Nyk was getting a bit wistful yesterday about friends lost and made. I suppose that is a fact of life that we have to accept - that friends come in and out of our lives all the time.
In different stages of life we would have different interests and activities and understandably, the people that we acquaint with would be different. Over time, we would have grown and move in divergent directions; we would have moved on to newer and other more exciting stuff.
But of course, this is not always the case. There would be that select few who would be with us for a very long time. Who would see us through the different stages in life and our ups and downs. Those that might even know us better than we know ourselves.
Even in this age of communications technology, its availability doesn't mean that it would be meaningfully utilised to keep in touch. The tools are all there and precisely because of that it is taken for granted. Everyone is just an email, phone call or text message away but sometimes we forget or are too lazy to use them.
There would also be others who would appear intermittently in our lives. They come in and out of lives. They reappear a few or many years later. But somehow we could still reconnect with them; there is still that bond of friendship. It’s like they have taken a break and came back from it.
I understand how he feels. I had that feeling a long time ago. Come to think of it, there are not many people whom I meet often. It is always the same group of people. They are the important people in my lives right now.
They may or may not be in the future but I guess the most important thing now is to treasure the friendship and not let it deteriorate.
Work and family takes up most of his time. Especially his mom. She has her mood swings and her mood significantly affects Nyk's mood.
Things are not balanced. One need to spend time with other groups of people too. The bonds of friendship can nurture and invigorate.
Perhaps all these negative energy points to something deeper. There could be something lying beneath it. Possibly feeling stuck in the rut? Midlife crisis which arrived much earlier?
Or maybe it is something as simple as the blues. Everyone gets it sometimes. Even I do. But this time it seems longer than usual.
There is only so much I can do cheer him up. Would like to just meet him now and make him feel better. I do feel powerless as I am not beside him now. This is one downside of long distance relationship which infuriates.
Hope you feel better soon dear. He is coming down in early July, so I am thinking I might have my work cut out for me if he is still not alright.
But of course, the sooner the clouds lift the better.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Community service
My company has this annual community service thing whereby staff volunteer to spend a day or more contributing back to the community. I signed up for it last month and it happened on Friday.
The expected activities were cleaning, repairing, painting, that kinda stuff. Luckily for me, there wasn't painting involved. I know painting could be fun but really, I don't like the mess produced. And painting is less fun when you have to do a decent job of it. It is another person's house after all.
The beneficiary of these activities are underprivileged kids, defined as not doing so well in school and who come from a broken or troubled family. Mine was a 11 year old girl with a single parent. She has two older brothers. We were supposed to help make their home more conducive for studying.
Anyway out job was to help clear her stuff. They live in a one bedroom HDB. Living space is already pretty cramped but it was made worse by the countless and endless boxes of stuff stacked high from wall to ceiling. They must have at least 50 boxes of stuff.
The mom had at least 5 boxes of clothing, some of which were new but never worn before. She also had at least two dozen bags and handbags wrapped in plastic. There were more than a few sets of plates, cups, saucers and other kitchenware. She had a box full of perfume for an unknown number of years.
How she got those stuff? From years of collecting and keeping the things she received from relatives, friends, neighbours. Or even good and usable stuff which she picked up from wherever.
There we were, 10 adults helping her sort through her mess for 5 hours. We had to convince her to part with her belongings. We told her all the usable equipmend would be donated to the Salvation Army. We then had to separate the things that she wants to keep from those to be discarded.
All in all, I think we managed to achieve our target. We removed at least half of her stuff and rearrange the living room. Boxes were stacked nicely and there was more floor space. We donated a study desk and computer table to them.
There were a lot of moving and carrying of boxes and bags. We had to carry the items onto a lorry which shipped them to the Salvation Army in Bishan.
In the end, the mom was visibly happy and thankful for our help. Apparently, she had tried to clean up on her own but it wasn't as productive. That was understandable as she would certainly be hesitant to discard the stuff that she had painstakingly accumulated over the years.
She thanked us profusely for making her home more spacious and cleared up the clutter.
As for me, this wasn't what I expected when I signed up for it. Clearing up stuff didn't seem to be much of a service, but judging by their gratitude, we seemed to have contributed something meaningful into their lives.
It is not much but our little service made a difference.
The expected activities were cleaning, repairing, painting, that kinda stuff. Luckily for me, there wasn't painting involved. I know painting could be fun but really, I don't like the mess produced. And painting is less fun when you have to do a decent job of it. It is another person's house after all.
The beneficiary of these activities are underprivileged kids, defined as not doing so well in school and who come from a broken or troubled family. Mine was a 11 year old girl with a single parent. She has two older brothers. We were supposed to help make their home more conducive for studying.
Anyway out job was to help clear her stuff. They live in a one bedroom HDB. Living space is already pretty cramped but it was made worse by the countless and endless boxes of stuff stacked high from wall to ceiling. They must have at least 50 boxes of stuff.
The mom had at least 5 boxes of clothing, some of which were new but never worn before. She also had at least two dozen bags and handbags wrapped in plastic. There were more than a few sets of plates, cups, saucers and other kitchenware. She had a box full of perfume for an unknown number of years.
How she got those stuff? From years of collecting and keeping the things she received from relatives, friends, neighbours. Or even good and usable stuff which she picked up from wherever.
There we were, 10 adults helping her sort through her mess for 5 hours. We had to convince her to part with her belongings. We told her all the usable equipmend would be donated to the Salvation Army. We then had to separate the things that she wants to keep from those to be discarded.
All in all, I think we managed to achieve our target. We removed at least half of her stuff and rearrange the living room. Boxes were stacked nicely and there was more floor space. We donated a study desk and computer table to them.
There were a lot of moving and carrying of boxes and bags. We had to carry the items onto a lorry which shipped them to the Salvation Army in Bishan.
In the end, the mom was visibly happy and thankful for our help. Apparently, she had tried to clean up on her own but it wasn't as productive. That was understandable as she would certainly be hesitant to discard the stuff that she had painstakingly accumulated over the years.
She thanked us profusely for making her home more spacious and cleared up the clutter.
As for me, this wasn't what I expected when I signed up for it. Clearing up stuff didn't seem to be much of a service, but judging by their gratitude, we seemed to have contributed something meaningful into their lives.
It is not much but our little service made a difference.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Male penguins raise adopted chick
Interesting news from around the world. Taken from the BBC.
Two "gay" male penguins have hatched a chick and are now rearing it as its adoptive parents, says a German zoo.
The zoo, in Bremerhaven, northern Germany, says the adult males - Z and Vielpunkt - were given an egg which was rejected by its biological parents.
It says the couple are now happily rearing the chick, said to have reached four weeks old.
The zoo made headlines in 2005 over plans to "test" the sexual orientation of penguins with homosexual traits.
Three pairs of male penguins had been seen attempting to mate with each other and trying to hatch offspring from stones.
The zoo flew in four females in a bid to get the endangered birds to reproduce - but quickly abandoned the scheme after causing outrage among gay rights activists, who accused it of interfering in the animals' behaviour.
