Cameron Highlands, Part II

 

Kea Farm

First, I must mention that the air in CH is fantastic. I don’t really know how high up I was, but the bus journey (in the midst of a thunderstorm) took about 2.5 hrs. I was trying very hard not to puke nothing so I didn’t notice much about the ascent. However the fresh air does make one feel like taking in huge gulps. And yes, air is free =).

We visited the Kea Farm on the second morning, replete with picture perfect blue skies.  According to the guide, this rolling farm stretches about 1000m up the hills! While I’m not too sure about that, it certainly took me quite some time (about 25 minutes) to climb the terraced steps to what I thought was the end of the farm, and even then it didn’t quite look like it. The farm is wonderfully carved into the hills, and they have all kinds of vegetables and flowers, not to mention very good views of the surrounding highlands.

Vegetables, for once, looked delectable but I didn’t think we could harvest them =(.

The signboard – took it on a moving van.

The view – on the way up to the farm

Starting the ascent

Up next, the photos will demonstrate the wide array of edible and non edible vegetation cultivated at this farm:

    

Next up, Boh Tea Plantations!

Number Plates of Malaysia

Cameron Highlands Part I

Introduction

I was at Cameron for 4D3N over the weekend and I must say it is a very good place to relax! There is not much to do there except visit vegetable, strawberry, tomato, cactus and other assorted vegetable farms, but the weather is fantastic. It’s dry, cool and one hardly breaks a sweat there. I can enjoy a charcoal fired steamboat dinner with my family and yet not feel hot, wet and sticky after the meal. Nice! It is basically a wonderful place to escape from the stresses of life in Singapore and the confines of the urban jungle =).

The hotel which I stayed at didn’t need to have air conditioners because it was just sooo cooling.

The Place

Nestled some 1500m above sea level, the highlands enjoy a cool climate with temperatures no higher than 25 degrees (it felt like 18 when I was there =)). Apparently the area is 2.5 times the size of Singapore. There are two major towns, Brinchang and Tanah Ratah, which are located 5km within each other.

I took a coach up to the highlands, and nearly puked along the way as the windy ascent took nearly 2.5 hrs, with lots of hairpin curves and blind spots. There is a new route from Ipoh, but the coach took the older road up, which is narrower and curvier. I would recommend flying to Ipoh first before taking a coach up. After a nightmarish 11 hr return journey (to be elaborated later), I think I am temporarily allergic to coaches. Anyway, here’s an introduction to the two towns:

Brinchang

Brinchang main street, 0800 hrs

KFC

Another view of the main street

Strawberry Moments

A snapshot of their menu

Another snapshot

Strawberry Crepe

Strawberry Tiramisu

Strawberry Strudel!

Some dessert for the young ones

Salad

Tiramisu!

Strawberry Milkshake!

The adjoining shop which sells strawberry related products

This is located about 5 km about Tanah Rata and is home to much more hotels than TR, steamboat eateries and zi char restaurants. However this place, like TR, is very small and can be covered by foot in about 30 mins.

The Brinchang night market operates every Friday and Saturday, but this is no different from our pasar malam.

A great place to have charcoal fired steamboat, which is delightful especially when the temperature’s 18 but prices here tend to be steeper than TR and the touts can be pretty aggressive along the main street where the zi char stalls are located. Do check the menu before ordering and be sure to ask for a breakdown of the price when calling for the bill – shops here do NOT have a habit of giving receipts.

Do check out the Strawberry Moments Cafe above which serves very delectable strawberry desserts and a shop which sold all things strawberry, like strawberry tea, chocolates, coffee jam and even honey (well the Highlands are known for their strawberry produce after all). Also check out the Cameron Organic Produce steamboat – I didn’t try this because I didn’t have time; shops are mostly closed on Sundays or Mondays.

Tanah Rata

This is a smaller town and is home to more backpackers. It is the administrative area of the Highlands, with a hospital and police station. I stayed at the Heritage Hotel, which was located on a hill 20 mins away by foot from the main street. I much prefer this area due to the cheaper food and the lesser amount of people here – it just did not feel as touristy as Brinchang.

Heritage Hotel

More to follow – updates on the various attractions plus more food!

1043

I think, I'm happy. =)

thought of the moment

Would you join me in my adventures?

Quotable quotes

Anything worth doing is worth doing well.

0151

I haven't blogged in such a long while. Perhaps it's a reflection of how I always find it hard to find words to express myself. Perhaps it's a reflection of how I guard my privacy. Perhaps I don't dare to say what I feel, for fear of offending someone or simply because I don't like to change the way people see me.

While going through certain cases (which I was supposed to have gone through in year 1, but which for some reason or another I can't for the life of me remember any details), I suddenly wondered: how much have I changed since I entered School? I cannot answer that question easily as much as I don't want to confront it head on, and I do not necessarily know how I have changed. But I could talk about how I've remained the same.

