Exercise

Here I am back in KL for the weekend. It has been quite a slow week for me at work, thus allowing me to leave work on time. Though busier weeks are expected end of the month, due to third quarter closing.

With me being able to get off work on time, I managed to go to a commercial gym for group exercises. Yes I know, I am in the remaining 10% of the community who do not frequent the gym.

Anyway, I had a go at pilates on Tuesday, gym ball on Wednesday and Bodystep on Thursday. The pilates class was not too bad, though I felt the instructor was a bit too quick and the whole session felt rushed.

The gym ball class was very good. I was with Lloyd and at the end of the class, I was aching all over. The good kind of post-workout pains. We worked on the abs, arms and shoulders. Even though there were no exercises targetting the legs, there were some effects felt too. I suppose it was due to the gym ball used, where the leg muscles were engaged to stabilised my body.

Bodystep was quite fun too, though there were a lot of jumping, hopping and complex choreography stepping involved. I reckon I didn't too bad on my first try.

The pace was fast and I don't think I got the right movements, in terms of how to step. As in the knee-bending, up-stepping and ankle-lifting had to be done correctly or else it would be quite bad for the knees and ankles. And I have less than strong knees and ankles.

I also attended the Bodypump and RPM classes too.

So now I have had a taste of what all the hype is all about. Some of my gym-going friends have mentioned all those group exercises in conversations and I have no idea what they were talking about.

Overall, those classes are quite fun and it does look like an enjoyable way to be healthy and shed some pounds. Definitely beats running on the treadmill at my condo's gym.

All of the classes above were made possible thanks to Nick's and Lloyd's free 1 week pass. Thanks, guys!

Wall-e and some reminiscence

It has been raining these past few days. The cool weather is perfect to just lie and laze in bed, under the covers. Better still if there was someone to cuddle with.

Anyway, just came back from watching Wall-E. Pixar has done it again with its excellent storytelling and plot. Sure, the graphics are great, it is almost a given. The story is more important as without it, no matter how good the graphics is, the latter could never compensate the former. Case in point is a certain story set in a far, far away galaxy.

How Pixar managed to humanise a story about two robots and to slip in a message on preserving the environment is indeed remarkable. Congratulations again to Andrew Stanton, the same guy who gave us Finding Nemo (I still love this the most and because of the movie, the clown fish has become the most recognisable fish) and Toy Story.

At work, things are ok. Though I find it unsettling when I become the center of attention about my love life. A colleague seemed particularly interested in it, asking probing questions. The frequency of the questions seem to have increased.

Oh well.

There is a colleague who is meeting someone from online for the first time tomorrow. From URL to IRL. I still remember what it felt like when I met someone for the first time, back in 2002. The anticipation, expectation, trepidation. Good luck to her!

Think Nyk would have felt the same when he first met me. There was a little shyness initially, but that quickly faded away.

And now, look at where we are now! LOL

Happy 51st National Day, Malaysia! (though I do think that 16 September would be the more accurate one)

AIDS in Asia

The article below appeared in a Singapore free newspaper about 3 weeks ago.

1 in 5 Asian Homosexuals Has HIV

UNITED NATIONS — HIV infection rates among gay men in many parts of Asia are as severe as those which devastated homosexual communities in the United States in the late ’80s, said top officials of the United Nations Aids agency UNAIDS.

Launching his agency’s 2008 report on the global Aids epidemic, Mr Peter Piot, executive director of UNAIDS, urged more action to prevent the spread of the disease among gay men who have unsafe sex. He also stressed the importance of working with affected communities.

Mr Piot said: “All over Asia there are now epidemics of HIV in men who have sex with men, at the same magnitude that we saw in this country 25 years ago. That is something that has been detected fairly recently. There is not enough action yet but we are now starting programs,” he added.

Paul De Lay, director of Evidence, Monitoring and Policy at UNAIDS, said the HIV epidemic among gay communities in Asia was not new, but that it had recently reached the levels seen in cities such as San Francisco at the end of the 1980s when HIV infections reached their peak.

He said it could be due to a number of factors, including less funding for programs that target men who have sex with men and the fact that there were new groups who were less aware of the risks of unprotected sex.

“Asia has recognized populations of men who have sex with men for quite some time,” he told AFP. “The epidemic in these populations started in the mid-1990s. What we see now is a resurgence.”

“There are countries where the percentage of people infected are similar to what we were seeing in San Francisco or in Berlin or in London where up to 15 to 20 percent of men who have sex with men are HIV positive,” he added.

The report meanwhile noted that unprotected sex between men was a “potentially significant but under-researched aspect of the HIV epidemics in Asia,” citing countries such as Thailand and Vietnam.

“Recent study data from several major cities in the region, from Bangkok to Ho Chi Minh City, show increasing HIV prevalence among men who have sex with men,” the report said.

In China, unsafe sex between men could account for up to seven per cent of HIV infections, it noted.

De Lay said there were also high infection rates among gay populations in cities such as Chennai and Mumbai in India and in Indonesia’s capital Jakarta.

He added that these communities often faced homophobia from the wider population, as well as discrimination from health care providers, which discouraged them from seeking information and getting tested.

“Even without blatant national laws that criminalize homosexual behavior, you can still have a gradation of policies and practices that can be almost as bad,” he said.

De Lay pointed to a similar resurgence of HIV infections among gay populations in the US and western Europe, which he said showed the need for constant vigilance.

The report said higher risk unprotected sex among gay men in several countries in western Europe, such as Germany, appeared to be linked to the increasing numbers of new HIV diagnoses among that group.

“It’s disturbing because it’s this sense that we can never let our guard down as far as prevention, that the epidemic will come creeping back if there isn’t this constant attention being paid to it,” De Lay said. -AFP

I believe the same report appeared in quite a few other news publications as well.

But there was something that didn't seem quite right. Could you guess what it was?

Read the title again.

It wasn't mentioned anywhere in the article that 1 in 5 or 20% of gay Asian men is gay. It only said that up to 15 to 20% of gay men are HIV-positive.

I am not trying to nitpick here, but there is a difference. And a huge difference at that.

It's like a sale which says up to 20% discount, which could be only 5%, 10% or whatever amount below 20%, as compared to a sale of 20% discount, which means ALL items are 20% cheaper.

If someone were to read the title of the report only without reading further, he or she would have the wrong idea that one-fifth of gay men are HIV-positive.

I am not trying to underestimate readers intelligence, but stereotypes and discrimination abound. The human brain is programmed to categorise and pigeon-hole things neatly into little boxes. As such, reading the misleading title would likely lead readers to think that only gay men contract AIDS or that it is a predominantly a gay disease or straight people are less likely to contract the disease.

All of the above are not desirable or positive outcomes. It probably would have done some damage to the hard work and effort of HIV education programs to change public perception about the virus.

In my opinion, there are two concerns regarding such inappropriate headline:
1) it reinforces the misconception that it is a homosexual disease and only homosexuals get it. This would make other segments of society believe they are not at risk and thus may erroneously think that they do not need to take precautions like practicing safer sex

2) it paints a picture of doom and gloom for homosexuals, that one in five gays are likely to become infected. Being gay doesn't doom a person to a life of suffering and HIV. It is about being true to yourself and loving yourself for it. There is hope, optimism and happiness and those are not in the domain of heterosexuals only.

Actually, I had written in an email to the newspaper stating my concerns and the reasons, but it was not published. I have also sent it to Straits Times and it was also declined.

Just for readers information, the original headline reads "AIDS hitting Asian gays at high rates: UN".

So is it a case of deliberate anti-gay propaganda or just plain sensational reporting?

The swordfish, then the Concubine

The OCBC Singapore Theatre is currently on and we watched this play called The Swordfish, then the Concubine. Ignoring the weird title, it was written by Malaysian playwright Kee Thuan Chye and directed by Ivan Heng.