The six "gay" penguins remain at the zoo, among them Z and Vielpunkt who are now rearing the chick together after being given the rejected egg.
"Z and Vielpunkt, both males, gladly accepted their 'Easter gift' and got straight down to raising it," said a zoo statement.
"Since the chick arrived, they have been behaving just as you would expect a heterosexual couple to do. The two happy fathers spend their days attentively protecting, caring for and feeding their adopted offspring."
Humboldt penguins are normally found in coastal Peru and Chile, but their numbers have been dwindling due to overfishing, reports the AFP news agency.
'Drive to mate'
There have been previous reports of exclusive male-to-male pairings among penguins, some of which have also included the rearing of chicks.
Homosexual behaviour is well documented in many different animals, but it is not understood in detail, says Professor Stuart West, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Oxford.
Professor West says it has been suggested that homosexual activity could serve various purposes - for instance, it may relate to social bonding and establishment of dominance among bonobo chimps, while in some bird species, females may come together to rear young.
Other animals may simply exhibit a "drive to mate", while others may, like humans, enjoy non-procreative sexual activity.
"Homosexuality is nothing unusual among animals," Bremerhaven zoo said on Wednesday.
"Sex and coupling up in our world do not necessarily have anything to do with reproduction."
Two "gay" male penguins have hatched a chick and are now rearing it as its adoptive parents, says a German zoo.
The zoo, in Bremerhaven, northern Germany, says the adult males - Z and Vielpunkt - were given an egg which was rejected by its biological parents.
It says the couple are now happily rearing the chick, said to have reached four weeks old.
The zoo made headlines in 2005 over plans to "test" the sexual orientation of penguins with homosexual traits.
Three pairs of male penguins had been seen attempting to mate with each other and trying to hatch offspring from stones.
The zoo flew in four females in a bid to get the endangered birds to reproduce - but quickly abandoned the scheme after causing outrage among gay rights activists, who accused it of interfering in the animals' behaviour.
The six "gay" penguins remain at the zoo, among them Z and Vielpunkt who are now rearing the chick together after being given the rejected egg.
"Z and Vielpunkt, both males, gladly accepted their 'Easter gift' and got straight down to raising it," said a zoo statement.
"Since the chick arrived, they have been behaving just as you would expect a heterosexual couple to do. The two happy fathers spend their days attentively protecting, caring for and feeding their adopted offspring."
Humboldt penguins are normally found in coastal Peru and Chile, but their numbers have been dwindling due to overfishing, reports the AFP news agency.
'Drive to mate'
There have been previous reports of exclusive male-to-male pairings among penguins, some of which have also included the rearing of chicks.
Homosexual behaviour is well documented in many different animals, but it is not understood in detail, says Professor Stuart West, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Oxford.
Professor West says it has been suggested that homosexual activity could serve various purposes - for instance, it may relate to social bonding and establishment of dominance among bonobo chimps, while in some bird species, females may come together to rear young.
Other animals may simply exhibit a "drive to mate", while others may, like humans, enjoy non-procreative sexual activity.
"Homosexuality is nothing unusual among animals," Bremerhaven zoo said on Wednesday.
"Sex and coupling up in our world do not necessarily have anything to do with reproduction."
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
Terminator Salvation
I managed to catch Terminator Salvation on Sunday. It was better than I expected. The action scenes were great and exciting. Haven't felt this kind of adrenalin rush from a movie for quite some time.
You don't really have to know much about the earlier Terminator movies to follow the story. I would highly recommended it.
The next movie which I really want to watch is Up, Pixar's movie for this year. It's the highest rated movie I have come across on IMDB. Nine out of ten stars.
You don't really have to know much about the earlier Terminator movies to follow the story. I would highly recommended it.
The next movie which I really want to watch is Up, Pixar's movie for this year. It's the highest rated movie I have come across on IMDB. Nine out of ten stars.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
A logical voice
It's amazing that even after the AWARE EGM on 2nd May, the issue still hasn't died completely. I suppose the Christian fundamentalists really stirred up a hornet's nest when they decided to steeplejack AWARE.
I can't remember who said it, but he said something about he didn't speak up when groups of people were taken away, in the end there is no one left to speak for you when it is your turn.
And if this source is to be believed, the mother-daughter team is deeply involved in a very fundamentalist organisations based in the U.S. I would think that this warrants a more detailed look than Siew Kum Hoong - Swiss connection.
A Reply to Letter by Dr Thio Su Mien dated 18th May 2009, taken from the author's Facebook.
Dear Sir,
It is with amazement that I read Dr Thio Su Miens letter "Gay activists a key constituency of Aware", published on the 18th of May 2009. As a responsible heterosexual member of the public, I feel that it is my duty to respond to her diatribe.
I find the fact that Dr Thio believes that Aware are pushing a pro-homosexual agenda terribly disturbing. To my knowledge, the homosexual lobby in Singapore have never had any political agenda, focusing instead on their right to acceptance in society for who they are, and as noted in the recent 'Pink Dot' gathering, on their right to select their own partners. It is a matter of deep concern that so distinguished a member of our society should display such intolerance towards the sexual inclinations of others. As a law student myself, I find it equally disturbing that a former dean of our law faculty, who must in her time have taught many of our current lawyers to critically appraise what they are told as facts of evidence, should now hold such bigoted and inflexible views herself.
Also, it is deeply disconcerting to note that Dr Thio believes that homosexuality be viewed as negative in the education system. The fact that Aware took a neutral stance when dealing with the issue, is highly laudable. It is with great pride that I say that as a Singaporean, one of the key social values I was taught during my school days was that of acceptance. Education is not about skimming over what some might deem as unpleasant fact, but about giving youth information and the power to make informed decisions over the course of their lives.
I do not understand how the CSE manual's description of anal sex, conditions the minds of teenage students towards acceptance of homosexuality when this is also practised by heterosexuals in the privacy of their own homes. Is Dr Thio oblivious to this fact? To immediately equate the two with one another is a direct admission of an agenda against the homosexually inclined.
The old guard received the vociferous support they did not because it was among their aims to promote a homosexual agenda, but merely because they accepted that certain people were inclined differently. As a 'discerning Singaporean' who has also examined the evidence in print and online accounts, I have come to the conclusion that the purpose of the 'ex-new exco' was to attack a group of people whose sole intention lay in obtaining acceptance of their status as people and not as societal non-grata. If we were to accept her argument that the old guard had a homosexual agenda, then we must also accept that Dr Thio and the group she claimed to have mentored, had an agenda based solely on their religious beliefs. This is eminently borne out by their pastors statement on the pulpit calling on his congregation to support the 'ex-new exco'.
I have always been under the impression that all religions were inclusive, and not exclusive, of human frailties. Given the plural nature of Singapore's society, it is unthinkable that a group consisting of people from a single racial background pushing a single religious agenda, represent the views of our racially diverse and secular populace. We have always been an accepting and tolerant society. The outcome of the whole 'Aware Saga' fills me with hope that we will remain so.
