Taiwan

What can I say about Taiwan? Well firstly, Taiwan is an island populated by mostly the chinese. The main spoken language is Mandarin. When I first arrived in Taiwan, I was surprised by its weather. The weather in Taiwan is really erratic... one day it can be hot and humid and the next, it can be cold and windy. Though the only thing not surprising is the time the sun falls. Since it was in the winter season when I went to Taiwan, the sun falls very early at around 5 pm.

Taiwan is a outspoken country in my opinion. Everytime you visit a night market (which is a very popular thing among the Taiwanese), you can see stall vendors shouting and trying to attract customers to their particular stall. Sometimes, I really wonder how these stall vendors make ends meet since there are many, many stalls and they all seems to sell the same stuff. For every country, you can say a particular food that you can relate to that particular country. For Singapore, its Rojak and Durian (you may not agree with me but its just an example) and for Japan, its Sushi and Udon. As for Taiwan, I would have to say its Finger Food. Taiwan has quite a huge variety of Finger Food. Some like the Fried Chicken Fillet (I think thats what you call it in English) are surprisingly good while others like the Fried Fishballs are not so good.

Taiwanese are generally very friendly. Whenever you pass by a stall, the stall vendor would stop you and ask you to try out one of their products. What is commendable is that even if you leave after sampling and without buying anything, they would bid you farewell with a warm smile. Speaking of which, hygiene is a problem in Taiwan. Even in a restaurant which is frequently booked by tour groups, you can find dirt and stains on the utensils. However, that didn't shocked me. What shocked me was when I encountered a man barbecuing some fishballs while smoking. It was clearly obvious that the ash from his cigarette was landing on the fishballs yet there were still customers willing to buy from his stalls. After that incident, I was silently grateful that all stalls in Singapore had to pass a hygiene test before they could start selling their food. But hey, don't let my words scare you! I tend to exaggerate sometimes. Its perfectly alright to try out other country's local delicacies!

One of the first things I noticed about Taiwan was that their traffic police is really efficient (or so it seemed to me...). When I was on the tour bus, every so often I would notice a police car and another car parked by the side with a policeman questioning the driver of the other car. Really impressive... at least for the first day of my tour (the other days there were less police cars).

Taiwan is a big dog-loving country. Every time I'm on the streets of Taiwan, I see passerbys with dogs by their sides. Some of these dogs had a leash on them while others did not and some dogs worn clothes while other dogs worn hats. Taiwanese generally treat their pets really well. In my short stay in Taiwan, I have never seen a stray dog or even cat, though I have never a cat in Taiwan actually.

Another thing to note about Taiwan is that they do not really celebrate western festives like Christmas. Throughout my stay during the Christmas period in Taiwan, I had only seen 1 Christmas tree. After knowing Taiwanese do not celebrate western festives, I was shocked to be informed by my tour guide that there are around 100+ days of holiday for the working class in Taiwan. That meant that roughly every 3 days in the year, there will be 1 day of holidays. Isn't that shocking?!

Well, I can say that I did enjoy my stay in Taiwan though I got a bit travel-sicked at the end (this always happens when I go overseas; I got stomach flu last year in Australia and diarrhoea the year before in Japan). There were some parts I didn't enjoy but hey, that's life! There are bound to be things you don't enjoy in every experience you undergo...

Identical

Ever seen an identical pair of brother and sister? Well, I HAVE. Check below! :)


Wish me luck... hopefully I'll still survive when Mengxuan discovers this photo... ;P

Its A RIOT!

There is officially a riot in Serangoon Gardens. I swear many people got pissed off. Not surprising though, I got rather pissed off myself. I've never got into a traffic jam in Serangoon Gardens yet I was stuck in the '317' bus for an hour. Actually, I wasn't really pissed off... By the time I realised I was stuck in a traffic jam, only the elderly ladies with huge bags by their sides and me were left on the bus. Fortunately, I got off the bus quickly after my big 'EUREKA!' discovery... the roads were sealed and there was no way of reaching home via that bus. Sigh... guess that's the problem with a place so... remote. When there is a traffic jam in such a place, its gonna take a long, long time for the traffic to clear. Well, don't mind me... I'm just... expressing my ermm... emotions. I hardly have a place to just... EXPRESS MY EMOTIONS...

God...

Just don't mind me...I'm just having a breakdown :)

A Turtle & His Imagination

A drawing I did yesterday about a turtle and his imagination. Hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed drawing it. :)



Closer looks on the the characters and speech bubbles:

A Sleepless Morning's Work

Wasn't able to sleep the whole night, decided to do a bit of drawing in the morning. Here are the results... of a sleepless morning's work:



Closer looks into the drawings and their speech bubbles:

Black and White Signs

PENLERS PRESENTS: NO FOOTWEAR
BEING A PART OF "BLACK AND WHITE SIGNS"


PENLERS PRESENTS: DANGER
BEING A PART OF "BLACK AND WHITE SIGNS"

A World Without Colors...

