Was browsing through Yahoo! news as usual when I came across an interesting headline: "Short height linked to increased suicide risk."

For those too lazy or simply haven't got the time to read the article in its entirety, I have cut & paste some excerpts from it;

In a study of records for nearly 1.3 million Swedish men, the investigators found that for every 2 inches a man gained in height, his suicide risk dipped by 9 percent. Overall, the shortest men in the study were about twice as likely as the tallest men to commit suicide...


... the researchers found, just over 3,000 men committed suicide, with the risk dipping as a man's height climbed. Factors such as year of birth, education, parents' incomes and a record of psychiatric illness at the time of conscription did not explain the height-suicide link...


... several potential explanations; Psychological stress and a troubled family life, they note, may both impair a child's growth and raise the risk of suicide later on. There is also some evidence that poor weight gain in infancy is a risk factor for suicide in adulthood...


...short men suffer some level of stigmatization or discrimination that makes them more vulnerable to suicidal behavior.

Since I'm rather vertically challenged as compared to most of my peers, this is indeed a cause of worry for me. However, I don't think I'll be jumping off tall buildings or taking an overdose of sleeping pills anytime soon =p

 12:59 PM    

I sometimes get an almost surreal sensation when I read back some of my old poems, as if I couldn't recognize the products of my own creation and imagination. I guess poetry has always been an integral part of my life and it's a wonder why I chose studying the sciences over the arts and humanities. If I could turn back the clock, I probably would but I suppose if I did, I would incur the wrath of my family (and possibly the dissidence of certain friends) who deemed the "arts" as something dead, worthless and lacking a future. I wish I had laughed at their misconceptions, thrown caution to the four winds, and plunged straight into the depths of my passion.

However, I didn't; I was a meek, subservient son and chose the predictable path. Or at least, that was what I had thought. I know there's nothing to be gained from thinking about such things, lamenting about irrevocable events long past and the what-ifs and I-wish-I-hads of life -- Sometimes you just think about it without you actually realising you're thinking about it and when you finally do realise it, you're so far gone into your little dreamland it's difficult & a mite painful to yank yourself back to reality, back to where you're a dissatified and disgruntled little human.

I better end this entry soon before I start rambling nonsense. Keyis is right -- I can talk alot, but only if I'm in the mood =p Anyway, here's a little blast from the past for those who have been wondering about my yahoo account nick; I wrote the following for an inter-school poetry writing competition eons ago (macam dah lamer sangat gitu. lol) and tied with another fella for second place -- third placing was scrapped. Thus, the cash prize had to be divided amongst us both. So sad rite. Anyway, there were few participants (hardly more than two dozen entries, I think) and the competition was badly organised despite having a credible jury. This was most evident when I received my prize, via cheque thru' the mail, a whole semester after the results were released. Kwang kwang kwang~!

*********************
Chasing Horizons

The blind man is standing there, playing his instrument.
Does he not see?
The men accoutered in their sharp, snazzy suits --
Their black asian hair streaked with bronze or blonde
Or red or mahogany or blue,
Slicked back with designer gel to last the entire day --
How, from him, they contrived to turn their gaze away
By looking ahead at the looming passage of the underpass
Or at the flashy ads that interchange behind the glass.
Their chins up high, briskly walking;
Does he not see they could just be pretending?
Or are they really chasing their horizons -- relentlessly pursuing
The wrong dreams, the wrong things?
Oh! But he is blind!

These slit-eyed men in their sharp, snazzy suits;
Do they not see?
There is no need to divert their glances away from him.
For his blank eyes cannot possibly judge or be prejudiced
Against people he cannot possibly see.
If he cannot look into the distance, what horizons can he pursue?
But the hope that some people with empathy -- or a dollar or two --
Would stop and listen to his (sometimes tuneless) tired song.
Is that too much to ask for? Is that wrong?
His chin up high, bravely waiting;
Do they not see, his life is still worth living?
His limited boundaries are not his undoing.
He isn't begging for fancy things.
Or are they also blind?

The blind man has stopped playing his instrument.
His song has ended.
But the men in their sharp, snazzy suits are briskly walking --
Chasing their horizons.

 2:59 PM    

I just realised that the "search" button on my sidebar DOES NOT work. Will proceed to remove it in a jiffy so by the time the sun is up tomorrow morning (or later, rather), you won't find it there anymore. Not that anyone will notice anyway =p

Anyhow, I wasn't aware that the magnificent people at Blogger has come up with a way to upload pictures on blog without the use of an external agent such as Hello or Flickr. I shall, however, continue to upload my pics to my flickr account. As soon as I take some new ones, that is. Truth be told, I'm abit lazeee nowadays to bring my digicam out. Macam tak kuaser nak take aim and shoot saner, shoot sini...

As is apparent from the above photo (uploaded via the newly discovered method), I've gotten myself a spanking, brand new handphone -- the Panasonic X200!! In fact, I got it more than a week ago (before watching Fantastic Four) but have yet to snail-mail the warranty. It seems like everytime I go to my neighbourhood S.A.M machine to buy a stamp, there's always a pakcik/makcik/aunty/ah-so down there who's struggling with the buttons to pay some bills or another. I would be glad to offer my assistance of course, but I don't like to meddle with other people's ATM cards. ATM cards very private stuff lah..