Akesh Abhilash
I can't remember who said it, but he said something about he didn't speak up when groups of people were taken away, in the end there is no one left to speak for you when it is your turn.
And if this source is to be believed, the mother-daughter team is deeply involved in a very fundamentalist organisations based in the U.S. I would think that this warrants a more detailed look than Siew Kum Hoong - Swiss connection.
A Reply to Letter by Dr Thio Su Mien dated 18th May 2009, taken from the author's Facebook.
Dear Sir,
It is with amazement that I read Dr Thio Su Miens letter "Gay activists a key constituency of Aware", published on the 18th of May 2009. As a responsible heterosexual member of the public, I feel that it is my duty to respond to her diatribe.
I find the fact that Dr Thio believes that Aware are pushing a pro-homosexual agenda terribly disturbing. To my knowledge, the homosexual lobby in Singapore have never had any political agenda, focusing instead on their right to acceptance in society for who they are, and as noted in the recent 'Pink Dot' gathering, on their right to select their own partners. It is a matter of deep concern that so distinguished a member of our society should display such intolerance towards the sexual inclinations of others. As a law student myself, I find it equally disturbing that a former dean of our law faculty, who must in her time have taught many of our current lawyers to critically appraise what they are told as facts of evidence, should now hold such bigoted and inflexible views herself.
Also, it is deeply disconcerting to note that Dr Thio believes that homosexuality be viewed as negative in the education system. The fact that Aware took a neutral stance when dealing with the issue, is highly laudable. It is with great pride that I say that as a Singaporean, one of the key social values I was taught during my school days was that of acceptance. Education is not about skimming over what some might deem as unpleasant fact, but about giving youth information and the power to make informed decisions over the course of their lives.
I do not understand how the CSE manual's description of anal sex, conditions the minds of teenage students towards acceptance of homosexuality when this is also practised by heterosexuals in the privacy of their own homes. Is Dr Thio oblivious to this fact? To immediately equate the two with one another is a direct admission of an agenda against the homosexually inclined.
The old guard received the vociferous support they did not because it was among their aims to promote a homosexual agenda, but merely because they accepted that certain people were inclined differently. As a 'discerning Singaporean' who has also examined the evidence in print and online accounts, I have come to the conclusion that the purpose of the 'ex-new exco' was to attack a group of people whose sole intention lay in obtaining acceptance of their status as people and not as societal non-grata. If we were to accept her argument that the old guard had a homosexual agenda, then we must also accept that Dr Thio and the group she claimed to have mentored, had an agenda based solely on their religious beliefs. This is eminently borne out by their pastors statement on the pulpit calling on his congregation to support the 'ex-new exco'.
I have always been under the impression that all religions were inclusive, and not exclusive, of human frailties. Given the plural nature of Singapore's society, it is unthinkable that a group consisting of people from a single racial background pushing a single religious agenda, represent the views of our racially diverse and secular populace. We have always been an accepting and tolerant society. The outcome of the whole 'Aware Saga' fills me with hope that we will remain so.
Akesh Abhilash
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Leftward or upward?
I was at Borders yesterday and saw this book called Bonk.
Looks interesting and I flipped through the pages. An interesting paragraph on the the erect penis caught my eye.
According to a Taiwanese doctor who specialises in penile implants, when the penis is erect the most common direction is to the left. This was followed by downwards, left and finally upwards. Sort of like anti-clockwise.
Indeed, this is a startling observation for me. It basically contradicts what I have observed.
From my limited *ahem* experience and the porn that I watched, I have the impression that facing north is the most common one. Thus far, I have only seen one that points left and the rest all point upward.
Anyone else care to share their empirical observations? ;p
Looks interesting and I flipped through the pages. An interesting paragraph on the the erect penis caught my eye.
According to a Taiwanese doctor who specialises in penile implants, when the penis is erect the most common direction is to the left. This was followed by downwards, left and finally upwards. Sort of like anti-clockwise.
Indeed, this is a startling observation for me. It basically contradicts what I have observed.
From my limited *ahem* experience and the porn that I watched, I have the impression that facing north is the most common one. Thus far, I have only seen one that points left and the rest all point upward.
Anyone else care to share their empirical observations? ;p
Sunday, May 10, 2009
The power of words and fear
It is very difficult to change one's mind if you have already decided beforehand that you are right and gay people are sinful and plain wrong. You will disregard all facts that are contrary to your view.
In addition, it's not enough that you think that you are right, you want the society at large to have the same thoughts and opinions as you. The weapon of choice: fear. Stoke fear that the children are being taught about homosexuality; that anal sex is a neutral word.
Those poor innocent children! Everything and anything must be done to protect them! If not, they will turn out gay!
Obviously, that presupposes that homosexuality is spread by the word of mouth. Like how you convert people other people into your way of thinking. If only it was so.
They who have use the power of words to gather support and spread paranoia are of course wary of it. But hardened minds who think that homosexuality is a choice fail to understand that it is not. Hearing and repeating the word gay doesn't make one turn gay.
Just like how if I say the word heterosexual one thousand times make me want to place my privates into a woman's down under.
But of course you want to admit that you are wrong and irrational would be a great humiliation. Never mind logic, the book says homosexuality is wrong means it is wrong. Never mind that the cold hard evidence shows otherwise.
Because when one start doubting, the whole system of belief begins to crack. The stand on homosexuality is one small part of the belief but ultimately it still is part of it. Admitting a mistake is tantamount to doubting the whole belief, which has taken years to develop and solidify in the cerebral cortex. It would crumble their confidence as no one willingly admits they are wrong.
It is just incomprehensible that someone who is smart enough to be a doctor or a lawyer could be wrong.
But didn't someone say to err is human. Oh wait, that wasn't in the book so it must be not true. So they could not be wrong.
I can understand that they have worked hard to get up on that high moral horse of theirs, surely they are very afraid to fall from it.
That is why when they are afraid of science. Science questions everything. Ideas and hypotheses are always being tested by other scientists. You said this is true, let me try to replicate it. There is a check and balance. You said this is possible, then please show it to me.
But who checks what they do? Who do they answer to when they spread fear and tell lies?
Nobody. They can get away with it because they believe that sitting on a horse gives them the right.
And they are unhappy when the people around them throw horseshit to their faces.
In addition, it's not enough that you think that you are right, you want the society at large to have the same thoughts and opinions as you. The weapon of choice: fear. Stoke fear that the children are being taught about homosexuality; that anal sex is a neutral word.
Those poor innocent children! Everything and anything must be done to protect them! If not, they will turn out gay!
Obviously, that presupposes that homosexuality is spread by the word of mouth. Like how you convert people other people into your way of thinking. If only it was so.
They who have use the power of words to gather support and spread paranoia are of course wary of it. But hardened minds who think that homosexuality is a choice fail to understand that it is not. Hearing and repeating the word gay doesn't make one turn gay.
Just like how if I say the word heterosexual one thousand times make me want to place my privates into a woman's down under.
But of course you want to admit that you are wrong and irrational would be a great humiliation. Never mind logic, the book says homosexuality is wrong means it is wrong. Never mind that the cold hard evidence shows otherwise.
