Life's Looking Up
Yes, it's been almost 48 hours since I wrote anything.
It has become more of a habit to moan and groan about my life daily but lately, there's nothing to agonize about.
Simply put, my love-o-meter which was once frozen is starting to bubble and my work-bore-o-meter has started to looked from Al Gore to Give me More.
With two aspects of my life looking up, what's there more to ask?
I'm in nirvana, just seeking happiness from the uneasiness of the rest of the world.
Construction sites collapses, Wall street crashes and Leather whip lashes, I prefer to keep my head out from the shadows and be deluded.
Ignorance is bliss as one may say. It is true nirvana when you have nothing much to care about.
But I haven't reached true nirvana. Especially on the MRT.
One thing I hate about girls is their hair. Yes. Their freaking long hair.
There was this woman who was so vain. She kept touching her hair as though it was going to drop the next minute. Next 10 seconds may I correct because that is the average frequency she kept touching herself like a Dove commercial.
And the thing is, girls with long hair love to condition and shampoo and it permeates out a certain smell.
Well, that woman not only touch her hair but kept flicking her hair over her shadow and her hair kept lashing inches in front of my face.
Half my face was filled with her dandruff.
And the smell that came with the 1000 flicks was nauseating.
And then, there is the BHO gals.
BHO stands for Bad Hair Odour. Those that wash their hair to strange chemicals like petroleum or pond water.
During peak periods where I had to squeeze into the train carriage, this Indian gal manage to make it before the doors closed on her. What she did next was horrendous.
Like the Clairols commercial, she slowly spread her hair out to an extensive degree and those standing behind her had to do a Neo before their face or clothes smelled like coconute oil.
I wasn't able to do a back breaking stunt and her hair came close to my nose and brushed my lips.
Least to say, she created "space" for herself in the already crammed space by stuffing (spreading) her hair to her perimeter.
Digusting tricks to gain space on the MRT.
Glad to say, those were just rare incidents of BHO and Flicky gals. If you are one of those reading this article, do not be afraid if I go snip snip on you.
Trust me. Stay clear away from me and let me be in nirvana.
- Benjamin
Friday, April 30, 2004
Wednesday, April 28, 2004
Ben the Geek
Okay, I'm suppose to be working but here I am. Blogging.
For your information, I'm on my bed currently, halfway through writing a Creative Brief and I need a breather.
Hence, Blogging.
I wonder why do I even put in so much into my internship. As of late, work have been getting more thrilling as I get more exposed to meeting Clients and getting involved in meetings that involves heated discussions and awkward moments.
Human politics at its true nature.
Another piece of information, it's 11.30 pm and I have to finish 3 Creative Briefs by 8.30 am in the morning. That includes sleep in between and travel time.
Then what the fuck am I doing here ? As I said, de-stressing.
Somehow, writing is an outlet for me to slowly vent my thoughts and calm my nervous frantic brain. A theraputic effect, I suppose. As I was rushing to meet the client with my supervisor walking alongside to me, we made casual chat.
Supervisor:"So, what do you do in your free time"
Me: "Definently not golfing." (All the MEN in my office follow golf and their tee-offs very closely)
Supervisor:(chuckles)"How about other sports?"
Me: "Is writing a sport?"
Supervisor:"Um..."
Okay, I'm officially a geek in the eyes of my supervisor. And also to the people who have just read the conversation above.
So, I'm a geek who loves to write (or type) and someone who hibernates (because of the freezing temperature in my Ad agency) for 12 hours while writing briefs after briefs after briefs.
I wonder if they would hire a geek like me. Which I have a gut feeling that they might and will.
Wahahaha!!! Months of hibernation and I'm looking forward to employment
That's because Mindef has decided not to enlist me early and I guess since I'm going in either October, November or December, I might as well work as a slave.
So until then, I can join the meat market before I get packaged off to the Army farm factory.
Which leads me onto my actual point of me getting hired. I so love to "run around the bush". Pardon me. Someone hit me with a plush toy that resembles the Nemo toy which you can get for free if you spend $120 at a KTV (private joke).
As I was saying, I might be promoted from ad intern to advertising executive. Which means better pay and higher expectations to perform.
The thing is I have been hardworking to the core and been performing to the best of my knowledge, which impresses my supervisor at my marvellous computer skills in Excel (okay, i'm boasting because I'm a geek-in-the-ass).
And the question lies "How much should I ask as my starting pay?" You can practically see dollar signs ringing in my eyeballs.
The thing about money is because I've been planning a HOLIDAY. Yes, an overseas trip to get away from the bitchy island aptly name Sing-a-whore (I'm crude, sue me). It would just be nice to get away even though I'll be spending ridiculous money to fly uncomfortably to a foreign land,
I wish to travel ALONE. Yes, like backpacking where in the US or Australia, people go backpacking in pairs or groups before they face eternal damnation like work and hence they backpack. I just want to make this journey alone at my OWN time and OWN place.
I just need the $$$. Or I could just continue writing as a sport. How exciting !
Your next door geek,
Benjamin
Okay, I'm suppose to be working but here I am. Blogging.
For your information, I'm on my bed currently, halfway through writing a Creative Brief and I need a breather.
Hence, Blogging.
I wonder why do I even put in so much into my internship. As of late, work have been getting more thrilling as I get more exposed to meeting Clients and getting involved in meetings that involves heated discussions and awkward moments.
Human politics at its true nature.
Another piece of information, it's 11.30 pm and I have to finish 3 Creative Briefs by 8.30 am in the morning. That includes sleep in between and travel time.
Then what the fuck am I doing here ? As I said, de-stressing.
Somehow, writing is an outlet for me to slowly vent my thoughts and calm my nervous frantic brain. A theraputic effect, I suppose. As I was rushing to meet the client with my supervisor walking alongside to me, we made casual chat.
Supervisor:"So, what do you do in your free time"
Me: "Definently not golfing." (All the MEN in my office follow golf and their tee-offs very closely)
Supervisor:(chuckles)"How about other sports?"
Me: "Is writing a sport?"
Supervisor:"Um..."
Okay, I'm officially a geek in the eyes of my supervisor. And also to the people who have just read the conversation above.
So, I'm a geek who loves to write (or type) and someone who hibernates (because of the freezing temperature in my Ad agency) for 12 hours while writing briefs after briefs after briefs.
I wonder if they would hire a geek like me. Which I have a gut feeling that they might and will.
Wahahaha!!! Months of hibernation and I'm looking forward to employment
That's because Mindef has decided not to enlist me early and I guess since I'm going in either October, November or December, I might as well work as a slave.
So until then, I can join the meat market before I get packaged off to the Army farm factory.
Which leads me onto my actual point of me getting hired. I so love to "run around the bush". Pardon me. Someone hit me with a plush toy that resembles the Nemo toy which you can get for free if you spend $120 at a KTV (private joke).
As I was saying, I might be promoted from ad intern to advertising executive. Which means better pay and higher expectations to perform.
The thing is I have been hardworking to the core and been performing to the best of my knowledge, which impresses my supervisor at my marvellous computer skills in Excel (okay, i'm boasting because I'm a geek-in-the-ass).
And the question lies "How much should I ask as my starting pay?" You can practically see dollar signs ringing in my eyeballs.
The thing about money is because I've been planning a HOLIDAY. Yes, an overseas trip to get away from the bitchy island aptly name Sing-a-whore (I'm crude, sue me). It would just be nice to get away even though I'll be spending ridiculous money to fly uncomfortably to a foreign land,
I wish to travel ALONE. Yes, like backpacking where in the US or Australia, people go backpacking in pairs or groups before they face eternal damnation like work and hence they backpack. I just want to make this journey alone at my OWN time and OWN place.
I just need the $$$. Or I could just continue writing as a sport. How exciting !
Your next door geek,
Benjamin
Monday, April 26, 2004
Consequences of me in politics
If I ever join the PAP, I would do the following:
1. Make it compulsory for everyone to have sex education lessons from primary school.
2. Ban flying ants and cockroaches by having a SWOT team ready on call whenever any buzzes within ear sight of any innocent Singaporean.
3. Stop giving scholarships to international students who think they own the world and deserve it all by making them go through 9 stages of harsh interviews and brainwashing before allowing them to study here.
4. Force MITA to give more transparency to by having a board of censors from all walks of life to sit in and watch a particular movie before giving it a rating. That’s what you call democracy. DUH!
5. Import foreign talent who can make us laugh. Drew Careys, Whoopi Goldbergs and Homer Simpson look-alikes are welcomed.
6. Remove ERP rates and let people drive to work when as they please and make them caught in traffic jams if they so enjoy having it instead of people waiting for the gantry time limit to pass causing MORE traffic jams and ACCIDENTS.
7. Build more theme parks and less neighbourhood parks since only lovers go there at night to do what they do at Hotel 81. Only cheaper and that there are the same amount of bugs when they do it.
8. Reduce National Service for 1 year and make women serve military service by allowing them to learn basic survival skills of crowd control management and how to spread legs wider to procreate faster.
9. Ventilate the SMRT systems as more people with body odours and hair with weird smells are boarding the trains.
10. Introduce a Papparazzi that will help heighten awareness for the Parliament by involving us in text SMS scandals or heart/kidney failure problems due to wrongful medication.
I promise you that I will let you down. Our economy will head downhill and you all have to thank or throw tomatoes at me for that. Vote for me. Please (on my knees).
Your very hunky Rambo terminator,
Benjamin
P.S. I'm definently not dreamd8 material but I sure look good in white.
If I ever join the PAP, I would do the following:
1. Make it compulsory for everyone to have sex education lessons from primary school.
2. Ban flying ants and cockroaches by having a SWOT team ready on call whenever any buzzes within ear sight of any innocent Singaporean.
3. Stop giving scholarships to international students who think they own the world and deserve it all by making them go through 9 stages of harsh interviews and brainwashing before allowing them to study here.
4. Force MITA to give more transparency to by having a board of censors from all walks of life to sit in and watch a particular movie before giving it a rating. That’s what you call democracy. DUH!
5. Import foreign talent who can make us laugh. Drew Careys, Whoopi Goldbergs and Homer Simpson look-alikes are welcomed.
6. Remove ERP rates and let people drive to work when as they please and make them caught in traffic jams if they so enjoy having it instead of people waiting for the gantry time limit to pass causing MORE traffic jams and ACCIDENTS.
7. Build more theme parks and less neighbourhood parks since only lovers go there at night to do what they do at Hotel 81. Only cheaper and that there are the same amount of bugs when they do it.
8. Reduce National Service for 1 year and make women serve military service by allowing them to learn basic survival skills of crowd control management and how to spread legs wider to procreate faster.
9. Ventilate the SMRT systems as more people with body odours and hair with weird smells are boarding the trains.
10. Introduce a Papparazzi that will help heighten awareness for the Parliament by involving us in text SMS scandals or heart/kidney failure problems due to wrongful medication.
I promise you that I will let you down. Our economy will head downhill and you all have to thank or throw tomatoes at me for that. Vote for me. Please (on my knees).
Your very hunky Rambo terminator,
Benjamin
P.S. I'm definently not dreamd8 material but I sure look good in white.
Don't be bitter, be better
This comes as one of best pieces of advice ever given to me.
Ever since the mydreamd8.com got a little dirty, I've kinda got refreshed with reality.
Money makes the world go round. or crazy.
Either I could lament and join the mud slinging, dagger throwing session or I could just sit back and enjoy the show.
I chose the latter.
But then again, this politics not only takes place in competitions but in the offices and in the family too. It just exists in different forms of perversions that has different elements.
The world is a playing field. Unless you're a hermit that is as stingy as a scrooge with no friends, family members and a house that is equipped with all possible technology to wash your socks and cook cream broule at the order of a remote control button, than maybe you'll never need to take the stage.
But until you grow to be that filthy rich, we have to face the world.
It's brutal. It's cutthroat. It's every man for himself.
I fantasize about how I climb the ranks by ploughing the corporate ladder. I have to mow the weeds and then slowly find my own patch of grass to develop myself.
Okay, stupid analogy. But life is meant to be bittersweet. You suck in the bitterness and savour the sweetness.
That's life. And we can only improve after our setbacks and hardships.
That's why life is meant to be bitter.
As the parting days of mdd8 is about to end, I guess I've gained a more worldly-wise view of people out there.
Cest' la vie. Choose the flavour of the life you want to lead.
- Benjamin
P.S. I sound like an advertising campaign to promote life. How sardonic.
This comes as one of best pieces of advice ever given to me.
Ever since the mydreamd8.com got a little dirty, I've kinda got refreshed with reality.
Money makes the world go round. or crazy.
Either I could lament and join the mud slinging, dagger throwing session or I could just sit back and enjoy the show.
I chose the latter.
But then again, this politics not only takes place in competitions but in the offices and in the family too. It just exists in different forms of perversions that has different elements.
The world is a playing field. Unless you're a hermit that is as stingy as a scrooge with no friends, family members and a house that is equipped with all possible technology to wash your socks and cook cream broule at the order of a remote control button, than maybe you'll never need to take the stage.
But until you grow to be that filthy rich, we have to face the world.
It's brutal. It's cutthroat. It's every man for himself.
I fantasize about how I climb the ranks by ploughing the corporate ladder. I have to mow the weeds and then slowly find my own patch of grass to develop myself.
Okay, stupid analogy. But life is meant to be bittersweet. You suck in the bitterness and savour the sweetness.
That's life. And we can only improve after our setbacks and hardships.
That's why life is meant to be bitter.
As the parting days of mdd8 is about to end, I guess I've gained a more worldly-wise view of people out there.
Cest' la vie. Choose the flavour of the life you want to lead.
- Benjamin
P.S. I sound like an advertising campaign to promote life. How sardonic.
Sunday, April 25, 2004
Lazy Sunday
There's nothing better than a lazy Sunday to just microwave your brain.
After a rather hyperventilating mahjong session, I proceeded to sleep in slumber for the next 6 hours before being startled up for no apparent season.
Must be Monday ringing the doorbell.
Woke Eric up (who was sleeping in the other room) and we headed off to brunch which was a magnificent set of nasi lemak.
I'm pretty suprised Bedok have such great Nasi Lemak, because the only good ones that I know of are in Changi Village, Punggol and Tanjong Pagar.
Trotting back home after a fulfilling lunch, I headed straight to do work. At home.
Yes, work on a Sunday. I had to analyze, read up and basically research up some topic related to my product.
Work can't escaped me on a beautiful Sunday, but I procrastinated and sloooowly took my time surfing the sites. Watched Pirates of the Carribean and chanced upon some sites to see where I was heading next.
Note the Mindef website but some universities ranking list where whom was whom of the crop for mass communications in the states, England and Oz. Had no breakthrough though. Mom pop the question of my enlistment and my overseas studies plan.
"I have no idea, especially if Mindef chooses to enlist in frigging late November, i'm just super suay."
Imagine being in limbo for approximately for 4 or 5 months while all my buddies and mahjong khakis head off early and by the time I get out, there are some ranks above me and will be spitting orders (saliva) in front of my face because they lost mahjong to me prior few months back.