I'm still quiet and reserved, though I think I'm less quieter nowadays. I know law students are supposed to be outspoken but there's a thin line between making your views heard and babbling nonsence for the sake of class participation. I cannot stand the latter. I apply my own maxims to myself.

I still treasure the little things; work hasn't consumed me. I treasure the small talk I have with my good friends in the lift. I treasure good music insulating me from the humdrum of the MRT. I treasure the sweet smell of the morning dew. I treasure the brief moments when I bump into her - they make my day.

I need to be more patient. Life has taught me that there is no point in rushing for things. At the end of the day, one will become ashes and dust. I picked up this book recently - don't sweat the small stuff, and I think it is a good read. Take things easy; let nature take its course.

I need to care about my parents more. They are no longer as young and sprightly as they used to be. I've seen how vulnerable they can be, and the role I have to play in future. This responsibility has always been a major motivating factor for me to work (hard). I lose sight of it sometimes though.

I could go on and on but I realise I am stumbling over my words (not to mention it's late). I've had a not too bad start to the week and I know the upcoming weeks will not be easy. But I'll take things in my stride.

Tiesto - I will be here (Club life rmx)

Drinking Coca Cola

Ever wondered what happens to your body if you drink a Coke right now?

Calvin Harris - Supernova

Beyonce - At Last

Lemon Jelly - Space Walk

Setting up Outlook for NUS Microsoft Exchange Server

Microsoft Outlook 2007

If you choose to use the Microsoft Exchange Server

1) Control Panel > Mail > E-mail Accounts...
2) Under the E-mail tab click on New...
3) Choose Microsoft Exchange, POP3, IMAP, or HTTP and click Next
4) Check "Manually configure server settings or additional server types" and click Next
5) Choose Microsoft Exchange and click Next
6) Use pbx01.stf.nus.edu.sg as your Microsoft Exchange server and your User Name would be your NUS user id eg. U0808575
7) Click on More Settings...
8) Under the Connection tab, check "Connect to Microsoft Exchange using HTTP" then click on Exchange Proxy Settings
9) Put exchange.nus.edu.sg as the "URL to connect to my proxy server for Exchange" and click OK
10) Click on Check Name, you might need to login using your nus account eg. nusstu\u0808575, if successful your name registered in NUS would show up

If you choose to use IMAP4
The method to set up the mail account is similar to the above, just choose the appropriate option at Step 5 and take note of these addresses that are needed.

Incoming mail (IMAP4) server: imap.nus.edu.sg
Outgoing mail (SMTP) server: smtp.nus.edu.sg
Mail server user name: your Exchange userID
Outgoing mail server user name: your Exchange userID

For POP3

Incoming mail (POP3) server: pop.nus.edu.sg

Relaxing tunes...

Owl City

MAF ' 09

It's great to see everyone again! Every year without fail (well so far), us old students will invariably converge on the hallowed grounds of the school to meet up, to reminisce about the old days and to sing! There's so much meaning in those songs and it certainly brings back many many memories of my time in HC. Some memories are indelible, and these certainly belong to that category. It's been more than 3 years since I left HC but everytime I go back, it feels as if I only left the school yesterday...

Till next year then. =)

I think the lack of sleep makes one short tempered. Very.

E52

I'm amazed at how feature packed and successful this model has been. As I couldn't wait to lay my hands on one, I placed an order yesterday for one. It'll arrive tomorrow night and boy, I can't wait for it ;)

Vice

Oh no, I'm harbouring the familiar feeling of being caught within the clasps of a vice again. As the days go by, the vice slowly turns....and turns....

Up

Such a show of sheer simplicity and beauty! Love can be immensely enduring, and it can take us to the very ends of the Earth! It's been a very long while since I last saw such a simple yet stirring movie. It's as if something in me has been revived, and there definitely is a lot to life, beyond studying =X.

Time of our lives

Another turning point;
a fork stuck in the road.

Time grabs you by the wrist;
directs you where to go.

So make the best of this test
and don't ask why.

It's not a question
but a lesson learned in time.

It's something unpredictable
but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life.

So take the photographs
and still frames in your mind.

Hang it on a shelf
In good health and good time.

Tattoos of memories
and dead skin on trial.

For what it's worth,
it was worth all the while.

It's something unpredictable
but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life.

Listening to this brings back the good old days, when we could live without a care in this world, and we could get away with whatever we did, or didn't do. School then was dreary, but there was exams and tests to look forward to. There was certainty, there was joy, there was familiarity. Most of all, we had fun. And we were 17.

Reading(s).

