この醜くも美しい世界 (Kono Minikuku mo Utsukushii Sekai)

This time round's blog entry is borrowed from an anime with the same name as title and is translated to "This Ugly Yet Beautiful World" in English. I'm not a fan of this animation but I just thought the things I wanted to pen in this entry were somewhat gross which happened recently and also add and share some pictures which I felt was pretty nice during the weekend. So please be forewarned that I bear no responsibilities should you continue to read the gross part of this posting. Of course, I'll try to put some visual warnings before you set eyes on them. And I thank all those who gave me feedbacks on the site - e.g font size too small. So yup, I am going to be lazy and use default size from now on.

Alright, first off, the nicer stuff! Of course, I don't want to put off my readers the very minute they read my post, because that would be bad for my site and publicity haha! To put things short and sweet, I took slightly over 300 pictures over a saturday which happen to be the last day of January this year too. Considering 300 isn't too much since most of the pictures were filtered (or deleted) even before I published them. Resulting to about 200 useable ones (far from a "productive" photographer...). Obviously, I am not going to put all those up here for you to waste the whole day loading thumbnails of the pics, therefore I will just put some of those few which I felt were above average for my readers. For better coverage, you can see the (smaller) pictures from my facebook albums "All within a day Pt x: PQRSTUVWXYZ". There are 4 parts (albums) to the pictures I have posted/shot that day.

Pt 1 started off with my Uni-study group gathering @ Toh's house. Nothing major to highlight except almost everyone is just as restless about the bad economy and their job security. So we talked about life and caught up with one another over lunch, despite many others did not turn up for one reason or another - maybe their job depended on it. :P Oh yea, Toh cooked some dishes for us too - well pretty alright considering he don't cook on a regular basis. And so, I took the opportunity to snap some pictures of the guys (since EEE is such a GUY-cohort). Ended off with taking 1 candid and some serious group pictures. Well, since all are guys, guess not much people would want to see it, hence I shall save the space to upload other pictures instead. Oh yea Toh, thanks for the invite! :)

As I had to make my way to meet KL and Alex for the "Little Nonya Thank You Road Show" @Suntec, I left Toh's place and reached the event ground at about 3pm. Goodness sake, despite such road shows have heavily been abused, there are still a crazy bunch of crowd. Heck, I don't even watch TV these days (let alone to watch SG's chinese serial - *puke*), I was there merely to see Olivia perform. Nothing much to highlight, just post a picture or two of Olivia and cast of Little Nonya. After the shoot, we + Boon headed off to check out "Punisher: War Zone". Senseless violence and unnecessary gore I say.

Part 3 started after we had dinner and strolled down Marina Square to catch Chingay performances. Unfortunately, in the course of heading towards the performance, the crowd sorta decided to head into River Ang Bao and take some pictures instead and so we diverted towards the Bay Grandstand and Floating Platform where the decorations were at. Nothing really eye catching this year - recycled God of Fortune... Just gonna post some pictures which I like a bit more.







Just when we were about done shooting the Chinese New Year decorations, we headed back towards Marina Square and see the Chingay coming to an end. So we camped by the side of the road and snapped the last of the enthusiastic performers. Fortunately, they were drawn towards us and we were able to snap some pictures. But alas, I was using my telephoto lens and was only able to 'see so much' when they come near towards us >_<; Some better pictures below for your viewing pleasure. Really loved the closed up portrait shots of the werewolves. Apparently, they were the best of my shots for the short Chingay performers shoot we had.

It's late, I shall continue the 'ugly side' another time... >To Be Continued...<

"First Post" of extreme humour/ultimate-FAIL (Tuts my barreh // "Ken Lee")

It's been donkey years since I last touched this blog... Looking back at the first posts back then, it has almost been 4 years... Wooo~ Hope I haven't lost my touch...

