Because waiting a second will kill them...

I have been putting off blogging for too long now. In fact, I havn't even written anything about my trip to Perth. My goodness. To think I once considered picking journalism as a career option. I'd be jobless. Anyway, allow me to tell you about the horridly impatient Singaporeans I met deep down south.

This holiday, we decided to head over to Perth and drive down south all the way to Augusta (where the Indian Ocean and the Southern Ocean meet).

For a moment, I thought I'd be able to make a temporary escape from all the kiasu-ism and ugly Singaporean behaviour. I was wrong.

After making stops at many little towns along the way, we stopped at Caversham Wildlife Park. It was a really cool place. And we got to touch koalas and wombats.

So we went for the 11am farm show where they demonstrated the sheep sheering process and even let us milk the cow.

As we were sitting in front, my sister and I got to milk the cow first. Right after that, we located a tap with some liquid soap available and headed over.

Just a few seconds later, a tiny queue had begun to form. Thankfully, most visitors had some decency to form one.

I washed my hands first because my sister was busy rolling up her sleeves and moved away after to avoid contributing to the crowd. Wrong move.

Almost immediately after I moved, I found a mother and daughter pair impatiently sticking their hands out (somewhat like those Chinese zombies) as they inched in closer towards the tap.

That move is easily recognizable and predictable. They'd try to move closer and closer till they squeeze you behind them. Alternatively, they may put their hands closer to the tap (and hence above yours) so they get the water first. You get their drips.

Honestly, it almost drove me nuts. I hate it when people bully kids. Worse still, my younger sister right in front of me. RAWR!

"Wait lah!"

Yes, I think I yelled that out.

It did give many in the barn a good shock, and managed to halt the middle-aged mother and her teenage daughter. I wonder if my sister had a good fright as well. Hmm...

Anyway, just to be sure, I stood with my arms folded and stared at the two until my sister finished washing her hands -- properly, without any rush.

Luckily for both them and I, they stood back in line and waited.

Still feeling good about myself. Hah!

As if waiting a second will kill them...

Kiasuism, Upsized

11th Nov 2009

Went on an outing with Joanne and Michelle. First for bowling, then to the game arcade for just awhile before going to Kuishin-bo for dinner.

We were lucky to have pre-booked. Otherwise, we would have queued up for ages.

Anyway, we were seated in this really awesome corner of the restaurant. Next to us was this group of young working women. They looked really dainty, but my goodness. You should have seen how they behaved.

First it was the crabs. Crab legs to be exact. They were hoarding those spindly, poking projectiles by the plate loads. Scccaaaarrrrryyyyy. Besides, it doesn't taste that great anyway. Even crab sticks taste better. Don't get me wrong though. The rest of the food is awesome.

On a side note, no point rushing for the lobsters as well. They are just overgrown prawns.

Better still, we overheard their conversation. (Close proximity, they were speaking loudly.) One had said in Chinese (Using my super-awesome Chinese skills, I shall translate it.),"My goodness. I had used the toilet 8 times in 4 hours. But it is good lah. Empty now. Can eat more."

*Shudders

Lost my appetite for awhile. But it just shows us how far our fellow Singaporeans can go.

Epic. They have just redefined the limits and definition of "Kiasu-ism".

I need more photos...

My sister has also been urging me to change my Facebook profile picture. Yes, the one that has been there since the beginning of time. After thinking long and hard, I have realized that I have no better photos to put up.

I am always behind the camera, so I have very few photos of myself. Now the morbid thought comes in.

Still pondering the topic of death, I noticed that my severe lack of photos will mean that chances are I will have a silly looking photo for my funeral and obituary when I die. (Touches wood, just to be safe. )

Dang.

I have hence decided to find/get myself a good photo. Perhaps you should start on your quest too. Never know right?

Exams are over! Time to blog spam.

Alright, now that the exams have finally ended, I have the luxury of time to blog again. I have been itching to blog for a really long time now, just that all the assignments kept on getting in my way. Anyway, now that I have been liberated, time for some spamming.

First, allow me to bore you with what I did today. My sister has been asking me (more of talking to herself actually) why I am so weird. She has mentioned that I should blog more about my life, instead of blabbering on about issues which I have been talking about. After all, that is what people my age do nowadays -- bore you with where they went shopping and the famous 'he was like and she was like blah blah' paragraphs.

Anyway as I was saying, because I had quite a bit of time today, I woke up late (9am) and skipped breakfast. Wasn't hungry. I used the computer (Facebook, politics and the ritualistic email checks) for awhile before moving on to do what I had planned for months now.

So I did 1 oil painting on a tiny canvas. Super fun. I love how the paint stands out of the picture. It is what draws me to oil painting. My painting is taking forever to dry, but oh well. So be it. I just hope nobody touches it. Random finger prints won't go down too well with my work.

