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.

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

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.