Besides, all they had to do was to turn around and ask -- I would be all over them with my irrepressible enthusiasm to help. At any rate, whenever there are people who hold up the queue at the S.A.M, I'd rather walk off than stand around waiting since I'm such an impatient and irritable sonofabitch. Got no time, Man!!! LOL

Back to my cheapo handphone -- It seemed like a good bargain at the time and I was DESPERATE for a new hp (after the previous one was stolen). OF course, a phone with mp3 capabilities, video-cam, blue-tooth etc etc is very nice and all that, but I wasn't in any place to be finicky. As my mother would always say -- Asalkan boleh pakai, sudah lah~ (loosely translated: As long as can use, it's ok~)

I keep reiterating this point in my mind whenever I see teenagers in school uniform on the mrt or bus, fiddling with the latest hp models from Nokia or Sony Ericsson, which indubitably, have been purchased by their well-to-do parents. Pampered brats lor~ Ok; I admit that's just the green-eyed monster talking.

Oh yeah.. Since I'm a technophobe to boot, I'd better just keep things sweet and simple lest I would gravely discover, on the morning after a reckless purchase, that I've spent oodles of money on a superfluous bauble which is more a desire to conform to trends rather than fulfilling a basic necessity.

 1:59 AM    

Once there was a great storm,
Pushed my head beneath the waves, I was gone.
Underneath the walnut tree,
Where you said you'd wait for me,
And I waited a long, long time.
I waited a long, long time...


Why, why do I come here?
Seeking out the memories I hold dear,
'Cause you put your spell on me,
Made me live a memory,
And I'm frozen in just the wrong time.
I waited a long, long time...

 1:05 AM    

We're quite comfortable the policy is right but these are difficult times. They (the rules) have to be that. There's no point in shooting at someone's chest because that's where a bomb is likely to be. There's no point in shooting anywhere else if they fall down and detonate it. This is drawn from experience from other countries. The only way to deal with it is to shoot the head. Somebody else could be shot. But everything is done to make it right."


-- Sir Ian Blair, chief of the Metropolitan police.

Excuse me, Sir Ian, but your law-enforcing officers shot an innocent man, FIVE bloordy times in the head, for-god's-sake. Are you saying, some other innocent bystander could have been shot instead? I don't think I look like a Muslim fanatic/Islamic extremist/terrorist or what-have-you but I'm glad I'm not walking around in London right now...

The police explanation is that they had to kill someone to show the population that they are making the country safe... The police have tried to apologise. But they should all be ashamed. They have shown they are incapable and stupid. There's no explanation for what they have done... I don't get it. Someone needs to pay. I want answers. Don't give a gun to someone with a brain the size of a three-year-old."


-- Alex Pereira, 28, cousin of Jean Charles de Menezes, the Brazilian man who was erroneously shot dead by London police.

You want answers?? Well, they shot your cousin because they thought he was a freaking Muslim fanatic/Islamic extremist/terrorist. Since Menezes was a Brazilian and was believed to be a Roman Catholic, my guess is that anyone who doesn't look anglo is already a suspect, regardless of race or religion. Is this mindless racism or gross stereotyping? So suicide bombers cannot be ang-moh, is it??

But this is definitely an instance when sorry is no-enough. Perhaps local director Jack Neo should use it as a plotline for the sequel to his Money No Enough film, since he's quite fond of satire (albeit in safe, manageable doses). EH, that was quite lame, wasn't it? =p

 1:47 AM    

Ade ramai kawan kan? Baik-baik, ya. Ada yang rapat tu -- Iri hati...

I always feel weird when someone gives me such an ominous (and unwelcome) piece of advice. Especially if the aforesaid someone is a relative you hardly ever see except on the once-a-year Hari Raya visits and therefore, has no basis to form such opinionated conclusions in the first place.

But seriously, when I really sit down and think about it, it does SEEM like I have alot of friends. However, I think a more accurate word would be acquaintances. By strict definition, a friend is: [n] a person you know well and regard with affection and trust. And I don't think I have plenty of those. The few friends that I do have and I feel an affection for, or trust, with even my own life, I will

grapple them to my soul with hoops of steel.

I know Hamlet said it first but I really mean it.

And where "iri hati", or jealousy, is concerned, I don't think anyone has a good enough reason to be envious of me. Unless they don't mind being nicknamed "mickey mouse" when they're in NS (which I was, sadly, much to my ignominy). AH well.. but that's another story =)

PS: Besides, I think most of my friends know that, in reality, I'm just a pathetic and harmless little creature -- I couldn't hurt a fly. Just cockroaches maybe...

 1:37 AM    

I had the good fortune to watch Siti Nurhaliza in concert at the Singapore Indoor Stadium a couple of days ago. I was seated at section T11 of the terrace area, and from my viewpoint, Siti Nurhaliza was about the size of my extended thumb. But Oklah; still managed to see (albeit vaguely) her facial expressions and the large screen on either side of the stage helped alot too.

About 845pm.
Iskandar Ismail, or more affectionately known by the media as Eiss nowadays, came onstage and performed two solos. The first was his "hit" single (the title of which I've completely forgotten) and I gotta admit, the guy has the vocal chops to make it big. I wasn't too crazy about his cover of the Marc Anthony song though. When he started singing the opening verse of Bagaikan Sakti, the theme song of Puteri Gunung Ledang, I could practically hear the whole stadium wait with bated breath, expecting Siti to join in at the appropriate verse. A mellifluous voice did resound and was met with thunderous applause and wolf-whistles, but only to be replaced with embarrased laughter and cries of dismay when a close-up on the huge screens revealed that it was NOT Siti.

