chunky fries, soft drink...check. Small chilli with beef and assorted beans/nuts...check. What I liked about the burger is that it is much much softer than its competitors, thus easier to bite and chew on. Yup, perhaps it got something to do with my aging physique, softer food = better for me. =P Anyway, the fries' a tad too chunky/thick for my liking but was served piping hot and fragrant. For the chili, I'd had thought that it will be much more spicy than the name suggests. While it is a great add-on at 1.99RM with loads of beans and beef, more spice would just do the trick for me.

This was a budget measure to have the meal at a food court, however, the choice turned out pretty well. Apparently, I ordered from this claypot stall at least twice with 24hours duration. The claypot dish was prepared with REALLY high heat/flames and packed with many ingredients thrown in: fried toufu skin, small fishballs, fish cake slices, vegetables, mushrooms, etc etc. Together with the savory soup, it makes a great and hot meal for something like 5RM!

This. International buffet spread at the Berjaya Times Square Hotel's restaurant. Loads and Loads of ham, beef, cheese and toast. Perhaps not the healthiest choice but this was great for meat lovers like me. Price? Expensive if you were to walk right up to the restaurant for breakfast, F.O.C if you'd booked their rooms with the 'ABF' breakfast. =)

The second time I ever touched Krispy Kreme, the last having been 4 years ago in Hong Kong. This is American Cheesecake (or was it New York Cheesecake) donut with the signature coffee. A pity I didn't get the box of mini donuts for they were sold per dozen and cannot be bought...say in 2s. And didn't I mention I have to justify the extra calories of weight gained in a previous post? Yup. This Krispy Kreme is eaten AFTER my buffet breakfast at the restaurant (see up!). Incredible? I know. I know.

Ah Chew's Dessert

2011-01-26T01:16:00.002+08:00

Much much delayed post... but well life goes on. Free time becomes a rare commodity. Well, I STILL have to disclose the calories that is making me upsize recently. I supposed Ah Chew's not unheard of by many people who appreciates cheap yet good desserts. Impressively, it sits right tucked in the middle of busy steamboat outlets and the Bugis Junction nearby. I liked their no frills ambiance that caters to foodies stomachs rather than on the decor per se. However, they do pay some attention to serving desserts in traditional porcelain bowls (the ones i still have at home) to give a 'homely' feeling.

What I like the most - peanuts... in all forms of it.

What I like even more, peanut paste with rice balls (stuffed with peanut paste). The peanut paste is thick and wholesome no doubt. However, I did get a little overwhelmed by the thick paste that I couldn't finish the entire bowl of it!

One of their good choices here: ice mango sago. This is lightly sweet yet chokeful of mango-flavour that lingers in the mouth. Only gripe: the mango chunks were slightly insignificant. heh!

Chocolate chip ice cream in watermelon sago. Mmmmm...

Price? Don't even bother asking. Its just $2-$3ish for a bowl of sweet goodness. Cheaper than even the desserts sold at food courts. =)

Nice morning music

2011-01-22T09:01:00.000+08:00

The smile.

2011-01-15T00:54:00.000+08:00

Funny how sometimes, a smile can mean much more than a smile. (Trax 2011)

It was way back in the midst of the year 2008, the year which troubles never cease to end. That was the year when I nearly thought that I would lose my mom in an emergency.On recalling the ordeal when she was in critical condition to the time she was discharged, it had felt like weeks on end. I remembered that time when I have to do more household chores than I usually would and the time when there isn't anyone to constantly nag at me. Yes, yes. These are something probably insignificant and to be brushed off as mere grouses of a grown adult (aka, me.). But no. I would like to differ. Somehow, I have grown accustomed to handling household chores that its been quite ingrained to instinctively pick up the vacuum or the wiping cloth.

Yes, I was not that almighty. I am not ashamed to admit that I, am not the most filial son in the world. At times when I am caught in rush, or trying to figure out my work, my mom's nagging seems almost unbearable to hear. I would brush her off and tell her to leave the stuff (eg. a cup of water, my clothes which she ironed) on the table/bed. And the list goes on. Yes, I am not ashamed to admit all these. And this time of the year around, I received a call on my mobile from my mom during one of the lectures i was attending in school. Instinctively, I rejected the call and text-ed her a reply "Not having dinner, in school". In my phone, I could see a list of text history between me and my mom. The list goes "Mom: are you having dinner tonight what time"... "Reply: Not having dinner tonight". And the list goes on repeatedly for the entire phone history. Although these are essentially different occasions and not a one-off day-to-day basis, I come to realise that I didnt text my mom anything else.

I could still remember the time when she finally learnt how to use the sms function of the mobile. And the funny incident had occurred when her first SMS was intended as a joke to my elder brother. It goes "eat shit". Heh. I know how hard it was for her to send an SMS for the text she sent did not contain any form of punctuation or sentence structure. But she had herself figured out how to text "are you having dinner tonight what time" just for my brother and I. Nope, beyond that, she doesnt make use of SMS at all. All she wanted was to connect with us in her way as possible as she could.

And as I sent my last message to her yesterday "Not having dinner, in school"... I had received a phone call. It was my aunt. She called to inform me that my mom was admitted to the emergency department in hospital. Had it not been my aunt, I would have wrongly assumed that life is as usual that day as compared to any other day. It wasn't.

I don't know if I should smile or not as this time round, she isn't in critical condition as before in 2008. She was transferred to the regular ward that night but had to stay over for further observations. Tonight is the second night that she is in hospital. My brother, after inquiring the nurse, told me that I have to be prepared that she wouldn't be able to be discharged much until mid next week if not end of next week.

Responsibilities come stead fast after my mom was warded. I am staying over my grandmother's house for the second night. Thankfully, I have my internet on my iphone to keep me going so that I could do up my work on the laptop. Yes, my grandmother is staying alone, cept' for my mom who looks after her every day and night besides her work. I have to keep my grandmother company for she's advanced in her age already. I brought down a pillow and some of my stuff last night to my mom's room over my granny's.

The bedroom is simple and neat. A wooden framed bed with a foam mattress, a fan, a wooden cupboard, thats it. At a corner of the bedroom, there lies a mini hifi system. Yes. I vividly remembered having bought the system for myself when I was in lower secondary school. Carrying it from the nearby electronics store, it became one of my first technological gadgets besides my CD-player. It plays vcds, cds as well as FM radio. As time passes, it became an object of disuse, sitting at a lonely corner of my bedroom. My computer, with its itunes music, speakers, even my philips ipod docking speaker/alarm, my portable 7'' television over-ruled the supremacy of the hifi system. Many-a-time, I had wanted to get rid of the hifi but my mom was adamant about it. It was a good half a year or so when I carried the hifi system to my granny's house into her room. I had taught her how to use the radio function and the cd function, but at that time, there isn't any cds lying around for her to listen to.

Yesterday when I went in the room, I had discovered a CD that she bought for herself, its the soundtrack/theme song album from the famous taiwan drama "Ai". I had sat there for some time looking at the hifi system, something which I regarded as junk was well treasured by my mom. To say the truth, I was overwhelmed with guilt. I couldnt comprehend the reason why I did not buy any cds for her, but end up buying stuff for myself and my desires.

I am utterly ashamed. In the hustle of running the race, of trying to improve, had I left behind the very important people who were there in the beginning of the track, waving me off and giving me encouragement? Who am I running the race for?

This time round, my mom is not in a critical condition, but i've to be prepared that her health is deteriorating by the day. My only hope is that I will have enough time to care for her and for her to enjoy good years ahead.

Yes, she may not be the best mom in the entire world, she has her fair share of flaws but she tries hard to care for us even when she's sick. Love is always a sacrifice ain't it? You would forgo yourself for the sake of the ones you loved, even when they least appreciated it. Yes, I will start by buying a personal radio for her to listen in the ward and get her some cds when she comes home. I cant even be qualified to utter the word "tired" when my mom could look after 2 houses/household and her job. I will take small steps to care for her more than what I did previously. I have to..

for my mom who told me this when I went to visit her this evening in the ward, "have you eaten your dinner? I have the kopitiam cash card with me, there's 10% discount if you use it to buy food downstairs.. come take my card from the drawer..."

Mom, I love you.

I will buy hokkien songs for you.

Kim's Family Restaurant: Budget Korean Food

2011-01-10T22:14:00.001+08:00

Yep, I'm back with more food posts once more. =) Personally, I really liked Kim's Family Restaurant for their korean food (read: loads of side dishes that comes free-of-charge). Partly because of its real convenient location in Bukit Timah (Lorong Kilat; Kilat Court), most importantly, of its close proximity to Udders Ice Cream!

The shop name and signage that will NOT be easily missed. What I really liked about this place is the fuzz-free, no-frills dining experience. You would not find much ambiance or deco in the restaurant except for the plain white-washed walls, tables and chairs. Simply-put, people DO go there for their food (and of cos, the Udders Ice Cream!) and not subscribe to paying for the extra touch-ups on the walls.

Here is a sample of the side dishes which will automatically fill most of the remaining table-top space after the main course. Prices? The general range for a set meal consisting of a BBQ meat with rice starts from $10-ish, all sides included! As a grateful person towards free side dishes, there is nothing negative that could be said of them. Yep, some of the sides are simply sliced mushrooms, or boiled vegetables but the abundance of greens do compliment the meaty main course.

I was introduced to the Ginseng Chicken Herbal Soup by my friend the previous time when I was there. I ordered this ($19) and did not regret about it! What I liked about this ginseng chicken soup is the abundance of herbs and soup that does not taste artifical/salty. Instead, the herbal soup is surprising light on the palate, not overwhelming with the herbal-overdrive. Chicken-wise: meat that melts in your mouth. Nuff said'

Heh, the chicken is stuffed choke full with glutinous rice and more ingredients: lotus seeds and all. A good 2-person meal would amount to $25-ish for two set meals. Well... unless you'd ordered the ginseng chicken! heh heh. It was well worth it though!

And yup, right after a hearty meal, pop by next store to Udders and you might catch a glimpse of the boss in the shop as well. For both the times when I was there, I saw the boss! Anyway, the ice cream is well worthy of the word : great. There are different 'class/grades' of ice cream at the parlour but my biased preference goes out to anything with '-durian' and '-coconut' (hmmm, -chocolate too).

There you go! A good meal on a budget at a location where the usual bustling crowds are elsewhere shopping down Orchard and the new Nex.