PENLERS PRESENTS: SILENT STREET
BEING A PART OF "A WORLD WITHOUT COLORS..."


PENLERS PRESENTS: PEEK IN
BEING A PART OF "A WORLD WITHOUT COLORS..."


PENLERS PRESENTS: COLORLESS LEAVES
BEING A PART OF "A WORLD WITHOUT COLORS..."


PENLERS PRESENTS: COLORLESS FLOWER
BEING A PART OF "A WORLD WITHOUT COLORS..."


PENLERS PRESENTS: THE TRUSTY MAILBOX
BEING A PART OF "A WORLD WITHOUT COLORS..."


PENLERS PRESENTS: WHERE HAVE ALL THE BIRDS GONE?
BEING A PART OF "A WORLD WITHOUT COLORS..."

The Gym

I hate The Gym
Its strong smell of disinfectant
The air which reeks of sweat
I just hate it

I love The Gym
Equipments that keep you occupied
The opportunity for time to fly pass
I just love it

I hate The Gym
The immense strength needed to carry weights
The aches and sores after a workout
I just hate it

I love The Gym
The pain from working out
Is like caffeine in coke
I just love it

Do I hate The Gym
Or do I love The Gym
Frankly I don't know
I just don't know

Maybe I do hate The Gym
Or maybe I do not hate The Gym
Perhaps I do love The Gym
Or perhaps I do not love The Gym

But one thing is for sure
I will continue going to The Gym
And hopefully
So will you!

Just a poem about my love/hate affair with The Gym. :)
I hoped it made you laugh... it was meant to make you laugh. xD

In The Spotlight... Fable 2

Being a huge Fable fan, I've been eagerly awaiting the arrival of a sequel to the popular role-playing game ever since I first heard rumors of Lion Head Studios working on Fable 2. I have to admit that my cravings for Fable 2 resulted in me daydreaming of playing the game while I was supposed to study for my 'O'-Levels. Well... that's a bit exaggerating but still... you get what I mean... Now, I have already played the game and I'm gonna give my honest opinion on the game below but before I do that, I have to warn you people. Everything below is my personal opinion on the game so before you starting flaming me for something I wrote below, please remember that I'm not trying to offend others with my remarks; You can choose whether you believe/agree with me or not. Another point to note: the last time I played Fable was ages ago, thus, some things I write about it may be inaccurate. A piece of advise: If you haven't played both Fable and Fable 2, chances are you won't get what I'm saying. I apologise for this.

Expectations
Fable was one of the best role-playing game I've ever played. It's storyline was filled with rivalry, revenge and betrayal. It was very much like reading an excellent book except that instead of you imaging what happens in the story, you actually 'experience' it yourself. Yet there was a flaw in this jem of a game: It was incomplete. Due to impatient fans, Fable was released too early. What do I mean? Well, heres an example: In Fable's Bowerstone Market, there was a water fall with a ship in the waters. It was extremely clear that these waters were meant to be a path to another region but due to pressure from the all too impatient fans, they eventually turned it into a waterfall. Thus, Lion Head Studios had to release an expansion: Fable: The Lost Chapters to make the game more 'complete'. However, this was just something minor in my eyes and Fable eventually became one of my favourite games. When I heard of works on Fable 2, I was skeptical. Fable was incredible and I had doubts that Lion Head Studios could release a sequel that was near the standards of the first game.

Oh my god. Is this happening?! That was fast...
Fable 2 was in the same storyline mould as Fable, with the main character losing his family, getting taken under the wings of a powerful person and then, embarking on a journey for revenge. I was rather impressed with the game initially. The cutscene at the very start of the game was magnificent and it showed of things to come with a landscape shot of the vastly changed town we grew to love in Fable: Bowerstone. However, things begin to go downhill from then on. I'd previously read on a forum that Peter Molyneux, the man who had promised great things for Fable 2, had made a promise to gamers that the childhood days of the main character would take at least an hour to complete. However, I took a mere 10 minutes to complete it. Another big disappoint for me was that the game cuts straight from the childhood days to the main character's early adulthood. The apprenticeship days were a crucial part of the story in Fable for me. It kind of strengtens the storyline and makes you engrossed in the game as you 'experience' everything the main character experiences. However, Lion Head Studios decided to cut this part from the storyline in Fable 2. Immediately, I was not as drawn to the storyline as I was to Fable. Lion Head Studios made up for this by making the maps more detailed and items harder to obtain. The main character's companion/dog was also a cool addition to the game and it soon became a vastly important part of the game for me since it was capable of finding treasures and digging spots. But I felt that it was absurd that there was only 1 dog in Albion which was that of the main character's. Another aspect of the game I felt ridiculous about was that you couldn't die in the game. This meant that no matter how many times your health points ran out, you were NEVER gonna lose. I was excited about facing new enemies in Fable 2 but when I played the game, there was not many new foes; just a revamp of the old foes. This was another major disappoint to me. The storyline was also a letdown... it was not as great as Fable's storyline although I was surprised that Peter Molyneux exclaimed that it was better than Fable's. This led me to wonder whether I had actually really finish the game and whether I was missing something in the game however after searching online, I realised that was not the case. In the end, I ended up murmuring to myself, "Oh my god. Is this happening?! That was fast...".