On the other hand, I'm pretty clear of the direction of where I'm going to head. Preferably the US, but due to financial woes, the poorer education cousin of the Oz will make do. But England sounds not bad, after all, they are the originators of MOST of the reality shows out there, not the States by the way.
But until then, I guess have 5 months of lazy Sundays ahead after internship. I need to do something. I hate to be in limbo.
I'll be like a wandering soul, creating something out of nothing. That's what I do best anyway.
Lazing around,
Benjamin
P.S. Incidentally, it's 11.15pm and it sucks. It's barely 45 minutes away from the dreaded 'M' word. "Shivers"
There's nothing better than a lazy Sunday to just microwave your brain.
After a rather hyperventilating mahjong session, I proceeded to sleep in slumber for the next 6 hours before being startled up for no apparent season.
Must be Monday ringing the doorbell.
Woke Eric up (who was sleeping in the other room) and we headed off to brunch which was a magnificent set of nasi lemak.
I'm pretty suprised Bedok have such great Nasi Lemak, because the only good ones that I know of are in Changi Village, Punggol and Tanjong Pagar.
Trotting back home after a fulfilling lunch, I headed straight to do work. At home.
Yes, work on a Sunday. I had to analyze, read up and basically research up some topic related to my product.
Work can't escaped me on a beautiful Sunday, but I procrastinated and sloooowly took my time surfing the sites. Watched Pirates of the Carribean and chanced upon some sites to see where I was heading next.
Note the Mindef website but some universities ranking list where whom was whom of the crop for mass communications in the states, England and Oz. Had no breakthrough though. Mom pop the question of my enlistment and my overseas studies plan.
"I have no idea, especially if Mindef chooses to enlist in frigging late November, i'm just super suay."
Imagine being in limbo for approximately for 4 or 5 months while all my buddies and mahjong khakis head off early and by the time I get out, there are some ranks above me and will be spitting orders (saliva) in front of my face because they lost mahjong to me prior few months back.
On the other hand, I'm pretty clear of the direction of where I'm going to head. Preferably the US, but due to financial woes, the poorer education cousin of the Oz will make do. But England sounds not bad, after all, they are the originators of MOST of the reality shows out there, not the States by the way.
But until then, I guess have 5 months of lazy Sundays ahead after internship. I need to do something. I hate to be in limbo.
I'll be like a wandering soul, creating something out of nothing. That's what I do best anyway.
Lazing around,
Benjamin
P.S. Incidentally, it's 11.15pm and it sucks. It's barely 45 minutes away from the dreaded 'M' word. "Shivers"
Bogged down
My recent abscene from the blogging scene is down to one word.
Work !
Suprisingly, after I wrote my entries about how B-O-R-I-N-G is my work, a tidal wave of responsibilities and assignments crashed into my hapless intern body.
Luckily, I had it in me to straighten my priorities. Work, followed by blog.
And work I did. For the past 3 days, I'm always the last 5 people that leaves the damn eerie office and it's always past 7.30 pm.
The thing about my office is that when it hits like 7 pm, all radios have been tuned off as their owners have headed home and my cubicle is situated at a lonesome corner with the automated water cooler making a machine buzzing sound.
Guess you only have to be there to know it. It gives me the creeps and my paranoia sets it as though somebody is behind me but Hey !, I gotta do my job and no supernatural hallucinations gonna stop me in my tracks.
Imagine THE NEW PAPER HEADLINE.
"Intern got FREAKED OUT and DIES because of supernatural hallucinations"
That would top the charts.
The most redeeming thing about work, is lunch. I'm grateful for the variety of choice of food in the area that can fill my tummy but the most unredeeming thing is I have an ulcer for almost a week and it isn't even CURED yet !
Grrr..... I'm gonna try Bonjela, as recommended by Nuj, and my parents bought it the last time they were at Oz. I hope it's more soothing than agonizing.
I won't bore you with the boring details of my work as of yet but I'm looking ahead for a breather after one more month of internship.
I have a gut feeling that they would like to re-hire me but I'm still thinking whether should I stay on or move on. Decisions, decisions.
Anyway, the main factor buggering me is that I have YET to receive my ENLISTMENT LETTER to army and I hope I'm not overlooked.
If I'm going to serve it, than give it to me. Don't delay it, because it will affect the after plans of my life. I wish Army would be reduced by a year but that's another topic for another time.
Okay, I'm already blabbering. To round up, I had an amazing weekend but a lousy birthday celebration (it's not mine, btw). Would have been more cost effective if we didn't go karaoke and the BBQ steamboat. There were too many flying ants diving into shirts and soups, pretty annoying if you had to ask and pretty disgusting if you had to imagine.
And I think I'm tone deaf so that means I can't SING !
Pretty much rounds up the last few days. And work is barely around the corner. Argh !
To be or not to be,
a tone-deaf Benjamin
P.S. I wonder how I survived through 4 years of being a concert band member.
My recent abscene from the blogging scene is down to one word.
Work !
Suprisingly, after I wrote my entries about how B-O-R-I-N-G is my work, a tidal wave of responsibilities and assignments crashed into my hapless intern body.
Luckily, I had it in me to straighten my priorities. Work, followed by blog.
And work I did. For the past 3 days, I'm always the last 5 people that leaves the damn eerie office and it's always past 7.30 pm.
The thing about my office is that when it hits like 7 pm, all radios have been tuned off as their owners have headed home and my cubicle is situated at a lonesome corner with the automated water cooler making a machine buzzing sound.
Guess you only have to be there to know it. It gives me the creeps and my paranoia sets it as though somebody is behind me but Hey !, I gotta do my job and no supernatural hallucinations gonna stop me in my tracks.
Imagine THE NEW PAPER HEADLINE.
"Intern got FREAKED OUT and DIES because of supernatural hallucinations"
That would top the charts.
The most redeeming thing about work, is lunch. I'm grateful for the variety of choice of food in the area that can fill my tummy but the most unredeeming thing is I have an ulcer for almost a week and it isn't even CURED yet !
Grrr..... I'm gonna try Bonjela, as recommended by Nuj, and my parents bought it the last time they were at Oz. I hope it's more soothing than agonizing.
I won't bore you with the boring details of my work as of yet but I'm looking ahead for a breather after one more month of internship.
I have a gut feeling that they would like to re-hire me but I'm still thinking whether should I stay on or move on. Decisions, decisions.
Anyway, the main factor buggering me is that I have YET to receive my ENLISTMENT LETTER to army and I hope I'm not overlooked.
If I'm going to serve it, than give it to me. Don't delay it, because it will affect the after plans of my life. I wish Army would be reduced by a year but that's another topic for another time.
Okay, I'm already blabbering. To round up, I had an amazing weekend but a lousy birthday celebration (it's not mine, btw). Would have been more cost effective if we didn't go karaoke and the BBQ steamboat. There were too many flying ants diving into shirts and soups, pretty annoying if you had to ask and pretty disgusting if you had to imagine.
And I think I'm tone deaf so that means I can't SING !
Pretty much rounds up the last few days. And work is barely around the corner. Argh !
To be or not to be,
a tone-deaf Benjamin
P.S. I wonder how I survived through 4 years of being a concert band member.
Wednesday, April 21, 2004
My Wednesday Morning
This morning, I woke up with back woes. Yes, my back is still aching from the NAPFA test.
Goes to show how much I get out to really stretch and run. Maybe it's finally time to get out of the cyberworld and visit the gymworld. Maybe not. I'm just procrastinating.
I have reason to. I work till I'm shagged everyday. The only time I have for myself is the journey to and fro where I stare at the glassy MRT window panels and think.
And when I think, I really think in depth. Just today, I wanted to chart out my career path.
Call me a freak, call me a nerd. I'm just an organized virgo who wants to plan out my life.
I know that you cannot chart out every single step of your life down to the last cent and minute but still, it gives me an indication of where I am.
Today's thoughts brought me to think how am I able to live comfortably.
Yes, I won't deny my middle class aspirations. I wish to creep out of this ladder to hopefully more luxurious comforts.
A condominium with pool and gym facilities, A career that's as challenging as much as it is interesting, A car that is practical yet sleek in design and A bank account that should be able to take care my parents for the rest of their lives.
Throughout all this thinking, I had one notion in mind. That I will be single forever.
Yes, this solemn notion of me being a singleton doesn't sound so bad. I will never be accountable for missing anniversaries, fetching kids home from school or attending their piano recitals.
Being singles has it quirks. But it also means I'll be lonely in my walking cane years. But with no responsibility to bear in the credit card years, isn't that more of a bliss than pain?
I tinkered with the idea of me foregoing any form of relationship except friendships and kinship. I would then focus my efforts to studying hard and surviving in a foreign land.
For your info, I will be studying in a foreign university if fate allows and cards fall my way, but it seems that won't happen. I can only hope.
But is being single as bad as it seems, after all, the only setback is no children to carry on your surname & bloodline and no partner to whack you at night when you snore or accompany you to line dancing lessons.
But one thing that really has been buggering me is this. If I ever do get attached, I will lose a part of my freedom. The freedom of "me".
For those who do not understand what I'm talking about, the "me" refers to the sanity of your space that you are entitled when you are single. You have to take into consideration the other party and you feel a sense of entitlement being lost to her when every consideration about a decision or a thought has to take into account the other party.
As you all can see by now, I'm a narcissitical egoist. I care more about myself than I care about others. That's why I don't support NKF or even drop coins at donation cans.
Call me heartless, call me depiscable, but this is the mold that I have slowly melded to as my adolescent years slowly beget me.
Most Singaporean kids are just plain spoiled, ego-centric and materialistic, and I'm one of them. The only thing redeeming is that I have my sensibilities. I know when to give and when to take. I know when to stop splurging and start saving.
The only thing I haven't learn is to stop thinking about myself as the first priority. And I love to think, as my thoughts are the only thing that is free.
I know I should start taking into consideration of others. But I'm just apathetic to others.
It's me, myself and I for now. I don't wish to give up my singleton existence but I don't wish to be single forever.
Compromises, compromises. Sigh. Will I ever walk down the aisle?
Feeling rather Wiltful on a Wednesday,
Benjamin
This morning, I woke up with back woes. Yes, my back is still aching from the NAPFA test.
Goes to show how much I get out to really stretch and run. Maybe it's finally time to get out of the cyberworld and visit the gymworld. Maybe not. I'm just procrastinating.
I have reason to. I work till I'm shagged everyday. The only time I have for myself is the journey to and fro where I stare at the glassy MRT window panels and think.
And when I think, I really think in depth. Just today, I wanted to chart out my career path.
Call me a freak, call me a nerd. I'm just an organized virgo who wants to plan out my life.
I know that you cannot chart out every single step of your life down to the last cent and minute but still, it gives me an indication of where I am.
Today's thoughts brought me to think how am I able to live comfortably.
Yes, I won't deny my middle class aspirations. I wish to creep out of this ladder to hopefully more luxurious comforts.
A condominium with pool and gym facilities, A career that's as challenging as much as it is interesting, A car that is practical yet sleek in design and A bank account that should be able to take care my parents for the rest of their lives.
Throughout all this thinking, I had one notion in mind. That I will be single forever.
Yes, this solemn notion of me being a singleton doesn't sound so bad. I will never be accountable for missing anniversaries, fetching kids home from school or attending their piano recitals.
Being singles has it quirks. But it also means I'll be lonely in my walking cane years. But with no responsibility to bear in the credit card years, isn't that more of a bliss than pain?
I tinkered with the idea of me foregoing any form of relationship except friendships and kinship. I would then focus my efforts to studying hard and surviving in a foreign land.
For your info, I will be studying in a foreign university if fate allows and cards fall my way, but it seems that won't happen. I can only hope.
But is being single as bad as it seems, after all, the only setback is no children to carry on your surname & bloodline and no partner to whack you at night when you snore or accompany you to line dancing lessons.
But one thing that really has been buggering me is this. If I ever do get attached, I will lose a part of my freedom. The freedom of "me".
For those who do not understand what I'm talking about, the "me" refers to the sanity of your space that you are entitled when you are single. You have to take into consideration the other party and you feel a sense of entitlement being lost to her when every consideration about a decision or a thought has to take into account the other party.
As you all can see by now, I'm a narcissitical egoist. I care more about myself than I care about others. That's why I don't support NKF or even drop coins at donation cans.
Call me heartless, call me depiscable, but this is the mold that I have slowly melded to as my adolescent years slowly beget me.
Most Singaporean kids are just plain spoiled, ego-centric and materialistic, and I'm one of them. The only thing redeeming is that I have my sensibilities. I know when to give and when to take. I know when to stop splurging and start saving.
The only thing I haven't learn is to stop thinking about myself as the first priority. And I love to think, as my thoughts are the only thing that is free.
I know I should start taking into consideration of others. But I'm just apathetic to others.
It's me, myself and I for now. I don't wish to give up my singleton existence but I don't wish to be single forever.
Compromises, compromises. Sigh. Will I ever walk down the aisle?
Feeling rather Wiltful on a Wednesday,
Benjamin
Tuesday, April 20, 2004
Encounters with another kind
After a tiring night of mahjong, my friends decided to crash at my place.
The comforts of home beckon, and the easiest way home is by taxi. (from Yishun to Bedok).
This is where the weirdest encounter begins.
The taxi driver.
He looks like an affable fella; his English was of some standard rather than those kopi uncles who can't differentiate the pronunciation of Novena and Newton.
Being all sleepy eyed, we just wanted an air-con ride to home sweet home. However, it seem the ride home will not be as sweet as we expected.
The taxi driver spoke in a booming voice. SUPER LOUD.
"HOW YOU ALL WANT ME TO GET THERE HUH ?"Ear piercing if you had to imagine the noise level that vibrated from his thorax.
We just wanted to go through SLE than TPE than home. All shagged but the taxi driver KEPT YELLING in a high FREQUENCY.
He DEBATED all the way, nagging this way faster of going down PIE through Toa Payoh then through Kallang way. That in fact was a longer route which would incur extra cost and hence the DEBATE.
Eventually, among the flurry of words, we FINALLY told him how to reach my house even though he was still a blur. We decided to use MY route and he just gave a really heck care grin.
We wished to head to slumberland as the expressway was an endless road of sunrise which was not glaring but more inviting. We wanted to ah.... and then sleep but ....
NO. THE TAXI DRIVER JUST HAD TO BE THE FRIENDLIEST CAB DRIVER IN THE WORLD.
We were just having a light conversation as we almost dozed off about Eric’s upcoming driving test. (Just so you know, I sat in front while Eric and Ivan sat behind) and the CAB DRIVER decided to gave his input.
He went on YAKKING in his BOOMING voice on how to pass the test. He told Eric to give the driving instructor a blow job.
Yes, you are thinking, what the fuck?
Why in the middle of driving would he want to ask another guy to give a blowjob? The fact was he kept looking at me while talking instead of the road was unnerving. Danger, blowjobs and a taxi-driver? Weird combination?
Okay, our annoying cab driver was telling us the difference for a girl and a guy passing their license and then he went on to talk about Leslie Cheung.
