Ring Them Bells

And so it begins. The last day of November is upon us. The Yule spirit is in fine form this year, the high roads and low roads alike are festooned with garlands, banners and bright lights. Optimism seems to have returned, after all the doom and gloom of last year. I blame the HNIC. Or maybe not, he's not really done anything, has he? Anyway, this week sees more crunch fixtures coming up. How's about I go on about schoolwork now, and save the happiness for later?

Okay, my J2 article is still unwritten. I have notes, I have a structure, but I need to force myself to simply write the bleedin' thing. It's been a distraction the past few days, getting the sodding interviews done. Still, I hope that can be done with, so I can move on to Photography. That's the real killer. Food for thought has left me needing inspiration. My photos of chefs at work were all crappy, and most I asked weren't interested in being photographed. Damn my moral compass. Plus my MMP blog malfunctioned. And to top it all off, I broke the DSLR filter when I fell off the stairs, and had to blow my last $80 for a new filter. Bloody effin' hell. Why does everything go wrong at the same time?

Right, that's enough of that. Think happy, JJ, and let the cards fall as they may. It's all about timing and knowing.

Rehearsals for both productions are going extremely well. More practice needed.

Breathe For Another Day

Don't know how, but the cards fell right again. My assignments are in for MMP and PerComm, plus overtime for Photography and J2. Metaphorically speaking, two winning hands and two reshuffles. I can live with those odds, I guess. But here's the problem. No good ideas for Photography, and a rotten idea for J2. The themes really threw me for a loop, I guess. Still, I live to fight for at least another day.

Review time. J2: Flashmobs. Photography: Food for thought???

I hope I get some inspiration.

Deadliners Before December

Right, it's deadline week again. The time when everyone scurries around, attempting to catch up on all our assignments. Here's a break down of what I need to finish if I want to see December.

1. Photography Assignment - 30 Photographs (Food For Thought)
2. Persuasive Communications - 3 Reflective Journals
3. Media Management Principles - 1 Job Advertisement
4. Journalism - Individual Assignment 1

Yep, I think that's everything. Seems a relatively doable target, no? I certainly hope so. I just wonder why things coincide at such a time.

Three thousand bleeding dollars to stay Down Under for 3 weeks...and not even on holiday. What a rotten deal. For $3000, I could fly to Oz, crash with my relatives, and go out on my own. Even then, things, friends and girls I want are all here, so no need to hightail it out yet. Plus, I'd rather like to go to the UK, Ireland or America for a holiday. No way am I gonna blow 3k on a lousy study trip. Betcha TP's too cheap to sponsor us. Ah well, at least I can make my own plans.

Media fast my arse. Whoever dreamt up that idea is a bleeding moron, and you can quote me. If I had to do that crap, you wouldn't see me in school for a month. In any case, corporate youth leadership strikes me as a bunch of assclowns, content to bow and scrape before the great white stick. Well, they can piss off, and take their bovine brains with them. I've had it. Bloody herd of sheep. Worse still, the malady seems to be filtering to my region. And for FUCK'S SAKE, stop the holier-than-thou attitude! That's how the Church in Europe and across the Pond got to be seen as stuck-up sods with no sense of humor!

I'm looking forward to the long weekend. Friday and Saturday seem like good days to go out for a lark, and I think I can find some partners in crime. Hope Jan and Rach are free. I miss the Wild Boys, though. Sakae buffets are so last year. Let's do a number on Kuishin Bo Next!

Say It Isn't So

Yeah, so my life is rather confusing at the moment. But I guess that's how it always is, right? And I kinda like it that way.

School's been back in session for about a month now, and I'm clicking back into the swing of things. I like all my classes so far. Shame I couldn't take another CDS, but then again, that leaves me with some time to kick back with a good book and a nice cup of tea. I love how everything seems to fall into place sometimes. The Socio group's got Singapore Dreaming for our focus movie. I've never watched it, but I hope it's good. Open-mind approach, activated.

Okay, so I might not be an expert at photography. Thankfully, there's plenty of people willing to teach me and guide me along the way. To everyone who helped me so far, thanks for the boost!

I want to try out for FOC facilitator! I mean, no-one from CMM turned out last time, so we should at least be represented this time around, right?

Christmas is strolling back into season again. How time flies. It seems like yesterday I was grumbling about Christmas being over too soon, and yet, here it is again. Aaaaah, holidays are always welcome.

Watching movies is a nice way to spend your time. Watching movies with somebody who appreciates them is even more fun. Watching movies with a girl who appreciates them, and actually has lots more to offer than just an airy "Yeah, it was nice", is AWESOME. Thanks for a wonderful time, Ms. K, and here's hoping for much more to come.

There's no Christmas morning service in church this year, so we should have a party at my place. That would be fun. Try inviting 50 teens, and watch the place go crazy. Or Andes can arrange the chalet for selected guests only. No party poopers, and no high-mighty-and-holier-than-thou attitudes.

I think I like two girls at the same time. How's that for screwed up? Heh heh. Oh, and I think one of my seniors is really hot. Yep, that's the definition of screwed up, last time I checked. Oh well, I'll just grin and enjoy the pretty women in my life. =)

The Golden Boy

Freddie Mercury is a LEGEND! Of course, you already knew that, didn't you?

School's back in session, and the holidays are well and truly over. I may not have accomplished everything I set out to do, but I did manage to do a few things, and I'm happy to be back in the saddle for another term.

The flavor of the month is tea. I've become addicted to a cup of tea in the morning, it really kick-starts my day. I might even give up all my other more fascinating concoctions for it. Then again, maybe I won't. And I like a girl. I hope she likes me. She's not my age. Her smile is beautiful. Every little thing she does is magic. It just makes me want to break out into song sometimes.

The last week or so of holidays has been kind to me. I watched a movie, I played football with some old friends, and I made something incredibly tasty. Best of all, I got to go out with a beautiful girl, I ate ice cream with a great friend, and I went out for a quiet err....meal with two other good friends. Yes, I'm incredibly blessed.