While I was reading a textbook on one of the modules for the incoming semester, I fell asleep. Not suddenly, but the words slowly lulled me into a stupor and before I knew it I was...Is this a portent of things to come? With practice comes habit, so now comes the perfect time to master the skill of not-sleeping-while-reading-textbooks.

><

ICT I

Whoever said that reservist training is slack and easy going should really slap himself in the mouth. How is a 10km walk on day 2, IPPT on day 3, platoon battle course and combat night march on day 4 considered low key? The CO should pull his head out of the books and freaking take a walk on the ground with the men. That's the problem with staff officers, who do not know the meaning of adequate rest and recovery and how the excesses of civilian life can wreak havoc on one's fitness. That's also not to mention the various other soldiers from other units - how could one manage a 12km combat march after 6 years outside of the Army (he fell like a tree during the night march) ? Too much doctrine can get into one's head.

The men could have chosen not to attend this ICT, but by threatening to IV drip people who fall out and by denying medical treatment to those who claim they are ill is simply inhumane. We're not professional soldiers. Now what's the SAF hotline and my MP's number?

Getting Together

It's not easy to arrange a simple get together these days. People have commitments and it's not easy to find a day when all are free. Some just do not give a damn and will not be available anyway - other friends take precedence probably. To them (well there's strictly only one so far), I'm officially dropping them from my contact list. Though that'll mean they get left out for whatever outings from now on, I should think they won't mind. Ciao!

The old airport road market is one of the rapidly diminishing places in Singapore where one can enjoy good affordable food! That place is unlike Chomp Chomp or Newton, where BBQ seafood and oyster omelet stalls inundate the place, hoping to snare the unsuspecting customer with 30 dollar tiger prawns, but is like an ordinary hawker center with ordinary local food like fish ball noodles, dumpling noodles, fish soup and the like. And to top it off, it's decently tasting. I wouldn't say it's fantastic but it's reasonable. And it's very accessible from Bedok =).

MLM

At the insistence of a friend, I attended a 'business proposition' yesterday. I asked for more information, but was told that he was not the best person to dispense such information and that I would need to attend the talk to learn more from it. The first thing that came to my mind was. oh no, another effing MLM talk. My BMT buddy said exactly the same thing to me. Those who signed on with such companies are indeed well trained in recruiting!

Anyway, I've always been curious as to how these schemes work. The pitch was held at a modest ballroom at the Copthorne, and the speaker was some ex commando ex accountant turned MLMster. The first 20 mins was spent ridiculing the participants and their names (but that was probably just his own warped brand of humor), and the next 20 was spent on concept of franchising (think McDonalds, Subway) and the need to cut the middleman out of the supply chain.

Finally, after 40 minutes of a frankly quite tiring to listen to speech, he moved on the most important part. He represented Amway, Alticor, BritCorp, all of which are established MLM corporations in the States. The companies sold household necessities like shampoo, face wash, toothpaste etc. Now, instead of letting large companies like NTUC play the role of the distributor, he said, YOU be the distributor. For those in the crowd who didn't grasp the significance of this, he laid out an array of figures - 4% of everything sold at McDonalds goes to the founder (and he's 6ft under) so that amounts to about a few million daily. Of course, there's the mandatory introduce-the-top-producers section after the talk. We were shown how ordinary people like you and I can become top producers but were not told how much they made.

And therein lies the basis of most MLM schemes - they feed on one's desire to get rich, to break out of the rut, to earn as much as possible and the like. It's probably the sole motivation that drives the MLMsters. The speaker was very smart and careful not to state that his scheme would put you on the same level as the founder of McDonalds or Subway. Instead, he demonstrated that franchising works (it obviously does) and that he was offering us a chance to be a franchisee marketing daily necessities. He was also careful not to overstate the gains that one would get from buying the company's plans. At the end of the talk, many questions were left unanswered, such as the basis for the commissions and the franchisising system which the company offered. We were told that we had to attend another talk if we were interested.

Bottomline: I didn't like the way the speaker insinuated that we should disassociate with friends and even parents who are broke or not as rich as they should be. There's obviously nothing wrong with hanging out with people for who they are, and not what they are.

MLM works. But it is more suited for those who think that money is the means to all ends, including happiness, that to accumulate material wealth is the only Great Aim in life. And of course, if you would want your friends to associate you with their toothpaste, shampoo and face wash salesman. ><

IPPT

Gosh, I'm going to take an IPPT tomorrow without any prior training. I guess I'll just aim for a pass ><.

Movies worth watching

While doing a search for japanese and korean movies (yes I'm somehow attracted to those movies now after Suspect X and The Handsome Suit premiered), I stumbled upon this gem of a movie, Tampopo. Check it out after the jump.

Now, this is where I go omgwtfbbq.

April.