Because when one start doubting, the whole system of belief begins to crack. The stand on homosexuality is one small part of the belief but ultimately it still is part of it. Admitting a mistake is tantamount to doubting the whole belief, which has taken years to develop and solidify in the cerebral cortex. It would crumble their confidence as no one willingly admits they are wrong.
It is just incomprehensible that someone who is smart enough to be a doctor or a lawyer could be wrong.
But didn't someone say to err is human. Oh wait, that wasn't in the book so it must be not true. So they could not be wrong.
I can understand that they have worked hard to get up on that high moral horse of theirs, surely they are very afraid to fall from it.
That is why when they are afraid of science. Science questions everything. Ideas and hypotheses are always being tested by other scientists. You said this is true, let me try to replicate it. There is a check and balance. You said this is possible, then please show it to me.
But who checks what they do? Who do they answer to when they spread fear and tell lies?
Nobody. They can get away with it because they believe that sitting on a horse gives them the right.
And they are unhappy when the people around them throw horseshit to their faces.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Ramblings, sunny hot weather
The common topic of complaint/whining for the past two weeks was the weather. I was already sweating the moment I stepped out from the shower and into my room.
Nothing much has happened over the past three weeks since I came back from KL. It was basically more work and work. Though I did manage to finish this gay novel called When You Don't See Me. It was quite good but the ending was a bit flat.
Though I quite enjoyed it, I didn't think that it was gay enough. It was mostly about Nick, a 19 year-old living in Manhattan who lost a loved from September 11. He dropped out of art school because he didn't know what he wanted to do with his life. Very real people with real problems. Probably I was expecting more drama and excitement; I don't know.
I am now reading a book on cognitive dissonance. It is an interesting aspect of human behaviour whereby we always justify one idea when two opposing ideas exist. It shows that we are more governed by emotions than logic when it happens. An obvious example would be George W Bush continuing with mobilisation of more US troops to Iraq even when it was obvious that there was no WMD.
Meanwhile, the AWARE saga over here has me really riled up when I read the news about the new guard. An example of my own cognitive dissonance.
On a side note, I haven't been watching many movies recently and there are quite a few great movies now like Revolutionary Road and Taken.
There is a long weekend coming up and I really forward to it.
Nothing much has happened over the past three weeks since I came back from KL. It was basically more work and work. Though I did manage to finish this gay novel called When You Don't See Me. It was quite good but the ending was a bit flat.
Though I quite enjoyed it, I didn't think that it was gay enough. It was mostly about Nick, a 19 year-old living in Manhattan who lost a loved from September 11. He dropped out of art school because he didn't know what he wanted to do with his life. Very real people with real problems. Probably I was expecting more drama and excitement; I don't know.
I am now reading a book on cognitive dissonance. It is an interesting aspect of human behaviour whereby we always justify one idea when two opposing ideas exist. It shows that we are more governed by emotions than logic when it happens. An obvious example would be George W Bush continuing with mobilisation of more US troops to Iraq even when it was obvious that there was no WMD.
Meanwhile, the AWARE saga over here has me really riled up when I read the news about the new guard. An example of my own cognitive dissonance.
On a side note, I haven't been watching many movies recently and there are quite a few great movies now like Revolutionary Road and Taken.
There is a long weekend coming up and I really forward to it.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Handsome suit
There is a happiness which you can never have unless you're being yourself - taken from the movie Handsome Suit.
That movie was more enjoyable than I had expected. It was a friend who organised the movie outing. If it was me, I wouldn't have chosen it.
Basically it was like a Japanese version of 300 Pound Beauty, only that the protoganist is a guy instead of a girl. How an ugly guy was given the chance to try out on a suit (which looked like the Michelin Man) that could transform him into a slim and gorgeous looking guy who is popular with the ladies everywhere he goes and eventually become the hottest male model in Japan.
When Takura had to finally decide between choosing between his original self who is a great cook, loving and always cheerful and Anni, the model superstar who could have the greatest happiness surrounded by adoring fans, the audience could really sympathize with him. Being ugly means he has to put up with people making fun of him, discrimination and sometimes subjected to downright cruel treatment from the rest of society.
The truth is that sometimes beautiful people do get away with things. They seemed to live better lives. But Takuro realized that being treated nicely by people he doesn't know or adored by fans is not what makes him happy. It was his customers' satisfied smile, his friends' jokes and his assistant's infectious joy; all the little happiness in his life which he truly treasures.
It's a little reminder to wake up, look carefully and smell the roses.
Overall, a good movie with a timeless message packed with humour and comic situations. Go catch it!
That movie was more enjoyable than I had expected. It was a friend who organised the movie outing. If it was me, I wouldn't have chosen it.
Basically it was like a Japanese version of 300 Pound Beauty, only that the protoganist is a guy instead of a girl. How an ugly guy was given the chance to try out on a suit (which looked like the Michelin Man) that could transform him into a slim and gorgeous looking guy who is popular with the ladies everywhere he goes and eventually become the hottest male model in Japan.
When Takura had to finally decide between choosing between his original self who is a great cook, loving and always cheerful and Anni, the model superstar who could have the greatest happiness surrounded by adoring fans, the audience could really sympathize with him. Being ugly means he has to put up with people making fun of him, discrimination and sometimes subjected to downright cruel treatment from the rest of society.
The truth is that sometimes beautiful people do get away with things. They seemed to live better lives. But Takuro realized that being treated nicely by people he doesn't know or adored by fans is not what makes him happy. It was his customers' satisfied smile, his friends' jokes and his assistant's infectious joy; all the little happiness in his life which he truly treasures.
It's a little reminder to wake up, look carefully and smell the roses.
Overall, a good movie with a timeless message packed with humour and comic situations. Go catch it!
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Good Friday
I haven't been blogging for some time now. I have quite a bit of things to pen down but somehow they were never written.
I was back in KL for the Good Friday weekend. Got a chance to finally meet up with a friend who was back from the U.K. for holiday. It was wonderful to see him again after four long years and thus far non-existent U.K. trip. I really want to go to U.K., probably next year, as I haven't been there before.
Mostly my time was spent with my family. On both Saturday and Sunday, my dad took us out for lunch which was almost an hour's drive away. That is one hour too long for me. My dad is a foodie so this kind of things happen quite often.
We had lunch at the foot of Bukit Tinggi on Saturday, where we had fresh river fish and cheap dishes. Sunday's lunch was in Sungai Besi, this restaurant tucked away in an industrial area but was featured before on a good food television program.
Nyk came over for a swim on Sunday. Admittedly I didn't get to see much of him this time, but we did what we could. I will only be seeing him next in 6 weeks' time.
Nyk is pretty stressed at work, so here's wishing that your work goes well dear.
I was back in KL for the Good Friday weekend. Got a chance to finally meet up with a friend who was back from the U.K. for holiday. It was wonderful to see him again after four long years and thus far non-existent U.K. trip. I really want to go to U.K., probably next year, as I haven't been there before.
