Where's Dunlop?

I know where Soo Chow Garden is, how to drive to Greenwood to savour the choc cakes and fresh seafood, where to park when one wants to try the acclaimed food from shops that have sprung up along Purvis Street, where chwee kueh and Rotiboy are tucked away in the back lanes of Toa Payoh, the shortest way to get to the claypot rice stall at Chinatown without having to traipse through the haphazard and intricate maze of stalls there.

But where is Dunlop Street which is just a stonethrow from where I live? Or the eye-brow threading place which so many of my friends patron are giving me rave reviews about? And what about the economical French dining experience at The French Stall?

Somehow, that's what familiarity does -causes one to take things for granted. Or perhaps, it's a case of the grass appearing greener on the other side. Or maybe familiarity tends to breed contempt, so i keep a safe distance so as not to get sick of the place/person.

Food for thought before i go on yet another food trip:P

Why?

Why is it that I...

Switch the radio to blasting, adrenalin-rushing, heart-thumping songs when what I need is soothing, classical tunes to help me focus on studying

Indulge in those butter-soaked breads and sugar-laden cakes all the time while fully aware that they are the main culprits in my fats/carbohydrates accumulation and weight gain

Arrange action packed, back to back meetings when I'm so exhuasted and desperately need more rest to prevent the furious nodding off at work

Stay up late despite my skin's violent protest at the lack of beauty sleep

Still don't/forget to save and back up files despite the numerous traumatic accounts/experiences of painstakingly done/downloaded projects/music lost

Drown myself with noisy and frivolous chats when I ought to spend time alone to quieten down, think and sort through my feelings & thoughts and do a self-check and evaluation

Dwell in self-pity, agonise and harp on grades when it's over. And I thought I have experienced enough of life & death to know that this is so miniscule and insignificant and I have been so blessed in other ways

Harbour expectations when in most(all) cases, the hopes vanish, and end in hard falls and bitter disappointments

Know someone/something is not worth my pursuit and yet still brood and hanker over the person/thing

The situations re-enact themselves time and again...Is it stubborness? Ill-discipline? Denial? Carelessness...Don't I learn?

Star spotted!

What do Singaporeans do when they spot stars?

Possessing even more superb acting skills than the actors and actresses, any signs of recognition and excitement of spotting an idolised star is immediately masked with a nonchalant and haughty, I-don't-watch-TCS-serials, I-don't-know-you look.

Once settled in a strategic seat with a good view of the star, phone is whipped up on the pretense of attending to important business but instead, frenzied whistle blowing smses and calls to alert frens are savvily sent in rapid succession.

Glances are casually shot in the direction of the star to monitor the situation and to catch snippets of what his conversation might be about. Occassionally, the star catches the curious stares and attempts to smile so as not to be considered 'cocky' but smiles are refuted by icy cold who-are-you? looks.

When star gives indication of leaving, heart sinks a little but of course, it is once again cleverly and skillfully concealed. The professional journalism instinct springs into action in a bid to find out who his female companion so as not to let all the concerned frens and fans down. Stars awkwardly walk to the counter to foot the bill- smiles unacknowledged and unreciprocated.

Any onlooker would have safely assumed the customers was really in oblivion of the stars' presence in the cafe and their dazzling star aura...

If not for the ensuing craning of necks to see where the stars are heading , the ratings of the stars' looks, critique of his english and curious discussion if they are an item once the stars were out of earshot.


It's not easy to be a star in Singapore...

Surf Stopped

In the oh-so-popular trend of surf stopping....here's two from my ever faithful publicity managers for the event ... credit also goes to the steady-hand camera gal and the budding supporting actress who, still fresh out of school, does not know where the camera screen is. *Lolz*

What am gonna do without my entourage? Muahhh...Thx so much gals!