Took a break after that, then went on to creating these figurines. The company calls it 'soft clay', although I believe it is more a mix of plasticine, play-dough and clay. It is not sticky nor oily when dried, and comes in many colours. And they do happen to become bouncy after completion. Fun stuff. Made 2 more people to add to my collection, although the second guy's hands keep on dropping off. That poor thing. Will fix it tomorrow morning. At least his neck is attached to his body properly by half a toothpick. The consolation is that he can turn his head now. If you wish to write him some get-well-soon notes, you may post it here. Not sure if he can read, but it is the thought that counts after all. (I sound like I have gone bonkers havn't I?)

After that, I went to play the piano. Just grabbed some score sheets and started playing, with the headphones on of course. I cannot have people listen to horrible music.

Mum walked by and commented that she had 'never noticed that' I was 'so artistic'. I wish I were. Before anyone gets any ideas now, I would like to state that this is just a hobby. It has been that way since I was young. Loved to stick pieces of paper on the wall and paint with water colour. It almost drove my maid crazy because I always ended up painting on the wall as well.

Not that I aspired to be a painter though. I actually wanted to join the Singapore Armed Forces. Always carried my plastic M16s around. One in hand, the other slung on for backup, in case the first ran out of battery. I had a helmet and a camouflage t-shirt as well. The best were trips to the nearby wet market. The people always stared. Made friends with the candy man and the pork seller there. Ah, the old days.

Ok, so now you know a little more about me. Good for you! (As if anyone wanted to know...) I feel better now. Blogging is indeed a liberating feeling. Now, off with the pink fuzzy fluff and back to the more serious posts.

Conversation with sister's friend

Had a chat with my sister's friend over the phone for about a minute or two. It was a really strange feeling, especially because all managed to catch was a few tiny 'squeaks'. Little giggly girl.

Anyway, the conversation went like that:
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Me - "Hey, is this Celine?"
Celine -"Um, I think so..."
Me - "You think you are Celine?"
Celine - "No! No!"
Me - "So you are not!"
Celine - "No! *Confounded and exasperated*"

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Kids.

Starry Starry Night --Don Mclean

Would like to share with you the following song. Meaningful stuff. =)




Starry, starry night.
Paint your palette blue and grey,
Look out on a summer's day,
With eyes that know the darkness in my soul.
Shadows on the hills,
Sketch the trees and the daffodils,
Catch the breeze and the winter chills,
In colors on the snowy linen land.

Now I understand what you tried to say to me,
How you suffered for your sanity,
How you tried to set them free.
They would not listen, they did not know how.
Perhaps they'll listen now.

Starry, starry night.
Flaming flowers that brightly blaze,
Swirling clouds in violet haze,
Reflect in Vincent's eyes of china blue.
Colors changing hue, morning field of amber grain,
Weathered faces lined in pain,
Are soothed beneath the artist's loving hand.

Now I understand what you tried to say to me,
How you suffered for your sanity,
How you tried to set them free.
They would not listen, they did not know how.
Perhaps they'll listen now.

For they could not love you,
But still your love was true.
And when no hope was left in sight
On that starry, starry night,
You took your life, as lovers often do.
But I could have told you, Vincent,
This world was never meant for one
As beautiful as you.

Starry, starry night.
Portraits hung in empty halls,
Frameless head on nameless walls,
With eyes that watch the world and can't forget.
Like the strangers that you've met,
The ragged men in the ragged clothes,
The silver thorn of bloody rose,
Lie crushed and broken on the virgin snow.

Now I think I know what you tried to say to me,
How you suffered for your sanity,
How you tried to set them free.
They would not listen, they're not listening still.
Perhaps they never will...

Donations

I was walking towards the train station today when I saw this woman seeking donations for mercy relief at the recent disaster hit locations.

On my way down to the MRT station, I stopped and took out my wallet. The woman turned around, and I could her that her can was pretty much empty. So depressing.

Anyway, I opened my wallet and saw a $5 note. Very strange, you know. Every time I donate to charity, I always only have exactly one $5 note left in my wallet. It is always facing the same direction some more. In the same compartment too. Diao.

While depositing the note in, I had a chat with her, checking up the organization which was in charge of it. Heard of the organization's name a few times before, so pretty sure it is real.

After spending about half a minute talking to her, I realized that there had been people who were also interested to know, hence the tiny crowd around the woman. (They donated as well. Yay!)

It is strange, really. Only when somebody is there, then they will go. That is herd mentality for you.

Perhaps next time if you are trying to raise funds for a donation drive, you could have a friend of yours 'approach' you to 'find out more'. It most probably would get a small crowd started. Once it gets started, chances are it won't stop so easily. Tried this method before, it worked quite well.

Hey hey, before you go round slamming me for using 'underhand' tactics. Think about it. These people actually would donate, had they not felt so shy. (Stupidity actually. Why feel shy about donating to a cause you support?)

If it will raise more money for a cause you support without robbing, cheating or killing, so that the beneficiaries may have a better life, why not?