In the blink of an eye, the moots have come and gone and LAWR has ended! As with many other things in life, we don't appreciate things till they are gone. The entire process has had its bitter, sour and sweet moments, but on retrospect it had been a fantastic 4 months. The endless (and at times gruelling) study sessions opened my eyes to certain people and made me see them in a different light. But those days surely brought us closer and the fact that everything has ended has left me feeling that somehow, a part of me has disappeared.

Time heals, but I'll treasure those fond memories, long after the photos have faded and the company parted.

Stress is like a 1000lb bear wielding a chainsaw intent on putting fresh meat on the table for his cubs...

Radiohead

Tekapo, NZ

I just caught this on the news, and it seems that this place offers fantastic views of the night sky! A gateway to the milky way and the southern stars, as the newscaster put it. The residents are currently in negotiations with the UN to gazette the place as a UNESCO world heritage site, a starlight reserve site =).

Genki Rockets

Mint Royale Selects

Mint Royale - Singin In The Rain -

Ice Cream

What's up with all the overpriced ice cream booths that the law club is bringing in? Instead of spending so much effort on such stuff, why not look into overhauling the food at the canteen? Who the heck pays $2.80 for a scoop of ice cream?! Then again I think many actually do but to me it just doesn't make sense to spend as much on deserts as I spend on lunch.

I wonder whatever happened to the old man with his bike chock full of cheap ice cream! I miss those days when we students were satisfied with paying just 50cents for a large scoop of ice cream wedged between 2 slices of bread which simply melted in the mouth. Our parents would probably recall the days of the flavoured ice balls which they held in their hands while eating! It was messy, but I bet nice, satisfying and...simple.

Random Musing

I wonder who reads my blog. Leave a tag ya? The oral presentations today were much better than I expected and it certainly pays to go in with a relaxed state of mind and, well, leave yourself to the disposal of the panel and the tutors. lol.

Hands

It is said that our eyes are the keys to our souls, but what about our hands? Our hands are more than capable of telling veritable stories of ourselves. Take for example, a farm hand who labors 18 hours daily - his hand would be covered all over with bunions and calluses, testimony of his constant company with the sickle, the hoe and the like. How about a princess? I bet her hand would be all dainty and smooth with nary a bump of extra skin. In a way, we can infer a person's life from the state of his or her hands.
Now hold your partner's or friend's hand. Feel for rough patches ( perhaps from time in the gym or canoeing), look out for the wrinkles ( too much Sun!) and conjure a palm map. The physical manifestation's of a person's life - all in his or her hands, and this is something that cannot be hidden easily. ;)

We're all dreamers in our own right.

RTFM

My advice to many of life's problems - RTFM!

Sem 2 Report Card

It's only day 2 and yet it feels as if 12 weeks have passed with nary any rest in sight. The readings and research tasks given on the first day have all hit us hard. Few will escape unscathed, but time is the true test of men!

The Wonders of BTC

Not the food! Although a dear friend of mine claims that she misses it, I still the food isn't as good as one would expect from a school canteen. There's only one decent stall out of seven! Not to mention the exorbitant prices but those rich kids have cash to burn so no one's complaining :S.

Otherwise, one cannot help but marvel at how the pool table, the gym and the study rooms are so close to each other. Plus a club room to play cards in. Now that's what I call seamless transition from work to play ;), all within the confines of school!

What a weekend!

And it was spent on night cycling and on a nice dinner hosted by encik at his house. I must say that this night cycling event was interesting and full of thrills. It is amazing how we managed to navigate our way from East Coast all the way to Vivocity and back again in record time, all on the back of a local street directory. Considering that this was the first time, our goals were pretty ambitious and I must say it was a good night spent. For those who know me, I pretty much refrain from overnight activities unless absolutely necessary =P.

Otherwise, the gathering at encik's house tonight brought back many memories of yore. Although only mon, alex, dl and shawn turned up (among the nsfs), we had a great time talking about the good old times and all those stupid things that we did last time. Strangely, it is almost a year since I orded. I do miss those days at company line and would very much like to return there to take a look at the buildings and rooms that contain so much memory. I've had a very fulfilling NS experience, and made many good friends (for life) along the way. Till next year then =D. And the food rocks.

Indeed, last week has been momentous. With the passing of the week, tensions have been eased, problems solved, and life in general has been nothing short of blissful. I've never felt so free and uncontrained as of late. Next up, I shall save up for a good camera and explore Singapore in the shoes of a tourist! Imagine being a tourist in your own homeland--how eye opening would that be! Till next time then ;)

Ah, this will be a momentous week. =)

Stop, Go. Smell the roses.

The lure of the wilderness claims us again! Ok not quite the wilderness, but the great park connectors in the East. You get the drift. Some like minded friends finally get together today for a spin on the newly minted tracks around the East. Ah how I love the rush of adrenaline that accompanies a downhill sprint, the wind that rushes through your hair, the colors that rush by you and the general feeling of being detached from the manic rush to mug. It's wonderful to just, for that few hours or so, not worry about impending deadlines or other committments. It's refreshing, to say the least.