2011-01-05T23:18:00.002+08:00

Goodbye 2010

2010-12-31T00:47:00.000+08:00

What better way to start off the last day of 2010 (at 12.32am) with Radiohead-Creep. Timeless classic. Midway through finding the music that connects with me at this time, I sieved through Dashboard Confessional. Heh, I once had the honour of reviewing one of their songs "Thick as Thieves" and earned a few measly pounds for it. ANYWAY, off with the random thought, I came to know of this song, "Creep" from Peter and his first rendition of it at the KTV. Amazingly, I was blown away by the raw emotions and power of the song. Great man!

Well, this year has been particularly difficult for me, as a kind of a reflection of sorts. If I were to whine away now, I would inevitably begin to rant on how little time I had in these 12 months of my life. I could hardly ever relax and take some time off, say a week or two, and be completely idle. Well, point being I had made my decision to buckle up for the rough ride ahead and take on the challenge a year and a half ago. So.

That wouldn't qualify me for the whine house delight. Nevertheless, I hope in time, everything will make good sense in due time. :)

Heh, I have yet written a chunk and decided against it to post. Funny how it goes, me publicly writing to the entire world yet prefer to reserve some sense of privacy at the same time. Ahh...

Good night world.

Happy New Year to all. Cheers.

The glimpse of the shadow

2010-12-27T12:20:00.000+08:00

Pat, pat, pat...
The sound of footsteps echoes along the alleyway.
Successive nonrhythmic patterns exude eagerness and determination,
The heart that yearns, the hand that reaches out.

The further the chase was given, the farther the figure was.
Forgotten was the Time that the path was embarked
Forgotten was the first who spoke
Vaguely in the background is the memory of Forever.

Tiredly trudging onward and forward
Time, unforgiving and silent.

Pat, pat, pat, pat.
Onward with faith, no matter where it brings to far and yonder.
Salvation - it seems. Or was it?

That ever glimpse of the shadow ahead.

Pat, pat, pat, pat.

-trax-

City Square, Johor Bahru.

2010-12-20T16:53:00.002+08:00

Just a stone-throw's distance from Singapore, City Square is the most accessible shopping mall in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. At a friend's recommendation, he told me about a great outlet selling egg-tarts in City Square on the second floor.

This chinese eatery is right beside the egg-tart outlet and we decided to head for dinner here. Nice name: Ke Ren Lai (aka: guests arrive). Its a decent looking eatery that sells many different types of chinese cuisine: Dong Po Rou (hmm.. braised fatty pork! lol), Muey Cai Kou Rou (pickled vegetables and braised pork), and a wide assortment of ala carte dishes as well. However, we decided to try out the hotpot menu. Prices are in the $16.90 RM range (great value if you ask me).

As of now, they have 3 types of meat (pork, beef, chicken) and 3 types of soup base (mala spicy, clear broth, medicinal herbal soup). Each set meal comes with a fried meat dumpling and some coleslaw. Heh, as gradually older people, we ordered chinese tea (pu'er) to go with the dinner - nope, no soft drinks.

The mala spicy soup comes with exactly 6 chilli padi and 6 dried chilli which I diligently fished out immediately in case of extra burn to the tummy. Else-wise, the soup is stomach-filling with 2-3 handmade meat balls, some crab sticks, vegetables as well as sliced meat (something like shabu shabu styled shaved/sliced meat).

After the hearty dinner, we went to the outlet beside Ke Ren Lai to John King!

Heh heh heh, the pictures speak a thousand words - no introduction needed.

Good news: the prices are REAL cheap. $1.80-2.20 RM per tart. They have flavours like coffee, durian, green tea, egg white, traditional etc. I got myself a box of 4 at $8 RM (equates to $3+ SGD around 2 USD). What sets these egg tarts apart from others is that the crust is not soft and mushy as with many cheap egg tarts. The tarts are easily separated from the aluminum cups and tasted as good right out of the fridge. Heh, this is definitely not my only purchase this lifetime - will be back there for more. =)

Astons Specialties

2010-12-20T16:37:00.000+08:00

Okay confession time: this is the first time I have ever eaten at Astons. This comes weeks after Botak Jones (which also happens to be my first time there). I was here at Changi Airport while waiting for the flight. As the usual country (city-rather) bumpkin, I originally thought that the main courses are in the $20-ish range and above (eg. Kenny Rogers?) to realise that the main courses can be as cheap as $10-ish.

Black Pepper Char-grilled chicken with 2 sides: mashed potatoes and onion rings. I liked the idea of allowing the customer to pick the sides and they do have quite a variety: garden salad, coleslaw, onion rings, mash potatoes, fries etc.

Regrettably, the previous visit to Botak Jones has pushed the bar high for grilled chicken. I remembered how Botak Jone's chicken is large and the black peper chicken is marinated with black pepper spices and not just having the black peper sauce doused over the char-grilled chicken. Here at this outlet, the chicken stays the same, only the sauce changes for different menu selections. Well, the char-grilled chicken is not bad, but not as good as Botak Jones. However, the sides are great though.

MOF @ Marina Square

2010-12-20T16:29:00.000+08:00

MOF! One of my favourite japanese outlet that sells great macha shake! Anyway, I have an MOF membership card which allows for free coffee daily/free green tea and discounts. Heh heh. As the usual glutton, I tried quite a few of their offerings. For instance, they have a $12-ish set meal that consists of ramen/udon with a side dish (eg. chicken chunks, salmon etc). They also serve shabu shabu sets that are in the $20-ish range but personally, the meat portions are too little for a carnivore. Plus, I dont touch the generous amount of salad that comes with it. Anyway...

Hot Stone Seafood Rice. Heh. I am also a sucker for piping hot dishes, especially those that comes with hot stones/a flame. This hot stone rice requires some level of skill to stir without leaving charred rice bits, similar to Pepper Lunch. Hmm, in fact, THIS tasted like Pepper Lunch's. Heh heh.

Yup, here is the breaded salmon which is served with a slice of lemon. This is good as a side dish to go with any noodle dishes.

Of course, I liked MOF for their ice creams and macha shakes. If I am on a budget, I would order the black sesame soft-serve ice cream ($2.80). Here is the macha ice cream which is slightly more costly. Nice!

Thai Express: Budget Thai food!

2010-12-20T16:19:00.000+08:00

Okay, I confess! I have quite a good yearning for thai food. Regrettably, the best thai food can only be had in context, in a place-specific manner when you are dining at one of the many street hawkers in Thailand (eg. Krabi's nightly food street; Aonang; Chiangmai's night bazaar). Fortunately, Thai Express churns out decent dishes that are (I would say) a mix of thai and asian/singaporean flavours. Well, for one, thai food is much more heavy on the spices/oil/coconut!

Fried Tofu chunks in sweet-n-sour sauce with peanuts and chilli - the tofu chunks have a nice crunch to it and are served hot. The sweet-n-sour sauce on the other hand, is milder but certainly not the best I have tried.

Tapioca in coconut sauce. You know, this is something which I love but the quality varies. The tapioca can sometimes be too hard for my liking, but since the portion is quite large, I would often pick off the ones which are softer.

Seafood Pineapple Fried Rice. Dont be deceived to think that there are only 2 prawns that equates to 'SEAFOOD' - there are squid and fish chunks hidden well beneath the pineapple rice. The rice is fragrant and well cooked. Perhaps this is Singapore's healthier choice as there is hardly any residual oil seen on the plate, much unlike the ones in thailand.

Soft-shelled Crab. Great crunch and delicious! I am quite wary of soft-shelled crabs after tasting some that are a tad too raw/fishy-smelling for my liking. Heh, but nevertheless, I would usually avoid eating the head section of the soft-shell crab (the eyes!!!!).

Mango Salad in thai sweet sauce. Hmmm, the one from Thai Express is milder and gentler as compared to those served in Songkhla, Thailand (which comes with a condiment that is very strong and pungent, I dont know... ginger maybe?).

Seafood glass noodles salad. (p.s. I love anything that are made with noodles, and I love tang hoon/glass noodles!)

Chilli Basil Chicken with rice. The basil chicken is okay and as usual, milder as compared to those in thailand. Nevertheless, it tasted good.

I loved the seafood hor fun from Thai Express the most. The innocent-looking clear sauce is actually spicy and hot. I liked how the ingredients add colour and variety to the dish. Great taste too.

Ehhh. I forgot what is this! opps. Prawn-paste fried rice? LOL.

Coconut ice cream with red bean. Good way to douse the flames of the spiciness and to prevent stomach troubles after the spicy meal. =)

Toast @ Work

2010-12-20T15:59:00.000+08:00

The newly-revamped Yusof Ishak House at National University of Singapore houses the new food court and the new Toast@Work coffee store. Amongst the sprawling cafes that caters to the caffeine addicts and bread lovers (Ah Mei, Ya Kun, Toastbox, Old Town Coffee), this is a new addition that I have seen. Hmm, okay I have left out the western coffee/toast outlets such as Delifrance, Starbucks etc.

Personally, I am a sucker for peanuts and peanut butter. This peanut butter thick toast set kind of does it for me perfectly. The toast set comes with a selection of toasted bread, including the regular ones with butter & kaya, similar to Ya Kun's. Sadly, the half-boiled eggs require manual labour to break the egg shells unlike Ya Kun's.

Generous serving of peanut butter on a piping hot toast!

Boon Tong Kee Chicken Rice

2010-12-20T15:49:00.000+08:00

Boon Tong Kee bright red-yellow signboard that you can't possibly miss amongst the row of eateries. Boon Tong Kee has a long history of about 30 years, serving cantonese food.

What could be more simple than a plate of white steamed chicken? Uniquely, the chicken comes with a bit of salted vegetables. For the unintiated, THIS is THE chicken. Great taste and yet without the questionable gelatin-like gooey stuff that plagues the so-called "good" chicken rice stall near Plaza Singapura.

Claypot Toufu. The one here is well prepared, the beancurd chunks are fried and does not dissipate into the braised sauce.

Call me a country(city-rather!) bumpkin but this is the first time I have ever ate chicken rice with rice that is shaped as per the pyramids. Great non-greasy chicken rice that is fragant and do remember to shower it with CHILI SAUCE.

Oh man....

2010-12-18T23:47:00.000+08:00

Yep, a whole lot of updates is coming right up real soon! Due to time constraints, I have sort of neglected posting here for some time. =.=

2am...

2010-11-14T02:17:00.000+08:00

Okay, some lighter, more positive music for a slight change. This time round, Rod Stewart - You are in my heart. P.S. somehow RS reminds me of aerosmith - you don't miss a thing. Well... maybe its just me. Anyway, enjoy this great song - its live version by the way!