Anyway a couple of days back, I saw a friend post the video below on Facebook and thus checked it out... To my horror, after watching it, tears was flowing from my eyes... No... Not because it was sad but it was so darn funny which I laughed so hard that my eyes couldn't help shedding tears xD

Anyhow, it was totally entertaining and kinda kimoi (aka kimochi warui - gross) - especially the Korean guy video... Without further ado, sit back and enjoy the videos with the original song lyrics below the video clip! :P

Touch My Body (Tuts My Barreh) / Karaoke Fail (English subtitles)

Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah

I know that you've been waiting for it, I'm waiting too
In my imagination I'd be all up on you
I know you got that fever for me hundred and two
And boy I know I feel the same my temperature's through the roof

[Chorus1]
If there's a camera up in here then it's gonna leave with me, when I do (I do)
If there's a camera up in here then I'd best not catch this flick, on YouTube (YouTube)
'Cause if you run your mouth and brag about this secret rendezvous
I will hunt you down
'Cause they be all up in my bidness like a Wendy Interview
But this is private, between you and I

[Repeat1]
Touch my body, put me on the floor
Wrestle me around, play with me some more
Touch my body, throw me on the bed
I just wanna make you feel, like you never did.
Touch my body, let me wrap my thighs
All around your waist, just a little taste
Touch my body, know you love my curves
Come on and give me what I deserve and touch my body.

Boy you can put me on you like a brand new white tee
I'll hug your body tighter than my favorite jeans
I want you to caress me like a tropical breeze
And float away with you in the Caribbean Sea

[Chorus1]

[Repeat1]

I'm gonna treat you like a teddy bear you won't wanna go nowhere
In the lap of luxury baby just turn to me
You won't want for nothing boy I will give you plenty
Touch my body

[Repeat1]

Oh yeah oh yeah oh yeah oh yeah oh yeah oh oh oh oh yeah
Touch my body...


(Without You/Mariah Carey) "Ken Lee" - Bulgarian Idol (WITH ENGLISH TRANSLATION)

No I can't forget this evening
Or your face as you were leaving
But I guess that's just the way the story goes
You always smile but in your eyes
Your sorrow shows. yes it shows

No I can't forget tomorrow
When I think of all my sorrow
When I had you there
But then I let you go
And now it's only fair
That I should let you know
What you should know

[Chrous]
I can't live. If living is without you
I can't give. I can't give anymore
I can't live. If living is without you
I can't give. I can't give anymore

Well I can't forget this evening
Or your face as you were leaving
But I guess that's just the way the story goes
You always smile but in your eyes
Your sorrow shows, yes it shows

[Chrous]
(Oh, Can't Live, Can't Live) x2
[Chrous]

Many thanks to Rave and Clarris for sharing the videos with me :P
Oh yea, if you have had your fill of laughter, do share it with me! *Points to side-bar* :P

CHEERS~!

Short of karma ?

Things haven't been going all too smooth lately since the end of my industrial attachment and start of my vacation. If you're sick of reading my whinings, feel free to close your browser or navigate away and if you don't mind me, just let me moan and whine a little. I'm still humane, and I also need a place (or better still a person) to turn to moan/bitch everynow and then. Let the rantlings begin ......

The end of my attachment means the start of my vacation ! It also marks the start of unemployment yet I get ample of idle time. How contradicting eh ? Sent out 5 job applications for after running through jobsdb and jobstreet. As you probably already guess it, non of them replied my mail. Well, I didn't give up so easily, hence I went around walking in for interviews. Happened to come across Harbour Front Shopping Mall, and went for the walk-in for Breeks. Back at Clementi, I went to walk-in for K-Box. Yea, you don't have to be a prophet to predict the outcome. . No tarot divination is necessary too. Its obvious...