Changi park was simply breathtaking. For want of pictures (because the batteries died), it sufficed to say that I felt like Frodo exploring some unknown woodlands, well besides the lack of a clear path and a bike =P. But there are somethings that one has to experience on his/her own to fully grasp the beauty of Nature in its entirety. Words won't and can't do justice to it. While we cannot change the fact that life will be full of committments, we can, even for a short while, allow ourselves to explore the paths less trodden and to lose ourselves in the process.

Peregrinations...

Finally! A break in the skies after almost 2 weeks (yes I counted) of rain and general bleakness. Time to bring the bike out for a spin!

A few things that I noticed:
1) Air actually costs money-- It costs 50cents to pump air into bike tyres.
2) People indeed do walk with their eyes closed =_=
3) Some rollerbladers can be pretty fast.
4) Cable Skiing looks incredibly enjoyable but resembles a treadmill.


Click photo to link to album

I remember when sports shoes were not allowed as footwear.
I remember Tooh Fee San.
I remember when I could buy fried chicken and snacks from the old hostel.
I remember a 25 minute break and a next to useless 10 minute break.
I remember sneaking into my friends' hostel rooms.
I remember Saturday morning jogs.
I remember credit points, project work and exemptions.
I remember singing 'Let's Be' and that '彬彬有礼' song during weekly assemblies.
I remember 4 years of Track and Field finals without once actually being in the grand stands (thanks to SJI).
I remember calligraphy lessons in Sec 2.
I remember 'Use Your Hands' activities.
I remember reading all the TinTin and Garfield comics in the library.
I remember Gopal.
I remember 66, 67, 74, 151, 154, 156, 157, 170, 171, 174, 852 & 961.
I remember Coro and KAP.
I remember the wind that passes through the Tower Block classrooms.
I remember going up the clock tower twice.
I remember the 80th anniversary celebrations.
I remember 4 great years of my life.

Saw this on the CHS fb group. Poignant man... and yes I do remember everything..

And it's the time of the night again for quiet reflection and contemplation. I can't help but allow this thought to intrude every time I think about it. Hope presents itself in the murkiest depths.


Just another fairytale then?

A photo a day to chronicle one's life is really poignant.

One guy managed it, till the day he died.

http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/15131

On the Job

This is interesting. I just happened to look into detail my marking allotment and *gasp* I found out that I have to mark all the part 1 Situational Writing (sec 1 NA) and the entire sec 3 (minus technical, of which there are only 2 -_-) comprehensions.

=X
><
=S

Money doesn't come easy nowadays!

Ah, it's been some time! I'm pretty much settled into a 'half-day' work day lol, and what more can I ask for? I just don't see the point in working till 9pm daily, or even to put in overnight OT (yes overtime done in the wee hours, as our dear PS will attest to). Initially, I dreaded the thought of taking classes but I became very comfortable after just one week. Still, it's more an issue of controlling the crowd than to actually educate those 'kids'. Still, it is heartening when you see students who actually have the desire to learn and who will ask you for help. They will be those who pay attention and who will ask questions, however stupid those questions may be=P. And then, there'll always be those who are, well, visibly absent. *winks*

A PET scan costs 2k! Mmhmz..But some expenses are necessary

Of late, I've been very callous and unthoughtful when it comes to my deeds and words. There are so many pieces lying around that it's really hard for me to even decide on which will be the best way to start mending things. There'll be a good time to start, hopefully.

.A vortex of emotions that runs the gamut.

Thoughts

I attended the first session of the Alpha course yesterday, and I'll definitely be looking forward to the next session. The speaker in the video presentation talked about how certain people lived for the future, and who were continually on the search for things to look forward to, such as a promotion or a new job. However, twenty years down the road, they were still searching for a particular something to fill a void in their lives. When they opened up to the faith, they finally found, at last, what they were looking for! It was this spiritual need and hunger that had gnawed at them in the past, and they sought to fulfill this using other distractions, which ultimately proved to be futile.
I need to understand some actions and things. By the way I feel peaceful whenever I enter the church of the HT. It's a feeling of calmness that fills me as I walk around and explore the surroundings. Hmmm..

the little wonders of a Sunday morning

Indeed! To think that after my after my apocalyptic and unnecessarily violent dream last night, my day wouldn't be that good, but it turned out otherwise! I met Alex (who was as usual late -_-) for mass at 9.30am. It was pretty good and the Alpha posters piqued my interest. Guess I'll just pop by the first session this Wednesday =). Having been to Jerusalem for a 2 week pilgrimage in December, he told me about the Jews and how they don't seem to believe in Jesus even though they were supposedly God's chosen ones. It must have been an eye opener to retrace the route Moses took when he led the exodus out of Egypt, on top of visiting all the other religious sites.