Sloth

It's amusing that how- during the exam week,

1) Everyone's on MSN perpetually all the time despite being hard up for time to finish revision
2) Blog entries increase in frequency although exam week isn't exactly the most happening/ interesting of times
3) Remained wide-eyed and attentive in front of the laptop while watching episodes after episodes of drama serial
4) Effortlessly waking up early for morning jogs
5) Going out, planning of meal venues and things to do are greeted with much enthusiasm and interest

But now that the exams are over,

The momentum has fizzled and slowed to a crawl...

1) The number of people on MSN has visibly dipped
2) The blogging scene is totally quiet with no urge to write although the weekend was action packed, with much to reflect on and blog about.
3) Dozing off in a movie and thus, missing the all important ending
4) The gravitational pull towards the bed is irresistible although there has been no physical nor mental exertion, except for the mouth and stomach, during the weekend
5) Lazing around, too lazy to even dress up/get ready to step out of the house/make an effort to be punctual... more than willing to let time jus tick by

Urghh....Sloth has kicked in...

The Last Day in School...

3 hours after the final exam,I am...

i) In the library one last time- for once without an agenda or to-complete list

ii) With MSN status finally set, not to Busy or Away but Online

iii) Unleashing my week-long suppression of MSN-ing by masterfully chatting with 11 people simultaneously

iv) Ruthlessly deleting emails from the school account that up to yesterday, I was obliged to keep but which relevance has since vanished today with me no longer a student

v) Avidly researching and taking a simulated familiarization virtual tour to Europe:P

vi) Re-enacting the times in e library with mugging and hard-at-work poses for photoshots and memory sake

On this last official day in school...

Today & Tomorrow

Today's...

1) Losing battle against bleary eyes despite upped caffeine intake
2) Restlessness and chronic strays from textbooks/notes to:

• MSN
• SMS
• Blogs
• Travel Sites/Forums
• Food/Restaurant/Pubs Reviews
• Radio surfing
• Songs & lyrics

3) Growing pre-exams gutsy resolutions for post-exams:

• Exercise more
• Clear up mess
• Back-up data on laptop
• Tag playlists
• Read an enriching book etc etc etc

4) Intensifying desperation for more time as a result of 2) & 3)
5) Fervent anticipation and euphoria of post-'pens down' and the end of student life

Tomorrow's...

1) No-need-for-stimulant insonmia
2) Dissipation of enthusiasm, waning of interest and accumulating weariness to indulge in the activities
3) Forgotten/Ignored vows
4) Boredom and aimlessness of too much time on hand
5) Anticlimax , resignation and blasé-ness

It's but another day...

The Calm Before the Storm

I should be....

1) Focused in preparing for e very last 2 exams in sch
2) Nearing the end of my revision according to schedule
3) Doing practise questions and trying out mock exam papers by now
4) Embarking on a second round of revision soon

Instead, I am...

1) Barely started with reading the textbooks for the 1st time...
Needless to say, the end is nowhere in sight.
2) Enthusaistically probing my memory for long-forgotten songs to download and setting up a distribution network for the painstakingly attained songs
3) Eagerly and incessantly reading blogs, checking for the latest entries and prying into people's lives
4) Fervently tucking into sinful, calorie-laden chocolates, bread, pastries and ice-cream compliments of indulgent family and friends who thinks I am hard at work
5) Boosting myself with renewed hopes and determination every night that tom would be different.


The eye of the hurricane is characterized by a roughly circular area of light winds and rain-free skies and the lowest pressure.This zone is surprisingly calm with little or no wind. Within the eye, the skies are often clear, despite the fact that winds and clouds continue to rage around the edge of the eye. Over the ocean the sea can be treacherous under the eye because high waves are converging.
( Source: http://www.fema.gov/hazards/hurricanes/hurglos.shtm)

That's where I am now... with no sense of urgency, too calm and unpanicky for my own comfort...
If you are checking and reading this within minutes of my posting, welcome to the club:P

Idle...

My first...

