Just came from a Studio Ghibli info site. Howl's Moving Castle is due to be released here March 10th, 2005.

I can't wait!

On the other hand, the crazy westerners that we know as Disney studios are realeasing Nausicaa, Porco Rosso and the Cat Returns as a 2 disc DVD set. Dubbed, needless to say. I don't know why these people can't just leave the anime as it is, do they like to spend time and money getting voice actors and suchlike? I mean, what's wrong with subtitles?

Had a damn good December this year. Am happy.

However, hormones running wild in my bloodstream did cause a little chaos (see previous post), though nothing irreparable.

So please don't worry, if I were really in shit I would call. But thanks for caring.

Am sticking this here for anyone who cares to read this journal and for my own reference.

Ours is the wisdom of Solomon,
the magic of Merlin,
the fall of Icarus.

From countless ages we have dreamed,
from endless worlds we have beckoned,
from infinite choice we have suffered.
The world chokes under stifling conformity,
hopes crumble in the fire of mediocrity,
heroes die in the snare of pride.

Armageddon is at hand.
Reality is a lie.
The truth is Magic.
Open your eyes
and Awaken.

-Taken from the back of the out of print Mage gamer's handbook.

Also for reference, I will never even consider choosing boys over a game. Especially if it's a blood bath.

Decided to go back to good old tagboard. For some reason I got rather attached to it, heh.

Just popped by to jot that down. Had a good day at the cosplay convention yesterday, but had a bad day today. So bad that I would like to cut my hair again, but there's not enough to cut.

I just need to simmer, I suppose. It's nothing serious.

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1. What did you do in 2004 that you'd never done before? Take a hiatus from the choir.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I never make resolutions...
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Yeah, older cousin.
4. Did anyone close to you die? No.
5. What countries did you visit? None, sadly.
6. What would you like to have in 2005 that you lacked in 2004? More gaming~ Yey, I want to do V:tM!
7. What date from 2004 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? 23rd November. Last day of the bloody O's.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Getting through the bloody O's without killing myself. And singing at VCH, of course.
9. What was your biggest failure? Letting my voice go down the drain. Or possibly coping very badly with emergencies.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? None significant.
11. What was the best thing you bought? Oh that's an easy one, the Sandman.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration? That's a good one, I don't know?
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Several people, really.
14. Where did most of your money go? Much of it went to KKnM, at last count about $100 worth of renting. The rest was random rubbish, lah.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Gaming! And the end of the exams!!one11!
16. What song will always remind you of 2004? None in particular.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you happier or sadder? Most definately happier. I don't have to do any homework now. And have lots of gaming!
18. What do you wish you'd done more of? Studying, I suppose.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of? I don't know? Difficult question, that.
20. How will you be spending Christmas? At mass lah. And with loved ones.
22. Did you fall in love in 2004? Yes, Sota~! No, I'm joking. No love, only lust.
23. How many one-night stands? None.
24. What was your favorite TV program? I like CSI, and anything funny, like Who's line?
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? Yes.
26. What was the best book you read? I generally like most books, the proper question would be which was the worst?
27. What was your greatest musical discovery? Nothing in particular. I keep waiting for someone to throw me Satriani or Vai but it seems that it's the cannot-leave-house stuff. Hrm.
28. What did you want and get? The Sandman. Not the whole thing, but still...
29. What did you want and not get? To go for Fiddler's Green, in the states.
30. What was your favorite film of this year? Possibly Casshern? I generally like movies.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? 16. I slept. My mother did not allow me to have a life.
32.What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Mm, having one foot in and one foot out of choir.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2004? Anything comfortable, though I was in uniform most of the time.
34. What kept you sane? My friends. Particularly the ones who give a damn.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Sota lah.
36. What political issue stirred you the most? Lee Hsien Loong being elected the new Prime Minister.
37. Who did you miss? My sister, and Eldred.
38. Who was the best new person you met? Too many! The gamers, cosplayers, Hika people...
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2004: If you can't help yourself, no one can.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year: Life is a rollercoaster, just gotta ride it!

To hell with crappy people and shitty situations. I will not let this get me down. No, am not talking about my sister, contrary to popular belief she is actually decent.

Yes, have not posted regularly since the hols started, only use this as an outlet for stress and I have not been stressed in the least since the O's finished. Ok, maybe just a bit during Christmas shopping, that I completed already, for both friends and family.

Have been spending lots of time with my sister since she came back. Finished DNAngel with her, she's fascinated with the main character's familiar and wants to get the plushie but production has stopped and it costs a bomb. I don't believe she prefer DNAngel to FMA...

I love gaming~! Trying to find those nonsensical coloured character sheets but can't get my hands on them. But now have a modified sheet for rogues ie. very very long list for skills. If you want to print out official or custom character/ship/monster sheets, go to www.rpgsheets.com.

Going for the cosplay at the Science Center tmr, as Death from Gaiman's Sandman, of course. First cosplay, am quite excited. Even if it is a simple costume and I won't look like any particular anybody.

Ok, my tags are horribly outdated, so let's start here...

Hey Steph, dropped by your blog the other day. Are you aware that your tagboard's wonky? Anyway, I hear that you're working? Can I pop by and say hi?

No Ed, that's just something we call her. By the way, when you come back and if you go boy watching, can I come along? Oh, and I can't wait to taste your lamb!

Hallo Adam, Merry Christmas! You take care too~

It's very much of a change from my previous hair, Amanda. Not that short, as in Halle Berry. But still pretty short lah. And is terribly messy when I wake up. I mean, it needs claying, what do you think?

Off to chiong FMA on my sister's laptop now. I like to take advantage of it, can watch anime in my room~

I am very, very angry. The world is full of crappy people.