The Siti clone, (some girl named Mahirah who won the recent Sing Like Siti contest) did have a slight resemblance to Siti (but maybe it was just the tepong-gomak make-up??) and she has a similar vocal tone. However, Bagaikan Sakti has a difficult melody and it was quite apparent Mahirah's upper register could not hit some of the higher notes properly. Still, it was a commendable effort for an amateur. When the opening act came to a close, a cursory check of my surroundings showed that there were still people (makciks, pakciks, mats and minahs, of varying shapes and sizes), going up and down the steps -- either heading to their seats or otherwise. A very disturbing sight indeed...

Eiss & Mahirah -- this is the best my lousy digicam can do... =(
About 9pm.
All the lights in the stadium went off, except for some showy floodlights from the front of the stage. Siti's unmistakable crystal clear voice then rang out, singing the opening bars of Dialah DiHati without music accompaniment. When she finally appeared centerstage in a gorgeous purple kimono/kebaya-like thingy, and illuminated by a single spotlight, it was as if all hell had broken loose; People were clapping, cat-calling, whistling and whatever. Numerous flash-bulbs from digital cameras went off; Camera-phones were whipped out -- The "purple-dress" segment had begun and Dialah DiHati kicked off the concert to a promising start.

The concert is starting!
I never liked Kumilikmu but Siti's rendition that night was an exception, probably due to the altered arrangement of the song. Altered for the better also was Badarsila, which was given a unique, middle-eastern twist but I think Siti's performance for this song would have been much better if accompanied by backing dancers.

However, they did eventually appear during the traditional-songs segment, which was up next, and Siti zipped offstage and came back in an orangey dress. Nirmala was her opening number for this segment and it was a flawless rendition, with a couple of charming conversational interjections to tease the audience abit. I don't think I've ever heard this normally tedious song sung any better before. A couple of nondescript traditional songs followed, but it was Lagu Rindu and then, Cindai which finally got the audience's attention. By the closure of Siti's second act, the audience, it seemed, was willing to stand up and dance or clap in unison, according to Siti's persuasive directions... Except of course, for those spoil-sports (like yours truly!) who couldn't be bothered to "participate" in such activities :p

Siti then went off to don a turquoise gown for the third and last segment of the night, starting off with a pared-down rendition of Jerat Percintaan. It was a goosebumpy performance and Siti did not let the mood dissipate at the slightest as she delivered a medley of well-chosen ballads, with Purnama Merindu and Kau Kekasihku being the most effective pieces from this set. Bukan Cinta Biasa was a Siti-audience collaboration and I was amazed at how melodious-sounding the audience was during the chorus! Even Siti herself commented that it was indeed, almost like a "choir"! Very cute seh...

Another lousy picture from my digicam...
A cover of Na Ying's Zheng Fu was Siti's effort at promoting racial harmony and multi-culturism and I must admit that her Mandarin isn't too shabby at all. Nevertheless, from what I know, it wasn't her first time performing this song onstage. Get Here was Siti's solo English offering for the night and while the vocals were in fine form, the weird hand gestures (was Siti attempting to joget melayu??) were unsuited to the jazzy style of the song. But all was forgiven when Seindah Biasa was belted out as the final showpiece. Again, another magnificent offering from Siti, nothing like I've heard before on recordings or previous live performances.

About 1050pm.
Siti bid goodbye, goodnight and left the stage. The band started playing an unrecognizable instrumental piece... Most of the audience members in the Terrace section had begun filing out toward the exits. More and more seats became vacant but those in the more expensive areas were busy clapping away (instinct told me to keep myself glued to my seat). Suddenly, around five minutes later, Siti's plaintive sweet singing pleaded the audience to "Tunggu Sekejap..."

Out she came, (perhaps she went for a much-needed toilet break?) and proceeded to give a heartfelt thank-you speech and dispense proper introductions for her accompanying band and crew. An encore set was in order and Siti asked the (remaining) audience to select a song for her. A unanimous cry for Percayalah was heard and thus, within the next few minutes, I believed I bore witness to the most beautiful rendition of my favorite Siti song ever. A more raucous version of Cindai followed and it was indeed a fitting, celebratory end for the concert of one of the malay music industry's most successful and talented singers.

About 1115pm.
End of concert. Time to balik!

On the whole, I felt that the concert was too brief, and I had left the stadium wishing she had sung some of her more obscure, yet spectacular songs, such as Ku Menunggu, Kurniaan Dalam Samaran or Nian Di Hati. For something which was supposed to be a replica of the grand Royal Albert Hall concert, the number of songs were modest and so were the costume-changes and dance-choreography. Probably, Siti was limited by the size of the pathetic stage; the band itself already took up more than half of the available space onstage.

There was also plenty of room for improvement in the almost barren set design/decor and the slow response of the lighting engineers to Siti's movements during many instances. Acoustics-wise, I can't really tell whether it was any good but thankfully, there were no technical glitches. Siti's repartee with her audience was entertaining enough although after awhile, I got a little sick of the endless "I love you! I love you all! Siti sayang kamu semua!" Then again, Siti wouldn't be the Siti we've all grown to love if she didn't say all this mushy stuff, right? ;)

From start to finish, Siti came across as a genuinely sweet, nice and sincere performer and it is difficult to find anything truly disagreeable about her. In the end though, I think it didn't matter much really, how unimpressive the stage, how inefficient her crew, or how unglamourous her dresses looked -- all I had to do was to close my eyes and listen to that angelic voice, sans music, and then I'll know, I am in the presence of a bona-fide talent, and a gifted artiste.