He droned on with his BOOMING voice how rich Leslie Cheung's manager was and that he doesn't mind being the manager even if it mean going down on people.
You people must be thinking "What kind of taxi driver did I flagged?"
I swear I'm not making this up.
And then Ivan said with that money, you can buy some Singtel shares. I said I would rather buy an island.
AND our cab driver put dirty thoughts into my idea, and say he will make the island clothing free and everyone will walk around naked and it will be an ORGY ISLAND.
Surprised? YES, I am, coupled with the fact that I was hazy and just wanted to sleep and here he was trying to stimulate my male libido with naked scenes of him on an island and he has to TELL all 3 of us. How sleazy can he be?
Then, he went to talk about his Batam experience.
Okay, we may be 3 young teenagers that might not be educated sexually but I think he believes he is like telling us hisgrandfather stories, imparting us sexual knowledge. Like we need any.
For me, I think he is either telling me all the bull crap to boost his ego that taxi drivers are not what they seem or he is telling me all what he has learn through his rice bowl journey so I can learn to be like a taxi driver like him.
He told us a bit of his background, having a 31yr old son and being a super doting father, that is willing to give up almost everything type of husband.
Then, he proceeded to tell us about his batam romps. How much they charge, where to get the better girls. Hearing this openly from an older man, I was more appalled than enlightened.
He claims that when he takes time off from his taxi shift, "he will paint the whole street red" at Batam. Just so you know, he looks 55-ish and I have a MMS picture of his taxi ID. I'm really tempted to humiliate him.
DISCLAIMER: THOSE WHO WISH TO CONTINUE ON READING, PLEASE BE 18 AND ABOVE AS IT CONTAINS PAEDOPHILIA TEXTUAL SCENES OR ELSE, PLEASE VISIT WWW.CAREBEARS.ORG FOR A HAPPY VIEW OF THE WORLD.
To continue, while he drove with vivid hand expressions by letting go of the steering wheel, he went onto describe an experience he had with a 15-year old kid.
Yes. Shocked? I was.
I wish to elaborate more but you have to be there to see how he said it with such vigour and expression that all 3 of us were lost for words.
"push and push... still too soft and cannot go in.... but her figure very good wahhhh figure good leh.." then he repeat about the hole being too small again and this time he even use his hand to illustrate "how small it look like..."
We asked him, how young was it when he did that?
His reply: "5 years ago."
I was tempted to jump out of the moving 80 km/h cab.
We asked him, does his wife know about his nightly encounters?. He says nope, he behaves when he is at home. (In other words, in Singapore). Wait till his wife knows about his infidelity.
Don't you all think he is a repulsive old man?
He is such a beastly character, but what could I do? He was in control of the wheel and the ghastly part was I accepted some coin change from him.
I guess I have not been cultured in the ways of the world but such men do exist out there. Women out there, beware of your taxi drivers. You will never know what they can talk or even do to you in private.
For guys out there, I wish may we never turn like him. He is a nut case and a rare kind but maybe there are many people out there like him that I'll never get exposed to.
I'm not sterotyping all taxi drivers to be of this mold but just watch your back, boy or girl. You'll never know who is the nut case in control.
It's a sad sad world out there.
If I ever turn out to be a taxi driver, I would rather end my life if I grow up to be someone like the one above.
All in all, it is one of the rare, weird and wacky real life encounters of people of another kind.
- Benjamin
After a tiring night of mahjong, my friends decided to crash at my place.
The comforts of home beckon, and the easiest way home is by taxi. (from Yishun to Bedok).
This is where the weirdest encounter begins.
The taxi driver.
He looks like an affable fella; his English was of some standard rather than those kopi uncles who can't differentiate the pronunciation of Novena and Newton.
Being all sleepy eyed, we just wanted an air-con ride to home sweet home. However, it seem the ride home will not be as sweet as we expected.
The taxi driver spoke in a booming voice. SUPER LOUD.
"HOW YOU ALL WANT ME TO GET THERE HUH ?"Ear piercing if you had to imagine the noise level that vibrated from his thorax.
We just wanted to go through SLE than TPE than home. All shagged but the taxi driver KEPT YELLING in a high FREQUENCY.
He DEBATED all the way, nagging this way faster of going down PIE through Toa Payoh then through Kallang way. That in fact was a longer route which would incur extra cost and hence the DEBATE.
Eventually, among the flurry of words, we FINALLY told him how to reach my house even though he was still a blur. We decided to use MY route and he just gave a really heck care grin.
We wished to head to slumberland as the expressway was an endless road of sunrise which was not glaring but more inviting. We wanted to ah.... and then sleep but ....
NO. THE TAXI DRIVER JUST HAD TO BE THE FRIENDLIEST CAB DRIVER IN THE WORLD.
We were just having a light conversation as we almost dozed off about Eric’s upcoming driving test. (Just so you know, I sat in front while Eric and Ivan sat behind) and the CAB DRIVER decided to gave his input.
He went on YAKKING in his BOOMING voice on how to pass the test. He told Eric to give the driving instructor a blow job.
Yes, you are thinking, what the fuck?
Why in the middle of driving would he want to ask another guy to give a blowjob? The fact was he kept looking at me while talking instead of the road was unnerving. Danger, blowjobs and a taxi-driver? Weird combination?
Okay, our annoying cab driver was telling us the difference for a girl and a guy passing their license and then he went on to talk about Leslie Cheung.
He droned on with his BOOMING voice how rich Leslie Cheung's manager was and that he doesn't mind being the manager even if it mean going down on people.
You people must be thinking "What kind of taxi driver did I flagged?"
I swear I'm not making this up.
And then Ivan said with that money, you can buy some Singtel shares. I said I would rather buy an island.
AND our cab driver put dirty thoughts into my idea, and say he will make the island clothing free and everyone will walk around naked and it will be an ORGY ISLAND.
Surprised? YES, I am, coupled with the fact that I was hazy and just wanted to sleep and here he was trying to stimulate my male libido with naked scenes of him on an island and he has to TELL all 3 of us. How sleazy can he be?
Then, he went to talk about his Batam experience.
Okay, we may be 3 young teenagers that might not be educated sexually but I think he believes he is like telling us hisgrandfather stories, imparting us sexual knowledge. Like we need any.
For me, I think he is either telling me all the bull crap to boost his ego that taxi drivers are not what they seem or he is telling me all what he has learn through his rice bowl journey so I can learn to be like a taxi driver like him.
He told us a bit of his background, having a 31yr old son and being a super doting father, that is willing to give up almost everything type of husband.
Then, he proceeded to tell us about his batam romps. How much they charge, where to get the better girls. Hearing this openly from an older man, I was more appalled than enlightened.
He claims that when he takes time off from his taxi shift, "he will paint the whole street red" at Batam. Just so you know, he looks 55-ish and I have a MMS picture of his taxi ID. I'm really tempted to humiliate him.
DISCLAIMER: THOSE WHO WISH TO CONTINUE ON READING, PLEASE BE 18 AND ABOVE AS IT CONTAINS PAEDOPHILIA TEXTUAL SCENES OR ELSE, PLEASE VISIT WWW.CAREBEARS.ORG FOR A HAPPY VIEW OF THE WORLD.
To continue, while he drove with vivid hand expressions by letting go of the steering wheel, he went onto describe an experience he had with a 15-year old kid.
Yes. Shocked? I was.
I wish to elaborate more but you have to be there to see how he said it with such vigour and expression that all 3 of us were lost for words.
"push and push... still too soft and cannot go in.... but her figure very good wahhhh figure good leh.." then he repeat about the hole being too small again and this time he even use his hand to illustrate "how small it look like..."
We asked him, how young was it when he did that?
His reply: "5 years ago."
I was tempted to jump out of the moving 80 km/h cab.
We asked him, does his wife know about his nightly encounters?. He says nope, he behaves when he is at home. (In other words, in Singapore). Wait till his wife knows about his infidelity.
Don't you all think he is a repulsive old man?
He is such a beastly character, but what could I do? He was in control of the wheel and the ghastly part was I accepted some coin change from him.
I guess I have not been cultured in the ways of the world but such men do exist out there. Women out there, beware of your taxi drivers. You will never know what they can talk or even do to you in private.
For guys out there, I wish may we never turn like him. He is a nut case and a rare kind but maybe there are many people out there like him that I'll never get exposed to.
I'm not sterotyping all taxi drivers to be of this mold but just watch your back, boy or girl. You'll never know who is the nut case in control.
It's a sad sad world out there.
If I ever turn out to be a taxi driver, I would rather end my life if I grow up to be someone like the one above.
All in all, it is one of the rare, weird and wacky real life encounters of people of another kind.
- Benjamin
Beggars can't be choosers
I think many have heard this phrase many a time.
We liken ourselves as beggars who can't be picky. But choice has always been one for us to decide.
Like whether we can choose to study hard and make an effort to score straight A's to graduate with honours or choose to just make it big out there without the academic paper mumbo jumbo.
Choices have always confounded our decision making process, as we weigh the consequences or we sometimes just heck care and make a decision.
Were there any choices I regret making in the past? Definitely.
But they were mine to make, because I chose this route, this decision, this way.
I have to bear all the consequences of my choices whatever they may be.
For the slightest hint that you went out to shoplift and are convicted as a felon, that was a choice you made to make yourself look like the scum of the shopping centre when you are arrested and publicly humiliated. That was a choice you made.
For the slightest moment that you contemplated joining a beauty contest and you will roughly gather all the human politics from it, then stop whining and complaining about all the drama that you suffered. That was a choice you make.
Whatever choices one makes, it's their consequences to bear. We can whine, we can complain, we can lament but one cannot forget who took the initiative to make that final decision of a choice.
My choice to forgive or forget, look ahead or lag behind and be deluded or more informed, it was mine to make.
It is a choice for people to judge your choice, for people to voice against your choice, for people to lambaste whether your choice was right or wrong, it is a choice when you chose to stand out.
That's the power of choice. People make choices and it might not be agreeable with the choice you made of starting up a new business or buying a new furniture piece for the house.
If everybody knew the calculated risk of every choice that was made, it isn't a choice anymore but a practical, wise and logical move. That's why every choice is a "make or break", because you never know what one choice can change your entire life.
If you knew the risk, the consequence and the outcome of your choice, you accept the fate of your decision. You don't need to be a beggar when you have no choice that's because the choices you made were clearly logical but you just had to twist it.
Beggars didn't had a choice to begin with unlike some people.
Crumpled with loads of choices,
Benjamin
P.S. I had a choice of which industry I wanted to work for, wise or not, I hope it is a good choice.
I think many have heard this phrase many a time.
We liken ourselves as beggars who can't be picky. But choice has always been one for us to decide.
Like whether we can choose to study hard and make an effort to score straight A's to graduate with honours or choose to just make it big out there without the academic paper mumbo jumbo.
Choices have always confounded our decision making process, as we weigh the consequences or we sometimes just heck care and make a decision.
Were there any choices I regret making in the past? Definitely.
But they were mine to make, because I chose this route, this decision, this way.
I have to bear all the consequences of my choices whatever they may be.
For the slightest hint that you went out to shoplift and are convicted as a felon, that was a choice you made to make yourself look like the scum of the shopping centre when you are arrested and publicly humiliated. That was a choice you made.
For the slightest moment that you contemplated joining a beauty contest and you will roughly gather all the human politics from it, then stop whining and complaining about all the drama that you suffered. That was a choice you make.
Whatever choices one makes, it's their consequences to bear. We can whine, we can complain, we can lament but one cannot forget who took the initiative to make that final decision of a choice.
My choice to forgive or forget, look ahead or lag behind and be deluded or more informed, it was mine to make.
It is a choice for people to judge your choice, for people to voice against your choice, for people to lambaste whether your choice was right or wrong, it is a choice when you chose to stand out.
That's the power of choice. People make choices and it might not be agreeable with the choice you made of starting up a new business or buying a new furniture piece for the house.
If everybody knew the calculated risk of every choice that was made, it isn't a choice anymore but a practical, wise and logical move. That's why every choice is a "make or break", because you never know what one choice can change your entire life.
If you knew the risk, the consequence and the outcome of your choice, you accept the fate of your decision. You don't need to be a beggar when you have no choice that's because the choices you made were clearly logical but you just had to twist it.
Beggars didn't had a choice to begin with unlike some people.
Crumpled with loads of choices,
Benjamin
P.S. I had a choice of which industry I wanted to work for, wise or not, I hope it is a good choice.
The Male Virginity
Is there anything wrong with being a virgin?
Seriously. People are saying I will be ridiculed by strangers if they hear that I'm still one and that I'm better off acting as someone who already had experience in sex.
But, what's wrong with being a virgin?
A women is chastised if her virginity is broken, especially if her future mother-in-law gets word of it. But for a guy, you get teased at your lack of sexual partners.
It seems that I'm a traditionalist, I have values that don't engage me in nightly encounters that easily. And since I have not been in a relationship for a long period of time, cobwebs are just gathering at my sacs.
Should I just keep quiet of my status of sexual experience, will that make me more desirable or even more non-desirable? I don't care if i'm super desirable or so totally turns off someone because I have never zipped down for someone.
I'm neither proud nor humble about my virginity, I'm just proud of my values that I have maintained as a person. Hopefully, my life partner will appreciate my sparing usage of my swinging monkey. At least she knows it hasn't been climbing too much vines.
But it is eventual one day that my monkey does need to find a home to nest.
Until that day comes, that monkey has to make do with the bananas it finds to amuse himself.
I would be an idealist if I am searching for someone who is a virgin. It is just a matter of time, maybe during NS years where I will be prowling the nightclubs looking for a good shag after being deprived for so long in my no.4.
But until that day comes, I uphold my morals, something my mother will be proud off I guess.
What really incited me to write about virgin-hood is a recent MSN conversation with 2 of my good buds.
We were really bored with work and we just chatted like what girls would do on a girls night out like how good and "big" the man is and what chocolate flavour they would spread all over their man.
Similarly, we were talking about some sexual encounters on the surface. Only thing though, I had none to share.
quikquiksilver says:
i must be the saddest man in the world
quikquiksilver says:
i havent even got laid
quikquiksilver says:
skarly i go army learn to fuck the grass
Friend A says:
dun lie ben..
quikquiksilver says:
im not lying lah
quikquiksilver says:
fark, seriously who would want to me to fuck them
Friend B says:
nobody wouldn't wanna do tt lor
Friend B says:
unless u are saint,
Friend B says:
even priests need to fark at times
Friend B says:
and i think at those times, they took off their crosses or whatsoever
Yes, we sound rather crude lah, but that's the way we speak. Men's talk.
So I guess the topic has led from virginity to having sex.
Maybe I'm deprived. Maybe I just really need a good shag. Whatever that is, I have my values and morals, and I'm not just going to screw all of that up for one good shag.
The Holy Virgin,
Benjamin
Is there anything wrong with being a virgin?
Seriously. People are saying I will be ridiculed by strangers if they hear that I'm still one and that I'm better off acting as someone who already had experience in sex.
But, what's wrong with being a virgin?