Not long after, 1 of my army-kah-kees introduced me a job opening with 1 of the job agencies. Without delay, I had called up the agent and asked for the job offer. Gotten it ! Woo Hoo~

Today (1st July) is the day of the nightmare. I've not felt this incredible amount of guilt ever since my 25 years of boring life. To put things simply, my job is to distribute some books pertaining to a "new" company which is going to be in the singapore stocks exchange. Over at my branch, theres only a quantity of 1000 books. The first day, my other colleague and I had distributed some 510 books. The 2nd day, 385 books. Today, the 3rd day, we're left with only some 105 books left, so we headed back to headquarters to get more supplies, another 150 copies. At about 11.30, a courier service man had come to deliver yet another 100 copies of the book. However, this batch of the books aren't exactly the same as what we were distributing earlier. We've neglected the printings on the cover of the book which says "Confidential" and "Not to be distributed in Singapore" because we are dangerously LOW on books by noon. These 100 copies were happily distributed and then we had a shock of our life at about 3pm when the publisher told us that these books weren't supposed to be distributed. At this point in time, we were dumbfolded. However, there is absolutely nothing we can do to get the copies we've already distributed out. So, we just kept the remaining books and called our supervisor. After some ruckus, in the end, the conclusion is, we're in DEEP DEEP SHIT. I'm still wondering if this new company will bring us to court as well or just our employers and/or the publisher, since from my understanding, the first degree of fault lies with the publisher where they had the goods delivered to the wrong branch, secondary fault was the person whom was supposed to accept this batch of goods is stationed (permanently) at the headquarters branch and finally its our fault for not calling to inform on the goods origin and whereabouts to our supervisor.

After my lunch at 4.30pm, the NIE GYM session from 6.30 to 8.15pm surely eased my head a little. Feeling much fresher and knowing its pointless to be brooding over it, my friend and I decided to go Jurong Point pasar malam to do some shopping. Alongst the way back home after alighting the train, upon sighting 2 bling men alighting a bus service, my guilty conscience instructed me to help them. Without further ado, brought them to their 'desintation' (food court) to have their dinner. Well, not that I wanna complain about them, but they're somewhat a little demanding. Brought them there, still have to buy food and drinks for them. orz ... Then they requested for chilli on their rice, then wanted to add rice. Oh well, perhaps if do exist, it might be a test to atone for my guilty conscience (for hell a TON of problems: who knows legal actions...) and for what trouble (my sup had to write a report) I've had caused today at work.

Looking on the bright side, it tells me that it certainly takes more than just initiative but the right initiative when you're being paid to get things done. I must learn from this lesson and never to repeat such blunders in future should I ever live to get employed...

By the way, Happy birthday Ion!

Mixed feelings

Well well well, its been 24weeks since the start of the wretched Industrial Attachment with Panasonic Singapore Laboratories Pte Ltd. Lousy allowance, bad location (from my point of view), screwed up food, workaholic supervisor are the things that I had felt that made the stay with the company very slow and lethargic.

The only things that I've had looked forward to is being trashed at the recreation room. Yea like real. I dislike losing, but shucks, 1 of my supervisor is GODLY at pool... He beat me pocketing 8 balls with 1 cue. OMFG. Nah, actually its the many short (sometimes very unusually long) travelling time that I have had with each and every other friends to/fro work. Thats the time when we can really unwind, talk like we don't have to care about anything else, like talking bad about my workaholic supervisor. =P Not to mention the various games we've had pitted amongst ourselves in the recreation room - both the pool table and the x-box (DOA volleyball!!).

Not to mention, this period of attachment has provided myself and my group of band members the most desirable gift, a blessed vocalist~. Ever since after the band had been formed, the world around me seems to have brightened up a lot. Especially, when there is ample time to get a life after work. Life is gonna be real tough after the last academic semester kick starts in end July. Priorities have to be weighted and for now, I've to put my best forward to manage my overloaded timetable before most things. Sorry, but band practises will definitely be cut down. And that really SUCKS......

I'll be really missing the fun-filled laughters that still rings in my head whenever I think back of my wretched stay with PSL. Its all thanks to these friends around me that has kept my sanity. Last but not least, I also ought to thank my almost geek-ish group of people in the mirc channel for 'standing by me' all this while through out the 24 weeks. Thank u PSL, though the allowance sucked big time, nonetheless, theres a ton of good engineers in it. Thanks, my supervisors for your most patience guidances.