The synopsis for the play:
Swordfish attack Singapura, terrorising its citizens. A boy saves the kingdom by lining the beach with banana stems. But the Sultan, at his ministers’ advice, has the boy executed.

A generation later, the Sultan’s successor, his son, breaks the covenant between subject and ruler when he has his concubine publicly executed on trumped-up charges, bringing untold shame to her family. Sure enough, an armada of ships from the Majapahit empire soon appears on the horizon, and threatens Singapura’s supremacy.

Conspiracy and trump-up charges? As you can see, the play is very apt indeed in the current socio-political climate in Malaysia.

There were a lot of Malay cultural influences in the play, something rarely seen in Singapore theatre. There was dikir barat, gamelan and Malay costumes.

The play started off with the trial of the concubine, Nurhalisa. The judge was obviously not going to be impartial. She was charged with one, to conspire to overthrow the king by associating with a sect deemed "deviant" by the government and two, attempted to murder the consort to the Sultan.

About the deviant sect, Mat Zin, it was portrayed as a sect that teaches its followers to love fellow human beings, that all religions are equal as they are all from the same supreme being, to appreciate diversity, etc. Apparently, there was a giant water container on the compound of this religious commune.

Of course, this reminds me of a certain giant tea pot somewhere, which was smashed by the "righteous" government for being "deviant".

Other things that raised questions, how does one prove that there was a conspiracy against you? If I have no spies and I don't have money to bribe people, how do I fight against those who want to bring me down, especially if they were powerful? Especially if their words hold more weight? It's basically their words against mine.

When the play flashback to when Singapura was attacked by swordfish, there was a scene where the National Service was poked fun off. Just because the soldiers attended NS, doesn't mean they could solve every problem like a sea of psycho swordfish.

And then the boy came to suggest that they should plant banana stems to halt the siege. He was immediately killed the next day, to preserve the peace of the state. How does one boy equal to causing harm to the society? Well, politicians like the Bendahara has a way to justify things like this and it went like this - the boy would one day grow up to be very clever, too clever with his ideas which that influence the people around him and therefore cause riot in the kingdom.

Especially when the media is the controlled by the government, through seen or unseen hands, the people would believe what they read and hear. That is why I don't buy newspapers anymore, at lease not for the news and editorials.

In the second act, the reigning Sultan who was a spoilt brat who always wanted things his way, offended his cousin, the ruler of Majapahit. For that, Singapura was again attacked. The Laksamana helped the invaders and for that, he was turned into stone, what was termed as divine justice.

However, the another boot-licking pembesar who served the Majapahit became a hundreds time richer. And he died peacefully, so where is his divine justice?

The part where the Sultan's niece become his daughter-in-law and the Bendahara's wife's brother become his son-in-law, that was so true. Ths Sultan and the Bendahara were already in-laws became further in-laws. They're related and elated. So incestious.

Acting all around was quite good, though no one particularly stand out. The two commentators cum narrators were funny, playing it to the hilt with their antics.

Overall, I think it was quite funny. There were too much talking in some parts and the pace was a bit inconsistent, but those are minor flaws. Though I did find the section where they searched for the best singer, voted by the people, to sing for the Sultan ala Singapore Idol quite jarring to the whole play.

Highly recommended to go watch, if the play is staged in Kuala Lumpur.

X-Files: I want to Believe

I went to watch this at 10.45 last Saturday morning. I had no other choice as the movie is close to the end of its run at the cinemas.

First off, most reviews about it was negative. SK said it was bad. A review said that it was offensive to gays, as the villain in the movie was gay.

Thus far I have only seen one positive review in the papers. The other positive review came from Lloyd.

My opinion. It was like a typical episode of X-Files. Which is not to say it wasn't great. It was good and I felt satisfied when I left the cinema.

*spoilers ahead*
It has been five years since they left the FBI. Scully is a doctor at the local hospital and she is personally attached to this boy who has been struck with an incurable disease.

And guess what? Mulder lives together with Scully. They shared two passionate kisses and they sleep on the same bed.

But of course, they are not married. They still call each other by their last names.

The plot was about healthy young women being abducted and killed. Their body parts were found buried everywhere.

The person who led them to the body parts was a convicted paedophile priest called Father Joe. At one point, Scully said, "If God was trying to tell me something, through a paedophile priest no less ..... "

Anyway, no one believes that Father Joe (FJ) was really psychic. But he led them to another body and cried tears of blood, which had Mulder believing in him.

I think what I found interesting about the film was the familiarity of the themes from the TV series. Father Joe could be really psychic, but in the end was proven otherwise. There was a lot of ambiguity there.

To me, it was pretty clear that he was, just not he was not a very good one. He claimed to be given visions by God. This was his way of serving God and entering back into the arms of Jesus after his heinous crimes.

Which is highly possible. Probably he was redeeming himself by helping the FBI with his visions.

The other theme that was recurring was "Don't give up". For no reason, FJ told Scully that and it stuck in her mind. She did not give up and tried a new radical procedure on the dying boy, even though everyone has given up and wanted the boy sent to a hospice.

It was also relevant to Mulder, as he was not giving up on finding the latest missing girl alive. The FBI was pretty closed to solving the case and Scully wanted Mulder to let them finish the job.

But Mulder would have none of it as he believed that the latest missing girl was still alive. And he had to find her fast.

Scully accused him of being stubborn, followed by "that was the reason I fell for you". Mulder then said that was why it is impossible for them to be together. She still thinks that part of it is due to the fact that he can't stop looking, he can't stop believing even though he knows his sister is dead.

So that was why I find it satisfying. I am quite a fan of X-Files and to see all these development between the two characters, how much they have grown since but still very much the same.

Scully wanted a normal life, to come home everyday, to not chase monsters in the dark anymore. Mulder couldn't stop because that is who he is and that is his life.

But still, the darkness finds them.

About the villain. It's actually this organ transplant transportation guy who was killing people to harvest the body. His employer / husband was dying from cancer. He wanted to keep his boyfriend alive by transplanting his head to the victim's body. One body could probably last a few weeks and then a new body would be needed.

And the there was a relationship between the dying guy and Father Joe. Apparently, the employer was one of the alter boys that Father Joe "buggered", to use Scully's choice of words.

*end of spoiler*

Basically, I would think that the movie is good simply because it was good to know what has happened to my favourite FBI agents. The chemistry was still there and all the ingredients that made the series great were there. For me, the plot was secondary to Mulder and Scully's motivation and evolution since the last time we saw them.

Probably it wouldn't be as good to non-fans. Even the guy who sat behind me said "Quite good what. Who was the one who told us it was lousy?"

Bad habits

With the exam over, I went to watch this movie called Bad Habits. It was a movie about, well, bad habits.

Warning, spoilers ahead.

There is nun who believe so strongly in Jesus and that faith can overcome everything.

The context. Throughout the movie, it was raining and some parts of Mexico was flooded and many have died. The nun sees herself as the saviour; she even dreamnt of herself walking on water like Jesus did.

Thus, she began to starve herself and pray whole day long asking for the rain to stop. She refused to eat even when other nuns tried to bring her food. Till one day, she collapsed and needed to be hospitalised.

Another intertwined story was about this girl of around 12 years, whom the nun taught in her religious classes. Her name was Linda and she was a little on the chubby side, though according to the doctor, she's in the normal weight range.

Her mother is skinny like hell. There was a scene showing her bag of bones body, standing on the weighting scale at only 40kg. She was obsessed about keeping her body thin; she runs everyday, have only a bite or two a day and smokes a lot.

The sad part was that the mum wanted Linda to be thin like her. She forbade Linda from eating cake at her friend's birthday party and things like that. Linda does love to eat and so she had to resort to hiding cookies in her teddy bear and bring it to the toilet to eat.

Other tortures she endured include being sign up for a health clinic where one could supposed lose weight by eating delicious stuff like blueberry sorbet and chocolate. Linda didn't make any progress and so she was booed on stage.