A women is chastised if her virginity is broken, especially if her future mother-in-law gets word of it. But for a guy, you get teased at your lack of sexual partners.
It seems that I'm a traditionalist, I have values that don't engage me in nightly encounters that easily. And since I have not been in a relationship for a long period of time, cobwebs are just gathering at my sacs.
Should I just keep quiet of my status of sexual experience, will that make me more desirable or even more non-desirable? I don't care if i'm super desirable or so totally turns off someone because I have never zipped down for someone.
I'm neither proud nor humble about my virginity, I'm just proud of my values that I have maintained as a person. Hopefully, my life partner will appreciate my sparing usage of my swinging monkey. At least she knows it hasn't been climbing too much vines.
But it is eventual one day that my monkey does need to find a home to nest.
Until that day comes, that monkey has to make do with the bananas it finds to amuse himself.
I would be an idealist if I am searching for someone who is a virgin. It is just a matter of time, maybe during NS years where I will be prowling the nightclubs looking for a good shag after being deprived for so long in my no.4.
But until that day comes, I uphold my morals, something my mother will be proud off I guess.
What really incited me to write about virgin-hood is a recent MSN conversation with 2 of my good buds.
We were really bored with work and we just chatted like what girls would do on a girls night out like how good and "big" the man is and what chocolate flavour they would spread all over their man.
Similarly, we were talking about some sexual encounters on the surface. Only thing though, I had none to share.
quikquiksilver says:
i must be the saddest man in the world
quikquiksilver says:
i havent even got laid
quikquiksilver says:
skarly i go army learn to fuck the grass
Friend A says:
dun lie ben..
quikquiksilver says:
im not lying lah
quikquiksilver says:
fark, seriously who would want to me to fuck them
Friend B says:
nobody wouldn't wanna do tt lor
Friend B says:
unless u are saint,
Friend B says:
even priests need to fark at times
Friend B says:
and i think at those times, they took off their crosses or whatsoever
Yes, we sound rather crude lah, but that's the way we speak. Men's talk.
So I guess the topic has led from virginity to having sex.
Maybe I'm deprived. Maybe I just really need a good shag. Whatever that is, I have my values and morals, and I'm not just going to screw all of that up for one good shag.
The Holy Virgin,
Benjamin
Friday, April 16, 2004
Choc O Laughter
Wahahahaha!
Before you think I just entered Woodbridge, let me indulge you with some tidbits.
I watched "50 First Dates" and "Starsky & Hutch" !
I love comedies, basically anything that makes me laugh my lungs out get the thumbs up for me. I watched these movies courtesy of free tickets, perks of being in the media industry AND knowing people in the media industry.
Anyway, after mundane 9-5 deskbound days, it was really refreshing to perk up your day.
SPOILER ALERT: If you wish to watch the following 2 movies of 50 First Dates and Starsky & Hutch, scroll to the END OF SPOILER so that I won't SPOIL your movie after you read my REVIEW because we all know how SPOILERS are such a SPOILSPORT when they tell you the ending of the show. I might throw in hints of the movie here and there but I try my best as possible to not SPOIL your entire experience. If you've watched it, GO READ what I feel about it. : )
Wednesday: 50 First Dates
Hilarious to the last drop, heartwarming for a romantic comedy to bring your loved one to. There were some "your face going huh?" at the nonsensical humour because of some American context but it's forgiving when you see how Adam Sandler makes Drew Barrymore love him every morning.
"See all the faces melt and go awwwwwwwwwwwww"
Drew Barrymore's face don't strike me very favourably now, I love her in 50 First Dates but it is getting too sterotypical for her already and I don't think she'll ever break out of such roles. Same goes to Adam, but he just cracks me up all the time.
50 First Dates: 4/5 Big laughs
Thursday: Starsky & Hutch
I watch this with my gal pal, Wen Jun and I saw many familiar faces for this screening. Quite a lor of Advertising people were there. And it was seemingly irritating because the movie advertisements lasted for 15 minutes. Hmm....
Anyway, because the movie is a current remake of a hit TV show (correct me if i'm wrong), lots of the camera work were using a fusion of old camera tricks with the new tricks which I give excellent marks to the director.
One flaw though was the beginning. Like most movies, the beginning got off to a slow start, this is so as to build the personality of the cast. As the movie begin, Ben Stiller is damn farni. And I absolutely love the ending.
Although there was an obvious cut scene from MDA where the bad guy killed his wife for no apparent reason (i don't know why she died because it was cut off ... duhz).
Starsky & Hutch: 3/5 Big laughs - Going retro is power !!!
END OF SPOILERS
After Starsky & Hutch, I brought our birthday girl to Max Brenner to have a chocolate craving before she turns the big 2-1.
Pictures speak a thousand words. Cliche line but it works.
View my mms blog!!! Loads of pictures and comments for you to guffaw.
We had the melting fondeau where I absolutely love milk chocolate !! A no-no to the white chocolate as it tastes kinda yucky. Good place for lovebirds to indulge in pre-bed activities before romping.
Max Brenner's Chocolate Bar: 4/5 Da Place to cave into your ultimate cravings. - 1 for "where's the cookies" hehehe...
It's a funny day. Live it. Or spread it all over with chocolate.
Wahahahaha!
Before you think I just entered Woodbridge, let me indulge you with some tidbits.
I watched "50 First Dates" and "Starsky & Hutch" !
I love comedies, basically anything that makes me laugh my lungs out get the thumbs up for me. I watched these movies courtesy of free tickets, perks of being in the media industry AND knowing people in the media industry.
Anyway, after mundane 9-5 deskbound days, it was really refreshing to perk up your day.
SPOILER ALERT: If you wish to watch the following 2 movies of 50 First Dates and Starsky & Hutch, scroll to the END OF SPOILER so that I won't SPOIL your movie after you read my REVIEW because we all know how SPOILERS are such a SPOILSPORT when they tell you the ending of the show. I might throw in hints of the movie here and there but I try my best as possible to not SPOIL your entire experience. If you've watched it, GO READ what I feel about it. : )
Wednesday: 50 First Dates
Hilarious to the last drop, heartwarming for a romantic comedy to bring your loved one to. There were some "your face going huh?" at the nonsensical humour because of some American context but it's forgiving when you see how Adam Sandler makes Drew Barrymore love him every morning.
"See all the faces melt and go awwwwwwwwwwwww"
Drew Barrymore's face don't strike me very favourably now, I love her in 50 First Dates but it is getting too sterotypical for her already and I don't think she'll ever break out of such roles. Same goes to Adam, but he just cracks me up all the time.
50 First Dates: 4/5 Big laughs
Thursday: Starsky & Hutch
I watch this with my gal pal, Wen Jun and I saw many familiar faces for this screening. Quite a lor of Advertising people were there. And it was seemingly irritating because the movie advertisements lasted for 15 minutes. Hmm....
Anyway, because the movie is a current remake of a hit TV show (correct me if i'm wrong), lots of the camera work were using a fusion of old camera tricks with the new tricks which I give excellent marks to the director.
One flaw though was the beginning. Like most movies, the beginning got off to a slow start, this is so as to build the personality of the cast. As the movie begin, Ben Stiller is damn farni. And I absolutely love the ending.
Although there was an obvious cut scene from MDA where the bad guy killed his wife for no apparent reason (i don't know why she died because it was cut off ... duhz).
Starsky & Hutch: 3/5 Big laughs - Going retro is power !!!
END OF SPOILERS
After Starsky & Hutch, I brought our birthday girl to Max Brenner to have a chocolate craving before she turns the big 2-1.
Pictures speak a thousand words. Cliche line but it works.
 |  |  | |
 |  |  | |
 |  |  |
View my mms blog!!! Loads of pictures and comments for you to guffaw.
We had the melting fondeau where I absolutely love milk chocolate !! A no-no to the white chocolate as it tastes kinda yucky. Good place for lovebirds to indulge in pre-bed activities before romping.
Max Brenner's Chocolate Bar: 4/5 Da Place to cave into your ultimate cravings. - 1 for "where's the cookies" hehehe...
It's a funny day. Live it. Or spread it all over with chocolate.
HAPPY 21st BIRTHDAY WEN JUN !!!
- Benjamin
Wednesday, April 14, 2004
Boredom
Boredom has officially set in.
My work has become as mundane as the lizards that crawl among the four walls of our house.
I really wonder if I'm more useless than a lizard as it at least get rid of flies whereas I'm just depleting the world of its oxygen supply.
It has been 10 hours. I've tried to do something productive, to no avail. Because the only most useful thing I've done today is burn a CD for my colleague.
What is my net worth to the company then?
I'm really disappointed, but I guess I can't do anything much being an intern. As an advertising executive, I could at least see the whole process of the entire campaign like I was recently switched to another supervisor and it is now at the production stage where all the creatives are being formed.
Couldn't I just at least follow him around the creative department to see what are the tweaks, the terminologies and the troubles faced by an advertising executive?
Is it too much to ask? I did ask, but it has fallen on deaf ears.
They are too busy, and I can imagine myself being a bunny always searching for its carrots, not caring about the brood who is growing up to do about the very same thing they would be doing few years down the road.
I know, lame analogy. But since I had a happy Easter and bunnies is the best description I would describe my bucktooth face, I guess my analogy holds some truth!
Speaking about my teeth, I went to the dreaded dentist yesterday!
Been procrastinating the dental appointments for days and I finally made the effort to cancel a coffee-appointment-after-Marche with my pals to go clean my teeth.
Lots of filth have gathered there and its time to swipe it all off.
My fears with the dentist lies with the pain that is self-inflicted upon me. The drilling and the metal hook trying to scrape off the rosti I had at Marche, I can visually imagine my dentist nodding her head in disapproval of what torture I have been doing to my teeth.
Least to say, I have clean teeth because I did fluoride treatment after that. I swear from now onwards that I will watch what I eat because it affects two areas of my body now, my tummy and my teeth.
In addition, this Saturday is my impending doom to tell me whether I can make it in Army or not. It's my NAPFA test.
It's an entrance test to hell, basically to test which level you wish to either burn, suffocate or drown in the fiery flames of pain. It just goes to show everything I do boils down to the repercussions I face everyday.
Like I chose to be in the advertising line, which I'm more suited to the creative field of implementing it or being a journalist where I am under the deadline to rush for something rather then sit like a lizard sleethering away.
Damn my actions. Damn the consequences. Damn the repercussions.
Damn bored,
Benjamin
P.S. I created a new meaning for the hokkien term "la ji" with my friends at Marche. And it starts with a 'H'.
Boredom has officially set in.
My work has become as mundane as the lizards that crawl among the four walls of our house.
I really wonder if I'm more useless than a lizard as it at least get rid of flies whereas I'm just depleting the world of its oxygen supply.
It has been 10 hours. I've tried to do something productive, to no avail. Because the only most useful thing I've done today is burn a CD for my colleague.
What is my net worth to the company then?
I'm really disappointed, but I guess I can't do anything much being an intern. As an advertising executive, I could at least see the whole process of the entire campaign like I was recently switched to another supervisor and it is now at the production stage where all the creatives are being formed.
Couldn't I just at least follow him around the creative department to see what are the tweaks, the terminologies and the troubles faced by an advertising executive?
Is it too much to ask? I did ask, but it has fallen on deaf ears.
They are too busy, and I can imagine myself being a bunny always searching for its carrots, not caring about the brood who is growing up to do about the very same thing they would be doing few years down the road.
I know, lame analogy. But since I had a happy Easter and bunnies is the best description I would describe my bucktooth face, I guess my analogy holds some truth!
Speaking about my teeth, I went to the dreaded dentist yesterday!
Been procrastinating the dental appointments for days and I finally made the effort to cancel a coffee-appointment-after-Marche with my pals to go clean my teeth.
Lots of filth have gathered there and its time to swipe it all off.
My fears with the dentist lies with the pain that is self-inflicted upon me. The drilling and the metal hook trying to scrape off the rosti I had at Marche, I can visually imagine my dentist nodding her head in disapproval of what torture I have been doing to my teeth.
Least to say, I have clean teeth because I did fluoride treatment after that. I swear from now onwards that I will watch what I eat because it affects two areas of my body now, my tummy and my teeth.
In addition, this Saturday is my impending doom to tell me whether I can make it in Army or not. It's my NAPFA test.
It's an entrance test to hell, basically to test which level you wish to either burn, suffocate or drown in the fiery flames of pain. It just goes to show everything I do boils down to the repercussions I face everyday.
Like I chose to be in the advertising line, which I'm more suited to the creative field of implementing it or being a journalist where I am under the deadline to rush for something rather then sit like a lizard sleethering away.
Damn my actions. Damn the consequences. Damn the repercussions.
Damn bored,
Benjamin
P.S. I created a new meaning for the hokkien term "la ji" with my friends at Marche. And it starts with a 'H'.
Monday, April 12, 2004
My first crush
I'm writing about my first crush as an assignment for the mdd8 competition. As much as I'm already eliminated, I will continue the spirit of blogging of whatever it's ask. It's an interesting assignment and you peeps who still bother reading this get the whole scoop. My first crush.
Coming from St. Stephens Primary school (a boys school), I technically have never interacted with any females before. Females my age that is.
Never had the chance as my neighbours were also mostly ruly boys like me, scruffy and the type that kicks those cheapo plastic balls around the void deck.
I got into my fourth choice of secondary school, which is Hai Sing Catholic High. Quite a distance, you can imagine when I live in Bedok and Pasir Ris seems so far far away at that time.
After orientating myself, I found myself in the classroom of 1E4, casually taking a seat in the front row. Okay, I was pretty short for my age back then, I was like the fifth shortest guy then and I shot up to the fifth tallest guy in Sec 4.
In my first few weeks there, I casually made friends with the people seating around me. You have a natural affinity to hang around friends in your "vicinity". At that time, I also met "J".
Yes, "J" was officially my first crush. She was the tallest girl back then and she isn't the most gorgeous looking person back then, she was just someone decent.
And for that fleeting 4-5 months, I felt something fluttering for her. Is it because I like being with her? Or is it because I'm just curious to know her more?
At such a young age of 13, hormonal-driven thoughts were everywhere.
She only sat a seat apart behind my pal who sat directly behind me. So, everytime I turned around, I would be able to see her. I don't know whether she thought of me seriously of course, I just had this feelings for "J".
Some people reading my blog knows who is "J", I even mentioned "J"'s name before to some mdd8 contestants.
And I did something silly, as I recall. I wrote a love letter.
I hesitated passing the love letter to her. I wanted to confront her about how I felt about her but I was really worried how she would react.
I contemplated what I should do, think and react.
I decided to sneak the letter into her bag. And, I waited for her to see.
She didn't manage to see the letter that day as I kept a watchful eye on her movements.
Tommorrow perhaps, I hoped.
The next day, I knew her first glance would tell it all.
Does she? Or does she not?
I saw her walking along the corridor as I finally have some private moments with her.
And she said:"Ben, I don't think it's possible."
"Sound of mirror crashing"
Then, she pierced another dagger into my heart.
"You see, you're too short and ..."