Mostly my time was spent with my family. On both Saturday and Sunday, my dad took us out for lunch which was almost an hour's drive away. That is one hour too long for me. My dad is a foodie so this kind of things happen quite often.
We had lunch at the foot of Bukit Tinggi on Saturday, where we had fresh river fish and cheap dishes. Sunday's lunch was in Sungai Besi, this restaurant tucked away in an industrial area but was featured before on a good food television program.
Nyk came over for a swim on Sunday. Admittedly I didn't get to see much of him this time, but we did what we could. I will only be seeing him next in 6 weeks' time.
Nyk is pretty stressed at work, so here's wishing that your work goes well dear.
Sunday, April 05, 2009
A week with Nyk
Nyk was here last week. It was great to have him here for a week, though I could only take 2 half days off. I think it was a little exhausting for him as we did quite a bit of walking on some of the days.
He arrived on Monday evening and we went for dinner at Eatzi. The food wasn't that great, but it was passable. The next day was a very busy day for me as it was the quarter end. So he had to spend the afternoon wandering about in Tanjong Pagar with James.
On Wednesday, we went for the Henderson Waves trail again. Think the whole trek from Harbourfront MRT to Hort Park is about 5 kilometers. Nyk was complaining that his feet ached thereafter.
Before that we had lunch at this place called Fre(n)sh which serves French food. He had a quiche and I had tartines. It was really quite good, though slightly on the expensive side. They had set meals throughout the day though and those are more worth it.
I got the chance to savour Nyk's cooking on Thursday. Even with the very limited available condiments at home, he managed to make do and came up with chicken chop, herbal soup and vegetables. It was really quite nice and satisfying to eat a meal cooked by a loved one.
On Saturday, we went to Botanic Gardens. My only time there had been two years ago. We spent the whole morning there and then proceeded to Shaw Tower for an affordable Thai meal.
His timing to visit me at the end of March couldn't be better, as it only coincided a little with my busy period. The week before was absolutely crazy as I had to stayed back for the whole week. So I believe that we did spend as much time as possible in that 5 days he was here.
It was really comforting to come back home to have Nyk waiting for me. I am sure he feels the same. It does make me yearn more for an actual home for the both of us.
I suppose the emotional and physical benefits of a relationship is more important that anything else. My god brother asked me the other day, how do you know that your partner is the one. I replied, you don't. A relationship is hard work. There has to be a lot of communication and giving. Of course the giving part is done willingly.
To me, love is supposed to make me want to become a better person. For him, for me. I think one of the qualities I have improved on is patience and to start with, I am not a very patient person by nature.
All in all, we had a very wonderful time last week. You should come down more often, dear.
He arrived on Monday evening and we went for dinner at Eatzi. The food wasn't that great, but it was passable. The next day was a very busy day for me as it was the quarter end. So he had to spend the afternoon wandering about in Tanjong Pagar with James.
On Wednesday, we went for the Henderson Waves trail again. Think the whole trek from Harbourfront MRT to Hort Park is about 5 kilometers. Nyk was complaining that his feet ached thereafter.
Before that we had lunch at this place called Fre(n)sh which serves French food. He had a quiche and I had tartines. It was really quite good, though slightly on the expensive side. They had set meals throughout the day though and those are more worth it.
I got the chance to savour Nyk's cooking on Thursday. Even with the very limited available condiments at home, he managed to make do and came up with chicken chop, herbal soup and vegetables. It was really quite nice and satisfying to eat a meal cooked by a loved one.
On Saturday, we went to Botanic Gardens. My only time there had been two years ago. We spent the whole morning there and then proceeded to Shaw Tower for an affordable Thai meal.
His timing to visit me at the end of March couldn't be better, as it only coincided a little with my busy period. The week before was absolutely crazy as I had to stayed back for the whole week. So I believe that we did spend as much time as possible in that 5 days he was here.
It was really comforting to come back home to have Nyk waiting for me. I am sure he feels the same. It does make me yearn more for an actual home for the both of us.
I suppose the emotional and physical benefits of a relationship is more important that anything else. My god brother asked me the other day, how do you know that your partner is the one. I replied, you don't. A relationship is hard work. There has to be a lot of communication and giving. Of course the giving part is done willingly.
To me, love is supposed to make me want to become a better person. For him, for me. I think one of the qualities I have improved on is patience and to start with, I am not a very patient person by nature.
All in all, we had a very wonderful time last week. You should come down more often, dear.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Manhunt Singapore 2009
I didn't have time to blog anything this week, so I will leave you guys some pictures I took from Manhunt Singapore 2009, held in Heeren for the past three weeks. The finals was just held yesterday.
I didn't manage to take pictures of all the participants; only those that were in my view as it wasn't easy to move around the crowds surrounding the stage. The pictures are also not cropped, my apologies.
If you noticed that there is one person that appears a lot in the pictures, he is the winner for this year's Manhunt. His name is Yu Hao.
And I do have the most pictures of him. Of course it wasn't intentional and I had no idea that he would emerge the winner. I do agree that he is cute in a boyish way. He looks the most scrawny amongst the other beefier and hunkier contestants. According to reports, he has been hitting the gym to beef up and there is improvement in his body since the preliminaries.
But my personal favourite is Jason Chee, the one in the final two pictures. Those yummy abs and he has this hot tattoo his right shoulder. Drool.
I didn't manage to take pictures of all the participants; only those that were in my view as it wasn't easy to move around the crowds surrounding the stage. The pictures are also not cropped, my apologies.
If you noticed that there is one person that appears a lot in the pictures, he is the winner for this year's Manhunt. His name is Yu Hao.
And I do have the most pictures of him. Of course it wasn't intentional and I had no idea that he would emerge the winner. I do agree that he is cute in a boyish way. He looks the most scrawny amongst the other beefier and hunkier contestants. According to reports, he has been hitting the gym to beef up and there is improvement in his body since the preliminaries.
But my personal favourite is Jason Chee, the one in the final two pictures. Those yummy abs and he has this hot tattoo his right shoulder. Drool.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Different approaches to deal breakers
Love has found its way into two persons I know. I am happy for both of them. One has been searching for some time now and the other is his first ever relationship.
Speaking of the former, she has a very different view on starting a relationship from mine. To me, the getting to know each other and dating stage is the most fun and exciting. Everything is new and fresh. We learn about each other slowly, probably starting from 20% on the first meet and progressing to a higher level of intimacy.
But after two failed relationships, she prefers to go straight to the point. No more starting from zero and progressing from there. It starts from 70% (the most embarrassing details / weakest character / most annoying traits) are shared right at the beginning. Then only they move on to the smaller details.
I was quite shocked that she would do that. But then I remember it is not that much different from those who prefer to have sex first, found out that wow sex was great, then only consider the other person for dating as steps 1-2-3. To some people, sex is the most important thing and that condition has to be satisfied first before moving on to other things.
So to start with the thing that is the deal breaker first is very practical. No point going further ahead who knows how long, possibly weeks and months ahead to find out that the deal breaker really breaks the relationship.