 2:38 AM    

A pair of lovers by the side of the road –
Contorted faces shooting accusatory looks,
Distorted voices – hoarse and cracked –
And the ground beneath, seemingly shook.

The Hondas, the Mercs, and the cabs that zoomed past
Provided the floodlights for their little show.
The Inquisitive eyes of strangers behind plexiglass windows,
Were the fleeting audience – spectators on the go.

A careless word dropped along the way,
An inflammatory remark thrown into the winds,
A pointing finger casting a spell of hate,
Like starting a wild bushfire with a burning splint.

I turned to flee from the flames and crossed
And heard next – the screaming of tires –
A loud bang – and then a blankness – a stillness –
And I was staring up, at the black skies –

At the spinning streetlights, and glaring headlights.
I wondered, "Will they see it before it's all too late? –
This pair of lovers by the side of the road –
That anger only begets anger begets rage begets hate?"


---- 22 July 2005

 5:09 PM    

Kini tak mungkin ku dipermainkan lagi
Oleh mereka...


Satu jadi bingung, Dua tak tertanggung
Kembali ku renung --
Angin pun menyeru, Lupakan yang dulu
Bintang pun setuju --
untuk menemaniku...


---- excerpt from Cahaya Seribu Liku

I just heard part of Siti Nurhaliza's live interview on Warna a couple of hours ago. YES, the Celine Dion of Asia (as she was dubbed by the British press, or so it was believed), has already set foot in Singapore, more than a day ahead of her anticipated concert at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, which is going to be a slightly modified replica of her acclaimed Royal Albert Hall performance.

The makciks who called in to the radio station during the fans' Q&A couldn't contain their delight at the thought of having their idol here in S'pore and ended up gushing about Siti's awesomeness instead of asking her proper questions. Well, I can imagine how elated they must be -- Siti is, afterall, the malay music industry's first bonafide icon; Her meteoric rise from kampung girl to regional superstar is symbolic of how even the most impossible dreams can come true if one has the fortitude (and talent, of course) to achieve them.

It's funny how I used to detest Siti's kental-ness in the past, especially those albums which were chokeful of repetitive jiwang songs. To me, she was like the pre-I'm-A-Slave-For-U Britney Spears; a massive, commercialized force that appeals to the plebeian tastes of the masses without offering much aesthetic merit. However, her dramatic evolution as a credible artiste throughout the years, culminating in the Indon-influenced, Prasasti Seni, has turned me into a Siti-convert. Heck, I think the latter is the best album by her yet (and I even wrote a review for it here in my bloggy!).

So am I excited by all this Siti-fuss?? Maybe a little =p

 2:05 AM    

It seemed like any normal bus trip home. The single deck bus 240 service plys the old Boon Lay neighbourhood and alot of foreign workers and elderly folk take it to commute from the Boon Lay Shopping Center area to Lakeside mrt station or Taman Jurong Estate. It was relatively crowded but I managed to secure a green-cushioned seat somewhere near the front, where the "Please Give Up This Seat..." yellow notice was.

A couple of bustops later, an elderly chinese man, probably in his seventies or eighties, carrying a red-colored polythene bag, boarded the bus. At this point, there were a few empty seats near the front, including the one beside mine. He paused for a moment, apparently contemplating between the seat adjacent to me or the one across the aisle. Surprisingly, he suddenly spoke in a gruff yet dulcet tone, crisply and unaccented, "Boleh duduk sebelah?"

"Sure! Duduk ar..." I almost stammered, rather taken aback at having been addressed by a complete stranger. And with that, he staggered a couple of steps forward and plonked himself down.

He was indeed an ancient specimen of a man; with the thinnest snow-white hair, small beady eyes and a gaunt, crinkled face sullied with the brownish pigments that afflict the aged. The left side of his body was leaning against mine, as if for support, with the gnarled fingers of his left hand clutching tightly at his groceries and skinny elbow conveniently resting on my lap. Seconds later, with his right hand, he fished out a banana from somewhere within the depths of his plastic bag and offered it to me roughly, as a passerby would to a dirty stray cat or dog.

When I politely refused, he rebuked disapprovingly, "Orang dah kasi, tak boleh tolak.."

I reluctantly accepted it, thinking a further refusal might only offend him. (Someone had told me once that old people can be rather sensitive about such things.)

Within the next few minutes, while munching on a banana or two, he quizzed me, in a few curt questions, about where I lived, what I was doing, whether I was married, etc. Common small-talk. I have to admit that I have a soft spot for feeble old folks, probably because my grandparents died when I was too little to remember and my grand-aunt passed away sometime late last year not long after surviving a debilitating stroke.

Out of the blue, the old man turned his head to face me and grinned wickedly (and toothlessly), "Eh.. dah keras!" And then, I felt it...

He was rubbing my groin area with his bloordy elbow!!!

It dawned upon me like a ton of bricks; he had evidently mistaken my scrunched-up denim for a hard-on! Instinctively, I gave him an incredulous look and pushed his arm away in disgust -- "But not too hard lest I break any of his freaking, fragile bones" was the wry thought that echoed in my head.

"Tak suka ke? Sikit aje.. Tak kasi rasa lagi ke?" was that vile decrepit's response. He then proceeded to place his elbow as before...

Repulsed, I immediately stood up as straight as a jack-knife and alighted at the current stop, looking outwardly, I might add, as cool as cucumber, as if I had not a care in the world; I didn't want to give that old bastard an opportunity to gloat at my discomfiture.