I am supposed to be keeping up with my food blog posts, amongst other random nuances in life. Yup, there are quite a few (lot, depends on your perspective) of food to highlight but it seems that time is not in my favour. Beyond that, well, I have to literally shelf my running regime. Nope. Its not a cessation but a temporary halt for me to draft a brand new revised date line for the completion of 500km on my nike plus.

Carrying on this temporary tradition/obsession with numbers, I am currently counting down 21 days till I finally get the long-yearned for journey out of the country. Heh, some of my friends asked me if I would return to prey veng this December, but I guess I would have to shelf that thought too.

Nah, I ain't blaming on time, but on my inability to negotiate the finer workings of time. Well... there is the cup with half a cup of water and I will drink it down and fill it back up again - this time to the brim. (metaphor!)

Bothers. Which reminds me, I got a brand new camera which has been sitting in my drawer for MONTHS on end... there just isnt the perfect time for it to see the light. Wait for me!

Good night world. its 2am and I should be catching a snooze or two now. Cheers.

In Limbo.

2010-11-09T00:29:00.000+08:00

Music: The Cranberries - When you are gone. (nope, this is NOT the one that Avril sang. heh.)
A 1996 definitive time piece that found resonance within my ears. Songs like this makes me look out in the distant night traffic and drift into my thoughts.

Nope. Do not wiki the word 'limbo' for I am not subscribing to the religious version, and to all the chinese folks who caught Infernal Affairs, its not that 'limbo' of being trapped in THAT dimension either. Milder one perhaps? heh. But I'd guess the music is rather soothing to the ears which actually negates the reason for me having such a title in the first place does it? oh well.......

Anyway... as I was going to say...

Beyond the age old the-cup-is-half-empty/full analogy, there comes a time where we can begin to ponder why is there any significance in carrying on siding with either camps of the positive-negative divide. Let's just get beyond the cup: if it is half empty, drink it up and fill it up. if it is half full, great, drink it up and fill it up again.

As a self-serving reminder not to dwell into this continuum and potentially delirious vicious cycle of no egg-nor-chicken-comes-first, let's move on to Deal with it. Deceptively simple no doubt, but there is nothing more apt than the short sentence fragment "just do it".

On a self-cheering side note, I got myself two christmas trees (yup yup yup, they are real mini ones made of simple materials that sit ten inches on my desk in front of me and another one in the living room.) It made me feel slightly happier just by looking at them.

Well, I do hope that the rest of November and December will be kinder. Yes, I will remember to fill that Cup to the brim everytime it is half full or half empty, drink it all up, heave a load of air and move on.

Counting down to 25 days to get fresh inspiration and to overcome myself. Heh. Yes, perhaps I would lament as to how the extra baggage I have to carry (on myself) from months of disobedient food hoarding (hamster-style) and consumption patterns. Hopefully all goes well.

Till then, goodbye world.

26th October-7th nov

2010-11-07T23:04:00.000+08:00

Music: Coldplay - The Scientist

Yep, its not the newest song, but being myself...old songs still shine.

Tis a long time since I blogged. Well, times are unforgiving to the learner of the ways.

Its about time I took more than 3 steps back. Heh. It has been 5 years since I first reflected my thoughts here on blogspot. Previously I had an opendiary (i think thats the name for it) but it was closed down. So much has happened since 5 years ago and if i were to meet myself from then, i would probably believed that person wasnt me at all. Who am I?

Heh. A deceptively simple question begets a deceptively simple answer: i am who i am.

Philosophical? Nope. Self-reflection? I'd guess so.

Well its kind of true that when we were younger, the problems seemed simpler, issues have lesser dimensions, there are less moral and ethics dilemmas, there are less problems to begin with. And how our 'modern' [sic] fast-paced society conditions us to carry ourselves in certain ways, think in certain directions and act in more other areas. Not forgetting how Paradoxical isn't it? The faster we progress, the more we value slowness.

Perhaps now is the time to pause and pace. Yup, I took more than ten days to actually complete a post. Heh. My god. Besides, I used to blog about the narratives of everyday life here, which sort of became too uncritical and unreflexive. Some of them gets entangled into a whine of sorts, of lament and raves, of complains and nitty gritty issues. At times i Still do get caught up with the Moment to do so, but soon after I had started to venture into positivities. Of travels, of food, of music - sins/pleasures [sic; depending on which side of the coin!] of the world.

Well, I would say that life now and life years ago seemed vastly different. Of cause, I for one, changed. I used to be THE noisiest. Now? It depends who I am with really. I would find myself preferring silence and find solace within the ambient noise of the background. Heh, no doubt I am 'louder' within my head but my mouth prefers eating now rather (slightly).

Well, back to the issue here! Maybe the ingrained mentality of 'fast-paced' didnt seat well with me. What-have-you: 3-in-1 instant (read: fast) drinks, instant cup noodles (read: fast), quick boiling electric kettle (read: fast), 100Mbps cable internet (read: fast)... list never exhausts itself.

For the past two days, I have taken time out to stroll the supermart (read: slow) for fresh vegetables, enoki mushrooms and ingredients for my homecooked lunch and dinners. Heh, I took extra time to flip through the papers in the morning too. Its a great start amidst the chaotic mad rush, although I regretted that we can never really pull apart from. We'd just have to keep going and going. Some of us will make it. Some of us will falter. The fortunate and self-loving ones pick themselves up and try again. Unfortunate ones lament why is the world so unfair to them.

Life. So intensely complex. So intensely complicated. A myriad of colors, feelings, events, places, things. Oh man... Sure hope I can last that long to explore that many places that I wanted too. Heh.

Cheers to you who is reading this. Night.

Funan Weng Ipoh Hor Fun

2010-10-02T22:53:00.001+08:00

Finally! There you have it, my new blog section featuring food and interesting stuff. =) Well, to start, Funan Weng Ipoh Hor Fun! This is located right beside Tanjong Pagar MRT Station (Maxwell Chambers); do google it.

Their signature prawn-chicken hor fun - $6.20. What I liked about this is that the hor fun does not becomes mashy like most do after a short while (and the sauce would be watery too). The portion is just right for me, good variety of ingredients too. Personally, I hate my vegetables to be too overly cooked which reduces the vegetables to be fiborous strands - not good. They had managed to get the veg just right to my palate! Crunchy vegetables in sauce tasted great - coming from someone who has an inherent prejudice against vegetables (except for peppers, carrot, kang kong, lettuce in a sandwich; everything is pretty much my arch enemy).

The bunch of four chalked up a mere $42.40 for dinner and there's this promotion going on for a dish of fresh fish fillet for $2 (Cant recall.. I guess so!). They lived up to the name of it - freshness guaranteed!

This Chicken Hor Fun $5.80 looks just as delicious. And do not forget to get the chili paste. For non-chili-lovers, the chili's aint hot. And it compliments the food well!

Dumpling Soup ($2.80 top-up with any main meal purchased: 2 dumplings). Woah, these are big and stuffed full of meat. Heh. And for their signature dish hor fun, the dumpling soup and a glass of homemade drink, you'd need to fork out $10 bucks - no GST or service charge. Well worth the money.

Sound to the ears.

2010-09-27T01:02:00.000+08:00

Belle and Sebastian - Write About Love.

Heh, this is exactly why youtube is so great for - discovering "hidden" gems all around the world, different cultures, different music styles. I do admit that I haven't been well acquainted to indie pop music movement in the UK. Anyway!

I think this comes at an appropriate time for me to rediscover and redefine the things I used to be exposed to - food, music, sights and sound. I'm secretly thankful for having disposable income of my own (very soon) and be able to journey to places far out there. It will be interesting to challenge the mainstream, to try local delights from lived streets, sample music from varieties of cultures, journalize the splendor of difference; of streets, of landscapes, even of hotels.

Heh, I'd better get a grip before getting all excited at 1am in the morning. Time to catch some rest. The semester grows weary on the spirit.

Good night world.

Finally.

2010-09-23T01:41:00.000+08:00

After procrastinating a long and arduous time-over-due, its about time to revive photojournalism. I will gradually *i hope i remember to* add a new section to my blog... A new section to selected shots of new places and interesting stuff I have come across, and for old ones: new never seen before shots. Or rather, a new take on things maybe?

Yup, but before that, time to clear some work. Tomorrow.

One Two Five

2010-09-23T01:35:00.000+08:00

At 1.25am, I should ought-fully be in bed. The extreme rain in the late afternoon must have sent mosquitoes in a frenzied mode of blood buffet. I was the main course, the side dish and the desert. The last I counted, there were 12 bites on my left leg, 8 on my right, sporadic number on my arms. Equally as epic, I sat on my bed for an hour looking out to smack some of them but I just couldnt see any mosquitoes in sight. Did they shrank or my eyesight's going off? Equally as epic, I tired relieving the itch by attempting to dampen/wet my appendages with tap water but I scored a knee jab against the bathroom basin.

So here I am, blogging with the aide of my brand new philips iphone/ipod dock - alarm - radio. On a side note, I am oscillating my legs at a speed of 3 times a second to prevent further bites. Tomorrow I will purchase an electrifying racket to zap them all to hell. =)

Anyway...

Note to myself: smile. And I stand tall ... to get by.

6.36am

2010-09-14T06:50:00.001+08:00

Music: sound of two species of birds chirping! heh. haven't really heard the sounds of birds these days (concrete jungle becoming more sanitized i guess)

I was rudely awakened by myself and perhaps the heat in the bedroom at 4.38am. Strangely, my thermometer reads a cool 29.6 degrees but I guess the humidity is extreme at the moment. I was pretty much tossing and turning about, which each passing of the minute getting angrier for the excellent customer service I had for terminating my phone contract with the Red company (heh, lets all be realistic of the fallacy of free speech even on the internet medium). In short, two of their shops gave me a solid $500 Nett for the termination charges. The final bill came to $930, or around $450x 2. The unhelpful telephone service officer said one of the above shops is just a franchise and does not actually owns the billing records, thus will not give accurate answers. While agreeing that the other shop is Their service center itself, she mentioned that this is because I had two contracts running parallel to one another (that my 12months-recontract plan does not override the inital 24 months plan that I signed up with, thus the double charge of $450).

She was unable to provide a reply as to why the service center said $500 Nett and said that perhaps the staff there could have forgotten about the dual contract issue. So I pointed out to her that even if that is the case, why didn't my bill reflect $500 x 2 instead? She could not provide me any answers. She told me to go to the center to verify and check it out. But, hey, Why should I take responsibility of the error/inconsistencies within their company itself? Afterall, I didnt do anything wrong, someone in that company have to take responsibility for it.

It made me so angry that I couldnt sleep at all. Thus, I will go down to the service center today (the service staff over the phone said she will email the service centre to clarify this issue but its been 5 days of silence. great job.).