First week of term's been okay. I mean, I kinda expected how the cards would fall, in terms of forming groups for projects. The lectures have been cool so far, except for my CDS. Boy howdy, is that lecturer a boring old fart. Anyway, I'm skipping all his lectures this term, since everything is already in the handbook. Which means Friday is a 2 hour day, ending at 11am! Better yet, Wednesday follows the same format, and I only have an afternoon lecture on Monday. Can I get an AMEN?

But seriously, I need to do better this term. Less sleeping in lectures, less last-minute rushing. Maybe more caffeine. I've got MMP (the online module), PerCom, Photo, J2 Feature, and Socio. I might need to borrow a DSLR, and I definitely need models for my photography tutorials. Yes, I mean you gotta come in as photo subjects. So if anybody wants to volunteer their services, I would like to know. I can't afford to pay you, but I'll probably take you out for dinner after that. I'm not a professional yet, y'know.

Another reason why the first week was bearable: Friday. Dropped in on Jan while she was working, gave her a little surprise. Hope it brightened her day up! She certainly cheered up my dreary afternoon.

Everything seems so much brighter this year. I wish it could go on forever. And my adventure continues...

Sunny With A Chance Of Hyper

The holiday is winding down again. Another holiday, and yet I haven't gotten as much done as I would have liked. I still haven't done the beer-battered fish and chips, I haven't had any time to learn guitar, and I still owe someone a treat and a movie. I have managed to finish an internship, I've created a new drink, and had lunch with some of my friends. So, with a week left, I would like to do a few things.

1. Meet the gang and raid a buffet together.
2. Go out for ice cream.
3. Watch a movie.
4. Get out in the sun and play!
5. Cook something incredibly tasty.
6. Restring the old guitar I found in the study.
7. Go out for a proper drink.

The year so far has been kind. I'm in a much better mood than I was the whole of last year, and I'm living a much more stable way. Less late nights, no 3 or 4 day hiatus from sleep, and I can afford the odd day of aimless drifting once in a while. Guess I adjusted better this time.

Bicycle day was enjoyable. Thanks to Arthur, Pamela, Lavette, David and Ivan for turning up, and livening a week when I was bored out of my skull. Among the teens in church, y'all count as some of my closest friends.

I wonder what kind of career I'll get when I finish studying. I hate maths and sciences, I excel in English, I love history, politics, literature, music, movies and theatre, plus I like sports. I can talk my way out of damn near anything, I am not a great artist, and I feel awkward around girls. What a profile to have, yeah?

Sod that, though. Here's to one last blastin' week o'fun!

Happy Holiday Hindsights

Right, it's been three weeks into my holidays, and I'm doing pretty well. Err, except for the numerous cuts and bruises on my left side, and the muscle ache all over my body. Heh heh, business as usual on the football pitch.

Big thank you to Andes, Arthur, James and Ivan for a wonderful time at Crystal Jade. I was feeling a little down that day, so major props to you guys, for being inviting me to one of the best dinners out I've ever had with friends.

This is my last two days working. Yes, I actually got off my arse and got a job. Pretty cool, huh? I'm an intern (no, not interned in a prison), at a law company downtown. I'm quite the happy camper! I've learned a lot during my nearly-a-month at the company, and experience like this is always welcome.

Anyway, plans are still afoot for a 1C04 gathering. I'm just not sure what to do. I mean, the cost of booking a chalet seems a little restrictive when we could just crash at someone's place and have a blast, but who's got a house to take us? And I'm not sure we can hang at Sentosa til the next morning.

Monday's party was AWESOME! Sadly for some of us, Pamela and Janilyn couldn't make it. But still, there was good food, and great company. What's not to like about that? Bonus points to Arthur for the ample supply of root beer and ice cream. Yes, I'm a root beer addict. Nothing wrong with that! =)

I'm really looking forward to Rahman's party. It will be great to see the GOB network, and reacquaint myself with a particular hermit crab. If he sees this, yah boo sucks to him, cos I'm feeling rather irrepressible at the moment. I wonder if my extra-strong, extra-sweet cup of tea had anything to do with that.......Nah, not important.

Why do I seem to be such a klutz around girls, especially good-looking ones? Gaaaah, I blame 10 years in a boys' school. But if I hadn't gone there, I might've never met The Wild Bunch. So I guess the benefits outweigh a little social awkwardness? Yep, it was worth it. Once again, I had an argument with myself and won. I'm a VERY happy camper!

Another benefit of being at a law company, you learn such interesting things while doing research. Like how I can own a REAL sword when I'm 18, as long as it's for display purposes. Wow.... I can finally get that 1796 Heavy Cavalry Sword I've been eyeing since I was 15. IDEA!!!

By the by, damned playlist.com seems to be afraid of the record companies. Never you mind though, I still have Groove Shark!!!

Winding Down The Clock

The clock's ticking like a time-bomb, but at least the last two plays have brought me closer to the goal line. Crucially, I've run the ball out, stopping the clock, and buying me some time for thought. I guess this is it. The last one for the year. My goal is survival. Hail Mary full of grace.

Kick Into Gear

Right, now that semester is over, time to study. Next week is gonna be rough, so I've gotta enjoy the small break and the opportunity to revise. Speaking of revision, nothing's sticking. I need some study buddies, or I'll go spare studying on my own.

New plans for the year. I'm back in the pool, so I need to maintain that. If I can bring my weight down to maybe 88-91 kg, I should be fine. Also, do better in semester 2. I won't have the design modules weighing me down, so I must do better. Not to say that CMM design modules are horrendously difficult, it's just that I'm not great at design. Them's the breaks.