As the doors flipped shut behind me, and the bus rumbled away in a flurry of carbonised dust, I finally felt the mad rush of warm blood to my brain, surging like the molten lava that accumulates at the mouth of a volcano before it erupts. It was, I thought at that point in time, the most ridiculous moment of my life!

I realised then, that I was still holding the banana in my hand. Suffice to say, it landed at the bottom of the nearest bin.

 10:12 PM    

I watched Fantastic Four sometime mid last week but it's taken me so long to write a review because frankly speaking, I don't see what good it would do for anyone or even myself for that matter. Does ANYONE actually read this stuff?? Furthermore, it's been almost a fortnight since the film opened in the cinemas here and ergo, it can be considered to be a "stale" movie. Nevertheless, I DO have something to say about it and will proceed to do just that regardless whether my words fall upon deaf ears, a non-existing audience or otherwise... :p

Where comic-book based films are concerned, I think there are three categories of movie-goers, namely;
1) Those who are (or used to be) comic book lovers, who will die, die go and watch.
2) Those who are indifferent to comic books but still watch the film for the sake of watching the special effects (or just for the sake of watching itself).
3) Those who are indifferent and choose to remain indifferent no matter how big the hype is. This group of people will probably steer clear of such films.

Since I belong to the first category (I used to follow the animated series on television in the 1990s and owned a few of the comic books), I knew that I just have to watch Fantastic Four. Die, die must watch lor. The film's CGI sequences and special effects, thankfully, did not disappoint but I wasn't wholly satisfied either due to several factors --

a) Jessica Alba is dreadfully miscast as Sue Storm. Firstly, she isn't a natural blonde and her dyed hair did not go down well with her gorgeous, honey-hued skin (there are LOADS of better and blonde actresses out there. Why HER???). Secondly, since Sue is supposed to be the elder sister of Chris Evans' character (the Human Torch), I think an older or a more matured-looking actress would have been more appropriate. Moreover, the nubile and curvy Jessica Alba as a genetic scientist is as believable (or un-believable rather) as casting Denise Richards as a nuclear scientist (in James Bond's The World Is Not Enough).

b) I have nothing against films which are formulaic but Fantastic Four delivers just that as a cheesy origins story with nothing extra to whet the appetites of comic-book geeks who were weaned on Spiderman, the X-Men films and more recently, Batman Begins. Compared to the aforementioned, this film has alot of style but little substance. One pointless instance is when Sue Storm had to undress on a bridge to use her invisibility powers -- Just a lame excuse to have Jessica Alba in her bra and panties, isn't it?

c) It isn't exactly explained why the villainous Dr. Doom (Julian McMahon of Nip/Tuck fame) decided to annihilate the Fantastic Four, targetting Reed Richards (Ioan Gruffurd) especially. Somehow, blind rage as a result of jealousy doesn't quite cut it for me; world domination is a far more realistic excuse to tear a city apart. Even the animated villain in Pixar's The Incredibles (whose characters have a striking resemblance to the FF) had a more legitimate reason to paint the town red, so-to-speak.

Apart from my bellyaching about how the film could have been better, Fantastic Four is really quite watchable and interesting. Director Tim Story (Barbershop, Taxi) did a credible job in his first big-budgeted action flick and I must admit, the flashy CGI special effects flowed seamlessly with the story. The cast (excluding Alba) are well-chosen and plaudits go to Michael Chiklis (as The Thing) who delivers a subtle yet poignant performance. My only regret is that the characters were not given more room to develop into people we can empathise with, like what Hugh Jackman, Famke Janssen, Anna Paquin et al, did for the X-Men.

my ratings ---- 3.4/5 Stars!

 12:24 PM    

I like taking pictures of the sky. But I'm still a novice at photography and thus, am still trying to figure out which angles work best with which subject matter. Plus, my digicam is not the professional-photographer kind... I do know, however, that the presence of clouds can make alot of difference!

Previously, the only two humongous supermarts in Jurong area are Giant at IMM building and Sheng Shiong at Taman Jurong. Now, Giant has opened another store, this time at Pioneer Mall, hence threatening to usurp the monopoly of Prime Supermart (Gek Poh and Jurong West ext. central) and NTUC (Jurong Point) in the area. But then, isn't that the way of life here in Singapore? There's always someone else trying to get a slice of the action, especially when the profits could be high. Anyway, the new store isn't really very big but at least, it's not as crowded as the one at IMM is apt to be...

I've wondered for the longest time why Kickapoo is called Kickapoo. Kick-a-poo is really such a gross and disgusting name for a soft drink. Anyway, one reason I like it is because it is the only yellow-coloured fizzy drink in the market. I think. Oh yeah.. there's also KFC's Mountain Dew rite?? LOL.

 2:51 AM    

I'm Nobody! Who are you?
Are you -- Nobody -- Too?
Then there's a pair of us!
Don't tell! They'd advertise -- you know!


How dreary -- to be -- Somebody!
How public -- like a Frog --
To tell one's name -- the livelong June --
To an admiring Bog!

by Emily Dickinson, from The Complete Poems Of, published 1924.

 11:59 AM    

There is something distasteful about travelling on the mrt during peak periods. The pushing and the shoving; the standing for long distances, sometimes with nothing to hang onto; and the unbearable noise -- whether it is the screaming rails when the mrt is moving underground or the ceaseless chatter of teens, kids, aunties and uncles, etc etc.