I am highly skeptical that the service centre will admit to this verbal information that was given to me. Great. I should have insisted for a printed memo from them as evidence. Great job. Clap clap.

Complete waste of my time.

Prelude.

2010-09-12T21:53:00.000+08:00

Music: Amos Lee - Colors.

The night sure is silent as always, something that is ever constant (or at least in my time here that is). Some good music goes with the mood. Well, almost everything is perfect 'cept for the 30.8 degrees ambient temperature here.

(post was typed out but removed) =)

The Epiphany .

2010-09-07T22:24:00.000+08:00

Its often said that Language allows us to properly express ourselves and create common roots of understanding.
At times, words of expression are paradoxically incapable of conveying the simplest of all meanings intended to.

What then, are the play of words? The mere teasing of vocabulary are but letters of the Alphabet strung together in an alliance of sorts, well, for the time that it lasts.

Alas. Yet the clock twice turns, more so before, certainly more so after.
Seeking asylum. A uncanny but calm night with Damien in the background.

Ode to myself. Praise. What could be more apt?

Smile. Those who have forsaken bids not, those who bids thee forsaken not.

I'd find myself in the strangest of places, travel around the world in search for myself.
I'd find happiness in the littlest of spaces, hiding around places in myself for search.

A revolution exists in deja vu. Both here and what is to come.

-trax (2010)-

Seventh Thirty Five in the Morning.

2010-08-31T08:17:00.000+08:00

Song: Music of the streets. The sound of a sleepy neighbourhood with the distant chirps and the motor vehicles. The temperature's at a desirable 27.1degrees, and the skyline is mildly covered by a blanket of clouds.

I had a sort of a good (albeit random) chat with Peter last night. As usual, I was sprouting all forms of my usual nonsense to him but I felt quite happy talking to someone in which I haven't really spoke to, sometimes for months on end. Sometimes, I just couldn't express myself that fluently in speech to show the appreciation for others. I'd gather that its a weakness of mine. Afterall, I was brought up in a traditional family where emotions are not always visible on the daily interactions. In stark contrast to families which go "bye mom! I'm going for school/work! Love you!".

Well, Peter's been quite a buddy! He'd post birthday cards to me (with a lousy drawing! hahaha. as lousy as mine lah.) and partly because me, being a frog-in-the-well, I can't help but constantly be impressed and amazed at how snail mail travels vast distances, connecting people and bridging divides. Heh, I recalled the time when he came back to the country (a distance of 10,000km or all 6250miles of it!) to visit his other half and dropped by to take a look at my new house as well... The moment was epic when I inadvertently caused the death of his usb WIFI adaptor by... sitting on it. OMG! *grins*. That was one hell of an epic fail (out of the countless many that happened. my oh my.)

All the best for your tests if you happen to pop by! :)

Meanwhile, goodbye world.

Afternoon Revelations

2010-08-27T16:57:00.000+08:00

Music: The sound of my neighbourhood (and yes, i do mean The sound from my neighbourhood. The gentle rattle of my minuscule fan that rests on top of my desktop CPU, the distant sounds of car tyres going over puddles of rain, the chirp of birds.)

Okay, I do confess to my buddy beside me. He's my iPhone 4, all 3.7 inches of the screen. I have to admit its pretty amazing to be watching National Geographic on 3G streaming. The channel's currently free till August 31st ! Perhaps its my inherent love for geography (definitely beyond the realms of grades and academic-restrictive knowledge), perhaps it symbolizes something far greater. Somehow, National Geographic channel makes me feel as though I am on an adventure in a random (and romantic) place on earth. Somehow, the iPhone now fills the void and functions as a window for me to look at places I have never ever been to.

Heh, I wont mind paying to watch the channel after the free viewing period ends though. I'm thankful I bought a phone that I (finally) like/love. After having transgressed from many different low/mid range phones from many (trust me, many is the word) brands, I have decided to go for the top end. Partly it was in response to my new found role model: JH. Heh heh, I used to wonder why would he spend so much for something; say a 3-digit figure for a pair of headphones. But I guess the main driving force lies in the satisfaction you'd get out of it. This was some foreign notion to me but I am starting to appreciate the importance of buying (and doing) something you like.

Heh, my brother commented that the followers of iPhone4 are "meeehhh meeehhhs". Or rather, sheeps from the herd. Haha! Amusing idea but I got to admit, the phone's pretty impressive. To date, I have spent another 100 plus bucks for accessories for the phone, not to mention terminating my 3-month old contract with the Red company (and paid $500 in penalty, I suspected more because I have yet to receive the bill) and switched over to the Green company, coupled with a hefty monthly bill. But oh well, my bill has rarel gone below $50 anyway. At least I get to check bus timings (yes, this sounds simplistic but without knowing the bus timing at the bus stops bothers me greatly. immensely so.).

Well, I am catching "Lonely Planet" on Nat Geo Adventure Channel! Its great. =) The traveller of mention is a singaporean who went to Lisu province in China. Wahhh.

Looking back, I had spent roughly 3 hours from 10pm last night to 1am this morning doing spring cleaning of my kitchen and my bedroom. It all started when I reached for the pack of chocolates someone dear bought for me in the fridge. I caught sight of three cockroach-like bugs on my kitchen table. Next thing, the entire table was sanitized and cleaned up proper. I then shifted my focus to the kitchen cabinets to root out all sense of evilness within: spiders, the same bugs, spider babies, ants, RICE WEEVILS! Call me weird but I took a cab down to the supermarket at 11pm to buy a rice bucket (previously rice was stored in a plastic bag and there were weevils in them). I wont consider myself as particularly filial but I instinctively wanted to make sure my dad dont eat the rice no more. His health isnt too well and it seems age does catch up.

I loved doing cleaning work: I cleaned toilet, scrub floors, tiles, windows, vacuum, arrange and re-arrange, pack and clear. It is an excellent way to de-stress and to keep the mind occupied. I dont deny the fact that I could spend my precious time on the day (or hours) before my examinations Just to spruce my bedroom/house up.

Well, and there is one more post I have to blog about. It just takes the right moment for it. ;) In the meantime, goodbye world.

Just me, my iPod and iPhone.

2010-08-22T03:34:00.000+08:00

Heh. It's kinda weird but I felt peaceful at the airport. The lack of crowds, a cup of cappuccino and warm chocolate cake. A book. Music.

I couldn't really embed YouTube videos now as my battery's not left with much anyway but I still gotta say, sherly crow, Kris Allen, secondhand serenade go well together for an ideal playlist for lasting the night.

Great music, free air conditioning, lol. I feel good man! Well, it's 3 am in the morning, I think I should head for mc breakfast soon. =) I seriously look forward for the chance to head out the country soon and experience another new place. Life's wonderful, ain't it?

Oh yup, I didn't update on the purchase of the iPhone. I had reserved a set with my existing telco but I was at the 23497th queue number!literally at 23497th place. Hence I jumped ship to another telco just within 14 hours of making my first reservation. Well, That telco had immediate stocks! Heh. Talking about being impatient, I just couldn't wait for 2-4 weeks. Anyway, my total retail therapy sessions for the vacation passes the 4k mark. Bothers. Well, at the very least these had helped defray much of my stress levels which reached unprecented levels time and time again. Well, I'm going to hAve to learn another healthier method to destress real soon.

White snow flower

2010-08-14T01:19:00.000+08:00

Yuki no Hana. By Mika Nakashima.
The last music of the night.

Final Retail Shopping List

2010-08-12T23:30:00.001+08:00

Apparels:
shoes x 2
watches x 1
spectacles x 1
business pants x 1
berms/shorts x 2
misc tee shirts/shirts x 10

Office/work:
picket&rail mesh office chair x 1
stationery x ???
microsoft arc mouse x 1
prolink mini wireless mouse x 1 (thrown away!)

Gadgets:
canon g11 prosumer camera x 1
canon g11 leather case x 1

Music and Entertainment/Games:
audio technica ear phones x 1
philips water proof sports headphones x 1
iTouch case x 1
games x 3 (xbox 360 red dead redemption, pc's starcraft II wings of liberty, the sims world adventure for ipod touch)
xbox360 hdmi connector x 1
audio cable male-male (for xbox 360)
geforce 250gts graphics card x 1
2gb ddr3 ram x 1
7 dbi gain wifi antenna x 1

Home Improvement (room improvement to be exact)
motorola dect phone
rechargeable batteries x 6
table top fan
3M stick ons: toothbrush holder, poster holder, hooks
water flask
metal mug
plastic boxes
shower curtain
fake flower + flower pot
glass coasters for hot drinks
power adaptor extension socket
organic honey
various snacks
magazines (HWMag, 8 Days)

Total cost: $2801
Duration: pretty much the duration of the vacation/GSS period. lol

p.s. that is excluding the 350+ spent for thai trip; another watch and 6 shirts, 2 pants bought in may. Congrats to myself for spending nearly 3k for just on buying stuff. 9 months ago, I had spent 10% of this amount to ward off rising stress levels and as a form of self-encouragement. heh.

Well, there are certainly times i lie on my bed, thinking to myself what else could I buy? I could browse papers, surf the net to look for things to buy. Well, there was this slight regret that I didnt activate the extra funds to buy....

Harman kardon sound sticks (speakers $300-ish)
Ipad/ IPhone 3 ($800there about)
Ipod/Iphone docking speakers from philips (real beauty! $159)
extra adidas watch (national day edition $66)

But that will bring my total spending to about 4100. which translate to a good trip to eygpt/europe and back for.... 2 weeks of lavish spending. or a super lavish japan trip for 2 weeks?

hmmm. I will do just that sooner or later. Hmmm. actually im sitting on the fence for the speakers..... but maybe not the ipad, just the iphone (soon).

Great Nights Great Songs - The Eighties

2010-08-07T22:01:00.000+08:00

Great songs are made with lots of emotions and by people who knows how to really sing. Take my word for it. This is simply. great. Although Heart wasnt the first to have sung this song but their version is great! Celine Dion did this song 20 years later tho. :)

George Benson: The original one to sing this song before Whitney Houston.

George Benson: Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You

Great defining music. Not to mention Bon Jovi's Living on a Prayer. George Michael's Careless Whisper. The Police - Every Breath You Take. Richard Marx - Right Here Waiting.

I am happy and grateful for these songs. :) good night world.

2010-07-25T14:13:00.000+08:00

Music: Damien Rice - Elephant (live and unpretentious) p.s. let the music speak for itself. damien rice's a talent no doubt.