Conclusion
Many would say that I am not neutral enough to talk about Fable 2. Others would try to remind me that Fable 2 was created for casual gamers in mind. I agree with them to a certain extent. However, I also have this to say... Fable 2 is a sequel to Fable. This means that you would expect the same features that made Fable a success to be in Fable 2. But where were the legendary weapons in Fable 2? Where was the amazing and lengthy storyline? Where were the huge and invincible-looking bosses in Fable 2? Fable was a game for 'hardcore' gamers. By making its sequel more for casual gamers, it made all the gamers who enjoyed Fable vastly disappointed. Besides, you wouldn't expect casual gamers to play a role-playing game. I hate to say this but in my personal opinion, Lion Head Studios was too greedy. They wanted both hardcore gamers and casual gamers to buy Fable 2. Fable 2 was a bad experience in my opinion. However, if you forget that its a sequel to Fable, it would be an alright game. But in my case, it was a bad game that brought back fond memories of playing Fable... how I wished Fable 2 matched the brilliance of Fable...

Rabbit Fiesta @ Yokohama City, Tokyo

A proud owner shows off his rabbit, which is wearing a Thai-styled attire, during the Rabbit Fashion Contest at the Rabbit Fiesta in Yokohama City, Tokyo

Aftermath

I ponder on what to say on the aftermath of my personal war for academic results. Yes, the 'O' Level Examination was tough and... mentally straining. I admit that I felt like giving up on studying midway through it all but somehow, I made it through. Ironically, while I wanted the examinations to be over as quickly as possible before, I feel at a loss of what to do now. Its funny. For the whole of this year, I had a goal: to get through the 'O' Levels Examination as quickly as possible. But now, goalless, I really feel lost... Maybe, its just my head hurting. Hey, your head would hurt terribly if you played as much as I did the past few days...

From the open wastes of post-apocalyptic Washington, D.C. in Fallout 3 to the ever-changing lands of Albion in Fable 2 (Yes, you saw the vast difference in Albion from Fable to Fable 2...) to the Orc's homelands of Durotar in World Of Warcraft... I came, I saw and I conquered (somehow this phrase came to my mind... its oddly familiar...). Okay... so I was kidding about the '... I came, I saw and I conquered' part... it was more like I came, lag struck me, my headache hit me full-blow and I got slaughtered. And YESSS, DO I HAVE PLENTY TO SAY ABOUT THESE GAMES!

Okay. My headache is killing me. I swear, this one is much worse than the one I had during Prelims. I'm gonna rest and try to get this pain outta my head.

Ta-ta!

Scenery Just Under Our Noses

We live hectic lives. Sometimes, we are so busy that we are unaware of our surroundings. Sometimes... we just need to stop and look around us. Who knows what we will discover? Perhaps, we may find a water fountain in a drain. ;)

Freedom

We all yearn for freedom. We all want the freedom to do what we like. But sometimes, when we gain freedom, we tend to spend too much of it on our interests and hobbies... to disastrous results. Sometimes... we just need to be given freedom bit by bit.

Tama the Stationmaster

Was flipping through the New Paper when I was aroused by an article on Tama the Stationmaster. Tama is no ordinary stationmaster, in fact, she's a cat! The unbelievable thing is that Tama has an economic impact of 1.1 billion yen in a year! Below is a picture of this incredible cat:



(photo taken from vinka*'s flickr account)

4E4...

Today was the last day of our secondary school days. How fast time pass! I can still remember the first day of school. I was all shy and timid. With a twinkling of an eye, I'm already secondary 4. Even though time may slipped away from our hands ever so quickly, 1 thing's for sure. I won't forget my secondary school days. All those times we had... ahh!!! I never want this to end. But all good times come to an end sooner or later. Here's a tribute to the class I have grew so attached to: 4E4. I won't forget you guys!~ (...I think)



p.s.: Sorry for those who can't find themselves in the video. I don't have everyone's photo. :)

And here's the class video I will proudly remember for the next 5 years at least! (Haha...I'm not confident about my memory)



Cheers! Here's to all the memories! Thanks for all the joy, sorrow and much, much more!
Hopefully, I'll cross paths with you guys again!...

Carl the Scare-me-to-death Dude, Kenrick the Kidnapper

Carl. He can really frighten someone. What can I say about him?... Hm. Let's just say hes shy and when I say shy, I mean REALLY SHY, like being shy to friends. I've known him for 2 years now and yet, hes still shy towards me. He can barely maintain eye contact with me when he talks. Another thing about Carl is that he has a really scary sense of humor. What do I mean? Well... just carry on reading and you'll know...

Just yesterday, Damian, Kenrick and I brought him to the McDonald's outlet at Serangoon Central. When we finally got our seats, we began discussing on what to order...