Linda's mother is so thin that her husband complained that there was bone sticking out when they were having sex. So he had an affair with a Peruvian girl half his age, who is more buxom. Linda's mom was so thin that her breasts were almost flat, like a guy (I wonder whether she is actually like that or did she lose weight just for the film).

After trying all sorts of methods and Linda hasn't lost a single gram, the mother wanted to her stomach stapled. Linda was so terrified and resorted to poisoning her mother.

The mother died, but in fact was due to some disease which she had. What disease it was not made clear in the movie. But I think should be something related to her diet or lack of it.

And poor Linda thought that she actually killed her mother.

Back to the nun. The rain finally stopped and she was discharged from the hospital. Standing at the church rooftop, she was enjoying the clear morning sky. The movie ended with the clouds bursting again and she took off her nun headscarf.

I suppose that means that it finally sunk in that she is not Storm.

Overdue II

I know this blog has been neglected yet again, since I came back from the KL trip. But this time it was due to my exams, which just ended yesterday. Ninety six hours of torment finally over. Woohoo!

Anyway, the first week back was quite uneventful. Though there were some stronger than usual yearning pangs for my dear, to be separated again after a wonderful week together.

But two weeks ago was our 18th month anniversary. It was another milestone for us. This is my longest relationship ever. Even the sum of all my previous relationships is less than this.

Of course, a relationship is not measured by the time that we are attached. It is measured by the quality and time spent together.

As a sidetrack, let me put down what my colleague actually said.
MJ: So how did you celebrate your anniversary? Got fireworks or not?

Me: What fireworks? He's in KL and I am here. I am supposed to deliver it by mail is it?

MJ: No la, I don't mean fireworks physically. It could be figuratively hahaha

Tsk, tsk.

First off, I am extremely glad to have him as my boyfriend. It is true that no one is perfect and a relationship is what you make of it.

We take the effort to listen and understand each other. There are times when I need emotional support, to have someone to care for me and relieve my stress and the is the one I go to.

He has been sending me cards every few weeks and every time I read them, I would go awww, so sweet. He knows he can't be everything to me, but he tries anyway.

For that, I am a lucky guy.

Sometime I don't really want to think too much about the future and just enjoy and cherish what I have with him now.

And yes dear, I did notice that I am no longer genderless on your blog. To finally know that I am guy is a relief.

I am proud and glad that you have taken the bold decision.

I have never really watch you sleep, as it always seems to me that you were already half awake when I opened my eyes.

I just wanna say this. I promise to always be by your side.

I would like to be the one who could douse your anger of fire when it burns, who you could turn to when the chips are down, who would provide you a shoulder to lean on when you need it and to catch you whenever you fall.

A belated happy anniversary, dear.

P/S And for the last time, there is no domineering one in our relationship. I don't see it that way and neither does it work as such.

My week with Nyk

We reached back in KL last Tuesday evening on a 30-minute delayed flight. Nyk and I had dinner together at a coffee shop near his house and all too soon, it was time to say goodbye.

It was our first trip together and it was memorable. We took many photographs together or in the words of Ritsuka from the anime Loveless, "create memories". I get to see him for 24 hours a day, with him beside me all day long, seeing him smile and cheery, never a dull moment.

The main reason probably is due to our distance and hence our time together is still exciting and treasured.

I got to see him on Wednesday night and on Friday for lunch karaoke. It was another first with him and we kicked off our duet with If We Hold On Together by Diana Ross. Not really a love song but it was a song we are both familiar with as it is always sung in leadership camps.

He went back to work and I watched Hellboy II. I have been a fan of Guillermo del Toro's work since Pan's Labyrinth. And I was not disappointed as Hellboy was a visual feast of weird and fantastical creatures.

After work, we went to this restaurant called DainTi Hill. It serves Japanese and Chinese dishes. We ordered pork, frog's legs, chicken, dragon roll sushi etc. Food was quite good and it was a good choice of eatery by Nyk.

On Saturday, SK, Nyk and I met up again for one last time. I needed a haircut and he brought me to his hairstylist for a quick snip snip. We headed back to my house as we were too tired to go anywhere else.

Surprisingly, my mum never mentioned anything about Nyk during and after his visit. She did seem to take a liking for SK though LOL

Nyk and SK were invited for dinner but they declined.

I headed back to Singapore on Sunday. After a week long break, it was finally back to work on Monday.

A very relaxing week away from work and more importantly, with my dearest. I came back refreshed, recharged and rejuvenated.

Looking forward to our next trip in November.

The cat is out of the bag Pt II

Me: That I am actually a serial killer on the 10 most wanted Interpol's list?

MJ: Should we be scared? Anyway, whatever that we know, we assure you that we won’t tell anyone. We swear.

Me: Ok.

PL: Shall we say out loud what it is that we know or do you know by now? Or shall it be an unspoken?

Me: You can just say it. It’s up to you.

PL: We know what happened in June 2005. And I have to say, I really admire you for that.

Me: Thank you.

PL: So you won’t suddenly resign tomorrow, since that we now know?

Me: No la, just because of this ... I would probably just have to kill both of you haha

PL: So now we can blackmail you ... haha

Me: Well, it’s up to you how you want to use this information. It’s your conscience, I can’t tell you what to do or what not to do ….

PL: Actually I feel bad knowing also. Since you didn’t tell us earlier when we asked ….

Me: It’s a bit too late for that isn’t it? So kepoh (busybody) ...

MJ: OK, OK. We won’t tell anyone. Think we are stupid is it?

PL: You totally had us fooled you know. You told us you have a girlfriend. When I was reading your blog, I was like oh my god, oh my god, oh my god ...

MJ: No it was more like OMG, OMG, OMG with caps!

PL: We were on MSN and we were copying and sending snippets of your posts to each other, like did you read this part? Or look at this paragraph!

MJ: So with that out of the way, I have hundreds of question to ask you.

Me: I wouldn’t expect less from you. Shoot.

MJ: Who is the dominant one in the relationship?

Me: Huh? *try to not roll eyes*

PL: Who is the girl and who is the guy?

Me: There is no guy or girl. We’re both equals in the relationship.

MJ: There must be someone who is more caring and loving …

Me: We take care of each other. We care for each other. There are times when I would care for him more and vice versa.

PL: Quite different from us .....

MJ: It’s so exciting. This other whole world that was unknown to me before this.

Me: I am just like you, I have flesh and bones, blood in my veins, I can feel pain, I cry. Though I am glad this has expanded your worldview. That is always a good thing.

There was so much more to talk about, but it had to wait as lunch time was almost over and we had to get back to the office.

Thus, the cat is out of the bag. I have been discovered. I don’t actually mind them knowing, but the disconcerting fact was that it wasn’t on my schedule and on my terms.

I would probably have told them anyway, but in my own time. What happened was totally out of the blue and definitely way ahead of schedule.

Though come to think of it, they are not the most ideal people to know, judging from their reactions when I sang M2M's Pretty Boy with lyrics that go "Oh my pretty pretty boy I love you, Like I never ever loved no one before you."

Still, it has already happened. It is a kinda a big deal, but not that big a deal. I am glad that the result of them knowing wasn't as bad as I had thought it would be. Their acceptance and understanding is much appreciated. It demonstrates their understanding of the issue and its consequences.

We even had another discussion about it three days after the incident. They were supposed to type out a word document of questions that they would like to ask.

I should probably come up with an FAQ of Common Questions from Straight People Once They Found Out You’re Gay.

The cat is out of the bag Pt I

I thought today would be just another normal working day with the usual Monday blues.

I was wrong.

Not long after I sat down at my desk, my colleague PL said "I went to your *social network* profile. How come you only have pictures of yourself? No girlfriend photo? And one other photo taken with a guy? Who is he?"

"Just a friend."

"And you look horrible in those photos. Except for the main picture."