I wonder how everyone's getting along in their revision? I mean, I check Facebook every few hours, and I see people complaining about studying and $300 handphone bills, and some randy little pervert in Taiwan raving about the girls there. If he likes 'em so much, he should marry one and stay there, wouldn't you agree? Maybe I'll go blog browsing after my swim. Gotta run!

This is ourselves.............under pressure.

Fortune Smile On Us

Goodbye Ms. Winnie Tan, and thanks for all the memories. You've taught us and guided us for one great semester,and we wish you all the best.

It's been a great day. All my assignments are in, I have no more projects due, no more note-taking, no more losing sleep over project or assignment deadlines. Just a little bit of work left. And with the long weekend, I get some R&R time. I really need some rest, and some ice for my elbow.

Speaking of my elbow, I played some football with the CMM guys today. I'm very happy that I joined them for the game. They are really decent blokes, you know? Bollocks to all the stuff I might have thought previously, they are great fun. And I surprised myself with the display I put up for goaltending and defensive duties. I'm normally not anywhere near that great, I'll admit. But today I hit form, all the better for everyone. And best part is, my adrenaline managed to prevent me feeling the full extent of the bumps and bruises until I got home.

Tomorrow should be great. Hang with the guys and shoot the breeze, while eating and drinking. It's always nice to catch up with old friends.And Monday's footy day. I sure hope it doesn't rain... And that I've recovered by then.

The EXAMS are coming. Granted, I have it easier than most, but I still want to do well, even if that means actually studying. For all the guys and girls who are about to take their exams, God and fortune smile on us all.

Here Comes Time

I Love My Class. Granted, they can be exasperating, annoying and cheerfully unaware of some things going on in the world, but I don't hold that against them. Maybe I'm just too serious sometimes. In any case, this is the absolute BEST class I've ever been in, 4S1 running in a very close second. And we have one heck of a Care Person. That's the TP version of a form teacher, by the way. I mean, how many other teachers can put up with so much hyperactive and zany behavior from one class, and then buy lunch for that whole class? Mr Ethan Guo, We Salute You!

Okay, for once, I have all my stuff prepared for GDF and EssGra. Both projects are ready and waiting, the only problem is that the EssGra project needs to have a few spanners in the works sorted out. Nothing too drastic, thankfully. And I put my trust in Jiaqi to sort them out. She's a smart cookie, she is. Kudos to Michelle and Shafiq as well, for contributing so much to the project.

Now, my checklist for school simply reads: Journalism 1 assignment, and prepare for exams. That's right folks, my major assignments are all in, and I'm almost done with the semester. Perhaps at the end of the week, I will post my views on the WHOLE class. Well, maybe an exception or two. After all, if you've nothing good to say, don't say it. And since Friday is Ms Tan's last day on the job, I think we should get her something, don't you?

Right, another game of football coming up on Monday. That's probably the highlight of my weekend, unless I go beast some sushi joint with the Crazy Gang. Hope they're free. I wonder how they are all getting along. Time for a surprise inspection! Heh heh. Barge in at their houses and crash on the couch time! Nah, won't happen. I'm too nice. =)

Oh yeah, I'm told we are at a disadvantage playing other regional teams, as our defence is not that great. Well, what the hell did you expect, since our idea of defence seems to be leaving a lone sweeper to cover, and letting every other player charge up the bloody field, without listening either to the sweeper or the goalie? Way to go, geniuses. You can't expect Alan and I to catch every bleeding thing thrown at us, and do so with no defensive cover, or anyone tracking back. JBC. To any prospective defenders, have some sodding discipline. BFH.

Presentations, presentations, presentations. Had quite a few this term, don't know how well I did. Hope what I gave was enough. Maybe next semester will be better, since there won't be anymore exams. Also, I'm told some subjects are great if you can use flashbangs and smokes, so I have my fingers crossed. I certainly won't do that great for this semester, unless I can spring a major surprise. Hope springs eternal in the human breast, et cetera.

I should legally change my name to JJ Seah Junjie. I'm a little tried of people not being sure what my name is. And JJ is good. I used to want Craig, or Johnny or something, but maybe when I really want to GTF outta here and go somewhere far away. And that don't look like happening anytime soon.

I have a possible job offer. Got the word over the past few days. Sounds extremely tempting. And with the job market so bad, any openings are certainly worth consideration. I don't have that much to do, anyway.

I need less coffee, and more sleep. My energy levels seem to crash during the late morning to early afternoon, and again at night. Eight to twelve cups a day is unhealthy, especially my kind of blend. Well, the first step to recovery is recognizing the problem. And I need to stop swearing so much...NOT. It ain't me, babe. It just ain't. And I need more swim partners, it get's boring cranking out 40 laps by yourself. My shoulder and back problems are finally gone, thank God. Now there's just my knee I gotta watch. I wanted a motorcycle. My dad wouldn't let me. I'll settle for a muscle car, or at least a muscle car bodykit on a good set of wheels. Time to look into getting my license.

Johnny Cash Songs on an Electric Guitar. Dreams Will Come True.

Cutting Close To The Line

I'm not that complicated. People are my friends until they stop being my friends. How does that happen? Well, first, you've gotta do something that really pisses me off. Then, you've got to refuse to admit it, or be completely unapologetic about it. If you don't know what it is, I would probably tell you. And if you don't like something I'm doing, will you for fuck's sake have some goddamn bloody guts and tell me to my face? Don't bloody skulk around in the shadows and poison the well, step up and take a fucking swing. We might both actually gain something out of it, even if it's only a black eye and a bruised ego

Some people might know what I'm talking to, some people might not. If you aren't exactly understanding why I'm so pissed, come talk to me, and I'll tell you.

Now then, apologies are in order for some people.

Firstly, to Lee Cheng and Na'im, I am extremely sorry for not giving you a fair shot in the beginning. At the start of the school year, I will admit I was not exactly happy to have you guys in the marketing group, and didn't expect too much effort. But you have both worked extremely hard, provided invaluable knowledge and experience to the group, and proved me wrong. Without all of this, we would probably have fallen apart from stress. Please accept my sincere apologies for having misjudged you both.