Me: What are we waiting here for? Order!
Damian: Kenrick, you order!
Kenrick: The shortest order. Everyone stand! We see who shortest. DAMIAN YOU SHORTEST GO ORDER!
...After a moment of debate...
Kenrick & Damian in harmony (...incredibly): Carl, what you want?
Carl, with a worried expression on his face: UH! Um...burger!
Damian: What burger?!
Carl: Burger...

Even when we were in queue, Carl didn't look like he knew what he wanted to order at all. It was as though he had never ever stepped into McDonald's. Yet somehow, as though there was some kind of miraculous help from above, he managed to order a Fish Fillet Burger when the cashier asked for his order.

While eating...

Damian: Eh, Carl. You know how to go back home right?
Carl: Uh... no.
...A moment of gasps later...
Me: You know where your house is right?!
Carl: Uh... no.
Damian: Oh my god.
Carl: ...I'm just joking, guys...

Can you see what I mean by scary sense of humor now?... I was so worried that he would get lost while going home that I sat him down at the bus stop and gave him a step-by-step list of instructions: Look straight at approaching vehicles for bus number 22, flag down the bus, board the bus...

Only after giving him those instructions that I felt safe to leave him at the bus stop. Yet on the bus on the way home, I suddenly remembered that he did not bring his hand phone. Butterflies started to form in my stomach. I had a bad feeling about Carl.

I had told him to call me when he reach home yet by 8 at night, there was no news from him. I began to text Damian and Kenrick and discuss what we should do. While Damian became more and more panicky, Kenrick was relaxed and didn't seem to care at all. To add oil to fire, Kenrick even texted me and told me to make Damian even more panicky. I was curious what Damian would think of the text message and so I forwarded it to him. Thus, came Damian's conclusion (...or should I say incredible imagination...) that Kenrick kidnapped Carl.

The weird thing was I began to believe Damian, especially when both Carl and Kenrick didn't appear in school today. I kinda believe its just Carl forgetting to text me that he was safely back home... hes probably playing Conquer Club at home now. But I still have a nagging suspicion that there is something up with Kenrick. I would prefer to think its my writer's imagination though... :)

Poke-Fever

Nowadays, the class has been addicted to Pokemon. It started from a 'Pokemon Adventures' comic book and rapidly turned into something else altogether. You can often see people crouched on their tables, looking at something underneath it. What is this particular thing I'm referring to? Well, let's just say it's all about Pokemon - from Pokemon on the mobile phone to Pokemon comics.

Can't say that I'm not affected by this thing I like to call 'Poke-Fever', after all I was the person who started lending out the 'Pokemon Adventures' comic books. Damn... to think about it now, why didn't I charge them?! Anyways, been searching the web for more things related to Pokemon and I found this particular video. The graphics isn't perfect but it looks exciting nonetheless. Ladies and Gentlemen, let me present... 3D Pokemon Crystal (or so I think...)!!!

Hopefully, you enjoyed that. Well, I just wanna explain the Short Stories About Children I'd written the past few days. You see, it's just that when I was really, reeeaaallllyyy young, I always dreamed to be an author. You can't really blame me for having a jab at it, right?

Okay... I really have lots to blog about but its been an extremely hectic time for me with the 'O'-Level Examinations just around the corner and all. I'll post about the talent show at Republic Polytechnic Ryan had brought me to just last week another day. That night... let's just say... I will NEVER FORGET that night. (Damn Ryan!... *Laughs Out Loud*)

Short Stories About Children (Part 2)

Penlers presents: Short Stories About Children Part 2.

Incredible Imagination

          I chuckled as the memories of that day came back to me. That day was so long ago, yet I could still feel the embarrassment coming back to me. I was starting to get red-faced. I could now remember every tiny detail...

          I was seven years old then, an age when children were innocent and had incredible imagination. I could remember how I always used to drive my mother crazy. She had often got mad and shrieked angrily in the household. Till today, many of my ex-neighbours thought the shrieking was from some sort of beast my parents had kept in the garden.

          There was this particular night when my parents went out to celebrate their wedding anniversary. They had left my two younger brothers and I at home with the nanny. As usual, as soon as my father's car drove off, the nanny laid on the sofa and fell asleep. I had decided that this was enough and that the nanny needed some punishment. I took out my prized black marker my father had given me as a birthday present two years ago and started scribbling on her face.

          Suddenly, the lights went off. I shouted in alarm.

     'Is this a terrorist attack? Are warplanes bombarding Singapore like in those Channel 5 drama series?' I thought to myself excitedly. A train of thoughts entered my mind. A voice brought me back to reality soon after.

     "What's happening?!" the nanny shouted angrily, having been awaken by my shout.

     "Terrorists have invaded Singapore! They have cut off the electricity supply and have planned to attack us in the dark!" I screamed back at her, narrating the scenes that were shown on Channel 5's drama series "Price Of Peace".

     "T-then, w-what should we do?" she stammered a weak reply.