I remember one incident when I was alighting at cityhall station. Even before passengers started exiting, people were clamouring to enter, throwing proper decorum to the four winds. Suddenly, I was possessed by some malevolent, alien force, to do something nasty -- Thus, I braced my shoulders and deliberately pushed against the incoming crowd, hitting a middle-aged chinese lady squarely on her shoulder in the process. She was knocked back a step or two and uttered a loud "Aiyoh!" but I briskly walked on without a backward glance and even grinned to myself later on, as if proud of my "achievement." It wasn't until days later when I reflected upon my un-gracious behaviour that I vowed never to be so thoughtless ever again. Wasn't it Confucius who wisely said --

Do not do to others what you do not want them to do to you.

Another grouse I have is with people who are unwilling to give up their seats to others who are less able than themselves. Many a time, I've seen pregnant ladies and fragile old folks stand on the mrt for long distances while those occupying the seats nearest to them just pretend not to notice. It is even worse when these uncaring individuals are apparently educated, English-speaking young teenagers/adults. Civic-consciousness is seriously wanting in many of our youths... just goes to show how effective moral education really is.

Believe me, I'm not normally a preachy prude. Perhaps I'm just too uptight and irritable eversince I lost my hp recently.. and there I go mentioning it again. Honestly, I can't help whining and ranting about it because it really feels like I've lost an important limb or something. Often, when I'm at home watching television or surfing the net, my arm would instinctively reach out for my mobile (which isn't there) to check for any unread messages. Or I would suddenly wonder why I haven't heard a single beep from it for hours only to realise my predicament moments later. However, the main regret I have is lacking the foresight to save the numbers of my contacts somewhere else... I am such a pathetic idiot.

Anyway, on my homeward journey just now, there was a horrendous screeching noise somewhere near the front cabins right after Jurong East station. Immediately, a handful of passengers looked at one another with concerned expressions... I myself, already had some wild scenarios playing out in mind: Could it be that the train is dragging someone's carcass for half a mile without the driver realising it? Was the train going to be derailed...?? After the London bomb blasts, anything was possible I guess... Fortunately, it was nothing. LOL

 1:01 AM    

I'm not an advocate of expletives and abstains from using them unnecessarily but I think my previous entry is justified considering the fact that I've just had a traumatic experience. Well... sort of...

Anyway, I was browsing through the audio files in my PC (which totalled to 6.20GB when I last checked), trying to find something suitable for my bloggy. It was then that I realized, there is no one song that will be able to sum up my life neatly in a few poetic choruses and verses. It's just not possible.

But wouldn't it be great to have your own theme song? Something which you can fall back on whenever the going gets tough yet you just can't seem to get going? Ally McBeal had Vonda Shepard singing Searchin' My Soul; Tom Cruise had that annoying-but-cant-get-that-tune-outta-my-head Mission Impossible theme. Even that quirky 70's Love Boat drama series had a theme song... My point is??? Actually, there is no point... (hehheh)

This entry is merely an excuse to introduce Jamie Cullum's "All At Sea." While it may seem that Cullum is simply one of those fresh-faced wannabes trying to cash in on the jazz-pop crossover phenomenon (think Norah Jones, Renee Olstead, Joss Stone, Michael Buble, Peter Cinnoti, et al), he is I think, a little different from the rest of his contemporaries. Then again, I'm not a qualified music critic so I can't tell if he's a bona fide talented artiste or just another poseur.

But this is a nice song (to me at least) and I think the banner above goes well with it :)

I'm all at sea
Where no-one can bother me
I sleep by myself
I drink on my own
Don't speak to nobody
I gave away my phone
Like a warm drink it seeps into my soul
Please just leave me right here on my own
Later on you could spend some time with me
If you want to...

 1:59 AM    

I just lost my handphone. Let me amend that; it has been stolen. In the gents of Boon Lay mrt station. All I did was take my eyes off it for ten seconds....

FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK.

Yes, it was all my own fault. It doesn't get any easier does it??? *haizzzz*

 6:32 PM    

Aishah's new single, "Tiada Lagi Tangisan" is one of those songs on the repeat list of my mp3 player and my pc's jukebox. As to be expected with a cheesy title like that, it is a typical jiwang malay song, about getting over a lost love. Funnily enough, this song was recorded previously, but with a much more contemporary arrangement, by Misha Omar for her sophomore album, Aksara.

Well anyway, that little piece of trivia aside, I was tossing and turning in bed a couple of nights ago, trying desperately to get some well-deserved sleep, and this stupid song was playing persistently in my head!!! OK... so it isn't a stupid song; it's quite nice actually but the melody is just too catchy I guess.

Banyak-banyak lagu, lagu ni pulak yang tersendat kat dalam otak aku -- tak paham lah...

tiada lagi tangisan
tiada lagi air mata
membasahi jiwa luka
yang tinggallah hanya memori duka...

 2:12 PM    

Two of my nieces. I wonder what they're saying to each other...

Anyway, no matter how down-in-the-dumps I am, my nieces always manage to cheer me up with their silly little antics. Somehow, I'm wishing they will never grow up because I know most children get less tolerable as they age :p

 1:57 AM    

Yes.. I saw one did just that a few minutes ago, from its perch on the windowsill of a second-floor flat as I was on my way toward my block's lift lobby. Either that or I was high on hallucinogens...

 5:15 PM    

Last night, after alighting from my train at Lakeside mrt station, I made a decision to walk home (it's a long twenty minute brisk-walk to my block) because I thought I needed the exercise... Those familiar with this area would know that there is a stretch of pavement running from the station to the nearby canal, which is popular with those like-minded individuals who would rather walk down to the Taman Jurong estate rather than take the bus feeder service.

