Sunday, October 07, 2007

Libera Me from Hell

With all the recent events and absurdity and banality exemplified in most of my fellow country persons, this is dedicated to them:



Friday, September 07, 2007

Personality & Multiple Intelligence

Some results from a fun test. Not sure how accurate they are since the tests are all free :)
For those who know me, maybe you can add your comments to it.

Click to view my Personality Profile page

Monday, September 03, 2007

Sayonara, sayonara



Just wanna upload here for easy access.

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

When we were young, people used to ask us this...

"What do you want to be when you grow up?"

I don't think most of us ever had a fixed list, more likely we have an ever growing list starting from being a policeman, astronauts, doctors, postmen etc. Once reality hits when we turn 18, the list gets cut down... a lot. Well, this one is dedicated to us all, the young uns, once were and still is until we hit 35 and thereafter...

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Readability scale

I've found a cool online site that rates how readable a passage or article is.

The link is: http://www.online-utility.org/english/readability_test_and_improve.jsp

An example of how it works using the first line of this post:

Number of characters (without spaces) : 63.00
Number of words : 15.00
Number of sentences : 1.00
Average number of characters per word : 4.20
Average number of syllables per word : 1.33
Average number of words per sentence: 15.00

Indication of the number of years of formal education that a person requires in order to easily understand the text on the first reading
Gunning Fog index : 6.00

Approximate representation of the U.S. grade level needed to comprehend the text :
Coleman Liau index : 6.94
Flesh Kincaid Grade level : 5.99
ARI (Automated Readability Index) : 5.85
SMOG : 3.00

Flesch Reading Ease : 78.81

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Depressed

Reasons?

My English sucks, sorry Vesance, it's the truth. I can't do proofreading for you or anyone else to save my skin.

I have no job yet.

Bye bye.

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

The Room: Memories of Temburong

Outside, the rain poured torrentially down from the heavens , I nudged the plain wooden door with it ageing dull green paint peeling off, and entered the private dwelling of the barber. The room was dark and had a gloomy atmosphere but strangely, at the same time, gives me a feeling of the simple contentment that its occupants have of towards life. Standing there, pausing for the moment; breathing in the heavy musty air lingering in the room, the first object which grabbed my attention was the large rectangular wooden bed that occupies a large part of the room. It reminded me of the old traditional bed utilised by the callous-skinned coolies of days long gone within the small confines of hazardous shop houses in Singapore's old Chinatown. Of course, except, without the ubiquitous opium smoking set.

What was striking was that the bed seems to be the platform, the focal point, for the conducting of daily rituals: blankets neatly folded atop a couple of pillows in the far end edge against the wall. At the other extreme was the electric kettle with its black cord dangling among the darkened wall and shadows. Stacked around the stained rice cooker was some crockery that had seen better days. A pile of clothes lined up alongside the wall opposite the bed, forming a nice little alley within the room.

Thunderous growls of the giants roared outside and one easily hears the wails of the fickle winds as it grew in strength with the ferocity of angry gods.

Hanging on the wall-hooks among the sets of Sunday best, was a simple aluminium-framed badminton racket. Oh, how it brought back visions of the simple childhood for me. Of days when the joy of being able to successfully return the wicked serves given by older siblings made me the champion of the world. The ability to experience undulated joy of seeing those feathered shuttlecocks flying through the air, I hoped, was not lost on me yet.

Slowly as I walked, I could feel cold drafts of air flowing in like a little mountain stream through all the unseen gaps and crevices, creeping up onto my back. As I passed by the piece of metal contraption with its taps and brass pipes winding and extending underneath, I spied the little confinement of space, of which was my goal and object of relief.

As I stepped into the tiny cubicle, a spicy sulphurous scent waltzed its way into my nasal passages; glancing around, I noticed a box of pink onions lying surreptitiously on the floor half-camouflaged by the shadows thrown up by a weak fluorescent light somewhere. I proceed to carry out my business.

After I was done relieving my stressed bladder, I crept back along the way I came in, not daring to disturb the ghost of the memory I left behind. Opening the door again, the sight of a smiling barber greeted me. Smiling back, I admired the new haircut he had given me earlier in the mirror lining the shop, then, I stepped out into the cold wet air.

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Something's wrong?