Information 'HIGH'

Another couple of week till my little chalet/bbq gathering that I am organizing in conjunction to celebrate my 25th birthday. Reasons for this event are pretty simple. Firstly, I know that I will not have the time to organise something of this scale next year since I'll be doing my final year and it will be the most crucial time - exams period. Secondly, right now I'm doing my Industrial Attachment, so I still have some money to spare to whip up such an event since the last 1 I organised 3 years ago when I was still serving my last year of National Service. Thirdly, I foresee that I won't be having much chance/time to organise owing to the hard to predict work schedule everybody have by then (including myself).

Anyway, enough of my logics and explanations, here are the details

Venue : Pasir Ris (Costasands) Chalet [No not Downtown East]
See here for map to board the shuttle service to the chalet.
See here for the timing of shuttle bus service.
Chalet : Exact spot to be confirmed at a later date
Date : 30th April (saturday)
Time : About 5.30pm onwards tentatively

Additional info : Costa Sands Resort (Pasir Ris) is located at 159M,
Jalan Loyang Besar, Pasir Ris Park, Singapore 509404. Tel: 65822537
Fax: 65822098

Parking charges are as follows:
Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, School/Public Holidays, and Eve of Public
Holidays - $3 per entry for Car $1 per entry for Motorcycle
Mondays to Thursdays (10.00 am to 11.00 pm) - Free

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Yet another day at the office. This week has been unusually relaxing yet entertaining. Why? Well, I'm reporting my work progress slower than what I've actually accomplished, thus I've more time to do miscellaneous things including chatting a LOT during office hours hahaha.

Anyhow, lemme share this unusual encounter from a fellow IA friend that I got to know of since January. The fellow that I'm talking about here is a cool naming Indonesian guy. He's from the School of Computer Engineering from NTU.

Situation #1 - CD-ROM/VIDEO/SOUND
Me : I put in my audio cd into my cd-rom and plugged my earphones to the front audio output socket of the cd-rom and listening to my songs happily (Didn't have chance to bring my mp3s to work yet since it was beginning of the IA only)
Him : Puts in a data disc containing some video clips into the cd-rom and playback the video. Plugs his earphones into the front audio output socket of the cd-rom as well.
Me : *Stunned*
Him : *Still fiddling with media player as to why he couldn't hear any sound*
Me : *Still Stunned and very much Dumbfolded*
Him : (Ask me) "Hey, do you know why there's no sound?"
Me : Err ... You should plug your earphone jack to the rear of your computer where there is a light green audio socket.
Him : Oh, ok. (fiddles somemore with the media player. Never touch hardware connections at all)
Me : O_O??
Him : *Continues to fiddle somemore*
Me : *Walks up and attempted to resolve his 'issue'*
Me : ("Marvelled" by SCE students' degree of computer knowledge)
.................................................................................................................

Situation #2 - LAPTOP/MOUSE/FILE COPY
Him : Using a laptop that he was being issued to work on a presentation slide show without an external mouse via P/S2 or USB. Trying to copy 2 files on desktop to specific folder <- window already open.
Still Him : Using 2 hands on the mouse-touch-pad (not those mouse knob you see on IBM laptops) attempting very hard to hold down the left click button with his left thumb and manuvering his left+right index fingers over the touchpad to move the 2 files (being 'dragged' in a repeated 'passing baton motion/sequence' between his 2 index fingers) to the opened destination window...
Me : o.o?!
Him : *Taking awfully long time trying to 'drag' the files as though they've each weighed a million ton.*
Me : (Feeling perplexed, asked him...) What are you doing ?
Him : Ah!~ Finally moved the 2 files to the folder (said with a sense of satisfaction)
Me : Errr ... how come you're using 2 hands ?
Him : Oh, the mouse touch pad isn't sensitive enough.
Me : Hmmmm, you could have highlighted the 2 files on the desktop and used the hotkeys 'ctrl+x' and then 'ctrl+v' on the destination folder isn't it ?
Him : Oh~ Yea, I forgot about it.
Me : OTL (see link for meaning if you don't understand)
.................................................................................................................