But to me, where is the fun in that? I know that the dating process could be long, it could get tiring if it doesn't work out and we have to start all over again.
There will always be people who don't make the cut for us but they could be perfect to someone else. Different people value different things. It may take twenty wrong guys before the right one is found, but that should not stop us from trying.
Maybe I am just a true believer in love. That even though it may hurt and the search could be long, but I believe that ultimately it is worth it.
I still remember when I first started to meet people from online. I had to repeat the same things about myself over and over to different people. It did feel tedious and pointless sometimes, but I liked the feeling of getting to know more about other people's lives, their likes and dislikes, personalities etc.
It is the journey that matters, not the destination. It is cliche and very Buddhist, but that is how I see it.
It is like shopping. The more you want something, the higher the anticipation. You talk about it, you dream about it, you crave for it very much. It is all part of the journey.
But once you buy the desired item, the feeling changes. You got it and the feeling of satisfaction can only last so long, probably a month at the most.
Of course I am not saying that things go downhill from there. I just feel that it is best to take things as they come; to go with the flow.
Still, to each his or her own. As long as it works. Thus, I sincerely wish both of my friends the best of luck and lots of happiness.
Speaking of the former, she has a very different view on starting a relationship from mine. To me, the getting to know each other and dating stage is the most fun and exciting. Everything is new and fresh. We learn about each other slowly, probably starting from 20% on the first meet and progressing to a higher level of intimacy.
But after two failed relationships, she prefers to go straight to the point. No more starting from zero and progressing from there. It starts from 70% (the most embarrassing details / weakest character / most annoying traits) are shared right at the beginning. Then only they move on to the smaller details.
I was quite shocked that she would do that. But then I remember it is not that much different from those who prefer to have sex first, found out that wow sex was great, then only consider the other person for dating as steps 1-2-3. To some people, sex is the most important thing and that condition has to be satisfied first before moving on to other things.
So to start with the thing that is the deal breaker first is very practical. No point going further ahead who knows how long, possibly weeks and months ahead to find out that the deal breaker really breaks the relationship.
But to me, where is the fun in that? I know that the dating process could be long, it could get tiring if it doesn't work out and we have to start all over again.
There will always be people who don't make the cut for us but they could be perfect to someone else. Different people value different things. It may take twenty wrong guys before the right one is found, but that should not stop us from trying.
Maybe I am just a true believer in love. That even though it may hurt and the search could be long, but I believe that ultimately it is worth it.
I still remember when I first started to meet people from online. I had to repeat the same things about myself over and over to different people. It did feel tedious and pointless sometimes, but I liked the feeling of getting to know more about other people's lives, their likes and dislikes, personalities etc.
It is the journey that matters, not the destination. It is cliche and very Buddhist, but that is how I see it.
It is like shopping. The more you want something, the higher the anticipation. You talk about it, you dream about it, you crave for it very much. It is all part of the journey.
But once you buy the desired item, the feeling changes. You got it and the feeling of satisfaction can only last so long, probably a month at the most.
Of course I am not saying that things go downhill from there. I just feel that it is best to take things as they come; to go with the flow.
Still, to each his or her own. As long as it works. Thus, I sincerely wish both of my friends the best of luck and lots of happiness.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Weekends whereabouts
I usually spend one weekend days outdoors and the other indoors. I like to spend time doing my own things like reading or watching some movies I download.
However, I have not been able to have this luxury for the past 6 weeks. On Saturdays I usually go to the gym right before noon and then meet up with William for lunch followed by a movie. Although William is back in Washington now, my Saturdays are still busy with outings with friends (my birthday celebration two weekends ago) and buffet lunches (last weekend).
On Sundays, either I would have a tuina session which will take the half an afternoon followed by board games or I would be in the office.
Not that I am complaining. I feel like I am getting to this new weekend routine. Previously I was recharging my batteries by staying at home and lounging. But now I am unwinding in a different way.
Sometimes, I feel like it wasn't even a weekend at all. Or that the weekend seems to zoom past faster when I spend time out of home.
I just feel like I am constantly doing and not enough time to just slow down. To reflect and contemplate.
Anyway, I have been hitting the gym at least twice a week. There is a noticeable difference in that I feel more energetic and not as tired even after a long day's work.
I suppose that's why some people just can't get enough of gymming; this boost of energy level actually feels good and could be addictive. Hence there are people who visit the gym almost every day.
However, I have not been able to have this luxury for the past 6 weeks. On Saturdays I usually go to the gym right before noon and then meet up with William for lunch followed by a movie. Although William is back in Washington now, my Saturdays are still busy with outings with friends (my birthday celebration two weekends ago) and buffet lunches (last weekend).
On Sundays, either I would have a tuina session which will take the half an afternoon followed by board games or I would be in the office.
Not that I am complaining. I feel like I am getting to this new weekend routine. Previously I was recharging my batteries by staying at home and lounging. But now I am unwinding in a different way.
Sometimes, I feel like it wasn't even a weekend at all. Or that the weekend seems to zoom past faster when I spend time out of home.
I just feel like I am constantly doing and not enough time to just slow down. To reflect and contemplate.
Anyway, I have been hitting the gym at least twice a week. There is a noticeable difference in that I feel more energetic and not as tired even after a long day's work.
I suppose that's why some people just can't get enough of gymming; this boost of energy level actually feels good and could be addictive. Hence there are people who visit the gym almost every day.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Busy busy
It has been a very busy week for me since 1st of March. My job is actually pretty routine, with some work days pretty slow especially at the beginning of the month. But if there are ad-hoc stuff that needs to be done then I get pretty busy. Especially when it rains, it pours. The ad-hoc stuff just gets more tedious and never-ending.
Luckily, the weekend wasn't taken over by work. Well, not completely. Two weekends ago, I thought I could finish my work by getting into office early. I underestimated the time needed, so I left it unfinished and went to gym. After that I had lunch and movie with William.
Movie was He's Just Not That Into You. It gave me some insight into the mysterious minds of the straight woman. Some things are so true, like how they always create drama when there was none, how they dissect every little action of a man and how they basically think too much. Perfectly fit my colleague to a T ;-)
Right after I left the cinema, it was back to the office for me. I managed to get the job done in 3 hours.
What a weekend!
Anyway I'm still doing the 25 things about myself list from Facebook. I didn't know it was that hard to come up with things not commonly. But let me clarify that it won't be as revealing as Nyk's!
Luckily, the weekend wasn't taken over by work. Well, not completely. Two weekends ago, I thought I could finish my work by getting into office early. I underestimated the time needed, so I left it unfinished and went to gym. After that I had lunch and movie with William.
Movie was He's Just Not That Into You. It gave me some insight into the mysterious minds of the straight woman. Some things are so true, like how they always create drama when there was none, how they dissect every little action of a man and how they basically think too much. Perfectly fit my colleague to a T ;-)
Right after I left the cinema, it was back to the office for me. I managed to get the job done in 3 hours.
What a weekend!
Anyway I'm still doing the 25 things about myself list from Facebook. I didn't know it was that hard to come up with things not commonly. But let me clarify that it won't be as revealing as Nyk's!