The narrow pavement isn't particularly well-lit at night, but because it isn't covered, with no dense shrubbery or undergrowth flanking it -- just a wide expanse of grass on either side -- it is considered to be pretty safe, especially since there are pedestrians using it at almost all times of the day. Hence, I was practically strolling along this walkway last night, with a jiwang malay song blasting in my earphones, when I narrowly missed stepping onto a long piece of black rubber tubing lying on the extreme side of the lane. Or so that was what I thought it was... I managed to side-step the thing but a second later, when I glanced at it again, it actually moved!! It was a SNAKE!

It was probably not more than a meter long and as thick as two of my pinkies put-together, but the dim lighting did not make it's scaly skin immediately noticeable. Therefore I wasn't sure, initially, if it was just a figment of my hyperactive imagination. However, the shocked expressions and the rapid side-stepping of those walking behind me, proved that what I saw was indeed something tangible and real.

I didn't hang around to see if the snake managed to bite anyone or if its presence was notified to station officials; as far as I can see, everyone else who noticed the snake too just went about their business of heading home without a second thought. Kalau ular tu kobra atau jenis viper, barulah agaknyer havok sikit... tapi agaknyer, kalau gitu, aku pon dah mampos akibat digigit ular yang berbisa... :p

Isn't this the perfect example of a typical Singaporean trait? -- As long as it doesn't bother me, it isn't any of my business!

PS: Why is it that such "happenings" always happen when I'm not carrying my digicam??? It's quite maddening!!

 12:18 PM    

baru nak berpesta, dah kena bomb... Kesian...

 1:59 AM    

...is LONDON!! Congratulations to Her Majesty the Queen, Prime Minister Tony Blair, David & Victoria Beckham et al, for their unflagging efforts. I didn't realise what a big deal hosting the Olympics was to the five cities who were contesting until I saw the aftermath (via Channel News Asia) last night after the winning city was announced. The winners were, of course, very ecstatic, while others (i.e. the losers) were visibly upset with some of the delegates even sobbing with disappointment.

The French must be pretty sore about it. Hey, I would have been too if I had asked the acclaimed Luc Besson to direct my video or if the suits of my delegates were from Givenchy -- these little things don't come cheap leh... :p And the frustration of defeat must have been felt even more keenly because Paris had been a hot favorite from the start and many had expected them to win. Trust me, I know how it feels like to have disappointed not only your own self, but others around you as well; the Paris delegation had carried the hopes of the entire French populace when they came to Singapore for the IOC meeting. To meet failure again after two previous attempts (for the 1992 and 2008 Games), I can imagine, is a little too much.

Perhaps they should have resorted to "hard-selling" themselves too, which was the strategy of the British from the start -- Whoring yourself for the sake of a successful bid, especially when the stakes are so high, might have been a pretty good idea. I mean, Beckham's publicity sorties in the glare of the media (attending functions left, right and center as soon as he got here), and all that shameless mugging surely had paid off handsomely... LOL

Anywayz, to tell you the truth, I've always been quite oblivious of the Olympics, seeing how our country never fared very well in them... But these shenanigans of famous world leaders and hot, hot super-athletes in Singapore, have made me sit up abit and pay attention. Yes, I'm an inquisitive little brat lah...

 1:06 PM    

A check with today's copy of the Straits Times shows that Jacintha did perform an acapella version of our national anthem, Majulah Singapura, probably somewhere at the beginning of the IOC opening ceremony. I apologise for the misinformation in my previous entry.

Only one, teeny-weeny song lah...

A couple of interesting pieces of news from Yahoo!:
Researchers at the University of Colorado at Boulder have discovered that strolling can help obese adults burn more calories per mile than brisk walking and might even lower the risk of arthritis and injuries to the joints than picking up the pace. They found that obese people burned more calories walking at a slower pace for a longer time than walking at a faster speed.

McDonald's Corp., fresh from a makeover of everything from its menu to its ads, now wants to upgrade its restaurant staff uniforms to make them hipper and more befitting the MTV generation. Talks are underway with some of the world's best-known clothing labels, including Sean "P. Diddy" Combs' Sean John label, Polo Ralph Lauren Corp., Giorgio Armani, hip hop mogul Russell Simmons' Phat Farm label, American Eagle Outfitters Inc., Abercrombie & Fitch Co., Rocawear, and Tommy Hilfiger. However, according to McDonald's USA spokesman, Bill Whitman, the company was not yet negotiating with any specific designers and described the current discussions as informal and internal to McDonald's.

PS: If McDonald's staff starts wearing Armani, I don't mind flipping burgers and mopping floors part-time. LOL

 12:24 PM    

Well, I wasn't impressed with the whole event actually. Directed by the reputable Glenn Goei, it was supposed to be a grand and spectacular affair but seriously, I thought it did not showcase the best of Singapore's artistic talent.

I concede that I missed a good front portion of the show (who wants to listen to a couple of old farts make dreary, long-winded speeches anyway??) because I was watching the antics of Cassandra Seet and Patricia Mok in My Sassy Neighbour on TCS 5 -- Honestly speaking, the latter wasn't even really hilarious; some of the punchlines didn't work but somehow, Seet's and Mok's natural zeal and impeccable comic-timing made the show passable.

ANYWAY, what I didn't like about the IOC opening ceremony? -- The off-key singing, the crudely westernised traditional dances (not a true representation of our rich cultural heritage) and the ridiculously large number of performers, were quite a turn-off. It was like a gaudy NDP concert, miniaturised for the stage. The absence of jazz-crooner Jacintha Abisheganaden from the uninspiring finale number led me to the assumption that she didn't perform, as had been intended. This was a great loss because she is the only artiste that night with a credible reputation in the music industry (a couple of her jazz albums were well-received by critics in the U.S).

