Wednesday, June 29, 2005
Somethings are just crazy.

I was at my aunt's place today and I was reading through her entire collection ( or part thereof) of 8 Days. And I was particularly amused when I read this column titled "Things you probably didn't know."

No actually I was particularly amused by something mentioned in the column.

"Charlie Chaplin once won third place in a Charlie Chaplin look-alike contest"

HUH?!

How can, right?!

That's why I say, somethings are just crazy!

Haha!

Friday, June 24, 2005
Orientations and the like.

Well I was supposed to go for my Faculty Orientation this week, and only be back today. I changed my mind last minute because I wasn't really comfortable with the fact that the money I was paying for the package was inclusive of the clubbing fee. Its all of 52 bucks, wah! even more expensive than my driving lessons leh!

Yea, call me a stick in the mud, but I really don't see how clubbing enhances the whole orientation experience. I mean, is it really necessary? Dirty dancing, alcohol, smoking and loud music. How does that make you know people better? As far as I'm concerned, I've seen alcohol bring out the worst in people.

That's not my point. I wouldn't go clubbing for the world, that's why I didn't see the point in going for the orientation, although clubbing was only on one night. I changed my mind in going for the orientation for several other reasons.

But seriously, why can't we make friends the normal way nowadays? Is there really a pressing need for orientations? I mean you can't say "Well, it makes you get to know the school grounds better" because we WILL know the school grounds like the back of our palm with orientation or not, its just a matter of time.

Whatever happened to the days of "Hi, I'm _____, you are? Hey, nice to meet you" plain and simple, without getting muck poured on you, or sliding on some mixture that the seniors devilishly concocted?

And honestly tell me that you actually LIKE getting dirty? You actually think that hey, its really fun sitting on flour! and its really great that the seniors are pouring this blue mixture of what looks like yesterday's dinner and paint down your shirt! Or wow! It feels awesome to have a water bomb thrown at you and getting squirted by some red water coming out of a super soaker!

Get real.

To think that we actually have to pay to get dirty. Sigh. Nothing's really free nowadays, yeah?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not violently against orientations or anything, but I think orientations are getting pointless and its a waste of time and money. I've been through JC orientation and I can honestly tell you that the people I'm closest to are the people I met the normal way.

What do I mean by normal way, huh?

Normal way meaning a friend of a friend says "hey, you're ___'s friend right? Hi I'm ____" or by plain introduction or by sitting next to someone in lecture or extra classes or combined tutorials or simply by being the the same CCA.

Half the people in my OG, I honestly can't remember. A quarter of them, I bump into almost everyday in school but they pretend like they don't know me, and I pretend back. Haha, dammn I'm mean.

That's why I really don't see the point in orientations. You may say that maybe its just me, its just me to be utterly forgetful to forget people who maybe had the time of their lives in orientation, I'd say that you've got it spot on! Thats why its just me to think that orientations are a waste of time and money.

I mean what's the rush? You're going to spend 3-4 even 5 years with these people and you need camps to supposedly get to know them before school starts? After all, the people who are going to be in the same class as you will be completely different people from those in your OG, which means you have to start from square one again.

Oh wells. Opinions, opinions. I haven't heard from Stace how the orientation went. Would love to find out.

Again, don't get me wrong. I'm not protesting and insisting that orientations should be abolished, but thinking rationally, hmm. I'm not some anti social angsty person who scorns making friends, please! haha! Yeah we need to make friends, but why the rush? Slowly la! Truth be told, I'm actually really scared of making friends! I'm not super sociable around people I don't know. Bahh.

On a very contrasting note, I think I would be attending the orientation organised by the Malay Society. Why? Well, because I think that will be an orientation catered for the Muslim Community. Eh, eh WAIT. I'm not saying they will have like mass praying sessions, with some Ustad on stage preaching! Or it being some worship camp.

All I'm saying is that you won't have people thinking you're a Mummy's girl just because you say you don't drink because it will be a widely known fact that Muslims aren't allowed to consume liquor.

No, no seriously! Because I've had people of other religions laugh and scorn when I tell them that Muslims aren't allowed to drink or eat pork, for that matter. Sigh, the level of ignorance in this world today. Well also the number of Muslims doing it, so I can't exactly blame them.

Its not a minority thing, but at least I know my money won't be squandered on club fees.