Situation #3 - FOOLSCAP/ALWAYS DEPRESSED WINDOWS/CLICK CLICK...
Him : *Clicking on his 2times normal windows task bar at the bottom of the screen trying to call up the specific window. However, non seem to pop up and only appeared 'depressed' like a button upon clicking*
Him : *Puzzled, continues to click somemore/other window and resulting in even more 'depressed buttons'*
Him : (asks me) Hey, do you know how come I can't call up the windows ?
Me : *Looks at this window, then his desk-top equipment/items placeing* Try moving your foolscap paper pad away from your keyboard.
Him : *shifts away his foolscap paper pad and tries to click on the taskbar* Oh, its working now. What did you do? How come like that?
Me : Errrr, your foolscap paper pad is depressing the 'ctrl' button on your keyboard.
Him : Oh, okay, hey thanks a lot.
Me : You're welcome... (o.o;)
.................................................................................................................

Situation #4 - BART SIMPSON/WALLPAPER/URL/SUPERVISOR
Me : (I happen to see a very interesting signature picture that somebody had used on hardwarezone forums. It was a Bart Simpson picture showing him writing on the chalkboard the words:"I will search on google before I ask any stupid question...". So during my free time at work, I was surfing around and found a link to it, it was a configurable script where you can input anything you wish Bart to 'write' on the chalk board, so I keyed in the exact same words above, took a screenshot and tiled it as my wall paper.)
Him : *rolls his chair over just before lunch* Hey, lets go eat *stares into my monitor*
Me : Okay.
Him : Hey, thats a nice wallpaper. You know, my supervisor always tell me that.
Me : *dumbfolded/stupidified and dunno what to say or to laugh* Oh... hmm... *I was like @A@;;; how to respond sia ...*
.................................................................................................................

THE END OF SITUATIONS
FOR NOW ...
STAY TUNED FOR MORE?...

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Weal or Woe

Haven't written an entry for about 3 weeks. Since the last entry, what had happened were 2 jamming sessions over 2 fridays (session #3 and #4) and some housing matters. Not to mention my shipment for BECK & KEITH osts from the anime BECK came in too plus my new softtoy - Jonathan the seal from Kaleidostar (yet another anime). Some recordings are available hosted on my yahoo briefcase, session#2-1 , session#2-2, session#3-1, session#3-2 and session#4. (disclaimer : I bear no responsibility for any damages inflicted on your hearing.)

Just last week, the government has released news to upgrade the Clementi Interchange and have it finished building by 2010. Upon receiving this piece of news, I was actually somewhat happy. Although even before the official release of this piece of news, the people living around the vicinity had already heard of news/rumours that the government is planning to do something with the land space which the 4 affected flats are currently located. So what the government had planned were to revacate us to some of the replacement flats at a nearby location or alternatively purchase a flat which will be built above the new shopping mall cum interchange. After going through serious discussions with my family, we've decided to buy a replacement flat that will be ready in 2010 together with the new shopping mall cum interchange. Reason being : the price of the flat will surely rocket by then. Yet right now, when we are given the choise to purchase them at a very reasonable price. Not to mention, this 27 year old flat that I'm currently residing in, costed only S$17.5k back then when my parents paid for it. The value has appreciated more than 12x till this very day.

Definitely, the thought of a new house is good. But then again, the woe comes in after realising that my mum has intention to include my 2nd bro and me within the co-owners for the new apartment. Good ? Yes, right. Bad, yeap. That means, should I be able to graduate in July'06, I've estimated that I'll be slogging for 2 years to repay my tuition grants/loans I've taken up for my 3 years of study with NTU. Yes, so if things go 'smoothly', I'd have only 2 years of savings before I have to start paying back on some housing loans should the new apartment require more fundings (eg, retail price, renovations, legal fees, housing loans/interest). Inevitably, I'm foreseeing that 5 years down the road, I'm pretty much gonna be a pauper even though if I were in the "Social University".

Probably, its weals and woes. Non-the-less, I guess I'll be looking forward to clearing all the loans and hopefully be lucky enough to settle down with a stead by then. Then the vicious cycle shall repeat itself ...... scrimp and save ...... Life's tough, so play hard now, when you've lesser responsibilities ...