Recently, I have been battling this throat infection for a week. and harbouring a cough for the other. I hope this doesnt turn into lung infection i had 3 years back. The X-ray wasnt pretty at all then. Well, life goes on. There are just as much things for me to do, if not more. Is it because I have bad time management or I tried to do much more than I could? Well, beats me.

I had the good fortune of having 2 more hours of sleep for the past two days; making it a 6-7 hours. These two hours helped (besides great music from the likes of damien rice). The following week presents another two challenges (okay, make it 3. on a recount). One week in which five separate events will play out, each with a different subject matter and with unpredictable outcomes. Well... with the exception of two, the three others are challenges no doubt. And out of the three, one had the chess pieces set in motion.

The two others lies within my jurisdiction. Good luck to myself. This will be one eventful week. Alright, hope for the best, onwards.

Music of the night.

2010-07-17T01:46:00.000+08:00

Music: JJ Lin - Love and Hope (Sichuan Quake Memorial Song)
p.s. on a sidenote, I am trying to learn the piano scores for this song. ;)

And so it is, I have my new Canon G11. Where will the world take me to next? In the mean time, I have got a series of Life's challenges to meet. Yup, I have long realised that challenges never seize to cease (no pun intended), and that, there may... very well be no End point in sight.

Well, I guessed pretty much that the End point is never really there, hence never really reached at all. In its place, we set smaller bite-size goals, work towards them, align them in a general direction we so wished. Phases? Maybe. Stages? Perhaps.

So are we all living in our world of free choice or merely enacting out the clockwork of a scripted destiny? I guess there is a thin grey area that people navigate around these two extremes, perhaps. Sometimes feeling full of zest and idealism, other times taking a short breather and admitting a temporary defeat - a timeout of sorts.

Well, if anyone reading this is confused, heh. I could find no suitable replacement words to describe the intricacies.

Yup, and since I feel that there is no true end point in life, there is only the direction that nourishes our motivation. For one, happiness is a direction.

Everyday should be a happy day.

(long chunk of text removed. decided not to post this)

In the mean time, good night world. :)

exhibiting signs of exhaustion.

2010-06-15T22:44:00.000+08:00

its when I cant keep my eyes open for long and have to keep blinking...
its when I have to ice-pack cool my temples...
its when I wake up just as tired as the time I slept...
its when trivial things slip my mind... like making a cup of vit-C and leaving it at the sink while on my way to work... not to mention important stuff, which had to be written out in post-its, stored on my phone's calendar and set alarms to remind myself for it. and another reminder to remind myself that the reminder is coming up soon.

its when my only source of life resides within less than a couple of hours spent doing 4 things at once: have dinner, watch tv, surf the net, listen to music (yes its possible)

its when the usual neat and tidy room became a mess with everything not previously supposed to be messy, messy. I am talking about a pile of assorted clothing (clean, washed ones nonetheless, just have yet to put in my wardrobe) strewn on a chair, a bag of (snack wrappers, post-its) on the curtain hook, stationery all over the table top together with cash, coins, cup, bottles, magazine.

its when I dont have the energy to vaccuum and spring clean on weekends much
its when I had to lie down earlier each day. 1am....12mn....11pm...10pm...today was 9.30.
its when I am on the bed, I cant fall asleep much either.
its when I reach for my axe brand oil and inhale it.

oh bothers. im defeated.

for now that is.

2010-06-13T01:41:00.000+08:00

this is perhaps an alternative to Five For Fighting's Superman song. Great song for the night

The Beatles - Let it Be

2010-05-25T21:32:00.003+08:00

A great song for the night.

May the Twelve.

2010-05-12T21:30:00.002+08:00

Tis nine thirty in the month of May,
Twelve days had passed but with Seventy in fray,
Yet the Earth continue on its relentless path,
Turning and changing,
Changing and turning.

Its rhythmic clockwork moves ever so firmly,
A routine long ignored but never forgotten.

Looking out in the silence of the night,
With the soothe of the piano hymns,
As darkness engulfs and warm orange hues on the streets...

How will the world be like tomorrow,
When the morning sun rises,
A new day has come.

But has it?
When the day will not be the same as That last.

.

.
.
.
.

.
.
.

I n this month.

My days are set and planned.
I will be managing my internship alongside projects/special semester.
So... I guess...
So... I guess..

Y ou...
O ught to take good care...
U nderstand?

There and Back Again

2010-04-24T08:25:00.002+08:00

Music: Matt Wertz: Falling Off the Face of the Earth
Album: Twenty-Three Places

Sitting in the familiar place at eight thirty in the morning, I caught a glimpse of life down on the streets. The sounds of birds in melody and the interplay of light and shadows as the sun rises. In respite of vehicle traffic and music playing from my speakers, the atmosphere's silent. In a silence I have come to appreciate.

It must have been fate, that my heart is everywhere as the semester draws to a close. I do, in fact, have a pile of papers right beside me that needs to be read and understood. Yet, I do, in fact, look towards the end of it all. For the cyclical oscillation to swing back in the month of august.

Somehow, I like familiar things. I have grown to love the past as much as the future, sometimes, more so than to focus on the present. Alas. I have to come back to Earth, or fall back that is. Truth is, this semester's been pretty much a rough ride, as with any other semesters. I had set the bar and made my sacrifices. Now there are two things I do yearn come Thursday when it all ends for me then.

Tis ten days till I set foot back to the kingdom of thai. I had wanted to make the choice back in the days of december but somehow it didnt materalise. I was real lucky this time round. Thanks JH. Somehow, I always find charm in going back to the past in search of my future and hopefully, some realignment and soul-searching/reflection. It will be a great journey then. JH, you can enjoy the landscapes and the shopping (and food, that goes without saying).

The line that Frodo Baggins of the Shire (in Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King) always found a unique place inside of me "There and Back Again"...

I have traced my steps back to my humble abode in all my Decembers since three years back. Now, its ten days to going back to the place I was at, one year ago. Yup, I have not the resources to see me further than in asia. But I will get my chances next time.

Nostalgic? Perhaps. Some people would use the word "crazy" on me when I told them that I could re-watch the same movie for... seven times or more? Well... perhaps thats just. Me. On a lighter (less spiritual/reflective) note... I could use a nice sun set or two, or even three. Oh god, just look at the sunset photos I have taken in Cambodia. Charming!

And I had this short paragraph on my blog's front page, something that I have written some time back..

In this conduit I ride, amidst the oddball of the seven seas and mystical creatures, towards the destination that I know little of. Complex it may be, yet ever intriging to behold. Powered by the fuel of faith, the vessel cruises ahead, into the strange new world.

Tis meant to be read as literature!

Heh. Cheers' Whoever it may be that is reading this.
Till then, goodbye world.

Return to Bed

2010-04-07T02:07:00.002+08:00

Music: Enigma - Return to Innocence
P.s. Somehow, I really really liked this song a lot ever since childhood. Perhaps its nostalgia? Somehow, life sometimes has its moments to remember and savour.

Yup, ever since a darn long time ago, I havent really blogged. Correction. I havent really have time for anything else. True enough time management was and still Is a major challenge for me. From day to day, I would just get up at 6 to reach school at 7+, do my work and reach home at 10 or so, and continue with it till 2-3am. Rinse and repeat. The previous few days were exceptionally draining (and so are the following days as well) with projects/essays/presentations worth 30-50% of the semester grade each. Gosh. I had just chalked up 8 hours of sleep... in 3 days.

Following the apocalyptic style of mad rush, I chalked up 11 days of totally concussed knock outs where I would fall asleep anywhere in my room with everything else pretty much switch on and running (pc, lights, music) and a straight 4 days out of the 11. I was practically sustaining on chicken essence, coffee, panadol everyday, eroding away the small amount of good health I had cultivated in the earlier phase of the semester. Today was the last straw. I had this I called, the Black Outs. Heh. The Black Outs refer to a particular type of slumber that is akin to that of hibernation, or that of a power switch being switch on - only that there is no *ON* button. Haha! There's only an *automatic* timer of a random number of hours.

I wasnt aware that my mom was cleaning my room, nor the number of calls/sms through my phone, nor that I had checked my sms while i was in the Black Out phase unknowingly and had later slept with a magazine and my phone underneath me on bed. Waking up, I decided to blog! heh. Interesting life. bothers!

Now after 5 hours of the Black Out, I am heading back to regular sleep pretty soon, tomorrow's going to be another day in the semester. Well, I have to admit I logged into Tiger Airways and fancied on a short trip back to Thailand. The night market of Chiangmai and the great coffee at the mall... The roadside hawker at Krabi and the scenic views. I got to go back one day, one way or the other ;p

I had gave in my coming semester break to work as well... this is going to be one hell of a year. plus. I would already have missed/gave up my chance to go africa in the semester break! Hmmm... and somehow I kept thinking about cambodia as well, afterall, I havent spent any Decembers not going back to our youth centre. Oh well, back to the 7th of april 2010 2.34am... I shall just return to bed.

*pat on my shoulder*

and well, I am not going to give up anytime soon, heh.

good night world. =)

Defying Gravity

2010-03-22T20:31:00.003+08:00

Music: Glee Cast - Defying Gravity

(p.s. real nice song I came across

Yep, its sure been a long while since I blogged about anything much these days. Well, I guess I am too preoccupied by school work and mentoring. Hmmm, I guess I would just have to hold on to my goals and move forward don't I? =)

Life's gonna be beautiful either way' Cheers world

Till Now...

2010-02-24T22:11:00.002+08:00

Music: Coldplay - Swallowed by the sea

p.s. one of my highest-played song on my playlist. And knowing that I have such a thing for "acoustic" versions of songs, this does great for me.

In order to combat exponentially rising stress patterns, $150 was spent today, following $100+ of spending over the course of the past few days. The prediction for the coming weeks? Priceless. =)

For one. I need something to spend money on. Though I am fully aware of the lack of any singular purpose of me doing so, perhaps its operant conditioning? Well, at least it seem to have some effect.

For another. I need to return to the drawing board. Something is critically wrong.

Peace out

a new day has come.

2010-02-16T01:30:00.002+08:00

the song that gave me light even in the darkest of days
and filled the air in the death of the night's silence.

the song that breathes life anew,
that replenishes and rejuvenates,
that nourishes and heals.

an old song that came useful tonight.

Good night world.

The Reunion Day

2010-02-13T15:04:00.002+08:00

Music: Story of the Year - The Antidote

(p.s. Although this isnt a new song, I liked this alot! The post-hardcore genre is expressed extremely well. 2 thumbs up! NOPE. none of these songs were paid-reviews. lol~ ;p)

2 hours ahead of the annual Reunion, I felt a sense of serenity even with the sweltering heat in the outdoors. My curtains, reflective sheets and bamboo-blinds cladded windows did well to prevent most of the temperature away. Unknowningly, 5 weeks of school has came and departed. These five weeks were none the special as the past semesters' - busy.