Meanwhile, a copy of Gaiman's Fragile Things now graces my table! I'd always wanted to read his works after hearing about it from a friend, but was always unable to find it at the library. When I browsed through the shelves today, I found not only 4 of his works, but also an illustrated copy of the Sandman lol. However, that would have to wait >.<.
Interestingly, I've also discovered that NTUC is now selling wholegrain bread under its own inhouse brand, which is indeed good news for the wallet!
Tis' has indeed been a fruitful morning =). Onwards to invigilating those little devils on Monday.

Reality gnaws at me. Onwards to a new job!

Sometimes, I feel like I'm grasping at air, when all the while I've been trying to reach for something concrete..

Ah come this Wednesday, the other half of the Flunk 4 will ORD! I still remembered the day I turned operational. The very last time I stepped out of my bunk was as surreal as it could get. With the soft orange light of the evening slowly filling every nook and cranny of the bunk with it's empty cupboards, I suddenly thought, "oh boy, I could miss this!". And "this" meant all the late night map doctoring on the eve of missions, with equipment strewn all over the floor as we prepared with whatever little time we had. "this" could also mean the pillow talk -_- I had with my fellow bunk mates, which comprised largely of gossip more than important matters lol. "this" could also mean the late night supper sessions that we had after returning from outfield, or the ridiculously stupid and inefficient army system. LOL.

Come to think of it, of the 13 guys in my class, only Cheng, Glendon and I were thrown into frontline combat positions. I just feel it's somewhat an achievement not to have given in to the stress or the myriad injuries and get downgraded as a result. Of course if one is really stricken with injuries one would be an idiot not to get downgraded. *shrugs*

Not that I will miss those bittersweet days though. It's time to move on.

Why is that everyone seems to want to cut their hair during cny. :S

Perhaps certain chance events of late are serendipitous. Lol.

Chances

What are they? Having the opportunity to right the wrongs? To have another shot at making things go your way when the previous attempts all ended up in failures? Or are they simply what I need now. You can't want for it. It will simply make it's presence felt, for a while, and then it's up to you to grasp it. Like a freshly shed leaf eh? ^^

Sir Edmund Hillary

Pictures convey more than a thousand words of meaning..

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/01/photogalleries/hillary-pictures/index.html

Oh the Farseer is indeed an immersive read! The author's mastery of language to bring across the nuances of character and plot leaves me speechless at times. And Timbre was kinda disappointing but I'm sure it could be better. Perhaps good times only last while they last.

Throw it away,
forget yesterday,
we'll make the great escape

Music to my ears =D

Another faux pas? Haha time will tell.

I've neglected this space recently, due to a lack of time. Work leaves me drained at the end of the day ( it isn't that easy handling Singaporeans LOL) and I'll make it home just in time to sleep and prepare for war the next day. But for today, having a nice drink at Mac's was indeed a fitting ending to the day. There's nothing nicer than a impromptu meeting. Makes life less boring and more colourful. With the right company that is.
I feel that the most important feature in a handphone is a good keypad. After all, I sent more than 10,000 smses (as certified by my old phone's built in sms-o-meter) in 2 years, so why shouldn't my fingers have the luxury of typing on the velvety smooth keypad of the E51? Haha. Sounds like self justification of the money spent.

Happy new year to all! If only 2008 could be a better year =X

Ah, what a wonderful night to cap off the boring day. Though I expected the movie to be more exciting, the acting was excellent! Glad to have gone out then ;).

Merry Christmas to all and sundry!

I....

find it hard to express some things.

when will the deadline be?

will I be in time?

Hmm... lol

You Are a Bright Star Soul

Like a shining star, you have no trouble being the center of attention In fact, you often feel a bit hurt when all eyes aren't on you You need to be number one in everything, no matter how trivial And it's this ego that both hurts your confidence and helps you acheive You're dramatic and a powerhouse of pure energy You posess a divine quality or uniqueness that's hard to define A natural performer, it's likely you'll become famous in some circles. Just learn not to take everyone's reaction to you so personally! Souls you are most compatible with: Newborn Soul and Prophet Soul

What Kind of Soul Are You?

So I've signed on the dotted line, therefore I cannot complain ><.

Expenses

Lunch: 1 hr of work
A haircut + a nick from the barber's razor: 2 hrs of work
Transport fees: 1 hr of work


Lol, it's getting hard to support oneself!