I blanked out after that. I only regathered my hazy thoughts and said. "Well, at least we could be friends."
Did I learn anything out of my first crush? Yup. I will never put my heart on the line unless I'm 99% sure of it. The thing is. that 1% is always volatile and it is either make or break.
"J" remains to this day as my very first crush, quite a special place in my heart.
The ironic thing is, after graduating from 'O' levels, we still kept in contact. I bumped into her at my school carnival and exchanged handphone numbers. She kept sending those "friends" smses and "cute emails" to me. I never did reply because I don't know how to react when people send me "Good night la la la sleep tight" smses and those angelic cute baby picture emails.
I've grown taller than her and actually, went out on a few outings (not dates) with her. She would bring her brother along and once, I went to her chalet and was the only guest there besides her entire family.
Was she trying to hint to me something? I didn't know. I stayed at the chalet with her younger brothers and older sister for like 4 days, accompanying them as a friend would do, to another friend.
Did anything blossom? Did anything developed? Did anything even happened? Sadly, nope.
I had my heart broken once by her, I don't think i can swallow the second heart attack.
Let bygones be bygones Joan,
Benjamin
I'm writing about my first crush as an assignment for the mdd8 competition. As much as I'm already eliminated, I will continue the spirit of blogging of whatever it's ask. It's an interesting assignment and you peeps who still bother reading this get the whole scoop. My first crush.
Coming from St. Stephens Primary school (a boys school), I technically have never interacted with any females before. Females my age that is.
Never had the chance as my neighbours were also mostly ruly boys like me, scruffy and the type that kicks those cheapo plastic balls around the void deck.
I got into my fourth choice of secondary school, which is Hai Sing Catholic High. Quite a distance, you can imagine when I live in Bedok and Pasir Ris seems so far far away at that time.
After orientating myself, I found myself in the classroom of 1E4, casually taking a seat in the front row. Okay, I was pretty short for my age back then, I was like the fifth shortest guy then and I shot up to the fifth tallest guy in Sec 4.
In my first few weeks there, I casually made friends with the people seating around me. You have a natural affinity to hang around friends in your "vicinity". At that time, I also met "J".
Yes, "J" was officially my first crush. She was the tallest girl back then and she isn't the most gorgeous looking person back then, she was just someone decent.
And for that fleeting 4-5 months, I felt something fluttering for her. Is it because I like being with her? Or is it because I'm just curious to know her more?
At such a young age of 13, hormonal-driven thoughts were everywhere.
She only sat a seat apart behind my pal who sat directly behind me. So, everytime I turned around, I would be able to see her. I don't know whether she thought of me seriously of course, I just had this feelings for "J".
Some people reading my blog knows who is "J", I even mentioned "J"'s name before to some mdd8 contestants.
And I did something silly, as I recall. I wrote a love letter.
I hesitated passing the love letter to her. I wanted to confront her about how I felt about her but I was really worried how she would react.
I contemplated what I should do, think and react.
I decided to sneak the letter into her bag. And, I waited for her to see.
She didn't manage to see the letter that day as I kept a watchful eye on her movements.
Tommorrow perhaps, I hoped.
The next day, I knew her first glance would tell it all.
Does she? Or does she not?
I saw her walking along the corridor as I finally have some private moments with her.
And she said:"Ben, I don't think it's possible."
"Sound of mirror crashing"
Then, she pierced another dagger into my heart.
"You see, you're too short and ..."
I blanked out after that. I only regathered my hazy thoughts and said. "Well, at least we could be friends."
Did I learn anything out of my first crush? Yup. I will never put my heart on the line unless I'm 99% sure of it. The thing is. that 1% is always volatile and it is either make or break.
"J" remains to this day as my very first crush, quite a special place in my heart.
The ironic thing is, after graduating from 'O' levels, we still kept in contact. I bumped into her at my school carnival and exchanged handphone numbers. She kept sending those "friends" smses and "cute emails" to me. I never did reply because I don't know how to react when people send me "Good night la la la sleep tight" smses and those angelic cute baby picture emails.
I've grown taller than her and actually, went out on a few outings (not dates) with her. She would bring her brother along and once, I went to her chalet and was the only guest there besides her entire family.
Was she trying to hint to me something? I didn't know. I stayed at the chalet with her younger brothers and older sister for like 4 days, accompanying them as a friend would do, to another friend.
Did anything blossom? Did anything developed? Did anything even happened? Sadly, nope.
I had my heart broken once by her, I don't think i can swallow the second heart attack.
Let bygones be bygones Joan,
Benjamin
Lunch at Fullerton
I guess the title says it all.
Monday blues still gloomed over me when my supervisor told me that the client is coming in today. Last minute revisions rushes here and there, whammy it, and presented to the client.
For your information, this is the first time I come face to face interactin with a real client. She's affable and might be demanding to some extent, but it was for the cause of what her company was achieving.
After presenting our media plans and proposals of what we recommend, she just got back to us quickly that they only like 2 things on the plan. Damn it, and I worked so hard for the rest of the other stuff. That's because they didn't have the budget to spend much more. Damn the economic climate.
After I resisted pulling out all her hair, which I restrained myself, my supervisor's boss said, "Let's go for lunch!".
My ears perked up like Xiaxues' whenever we pass by a LOTR poster with Legolas and his silky rebonded blonde hair.
The next sentence caught me off guard. "There's a nice Indian buffet at the Fullerton hotel." I almost wanted to jump off OUB centre in glee. (Just so you know, my office is located 40 floors and above, you can imagine how high, huh?)
I had to cancel lunch with Gwen through a sms as this was an opportunity too good to be missed. Dontcha think so?
My supervisor, my supervisor's boss, the client and I approached the significant Fullerton grandeur at approximately 12.45 pm.
I have never stepped into Fullerton hotel, very swakoo, I know. But the fact lies that Fullerton is so reputable and their service is so impeccable, a visit there is like a field trip to the Science Centre as though you were a primary school kid.
We sat at a nice quiet table, cutlery was glowing and the opulence radiated from the bright friendly waiters to the marble floor. I, on the other hand, was nervous like a school kid as I just didn't want to screw anything up like breaking a vase pot or the fine china.
We sat down, and we headed to the buffet table. I didn't know where to begin.
Black beans and lentils. Yucks. Fruit salad. Looks inviting. Yellow rice. Should I? Mutton. Grab it.
Those were the thoughts flowing through my mind. I was the last to sit back at the table while the rest were just doing casual conversation and it came to my realization after I saw where they had picked up.
Everyone was having appetizers. And there I was, skipping the appetizers and diving straight to my main course. What did I learn in my module of Professional Preperation? So, I try to pose pose act act a bit like some elegant kid which you people know, I can't act like an elegant bastard for nuts.
So while everyone was using their salad fork, I meekly utilized my main fork and knife. Just hoping they didn't noticed. But, I HAD to make them noticed. I "clanged" my knife hidden under the saucer, like the chimes of a chapel, shook them to their attention. I meekly apologized.
I am such a klutz.
After the initial humiliation, I thought I was on relative safe ground. They were chatting and there I was enjoying my sumptuous mutton. But, since it was only polite that I had to wait for them to finish their appetizers. So, not to look as awkward as I already I am, I kept drinking water.
Drinking. Drinking. Drinking. I drank 2 cups before I got up with the rest for the PROPER main course buffet.
I dug once again with copious scoops of mutton and I restrained myself to take more sumptuous meat. I remind myself, I'm in the presence of certain people, and I cannot look like a glutton. I restrained and took a side scoop of the salad, and PURPOSEDLY taking more grapes because they were so big and juicy!
Back at the table once again, I felt more comfortable as they talk about business opportunities that they can link our clients' services up. Yadda, yadda. I absorbed some parts of the conversation but my full attention was on my thosai and my boneless mutton which was "A" delicious.
I ate with relish, only to find out the rest of my counterparts could only keep their stomachs full of air as they kept yakking and yakking. Luckily, I had my side scoop of salad, which I kept aside happily.
Picking up my salad fork, I tried to poke the juicy little grape. The skin was so smooth that it grazed the fork when I poked and the grape popped off my plate and landed on the sparking marble floor.
I thought I almost died of embarrassment right then and there. I felt like poking the fork in my eyes.
The waitress calmly smiled at me, squatted down and pick my innocent grape up and lifted it off the "dropped food rubbish department". And a lucky thing for me, was that the people at my table didn't notice my little indiscretion. I hoped.
As I waited for them to finish their main course and me wanting to dunk myself into a cooler of ice due to mortification of bad table manners, I kept drinking water to calm a bit of myself.
Then, it came to dessert where the client encouraged me to go with her to visit the "sin" table.
Now, this is an Indian buffet and hence, there was no widespread array of chocolate coated triple layer cakes which I hoped for but there was Ice-cream. Mango flavoured.
I love Wall's Mango flavoured ice-cream. Yummy! I knew that Fullerton's one should be even better.
I got back to my table and with that tiny tattle of a spoon, scooped the mini scoop of mango ice-cream.
To horrors of all horrors, mango ice-cream is not mango ice-cream as it was stated on the little card label in front. It was in fact, freshly-craved-and-made-mango-ice-cream with some peas and corn inside it.
One scoop to see the insides, and I was rather disgusted. I took a little bite into the fusion of veggie and mango ice-cream, I was even more disgusted.
As my client took her own sweet time with the yucky mango concoction, I drank more water to repel the awful tang stuck on my taste buds.
The bill came,and my boss supervisor paid. I glanced slightly for this hourly lunch session spent at the grandest hotel in Singapore. $131 for 4 people. That can burn a hole in my pocket AND it is worth a week of my intern slave job.
My lunch at Fullerton. My full scoop of my first time having lunch with an advertising client. Just avoid that scoop of hand-made mango ice-cream.
Fullerton-Swakoo-no-more,
Benjamin
P.S. I drank 5 cups of water at least. For $30, it's 5 cups of FULLERTON plain water and some chunks of juicy mutton. I'm such a klutz. Sue me.
I guess the title says it all.
Monday blues still gloomed over me when my supervisor told me that the client is coming in today. Last minute revisions rushes here and there, whammy it, and presented to the client.
For your information, this is the first time I come face to face interactin with a real client. She's affable and might be demanding to some extent, but it was for the cause of what her company was achieving.
After presenting our media plans and proposals of what we recommend, she just got back to us quickly that they only like 2 things on the plan. Damn it, and I worked so hard for the rest of the other stuff. That's because they didn't have the budget to spend much more. Damn the economic climate.
After I resisted pulling out all her hair, which I restrained myself, my supervisor's boss said, "Let's go for lunch!".
My ears perked up like Xiaxues' whenever we pass by a LOTR poster with Legolas and his silky rebonded blonde hair.
The next sentence caught me off guard. "There's a nice Indian buffet at the Fullerton hotel." I almost wanted to jump off OUB centre in glee. (Just so you know, my office is located 40 floors and above, you can imagine how high, huh?)
I had to cancel lunch with Gwen through a sms as this was an opportunity too good to be missed. Dontcha think so?
My supervisor, my supervisor's boss, the client and I approached the significant Fullerton grandeur at approximately 12.45 pm.
I have never stepped into Fullerton hotel, very swakoo, I know. But the fact lies that Fullerton is so reputable and their service is so impeccable, a visit there is like a field trip to the Science Centre as though you were a primary school kid.
We sat at a nice quiet table, cutlery was glowing and the opulence radiated from the bright friendly waiters to the marble floor. I, on the other hand, was nervous like a school kid as I just didn't want to screw anything up like breaking a vase pot or the fine china.
We sat down, and we headed to the buffet table. I didn't know where to begin.
Black beans and lentils. Yucks. Fruit salad. Looks inviting. Yellow rice. Should I? Mutton. Grab it.
Those were the thoughts flowing through my mind. I was the last to sit back at the table while the rest were just doing casual conversation and it came to my realization after I saw where they had picked up.
Everyone was having appetizers. And there I was, skipping the appetizers and diving straight to my main course. What did I learn in my module of Professional Preperation? So, I try to pose pose act act a bit like some elegant kid which you people know, I can't act like an elegant bastard for nuts.
So while everyone was using their salad fork, I meekly utilized my main fork and knife. Just hoping they didn't noticed. But, I HAD to make them noticed. I "clanged" my knife hidden under the saucer, like the chimes of a chapel, shook them to their attention. I meekly apologized.
I am such a klutz.
After the initial humiliation, I thought I was on relative safe ground. They were chatting and there I was enjoying my sumptuous mutton. But, since it was only polite that I had to wait for them to finish their appetizers. So, not to look as awkward as I already I am, I kept drinking water.
Drinking. Drinking. Drinking. I drank 2 cups before I got up with the rest for the PROPER main course buffet.
I dug once again with copious scoops of mutton and I restrained myself to take more sumptuous meat. I remind myself, I'm in the presence of certain people, and I cannot look like a glutton. I restrained and took a side scoop of the salad, and PURPOSEDLY taking more grapes because they were so big and juicy!
Back at the table once again, I felt more comfortable as they talk about business opportunities that they can link our clients' services up. Yadda, yadda. I absorbed some parts of the conversation but my full attention was on my thosai and my boneless mutton which was "A" delicious.
I ate with relish, only to find out the rest of my counterparts could only keep their stomachs full of air as they kept yakking and yakking. Luckily, I had my side scoop of salad, which I kept aside happily.
Picking up my salad fork, I tried to poke the juicy little grape. The skin was so smooth that it grazed the fork when I poked and the grape popped off my plate and landed on the sparking marble floor.
I thought I almost died of embarrassment right then and there. I felt like poking the fork in my eyes.
The waitress calmly smiled at me, squatted down and pick my innocent grape up and lifted it off the "dropped food rubbish department". And a lucky thing for me, was that the people at my table didn't notice my little indiscretion. I hoped.
As I waited for them to finish their main course and me wanting to dunk myself into a cooler of ice due to mortification of bad table manners, I kept drinking water to calm a bit of myself.
Then, it came to dessert where the client encouraged me to go with her to visit the "sin" table.
Now, this is an Indian buffet and hence, there was no widespread array of chocolate coated triple layer cakes which I hoped for but there was Ice-cream. Mango flavoured.
I love Wall's Mango flavoured ice-cream. Yummy! I knew that Fullerton's one should be even better.
I got back to my table and with that tiny tattle of a spoon, scooped the mini scoop of mango ice-cream.
To horrors of all horrors, mango ice-cream is not mango ice-cream as it was stated on the little card label in front. It was in fact, freshly-craved-and-made-mango-ice-cream with some peas and corn inside it.
One scoop to see the insides, and I was rather disgusted. I took a little bite into the fusion of veggie and mango ice-cream, I was even more disgusted.
As my client took her own sweet time with the yucky mango concoction, I drank more water to repel the awful tang stuck on my taste buds.
The bill came,and my boss supervisor paid. I glanced slightly for this hourly lunch session spent at the grandest hotel in Singapore. $131 for 4 people. That can burn a hole in my pocket AND it is worth a week of my intern slave job.
My lunch at Fullerton. My full scoop of my first time having lunch with an advertising client. Just avoid that scoop of hand-made mango ice-cream.