Had some sort of a short pep talk with a friend earlier. It's not so much of a prep me up type of talk, more of a you should do more and wake your idea type of talk. It's a little demoralising of course but this is Singapore, where it's easier to be contented and to play by the social rules.

The talk reminded me of a little line someone, now half hibernating in Canada, said to me on MSN once: "The system in Singapore makes you feel lousy about yourself". This is easily evident in the examples my pep-talk friend cited: in an previous interview he attended, the interviewers scrutinised his results since his 'A' Levels, and easily found out he had repeated his 'A's based on the year his Chinese 'AO' results were reported in. Furthermore, compared to my peers, I am 2 years behind most of them, never mind what reasons. And I reckon most employers won't give two hoots about why and how you fail to keep up with the system. As long as you did at some point in your life, you are effectively a defect. I would think.

But nevertheless, it will be indeed self defeating to keep on thinking in negative terms like this. So I guess I will add a little deviation: "The system in Singapore can make you feel lousy about yourself, but you can choose to make yourself feel better".

Friday, January 19, 2007

Resumè

One resumè:

Two continents +
six friends: ∑ [Head-hunter, Auditor, Masters Graduate, Service engineer
technician, 2.Graduate student ]^(many comments/opinions) = Ten revisions

Let revisions = A pair of sore eyes, one cranky going stale graduate





Monday, January 01, 2007

Greetings 2007!

Greetings to all in the new year!

Friday, September 01, 2006

Random pictures

Hello hello!

This is one of those posts that are about nothing in particular. What I really want to do is to post up some pictures I have been snapping on my new phone. The picture quality isn't much to crow about when viewed on a computer but look really quite nice on a phone's display screen. And I like to think that, in a way, these snapshots are also about showing the bits and pieces of the city I have grown accustomed to and like over the last few years.


For starters, I don't drive because I can't afford nor do I want to bust my ass working to buy a car here (I don't even have a licence). I therefore rely alot on the public transport system here. And this public transport system here runs on a rather strict timetable basis, which means one could very well get stranded in some other suburb if you missed the last bus that goes round to your suburb! Getting a cab is really quite expensive, the taxi metre jumps five cents per second when the cab is moving and probably about 5 cents per 15 seconds when it is stationary. Thus, this
is your next best friend in knowing how long you have to wait and when to start making for that nearest atm.






Waiting for the bus always have the feel that it's an exercise in practising the virtues of patience, and very often one can be easily bored or just get numbed by the winter winds. And so, it's always a pleasant surprise to have a furry dog coming about the corner and padding up to you on one of those cold winter-turning-spring evenings, with a stick in the jaws gazing at you expectantly.





Because. It just makes you go "Awwwww..." (unless you are a cat lover).







But life goes on after seeing cute furry canines on the streetside. And every so in a blue moon, you'll see something that may just amuse you to no end even though the friend walking just beside would be wondering,

"What the heck, why is that even interesting?"





Ah well, although it is starting to sound like my primary school composition, I feel as if I am on a roll here, so onward I say!



When I get the chance, I would pop down by the quay and get some quality caffeine kick, which owing to the location, costs me about 70 cents more than if I get it elsewhere (i.e. $3.20 instead of the usual $2.50). Usually I get to sit alone enjoying my downtime and sometimes a seagull would swoop down and perch at the railings for a while.













But mostly, I am just contented to sit back and watch the sun go down.

Friday, July 07, 2006

Some updates


It's been a while since my last update. Commitments and laziness both served to delay the promised updates earlier. Well, let no one get too excited yet cos this ain't the promised update too. A summary of what roughly happened would be a more apt description of this post.

Starting from around the time I came back in Feb...nothing much really happened then. I was slacking around and generally being a slacker (the perennial theme of my life, I'm changing that believe me). My memory is fuzzy of that period..probably still reeling in from the changes in my life circumstances. March is when I was slightly more comfortable in my skin back in Singapore, started to volunteer on an ad hoc basis doing some manual labour...hehe. Got to know a few nice people. Bank account depleting like nothing from my constant travelling around the island and lots and lots of Kopi-o EVERY MORNING as well as a Newspaper to tinkle my little brain. Of course, the occasional Starbucks and dinning out with some nice souls helped to 'negative-ise' the BA (English purists please butt out).