"Fine, fine. I will put up new ones when I am free."

"Oh, do you have an English name?"

"No I don't."

I have no idea where this was leading to so I changed the subject to shoes. I told her about the shoes I bought.

Lunch time came. PL, MJ and I went for lunch. Usually we have lunch in a bigger group but somehow for today, it is just the three of us.

I have always wanted to try out this new place called OchaCha. It serves green tea in all its permutations and variety. Think of it like the green tea version of Starbucks.

I ordered the tuna wasabe sandwich. It doesn't look like much, but it was quite filling. The tuna has a hint of wasabi and the taste goes well with the tuna. I also had a green tea latte.

PL: Do you treat us as friends or colleagues?

Me: I think of you as colleagues and friends. Heck, we just went for karaoke last week.

PL: But friends and colleagues different.

Me: Well, I would say that some of our colleagues I would just consider them as colleagues. But you guys are friends as well.

MJ: Hey, ask us ask us. Ask how come it is only the three of us today?

Me: Hmmm, I don't know why. It is because you have something to tell us? You finally got a boyfriend?

MJ: No la ....

Me: Oh, you are getting married!

MJ: Of course not.

ME: Then why?

PL: Should we tell him? Think better not la.

MJ: We should. I feel that he should know that we know.

PL: But I can pretend that I didn't know.

MJ: No you can't. How can you pretend that you don't know when you DO know?

This goes on for another minute or so.

PL: You tell him then.

MJ: So could you guess what is it that we know? *looking at me*

Me: Errr .... no.

MJ: We know your deepest darkest secret.

To be continued ....

Bangkok trip

For the past two days, I have been back in KL for the past two days. It is great to finally see my family again after a hiatus of five months.

Something pretty exciting thing happened that disturbed the tranquility of my life last week, a few days before my planned trip home. I shall blog about that later.

I was in Bangkok from the 12th to the 15th. It was a group of 14 guys and 1 girl. It was too short, but we managed to visit the Chatuchak weekend market, the Grand Palace and a lovely session of spa. The spa was excellent and the choice of it was an unexpectedly pleasant experience which deserves a repeat.

I bought 3 pairs of short pants, 5 shirts (including my first purchase from Zara), a belt, a bag, a pair of underwear. There were also souvenirs for my colleagues and a Naraya handbag for my mom which she likes a lot.

Another highlight of the trip was the seafood dinner we had. It was at this place called Lek Seafood. The food was really delicious and I especially like the seabass in lime sauce and curry crab.

Anyway, the main thing was that Nyk and I finally went on a trip together. Our unforgettable maiden trip to the land of a thousand smiles. It was also the longest time I got to spend with Nyk. A full 100 hours non-stop continuous physical presence of him. He got to know me a tad better and I also found out some interesting things about him.

Time really flies when we were there. Now that I am back in own room, I miss waking up to him beside me, receiving a morning kiss and hug.

These boots are made for walking

I have been looking for a pair of sneakers or walking shoes for the past three weeks. My current Adidas one which was bought back in 2005 causes my feet to ache after wearing them, so I suppose it’s time for it to go.

The expensive MBT shoes which I bought a year ago have a tear on its sole. I wanted to get it fixed but the Singapore distributor has just been changed and they are sorting their things out. Hence, I have to wait a month or so before I could get them to do something.

Basically, I needed an excuse to shop a pair of work shoes and casual shoes.

Initially I wanted to get another pair of Adidas. I quite like their sneakers, with their trademark three stripes on the side. Went into every Adidas shop that I passed by and saw a pair which I quite like at Parkway Parade. But unfortunately, it is a size too big.

The search continued. I even went to Queensway where I first bought the Adidas shoes. That place is well known for selling shoes and other sport-related equipment. I think I saw dozens of shoes but sad to say none was to my liking. I am not sure whether it is due to cost-cutting or something else, but the shoes didn’t feel as comfortable. Most of them felt inferior to the touch.

Thus, it was a failed mission.

Finally, after all the hard work I bought a pair of Rockport work shoes last weekend. I quite like Rockport (thanks Ry!) and I already have a pair of their shoes.



So half of the mission is completed.

The remaining half of the task was solved on Sunday. I bought a pair of Reebok walking shoes called Rainwalker. Apparently they are water-proof, but the main reason I bought them is because of the excellent sole cushioning which is made of air. The air flows from the heel to the front of the feet as my feet on the ground.

The Rainwalker shoes cost S$139. I contemplated buying online from a U.S. store, thinking that it would be cheaper but there wasn't much difference in price.

Said one review, “Good shoe, but too much air cushioning - These shoes are taking a while to get used to. In the pictures you can't tell this, but this shoe has a thick sole, that bulges slightly outward and is mostly made of air. When you are walking in these shoes, the air cushioning is overpowering to the degree that it feels like you are walking on springs”

Yes, they are indeed bouncy, but they are really comfortable.

So now, I have two new additions to the shoe cabinet ;-)

Nyk's visit

Another long period between my last post and this one.

So let's see, what happened in between? Nyk came down for a long-awaited visit and spend three nights with me. We went to the Singapore Zoo as I had free tickets. It was a humid day, made worse by the fact that almost half the Singapore population was there. Well, not really but it felt that way as it was the school holidays and it was also Blood Donors Day and blood donors got free admission.

Still, it was quite fun to look at the animals. Some of them look pitiful though, like the polar bears. They look thin and their fur seem to be falling off as we could see the black skin underneath.

The next day was a Sunday and we went mattress-hunting as Jaded Jeremy needed a bouncier and firmer mattress to sleep on and etc. I brought them to Ikea and let them had their first taste of their famous Swedish meat balls and friend chicken. Nyk loved them!

We went to this quite rundown place called Katong Mall for Japanese dinner. The restaurant was called Wahiro and the menu was extensive. It had a very authentic feel to it. The food was quite good though I would prefer Hamoru in Suntec City.

Other than that, other days have been mostly work. And more work. Last weekend was mostly spent at home to rest as I didn't feel like going out anywhere.

It is currently the Great Singapore Sale. I haven't bought much of anything yet. Which is so unlike me. Heh.

Oh, but I did go shopping for shoes yesterday. Unfortunately, I didn't find a pair which I like. There was a couple which I think were quite nice, but they were really expensive.

I need a break. Though I am not mentally-exhausted yet, but a break would be great. So I look forward to my trip to Bangkok in two weeks time!

Overdue

Oh my poor blog. How terrible of you to have been ignored and not updated for so long!

But really, it couldn't be helped. Work has been terribly hectic, with me leaving the office after the sun has set and no earlier than 10 p.m. The past three weeks revolved around work, work and more work!

Heck, even my exam was postponed twice! I wanted to take it during the Wesak Day weekend, but couldn't. Then it was supposed to be last weekend. That wasn't meant to be either. It is kind of lucky of me as the exam is online-based and could be taken anytime. But still my exam plans did get screwed up.

As a result, I haven't been watching that many movies. I only watched five. Ironman was great, an unexpected sleeper hit. Harold & Kumar was funny, in a very gross (a lot of breasts!) and straight way. Accuracy of Death has an interesting storyline and a yummy Takeshi Kaneshiro doesn't hurt. Taxidermia was weird but in a good way, with a fire-shooting penis in its first three minutes a prelude to more weirdness.

And I haven't seen my dear for ages. There were times when I miss him badly, missing his kisses and touch. I really wish he could make it next week!

Till the next post.

Gay Marriage in California

Apparently today is International Day Against Homophobia or IDAHO Day.

And this day is preceded by some excellent news from California.

From the Associated Press (I have edited out a few paragraphs):
California's top court legalizes gay marriage

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — California's Supreme Court declared that gay couples in the nation's most populous state can marry — a monumental but perhaps short-lived victory for the gay rights movement Thursday that was greeted with tears, hugs, kisses and at least one instant proposal of matrimony.