     I thought about "Price Of Peace" and what the good guys in the drama series did. An idea came into my mind. "Get Phuay Hao and Phuay Sheng! We have to barricade the house! When you get them, start to move bulky things out of the house. Now go!"   

     I started to feel good. It was great to be in charge of things for a change. I was never ever the one to call the shots in my household but now was not the time to act like a boss. We must defend our home. I pulled the comfy sofa in the living room out into the garden. Imagined screams of pain echoed around the neighbourhood. I could even hear the gunshots in the distance with the sound of warplanes in the background. My heart pounded loudly.

     "Nanny, quickly! They've almost at our doorsteps!" I shrieked as I ran into the house.

     I pulled the shoe rack lying just beside me and dragged it into the garden. Before I knew it, we had a huge pile of various stuff lying in the garden. I ordered Phuay Hao, Phuay Sheng and the nanny to make a barricade out of the pile as I rushed into the kitchen for any weapons we could use. 

          When I got back, the barricade was already completed. I passed the egg beater, the fork and the knife to Phuay Hao, Phuay Sheng and the nanny. I grabbed the eggs that were left in my hands, ready to launch at any moment.

          Suddenly, the street lights came on. We stared in bewilderment at the street lamps.

     "The Singapore Armed Forces must have defeated them! Hooray!" I shouted in utter delight. We gave each other high-fives as we jumped about in celebration. At that moment, my parents' car stopped in the driveway. My mother came out of the car and screamed, "Phuay Wei! What have you done?!"

          I made a run for it.

     'I'm so screwed.' I thought to myself.

Short Stories About Children

Penlers presents: Short Stories About Children.

The Wedding Crasher

          

The suns rays painted the clouds brown as the golden sun set into the horizon. I breathed in the fresh air and stared at my surroundings in amazement. The countryside was tranquil and beautiful.

"Mesmerizing, eh? It took me a long, long time to find this beauty of a place!"

I spun around. It was the man of the hour approaching me: Uncle Ezekiel, the man who was getting married tonight.

"Why did you have to find a place so beautiful?" I asked, puzzled. "Wouldn't any place be all right? I mean it's just a wedding..."

"What do you mean just a wedding? A wedding happens once in a lifetime!" Uncle Ezekiel retorted in shock, "You'll understand the importance of a special wedding in the future."

I shrugged in reply and continued to stare at the horizon.

          Soon, it was dark and the wedding was about to begin. I watched as the place began to get packed with people. I still did not understand what Uncle Ezekiel told me. An idea came into my mind.

"What if... I disguise myself as an intruder and crashed the wedding?" I asked myself, in whispers. "Why not? It's going to be fun! I bet no one has tried to crash a wedding this big! Why don't I be the first one to do so?"

As I imagine the looks on the guests' faces, I began to get excited and wild ideas began to come into mind.

"I know!" I whispered to myself excitedly, "I'll disguise myself as a suicide terrorist! Perhaps then, I will understand what Uncle Ezekiel said!"

I decided to take my ideas into action and began to look for pieces of cloth I could use to make a turban...

          I marveled at my masterpiece. Surely, no one will be able to realise that this is a 12-year-old's piece of work! I picked up the 'turban' and carefully put it on. Next, came on the 'bomb' that was hung on my body. There, I was a suicide terrorist!

I hurried to the benches and got ready. My heart was pounding loudly.

'What if I said the words out wrongly?' I wondered.

However, there was no time to rehearse, the bride was already walking down the red carpet. I rushed to the front, pulled down the jacket I was wearing and shouted in my loudest voice "I'm a suicide bomber! I'm going down with this place!"

There was a moment of silence, then laughter erupted.

"What are you doing, Gabriel? That was really funny!"

"Ezekiel! What's your nephew doing? A suicide bomber?!"

All around me was people who were laughing. My face turned red. What a intruder I was!

Light

Music Heaven

I'd recently discovered Last.fm to my utter delight. 

Why? Well, it scrobbles (don't really know what this word means... think it means something like collect data?) songs you played on your iPod, iTunes and on the Window Media Player and using these data, they will recommend other artists you may like. 

It even recommends free songs available on Last.fm you may want to download, which is something blissful for a free music junkie like me. :)

Another cool feature is 'Neighbours'. Last.fm would search for people with similar musical tastes and add them to your 'Neighbours' tab in your profile. Wouldn't it be awesome to speak with people who have musical taste similar to yours? Unfortunately for me though, its been 6 days since I registered and they haven't found me a single neighbour. :(

Something that frustrates me though is that you can't listen to tracks by one artist only. When you type in an artist name and listen to Last.fm's radio, the station will play tracks by the artist you typed in AND artists similar to the one you typed in. It would have been better if they allowed people to listen to a single artist only.

Still, Last.fm is a cool site you may want to check out. If you're gonna join, add 'Eupasia' to friends! xD

Won't You Sing Along...

Greg Laswell. Many have not heard of this man though his songs have been featured on popular shows such as Grey's Anatomy and One Tree Hill. I've never heard him too until I saw him featured on the homepage of RCRD LBL.