Next, to Eudora Shin. I am sorry for the way I so spectacularly lost my temper on Friday afternoon. I did not understand that you were just cracking a joke, and completely blew up at a small remark. Even though it was a long and trying week, there was still no excuse for losing control like that. As assistant class chair, I'm supposed to be more in control of my temper, and I failed. I am truly sorry.

Finally, to the Gang, sorry for not meeting up with y'all more often. I am more busy than I anticipated this term, but maybe now I can stay in touch better, yeah? I hope you guys understand. Thanks for being such great friends. Brothers For Life!

By the way, HAPPY BIRTHDAY WJ! Yes, you big lug, you're finally 18. Time to live it up a bit, no? Welcome to the club!

PS. A big thanks to everyone who made this week such a success. I love y'all for it.

Running Late For A Train

Okay, I really gotta kick things up a notch or two. I know I can do better.

Term's almost done. Unfortunately, my grades have still been uninspiring. My general attitude is still holding strong, and I'm still happy to be in the course. Even better, I'm really grateful that I ended up with such a great class. I took the road seldom traversed, and it paid off. To think, I might've missed out on all this.

My back and shoulder is still shot from Saturday's football. And I'm still pissed that I let in cheap goals. Lighting bloody well better not strike twice, or I'm gonna have some strong words with the bastard. Also, I'm gonna fight during the hols! Or at least learn to fight, and evolve to Human Wrecking Ball Mk2. Now, should I opt for wrestling or MMA? Or both? Decisions, decisions.

Still gotta keep to my deadlines. I have MedSoc GA, Essgra GA, GDF IA, and Journalism IA left to finish. Marketing GA is almost done. I will survive!

Before I forget, I must once again note: I have a wonderful class! Especially the girls, they take the trouble to explain the female mind (or at least some of it) to me. Without them, I'd probably not catch anything half the time. Hats off to the ladies!

Photographic Perception

Yeah, the title ain't saying anything, right. I agree, I'm talking a load of humbug. I just wanted to have an alliterative title.

Well, I've survived, so far. But I'm starting to feel a little weary, what with assignments constantly rushing at me and so on. Anyway,before I started going into the whole "I'm-too-worn-out-to-care" bullshit, I need to remember that I do have other things going on, and that I'm not the only student in the world. Hopefully all my friends can help keep me sane. They've done a remarkable job so far, wouldn't you agree?

Okay, I still have no idea how to use Photoshop, and I'm just too sleepy to keep going. I'll finish it off in the morning, have another argument with my dad about punctuality, run down to the shop, and get the bleeding thing printed. Right, simple as that.

By the way, why are girls such complicated creatures? I mean, I've been around the girls in my class for what, 3 months now, and I still don't understand a lot of what they are going on about, and sometimes it just drives me spare. Oh well, just avoid trouble and bumble my way through, albeit a little obliviously. I still think the girls in my class are wonderful, by the way. They really are. Anyway, I have an appointment with the Sandman. Goodnight everyone!

PS. Enjoy the video!

Note to self. Update playlist.

Another note to self. Drink less coffee.

Pans And Fires

Well, I managed to survive the week. Scary as heck, it was. Majorly rushed several assignments, full on smoke, mirrors and charm. I think my presenting skills are still intact, thank God. Hope I don't go all to pot on my projects, though.

I've lost some weight over the holidays, down 6 kilos to 97kg. I think I shall give myself a round of applause, and a root beer. *Slurps*

There, that's better. Where was I? Oh yeah, keeping fit and healthy...or not. Now, term is back in full swing, and everyone is probably fixed on the 2 graphics projects. Oddly enough, so am I. My grades last term were rather insipid and uninspiring, something I really need to correct. Now let's see, the to-do list for these next weeks.

1. Essential Graphics [Photoshop] project
2. Graphic Design project
3. Marketing project
4. 4 more Marketing journals
5. Media & Society group project
   
6. APEL folio
7. Catch up on my sleep.

On number 7, I calculated that if my average amount of sleep was supposed to be 7 hours, from 11pm 'til 6am, I'm currently short 91 hours of sleep for the month. I suppose I have quite some catching up to do, in that case.

Friday was extremely fun, I had lots of fun at Arthur's. I learned a lot about our region, and also about my friends. I have much more respect for some of them, decidedly less so for others. And to my surprise, I am something like the regional mystery. How that figures is beyond me...or maybe people just don't have the time to try and read me. Here I was thinking I was a happy open book, when apparently I'm the exact opposite. Oh well....guess I'll stay closed. It's better when people don't know what to expect. Wild Card, Maverick, Joker in the pack. Hope my close friends don't find me cold, private or distant. If I am, tell me. Ask me about something, I just might tell you.

Media, Society And A Pig

Right, I need to rewrite my bloody MedSoc letter. Damn it to hell. I hate the bloody thing. I mean, what's the point of writing the letter if it won't make one little bit of difference? Why should I bother? Oh wait.....it's counted in my grade points. Ah nuts.

Okay, time to multitask. Rewrite letter, and when tired, do the notes. Oh, and drink coffee. So much for deadlines, timelines, datelines, hotlines, storylines and every other kind of line. Yes, even the Siegfried and Maginot lines.

Swine flu. Everyone is up in arms. Panic, chaos and mania. Jeez people, grow a backbone...it's not like it's the end of the world. Just be careful, that's all. Don't do anything stupid, like traveling to infected countries and breathing the infected air, and then coming back to "give back to the community". I wonder how the pig who started the whole damn mess feels about all this. Did it die and go to piggy heaven? Where it looked upon its ultimate revenge and laughed like crazy? Oh, look at those humans going spare trying to figure my cold out! See how they run! Who's crying wee wee wee now, eh?

Alright, time to get back to work. I'm running outta time.