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Oscars 2009
The Oscars are finally over. Not many surprises in most of the major acting categories.
I am extremely glad that I managed to catch Slumdog Millionaire last Saturday, just before the Oscars. I could definitely see why it is hugely popular. It is edgy, vibrant and essentially a message of hope.
But it did tug at my heartstrings that Mumbai kids are living in poverty and violence. They are begging and scrimping on food. Preying amongst themselves just to get by. It seems quite impossible for them to escape from poverty and violence in a city of 14 million people.
I had expected Slumdog to win Best Movie, as opposed to The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. The latter is quite good as well, taking an interesting concept and making it into an engaging story. Brad Pitt was candy to the eyes as he became more yummilicious as he aged.
However, it did feel a little draggy at times. It also had a lot of similarity with Forrest Gump, which is not surprising since both the screenplays were written by the same person.
And Cate Blanchett wasn't even nominated for Best Actress! She was absolutely brilliant and completely outshone Brad Pitt. But Brad Pitt was the one who got nominated for Best Actor pulak.
Of course, Sean Penn fully deserves his second Oscar. Kudos to Dustin Lance Black too for his original screenplay award.
Kate Winslet performance was good in The Reader, but it wasn't that great to win an Oscar. Apparently, she was much better in Revolutionary Road which she wasn't nominated for.
All in all, I am extremely pleased to have watched most of the Oscar-nominated movies. The only two that I have yet to watch is Frost/Nixon and Departures. The latter is the winner for Best Foreign Film and it will be shown next week! Yay!
I am extremely glad that I managed to catch Slumdog Millionaire last Saturday, just before the Oscars. I could definitely see why it is hugely popular. It is edgy, vibrant and essentially a message of hope.
But it did tug at my heartstrings that Mumbai kids are living in poverty and violence. They are begging and scrimping on food. Preying amongst themselves just to get by. It seems quite impossible for them to escape from poverty and violence in a city of 14 million people.
I had expected Slumdog to win Best Movie, as opposed to The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. The latter is quite good as well, taking an interesting concept and making it into an engaging story. Brad Pitt was candy to the eyes as he became more yummilicious as he aged.
However, it did feel a little draggy at times. It also had a lot of similarity with Forrest Gump, which is not surprising since both the screenplays were written by the same person.
And Cate Blanchett wasn't even nominated for Best Actress! She was absolutely brilliant and completely outshone Brad Pitt. But Brad Pitt was the one who got nominated for Best Actor pulak.
Of course, Sean Penn fully deserves his second Oscar. Kudos to Dustin Lance Black too for his original screenplay award.
Kate Winslet performance was good in The Reader, but it wasn't that great to win an Oscar. Apparently, she was much better in Revolutionary Road which she wasn't nominated for.
All in all, I am extremely pleased to have watched most of the Oscar-nominated movies. The only two that I have yet to watch is Frost/Nixon and Departures. The latter is the winner for Best Foreign Film and it will be shown next week! Yay!
Sunday, February 22, 2009
To be ourselves
I suppose it is easier to live a life when you know what is expected of you. It is much harder to create your own choices and expectations. Takes effort to redefine ones roles and responsibilities.
I do realise that it is not easy to do so either. Many years of social conditioning can do that to people. Things like guys making the first move to ask girls out, girls not encouraged to show affection first; these things confound me.
Of course, if one is happy to live within these rules and boundaries, then it's alright. But when one is not, isn't it time to change?
We have only one life and I believe we should live it the best we could. We should be the captain of our own ship and not let the wind and seas dictate where we go.
Being true to oneself could be difficult especially when we feel obliged to please the people around us or to fulfill their expectations. I have realised that it is pointless to do so. Why live up to other people's standards? Why make others happy when you yourself is not?
It might sound selfish, but isn't there a saying about being liked and accepted for who you are, rather than someone you are not, is much better? Because in the end, the choices that we make or don't make that affect ourselves the most. People around us might prefer that we make another choice, but it is not them that live our lives. We do.
Be true to yourself, and be proud of it.
I do realise that it is not easy to do so either. Many years of social conditioning can do that to people. Things like guys making the first move to ask girls out, girls not encouraged to show affection first; these things confound me.
Of course, if one is happy to live within these rules and boundaries, then it's alright. But when one is not, isn't it time to change?
We have only one life and I believe we should live it the best we could. We should be the captain of our own ship and not let the wind and seas dictate where we go.
Being true to oneself could be difficult especially when we feel obliged to please the people around us or to fulfill their expectations. I have realised that it is pointless to do so. Why live up to other people's standards? Why make others happy when you yourself is not?
It might sound selfish, but isn't there a saying about being liked and accepted for who you are, rather than someone you are not, is much better? Because in the end, the choices that we make or don't make that affect ourselves the most. People around us might prefer that we make another choice, but it is not them that live our lives. We do.
Be true to yourself, and be proud of it.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Valentine's Day 2009
Valentine's Day was yesterday (like duh!). I don't find it to be any special compared to other days. Except of course retailers and restaurant owners and everyone else who sells something don't think so.
I seldom credit straight men for their intelligence and Valentine's Day is a huge illustration of that fact. I simply couldn't imagine spending $10 for a stalk of rose. Or pay a meal that is at least 2 to 3 times more expensive than other days.
I was out for gym at 11 in the morning. Had a really good workout and then headed out to Orchard Road. Love wasn't in the air yet; they were still in bed. There wasn't that many people out and about yet. No roses, no pink-wrapped gifts, no matching T-shirts.
I was thinking, "Wow, I could really enjoy this day being outside. No cliche display of mushy lovey dovey affection. Thank God for the economic recession."
I headed to Takashimaya and found that they were having a post-CNY sale. 2xist underwear were selling for $10-$15. There were not many sizes left, but I still managed to grab some.
Then I headed back to California Fitness to meet William. By this time, lovebirds had awaken and they were seen everywhere. The spirit of entrepreneurship (or taking advantage of suckers) was alive as there were stalls selling flowers and teddy bears on the street.
I ignored them.
We headed to Shokudo for lunch, which is like a Japanese Marche. I had the tonkatsu omu rice which was quite good. William had tonkatsu ramen. He also ordered a cold sake. It was my first time having sake. The alcohol taste was strong but it tasted smooth and slightly sweet. I quite like it.
After that I watched The Wrestler, the movie which Mickey Rourke is nominated for a Best Actor Oscar. He was pretty good playing the role of a has-been wrestler who tried to escape from his downtrodden life. I quite enjoyed it even though it didn't have a happy ending.
I was supposed to meet the gang at City Hall for dinner, but I was running a bit late. Wanted to eat at the Thai restaurant at Shaw Tower but unfortunately they had closed for the day. We ended up having Vietnamese at the Suntec Convention Center instead.
The plan for Valentine's was to spend time with my dear friends. There is not only romantic love to be thankful for on Valentine's. We had a great time playing board games. We laughed, we had fun and it was indeed a memorable Valentine's. Thanks for coming guys!