1. Sat morning at home
2. 24 hours off the internet
3. 7 hours of sleep + 2 hours of nap
4. Complete read (flip:P) of the Straits Times from cover to cover
5. Leisure breakfast savoured at the dining table vs gulped down in front of laptop screen
6. Presence at a family dinner with a bonding session of sorts with mum, paying rapt attention to her update on neighbours and frens and esp their sons whilst wryly, not divulging any of my own

Since the semester began...
After the submission of a long-drawn and draining last project...
After 4 months of bustling about everywhere but at home...
Only because -fighting signs of fever, cough and flu- I was coerced into quarantine...

Perhaps, besides wanting to...

1) Watch: Spanglish, The Wedding Date, Ballet Under the Stars, Boeing Boeing, Sound of Music, The Lord of the Dance, The Best of Broadway-An Intimate Night with Lea Salonga

2) Try:
Menus of : Menotti, Pete's Place, Marmalade Pantry, V Tea Room, Sushi Tei
Drinks at : Molly Malaone's Irish Pub, Ballymoons, The Book Cafe, Southbridge Jazz, Fabulous Fizz , City Space

3) Buy: Digicam, Watch, Wallet, Fragrance, Clothes, Accessories etc etc etc

I need more quiet times like now...

Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda

Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda
Beverly Knight


People say that together we were both sides of the same coin
That we would shine like Venus in a clear night sky
We thought our love could overcome the circumstances
But my ambition wouldn't allow for compromise

I could see in the distance all the dreams that were clear to me
Every choice I had to make left you on your own
Somehow the road we started down had split asunder
Too late to realise how far apart we'd grown

Chorus:
How I wish I, wish I'd done a little bit more
Now "Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda" means I'm out of time
Coz "Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda" can't change your mind
And I wonder, wonder what I'm gonna do
"Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda" are the last words of a fool

People ask how it feels to live the kind of life others dream about
I tell them everybody gotta face their highs and their lows
And in my life there's a love that i put aside
Cause I was busy loving something else
So for every little thing you hold on to, you've got to let something else go

Chorus

Fool if I would now forsake the opportunities are fakeI know I'm right where I belong
But sometimes when I'm not that strong

Chorus(x2)

Can't change your mind...

A Friend is A Call Away...

A record breaking 4 hours and a raspy, sexy voice later...

L, had a lovely time chatting with you yest/today. Take care n cant wait to mit up when u r back.

Through the years...

Friends from primary & secondary school are those ...

1) You recognise their names in chinese characters because you have to help laoshi return the ting xie bu.
2) You remember their fave colours and quotes coz' they wrote in your autograph book
3) You know their exact home addresses which played host to grand affairs- much planned, anticipated, entrance by invites only- biannual project meetings - pizza lunches and playing with pet dogs included
4) You have BBQ followed by sleepover parties with
5) You hang out at Borders and HMV with
6) You give them calls at their home numbers
7) You indulge in marathon (fixed-line) phone sessions up to today

Friends from JC are those...
1) Who got to know your email address and added you to ICQ
2) Who painstakingly write the lyrics of Britney, Westlife and The Corrs songs for you
3) Who spurred you on to climb over/under the gates on Saturday evenings after school and ECA (now termed as CCA)
4) Whom you get together for KTV sessions and dinner at Marche
5) With whom you feign illness or devise ways to pontang school events with

University friends are those...
1) Whom you have the hp numbers of
2) You chat and tease endlessly via MSN and sms
3) You exchange illegally downloaded mp3s with
4) Who keeps dating you for gym sessions that metamorphize into gossip sessions, food sessions, movie sessions basically anything besides gym sessions
5) Whose significant other call you when they can't reach their gf/bf
6) Who drives the gang to chill out together at restaurants and pubs, nearby eateries and cafes for wine and dine , quick bite or breather from projects.
7) Who lament and try to relive lost youth by giggling and laughing non-stop at silly issues and incidents in the library