Nope, I aint going to start an entire barrage of reasons to add negativity to my life. Heh! =) I'd guess I can make use of the 2 days at the chalet to get a good rest. I had put a temporary halt (or rather, a slow-down) to my Running goal for the past few weeks to focus solely on my pull-ups. awww! Well, I had to get the physical fitness test over and done with.

Today is the day I reaffirm the challenges ahead of me and smile. I have came thus far and farther. Most importantly, I am still alive. Obstacles & challenges, here I come! heh. *pat myself on the shoulder*

Hmmmm!!! Well, there's at least one great news. In my attempt to get back in shape (and get back my muscles.. lol), I lost 4 kgs in 2 months. Hahaha! No dieting bull~, just more fruits, veg, milk, tuna (in water), limited amounts of ice cream and healthier snacks (seaweed). Tons of exercises. I'm lovin it.

Cheers world.
=)

Sometimes...

2010-02-03T23:02:00.001+08:00

(post deleted)

Smile. Makes People Stronger.

The Road...

2010-01-26T14:39:00.002+08:00

I open my lungs, to breathe in the air,
in a calm and serene room enclosed from the afternoon sun.

I'd look at the Road,
Haunting me now, reminders of how I used to be.

On down the Road ahead,
Troubles are sure to follow...
Uncertainties, commitments, targets, challenges.

Looking out the window,
Not sure where this road will take me...
So I just keep on driving...

On my way to the future
Looking into the rear view,
As the roads fade away.

I swore off my past,
Determined not to make the same mistakes that I did.

Tell me how to make right
Every wrong turn that I've learnt
That this could all end tonight

Ask myself if I can turn around and falter,
Or should I just keep on driving on
And stop living with doubt.

Should I just keep on driving?
(Adapted: Daughtry: Tennessee Line - Album: Leave This Town)

Great music #2

2010-01-26T00:01:00.000+08:00

Nice music

2010-01-22T00:45:00.002+08:00

Gianluca Bezzina - I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing - Voices 2008

Even in the busy period of the semester, music serves more than just a gap filler. Great music like this should be enjoyed. This rendition of Aerosmith's song breathes new life and a new dimension to the music. 2 thumbs up! Listen to this guys!

2010-01-19T00:52:00.001+08:00

a particularly dark and emotional song for the late echoes of the night. everything burns. 1am.

New Year Resolutions.

2010-01-05T23:24:00.002+08:00

1) Improve my grades (more specifically, to improve by at least 0.04 by this semester)
2) To run 500 kilometers. at least.
3) Manage my time better
4) DSLR. One of my few goals that I have yet to accomplish since 2007.
5) Travel to 2 countries in 2010.
6) IPPT Silver.

Yin and Yang

2010-01-04T23:07:00.002+08:00

Recently, two events struck me hard: a positive one and a negative one.

Positive one was the date-specific occasion on this 4th of January in which I acknowledge the distance "we" have came thus far and farther.

Negative one was a un-related & separate yet recent incident which reminded me and reaffirmed my determination and will to go on with my new direction in Life. (later chunks of text removed.)

Cheers to all!

=)

SK 09: There and Back Again

2009-12-23T19:41:00.013+08:00

Beyond the "traumatic" week of extreme fever (and blaming myself for eating all the ice from the sugarcane drink), the visit to the Khmer Kingdom was special. Prior to the trip was a little planning for the transport as we are not exactly sure how to get to Prey Veng Province itself. It helps big time that Socheat was there. And so the 3 of us (WB, JH and I)started our short visit to the Khmer Kingdom once more.

One of the main reasons besides visiting the youth centre was that of paying Socheat a visit. Socheat (left) was a staff over at the centre for around a year before he left to Phnom Penh to take his Bible studies in university. In Prey Veng, he was doing part-time degree in accounting as well as being the main caretaker of the youth centre in December 2008-mid 2009 after Dany married and moved to Phnom Penh. He's a real big help; waiting for us at the airport that day.

After a tuk tuk ride and a public bus ride, we arrived right at the doorstep. The familiar sight, the open country air of grass, dust and dung, the scorching sun and the ever familiar Sangkhem signboard - we are finally there and back again. It feels great to be back at the same place where I spent my Decembers since I stepped into university.

Perhaps I am the only fanatical one who really enjoys such landscapes; maybe the "grass is always greener on the other side" holds true for me here. These roads we trudged on towards the marketplace and back the centre. At times, students fill the roads during the prime hours like 10am, 1pm, 5pm. Other times, there were cows, the occasional jeep that drives past and the morning lady who peddles bread on the streets. Dynamic.

The Prey Veng Market area once again. This time, the market area is rather near to the hotel we stayed at (USD12/night!). The same area that enjoys nice sunsets and serves the local community. Well, Prey Veng is a rather off-beat track for tourists (and by the fact that it has limited content nor "attractions" stated in Lonely Planet) but splendid place to observe how people go about their daily lives and NOT just revolve themselves around the Tourist Dollar.

The sugarcane man. Arguably, the Khmer-style sugarcane is better than the regular ones elsewhere. Trust me, its That good. Hygiene level: varying depending on the set-up of the stalls.

The revamped computer cum library of Sang Khem. New donated computers and internet service!

This place used to have 3 computers when I was there in December 2008 with one that was out of order. There's even the ones with LCD monitor at the end of the regular CRT-display ones. The youths were seen to be practising MS Word when we were there.

The archival photograph we brought to the centre last year (of 2007's).

and of 2008's...

The second floor balcony. The place where we had our chit-chats in the past. The place where we hang out at night to write letters to one another. The place to catch a glimpse of Life in the early morning. =)

On the way to the youth centre, we attempted to purchase 16 packets of sugarcane to the sang khem 2009 team. We met our first failure at the marketplace as the seller didnt believe that we would buy that many packets although I said, "dhop praam muei" correctly. This shop along the way back to the youth centre succeeded! It must have been quite a pleasant surprise to them though!

and when the sun sets... the market place transforms...

...and so did the riverside

splendid. We were blessed with a magical sunset that day. Photo's unedited except for resizing and adding of watermark!

Heh, the 2009's group did a pretty impressive job at the painting of the youth centre! Fresh coat of background paint and they will be doing their murals on it.

Celeste had roped in the her team to celebrate JH's birthday! Heh. WB and I succeeded in packing up all our stuff and leaving while JH was bathing in the hotel in the morning. We left him a note that says "bye!". We had previously bought a small egg cake, candles and 4 party poppers to surprise him at the youth center when he realises that he's punk'd! Somehow, the cake was invaded by ants and the party poppers failed (-_-). And so celeste led with the "ragging" and song singing!

We left Prey Veng for the final league of our journey in Phnom Penh. We tried out the range there...

tried to visit the Palace but entry was denied I guess (some vietnam people were arriving for visit?)

Undaunted, we head to the river facing the Palace to take in the sights. Interestingly, the royal structures largely resemble Thai's. Oh yup, here's some experimenting with vignetting effect from photoshop! Never really tried before though.

Numerous countries' flags were proudly stationed here. Yup, vignetting effects added!

The "shopping mall" of Phnom Penh: Central Market. We literally combed the area looking for stuff to buy.

FOOD Section (of course!)

Fried Chicken with Rice. Prey Veng Restaurant.

Fried Rice with Chicken. Prey Veng Restaurant. Looks healthy, is healthy and tastes nice too.

Our dinner @ Prey Veng Restaurant. The egg omelet tasted exactly the same throughout the three years.

Breakfast @ Prey Veng Market open-air stall. Erm.... its hard to put a descriptor to it. Hygiene level beyond the macro-closed-up shot is... highly subjective to personal tolerance/acceptance.

KFC, Asia Hotel, Phnom Penh. Interestingly, there is no mashed potatoes! The small plastic container's full of gravy, perhaps meant for the rice. This is what a fast food meal ought to look like if its dined in; i'm not sure if anyone else seconds me though!

Chinese food, Restaurant beside Asia Hotel, Phnom Penh.
------------------------------------------------------------------

There and Back Again. The visit as a third party to observe, to reflect, to experience and to tell. I guess I have a better understanding now... As a participant, as a leader and lastly as an observer. You know, the phrase "there and back again" is actually from LOTR: The Return of the King; "There and Back Again, a hobbit's tale..."

Heh. One particular point that struck me the most was that the kids grew up rapidly; partly owing to the fact that they are in their puberty years and partly because I had seen them only annually in December. The ever-so-wonderful-and-cute children; narong, nirawat, poluck have all grown into charming young adolescents. Heh! Nirawat still kids and jokes around more but narong seems to have grown up more.

The rural-provincial landscape changes. Although most of the buildings, landmarks and animals were the same, there is a slow but steady grow in number of affluent structures that have been constructed... coupled with rising commercial brand names that the Western world conjure: Honda, Maybeline...

The youth centre itself changes. The growth and increasing popularity in the Internet can be seen in Phnom Penh as well, not just at the youth centre. More computers, and less emphasis on the library. Fresh coat of paint with new murals. Perhaps in years to come, the youth centre will serve a different group of youths for a different purpose as compared to its initial founding phase.

The staff changes too. Peter and Juliet were no longer helping at the Centre and so did Socheat. Srey Mom remains with 2-3 new staff. Our point of contact from our parent NGO Love Cambodia, Aunty Bee Ngoh left as Pheareak took charge.

Well, I guess the only certainty in Life is Change in all sense of the word. =)

I cant help but wonder and feel the utmost curiosity about how the youth centre fares in the years to come. I have taken part in making its history once. And I have seen the new batch taking the lead as I passed on whatever vital information and experience that I have. It isnt about glory or doing a great merit. Nope, not at all. But to me, I feel satisfied and contented that I have walked down this path, and that I would not have regretted making this choice. I had missed on probably a ton of social events, outings and gatherings from 2007-2008 to handle preparations, and the trip itself. But I guess, Life's always a Choice to make aint it?

Looking back, the Project was one of the most meaningful Projects that I have ever done. Thank You Sang Khem.

Back to Home...

2009-12-23T09:50:00.003+08:00

Hmmm.. matter of fact, I have been back for an entire week after the Cambodian trip. Sadly, I came down with bacterial infection and had to be "grounded" at home and missed my Malacca trip (in which my friends are in Malacca now).

Words to describe the past 6 days: paracetamol, charcoal pills, chinese medicine, ciprofloxacin, lactobacillus B powdered sachets, mefenamic acid capsule (when paracetamol became ineffective), ice packs, showers, thermometers - nothing of the pleasant sort.