Same-sex couples could tie the knot in as little as a month. But the window could close soon after — religious and social conservatives are pressing to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot in November that would undo the Supreme Court ruling and ban gay marriage.

"Essentially, this boils down to love. We love each other. We now have equal rights under the law," declared a jubilant Robin Tyler, a plaintiff in the case along with her partner. She added: "We're going to get married. No Tupperware, please."

A crowd of people raised their fists in triumph inside City Hall, and people wrapped themselves in the rainbow-colored gay-pride flag outside the courthouse. In the Castro, long the center of the gay community in San Francisco, Tim Oviatt wept as he watched the news on TV.

"I've been waiting for this all my life. This is a life-affirming moment," he said.

By the afternoon, gay and lesbian couples had already started lining up at San Francisco City Hall to make appointments to get marriage licenses. In West Hollywood, supporters planned to serve "wedding cake" at an evening celebration.

In its 4-3 ruling, the Republican-dominated high court struck down state laws against same-sex marriage and said domestic partnerships that provide many of the rights and benefits of matrimony are not enough.

"In contrast to earlier times, our state now recognizes that an individual's capacity to establish a loving and long-term committed relationship with another person and responsibly to care for and raise children does not depend upon the individual's sexual orientation," Chief Justice Ronald George wrote for the majority in ringing language that delighted gay rights activists.

Massachusetts in 2004 became the first, and so far only, state to legalize gay marriage; more than 9,500 couples have taken advantage of the law. But the California ruling is considered monumental by virtue of the state's size — 38 million out of a U.S. population of 302 million — and its historical role as the vanguard of many social and cultural changes that have swept the country since World War II.

California has an estimated 108,734 same-sex households, according to 2006 census figures.

"It's about human dignity. It's about human rights. It's about time in California," San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, pumping his fist in the air, told a roaring crowd at City Hall. "As California goes, so goes the rest of the nation. It's inevitable. This door's wide open now. It's going to happen, whether you like it or not."

Unlike Massachusetts, California has no residency requirement for obtaining a marriage license, meaning gays nationwide are likely to flock to the state to be wed, said Jennifer Pizer, an attorney who worked on the case.

The ultimate reach of the ruling could be limited, however, since most states do not recognize same-sex marriages performed elsewhere. Nor does the federal government.

Outside the San Francisco courthouse, gay marriage supporters cried and cheered as news of the decision spread. Jeanie Rizzo, one of the plaintiffs, called Pali Cooper, her partner of 19 years, via cell phone and asked, "Pali, will you marry me?"

California already offers same-sex couples who register as domestic partners many of the legal rights and responsibilities afforded to married couples, including the right to divorce and to sue for child support.

Citing a 1948 California Supreme Court decision that overturned a ban on interracial marriages, the justices struck down the state's 1977 one-man, one-woman marriage law, as well as a similar, voter-approved law that passed with 61 percent in 2000.

The chief justice was joined by Justices Joyce Kennard and Kathryn Werdegar, all three of whom were appointed by Republican governors, and Justice Carlos Moreno, the only member of the court appointed by a Democrat.

In a dissent, Justice Marvin Baxter agreed with many arguments of the majority but said that the court overstepped its authority and that changes to marriage laws should be decided by the voters. Justices Ming Chin and Carol Corrigan also dissented.

California's secretary of state is expected to rule by the end of June whether the sponsors gathered enough signatures to put the amendment on the ballot.

Schwarzenegger, a Republican who has twice vetoed legislation that would have granted marriage to same-sex couples, said in a statement that he respected the court's decision and "will not support an amendment to the constitution that would overturn this state Supreme Court ruling."

It should have been like that since 2004, as after all, San Francisco is the gay capital of America.

Taken from the Economist:
Court decisions have led America into changes that seem obvious and moral in retrospect. The Supreme Court forced school integration, overturned laws against contraception and reversed bans on interracial marriage. But courts have also outpaced the American people and their elected legislatures in ways that have never been fully settled, such as by granting the guarantee of abortion rights through Roe v Wade. Whether decisions over gay marriage are later seen as enlightened is far from settled yet.

That is why for all its shortcomings and war on terrorism, America is till very much a great country. Well done, California!

Stupid straight men

In Singapore's issue of Men's Health, there appeared this letter which idiocy, insensitivity and insecurity of its writer leaves me dumbfounded.

Thank you for putting a shirt on your models on the covers. You don't know how much that means to me. I have been reading Men's Health since October 2005 and when I carry it around, I'm always a bit embarrassed about holding a magazine with a shirtless guy on the cover. Covering up your cover guy really helps!

According to his logic, it is embarrassing for gals to hold magazines with skimpily-clothed females on the cover.

Hello, there are female readers too for Men's Health, however few they may be. They might enjoy looking at the cover.

Phhhptt .... straight men.

New abode

Just a little update.

I have moved into my current abode since last Saturday. It has been fun thus far. Nothing too drastically different. I have fully unpacked my stuff a couple of days ago.

Went for swims a couple of times but haven't started using the rest of the amenities like squash and tennis courts.

I have also been doing the usual house-moving things i.e. buying things. I have bought a stand fan and a stand of drawers. Still need a couple of more things.

Travelling to works takes slightly longer now. The walking distance to the MRT station has increased but the MRT ride time has gone down. But the 15 minute walk everyday is good for me as I have been working late this past week and haven't done much exercise.

It is indeed quite liberating to be able to not have restrictions on the topic of conversations. To know someone who understands exactly where I am coming from.

I am contented ;-)

Cool ads

Enjoy these videos ;-)








By the way, that really cute guy said "Cool car."



The text says that "You don't have to be this brave, call us instead",

Two movies and a free lunch

Weekend sped by quickly. On Saturday I wanted to donate blood but was the plan was thwarted by heavy rain. I may be benevolent, but not that benevolent to brave heavy downpour just to go the bloodbank.

Anyway, I was invited to attend a talk on landbanking, by Walton International. I am already quite familiar with the concept, as I have heard about it 4 years ago when I was still in KL. I had wanted to invest then, but didn't due to lack of money as I just started working then.

I am considering that again, but of course not without taking into account its risks, especially in these uncertain economic times.

As such, I was there at the Meridien Hotel more for the free food. The spread was quite delicious. I liked the cordon bleu chicken and the fruit tarts the most. And there was wine flowing freely.

After that I watched Untraceable with James and Benji. The movie wasn't too bad, but the the story and editing could've been tighter. It was pretty slow at parts.

Sunday came and the skies were clear, so I was at the bloodbank to fulfill my role as a lifesaver, as Nyk calls it.

On a related note, apparently the Thais are finally waking up to the discriminatory wordings of the blood donor form. Taken from Trevvy:

The Red Cross of Thailand said that it would change its screening process for blood donors to address concerns from activists who said the system discriminated against gays, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP).

The Red Cross requires donors to fill out a form to assess their risk of disease.

Gay-rights activists had complained that one question, which was meant to target people more likely to have diseases transmitted by sex and drugs, had effectively blocked all gay men from donating by only asking about same-sex relations.

"We didn't mean to hurt anyone," said Soisaang Pikulsod, director of the Thai Red Cross National Blood Centre. "It was just to ensure the highest possible safety of our patients."

The Red Cross will rework the form to include more questions about all types of sexual behaviour, gay or heterosexual, that could increase the risk of diseases such as AIDS, she said.

Nathee Teerarojanapong, a gay activist who complained about the questioning, urged the Red Cross to focus on screening out anyone with risky sex and drug habits, instead of singling out gay men and women.

"Sometimes gays want to do good things too," he said.

My sentiments exactly.

Watched Definitely Maybe in the evening. It was pretty good, though it wasn't so much a romantic comedy as it was portrayed in the trailer. You can read all about it here if you are interested.