And oh, been reading online religiously every night and pissing some bloggers off sometimes with innane comments, and sometimes trying to desperately show off a few cents I have in my grey matter up there. How this does not gel with the summary I don't care.

Onwards to April, spent some time all the while fighting/cajoling the University Admin, faculty admin and pinging the School Admin for my last stand this coming session 2..sigh. Don't know how many times I have to laspe back into a pseudo aussie accent/slang on the phone to try and get things done. I occasionally throw them off with a few slips of Singaporean tinged English though, hehe. Tried to look for substitute subjects in the local unis, some came close most don't, and the timing definitely was off. Most of the local Unis are structuring their academic year to be a replica of the American ones...sigh. But it's not my main concern anyway.

Still in April, got to go on my first trip to Tioman Island. By the good grace of a very good friend since high school, he invited me to join him and a friend of his who brought more friends along to this trip. Am quite glad to have joined in this trip, got to know a couple of fabulous people. Finally did my virgin attempt at snorkeling...yes yes, very late I know but better than never right? All in all, it was great fun, good food, very agreeable company, fantastic get away etc etc etc...whew. I am thankful for this break is probably the best I can sum up.

Right, so what else...ok I had actually started on this part time assignment just slightly before the tioman trip. It pays ok, 3 day week by virtue of the schedule the company runs on, was introduced by a friend, once I agan I shall now give thanks here to the friend for giving me a means to improve on my bank balance for a little while.

And during this time, I was trying my bestest to wring out an internship with a local organisation that shall not be named here with the help of a couple of nice staff from there. But due to the unfortunate timing of their own internal staffing recomposition as well as organisation committments, the attempt was ding-donging for a while going no where. So I continue to toil on my part time assignment...until one day...

...A volcano somewhere in a neighbouring country started becoming more grumpy and threatened to spill more than a few streams of lava down its sides. And thus I was offered the chance of a lifetime to go on my very first 'disaster tour' by the same org that was dinging and donging my wishful internship. Being a typical Singaporean with a slightly higher adventure quorum than the typical heartlander, I jumped at the chance and so off I flew towards the rumbling volcano. Our mission is simple, to render pre-emptive aid to villagers relocated in temporary shelters while waiting and hoping for the volcano to simmer down.

Oh, just before this little jaunt to the volcano, I managed to get my damn student visa approved for the third time in my life for the damn bloody degree that I HAVE to FINISH...

After I got back..I was too embarassed to go back to the pld job cos I left at a rather hasty notice but hey it was within the stipulated time frame as stated in the contract so i was within my obligations. So what I did? I went on and became a pretend-intern at the organisation that shall not be named here.

In the little bit of time during while I was pretending to be an intern in the organisation-that-shall-not-be-named-here, I somehow got involved in the major non-event that happens in my little country every 5 years as stated in the constitution (that can be changed rather easily though). That is the General Elections folks, GE 2006. A most interesting event and experience for me. The motivating factor was the thought that I would be taking part in a very important democractic process.

I really think my country is very democratic but the Thais have to BEAT us by being even more democractic: they have demostrations that lead up to a snap poll, and then the polls were carried out without their major opposition parties, TRT won overwhelmingly but it was later challenged in the courts and it was determined the results were void. So now they are in the midst of preparing a second round of polls.

Oh well, maybe they should learn from Singapore, you know, our ruling party won overwhelmingly too even when we have a substantial number of contestations from the opposition parties (kechil kurup types lah but they did well to be well coordinated this time round). And a challenged was mounted in the high court to void the result cos some kechil Kurup opposition party member anyhow thought the ruling party was buying votes by giving out the progress package (to where I also dunnoe).

Okok, I better stop here, later genna "Gomezed"...

In the meantime I must announced that Bangkok is so full of shoppable stuff...I busted my imaginary budget while I was there recently...sigh sigh sigh...I wish I have more bahts and more time, more bahts and time...

Til the next time...stop and smell the flowers

Tuesday, January 17, 2006

Cough..kaff..acckks..xcus-zimoi

Apologia for the long intermission (snickers)... just returning from the limbo to have a look see.

However, will update soon, with pictures.

Meanwhile adieu.

Monday, December 05, 2005

limbotic post

My father who raised me for 26 years had passed away on the 17th November 2005.