My temperature started from a mid 37degrees which shot to a high 38 after taking the antibiotics. Subsequently, paracetamol lost its effect and i went to A&E for the stronger medicine. That night, I got 40.3 degrees and it was certainly the worst fever I have got in recordable history. I burnt through all my ice packs and threw up green liquid. God.

(serious of equally unpleasant stuff...... blah blah)
Finally..
I'm only but glad that the worst has blown over and I'm left with a low grade fever.

Ahhh... regrets...regrets...

Bidazzled Entertainment Auctions - reviewed

2009-12-23T09:29:00.001+08:00

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Bidazzled. All opinions are 100% mine.

Hey guys, as Christmas approaches, take a look at this.
In the recently November 2009, Bidazzled.com started a online bidding and auction merchandise website which offers substantial savings of up to 90% on name brand items. Uniquely, Bidazzled.com is created and designed to fund the Ruch Foundation, a lung cancer charity. The Foundation; “Jimmy Ruch Fund” promotes awareness and treatment alternatives for small cell lung cancer and recently hosted a Memorial Golf Tournament in October at the Louisville Country Club.

The bidding system used in Bidazzled.com is a Par-Per-Bid auction site as bids are bought prior to bidding and then used to bid on the items. Once the countdown timer ends, the auction ends when no other bids are placed and the highest bid wins. However, if the bidder does not win the bid, there will be a free 50 Bonus Bids point as a form of “thank you”. Interestingly, Bidazzle will also make an offer to buy the item back from the winning bidder in cash (paypal, check) or with bids. Bids starts from $1 to purchase and are available for purchase in bundles of $25. Bonus bid points are also credited.

Bidazzle.com is currently having a special online offer until January 15th 2010 for 15 additional bids to readers of this post. Just enter this code in the registration page (BBP1202A). Readers who refer their friends to take part in Bidazzle will also receive bonus bid points too.
So check it out!

Off to the Khmer Kingdom!

2009-12-13T22:07:00.002+08:00

Goodbye world. I should be cutting off ties from the internet world for at least 3 days till I get back.

I am eager to visit the place I promised to. I am eager to see how much the place changed since then. I am eager to meet up with Socheat once again. Yay!

Cheers. (good night to that special someone in japan too.)

Carlsberg Wish in a Bottle (reviewed)

2009-12-10T14:32:00.002+08:00

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Syndacast. All opinions are 100% mine.

Hey guys, right from 30th November 2009, Carlsberg is having the "Wish in a Bottle" Campaign where great prizes await you when you help vote for Mike's wishes either via Facebook or by SMS. This New Year, Mike has six wishes to be fulfilled for his ultimate hot New Year's Eve party and Carlsberg's going to grant him the best ones! What you can do is to help him get his wish by voting for the shortlisted 6:

1) Disco Roller Girls
2) GI Janes with Beer Soakers
3) Beer Fountain with Your Mates
4) Beer Foam Party with Your Mates
5) Mechanical Bull Riding
6) Bungee Jumping with a Santarina

Where's the ultimate New Year's Eve Party you may ask? Carlsberg will grant Mike's winning wish that is the most popular choice by fans of facebook and SMS supporters to Mike and his friends at Celebrate 2010, the biggest countdown event at The Float @ Marina Bay on 31 December 2009. Mike will surely by attending the party with his friends (VIP style of cause) where he will see one (or more) of the top 3 nominated wishes come true to life! He will also get his coveted moment of fame on stage, as he helps to lead the countdown to the New Year of 2010!

Mike and Friends, plus all lucky winners from SMS and Facebook votes, will celebrate with Carlsberg and experience some of the wishes at the Carlsberg VIP Lounge on the floating platform.

So help make Mike's Wishes come true this Christmas! Just head down to facebook to vote for Mike's Wishes for a chance to win!

(Grand Prize): 2 Grand Prize Winners
$5,000 each + VIP tickets to Celebrate 2010 for winner and 3 friends

(1st Prize): 5 Winners
VIP tickets to Celebrate 2010 for the winner and 3 friends
The VIP tickets include access to the Carlsberg Lounge on the floating platform, free flow beer and finger food, and a chance to meet Mike and experience his wishes.

(2nd Prize) - 100 Winners
General admission tickets to Celebrate 2010 for winner and 1 friend.

Alternatively to enter this campaign via SMS

Send Carlsberg Name NRIC Wish Number to 78111
Example: Carlsberg John Lee S7911111T 2
1 for Roller Girls
2 for G.I. Janes
3 for Beer Fountain
4 for Foam Party
5 for Bull Riding
6 for Bungee Jumping

Carlsberg - Probably the Best Wish in the World~

on the 8th of december

2009-12-08T21:19:00.002+08:00

Music: Sara Bareilles - Gravity
Great music for a cool and windy tuesday night. Heh, I had always liked music that does fares simple on the "decorations" and excessively backgrounds. Especially acoustic verions or unplugged recordings! Kudos to a great nice song for the wandering mind in night.

Today marks the 6th day after the end of the examinations - and the end of the fifth semester. Tis not a long journey to look back and realise that I'm all but half done in my pursue of the degree. Many-a-time, the fuel for the heart and soul gets expended in the process. Sometimes, music helps to relieve its symptoms; other times spending keeps the blues at bay.

I don't particularly liken the practice of reading journals after journals forevermore. I'd rather go for another Field Studies module where theories become the central force that drives us to test and augment our experiences. Cosmopolitanisation - is it in our dreams to expand our views and see the world?

But yet ultimately there's a ton of lil' mundane stuff that makes our lives complete.

The six days are well spent. I had gone for 2 runs, making my nike+ sports system useful. I've set goals that will slowly work up to long distances as time goes. I went for a swim. I fell sick. I played game (p.s. Dragon Age is a great RPG). I went out. Things I wouldn't have the time to.

With regards to the failed thailand trip, I've booked a trip to Malacca instead. Cheers to myself for being so fortunate to travel and see the world around me. I wouldn't mind if its to a near "neighbouring" country or a "uncommon" Asian country; afterall, all countries have their intrinsic value, value that no commercial world could ever comprehend with dollars and cents.

The new SK team is set to leave for their mission and to continue on the legacy of the past. And here I told Chit Chin how glad I felt when I see them getting ready for the day.

And also in the coming month, marks another joyous occasion on the 4th of January: a small step towards making the future a reality. =)

As the new year is approaching its conclusion, I am happy to have lived in this time and experienced Life. Afterall, the cliche phrases holds true: Life is Beautiful. Looking forward to living my December in 2009.

Cheers

Christmas Comes Early #3

2009-12-04T23:15:00.002+08:00

Music: none (nothing rings in m ears at the moment =) )

New Christmas presents... for myself! AGAIN! hahah =)
My new jogging direction is fueled by nike+ sensor, nike+ sportsband, shoe adaptor! (edit: I bought another new casing: Marware velcro-type sensor suit)

Christmas Comes Early #2

2009-12-01T18:31:00.003+08:00

Music: Damien Rice - Delicate (live)
(p.s. this is really a great piece of music. one of my personal favorites to say the least)

Well, I guess the semester's pretty much (going to be) concluded in 16hours time. Heh, and here I go having a premature breather for an hour or two. I'd just completed one paper today and going to start my revision for the last remaining one at 9am tomorrow.

Indeed, Christmas comes early. I've already thought about my new wishlist for Christmas. =) Well, whatever makes me happy, makes me happy!

I will need sometime to properly reflect on this semester's happenings and conclude the year for a brand new 2010. There's a ton of stuff in my mind, stuff thats waiting for me to fulfill and overcome.

Well, I should be heading down to catch up on my Remote Sensing module. In the mean time, I present you, Damien Rice - Delicate. Heh. =)

Goodevening world.

Christmas Comes Early

2009-11-29T14:49:00.004+08:00

Tips to combat study induced stress: spend $300 bucks for early christmas presents. for myself of cause. =)

okay okay, not Just for myself. And a lovely camera for someone special~

Light

2009-11-28T10:49:00.002+08:00

Music: Mayday - Zhi Zhu
somehow old songs die hard.. meaningful songs deserve more than a third helping.

meaningful. as long as You are happy.

Exam Stress Relief!

2009-11-19T00:01:00.002+08:00

Heh! I had a great laugh from all these short commercial clips! I got to say that the thai advertising scene is much better than over Here. =) Yup, for those who are currently mugging/stressed by studies! watch these!!

8.19am

2009-11-04T08:15:00.002+08:00

Our Lady Peace - Life (from album, Spritual Machines)

Our Lady Peace - Innocent

(p.s. the wonderful song that David Cook did a cover on. well, this is the original band! Head down to youtube do a search for the official music video guys. this is good stuff)

Just though I would share 2 nice songs with everyone. Cheers out~
=)

on the first of november

2009-11-01T23:08:00.002+08:00

Music: David Cook - Lie (Acoustic Version)

(p.s. I'm not emotional at this moment! Just here to share another superb song by David Cook')

On the First, my final project is nearly completion. The semester will come to a close in 31 days. Not surprisingly, this semester is about to leave as fast as it came in August. I am almost going to put down the stones and pick up new strength to kick start the study-mode.

Been spending a long long time thinking about some stuff, but I am okay now thanks to a nice phone conversation. =) Next stop: Cambodia after the exams.

Set me on the jet plane already!
---
Till where the wind and waves taketh me. On this journey that calls port. At the far-away habour of white. - trax 2009

Leave a Light On... Will You? Please?

2009-10-25T19:53:00.003+08:00

Music: David Cook - Light On (acoustic version)

Isnt it interesting why some beautiful songs sounds precisely so because they so sad and emotional? Well, anyway, do enjoy this youtube video. One word: beautiful.
---------------

Today was a failed attempt of sorts. I failed to destress myself even after prolonged periods of time stuck in front of my computer watching movies and playing games. I failed to transport myself to thailand. Apparently, all budget and regular carriers are all booked with the exception of selected flights at 2000bucks for a return flight. I was nearly crazy enough to purchase the tickets for a 3D2N trip to bangkok. I just want to let the world go pass me while i leave quietly on a sunday. Mission failed. I tried other places like ho chi minh city- failed as well. I tried coach tour websites. Nope.

I was desperate alright.

Tired. Who Aint?

2009-10-23T23:53:00.002+08:00

Music: Surface - Sunao Na Niji (The Innocent Rainbow)

Today marks the watershed for the completion of two more projects, leaving one project (of a high % grading) and a mini essay. Afterwhich, the cycle of preparations for examinations will start soon after.