Above is a video of 'How A Day Sounds'. It features Elijah Woods, most famous for his performance as Frodo the hobbit in the Lord Of The Rings Trilogy. Surprised me a little... fancy that, eh? An A-list Hollywood actor appearing in a music video of someone not many have heard of. If you liked what you heard in the video, head on to his RCRD LBL page and download some of his tracks.

Sense Of Home

Can't say I'm not looking forward to the new Drama Anthology Series on Channel 5 - 'Sense of Home'. It would be interesting to heard about the experiences of Singaporeans living abroad and what they miss most about Singapore (even though its acted out!). I wonder if I would live abroad in the future. Yes, I've always wanted to travel the world but like my mum always says, "Home is always the best". Besides, the world's too big. An ordinary person wouldn't be able to see every sight in the oh so gigantic Earth. Hell, if only I was Hiro Nakamura (from 'Heroes'; God, I love that show :P). Then I would be able to see everything this world has to offer in a twinkling of an eye. It wouldn't be so unforgettable though, like I always say (or at least THINK to myself :S), " It's the process that counts, not the end result."

Anyways, my brother recently got a 'Spore' creature creation starter kit. Been fiddling around with it yesterday. Even though I don't really know what 'Spore' is about (Hell, my brother didn't know how to explain the game when I asked him. Man...), its kind of fun. Reminds me of 'the Sims' (same creator by the way, I think...) but nevertheless, it's refreshing. I'm sooo gonna try the game (the real edition I mean). If you do play it, gimme a ring, I'll be glad to play with you. :)

Ta-dah! Here's my creation. I call it a Purplet. Basically, it's a purple mean little cross-breed between a pig and butterfly. Can't wait to try Purplet out in 'Spore'! xD

Weird.

Dad's been acting weird... again. Just went to buy a bottle of red wine for his birthday (with him selecting it of course; I know nuts about wine). On the way home, he said "Thanks ah, boy. You know we love you."

... Which kind of made me feel... awkward. My dad is a man who doesn't really express his emotion. For him to say that is really... quite a feat. Wonder what's gotten into him... if I were him, I would find it very hard to verbally express my love for my son.

Anyways, heres wishing him happy birthday and many more happy birthdays to come. :)

Juno Fever

I caught on the 'Juno fever' real late. All year long I heard advices to catch the film but only today did I really feel like catching Juno, which I did. 

Loved every moment of the film... even watched the credits, which was a first for me; The song selections were brilliant in my opinion. I loved the songs in the film so much that I'd even made the effort to learn one of them; the very last song in the show which the leads Michael Cera and Ellen Page played together: Anyone Else But You (originally by the Moldy Peaches).

Heres a clip, taken from the film itself, of Michael Cera and Ellen Page performing the song (or at least a short version of it) : 

I'm so going to buy that Juno Original Soundtrack CD!

Reopening of Old Wounds

Just watched Money No Enough 2. The movie was humorous and yet serious at times. I wasn't able to fully enjoy the movie though; I was seated right in front and I had to keep my head raised in order to have a good view of the movie screen. I had heard good things about the film from Charlie during the wait for my turn during the GCE 'O' Levels English Oral Examinations and so I had great expectations of the movie. Maybe it was because I had to keep my head raised (which led to a major headache on the way home) but I wasn't impressed by the computer-generated imagery. It all look quite amateurish to me... but then again, this may be because of the high levels of computer-generated imagery displayed in recent movies such as Transformers. The editing could also have been done a bit better; I got lost a few times in the movie. However, the thing that impressed me most was the level of reality in this movie. In Money No Enough 2, director Jack Neo had decided to not only film about the financial problems faced by Singaporeans but also the family issues of some, if not many, of the families in Singapore. The story line of the movie was extremely real (if not a bit exaggerated); in fact, it was so real that it was almost cruel. Now, I wouldn't want to spoil the movie for those who haven't watch it yet... but let's just say that it has happened to my family before... only 2 years ago. The wounds from then had just began to heal when my family and I went to catch this movie. Towards the end of the movie, I began to regret our choice of catching Money No Enough 2 as the wounds... had reopened. The drive home was a silent affair; only the sound of the radio could be heard. Since leaving the movie theatre, my dad hasn't said a word. I hope he'll be alright after a night's sleep and be back to his usual bubbly self. However, we weren't the only ones affected by the movie... while squeezing through the exit of the movie theatre, I looked around me and there were people with grins and people with puffy red eyes. This movie has definitely made a impact on a number of people.

Sir Nils Olav

Was flipping through the New Paper when I saw this tiny article about Sir Nils Olav. What aroused my curiosity was not the knighting but the fact that Nils Olav is actually a penguin. Fancy that! A penguin being knighted! But don't look down on Sir Nils Olav though, he has been an honorary member and mascot of the Norwegian King's Guard since the 1980s and was made Honorary Colonel-in-Chief in 2005.

Heres a photo of Sir Nils Olav inspecting soldiers of the Norwegian King's Guard regiment.