And who the hell was that guy singing the finale song??? He was horrendous~!!

 2:59 AM    

If I could get another chance, another walk, another dance with him
I'd play a song that would never, ever end
How I'd love, love, love
To dance with my father again

 2:00 AM    

For those not in the know, legendary R&B crooner, Luther Vandross died last Friday, 1st July at the age of 54, from unknown causes.

Prior to his death, Vandross had been battling diabetes, obesity and hypertension for years before suffering a stroke in 2003. The latter left him wheelchair-bound and since then, he stopped making public appearances. However, this did not stop him from continuing with his successful recording career. As testament to his amazing talent, Vandross won four Grammys last year, including one for Best Song.

Truthfully, I've never really been a fan of Mr Vandross. He belonged to that generation of artistes who were huge in the early eighties but whose popularity waned drastically in the late eighties and nineties, especially here in Asia. Think Roberta Flack, Dionne Warwick, Lionel Richie, James Ingram et al.

It was only after I heard his single, Dance With My Father, which was a bittersweet piece about his dad (like duh, who else rite?), that I begun to take notice of Luther Vandross and his vast body of work. As the narrator in Lemony Snicket's A Series Of Unfortunate Events had put so succinctly,

If you have ever lost someone very important to you, then you already know how it feels; and if you haven't, you cannot possibly imagine it.

Needless to say, this is a song that is dear to my heart and the only one by Vandross that truly haunts me. And like all individuals who abstain from things that may cause unnecessary dolefulness, I often try not to listen to it lest it makes me think too much about the past. Nonetheless, I've decided to put it up (sung by Tamyra Gray from a scene in Boston Public) for the time being, as an elegy to Vandross and to a Father's Day which passed by with nary a mention on my blog. Also, here's to you, Dad. May you rest in peace.

 1:30 AM    

I was on the mrt a few days ago when I overheard a teenage Malay girl (a.k.a minah) telling her friend (who was also a minah) that "Kat Singapore ni, cuma ader Taufik sorang ajer.." I wasn't paying heed to their conversation initially but my ears pricked up instantly when the name of Singapore's first (and only?) Idol was mentioned. Nonetheless, I couldn't hear very much by then thanks to the din of the train as it went through its subterranean route. Probably, they were referring to the dearth of eligible Malay bachelors here, or the apparent lack of successful & popular local Malay singers...

Whateverlah.. Coincidentally, on that very evening, I had my first glimpse of the videoclip of the new National Day Theme song, aptly named, "Reach For The Skies" and sung by Taufik Batisah and Rui En (of Achar! fame). Composed by Elaine Chan, lyrics by Selena Tan, and produced, unsurprisingly, by Ken Lim, this has got to be the corniest and cheesiest NDP theme song ever.

Run-of-the-mill and trite lyrics aside, I must applaud the masterstroke of genius to have Taufik sing this year's song; because of this, indubitably, legions of little boys and girls will be memorising the song in no time! Moreover, as shown on the videoclip, there are even some nifty dance moves which one can dance along to when singing the chorus... Very chic~! Except that Rui En's bare arms looked so frightfully skinny and stick-like, I could have mistaken the clip for a Xando slimming advertisement. However, I'm sure her anorexic good looks will be all the rage amongst "happening" tween girls.

Seriously, I miss those years when NDP songs were patriotic and memorable, with distinctive melodies that set them apart from one another. With the exception of Kit Chan's Home, I can barely recall the NDP songs of recent years. Although the latter were up-tempo and undeniably contemporary, they lacked a certain something which could have made them more engaging and heartfelt. Oh well~ maybe I'm just getting old lah... (And you know how old people have a tendency to get nostalgic & sentimental, rite? :p )

 1:13 AM    

I haven't blogged for quite sometime. It's not that I haven't got anything to write about; On the contrary, I often feel as if my mind is teeming with a thousand and one random little thoughts and fancies, but all lacking in focus and coherence. Often also, I feel like I am a little child who perpetually asks the question "Why?" because there seems to be so much in this world, and so much more about it, that I don't, or perhaps can never, understand.

I cannot fathom, for instance, why the 20-year old Indonesian maid in Sembawang, murdered her employer, despite the presence of the latter's two young children in the house at the time. I wonder, did the children bear witness to their mother's death? What could have gone through their heads if they did?

And what could have been in the mind of 20-year old Corporal Arvin, before he, presumably, shot himself in the head with his service revolver, last Saturday morning at his workplace? Of course, it has not yet been proven to be a suicide but how could a murder (if it had been one) have so blatantly occurred in the gymnasium of a police station, without the knowledge of the policemen on duty on that very same morning??

What about the dismembering of Liu Hong Mei by her 50-year old married lover? What could have prompted him to not only rob Ms Liu of her life's savings (by stealing her ATM card) but also to rob her of her life too? Did he think that he could commit such vile atrocities and still get away scot-free???

Honestly speaking, I didn't care much when terrorists abduct foreign workers and decapitated them in Iraq, when innocent children are held hostage and shot at in Cambodia, when numerous innocent lives are lost by bombings (suicide or otherwise) in Kashmir, Baghdad or Dagestan. However, when the sanctity of even one life is disregarded here in my own country, I can't help but be a tad rattled.

 1:19 PM