Haha.

Oh well.

Wednesday, June 22, 2005
So there.

I went to collect my A level certificate, among other uneventful things which happened today.



There, the piece of paper everyone mugs for to get. Exams destroy people. Funny how a piece of paper can make one feel ecstatic or freakin depressed. I am very thankful for my results but I've seen the ugly side of this paper. It made people cry, doubt themselves, because people often let themselves be defined by alphabets printed on paper.

Argh. Kids are getting so competitive nowadays. That was random.

Come to think of it, my A level cert looks exactly like my PSLE cert.

Oh whatever. I should stop pretending to be happy because there are other more pressing issues at hand.

If you're wondering about the chocolates in the photo, well, all I should say is that chocolate soothes the soul.

And a tormented mind.

And a wrecked heart.

Tuesday, June 21, 2005
Potentially Disturbing

Well I was on MSN last night and Syafiq (one of the boys whom I went with Redang with) sent me a potentially disturbing photo. Because when I saw it I started to have convulsions. It reminded me of that moment when I was happily wading in the crystal clear waters thinking life is good until...

the 3 boys thrust this in my face (please do not hold me responsible for your personal convulsions)

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ARGH. IF YOU DON'T THINK THAT'S DISGUSTING THEN I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS.

And to think those juveniles even bothered to take a photo of it! No! To think they actually held it! The worse part was, they CHASED me around with it.

Help me, I'm getting the chills already.

And you know what? The sea cucumber (yes it is a sea cucumber, for those STILL aloof) bites. As in it sucks your hand. I didn't even know the sea cucumber was a freaking animal. I freaking thought it was a freaking vegetable like seaweed.

Eeeeeeeeeeee yucksyucksyucks. I'm getting convulsions again. So there. This is the end of this potentially disturbing post.

Finish.

Monday, June 20, 2005
Solitary star

For the next few days, I will be sleeping on my bed alone. That's because my sister will only be back from her camp in Perak on Friday. Argh. Means I have to switch off the light myself, I can't talk to anyone before I sleep, in other words, I'll be darn freakin lonely and bored at home.

The house will be so quiet, argh and I'll feel like an only child. Seriously, I cannot imagine how my friends who don't have siblings survive. Because my sister is a noise machine by herself. And you can really hear the silence when she's away. Haha. Its good entertainment.

Well, how exciting can it be to be in Singapore teaching maths to secondary school kids, (i have one more student!) while my sister goes white water rafting in Perak?! Arrrr.

Sunday, June 19, 2005
Good Ole Days.

Thanks guys, it was a blast.

So what happened to all the remaining food?

Wednesday, June 15, 2005
Updates

Hey guys, photos are back up at webshots. Just click pics (new)>>>> over on the bar on the right.

Ah. I'm still dreaming of Redang and its crystal clear waters.

Ahh. Orientation is next week!

Riiiipeddd.

Hey guys. Ripway's pretty screwed, so while I upload the pictures to webshots, please pardon the little empty boxes with crosses.

Thanks lots.

Tuesday, June 14, 2005
Why Redang?

***** Pictures have been moved to webshots. Click on pics on the right yeah. The new one.

Well first things first, for the uninformed, Redang island is off Terengganu. The first time I went to Redang Island, we drove. This time, instead of driving, we decided to make it a budget trip. Like super budget. We three families met at Larkin bus terminal and took a Transnasional bus to Terengganu that departed at 1030pm. (( I felt like I was on The Amazing Race ))

Because of my immense intelligence and high level IQ, I so forgot to bring my MP3 player.

BAHHHH. How was I going to survive the 8.5 hour bus ride?!

I had to make do with my sister's entertainment until I fell asleep. But because the bus ride was soooooo smooth, and the bus driver driving at the speed of light, I woke up at least 5 times. Plus the other kids couldn't sleep too.

So we arrived at Terengganu bus terminal at around 7am. That's not the end of the journey guys. It was an hour's drive to the jetty from the terminal (all arranged by the beach resort). AND an hour's boat ride from the jetty to the island. Count the hours. I was exhausted by the time we reached the island.