I enjoyed the movie, as it was very realistic in its story, about a guy reminiscing about his three ex-girlfriends and figuring who he truly loves. Though Benji and James felt that the protagonist was screwed up and led a complicated life. But hey, life IS complicated and screwed up.

This weekend will be my last at my current residence. Looking forward to waking up to smoke-free air.

Have a great week ahead!

Swamped

I have been really busy these past two weeks with work, as we have quarterly reporting to do. About half is completed.

And in the midst of all these I have to move out, so it has been really an eventful period.

And I plan to sit for a paper next month. So is my dear Nyk.

In addition, my internet connection has been going moody, with intermittent connections even though the signal is strong. I couldn't go online much.

Anyway, my ex-colleague helped me to moved most of my stuff to Jaded Jeremy's place on Sunday.

Yes, I am finally moving in with JJ after a protracted period of uncertainty

It was very kind of my ex-colleague to help me by packing the things into his car and sending them to my new residence in the east. I had expected two trips at least, but everything seemed to just fit nicely into his Camry, with room to spare.

I would be moving to my new room next weekend, as my current tenure only ends then. I look forward to that. And I wouldn't miss the stupid bitch dog barking and its disgusting hair which is just all over the entire house.

However, I did manage to catch a movie yesterday, called Teeth. It's about a teenage girl who has a teeth at her vagina, the mythical vagina dentata. It supposedly represents straight men's fear of the mysterious female sexuality, a black hole which hides a monster (the teeth) which they have to overcome to claim the prize of virginity and return to the place (womb) where they came from.

That was according to the movie.

I googled it and here are a few meanings of the toothed vagina:
1. "Toothed vagina," the classic symbol of men's fear of sex, expressing the unconscious belief that a woman may eat or castrate her partner during intercourse. (www.goddesscafe.com)

2 A fish inhabits the vagina of the Terrible Mother; the hero is the man who overcomes the Terrible Mother, breaks the teeth out of her vagina, and so makes her into a woman. The myth expresses the threat sexual intercourse poses for men who, although entering triumphantly, always leave diminished (Wikipedia)

Pffft ... straight men and their fears.

The movie is pretty low budget, with lots of blood spurting everywhere after the penis is bitten off. And the movie actually shows the cut-off penis! There is even a locker room scene where if you pay attention enough, you can see a guy's pecker.

This is very uncommon in movies. The male organ has always been hidden as opposed to breasts which are shown wantonly. There are scenes of phallus and testicles and butts.

Nyk would definitely love this movie LOL

Moving castle

I have been updating my blog only with pictures from Cleo till I haven’t been talking about myself much. Well, in case you are remotely interested, I am doing quite well, thank you very much.

Though I have been going to work on weekends and need to look for a new place to stay.

My landlord’s mother and brother have moved in to stay for about a month. The flat which I am renting has 3 rooms and of course, I have a room to myself. There is basically not enough space for 6 people to share 2 rooms and thus, I have to move out.

I did not feel comfortable with the extra presence of two people, as the whole place feels cramped. It was supposed to be a temporary arrangement for the brother and mother, but how long is “temporary” is anyone’s guess.

As such, with such an awkward situation whereby the brother sleeps in the living room, I brought the topic up to my landlord. She sheepishly said that she had wanted to ask me to move out but didn’t know how to bring it up.

So long story short, I have to move out in a month’s time. I am looking for a place in the east as it would be closer to my current workplace.

The headache of moving has begun, as I have (not surprisingly) added quite a bit of things to my possession, from the initial two bagful of clothes when I first came to Singapore. I think I now have at least 5 bags.

Eye candies V

The final part of the Cleo's Bachelors. Was actually considering not putting these last few up as the results were already known two Fridays ago.







The winner was number 33, Daren Tan, who was some reality show winner (can't remember which one).

Eye candies IV

This is part four of the Cleo's 50 Bachelors. This is also the one where Jaded Jeremy has been waiting for.







This leaves the final ten guys. Coming soon!

Eye candies III

Sorry for the delay, this is part 3 of the Eye Candy series.







Nothing really great here. Joakim Gomez is actually quite cute, as seen during the play Chesty Nutty Bang Bang. But with the nerdy combed-flat hairstyle, it totally spoiled his looks!

The next installment of bachelors will be better. Stay tuned!

Eye candies II

Here's the part two.







If you noticed, I have left out a page with three contestants. Trust me, you did not miss out anything. I am just being mean trying to save the upload time for readers.http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=8532639#
Post Options

For this group, I like no 11 (look at that swimmer's body, just nice; not too bulky) and no 17 (studious look, hmmm I like!).

Eye candies

I bought the March edition of Cleo Singapore more than two weeks back. It was then latched into the hands of Jaded Jeremy and now finally, it's time I share some of its contents ;-)







I just love number eight. Such a cutie, with such sharp features. I am sure QR would agree.

More to come!

New toy

Recently I renewed my contract with M1 and what this means is that I could opt for a new phone. One of the better things over here is that consumers can buy mobile phones with 50% to 100% off the retail price. The latter means free mobile phone lah.

I had been looking at phones since before Chinese New Year and had shortlisted my choices to three phones – the Sony Ericsson K810i, Nokia 6500 Classic and Nokia 6500 Slider.

Price-wise, they cost $198, $198 and $168 respectively. That was before Chinese New Year. The 6500 Slider was cheaper than the Classic, which was strange because the retail price is the other way round, with a differential of at least $50.

After Chinese New Year, the Slider remained at the same price but both the Sony Ericsson’s and Classic’s prices increased to $238. It really doesn’t make sense, even though the Classic didn’t make the cut for my final two.

I was leaning back and forth between the 6500 S (Slider) and the K810i. I was more keen on the Slider as I had never had a slider phone before. Furthermore, the brushed stainless steel finish was quite nice. It was also cold to the touch which made it unique. The down side is that is bulkier and heavier than candybar phones, at 117g.

Practicality ruled as I would rather have the slimmer and lighter K810i. However, this wasn’t my ideal choice either, as it has a joystick (which is prone to malfunction and Sony’s new phones no longer have it) and the camera wasn’t as good as the K800i. But I supposed I could make do as I do have a new camera.

Unexpectedly, the thriftier side of me emerged and all these were thrown out of the window. I browsed through their models which come free and there were four – the K800i, Sony Ericsson K660i, Nokia 2630 and Nokia 6120.

So I looked up the features of the Nokia 6120 and I was pleasantly surprised with what I found out. It received the thumbs up as being the lightest and smallest phone with the Symbian 60 software, which usually comes with smartphones. There were praises all around for its 3G and quad band compatibilities, responsiveness and customization abilities. The downsides mentioned were the small screen and fonts, and also a lack of Wifi.

All the reviews made it a very attractive phone. I was definitely tempted. I don’t listen to much music so Sony Ericsson Walkman series is out. Samsung, LG and Motorola are not even worth considering.

Thus, my choice was made. It’s free and the money I saved ($238) could go into buying memory cards for the phone.

I have seen the black model often and my current phone is black too. So I didn't want that.

Also, online reviews mentioned that the white one is much nicer. Having not seen it, I took a chance and ordered the white version online. It was delivered to me the next day. I And now, I have a new toy to play with ;-)


The picture doesn’t do it justice. It shows as if it has more silver than white, but it’s not like that.

I am relearning how to use a Nokia phone, after two years of using Sony Ericsson.

Psychic

In my new work place, my team of five has four girls and I am the only thorn amongst the roses.

Anyway, this conversation transpired on Tuesday.

Colleague 1: Wah ... now you are a part of us already.
Colleague 2: Yeah, you are now one of the gals ...
Colleague 3: Must be damn nice for you right ... surrounded by four pretty girls ...
Colleague 2: Yeah la. But how you know, maybe he likes guys. Then it would be no feelings, or maybe even torturous ....

How true, how true. My colleagues are psychic!