Here We Go Again!

Right, holidays are over. Back to school, back to lectures, back to tutorials, back to waking up at 6am cos my dad believes in waking early even when class starts at 1pm, and back to seeing all my friends. Thing is, first week of school's normally a blur for me, as my body is resetting itself. Sadly, this means I can't sleep at 4am and wake up at 2pm or something. Also, I may get glassy-eyed in class, have a faraway look on my face or for some reason, keep hearing a rockin' band in my head. Whatever the case may be, please don't wake me up. I'd like to pretend I'm still on vacation a little longer. Then again, what with pig cold and all, we might be getting an extra week of break.

Well, here we go again!

Five Of Freedom

This has been the best week of the holidays! The food, the fun, and the freedom! So much done in such a short time. A real battery recharge and boost. Once again, I thank everyone who turned up, and made it happen!

Best 2 days? Easily Thursday and Friday! Kuishin-Bo buffet with Arthur, Ivan and Wendy was nothing short of spectacular. There was so much to eat and drink, and even more time to do it! And the food quality? Excellent. Well, maybe the soft-shell crabs could have been bigger, but still, I'm not exactly complaining. Oh, and I swallowed a large piece of prawn shell without realizing it. Thank God it hung around somewhere less obstructive than my throat, and I could cough it out later, instead of having to choke on it.

Apart from that little incident, we ate. And ate. And ate. And drank. And ate. And...well, you get the picture, yeah? Food, fun, chaos and laughter when Master Chef 1V4N decided to make a wasabi tart. Heh heh. Yes, it looked odd. Pics are on Facebook. No, for once I didn't eat it. Surprising, no?

Sleepover came right after that. Well, I didn't exactly sleep, but I did get a night full of talking, laughing and general tomfoolery. The two cans of soup, the movies and the first season of Mind Your Language were much appreciated. I hope everyone else had as much fun as I did!

You'll forgive me if I don't remember so much of the sleepover. I didn't exactly get much sleep, and was high on fun.

Breakfast after that was nice, though we didn't get to try Lavette and Evelyn's pancakes, since they decided not to cook. Ah well, some other time, I guess.

Everyone's headed off for camps, holidays and so on. I've got five days of freedom, home with just school projects to do. Wonder what I could accomplish? And why do I feel like having a drunken house party? Wait...bad idea, I'd need to clean up after. Happy hols, everyone!

(I Wanna Be) Your Steve McQueen

I'm too darn happy to bother about minor setbacks. Sure, I have scorch marks all over my back (which feels like someone took a blowtorch to it), sure, my laptop charging pin may have broken, but I just can't help being cheerful! There's so much to look forward to this week! And for the rest of the holidays too! A shame I can't remember when we're supposed to go back to school. Hee hee, score another point for me.

Stuff I'm looking forward to:

• Kuishin-Bo Buffet!
• Sleepover Special!
• My Sun Scorches Leaving!
• My Repaired Headphones!
• My Repaired Laptop!
• Windows 7 Release!
• Seeing All My Friends!
• Watching My New Mel Brooks Collection (THANKS GINNY & LIZ!)
• Eating All The Chocolate In My Fridge! (THANKS AGAIN, GINNY & LIZ!)

Yeah, so how can I let a little problem or two ruin my week? I'm sure it'll all work out fine.

There's an online debate raging about who is the King Of Cool. Is it James Dean? Marlon Brando? Steve McQueen? Personally, I'll take Steve McQueen. Enjoy the video!

Shoot To Thrill

What other guy finishes his exams, then goes home and scoffs two plates of noodles and a plate of chicken rice? That's right, I'm the one of a kind, original Beast North East!

Heh heh. Recent activities have been, to put it mildly, brilliant! For all those who organized the Sentosa outing, and relentlessly badgered people to come, a very heartfelt thanks for making it happen. Thanks to those people who came as well. More people equals more fun!

The only drawback to going to the beach? Sunburn. I really need to get more effective sunblock. Ah well, no point crying over spilt milk. Juts bring on the moisturizer.

I should finish all my assignments ASAP. Then I have more time to party!

Sleepover planning going into overdrive! Oh, and two words for the week: Kuishin-Bo and Buffet!

Okay, I gotta go get ready for church. Duty calls.

Switch And Arrange

Okay, Journalism 1 midterms tomorrow. I've looked over and revised the concepts, but I still have no bleeding idea how the test's gonna look like, except for the sample Adam gave me..Thanks Adam!

Weird feeling, obsessing over a test. I must've drunk or eaten something off. Oh wait..... it's just me studying for a change. Hmm, I need a break. And a stiff drink, or a speed drink.

Sentosa Saturday coming up. I wonder who planned it. Anyway, it's a good way to go relax. And I can legally buy booze. Heh heh.

I want a sleepover! Or two....or parties! Yes, lots of parties!

I need to drink less glucose.

Man. Monster. Mountain.

Yeah, yeah, so I drank two cups of foul-tasting sauce. Honestly, it's only bad at the bottom, where all the stuff settles. Still, it was funny to see everyone go loony over that. And, that proves I am the sickest person in the youth. Not sick as in cough and sneeze sick, but sick as in WICKED SICK!!! By the way, the sauce was vinegar, Tabasco and wasabi.

Let's see...put away around 15 dogs, still had space for dessert and some dim sum. Oh, and a burger when I got back home. Plus a can of root beer, and 2 1.5l bottles of water to flush the system. Yes, I AM a monster.

Discussed a sleepover with the 3IV bunch. Guests should not be more than twelve, I guess. Wonder who should Arthur invite?

A day to mid-terms. 2 papers, 2 hours, and freedom. Watch this space.

Dogs And Deadlines

This is gonna be a short post. I've got piles of stuff to do, and not much time to do 'em. Once more, once more unto the brink!