Of course, I would have preferred my Valentine to be with me but yeah, I would have to make do. He was deeply missed in my heart.
I seldom credit straight men for their intelligence and Valentine's Day is a huge illustration of that fact. I simply couldn't imagine spending $10 for a stalk of rose. Or pay a meal that is at least 2 to 3 times more expensive than other days.
I was out for gym at 11 in the morning. Had a really good workout and then headed out to Orchard Road. Love wasn't in the air yet; they were still in bed. There wasn't that many people out and about yet. No roses, no pink-wrapped gifts, no matching T-shirts.
I was thinking, "Wow, I could really enjoy this day being outside. No cliche display of mushy lovey dovey affection. Thank God for the economic recession."
I headed to Takashimaya and found that they were having a post-CNY sale. 2xist underwear were selling for $10-$15. There were not many sizes left, but I still managed to grab some.
Then I headed back to California Fitness to meet William. By this time, lovebirds had awaken and they were seen everywhere. The spirit of entrepreneurship (or taking advantage of suckers) was alive as there were stalls selling flowers and teddy bears on the street.
I ignored them.
We headed to Shokudo for lunch, which is like a Japanese Marche. I had the tonkatsu omu rice which was quite good. William had tonkatsu ramen. He also ordered a cold sake. It was my first time having sake. The alcohol taste was strong but it tasted smooth and slightly sweet. I quite like it.
After that I watched The Wrestler, the movie which Mickey Rourke is nominated for a Best Actor Oscar. He was pretty good playing the role of a has-been wrestler who tried to escape from his downtrodden life. I quite enjoyed it even though it didn't have a happy ending.
I was supposed to meet the gang at City Hall for dinner, but I was running a bit late. Wanted to eat at the Thai restaurant at Shaw Tower but unfortunately they had closed for the day. We ended up having Vietnamese at the Suntec Convention Center instead.
The plan for Valentine's was to spend time with my dear friends. There is not only romantic love to be thankful for on Valentine's. We had a great time playing board games. We laughed, we had fun and it was indeed a memorable Valentine's. Thanks for coming guys!
Of course, I would have preferred my Valentine to be with me but yeah, I would have to make do. He was deeply missed in my heart.
Saturday, February 07, 2009
Hidden trail
I took half day of work a few days ago to go trekking, right in this urban city of Singapore. I wouldn't have thought that the city has something like this to offer, what with the low Bukit Timah as the highest natural ground in Singapore.
I was with PL and her two friends. Our objective was to see the Henderson Wave. It is the tallest pedestrian bridge in Singapore and its shaped like a wave, hence the name.
We started trek started from somewhere near Vivocity, after having lunch at Superdog. As an aside, it was my first time eating at Superdog and I quite like the fish burger that they serve. Oh, their fries come with a beef-and-onion sauce, which I think is similar to the kind of sauce on A&W's coney dog. The fries were lovely when eaten with the sauce.
Anyway, we started with the Marang trail and ended up at Mt Faber. Mt Faber is where the expensive Jewel Box is, which houses a few high-end restaurants that has a wonderful view of the harbour and Sentosa.
View from Mt Faber, at the Jewel Box
The weather was just great with the sun mostly hidden behind clouds. It was a pleasant hike to Mt Faber. It is like trekking in wild forests, but with nicely paved paths. Not quite back to nature where the trail itself would be soil and not tiles or cement.
Some of the fauna which we managed to catch sight of.
The lizard above was pretty well camouflaged on the ground but one of us manage to spot it. Its shiny scales were deceiving; I thought it was a very short snake. But really, it was beautiful and utterly motionless while we were snapping pictures 3 feet away.
Finally we reached Henderson Waves. It looks like the deck of a ship with its wooden floor and sail-like wave design. There was a cool breeze blowing which enhanced the effect of being on a ship.
From Mt Faber to Henderson Wave, it took us about 2 hours as we stopped quite often to take pictures. I was pleasantly surprised by the very existence of this trail. Indeed, one of the hidden gems in Singapore.
I was with PL and her two friends. Our objective was to see the Henderson Wave. It is the tallest pedestrian bridge in Singapore and its shaped like a wave, hence the name.
We started trek started from somewhere near Vivocity, after having lunch at Superdog. As an aside, it was my first time eating at Superdog and I quite like the fish burger that they serve. Oh, their fries come with a beef-and-onion sauce, which I think is similar to the kind of sauce on A&W's coney dog. The fries were lovely when eaten with the sauce.
Anyway, we started with the Marang trail and ended up at Mt Faber. Mt Faber is where the expensive Jewel Box is, which houses a few high-end restaurants that has a wonderful view of the harbour and Sentosa.
View from Mt Faber, at the Jewel BoxThe weather was just great with the sun mostly hidden behind clouds. It was a pleasant hike to Mt Faber. It is like trekking in wild forests, but with nicely paved paths. Not quite back to nature where the trail itself would be soil and not tiles or cement.
Some of the fauna which we managed to catch sight of.
The lizard above was pretty well camouflaged on the ground but one of us manage to spot it. Its shiny scales were deceiving; I thought it was a very short snake. But really, it was beautiful and utterly motionless while we were snapping pictures 3 feet away.
Finally we reached Henderson Waves. It looks like the deck of a ship with its wooden floor and sail-like wave design. There was a cool breeze blowing which enhanced the effect of being on a ship.
From Mt Faber to Henderson Wave, it took us about 2 hours as we stopped quite often to take pictures. I was pleasantly surprised by the very existence of this trail. Indeed, one of the hidden gems in Singapore.
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Sweat the small stuff
Relationships are hard work. Two people, with all their imperfections trying to create something fulfilling, meaningful and mutually beneficial.
No relationship is without its arguments and disagreements. It is how it is solved that matters.
Experts always warn about issues like money, children, chores and other differences in expectations of major issues as main conflict points. But sometimes and possibly quite often too, it is the small things. Little things that no one expect to be an issue become one.
There must exist the commitment to overcome them. That the relationship is more important than issues. Give and take has to occur. Patience, buckets of them, are needed.
Ultimately, communication is key. Problems cannot be solved by keeping quiet. Issues will not go away just because it is not spoken.
For me, I am glad that my relationship has been going well despite some hiccups. There are things which I do not like and do not understand, but I do or not do them because Nyk is happier that way. And he does the same.
Because of that, our relationship continues to grow and strengthen.
No relationship is without its arguments and disagreements. It is how it is solved that matters.
Experts always warn about issues like money, children, chores and other differences in expectations of major issues as main conflict points. But sometimes and possibly quite often too, it is the small things. Little things that no one expect to be an issue become one.
There must exist the commitment to overcome them. That the relationship is more important than issues. Give and take has to occur. Patience, buckets of them, are needed.
Ultimately, communication is key. Problems cannot be solved by keeping quiet. Issues will not go away just because it is not spoken.
For me, I am glad that my relationship has been going well despite some hiccups. There are things which I do not like and do not understand, but I do or not do them because Nyk is happier that way. And he does the same.
Because of that, our relationship continues to grow and strengthen.
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