Election

The elections are coming and I don't think I would be able to do my civic duty to vote this time. The incumbent in my constituency, which is Pantai, is Dato Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil and she will be facing the Puteri of Keadilan. Should be an interesting fight, don't you think?

Incidentally, 8th March is International Women's Day.

My dear Nyk would be voting for the very first time, so yay for him. You have my support in the things you do and you will be duly rewarded ;)

Speaking of which, this video is damn funny. Not to mention catchy.



To those of you who will be voting, happy voting!

P.S. I Love You

Last Monday was my first day at my new job. My parents and Nyk asked whether I was excited and I replied that I did not.

In fact, I didn't even feel anything. It just felt normal and routine. I supposed I have become a seasoned job changer, even though this is only my third job in four years.

My new colleagues are nice. One of them is really funny and she has a loud personality. She's bubbly and in her own words "feisty". That should keep my work days from falling into boredom.

My head of department treated everyone to a seafood lunch on my second day. We had prawns and three types of crabs (I like the sweet-spicy one best; the steamed ones tasted pretty bland).

Basically where my new work place is, there is much less choices of places to eat. The CBD area has so many hawker centers and restaurants that I have not tried them all in the two years that I used to work there.

As such, I expect my meals expenses to go up. Hopefully not by a lot.

On Friday, six of us managed to watch PS I Love You. It stars Gerard Butler (300) and Hilary Swank (Million Dollar Baby, Boys Don't Cry) as a couple who are madly in love with each other and had gotten married at a young age of 20.

One day, Jerry (Butler) died of brain cancer, leaving Holly (Swank) to cope with his death with the support of her sister and her best friend.

Apparently, Jerry had arranged for 10 letters to be sent to Holly after he died, spread over the course of one year. The first letter came on her 30th birthday. All those letters were signed with P.S. I Love You, hence the movie title.

It was pretty obvious that they love each other deeply. Holly fell into depression and stayed at home. The letters however persuaded to do the opposite, which was to go out there and have fun. She visited a gay club, Ireland, went fishing, sang on stage, things which she would not have done on her own accord.

The movie was funny, touching, thought provoking and ultimately the message was we have to move forward in life, no matter what happens. We still have to live our lives, work, hang out, eat, sleep, etc.

There was not a dry eye left in the cinema. I was teary-eyed at those moving scenes, that two person could share a love so deep, that it is hard to move on but it is even harder to stay put. All the while, I was thinking of Nyk and hoping for the same.

Overall, I would give the movie 4 out of 5 stars. Go watch it!

Our first Valentines Day celebration

It was our first Valentine spent together last Thursday, even though we have been together for a year.

We didn't have any ideas what to do or where to go. Fortunately, my ahem! quick thinking saved the day, as I proposed we go to KL Tower.

I have never been there and coincidentally, neither has Nyk.

So Nyk took the afternoon off and we headed towards KL Tower. From what I know, the nearest monorail stop is Bukit Nanas. I remembered reading it somewhere. Even Nyk thought that it was that stop.

When we alighted, we saw a sign which pointed to the direction KL Tower and we followed that.

Walk, walk, walk, we didn't seem to be getting any nearer to our destination. Then we saw another sign.

So we walked some more.

Still no sign of it.

We decided to hail a cab. The cab driver was kind enough to tell us that it's actually just 100 meters down the road.

Finally we saw the huge signboard which says KL Tower, which is NOT anywhere near Bukit Nanas monorail, but instead nearer to Jalan Raja Chulan.

That's a lesson in Malaysian signage for everyone.

Climbing up took us about 10 minutes. Nyk was, by then, sweaty and hot and not in a very good mood. I managed to cheer him up though.

So we spent about an hour and a half there, taking in the view. I was surprised to see quite a number of tourists there, as I was expecting it to be not a very popular tourist spot. We also saw three secondary school gays guys and a lesbian couple.

After that, we had ice cream and sat down for a drink at Coffee Bean.

Dinner was at Heaven Fusion, where we were joined by SK and David. The portions were quite small, so we ordered 5 main course. We ended our meals with their signature dessert.

We cuddled and kissed in the car, as I would be going back to Singapore on Friday, one day earlier than originally planned. The times we had seemed too short, too insufficient, too fleeting.

Miss you lots my dear.

First anniversary

My first year anniversary with Nyk was three weeks ago, just a week before I was supposed to go back to KL. As such, I didn't think that it was necessary to get anything on the day itself, as I would be back in KL later.

Besides, I haven't figured out what to get him. Nyk is not the easiest person to buy gifts for (and I am not complaining dear, just stating a fact!). So I had an extra one week to get something.

At least that was what I thought.

Close to lunch time, I got a call from the receptionist in my office. She asked me to go over to her place.

When I got there, I was shocked to see this waiting for me:


It was two bears sitting on a wagon of flowers.

When I saw it, I beamed. The smile I had couldn't be wiped off, even if someone punched me ten times.

The card said:

You are my first,
Our first year together,
Your love I do thirst,
To be in your arms forever.

I was pleasantly surprised (my dear could write poems!). Also, I was totally caught unaware, but thankfully SK knew about it beforehand, so she acted on my behalf and got Nyk an aromatherapy burner and three stalks of flowers (tulips, I think).

Anyways, I was smiling the whole day. Though some of colleagues did not believe that the flowers were for me, as we had a female colleague who always receive flowers and they thought it was for her.

It was the first time someone has given me flowers. And they smelled quite nice.

It was also the first time I reached a full year with someone, which is a milestone for me.

There was a card also, hand-delivered by Jaded Jeremy, from Nyk of course. Thanks for helping out JJ! ;-)

Thanks again for the flowers dear! Looking forward to more anniversaries with you!

CNY 2008

First of all, a very Happy Chinese New Year! Yeah, I know it's a week late, but I could only come online today.

Also, a very Happy Valentine's Day!

I have been back in KL since last Tuesday, but my modem was going crazy on me and thus I can only post something now.

CNY has been quite eventful this year. I managed to spend time with Nyk last Tuesday before he went for his family trip to Penang. That deprived me of him for a full three days!

While he was away, I met some friends. One is Sam, the repressed guy who chose not to act out his gay sexuality. But apparently, he has decided otherwise as he doesn't want to be lonely no more. The reason for the change in heart? Age is catching up.

Anyway, Sam brought two of his friends to dinner, one who is my junior from secondary school. I could still recognise him as a) my school is small and b) he is a model and I have seen his pictures appeared in the Star before.

Then I also got to meet Kenny. Did some catching up with him as I only get to see him during Chinese New Year. Was quite bored as it was a Sunday so we decided to watch Kungfu Dunk. Not too bad, it got us laughing at some parts and my eyes rolling at others for its incredulity of stunts.

I got to meet my dearest again on Monday for dinner, while giving him a belated anniversary and early valentine's gift. It's actually one gift, not two. It is something he has always wanted since two birthdays ago and he practically lit up when he saw it.

On Tuesday, I had dinner with my course mates and I brought Nyk too. There were six others and only two of them don't know that I am gay. It was quite funny, as one of them who doesn't know asked softly, "Who is that Derek's friend?" to another who knows and the reply was "Just friend la."

Then I met him again yesterday for dinner with some mutual friends. It was quite fun talking and laughing about anything and everything. We ordered steamed fish, toufu (which I didn't get to eat), kailan and sweet and sour pork. The food was too bad.

I am making up for lost time with Nyk, as I will be going back to Singapore on Saturday morning ;-)

Chesty Nutty Bang Bang

I went for a play called Chesty Nutty Bang Bang: The Hairspray of the Phoenix. From the title itself, it is quite obvious that it is a parody of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Hairspray and Harry Potter.

It started off with a bang, then slowed down a little in the first hour. The laughs came inconsistently. Even though it was pretty lame, the act of Sir Ian McKellan confusing his roles was pretty funny. In a scene from Lord of the Rings where he was in the tower with Saruman, Magneto emerged spouting lines from X-Men United.