(photo taken from Deadline Press & Picture Agency's flickr account)

"Superior Intelligence"

I stumbled into an IQ test online and decided to try it out. 



According to an IQ score guide from the same website (http://www.free-iqtest.net/iq-score-guide.asp), I'm a part of the "Gifted" which is a group that consists of only 2.3% of the test-takers. Never crossed my mind that I was "gifted"... well, until today.

Had my GCE 'O' Levels English Oral Examination today. While waiting for my turn, I wasn't nervous actually... only till it was almost my turn that I started to shake my legs nervously. Perhaps, this lack of nervousness was due to me preparing for the Oral Examinations the previous night. Or maybe, it was because I was beside a talkative bunch while waiting for my turn (Yes, Charlie and Damian, if you so happen to be reading this, I'm referring to you! :P) Anyways, I can proudly say that I've tried my best. I've talked till my lips were dry and till I had to lick them ever so often just to be able to continue my conquest for that elusive distinction in English Oral. No regrets though, if I don't get that distinction in English Oral. What is more important is that I tried my very best.

It was a kind of trying week for me. I'd finally completed my Design and Technology (DnT) artifact (YES!!! AT LONG LAST! GODDAMN-IT!). Now, all I have to do for DnT is to focus on my journal and presentation boards. Though I have to admit that after all that hard work on the artifact, I don't quite feel like in the mood to do my journals and presentation boards. And of course, being that perfectionist I am, I still have that tinge of regret that my artifact wasn't as perfect as I'd wanted it to be...

Then, there was the GCE 'O' Levels Chinese Results. I'd obtain a B3 which is quite good considering that my school is labelled as one of the 'Top 10 WORST schools for Chinese'. I was relieved by my results but somehow, I wasn't quite able to smile. Just that thought of narrowly missing out on that distinction for Chinese... it kind of made me angry at myself? I can't quite describe my emotions at missing out on that distinction but... just understand that I was quite sad. Still, I had tried my best during the Chinese examinations and I was contemplating on whether I should just settle on my results. After many tossing and turning on the bed, I eventually reached my decision to retake the GCE 'O' Levels Chinese Examination papers. After all, maybe some years down the road I may regret not retaking the papers? I just didn't want to remember my secondary school days as my 'Years Of Regrets'. Hopefully this time I would be able to achieve distinction...

Less of my typing now! Here are some photos from the trip to the Singapore Discovery Centre in celebration of the nation's birthday:

Before I go, heres a shout-out to the Singapore Ladies' Table Tennis team in reaching the finals of the Table Tennis Olympics. This means that Singapore would have its first medal in the Olympics after 48 years! Woo~! Go Singapore~!

Spokesmen

Vijay and me, we can really be spokesmen for folios. I'm not sure about others but I am certain Vijay and me, we work on our Design and Technology (DnT) folios EVERYWHERE. From inside the lobby of a country club to the poolside to even beside some renovation works, we have done our DnT folios diligently (Umm... the diligently part referred to me, not Vijay ;P). I've even worked on my folio in the toilet!

Even though I've worked so hard on my folios, whenever I'm waiting for the MRT train, I can hardly resist the temptation to just dump the folios I'm holding into the gap between the platform and the MRT train tracks. Why, you may ask? Actually, I'm not certain why I have this huge urge too. Perhaps, I just want to see just what would happen if I ruin my DnT folios. Kind of... weird, huh? Well... that's just me, like it or not.

Working on the folio with Vijay at the Serangoon Gardens Country Club has been the most 'enriching' experience on my folio-doing 'journey' so far. We have been chased out of the air-conditioned lobby, told off by a lady in the study room and yet again, chased out of our seats in the lobby. The first time we were chased out, we settled to work beside the pool under the SCORCHING (and damn, do I mean SCORCHING...!) sun. Well, it was still a fruitful experience though. At least, I managed to hear Vijay crack a joke:

Me: It's bloody hot, Vijay. HOW?!

Vijay: What how? You see me. I'm black right? And a good radiator of heat!

Me *after a moment of silence*: Oh my god, Vijay! You made a joke! First time, man!

*Bam!* And I got a whacking.

And why oh why did we get told off by that lady in the study room? We always get scolded because of Vijay. Vijay the idiot who couldn't keep his mouse shut when I'm teaching him something on Physics. Hopefully, he doesn't see all this. He's probably going to kill me when he sees this.

Hopefully, we get that much-wanted A1 for DnT. All that work and effort... it'll be a waste if we don't score in DnT. Sadly though, hard work isn't always reflected in the report books. Hopefully this time round it'll be different.

Singapore Television

Was looking forward to this day. Firstly, obviously because it's national day. Secondly, because after the live telecast of the National Day Parade there's a whole range of exciting television shows. 

Calefare. 

The trailer for Calefare was amusing and it really made me want to catch it. Unfortunately, I was out for dinner and missed most of it. Still, the last part was funny enough to make me roar with laughter. Vadi Pvss, the man most commonly known for his part in the M1 advertisement (Remember 'Mumbai Dah'?), was hilarious. Hope the remaining episodes are as hilarious.