Okay, just had one hell of an argument with my dad about the whole hot dog holocaust thing on Saturday. Granted, he has a point about unhealthiness and carcinogens, but sheesh! Can't he cut me some slack in this? Sure, the youth are gonna be their usual cheapskate skinflint selves, but what can we do? There's an inordinate amount of gluttons that we have, so should we buy proper, classy stuff for them to scoff? The blighters probably wouldn't appreciate such stuff. No point in casting pearls before...well, you get the general idea. That's why I'm rather cheesed off.

More deadlines. Oh well, school has always been about handling, coping and not going bloody spare. At least, that's what it always seemed to be about. Thank God for an awesome class! Without such fun people, I probably would have gone nuts. The fact that everybody seems to willingly accept each other's quirks and oddities is extremely encouraging. 1C04 Rocks!!!

Not to self: J1 IWA1 and MedSoc Proposal due tomorrow. Press on. Deus Vult!

Flash Panache

Well, I guess I saw it coming. Graphic design ain't exactly my thing, and you might get a good design outta me once every few months. Guess what Ms Tay said is true...plenty of hard work and ideas, but basic, and simple artwork that lacks a focus. Still, I hope that my pitch may have at least helped me pass. I am at least proud of my pitch. Now to work out how to sell ice to Eskimos and sand to desert nomads. The complimentary color choice helped too. I wish I could've done better. Then again, my design ideas are a typical guy's, and I favor the old-school, which I make no apologies for.

Quote of the moment: "There's no school like the old school, and I'm the fuckin' 'eadmaster!"

But enough on that. Next deadlines: Journalism story and Med Soc proposal, Marketing journals due Friday. Okay, so I've started four and finished two, so another two more to go. I should get them done ASAP. So much to do, but I guess, enough time to do 'em.

EssGra tutorial later, and I'm still a little slow on the whole Illustrator thing. Skills test is next week, apparently, and I sure as shit don't wanna fail. Time to get outsider help! Failing that, textbook osmosis!

The ISA Took My Baby Away

Where's a boxing gym near your house when you need one? Dime a dozen Stateside, but here, no, this is Singapore, sonny, we're nice people, we don't do boxing. So no way for me to blow off some steam by just hitting a bag repeatedly. Great. Where's a sparring partner when you really need one? Wait, did I scare 'em off?

I think the pace of school is picking up a little. I'm actually having to start reading the texts more, rather than rely on surface knowledge, smoke and mirrors. Speaking of smoke and mirrors, thank you ISD and Mr WKS for screwing me over so damn nicely. My hat's off to you folks. The day my story proposal is submitted, you geniuses take it upon yourselves to pour cold water all over it, by actually addressing the issues! Now I have to use my reserve, or get a new one. Bollocks.

Let's see, Journalism, Marketing and Graphics Design assignments due this week. And me without Adobe CS4. Then again, the Mac labs are free on Tuesday, maybe I should cut lectures and finish my work instead. It would be interesting, but hell of a risk. Also, I'm beginning to think my marketing journals are a load of crap. Call me perfectionist, but all of them seem to be too similar to each other, and each seems to be sticking on familiar turf, and not really exploring new grounds. Still, work is work, and deadlines are deadlines.

I want a leather jacket!

15 Words

Interesting tutorial today. Graphic Design Fundamentals it may be, but it was much more fun than the name suggests. Oh yeah, and I still can't draw for nuts. Well, I can learn, I guess. Also, I need to remember to watch the cussing during presentations. That might've lost me points. Alas for the spilt milk!

Objective? 15 self-descriptive adjectives. Here are mine. Feel free to comment, critique, and add you own. All responses are welcome.

1. Sarcastic
2. Cynical
3. Strong
4. Divisive
5. Loyal
6. Loud
7. Rough
8. Passionate
9. Old-School
10. Hopeful
11. Musical
12. Patriotic
13. Bold
14. Deep
15. Footloose

That's me. Next time I do that I will add quotes, figures and ideas that represent those words. Also, I'm considering replacing some words, with things like brash, reckless, headstrong, stubborn and foolhardy.

Note to self: PACEsetters application due tomorrow.

Journals And Journalism

I like being the last one awake. It's quiet. Everyone's asleep. Just me and my thoughts. The stillness lets me gather them. All I need is a good drink to keep me awake. Excuse me while I hunt for my soda.

That's better. Now for the serious article. Today has been fun, a little tiring, and all-around interesting. I liked how it ended the most. APEL class was enjoyable, and it got me thinking about comfort zones. I guess we all have our own comfort zones, and yes, it is extremely difficult to get off my ass and move, but that's what life's all about. No fun if you don't risk anything, right?

Next class, Marketing 1, and here the problems started. Okay, I'm in a new group again, and I like half of em. Sad state of affairs, no? But anyway, here's how I got myself into that mess.

We were supposed to form project groups. Five or six per group. For some inexplicable reason, I invited the two repeats to join us. Dammit, I should've known better. To Adam and Christel, I'm sorry for the bad call, and I am willing to cover extra if they lag a little. But I won't do their work for them.

How do I always get myself into these problems?

Far Gone, More Ahead

I took a few hours on Saturday to look back once again, and remember where I was this time last year. Big difference, and it's very welcome. I must always remember to avoid repeating old mistakes. Bit of a mouthful, but it's true. I can't change my past without a time machine, but I sure as hell can learn from it. So, I thank all those who have walked through the halls of my life, if even for a split second. You've all been part of the learning process, you've taught me something important, and you've kept me sane (well, nearly sane).

CMM rocks! Alright, so there might be a ton of required reading, and challenges like Essential Graphics, but hey, what's life without challenges, eh? Oh, anybody mind giving me a crash course on graphic design and art?

Class outing didn't happen. Oh well, shit happens. It's how you deal with it, that defines you. I choose to be nice about it. Admittedly, it was spontaneously planned, so I shouldn't have expected more than a lukewarm response. Still, I hope we can go out as a class sometime this few weeks. The idea is that if we are a tight-knit unit, we will have no problems working together in different groups for our projects. Also, I'd rather we all start off as friends.