Reading 'Band of Brothers' is an excellent companion to the TV miniseries. Whereas the movie focussed more on action at the frontline, the book provided insights into the thoughts running through the soldiers, down to the individual trooper manning the foxhole. This book chronicles the journey of E company, part of the 101st Airborne (aka the screaming eagles), as they fought in Normandy, Holland, Belgium all the way to Hitler's 'Eagle's Nest'. What set them apart from other infantry companies was their training. As part of the elite airborne, these volunteers soldiers received the finest and toughest training that made sure only the best made it out of training school. The bond between the men was so strong that many went AWOL from frontline hospitals just so they could return and fight with their brother in arms. My friend remarked that it was not nice, but I thought otherwise. I was able to visualize what these men went through, from the tension that they felt in the foxholes to the excitement of battle from the vivid and detailed recollections of the campaigns long past. Seeing how frivolous today's wars are, this book is indeed a refreshing change.

Pertinent Questions....

How to earn enough money to (partially) pay for first semester school fees lol! Sounds simple enough but it simply isn't once one does the math.

Finding the Cheese. ><

I would have plastered scans of my pink identity card all over this post, if not for the fact half my readers probably wouldn't know why I'm doing it and the other one quarter ( the people who haven't orded) baying for my blood. Feels good though^^.

Timing matters. A lot.
Humans are unpredictable, and this makes things doubly hard.
I'm caught up in a paradox, and must tread with extreme caution.

It's finally over.....

Ah I can finally heave a sigh of relief now that I'm comfortably ensconced on my chair and typing this entry. However I didn't escape unscathed from 2 weeks of duty at Jurong Island, where all the (extra) heavy industries are located lol. For the first time you actually realize that organic compounds don't actually smell that nice. Well well a visit to the doc's should clear things up literally=).
The last week approaches and it seemed kinda surreal when PS Sitha announced that me, together with yl would be getting our pink IC on friday. I sure hope the battalion doesn't screw up again and give me some crap like oh we're still in the process of retrieving your IC from the central store. What an eventful year in Guards ><.

Slp.

I've tried my best =X

This year's MAF was great! The ambient lighting, together with the floating dragon and the overhanging web all contributed to turn the usual dull school atmosphere into a dreamy and relaxing one. It was really nice to see almost all the classmates turn up again, and to talk to them. Somehow I really felt at home; perhaps I missed the feeling of togetherness in school where we could just talk cock and sing song daily without much serious repercussions if work wasn't done lol.

Till next year then.

Reader beware!

Readers please be aware of password phishing! Case in point: I clicked on a friendster profile just now and was redirected to an identical friendster page requesting me to login again, BUT on a casual examination of the URL (because I had logged in and was wondering why I had to again), I realized it read "xfriendster.awardspace.com". WTH! For people in a rush who don't bother to check the URL their login details would be forwarded to the cunning person! Imagine the damage someone could do if they accessed your friendster account, or any other accounts on other sites, such as Hotmail or even banking websites. Just do a quick casual check of the page URL to ensure it's legitimate!

Being the procrastinator that I am, it's only now that I've begun clearing up my hotmail inbox lol ( there still remains a grand total of 600 over undeleted mails -_-). But as I was deleting those irrelevant stuff from MSN and co, I couldn't help but read through past mails, some dating back all the way to J1. I saw numerous emails related to the Music of the Night (yes people still remember this?!) and looking back, we really had one heck of a time! Rehearsals, meetings that lasted late into the night and arguments. Indeed there were times when we all felt like giving up but somehow we just motivated each other through ( saw this email from kailing saying it's either we don't look back and do it or give up now ) =D. Things are really different now that I'm revisiting it almost 3 years later. Then I stumbled onto this email regarding some farewell dinner for the guys going into NS at Chomp Chomp. That could be said to be our last true class gathering =X. And here we are, almost 2 years later and ORDing soon! Perhaps we should have a ORD dinner HAHA. Though we all may have gone our separate ways now and found new friends, the 7B spirit still lives strong in each and everyone of us! There is and will only be one class of people that can truly call themselves 04s7Bians. Meet up soon for MAf yeah?

In other unrelated matters.....I dare not be hopeful but at the same time the optimist in me reminds me that it may still be possible, after all =)

Jenny

She calls me baby, then she won't call me.
Says she adores me and then ignores me.
Jenny, what's the problem?
She keeps her distance and sits on fences.
Puts up resistance and builds defenses.

Jenny, what's the problem?
You leave me hanging on the line.
Every time you change your mind.

First You say you won't, then you say you will.
You keep me hanging on, and we're not moving on.
I"m standing still, Jenny. You got me on my knees.
Jenny, it's killing me.

She needs her own space. She's playing mind games.
Ends up at my place saying that she's changed.
Jenny, what's the problem?
I'm trying to read between the lines.
You got me going out of my mind.

First, you say you won't, then you say you will.
You keep me hanging on, and we're not moving on.
I'm standing still, Jenny. You got me on my knees.
Jenny, it's killing me. It's killing me. It's killing me.
Jenny.