Below is the M1 advertisement, just in case you didn't get what I mean. ;)

First Class was also nice... though the teachers are a bit... how do I say?... unrealistic? Even though I'm from a school where the teachers can sometimes be a bit wacky, I couldn't believe the behavior of the teachers in First Class. I mean... can you have someone who 'senses' emotions by pulling her hands out in the direction of a person as a teacher? I suppose that's what makes television so addicting I guess... reality-defying things which you really want to see.

Heroes: Season 2's pilot episode is on air now. Can't type! Gotta watch it! :)

C-VAT Results

Took a C-VAT Personal Value Assessment at breezeto5.com a few days ago, just curious to see what a computer would say of my values. I actually learnt something about myself that I find untrue, which according to Mengxuan was extremely true. Here are the findings of the C-VAT:

Mr SuHuai is prepared to put in hard work moderately but he may at times prefer to work at his own pace.

Mr SuHuai is relatively dependable to deliver results on time. He may sometimes be late in meeting deadlines.

Mr SuHuai initiates plans and ideas easily but may not persist with the tasks until completion. He is prepared to leave tasks unfinished; hence he may prefer short-term assignments as he is more likely to complete these tasks. He may lose interest and focus when working on long term assignments.

Mr SuHuai is likely to be quality-conscious and achievement-oriented. He is motivated to produce work that is of a high standard. He is observant, quick to spot errors and critical where work is concerned. He is likely to be meticulous, careful and pre-occupied with detail.

Mr SuHuai is an emotional person. He finds it difficult to conceal his feelings. He is likely to seek attention from others. Mr SuHuai is passionate, romantic and warm, and needs to be with people. As his emotional needs are high, he is often the 'taker' in a relationship. He tends to make decisions based on his own feelings and opinions.

Mr SuHuai is sympathetic and considerate towards others. He is also likely to be tolerant, understanding and forgiving. Mr SuHuai lends support and offers help readily. He often lends a listening ear to others and is concerned about their welfare. He is also charitable.

Being a shy, quiet and reserved person, Mr SuHuai prefers his own company and feels awkward when meeting people for the first time. In social gatherings, he tends to stay in the background.

Mr SuHuai is the sort of person who forms long term bonds and attachments. He is faithful, trustworthy, and devoted in such relationships. He tends to be trusting, dedicated and protective towards those he loves. Patriotism and sense of duty is a significant aspect of his character.

Positions of power, influence and authority are not Mr SuHuai's concern. He does not mind letting others assert authority over him. He is accommodating, laid back and easy-going.

Mr SuHuai is concerned with position and status. He cares about how people view him. Prestige, quality, rank and reputation are important to him. He is likely to be brand-conscious and would attach significance to status symbols. He takes pride in his appearance.

Mr SuHuai sees people as friendly, reliable and honest. He is trusting and believes what people say. He tends to be unsuspecting of people.s behaviour and motives. He is uncomfortable when he has to wheel and deal.

A good supporter to the people around him, Mr SuHuai does not desire to lead or influence people. He is uncomfortable taking charge and does not feel the thrill of challenge in leading others. He prefers to responds rather than initiate. He looks to others to provide direction and does not naturally want to persuade or motivate others to take a certain course of action.

Intellectual matters do not interest Mr SuHuai. He is more concerned with practical issues than abstract theories. Mr SuHuai prefers to talk about useful and workable solutions than discuss hypotheses and concepts. He is more likely to build on ideas rather than generate them.

Mr SuHuai puts in effort to plan ahead some of the times. He may at times not be as detailed in his planning.

Mr SuHuai is generally able to express himself although not to a high degree of eloquence.

Being one who needs clear and thorough instructions before he can proceed on action, Mr SuHuai resists when conditions are uncertain. He does not adapt easily to changes. Before he embarks on a new project, expect Mr SuHuai to find out more and probe deeply.

Some parts, like me feeling awkward when meeting people for the first time, I felt were so true while others, like me being emotional and finding it difficult to conceal my feelings (are they trying to say I'm emo?), ... let's just say I laughed my head off in disbelief. 

The results even had a pie chart with different aspects ranging from 1 to 20. My highest aspect was 'Empathy' with a score of 18 and my lowest was 'Politics' with a score of 8. Guess this means I'm gonna be bullied in my future workplace... Well, at least I know early... I'll have the time to mentally prepare myself...

Here's the pie chart:

Kind of interesting, isn't it? Well, if you're curious to discover more about yourself, do register at breezeto5.com and try out the C-VAT test. In fact, Mengxuan is gonna try it soon... I'm excited about discovering his results. Will he get bullied in his future workplace like me? 

Dollars and Sense

Here are some photos I took at the 'Dollars and Sense' Financial Literacy Carnival held at the Frontier, Jurong (by the way, I woke up at 5 in the morning just to reach there on time...)