I need to do a few things this week and next. I have a few bills to settle, choose which cover I will use for my laptop, purchase a bokken or two, restring my classical, purchase textbooks, and catch the peninsula plaza shops when they are open. I need one or two more buckles. Other than that, I've got school. Yeah, I'm not as free as I was, but not yet at the busy busy busy kind of juncture. Life's lovely.

Class In Session

Well, I survived my first class day unscathed. Excellent! So far, journalism looks the most interesting of the modules. Maybe it's because the teacher is a fat happy bloke who gambles, swears, drinks and smokes. Or maybe it's just me. The Graphics teacher is a little scary....stickler for discipline, she is. Still, I suppose that's a good thing.

I need art supplies! Yeah, I thought I wouldn't need any more color pencils.....oh well. WJ suggested Art Friend, so I'll probably go down on Saturday. Anyone wanna come? We can try getting some discounts!

Class outing set for Thursday. Yes, we do have another free day this week. What are the odds of that? Anyway, I think it would be better for the outing to be this week, rather than next week during the Labor Day holiday. Everywhere is sure to be crowded during that long weekend. For some reason, I'm much more enthusiastic about class spirit than usual. That's a good thing, right? Back to the topic, our options are bowling, a movie, ECP, Sentosa, hanging around town, a barbecue, Pasir Ris Park, or a Sakae raid (No prizes for guessing who suggested that.) We vote on the issue at 3. Oh, today's CCA day. Should I sign up with something, or stay under radar for now? We shall see...

For now, that's it from me. Updates when I update! =)

Burns And Patches

Three days since orientation finished. I'm sunburned, unfortunately. Also, I've got a patch on my arm from where the fake tattoo was. Ah nuts. Hopefully I won't look like a right idiot come Tuesday.

Day 2 was fun. I learned more about my class, course, lecturers, and schedule. Y'know, I didn't have class today. No kidding! No tutorials the first week of class, except Friday, and that's to make up for Labor Day. Lucky, ain't I? Yes Bryan, you hate my guts. Sorry bud, but that's the way the cookie crumbled. No hard feelings, eh?

Spent most of Saturday and Sunday recovering from the sunburn. Also sent the router in for servicing. If I don't configure the next one, my downloads will not connect. Great, just lovely. Brilliant, even. Damn thing.

Monday.......ah, Monday. My last remaining vacation day for a week. And what do I do with it? I spend it shopping. Go me! Walk up and down North Bridge and Orchard, and end up with two new belt buckles, and a reserve order for another one. Since my clothes are kinda low-key compared to others, I guess my standout options are limited to accessories and shoes. And maybe my jackets, if I can get my hands on a leather jacket. Hopefully, one that doesn't have a lot of pockets, and can fit on my shoulders. The one I tried had too many pockets, and wasn't cut broad enough for my shoulders. Oh well, I still have my maroon hood, my black alumni reversible, and my denim number. Maybe I should get some boots, a drover hat, a leather fedora, and a motorcycle as well. Okay, maybe not the motorcycle.

School's in tomorrow, and I get to see all my pals again. I must remember that this is my chance for a whole new start, at something I hope I'm good at, somewhere I like. So if I start complaining before next year, can you guys do me a favor and hassle me until I stop? Thanks, much appreciated.

PS. 1CO4, if you guys happen to stumble across my blog, please gimme a shoutout and link up!

First Day Of The Rest Of My Life

Just got back from TP an hour ago. It's been a great day, in many ways. I'm finally back in school, my classmates rock, and my course is looking more and more interesting by the minute!

Got an early start today. Registration and all the minor details are not important. What is important, is the rest of the day. Sure, we started as all freshmen normally do, bored and wondering exactly how it is we got where we were. Still, I think we've all wound up good friends, or at least we will try to make the effort tomorrow, if we didn't today. Props go to Harold and Zul for making the conversations more interesting, Rachel for being such a nice dance partner(and not mentioning the fact that I still have two left feet!), and Jolene for being on the same bus as me, and saving me from a boring trip back home. Oh, and Leonard for being a co-anchor. To the rest of my class, 1CO4, your names will all be up as soon as I can get 'em. Link me, if you happen to stumble across my blog before I ask you. 1CO4 ROCKS!

A note to the wild bunch: All the girls are pretty awesome...nyah nyah. XD

Free As A Bird

FREE THE WEB!

Yeah, idealistic, over-simplistic, and unrealistic. Still, something to hope for.

First imeem, then YouTube, now Project Playlist. Copyrights, legal restrictions, lawsuits pending, self-proclaimed police of the internet... Where did everyone's spine go? Damn the recording companies, media moguls, and all their ilk. Down with the fat cats! Off with their swollen, self-righteous heads!

There, that's better. Rant over. We have normalcy.

One Month

Okay, one more month to go. I've cleared my backlogs, packed my supplies, horse is saddled, guns are loaded, and I'm itching to be back in the saddle. Time to leave one chapter behind, and open a new one. It's been a long rest, time to saddle up.

Last week or so has been busy. I've managed to clear up most, if not all, of my backlog. I'm officially registered in Temasek, I've finally gotten my NS deferment approved, and I've re-modeled the interior of my bedroom. Not too bad for one week.

I wonder about what will happen when I go back to school. I do hope it will be a different, rather than indifferent, start. I've learned from bitter experience what an indifferent start can do, so I resolve to start much better, and much happier. I also hope they don't ask me to buy a laptop. I love my old one too much. I will upgrade if necessary, but no new ones please.

Now, moving on to different topics. My dad had a little piece of advice for me...keep my head down. Under the radar. In the background. Behind the scenes. In other words, avoid airing my controversial topics on trivial topics like race, religion, rights and freedoms, censorship, music, movies, politics, war, and so on. Ah nuts. There go my plans to turn establishment on its head, subvert the dominant paradigm, and cause anarchy in the UK! Wait, we ain't in the UK. Rats, foiled again!