Fullerton-Swakoo-no-more,
Benjamin
P.S. I drank 5 cups of water at least. For $30, it's 5 cups of FULLERTON plain water and some chunks of juicy mutton. I'm such a klutz. Sue me.
Sunday, April 11, 2004
Revamp revamp revamp !
Yes people. I've changed !!!
Changed my blogspot layout that is. If you are still seeing the blue one after clicking the link below, it goes to show you never clear your cookie crumbs from your cookie jar.
It's amazing what a bored Easter weekend can do to you. To view it, go to my page.
You see, I have always warrant a change since a half-garished photoshoped picture of me has been scaring away traffic and hence this time, a more mosiac-arty-farty-poseur picture would generate more of the hopefully younger audience that is not scared away by that half-garished photo.
Maybe i'm a media whore. Who cares? :P
Anyway, accompanied with my blog is a website whose design is similar too.
In that website, is my blog archives, my accomplishments, an archive of Funnies and Half-Cocked theories, at your disposal. Slogged day and night for html coding and tweaking and modfying. Phew!!!!! now that it is done.
I'm happy with what I've accomplished. Any complaints of it being too greyish will get a whack on the head with my baseball bat.
Revamp! Wham! Thank you Mam !
Happy Happy Happy,
Benjamin
P.S. Will now sleep in slumber for the next 18 hours ......
Yes people. I've changed !!!
Changed my blogspot layout that is. If you are still seeing the blue one after clicking the link below, it goes to show you never clear your cookie crumbs from your cookie jar.
It's amazing what a bored Easter weekend can do to you. To view it, go to my page.
You see, I have always warrant a change since a half-garished photoshoped picture of me has been scaring away traffic and hence this time, a more mosiac-arty-farty-poseur picture would generate more of the hopefully younger audience that is not scared away by that half-garished photo.
Maybe i'm a media whore. Who cares? :P
Anyway, accompanied with my blog is a website whose design is similar too.
In that website, is my blog archives, my accomplishments, an archive of Funnies and Half-Cocked theories, at your disposal. Slogged day and night for html coding and tweaking and modfying. Phew!!!!! now that it is done.
I'm happy with what I've accomplished. Any complaints of it being too greyish will get a whack on the head with my baseball bat.
Revamp! Wham! Thank you Mam !
Happy Happy Happy,
Benjamin
P.S. Will now sleep in slumber for the next 18 hours ......
Friday, April 09, 2004
People that didn't vote for me. Tsk tsk ...
This MDD8 competition has turned to a popularity contest to promote who has the best personality instead of who gives the best sex to your date the first time you meet them.
I'm already eliminated by the way, to get your memories jogging a little.
I've emailed some of my friends/supporters/adversaries and even used direct marketing and banging front gates down and sending them presents like a pig head which everyone don't appreciate pork, apparently.
Anyway, in the eyes of these 8 people below which I have asked to vote for me but they didn't, goes to show the dislike they have for me.
Hence, I have resorted to publish their names below.
1. My LuoHan Fish
He loves staring at me everyday and I asked him to be good and asked him to SMS me. He was too busy finding nemo, i guess.
2. Saddam Hussien
I don't know whether Interpol manage to pass my godfather my email but knowing that he was rich once, doesn't mean he is not rich now. He told me secretly that he has not declared his investment in the growing Newater industry and the crude oil that is found spurting at Pedra Branca.
3. My HDB cleaner
This foreign worker who everyday cleans the surrondings of the lift and clears the rubbish who sometimes strikes a conversation with me everytime I fall down the stairs. I've tried holding a normal conversation with him to no avail. I told him to dial some numbers to vote for me and he was like chasing me off with his wooden broom. I guess he was pissed.
4. My brother
Kinship counts for nothing when he doesn't support me. Not even a vote or a call, he totally ignores me when I'm near. Be it altitude (he's taller than me and i'm like 1.77m) or attitude (he's bigger so he's an elf and i'm a hobbit), I just wished he could vote for me. Then again, he stinks and never washes his hand after he scratches his butt and digs his nose. Better use of 20 cents to a public toilet then.
5. The MDD8 contestants
I approached some of them and was suprised to see they had the same phone and same Singtel line with me ! Hence, i snatched their phones and hide out in a cubicle and kept dialing numbers to shamelessly vote for me. The calls were barred though. Damn the MDD8 phones.
6. All my ex-girlfriends
Enuff said.
7. My mahjong khakis who owe me money
They owe me close to $100 but still, I didn't see any coming to save me from elimination. Oh well ...
8. My neighbours
I compromised with them to stop singing in the shower. They didn't kept their end of the bargain. I've continued singing since my elimination ever since. No wonder the HDB evaluation of my flat is so little.
A jovial eliminated contestant,
Benjamin
This MDD8 competition has turned to a popularity contest to promote who has the best personality instead of who gives the best sex to your date the first time you meet them.
I'm already eliminated by the way, to get your memories jogging a little.
I've emailed some of my friends/supporters/adversaries and even used direct marketing and banging front gates down and sending them presents like a pig head which everyone don't appreciate pork, apparently.
Anyway, in the eyes of these 8 people below which I have asked to vote for me but they didn't, goes to show the dislike they have for me.
Hence, I have resorted to publish their names below.
1. My LuoHan Fish
He loves staring at me everyday and I asked him to be good and asked him to SMS me. He was too busy finding nemo, i guess.
2. Saddam Hussien
I don't know whether Interpol manage to pass my godfather my email but knowing that he was rich once, doesn't mean he is not rich now. He told me secretly that he has not declared his investment in the growing Newater industry and the crude oil that is found spurting at Pedra Branca.
3. My HDB cleaner
This foreign worker who everyday cleans the surrondings of the lift and clears the rubbish who sometimes strikes a conversation with me everytime I fall down the stairs. I've tried holding a normal conversation with him to no avail. I told him to dial some numbers to vote for me and he was like chasing me off with his wooden broom. I guess he was pissed.
4. My brother
Kinship counts for nothing when he doesn't support me. Not even a vote or a call, he totally ignores me when I'm near. Be it altitude (he's taller than me and i'm like 1.77m) or attitude (he's bigger so he's an elf and i'm a hobbit), I just wished he could vote for me. Then again, he stinks and never washes his hand after he scratches his butt and digs his nose. Better use of 20 cents to a public toilet then.
5. The MDD8 contestants
I approached some of them and was suprised to see they had the same phone and same Singtel line with me ! Hence, i snatched their phones and hide out in a cubicle and kept dialing numbers to shamelessly vote for me. The calls were barred though. Damn the MDD8 phones.
6. All my ex-girlfriends
Enuff said.
7. My mahjong khakis who owe me money
They owe me close to $100 but still, I didn't see any coming to save me from elimination. Oh well ...
8. My neighbours
I compromised with them to stop singing in the shower. They didn't kept their end of the bargain. I've continued singing since my elimination ever since. No wonder the HDB evaluation of my flat is so little.
A jovial eliminated contestant,
Benjamin
Beary Crazy Mahjong Night
10 hours, 5 kahkis, 4 mahjong rounds, 3 hours laters after I woke up, 2 drinks of Pokka Melon Milk and 1 satisfying night.
My Easter eve has certainly been wonderful.
The players yesterday was Me, Ivan, Eric and 2 of Eric's friends, which I'm still groggy to only recall one whose name is Jackie.
For that 10 hours, we "pong", "chi" and slap ourselves crazily.
As competitive as it got, amusement and frustration gets to some including me.
As the night went by, the moonlight madness got us in a weird frenzy.
I don't know if you all play mahjong and even play it overnight like us crazy buggers but if you have tried not sleeping for one day, your body loses control.
In the mahjong room, I got very depressed as I was close to losing my blue chip and I took my lucky charm (my stuff toys and I'm not embarrassed that a guy my age has 2 stuff toys to cuddle to as it has sentimental value to me from my family) which worked wonders.
At approximately 3 am, Jackie was slaughtering us with his tiles which was always so amazingly good.
In mahjong, you built the "difficulty" of the cards. The higher you go, the lower the chances of winning and when you win, it is a big payout.
And there was Jackie, building the "limit" of his cards and kept winning. The 3 at the table were pretty poker faced with astoninshing gaps wide open everytime he says "hu" (which means win).
Introducing my bear to sit on my lap, I was pretty lethargic once again as I got a horrid combination of cards with a mouse tile (which was a bonus if I won).
Then, with my back slouched in like the humpback from Notre Dame, I stretched for my cards and making an agonizing sounds everytime I drew from the draw pile.
I managed to draw ALL the four animals in the game which also meant I had the limit (maximum) game if I had won.
And won, I did.
Okay, people think it is weird that I have a stuffed polar bear on my lap that changed my luck when I won but these eccentricities make people what they are.
Michael Jackson sleeps with kids and Bjork has weird MTV videos. Go figure.
Anyway, I won and the rest were disgusted not only how "charming" my stuffed polar bear was, they were equally turned off that somehow the combination of my agonizing stretching sounds and the bear somehow worked in co-ordination.
Jackie, in retailation, grabbed my polar bear's head and gave it the smackdown on the 144 tiles. I saved it from further aggression and I told him people who have whacked my bear lost in the later rounds of the remaining mahjong session.
And he did. He kept throwing the winning tile to the rest of us and at the end of the game, he was the big loser. Considering that he had like $60 in his coin box.
That will teach him to whack a polar bear during a mahjong session.
Don't mess with the bear.
Benjamin
P.S. I'm lethargic today, maybe I pong or chi too much. Having a breather and modifying my blogspot layout. Somehow. playing with crazy html befits the beary crazy mahjong night.
10 hours, 5 kahkis, 4 mahjong rounds, 3 hours laters after I woke up, 2 drinks of Pokka Melon Milk and 1 satisfying night.
My Easter eve has certainly been wonderful.
The players yesterday was Me, Ivan, Eric and 2 of Eric's friends, which I'm still groggy to only recall one whose name is Jackie.
For that 10 hours, we "pong", "chi" and slap ourselves crazily.
As competitive as it got, amusement and frustration gets to some including me.
As the night went by, the moonlight madness got us in a weird frenzy.
I don't know if you all play mahjong and even play it overnight like us crazy buggers but if you have tried not sleeping for one day, your body loses control.
In the mahjong room, I got very depressed as I was close to losing my blue chip and I took my lucky charm (my stuff toys and I'm not embarrassed that a guy my age has 2 stuff toys to cuddle to as it has sentimental value to me from my family) which worked wonders.
At approximately 3 am, Jackie was slaughtering us with his tiles which was always so amazingly good.
In mahjong, you built the "difficulty" of the cards. The higher you go, the lower the chances of winning and when you win, it is a big payout.
And there was Jackie, building the "limit" of his cards and kept winning. The 3 at the table were pretty poker faced with astoninshing gaps wide open everytime he says "hu" (which means win).
Introducing my bear to sit on my lap, I was pretty lethargic once again as I got a horrid combination of cards with a mouse tile (which was a bonus if I won).
Then, with my back slouched in like the humpback from Notre Dame, I stretched for my cards and making an agonizing sounds everytime I drew from the draw pile.
I managed to draw ALL the four animals in the game which also meant I had the limit (maximum) game if I had won.
And won, I did.
Okay, people think it is weird that I have a stuffed polar bear on my lap that changed my luck when I won but these eccentricities make people what they are.
Michael Jackson sleeps with kids and Bjork has weird MTV videos. Go figure.
Anyway, I won and the rest were disgusted not only how "charming" my stuffed polar bear was, they were equally turned off that somehow the combination of my agonizing stretching sounds and the bear somehow worked in co-ordination.
Jackie, in retailation, grabbed my polar bear's head and gave it the smackdown on the 144 tiles. I saved it from further aggression and I told him people who have whacked my bear lost in the later rounds of the remaining mahjong session.
And he did. He kept throwing the winning tile to the rest of us and at the end of the game, he was the big loser. Considering that he had like $60 in his coin box.
That will teach him to whack a polar bear during a mahjong session.
Don't mess with the bear.
Benjamin
P.S. I'm lethargic today, maybe I pong or chi too much. Having a breather and modifying my blogspot layout. Somehow. playing with crazy html befits the beary crazy mahjong night.
Thursday, April 08, 2004
Easter is here!
Yay! One public holiday means a day of rest for me. What's more, it is on a Friday!
"Throws undies in the air and prance around naked to find easter eggs"
I think I ought to have a well-deserved break. From this hyper melodrama and just take a step back.
It's not a hiatus from blogging, but my involvement from the clique because frankly, after my elimination, they don't even bother to contact me anymore, be it through MSN, Sms or even a simple phone call.
What two-faced people I have encountered, they only treat you honourably and buddy-buddy you when you are in the competition and thrash you aside when they feel that you have expired. They give loads of reasons when they are questioned and accused that it is beyond belief.
MisirLou, one of the contestants that was eliminated SMS me to console me after reading my blog, she also said that she felt treated the same way above ^^^, MisirLou wanted to go to a beauty paegant that some Mdd8 contestant was in but that person ignored her message.
In hindsight, I've learned what human nature is, making use of one another to achieve their goals, similar to office politics in any organization in the world.
My break consists of me playing the wonderful game of mahjong. Strategy is involved. Banter and laughs always follows. Money might be involved but I know it won't involve back-stabbing or any actions that will delude people what is the meaning of true friendship.
I've ranted and I'm exhausted. But worry not, I'll continue to blog back my mundane life and my spirited views of how the world is slowly becoming a wormhole for disaster.
To leave on a funny note, this is what my mahjong khaki had to say what he was doing during Easter.
*Conversation modified a little*
Ivan: "Tommorrow cannot play so long. Okay?"
Me: "Why?"
Ivan: "Got church tomorrow lah, bro."
Me: "When did u become religious?"
Ivan: "Aiyo, I visiting tua peh gong for tea lah"
Me: "So, you meeting easter bunny for breakfast and tua peh gong for tea?"
Ivan: "yeah man. Then, meet muhammad for supper at simpang bedok."
Talk about culture fusion.
Crappy,
Benjamin
Yay! One public holiday means a day of rest for me. What's more, it is on a Friday!
"Throws undies in the air and prance around naked to find easter eggs"
I think I ought to have a well-deserved break. From this hyper melodrama and just take a step back.
It's not a hiatus from blogging, but my involvement from the clique because frankly, after my elimination, they don't even bother to contact me anymore, be it through MSN, Sms or even a simple phone call.
What two-faced people I have encountered, they only treat you honourably and buddy-buddy you when you are in the competition and thrash you aside when they feel that you have expired. They give loads of reasons when they are questioned and accused that it is beyond belief.
MisirLou, one of the contestants that was eliminated SMS me to console me after reading my blog, she also said that she felt treated the same way above ^^^, MisirLou wanted to go to a beauty paegant that some Mdd8 contestant was in but that person ignored her message.
In hindsight, I've learned what human nature is, making use of one another to achieve their goals, similar to office politics in any organization in the world.