Repeat the above with King Lear which had Ian McKellan in it too. Still funny to me.

Nothing is sacred in this parody. There were Will.I.Am Legend, AVP (Ah Lian Vs Predator, tagline: You never die before ...... is it?), Ratatouille became Ratattooist, Beauty World being poked fun of, Bangkok and the fictional Chitty Chitty Bang Kock go-go bar with its Transformers team of go-go boys, Heroes, etc.

Not forgetting the out of the news and probably forgotten famous sex video of Malaysia's ex-Health Minister, which was made fun off too. It was reenacted somewhat, with the actor humping and shouting in ecstasy, "Who's your datuk (Dato) huh? Who's your datuk?"

Overall, not too bad. Had an evening of fun and laughter to kill the boredom of work.

Two more days at my current office. Yay!

It's Friday tomorrow! Double yay!

Two famous deaths in a week

I was quite sad to find out yesterday that Heath Ledger was found dead in his rented apartment. He didn't seem like those troubled actors and it was shocking news indeed.

Of course, he was most famous for his role in Brokeback Mountain, as Ennis Del Mar. He was the more closeted one and in his situation in that era, I suppose it was understandable. I couldn't understand what he said half the time LOL But he did a wonderful job playing the role of wanting and yearning to be together but yet unable to.

The other movie with him in it which I have watched was Ten Things I Hate About You. I think he was great in the movie too. I watched a little of A Knight's Tale, but I skipped The Patriot.

His most high profile role would have been as the Joker, in the upcoming The Dark Knight. Though I wouldn't have imagined him pulling it off as the Joker, but I would hold my judgment till the movie is released. From his acting thus far, I think it is highly probably that he would have made Joker believable as a maniacally evil and crazy villain.

I agree with most that it is a great loss for the acting world.

And just last week, a lesser known actor Brad Renfro was found dead too. He was deemed a rising child actor in the 1990's, starring in The Client opposite Tom Cruise.

One of Renfro's more memorable movie was Apt Pupil, with Ian McKellan. He was a talented actor too, but obviously was more troubled and had run-ins with the law. His more recent movies were small roles and were quite forgettable.

The thing I look forward to now is to wait for the screening of The Dark Knight.

Jumping ship

As our job takes up at least one-third of our adult life, it is only logical that we should find one where it makes happy or at least not too unhappy.

For me, being able to learn new things and do interesting projects are important. Money is not really an issue, but of course it doesn't mean that I can be exploited or be severely underpaid for what I do.

In addition, I want someone who is able to guide me when the need arises. I believe that I have much more to learn and the availability of someone more experienced would be essential.

The people whom I work with are important too. The particular something that needs to be done may be shitty, but if I have a group of wonderful people with me in the same shit, then well, it sure helps a lot.

And currently, the people that I work with are just great, the best so far that I have worked with. Heck, they are just marvellous people with a great sense of humour and lots of fun. All of us are in the same age group and this is our second or third workplace.

It is thus with great sadness that I have to bid them adieu very soon. They know the reason I am leaving and they understand. They will miss me and I would miss them too. I really hope that we would still be friends and keep in touch.

A new year, a new start in a new workplace.

Animals, blood, food

It is already mid week and here I am blogging about what happened over the weekend.

It was quite an eventful one, where I went for the Night Safari, my second time in two years. It was quite enjoyable, though it vaguely seemed similar as they didn't seem to have added any new animals.

On Sunday, I finally went for blood donation which has been postponed three times, twice being Lloyd was ill. Apparently, my timing couldn't have been better as I received an SMS from the blood bank stating, "Dear O Blood Donors, your blood type is urgently needed ....". According to Jaded Jeremy, it was even mentioned on the radio that the blood is in short supply.

All I wanna say is that, Wow, I'm very much impressed by how technology is put to good use!

The prick on the finger to test for iron sufficiently was surprisingly more painful than usual. Heck, it is even painful now if I press on the spot.

The blood donation went well, and quickly too as the blood bag filled up in less than eight minutes. I don't remember having it over with so quickly. Apparently, the fastest time clocked was four minutes. That guy's blood must be gushing out like mad!

Anyway, there is a very good advertisement on blood donation which was played on the MRT stations a couple of months ago. I searched on YouTube but couldn't find it though. In addition, newspapers recently are also mentioning about it frequently. Just yesterday, there was an article called "Why Singaporeans Shun Blood Donation".

All these visibility and publicity is good if it gets people to do donate blood, especially those who never did. But the main thing that struck me was how this is almost unimaginable in Malaysia.

It was also Anson's birthday on Sunday so we had lunch at Vivocity. Then I went for a movie called Dan in Real Life, which is really excellent. Seldom has a movie made me laugh and cry and root for the main character so much, played by Steve Carell (Evan Almighty). Juliette Binoche is also great playing the woman of his dreams.

This movie is highly recommended by me. And according to IMDB, many seem to agree.

Dinner was in Vivocity again, at Marche. Wasn't really hungry, so just had a crepe and took some bites of other people's food.

Two weeks ago, I was at this new Japanese restaurant at Cathay and the food there was quite good. Prices were quite reasonable and the portions were generous. I especially like their grilled mushrooms wrapped in bacon. The mushrooms were full of flavour and juice. The sashimi was quite good too.

There is no menu. We have to go around and pick what we want to order. Pictures and names of ramen, sashimi, tempura, etc were displayed. If we want something, we had to pick up an ice cream stick with the food's name on it and pass them to the staff at the checkout counter.

And one of the items available was this.

Sunday movies

2008 kicked off with me working overtime, which is what I have been doing since New Year's, coming back home in a daze of fatigue. It's my busy period, what more with my team being short of one staff who just resigned.

Last Sunday, I visited the Singapore National Museum, which is having an exhibition called Greek Masterpieces from the Louvre. Quite an interesting exhibition with lots of nude life size sculptures and vases and the like. Can't imagine that people back in that time are more appreciative of male nudity than they are now. And yeah, I know the Greeks are the ones that started the whole pedagogy thing ;)

Managed to catch two movies on the same day, Elizabeth: The Golden Age and Vexille, an anime. I found Elizabeth to be so-so, nothing great but the acting was good. The storyline could have been more engaging. The movie ended with some England and Spain going to war and that ships battling was quite good.

Vexille was excellent. The synopsis:
Japan, 2077: A female agent named Vexille is dispatched to Tokyo to investigate whether Japanese are developing robotic technology, which has been banned by the U.N. due to its potential threat to humankind.


That's the gist of it but there is more actually. The storyline was interesting and I was quite engrossed in the plot. About how the last fragments of humanity is more human that those who are 100% human.

The graphics could be better though. Some of the characters movements and outline were not rendered naturally.

Overall, quite a busy Sunday I had last week.

And appropriately for the new year, something new beckons. Something which turns out better, I hope.

2008

2007 came and went. To me, the whole year seemed to be a non-event, an almost flat line on a graph.

Nothing especially memorable happened in 2007. Well, Nyk did come into life and I am grateful that he still is beside me all these while putting up with my temperaments. But my previous exes all appeared in January anyway, so the event wasn’t special. The person is and it is Nyk.

Maybe work is beginning to dull my sense of time and memory.

One of colleagues mentioned that holidays are definitive moments in a year, as work tends to be the same over time and nothing distinguishes work anyway. Work is work.

As such, highlights for the year would be my trip to China and Taiwan. I have never been to two different countries within a year. I have not even been on a trip with Nyk yet, but hopefully that would change come July.

Nyk did say I watched too damn many movies!

Oh, I ended 2007 with a little splurge on a gadget. It is a Canon A720IS camera, which I have wanted since November.

And this is my last meal of the year, pork ribs at Cafe Cartel, taken with my new camera.

I didn't bother to go anywhere for countdown, as the crowds just drive me crazy.

Wishing everyone a great 2008!