My dratted cough is back again. Bleeding thing just won't die, will it? And to compound matters, it's a dry cough. The irritating one that just won't go away. Keeps me awake at night, stops me from running far without stopping to cough my brains out. Lovely.

Speaking of running, I'm going back to swimming. Anybody wants to join me? I've got nothing to do these days. Absolutely nothing. If anything's happening, call me, yeah? Thanks, guys and girls. I'm off to roast some meat!

PS. How's the new playlist? Comments/Criticisms are welcome.

If The Train's Late

What happens if your train's late? Nothing, I guess. the train arrives when it arrives. Story of my February, really. Nothing really happened, til right at the end. And then, when you're expecting to cop a break, sit down and catch some shuteye, your train's right there. Blink, and you miss it.

It's been a good end of the month, though. SK2 Party was excellent. A little rushed, perhaps, but we pulled it off perfectly. Perhaps the only downside was that I may have made too much food. Still, better surplus than lack, right? Thank God for all the guests. And that was only February...

March has been even better. First piece of good new? I'm in TP! I have been offered and accepted a place in the Communications and Media Management (aka Mass Comm) course! It ain't exactly what I planned, but I will take it. Back to school in April!

Finally managed to make it to a class gathering. 4S1 Class of 2007...still as perverted and mischievous as ever. We all seem to get on much better now. Except for hairstyles, height, and build, we are still the same....no major personality changes, no deaths or hospitalizations...I'd call that a pretty good ride so far.

Last bit of good news for this post. Free Lunch! Yeah, I actually got a free lunch. Yesterday the family went to a place owned by a friend of my dad's, called Greenwood Fish Market & Bistro. The owner's name is David, and he's a friend of the family. Anyway, he invited us to the re-opening of the restaurant, and they've added a bakery to it! Great place, fresh sashimi, fresh oysters, so on and so forth. (You guessed it, their specialty is seafood.) I definitely recommend it. Menu's a tad pricey, but for quality of that sort, I don't really mind.

Okay, holidays are running their course for everyone. I must plan at least one food raid with the Band of Brothers. Oh, and download more stuff! I'm still addicted to piracy, and will be for some time. so the RIAA, the big-time producers and the rest can shove it, with their respect copyright law crap. To hell with that, I want my free stuff!

So, my to-do list. Plan a raid, play games, exercise more, have fun. Sounds do-able. Oh, and long term, find enough courage to tell her I like her. Yep, definitely do-able. That's all, folks!

Kansas City Shuffle

Someone tagged me to do this, and I thought it might be fun. Oh well, here goes nothing. Oh, and please remember that my music library is loaded with rock n roll, country, oldies, and so on, so we might get some really funny stuff coming up.

1.Put your iTunes/Napster/Zune Player/WinAmp/etc on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS!
4. Tag 10 or more friends who might enjoy doing this as well as the person you got it from.

IF SOMEONE SAYS "IS THIS OKAY" YOU SAY?
Have A Drink On Me - AC/DC

WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
You're In My Heart (The Final Acclaim) - Rod Stewart

HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
Back In The Saddle - Aerosmith

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?
Fast Cars And Freedom - Rascal Flatts

WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
Rock N Roll Heart - Eric Clapton

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
Mona Lisas And Mad Hatters - Mandy Moore

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR PARENTS?
Heroes And Villains - The Beach Boys

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
Way Back Into Love - Hugh Grant and Haley Bennett

WHAT IS 2+2?
Cherry Pie - Warrant

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
You're My Best Friend - Queen

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
What Makes You Different (Makes You Beautiful) - The Backstreet Boys

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
I Walk The Line - Joaquin Phoenix

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
Englishman In New York - Sting & The Police

WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
I Just Called To Say I Love You - Stevie Wonder

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
Don't Dream It's Over - Crowded House

WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
Bless The Broken Road - Rascal Flatts

WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
Free Bird - Lynyrd Skynyrd

WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
Californication - Red Hot Chili Peppers

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
I Wanna Be Sedated - The Ramones

WHAT'S THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN?
Something Happened On The Way To Heaven - Phil Collins

HOW WILL YOU DIE?
Livin' La Vida Loca - Ricky Martin

WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU REGRET?
The Ghost Of You - Michael Learns To Rock

WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH?
Everything - Michael Buble

WHAT MAKES YOU CRY?
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For - U2

WILL YOU EVER GET MARRIED?
Believe - Josh Groban

WHAT SCARES YOU THE MOST?
What Hurts The Most - Rascal Flatts

DOES ANYONE LIKE YOU?
My Love - Westlife

IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE?
I Won't Say (I'm In Love) - Disney Soundtrack

WHAT HURTS RIGHT NOW?
Words I Couldn't Say - Rascal Flatts

WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS?
Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding - Elton John

Second Verse, Same As The First

The new year has become just another year. The holiday euphoria has worn off, and I believe we can all go back to the comfort of the familiar. Routine, habit, ritual and practice. It had to come sometime, but believe me, I wish it never would.

Imagine. By the end of this year, we will all note the drop of another grain of sand in our hourglasses. Will we truly be "another year older, another year wiser"? I certainly hope so.

So far, so good. Things have been going along very well. I'm still working, probably til end Feb. However, I am on vacation...now, what should I do with said vacation?

Goals...ever so simple, and yet, so far away from achievement. Oh well, here goes nothing.

1. Stabilize weight at 90kg
2. Learn to play my electric guitar
3. Get into my course of choice
4. Be nice to people.
5. Ask a girl out properly, without somehow pissing her off or frightening her away.
6. FACEBOOK!
7. Celebrate my birthday.

Okay, that's all from me. Targets haven't changed too much, I guess. Second verse, same as the first.