But behold! The sight that greeted me amazed everyone. Tell me where in Singapore can you get this:

Wednesday, June 08, 2005
Jakarta in pixels

Can someone PLEASE tell me where the Q in SQ comes from? Because I've been wringing my brains dry the past 4 days trying to figure out where they got the Q from. Lets not talk about why SilkAir flights are MI-something. Lets talk about Singapore Airlines. Yes its called SIA, but why are the flights SQ-something?!

I've come up with theories but they are all so nonsensical SIA would slap me a bit with a large trout.

See, if Turkish Air is TK-something and Northwest is NW-something, why can't Singapore Air be SG-something or SA-something?

My most feasible theory is that they probably mixed up the g in singapore for a q. Hehe. Okay that was dumb.

So anyways, it was my first time onboard Singapore Airlines. (eunice shut up. I dont have free tix every year okayy! haha!) Okay something I have to admit is that the airstewardess-es were all presentable, maybe just over did their blue eyeshadow, but they were all well mannered and pleasant (looking).

Entertainment wise, it was 3 whole thumbs up compared to those 18-23 hour long flights I took to Istanbul, USA or Canada. We had our own personal screen with movies and games galore. But since the flight was all of 1 hour and 15mins, I managed to amuse myself with Hangman and tic tac toe.

How nice it would be if I had that kind of entertainment on a long flight.

Food wise, urgh, tell me, which airline actually serves food fit for human consumption in economy class? Equally bad.

On the flight back, headlines in the Straits Times blared: Cathay Pacific beats SIA in airline of the year. Or something of the like. SIA is number 4. Qantas is 2nd! Wahh. Anyway, not important. Singapore will always have the airport that will wow me. Because everywhere I go, I've never stepped out of the plane and be really wow-ed at the airport.

Bahrain's was the closest I thought, to Singapore's Changi Airport. Really nice. But not as nice.

So anyways, check out the pics (the new one because the previous album is full), full details of my trip. Be sure to click on the pics, because details are all there. I didn't do much shopping though because I came down with some stomach virus and was sick since Monday. Been puking my guts out and feeling feverish.

Spent most of the time in the hotel room (check out the pics) eating pizza. I mean, where else can u go to Pizza Hut and buy two large pizzas plus two garlic breads, for all of S$16? It is that cheap.

Plus, I saved money on movies again, because we bought DVDs there, for 5000 rupiah per disc. That amounts to 89 Singapore cents, when we buy a DVD in Singapore for what, 8-18 bucks?!

Oh I love Jakarta.

But one thing that really made my head spin was the horrible traffic. The roads were really congested and traffic jam EVERYWHERE. I cannot drive in Indonesia. The jams are nothing like the traffic Jam during rush hour on the PIE.

Imagine a four lane road, being transformed into 5 or even 6 laned ones. Cars cutting in EVERYWHERE. and they dont drive mini coopers or saloon cars. They drive HUGE SUVs. I'm talking CRV, Harrier, RX-300 kinda gargantuan machines.

But anyhow, I'm glad to be back. Leaving for Malaysia on Friday. Going snorkeling at Redang Island! Woohoo!

And please, I really want to know what the Q in SQ stands for. Please tell me if you know.

Friday, June 03, 2005
flyyyy flyyyy flyyyy

Hey guys. I'm at the airport now! I'm rather impressed by the level of technology we have in the airport!

Computers fully equipped with mics and webcams, by Creative summore leh.

Haha.

Anyhows. Byeeeee~

Thursday, June 02, 2005
In all splendid-ness

I just received two of our self-addressed and self-stamped envelopes. Yeah, SAJC is really saving resources. I still remember how funny it was when we, graduating JC2s were told to bring 4 (or was it 6?) empty envelopes, write our name and address on it and finally to put our own stamps and hand the envelopes to our civics tutor.

It was even more amusing to see our own envelopes with our own handwriting and stamp back in our letter box. I try to act surprised when I open the letter. Gee, who might this be from? The handwriting's pretty nice.

So anyways, I received two of my envelopes today. I expected it to be the school calling us back for the reunion dinner thingy. But it was a letter telling me to come down for speech day! Woohoo. I'm down for the Jacob Ballas award. How exciting. HELLO. Unlike many others, it IS my first time receiving something on Speech Day okaaaayyy.

So pardon my excitedness.

Haha.

And the other letter was to tell us that our A Level certificate is ready for collection. How exciting!

Anyways, I'll be flying off to Jakarta tomorrow! Won't be back till Tuesday!