Monday, March 26, 2007
Updates

Now that my previous post has provided almost inrefutable proof that I am still alive, I will not start this post with a "howdy everyone" introduction...but well, what the hell...

Howdy, everyone!

It's basic courtesy anyway. Much has come to past these past few months when I was in dormant blogging mode and it is only right that I update each and every one of you on what conspired.

Firstly, I am finally moving on to a new workplace after five years in this #$%^&* place. I am...drum roll, going to be a Customer Service Executive at ICA come April!!! Expect service standards to plummet to unprecedented levels and complaints to rocket through the roof. Readers who want to make a new passport should certainly come look for me. Just look for the counter with the permanent "Close" signage and be snubbed like everyone else.

Secondly, my luck for this year looks like shite. I actually haven't struck 4D for the past three months. That's 1/4 of a year gone and not even a consolation prize in sight. It's quite amazing actually. Do the people in Singapore Pools hate me or what? What have I done to deserve this?

Thirdly, my beloved Spurs was actually on some kind of a winning streak for once...until of course, some schmuck named Shevchenko suddenly decided he wanted to score a nice goal and provided to hammer a rocket past the hapless Robinson and help secure a 1-2 away win for Chelscum. I kinda like the bloke though because he's had it a bit rough since he came to England.

Fourthly, I am getting along just fine with Thy. She's neurotic, moody, rather clingy and is a navigational nightmare, but I like her anyway. Because she's also sweet and caring. I am still not entirely sure that she is necessarily the one for me but whatever it is, she's a treasure.

Fifthly, I started doing some things which I thought I wanted to do in 2006...like exercising regularly and running for THREE times a day although since the Reservist stint, I have stopped. Why? I failed running by 51 seconds...so what the heck, if the regime isn't going to help me to pass IPPT, why would I want to continue with it? Well, whatever. I guess I will probably restart the regime again sometime soon. I am pretty sure this measly 51 seconds (Gulp!) won't be too big a barrier for me to overcome. But the real point is...I have actually found running to be quite a feel-good activity.

Sixthly, I am half thinking about doing a Movie Critic blog as a sister to my Rock Critic one. Unfortunately, looking at how "often" I update my Rock page, I can't say for sure I can manage another review site. But the truth is that I haven't actually heard much new music in the past few months and the new Bloc Party and Arcade Fire releases were actually my first purchases in some time. And a further truth is, I haven't caught that many movies either. I am still waiting to catch 300, for instance. But I will certainly be looking at the Singapore Film Fest next month with some degree of interest. Indeed, I will be catching M with Thy...some Japanese R21 movie. NICE!

Seventhly, security at Reservist camps really ought to be improved. Just during the past ICT that I attended, our bunk windows could not be locked due to a missing latch. And guess what? Our bunk got burgled. My friend got his boots and electric shaver stolen. I got my phone charger, multi-plug socket, instant cup noodles, jacknife, lighter and playing cards stolen. Another frined also got his charger stolen. And this was despite the fact that we had our lockers locked…albeit with numerical combination locks. What does this say? Using numerical locks to secure your possessions is just about as secure as using masking tape to secure them.

Eighthly, just the other day, I heard from my mum that a bunch of Holy Innocent’s students were involved in a fight, near my block, so serious that the police had to be called in and the whole fracas lasted a couple of hours. Apparently one of them even got his head all bloodied…Oooh, I would have loved to see that. My mum then lamented to me that “Sigh, nowadays ah, these young people study also study until like that.” To which, I can only say agree. Our education is throwing up too many thugs and snobs. And of course, plenty of skimpily dressed jailbaits as well.

Ninthly, why are there more and more China people in Singapore? Is it any wonder then, that a lot of ang mohs still think Singapore is a part of China (It is TRUE, I kid you not…I have heard real life examples)? And the number of China mei meis here is really growing exponentially, but then again, there are a lot of hum-sup old farts here for them to show their magnificent cleavages to. Just a few weekends ago, Thy and I were dining at Viet-Thai at Century Square in Tampines when we were witness to a fascinating conversation between an ah peh and his China mei mei girlfriend.

Ah Peh: I tell you…I was once a sushi chef for a restaurant and you know how they make sushi rice? It’s really unhealthy. They add a lot of coconut milk to it but really it’s all Ajinomoto.

Mei mei: Ooooooooh really?

Ah Peh: Yes yes yes and then they add these black sesame seeds to it so yeah, that’s how they make sushi rice.

Mei mei: Ooooooooh really?

Blah blah blah blah blah

Ah Peh: You know I am really starting to feel old. You know how old I am, 42!

Mei mei: Oooooooooh really?

The conversation was, in truth, nothing more than a load of BS but I continue to be fascinated by the fact that although the man probably knew that he just told the mei mei a load of bull, he actually seems to believe that the mei mei believes him. And forty-two? He looked suspiciously like 62 to this pair of eyes, myopic though they might be.

Tenthly, I just got my performance bonus on Saturday and haven't thought about how and what to spend it on. It's just great to have money in actually...it'd just be better if I could have some EXTRA money from Singapore Pools. Aren't they supposed to be committed to philanthropy? I am in urgent need of some form of welfare and charity.

Thursday, March 22, 2007
National Anthem

Having recently gone through a bout of National Service (AKA Reservist) and being made to sing the national anthem to a strange little moving gif played via mediaplayer in an air-conditioned auditorium (Yes, we old men soldiers are very soft and brittle. Make us stand in the hot sun for a flag raising ceremony, I can assure you that before the anthem ends, 3/4 of the men would have unbuttoned their number 4 showing their hairy chests and gigantic beer bellies. I would, most assuredly, be among one of them) while undergoing National Education, I am, right now, in the midst of a revived stance of fervent nationalism.

And being such an unbashed nation lover, I am advocating the revamping of the national athem because, as I furtively noticed, during the singing of the anthem...half of the people in the house were not singing the words...either due to unfamiliarity with the words or unfamiliarity with the feeling of patroitism. The other half was gamely mouthing the words of The National Anthem...and then I took a closer listen.