I don't know what I am feeling now.

I still have things to do and his last wish for me to fulfil.

But I feel stuck.

I am irritable at every small issue now. This is bad.

I remember crying uncontrollably for the first time in many years on that day.

There was so much I had wanted to do for him when I would have come back from Sydney.

But now, it all became a mere possibility that remains stuck on 17th November 2005.

I miss him alot.

I really hope his essence, his soul will go on to the Western Paradise as described in the Buddhist scriptures.

I really do miss him.

Sunday, October 30, 2005

Numbers for thought...

According to an article in the Goodweekend (29 Oct 2005), a weekend magazine of the Sydney Morning Herald, there are some interesting statistics with regards toimmigration figures to Australia.

Settler arrivals by birthplace,

Singapore

1993-1994

502

2003-2004

2224

So over a period of ten years, the numbers from Singapore jumped by a factor of four.
China, India and Sudan showed a similar jump in terms of factor, while South Africa and Zimbawe increased by a factor of five and ten respectively.

Interestingly, the numbers from Hong Kong dropped drastically by a factor of three (from 3333 in 93-94 to 1125 in 03-04).

This clearly is not the aggregate numbers but rather it seemed to be a year on year basis. However, the numbers indicated do not differentiate between permanent migration to those who are on a temporary basis (like students for example). Still, it gives some food for thought. The numbers are from DIMIA.

Wednesday, October 26, 2005

The zazzle

Sometimes, fate plays a cruel joke. Like the legends of the past, what one lech for, always seems to be around the corner, but never, within my grasp.

Kind counsel abound, the fog of war twirls round the mind, stumbling steps I take. Yet again. And again.

The sounds of the ship horn blast through the air, and I will, sink again to the cold depths, akin to the destiny of the cursed maiden, fair Titanic.

3 old ladies

Once upon a time, there were three old ladies. They didn't want to die out in the open. So they came up with a plan.

The plan was to rob a bank. For one, is to live out her dream, to do what she want. Before she fades away into the shadows, away with Death.

They eventually got caught, and the one who dreamt, saw Death waiting, and slept peacefully away on the hard prison bed.

Her dear two friends, waited, And being like any other good old ladies, they behaved well, and were released soon after 8 months of prison life. They were lucky, their klutzy adorers had found the money that was spirited away (the police never found them because the driver of the getaway car hid the money in an old folks home).

The money was used to buy a rusting old fishing boat. The two old ladies were understandably non too happy with it, but it was all good.

Friday, October 21, 2005

Last stick of ciggie

Ciggie, heh, I've used the bastardised form for cigarette. Nice, life should be convenient.

It's just 6 mnutes past 3 am (AEST), and the last stub lies miserably together with its two cousins in a lid that I conveniently use as a makeshift ashtray. Like an awkward threesome with no voyeurs.

It's a cool dusk, wet from the smattering of rain, falling where it is not needed the most. That, my friend, is not convenient. Firstly, it drives the mosquitoes into my room, through the balcony door left ajar. Thus the motivation to fill the room with ciggie smoke to literally smoke out the mosquitoes. Heh, a failed experiment of course, cigarette smoke are never meant to substitute for mozzie coils.

Secondly, it makes you feel just a tad more miserable than you already are, especially if you are still staying up.

Thirdly, it just mocks at you, for not having another warm body by your side when you lay down beneath the cover. Of course this betrays one of my desires, need, want, dreams. For now, I make do with a faux version of the vulpes vulpes.

But, there is just something magical about the sounds of rain falling amongst the veil of the eventide.

Thursday, October 20, 2005

小薇 from the past

小薇

有一个美丽的小女孩 她的名字叫作小薇
她有双温柔的眼睛 她悄悄偷走我的心
小薇啊 你可知道我多爱你 我要带你飞到天上去
看那星星多美丽 摘下一颗亲手送给你
有一个美丽的小女孩 她的名字叫作小薇
她有双温柔的眼睛 她悄悄偷走我的心
小薇啊 你可知道我多爱你 我要带你飞到天上去
看那星星多美丽 摘下一颗亲手送给你 小薇啊
你可知道我多爱你 我要带你飞到天上去
看那星星多美丽 摘下一颗亲手送给你