My break consists of me playing the wonderful game of mahjong. Strategy is involved. Banter and laughs always follows. Money might be involved but I know it won't involve back-stabbing or any actions that will delude people what is the meaning of true friendship.
I've ranted and I'm exhausted. But worry not, I'll continue to blog back my mundane life and my spirited views of how the world is slowly becoming a wormhole for disaster.
To leave on a funny note, this is what my mahjong khaki had to say what he was doing during Easter.
*Conversation modified a little*
Ivan: "Tommorrow cannot play so long. Okay?"
Me: "Why?"
Ivan: "Got church tomorrow lah, bro."
Me: "When did u become religious?"
Ivan: "Aiyo, I visiting tua peh gong for tea lah"
Me: "So, you meeting easter bunny for breakfast and tua peh gong for tea?"
Ivan: "yeah man. Then, meet muhammad for supper at simpang bedok."
Talk about culture fusion.
Crappy,
Benjamin
It's all in the mind
Recent spate of events has turned to a flurry of war of the SIM cards.
With the introduction of vote outs, it seemed to spark off highly volatile votes for certain favourites in this competition.
To extract a few, PixiePosh, Aesvalone and Keito are some stocks worth considering.
One moment you see them UP, another moment you see them DOWN.
It's a spectacular show to sit back and relax, with popcorn in my left arm and mouse in the other.
It would be wonderful refreshing for the last hour of the elimination period.
Like I've said, people are voting for themselves. They are just paranoid that they don't want to go off next and hence they either boost their ratings, or just plummet someone down to abysmal heights.
The 3 above I mentioned which I have observed once in a while has reached negativity before and has also reached heights of abnormal proportions.
Whatever it is, it is all in the mind, and let your money and fears take over it.
Speaking of psychological games, a recent one also has irked me beyond goosebumps.
For the frequent commuters of the MRT, they would have been the target of some Ad posters that tells them to be aware of some left-along bag that could possibly be a bomb.
With the recent rehash of the Spain bombings, who's next on the list?
This paranoia of the next target is unnerving.
For all that is travelling home after a hard day of work and napping soundly to the sound of the monotonous train tracks travelling, an announcement will jerk you to awaken to your senses.
"Attention all passengers, please do not leave your belongings unattended. If you see any unattended bags, do not panic and hide under your skirts or umbrellas and please call 999."
Imagine 20 sleepy heads suddenly awakening and all of them slightly turning their heads as though they are crossing the road and all of their heavy eye-bagged eyes starts to screen the surface like a rotating surveillance camera to look out for any suspicious bags that could possibly hold a time bomb.
It's unnerving to think that there is the possibility of having any dangers hitting the heartlands. But it's more unnerving everytime you wake up to the possibility to check your surroundings.
Retracing Civics and Moral lessons back in secondary school years, they emphasize on the 5 arms of Civil Defence. Discussing about psychological defence, the power of the mind is all powerful.
As I've stated in my half-cocked theory, the two basic element of the minds are "fear" and "curiousity".
We fear we will die alone if we cannot find love.
We fear we will get fat if we eat too much.
We fear that if we don'ttake the necessary precautions, we might die like a fat ass in a coffin from a bomb in a train.
Worrying about fears, be it in a mydreamd8 competition or in a train. It's all the same.
If we keep feeding our fears with paranoia, the whole one day will be filled with insecurities just because we panic at the slightest threat.
It's all in the mind. And let the war of the SIM cards begin.
With a F5 button-remote control,
Benjamin
P.S. The MRT ad also showed that a cute teddy bear being a bomb too, how will our next generation take comfort in any assuring soft toy anymore?
Recent spate of events has turned to a flurry of war of the SIM cards.
With the introduction of vote outs, it seemed to spark off highly volatile votes for certain favourites in this competition.
To extract a few, PixiePosh, Aesvalone and Keito are some stocks worth considering.
One moment you see them UP, another moment you see them DOWN.
It's a spectacular show to sit back and relax, with popcorn in my left arm and mouse in the other.
It would be wonderful refreshing for the last hour of the elimination period.
Like I've said, people are voting for themselves. They are just paranoid that they don't want to go off next and hence they either boost their ratings, or just plummet someone down to abysmal heights.
The 3 above I mentioned which I have observed once in a while has reached negativity before and has also reached heights of abnormal proportions.
Whatever it is, it is all in the mind, and let your money and fears take over it.
Speaking of psychological games, a recent one also has irked me beyond goosebumps.
For the frequent commuters of the MRT, they would have been the target of some Ad posters that tells them to be aware of some left-along bag that could possibly be a bomb.
With the recent rehash of the Spain bombings, who's next on the list?
This paranoia of the next target is unnerving.
For all that is travelling home after a hard day of work and napping soundly to the sound of the monotonous train tracks travelling, an announcement will jerk you to awaken to your senses.
"Attention all passengers, please do not leave your belongings unattended. If you see any unattended bags, do not panic and hide under your skirts or umbrellas and please call 999."
Imagine 20 sleepy heads suddenly awakening and all of them slightly turning their heads as though they are crossing the road and all of their heavy eye-bagged eyes starts to screen the surface like a rotating surveillance camera to look out for any suspicious bags that could possibly hold a time bomb.
It's unnerving to think that there is the possibility of having any dangers hitting the heartlands. But it's more unnerving everytime you wake up to the possibility to check your surroundings.
Retracing Civics and Moral lessons back in secondary school years, they emphasize on the 5 arms of Civil Defence. Discussing about psychological defence, the power of the mind is all powerful.
As I've stated in my half-cocked theory, the two basic element of the minds are "fear" and "curiousity".
We fear we will die alone if we cannot find love.
We fear we will get fat if we eat too much.
We fear that if we don'ttake the necessary precautions, we might die like a fat ass in a coffin from a bomb in a train.
Worrying about fears, be it in a mydreamd8 competition or in a train. It's all the same.
If we keep feeding our fears with paranoia, the whole one day will be filled with insecurities just because we panic at the slightest threat.
It's all in the mind. And let the war of the SIM cards begin.
With a F5 button-remote control,
Benjamin
P.S. The MRT ad also showed that a cute teddy bear being a bomb too, how will our next generation take comfort in any assuring soft toy anymore?
Tuesday, April 06, 2004
Words of an eliminatee
My ramblings after I got eliminated from mdd8:
It's no secret that I'm already out.
Nor is it a secret that everybody knows how tough the competition is.
It took me a long time before I could pen this down on my blog.
With great deliberation and blogmanship, I'm just going to write what I want to write.
I'm upset about my elimination.
I would be lying if I said I didn't. I am pretty upset about two things and there is really not much I can do but just reflect and pondered what really happened was so surreal.
First of all, I feel that I should not get eliminated. Why? I have expressed willingness to participate actively, willing to contribute and share my life to the people out there who would like to read.
I love to blog. That was why I joined this contest in the first place. But the contestant, Kirin above me already has expressed giving up, asking his friends not to even bother about voting for him.
He is still fighting for survival though and has blogged quite a lot. Rewind back to elimination period, I woke up at 7am (it's my daily weekday ritual as I have to wake up for work) and monitor the votes.
I was safely 0.5% ahead of Kirin. After I came back from a shower barely 20 minutes later, I got jumped over.
I was like. What the fuck?
Someone who already has lost all interest in this competition by stating it openly in his blog still wants in? Either people can't bear to fulfil his wishes or that people just can't read proper English.
I panicked and called friends to stand behind me. To no avail. Only one fan responded and it wasn't enough.
I was eliminated.
Now, you might think I hate Kirin. Actually, not much. Because some might have the idea that Kirin did such a despicable ploy to delude people on his chances and jump over me in the last hurdle.
I can't say I know Kirin (aka Jack) very well but from what I have gathered, he doesn't need to be that sly. He didn't do it. Someone else knowing that Kirin already has given up all hope saw a window of opportunity to get rid of me and keep Kirin which is a hopeless next round eliminatee and decide to get rid of me, the competition.
I already know who voted for Kirin.
Second thing that I'm pretty upset about how the game has ended up.
Reading all the blogs of the competition, many have expressed the unfairness of the voting system.
As long as one has the financial muscle, one can strengthen their way to the US$5,000.
It's a matter of investment.
But I love to be deluded. Ignorance is bliss, I guess.
I'm an idealist and I believe in the good nature of people and I guess I was too naive for thinking that nobody hankered for the title of "a dream date" and US$5,000.
I came into the game believing as long as I blog considerably well, the public would make an effort to vote for me.
I wasn't wrong. I was only partially right. There were only some casual votes from the public but what THE NEW PAPER said last Saturday, the voters and the votes just don't tally up. It does raise your eyebrows, doesn't it ?
It is pretty obvious in the game. People are voting for themselves. Stop lying.
I'm sure a high percentage of the votes comes from yourself except for a few who have true blue fans out there as you can see from the chat logs who will support them all the way till they die.
I'm an idealist. I'm too naive. And if this was a perfect world with no prejudice, no slimming centres and a well-sealed Pandora’s Box, the objective of this competition would hold true to its name.
Vote for the best person who has the best blog with the best criteria to be a dream date.
I know I don't have the makings of a dream date but the premises of this "ideal" competition are based on your main form of communication platform, which is your blog.
I have to say, some blogs here simply "cannot make it".
Want me to back it up. Just go to Google, type "mydreamd8" and "sucks" and you can see the scores of links to blogs commenting about this competition.
Quotes are like "An embarrassment to the blogging community" and "I don’t dare associate my blog with theirs" is just common phrase.
I have to say my blog is pretty alright, along with Farharri, Spunky, Trojan, Leese, Xiaxue, Sel, MisirLou, Keito, Nuj, Junaidi, Janice and Clement. Their blogs are an interesting read and are in my favourites although some of you might beg to differ.
If the "ideal world" exists, these names would be the cream of the crop of what this competition really has to offer. But the "ideal world" doesn't exists, because greed is what drives us to be better than the other be it perform better than your colleague or snatching more food from a buffet.
I sound jaded. You could even say pissed. Or even sour of the fact of my elimination. That's because what I feel for the past few days is the feeling of being unjustified.
Unjustified with the fact of the calibre of my blog and the rest of the wonderful people there who got eliminated along with the greed.
To see greed in its true form, just watch the mdd8 stock market closing hours where the bullish run is bound to keep you on your toes.
Let's just see who has the financial muscle to climb their way to the top.
I agree with what Junaidi wrote. It isn't about the best blog or the best looker. It is the one with the best network of friends or financial means who are willing to vote themselves in.
I'm feeling better now as I have vent my frustrations here. And I guess I have the right to do so. It is my blog after all, and nobody can take that away from me.
A very sore,
Benjamin
P.S. The ironic thing that happened was after my elimination at 8 am, I took a cab to the MRT and the ABBA song "Winner Takes It All" was playing on the radio to kind of mock/amuse me. How poignant.
P.S.S. I know complaining and grumbling about the system isn't of any use. SingTel isn't at fault at all because mdd8 is the pioneers of this moblog competition and guinea pigs and tweaking of the whole system is needed. I promise to give some of my own feedback to make mdd8 (2) a better and more fair competition, I hope.
Peace out.
My ramblings after I got eliminated from mdd8:
It's no secret that I'm already out.
Nor is it a secret that everybody knows how tough the competition is.
It took me a long time before I could pen this down on my blog.
With great deliberation and blogmanship, I'm just going to write what I want to write.
I'm upset about my elimination.
I would be lying if I said I didn't. I am pretty upset about two things and there is really not much I can do but just reflect and pondered what really happened was so surreal.
First of all, I feel that I should not get eliminated. Why? I have expressed willingness to participate actively, willing to contribute and share my life to the people out there who would like to read.
I love to blog. That was why I joined this contest in the first place. But the contestant, Kirin above me already has expressed giving up, asking his friends not to even bother about voting for him.
He is still fighting for survival though and has blogged quite a lot. Rewind back to elimination period, I woke up at 7am (it's my daily weekday ritual as I have to wake up for work) and monitor the votes.
I was safely 0.5% ahead of Kirin. After I came back from a shower barely 20 minutes later, I got jumped over.
I was like. What the fuck?
Someone who already has lost all interest in this competition by stating it openly in his blog still wants in? Either people can't bear to fulfil his wishes or that people just can't read proper English.
I panicked and called friends to stand behind me. To no avail. Only one fan responded and it wasn't enough.
I was eliminated.
Now, you might think I hate Kirin. Actually, not much. Because some might have the idea that Kirin did such a despicable ploy to delude people on his chances and jump over me in the last hurdle.
I can't say I know Kirin (aka Jack) very well but from what I have gathered, he doesn't need to be that sly. He didn't do it. Someone else knowing that Kirin already has given up all hope saw a window of opportunity to get rid of me and keep Kirin which is a hopeless next round eliminatee and decide to get rid of me, the competition.
I already know who voted for Kirin.
Second thing that I'm pretty upset about how the game has ended up.
Reading all the blogs of the competition, many have expressed the unfairness of the voting system.
As long as one has the financial muscle, one can strengthen their way to the US$5,000.
It's a matter of investment.
But I love to be deluded. Ignorance is bliss, I guess.
I'm an idealist and I believe in the good nature of people and I guess I was too naive for thinking that nobody hankered for the title of "a dream date" and US$5,000.
I came into the game believing as long as I blog considerably well, the public would make an effort to vote for me.
I wasn't wrong. I was only partially right. There were only some casual votes from the public but what THE NEW PAPER said last Saturday, the voters and the votes just don't tally up. It does raise your eyebrows, doesn't it ?
It is pretty obvious in the game. People are voting for themselves. Stop lying.
I'm sure a high percentage of the votes comes from yourself except for a few who have true blue fans out there as you can see from the chat logs who will support them all the way till they die.
I'm an idealist. I'm too naive. And if this was a perfect world with no prejudice, no slimming centres and a well-sealed Pandora’s Box, the objective of this competition would hold true to its name.
Vote for the best person who has the best blog with the best criteria to be a dream date.
I know I don't have the makings of a dream date but the premises of this "ideal" competition are based on your main form of communication platform, which is your blog.
I have to say, some blogs here simply "cannot make it".
Want me to back it up. Just go to Google, type "mydreamd8" and "sucks" and you can see the scores of links to blogs commenting about this competition.
Quotes are like "An embarrassment to the blogging community" and "I don’t dare associate my blog with theirs" is just common phrase.
I have to say my blog is pretty alright, along with Farharri, Spunky, Trojan, Leese, Xiaxue, Sel, MisirLou, Keito, Nuj, Junaidi, Janice and Clement. Their blogs are an interesting read and are in my favourites although some of you might beg to differ.
If the "ideal world" exists, these names would be the cream of the crop of what this competition really has to offer. But the "ideal world" doesn't exists, because greed is what drives us to be better than the other be it perform better than your colleague or snatching more food from a buffet.
I sound jaded. You could even say pissed. Or even sour of the fact of my elimination. That's because what I feel for the past few days is the feeling of being unjustified.
Unjustified with the fact of the calibre of my blog and the rest of the wonderful people there who got eliminated along with the greed.