First, you say you won't, then you say you will.
You keep me hanging on, and we're not moving on.
I'm standing still, Jenny. You got me on my knees.
Jenny.

First, you say you won't, then you say you will.
You keep me hanging on, and we're not moving on.
I'm standing still, Jenny. You got me on my knees.
Jenny. It's killing me. It's killing me. Jenny.

Eleven more weeks! Strangely though, income's gonna be a tough problem after I ORD. LOL what an ironic thought. Must banish from mind. Everything will be *almost* over on Sept 1. Shall look forward to that then!
And the Secret is such a nice show!

Lol something *interesting*.

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

I remember the beautiful locations..=)

lol somehow, I didn't mind getting conned.

At last! A 7B outing haha.. this time back to where we went for our first outing--Sentosa! The place has really changed a lot I must admit, what with the new monorail from Vivocity, Cafe del Mar and the numerous new attractions on the Island. It's starting to attract people again haha. The turn out wasn't that great though but it sure brought back memories! To that we still take the effort to meet up even though it was been almost 3 years since J1. Way to go man =D..Go back again someday! =)



US!



Mmzz ;)

Bah. Yet another exercise.
With no end in sight.
=(

Ideal ideas

A million thoughts run through my head. I'm preoccupied with the same issue all the time. I refuse to heed myself and I chide myself for not being true in the past. It's something that I can't really forgive myself for. I've been at the crossroads for more than a year now, and there'll be no going back once I've chosen. I'll make a decision in the end but till then, I still remain in solitude. I'm proving myself to myself but will it be too late by then? If only things were simple. If only humans were simple.

Lol after a heated discussion online with many "constructive" inputs from YC, we finally settled on Dining Sun at CHIJMES, this interesting jap restaurant that both Glen and I stumbled on online haha. Lo and behold, their Chef's special was priced at 150$-_- Lol but after flipping through the menu, we found some nice treats at the back and in the end settled on baked chicken rice sets, salmon steak and a beef rice set. The dish was served in a nifty device that even came with an hourglass to tell you when was the right time to open haha. Not bad a meal for the price and I wouldn't mind going again ^^
Time to book in soon for guard duty ><

I.can't.say the things.that I want to say.

Mm nice reflective song. =)

Resolutions for 2007 (or what's left of it!)

Haha, it took four months for me to finally get into the I-desperately-need-an-overhaul-in-my-life mood. I don't know what hit me, but something definitely has gotten me going! Perhaps it's the suspicious 20-somethings lol. Ok here goes:

1) Reduce self afflicted stress by 80% and take things easy. Simple phrases that convey a whole lot deeper meaning. Easier said than done. So on and so forth. Lol. I know myself as someone who panics easily and gets anxious over the slightest hint of a problem. More oft than not, I see too far into the "bleak" future and all sorts of negative possibilities start popping up. And that's a major causative factor! The second major factor is my tendency to bear grudges against people, or rahter their actions. I can easily forget the good that someone has done for me but I'll definitely remember the bad. It'll take time, but I'm putting in the effort to change haha. Man is innately flawed after all. One of my friends remarked that the fear of getting bad karma keeps him in line. I simply refuse to let an external belief control me. Everything has to come from within.

2) Sleep more. Yes there is certainly no scientific doubt that sleeping confers numerous benefits on the mind and body...

3) Fiscal prudence! And I cannot stress that more. It does take a lot to run a family in Singapore, but in the short term, there are driving lessons to be paid for, for instance. Then there are varsity fees. Hmmmm

4) Make more friends. Haha I realise that I'm awfully short of contacts when the weekend arrives. Or rather I keep seeing the same people every week ><. No offense, but life demands variety ^^, though I'm not opposed to seeing the same people but doing different stuff. Going about doing it, now that's the hard part. Short of joining the bleargh SDU, perhaps I can hook up with tj's blading friends or simply take up some enrichment classes lol.

5) What's next?




Book in -_-

Maybe I tend to be pessimist, but things just don't work out right for me most of the time. Take last week's guard duty. It was supposed to be a simple 24 hr duty but look at the issues that cropped up. A case of being at the wrong place at the wrong time? I'm definitely sure though that my men won't do me in. Darn reviewing the so-called evidence on Monday. I dread Mondays.

April Fool?

Check this out: http://www.google.com/tisp/install.html

Hrm! Highly suspicious joke by Google lol. Flushing down your internet connection cable which is then retrieved by engineers and plugged into the main pipeline?? Sounds so *lame*. lol.

Ah! This long week is finally over. I booked out from guard duty only in the morning la. Strangely I don't feel anything special. What makes a day special then? Because the calender says so? Maybe it's up to oneself to make it so. Lol.