Recently I attended a workshop which left me thinking for some time. In this activity called the "Pace of Life", the facilitator made a miniature 400m tracks and instructed us to take positions and run. After every round, we are to turn 180degrees and run in the opposite direction. No other instructons were given to us. Starting the activity, we ran. The facilitator took on the role of Society, telling us to run faster, inciting us not to stop and consistently added much stress into the activity by articulating our mundane stressors: need to earn money in the future, the society depends on us, our parents depend on us, we need to study well...

We were not told when to stop or how many rounds to run, and so we persisted. We had to keep pace with the person in front and behind us, for people who lost their path and pace will get eliminated out of the activity in another room with no details given to us either.

The activity was done tastefully to mimick our lives in this chaotic and fast-paced society. Oftenly, we are caught up in the rat race of making things work out. We feel that there is no way out of the system and the only way is to adjust our pace to match the people around us, no matter our individual preference. Specifically, our society emphasised on doing it the "right way" - with anything else as considered deviant and "wrong".

But what the facilitator said at the end of it all struck me. She said... many-a-time when we are so caught up in this rat race, there will be outcasts who cannot keep pace with that of society and thus, get eliminated. But... she asked us whether have we considered who are the outcasts? They are our loved ones.

In our busy lifestyles, perhaps we have outcasted people who cared about us, eliminating them from our "society" and taking them for granted.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Yup, my current life is pretty much summarised in a word: busy. Nope, I aint going to complain about it too much here. An old friend of mine told me that we should get together for dinner sometime and I actually said, among a barrage of reasons, that most likely I am only free next year. I said I was busy and I am truthful of it.

His reply was something like "you chose to make it this way.."

Heh. And he's quite right. And perhaps because I am too systematic in a way for I set myself a goal of attaining something that people though I couldnt. I am not sure if I will ever reach my goal but in the process of working towards it, in the process of sprinting down the track of life, have I outcasted my loved ones and my friends from my life? Have I even outcasted myself? Made myself a separate entity and purport the "rational" mind as a new identity?

Afterall, what made us humans are our emotions as much as our ability to reason.

Right now, I am down. I need a breather.

the pursuit of happyness

2009-10-18T23:12:00.002+08:00

Music: Aerosmith - I Dont Want To Miss a Thing (Armageddon OST)

Sometimes, older songs pack much more than a new one. 46 million views for this video!
---

Today marks another ending to this nameless week of the semester. It was time spent entirely at a table in school, trying to fit the last remanents of the project together. From an initial total of four, we dwindled it to two unfinished projects (and one that is nearing completion). It was more than a handful but it was well worth it.

I had spent my saturday morning doing the rare morning jog regime and the afternoon on projects. Somehow, my saturday was drained of energy from the run, but my sunday was an energetic day. I was feeling less lethargic even after a full day's of work. I had recently got myself a new Sony mp3 player to go with my jog/run regime and I'd planned to make full use of it. Afterall, I've got 9 more years of maintaining my health and shape for the physical fitness tests to come.

I had booked and confirmed my flight back to cambodia, back to prey veng and the youth center. I had promised that I wouldn't let Sang Khem 2008 be just a few blog posts. Now, finally, a sigh of relief. It may seem silly to some, afterall, I have been there and done it, why do I want to re-visit the past?

Perhaps this is the way I live my life? I could almost never do something or experience something and call it off once I'm done with it. I would rewatch my vcds/dvds again and again. I would enjoy the same exact dish of food for many many days if not weeks. Yup, I will try something new, but not without revisiting the stuff what made me as what I am now. You know, when we take a step forward, our other foot is always steadily on the ground behind.

Well... part of me is rather upset as I could not manage to get the airtickets to thailand. As I was busy calculating the prices, it shot up by 100%. There goes.

Well, nevertheless, I look forward to the end of Semester 5, the definitive past-the-half-way-mark for my studies. I look forward to going back to the very place that help shape my mentality and character since december of 2007. I look forward to a new day.

You should too. Find your happyness (yup, the spelling's quite right)today~

Cheers and good night world.
=)

A New Dawn

2009-10-12T11:00:00.003+08:00

Sunrise - ever as romantic and ever as alluring.
As I look towards the horizon,
The red sun rises with its boundless energy and endless shine.

Basking in the warmth, I wonder...
What is the world out there in the far yonder?
Nature's silent answer echoed.

Up upon the sky, a kite glides in the gentle morning breeze.
A mosaic of colours, a myriad of patterns,
is gleeming in the hopeful eyes of a child.

The child pulls the kite with little expertise,
tugging at the ends and fumbles with the strings.
Nevertheless, the kite seems unravelled amidst the haphazard control.

Is this the work of Nature? Or the art of Luck?
The though crosses my mind.

Should I offer my helping hand? Or should I gaze?
As the body and the mind clashes,
I wondered.

Time becomes trival as the thoughts cloud the sky,
painting it grey.

Remember, remember,
the onset of november,
comes swift and thus forth.

In the season of blazing sun,
What should I do then?

-trax 2009-

Killing the Blues

2009-10-01T21:20:00.002+08:00

Music: Robert Plant & Alison Krauss - Killing the Blues (from the album Rising Sand)

(great song to unwind to and to listen to the beat of the city as it mellows into the twilight hours. Other songs in my playlist: Elthon John - Circle of Life, Heart - Alone, Richard Marx - Now and Forever. Nice songs in my view~)

Life's getting pretty much topsy turvey in the recent weeks. Yup, I am slower in this semester as compared to the last. I had managed to catch up with 2 modules. The other 2 were grossly overlooked since august. I cant find the right amount of energy; both mentally and physically, to concentrate. It gets exceedingly bad when I am in need of a breather away and out of the country. The atmosphere here is the juxtaposition of dense and tense, or so I feel.

I spent hours looking through destinations to go to, airfares, brochures. I even stayed up late pretty much at night just for this, and waking up after 4-5 hours to continue another day in school. With this whale of possibilities, I dont mind sacrificing a part of my precious reserves to fund these 'dreams" of mine. All I need was someone to go with me.

Sometimes, we need to stop before we can continue walking.
And I am looking for my 'sometime'.

Cheers to a nice and cool night! =)

In the Middle of September

2009-09-29T01:09:00.002+08:00

Song Recommendation: Daughtry - September (from the album: Leave This Town)

Here's a nice song from Daughtry for chilling out in the middle of the night. Aptly, the month of september is fast leaving as time passes. Of all the things I used to remember, in the middle of september 2009, I chanced upon some old photos. The year 2005 is now but a fading snapshot of memory, obsecured by the mundane logs of the present. I recalled the concept of a time capsule when I was young and the media gave this idea a great coverage. Besides having a physical metal chocolate box containing fragments of my childhood, photo archives on my harddisk (copied and transferred) also withstood the test of time.

My earliest digital photos originate from a Sony digital camera that records on a particular digital medium that phased out - the floppy disk. Yup, the large chunk of a digital camera boosts of a floppy disk storage. 7 years later into the present year, the world is transferring data without seeing anything physical: bluetooth, wifi.

Interestingly, my other photos were divided into distinct folders according to the camera's make: nikon, casio, panasonic and lastly canon. Somehow, evey photo seems to allow me to see myself and my life in that particular time at that particular place. I realised that the only thing that remain constant was change itself.Each of the photo told me a story.

And I wonder... if one day I were to leave this world and if all the people I knew did as well, who would know the stories behind the photos? Who will remember me and that I exist? Perhaps none indeed. Perhaps, we will just be reduced to digits and statistics meant for the future generations to analyse, or form a larger collective history for them to see.

Against the test of Time, who am I, really?

Are we but the photograph found in an album? The photograph that resides and lives for the brief moment in that particular space at that particular snapshot of time?

So when we take a photograph, are we the photographer capturing pictures we so desired,

or are we essentially THE photograph that was taken in that time frame?

So what was captured? The image itself? Or our memory of the image (and its story behind it)?

Interesting...

Oh My God.

2009-09-28T20:21:00.003+08:00

Music - (none)
Quote: Itchy Fingers make the most Scratches.

There I was trying to pick a new template for my blog and I found one. I copied the .xml file over blogspot to realise that all my widgets are gone. (long pause) It took me one and a half turns on the clock to salvage and recover the stuff that was gone: links, (pause again), i mean everything!

Roar.

Back to my long-overdue work.

Cheers!

trax inc. - Life goes on...

Yellow. Awesome.

Peace and Zen.

Imperial Treasure La Mien Xiao Long Bao - Marina Square

Professor Brawn Cafe - Novena

Xi Men Ding Taiwan Cuisine - Raffles City

The Cathay Restaurant

Southern Thai Authentica

Deep city lights

But I stand tall to get by.

Looking Back.

Ramen/Pasta: Clark Quay & Bishan; Wet vs Dry

Table Top BBQ: Japan and Korea combine.

Coffee Club

Ajisen: Budget Japanese Food

StreetScape 2.0 - Photojournal

15th May

Have the time passed away?

Sometimes...

Silence of the night.

Hong Kong Soon Kee Desserts

Long before due post: Kinabalu 2010 - Climb of a lifetime

I remember...

Of consciousness and connectivity.

Peace.

On the Feb of Twenty One.

I can see in colour.

Life goes on...

Food (again) - Universal Studios, Singapore.

Berjaya Times Square Food, Kuala Lumpur

Ah Chew's Dessert

Nice morning music

The smile.

Kim's Family Restaurant: Budget Korean Food

Goodbye 2010

The glimpse of the shadow

City Square, Johor Bahru.

Astons Specialties

MOF @ Marina Square

Thai Express: Budget Thai food!

Toast @ Work

Boon Tong Kee Chicken Rice

Oh man....

2am...

In Limbo.

26th October-7th nov

Funan Weng Ipoh Hor Fun

Sound to the ears.

Finally.

One Two Five

6.36am

Prelude.

The Epiphany .

Seventh Thirty Five in the Morning.

Afternoon Revelations

Just me, my iPod and iPhone.

White snow flower

Final Retail Shopping List

Great Nights Great Songs - The Eighties

Music of the night.

exhibiting signs of exhaustion.

The Beatles - Let it Be

May the Twelve.

There and Back Again

Return to Bed

Defying Gravity

Till Now...

a new day has come.

The Reunion Day

Sometimes...

The Road...

Great music #2

Nice music

New Year Resolutions.

Yin and Yang

SK 09: There and Back Again

Back to Home...

*Bidazzled Entertainment Auctions - reviewed*

Off to the Khmer Kingdom!

Carlsberg Wish in a Bottle (reviewed)

Bidazzled Entertainment Auctions - reviewed