To see greed in its true form, just watch the mdd8 stock market closing hours where the bullish run is bound to keep you on your toes.
Let's just see who has the financial muscle to climb their way to the top.
I agree with what Junaidi wrote. It isn't about the best blog or the best looker. It is the one with the best network of friends or financial means who are willing to vote themselves in.
I'm feeling better now as I have vent my frustrations here. And I guess I have the right to do so. It is my blog after all, and nobody can take that away from me.
A very sore,
Benjamin
P.S. The ironic thing that happened was after my elimination at 8 am, I took a cab to the MRT and the ABBA song "Winner Takes It All" was playing on the radio to kind of mock/amuse me. How poignant.
P.S.S. I know complaining and grumbling about the system isn't of any use. SingTel isn't at fault at all because mdd8 is the pioneers of this moblog competition and guinea pigs and tweaking of the whole system is needed. I promise to give some of my own feedback to make mdd8 (2) a better and more fair competition, I hope.
Peace out.
Sunday, April 04, 2004
Fluttering feelings
It was amazing I could thrive on the adrenalin of perfecting a porfolio for the entire day after work.
I guess I'm just a perfectionist.
After waking up with barely a few hours of sleep, got up in an unearthly (or is it ungodly, is there a difference?) hour of 7 am to hand up the delectable porfolio which I arranged.
Yesterday after handing up my porfolio, I went back to slumberland.
Awakened. I realised I was late for my best friend's commissioning parade. The ever punctual me panic (what is the past tense of panic?) and in a huff, left the building before Elvis could.
And I met up with "her", yes the mystery that shrouds and envelopes my heart. People might think I'm starting a controversy to get some attention or votes. I'm not. I don't need to.
She exists. And I respect her wishes that she does not wish her name to be revealed on a blog because she's just shy. She's just a blog reader, not a blog attention wannabe. I wish I could read her blog because she doesn't have one because she really has a way with words.
Anyway, I met up with "her". A last minute call to her since she came back from overseas few days back to accompany me to my best friends's salute to officerhood.
The weather was a dampener though. The monsoon season was expected and checking the forecast the day before, that it would rain, and it really did.
Showers and lightning spoiled the festivities but the weather didn't spoil the wonderful time I had with her.
Hehehe, It sounds as though i'm love-sick. Me and "her" headed to the Warriors Hall for the buffet and we discuss further about our secondary school years (clue).
I'm gonna digress of "her" and talk about "him".
My best friend. Jun Mian.
We've been friends since secondary 1. We look like geeks and I guess we still do look like older geeks now and guess what gals, he's single to boot.
Look at him in his dashing no.1 outfit !
We've gone through trials and tribulations as friends and we've only gotten close after our 'O' levels, the only Secondary school friend that I've kept constant contact with.
In a short period of meet-up, because he had to have a mass dinner with the rest of his newbie officers, it was astounding to see him getting respect people who are taller than him saluting him. (don't whack me with your sword, JM)
What a power trip of authority. Makes me want to work hard to become an officer too. Don't know whether can make it haha......
Anyway, Jun Mian also had a glimpse of her, she was the one who took pictures of us .....
Okay, after a 15 minute buddy-buddy-whack-in-the-back-congratulate-scruffle-hair session, me and "her" departed while he marched off to his relatives.
She was simply amazing, we just kept on yakking non-stop, I never wanted it to end like an old black/white movie.
Then, there were squirmy feelings again when we went off for some ice-cream. And there, as my Cookie Craves ice-cream melted into the hot chocolate syrup, I spilled out the sauce (pun intended) of my heart.
To conclude to all the sweetness of butterscotch and cookies and cream ice-cream that filled our tummies, I came to realize after the long bus journey home that it is not a fleeting infatuation after all but maybe the dangerous L word.
I wonder,
Benjamin
It was amazing I could thrive on the adrenalin of perfecting a porfolio for the entire day after work.
I guess I'm just a perfectionist.
After waking up with barely a few hours of sleep, got up in an unearthly (or is it ungodly, is there a difference?) hour of 7 am to hand up the delectable porfolio which I arranged.
Yesterday after handing up my porfolio, I went back to slumberland.
Awakened. I realised I was late for my best friend's commissioning parade. The ever punctual me panic (what is the past tense of panic?) and in a huff, left the building before Elvis could.
And I met up with "her", yes the mystery that shrouds and envelopes my heart. People might think I'm starting a controversy to get some attention or votes. I'm not. I don't need to.
She exists. And I respect her wishes that she does not wish her name to be revealed on a blog because she's just shy. She's just a blog reader, not a blog attention wannabe. I wish I could read her blog because she doesn't have one because she really has a way with words.
Anyway, I met up with "her". A last minute call to her since she came back from overseas few days back to accompany me to my best friends's salute to officerhood.
The weather was a dampener though. The monsoon season was expected and checking the forecast the day before, that it would rain, and it really did.
Showers and lightning spoiled the festivities but the weather didn't spoil the wonderful time I had with her.
Hehehe, It sounds as though i'm love-sick. Me and "her" headed to the Warriors Hall for the buffet and we discuss further about our secondary school years (clue).
I'm gonna digress of "her" and talk about "him".
My best friend. Jun Mian.
We've been friends since secondary 1. We look like geeks and I guess we still do look like older geeks now and guess what gals, he's single to boot.
Look at him in his dashing no.1 outfit !
We've gone through trials and tribulations as friends and we've only gotten close after our 'O' levels, the only Secondary school friend that I've kept constant contact with.
In a short period of meet-up, because he had to have a mass dinner with the rest of his newbie officers, it was astounding to see him getting respect people who are taller than him saluting him. (don't whack me with your sword, JM)
What a power trip of authority. Makes me want to work hard to become an officer too. Don't know whether can make it haha......
Anyway, Jun Mian also had a glimpse of her, she was the one who took pictures of us .....
Okay, after a 15 minute buddy-buddy-whack-in-the-back-congratulate-scruffle-hair session, me and "her" departed while he marched off to his relatives.
She was simply amazing, we just kept on yakking non-stop, I never wanted it to end like an old black/white movie.
Then, there were squirmy feelings again when we went off for some ice-cream. And there, as my Cookie Craves ice-cream melted into the hot chocolate syrup, I spilled out the sauce (pun intended) of my heart.
To conclude to all the sweetness of butterscotch and cookies and cream ice-cream that filled our tummies, I came to realize after the long bus journey home that it is not a fleeting infatuation after all but maybe the dangerous L word.
I wonder,
Benjamin
The soccer state
The soccer industry in Singapore is in a state of disarray.
I'm writing this in response to that recent hoohah of Jalan Besar being turned into a blue Japanese stadium and my sense of nationalism decide to struck my writing guts.
Soccer is Singapore's national sport. We eat, breather and ever queue up (the other national sport) to earn a quick buck to sell to our nihongo (Jap) counterparts.
The local newspapers liken that we sold our souls for money.
This wasn't the case a decade back. Before the withdrawal of the Lions from the Malaysian league, Singaporeans had loads of fervour when we did the Kallang roar.
I know what it was like to roar with my country, I was part of it when my father brought me to stomp the grounds. I swear the whole stadium shook.
Nonetheless, that fervour seemed to dissipate with that withdrawal and S-League has reached slump-y results time and time again.
We just couldn't get back the original flavour of what it once was.
With goal 2010, we have set an unrealistic mark and by setting objectives along the way and not being able to achieve them, we are not supporting but just boo-ing our young lions on their underachievements.
Singaporeans have gotten disenchated with the most beautiful game in the world and that is a sad sad story.
I've loved soccer since its inception to my life, from kicking $1 coloured plastic balls to getting my first pair of soccer boots, you could say soccer was the part and parcel of my SG life.
When it comes down to watching soccer, I have to say I've been watching the infamous back 4 of the Gunners since the early 1990s till now.
As Singaporeans prefer quality over locality, our attentions switch to the "better choice" when cable TV came into the picture. The EPL was officially born in the minds of Singaporeans, live and loud.
I have to say this.
Stop comparing and stop judging what our Singaporean soccer team can do. It's better to have no expectations with no pressure. Just let them do their "thang" and whatever results they produce, we Singaporeans will be proud of them no matter what.
Let the talent flow, harness it, not set it to reach a benchmark.
Maybe then, the state of soccer in Singapore will flourish on the cable channels of Asia.
Written fantically,
Benjamin
The soccer industry in Singapore is in a state of disarray.
I'm writing this in response to that recent hoohah of Jalan Besar being turned into a blue Japanese stadium and my sense of nationalism decide to struck my writing guts.
Soccer is Singapore's national sport. We eat, breather and ever queue up (the other national sport) to earn a quick buck to sell to our nihongo (Jap) counterparts.
The local newspapers liken that we sold our souls for money.
This wasn't the case a decade back. Before the withdrawal of the Lions from the Malaysian league, Singaporeans had loads of fervour when we did the Kallang roar.
I know what it was like to roar with my country, I was part of it when my father brought me to stomp the grounds. I swear the whole stadium shook.
Nonetheless, that fervour seemed to dissipate with that withdrawal and S-League has reached slump-y results time and time again.
We just couldn't get back the original flavour of what it once was.
With goal 2010, we have set an unrealistic mark and by setting objectives along the way and not being able to achieve them, we are not supporting but just boo-ing our young lions on their underachievements.
Singaporeans have gotten disenchated with the most beautiful game in the world and that is a sad sad story.
I've loved soccer since its inception to my life, from kicking $1 coloured plastic balls to getting my first pair of soccer boots, you could say soccer was the part and parcel of my SG life.
When it comes down to watching soccer, I have to say I've been watching the infamous back 4 of the Gunners since the early 1990s till now.
As Singaporeans prefer quality over locality, our attentions switch to the "better choice" when cable TV came into the picture. The EPL was officially born in the minds of Singaporeans, live and loud.
I have to say this.
Stop comparing and stop judging what our Singaporean soccer team can do. It's better to have no expectations with no pressure. Just let them do their "thang" and whatever results they produce, we Singaporeans will be proud of them no matter what.
Let the talent flow, harness it, not set it to reach a benchmark.
Maybe then, the state of soccer in Singapore will flourish on the cable channels of Asia.
Written fantically,
Benjamin
Friday, April 02, 2004
My work
What do I really do as an advertising intern anyway?
I'm working for this advertising company which is quite renown in the scene and i'm roped in to a large team handling the biggest client.
As "pow wow" as that might sound, it's not.
I get to do all the non time sensitive stuff which can be really a bore and all you want to do is scratch your butt everyday as the itch from seating down for 9 hours in a row can be quite an itch.
Let me descirbe one thing I will never fail to do everyday.
Media monitoring -
Just a nice term for me to state in my logbook which is handed up to our lecturers but in actuality, it just means tearing newspaper. Yes, because our advertisers need some verficiation that we really did spent their money talking about their ass on the paper, they want to see how big their ass are.
Hence, I do all the ass cutting which is dated all the way back from 2003. It's been a month and I've cleared all that ass but yes, everyday, more ass comes in.
Okay, I'm crude. But if you come in dressed quite nicely just to end up cutting newspaper everyday, let's see how ur fingers whine in pain while your nose crinch at the smell.
I don't only cut the ads (ass) from Singapore, sometimes, I even have to get down and dirty and cover the whole region.
The whole region comprises of India, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and even Vietnam.
For those who don't read these newspapers, I plead you never to do it even when you feel that you are bored and decided to head to Holland Village and spend money to read news from other countries when you don't even read the Straits Times.
You see, newspaper from India and Thailand stink like hell. I'm no nationalistic citize or what but the ink is really pungent when you havve to keep flipping to find the ass among the other asses there. The ink is like recycled Ganges river water or some juice from a beetlebug. It just stinks.
And Media monitoring stinks.
Wearing a face mask,
Benjamin
P.S. I know talking about Asses might have some implications of me looking like a homosexual but fuck it, I can talk as much ass if I want to, since i'm in the Ad(ass)vertising industry.
What do I really do as an advertising intern anyway?
I'm working for this advertising company which is quite renown in the scene and i'm roped in to a large team handling the biggest client.
As "pow wow" as that might sound, it's not.
I get to do all the non time sensitive stuff which can be really a bore and all you want to do is scratch your butt everyday as the itch from seating down for 9 hours in a row can be quite an itch.
Let me descirbe one thing I will never fail to do everyday.
Media monitoring -
Just a nice term for me to state in my logbook which is handed up to our lecturers but in actuality, it just means tearing newspaper. Yes, because our advertisers need some verficiation that we really did spent their money talking about their ass on the paper, they want to see how big their ass are.
Hence, I do all the ass cutting which is dated all the way back from 2003. It's been a month and I've cleared all that ass but yes, everyday, more ass comes in.
Okay, I'm crude. But if you come in dressed quite nicely just to end up cutting newspaper everyday, let's see how ur fingers whine in pain while your nose crinch at the smell.
I don't only cut the ads (ass) from Singapore, sometimes, I even have to get down and dirty and cover the whole region.
The whole region comprises of India, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and even Vietnam.
For those who don't read these newspapers, I plead you never to do it even when you feel that you are bored and decided to head to Holland Village and spend money to read news from other countries when you don't even read the Straits Times.
You see, newspaper from India and Thailand stink like hell. I'm no nationalistic citize or what but the ink is really pungent when you havve to keep flipping to find the ass among the other asses there. The ink is like recycled Ganges river water or some juice from a beetlebug. It just stinks.
And Media monitoring stinks.
Wearing a face mask,
Benjamin
P.S. I know talking about Asses might have some implications of me looking like a homosexual but fuck it, I can talk as much ass if I want to, since i'm in the Ad(ass)vertising industry.
Thursday, April 01, 2004
More Virgo stuff
I just got this from my friend who knows I'm obsessed about the unbelivability of how my horoscope perfectly describes me.
You like: Paying attention to detail, solving difficult problems and getting the job done on time.
> > >
You dislike: Confused and lazy people, pointless conversations and mates who can't make up their minds about where to go for coffee.
> > >
You're best at: Organising projects, meeting deadlines, staying out and keeping ur head when everyone is frustrated.
> > >
Deep down: U wish the world was run by Virgos, coz if it was, there'd be no long queues at the mall and no computer crashes. Chaos confuses and annoys u.
> > >
Your career: Attention to detail is ur thing, so become an anthropologist, police chief, undercover agent or magazine editor.
Freaked out,
Benjamin the Virgin
I just got this from my friend who knows I'm obsessed about the unbelivability of how my horoscope perfectly describes me.
You like: Paying attention to detail, solving difficult problems and getting the job done on time.
> > >
You dislike: Confused and lazy people, pointless conversations and mates who can't make up their minds about where to go for coffee.
> > >
You're best at: Organising projects, meeting deadlines, staying out and keeping ur head when everyone is frustrated.
> > >
Deep down: U wish the world was run by Virgos, coz if it was, there'd be no long queues at the mall and no computer crashes. Chaos confuses and annoys u.
> > >
Your career: Attention to detail is ur thing, so become an anthropologist, police chief, undercover agent or magazine editor.
Freaked out,
Benjamin the Virgin
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