Fortunately, I also have very nice friends whom I don't deserve who cheer me up very effectively. Nick loaned me a ton of books, including the second installment of the hunter's trilogy, "the lone drow" that I still have not read, due to the bloody exams. So basically am gloriously buried in books, also have to catch up with manga at KKnM. Not to mention the amount of burning I have to do, from all over the place (Dawn, Tora, Jenny, Orion?).

Whoever said that the period after exams is boring is sorely mistaken, as have been doing something pretty much everyday. Trying to get Christmas shopping done this week, not sure if I can get everything to fit, including coffee/lunch with misc. people and gaming as well.

I chopped off all my hair! Now it's shorter than my dad's, have to use clay to style it in the morning. Clay's better than wax or gel, it's re-mouldable. So very fun to mess with. Haircuts make me cheerful for at least a month, which is oh hell just the thing I need, dammit.

I know I haven't been updating, got no time lah. Half the time when I'm on the com it's to watch anime. Or my sister's hogging it.

See? She wants to use it now, will come back later lah.

TOR:
I've got so much work to do but am too sian to do it. I can't believe I'm burnt out already! But then considering I did 5 essays in one month on top of all the Jessup research I had to do which was equivalent to doing one essay per week-- that's only to be expected. And I'm feeling all relaxed, even languid this morning because we had a really nice dinner last night too at Ubon by Nobu. The super-ultra-hyped-up Jap restaurant that all the Canary Wharf investment bankers frequent for a working sushi dinner before heading back to the office at 10pm for more bloody-minded ball-breaking deal-making.

What exactly I was doing there, I don't know. It was my friend's 21st so I thought, might as well, she doesn't turn 21 everyday, plus Nobu is meant to be famous and we should splash out once in a while just to say, we've tried it and it's crap. As it turned out, it wasn't crap at all. I had grilled scallops for a starter, creamy spicy prawns for main then green tea ice cream. I must say it was delicious, but probably not worth S$100. Don't tell mummy. Neil Gaiman's favourite dish, black cod with miso, turned out to be ok (birthday girl tried it) but not worth S$68. Besides, I think I can cook cod just as well. (I don't dare say better)

Anyway, here I am, S$100 lighter and not feeling up to tackling the mound of research stuff I have to read, sift through and bash into an award-winning argument. And I still haven't packed. But here I am, blogging away irresponsibly, and all I can think is the celebrity's favourite line: Get me out of here!

I've been woken up four times today, by the bloody phone. Five, if you count the fact that one person had to call back twice.

The next time anyone (not including Jenny and the Rosen Kreuz) wants to call at some unearthly hour of 7-11 in the morning, please don't. Just drop me a msg and I will get back to you, yes I do check my phone when I get up, even if I'll not be able to walk in a straight line.

And to answer everyone's damn question, my sister is not back yet, she'll be arriving this Friday, in the evening. Which also means that you'll not see me online as much, it'll depend on what time she sleeps.

Off to have lunch now.

Thanks Althea, you looked good too. We didn't get a photo together, I think. Not sure, have not got the film developed yet.

You Know You're Chinese When...

Purple is tor
You unwrap Christmas gifts very carefully, so you can save and reuse the wrapping (and especially those bows) next year. Check! Obviously
You only buy Christmas cards after Christmas, when they are 50% off. I don't even buy Christmas cards!
When there is a sale on toilet paper, you buy 100 rolls and store them in your closet or in the bedroom of an adult child who has moved out. We don't, but I can see this happening... We just take toilet paper from toilets whenever we see rolls lying around-- I have a toilet roll with 'This is your Jerry Springer moment' on it. Guess where it's from?
You have a vinyl table cloth on your kitchen table. I think we do. Nope, newspaper
Your stove is covered with aluminum foil. No. But we keep it really clean or there's a really gross smell of old food burning...
You use the dishwasher as a dish rack. Yes! It's a waste of space. Although sometimes we use it since one of my flatmates is German. I think it's a patriotic thing- it's Miele, German technology
You keep a Thermos of hot water available at all times. Check!
You eat all meals in the kitchen. Check! No, sometimes in my room but I always make everyone clean up after themselves
You save grocery bags, tin foil, and tin containers. Check!
You use grocery bags to hold garbage. Check! Obviously. that's what they're for
You always leave your shoes at the door. Check! Blatantly. Or else my nice clean floor will get dirty! It's quite awkward when ang mohs visit tho.
You have a piano in your living room.
You twirl your pen around your fingers. Check! What's that got to do with being Chinese..?
Even if you're totally full, if someone says they're going to throw away the leftovers on the table, you'll finish them. Can't help it. racial memory of lean starving years
You don't own any real Tupperware -- only a cupboard full of used but carefully rinsed margarine tubs, takeout containers, and jam jars. We've got both.
You also use the jam jars as drinking glasses.
You've eaten a red bean Popsicle. Buy them quite frequently what. I quite like them too
You bring oranges (or other produce) with you as a gift when you visit people's homes. Only during New Year lah. I agree
You have a collection of miniature shampoo bottles that you take every time you stay in a hotel. Check! That's the point of staying in a hotel what
The condiments in your fridge are either Price Club sized or come in plastic packets, which you save/steal every time you get take out or go to McDonald's. We do better than that. Mum takes the cutlery. I haven't bought ketchup in 2 years. Come to think of it, I've never actually *bought* any cutlery. We've got loads of disposable chopsticks!
Ditto for paper napkins. There was once, they took a jug as well... Yup!
You never order room service. Check! Ha! The cheapo hotels I stay in don't actually have room service
You carry a stash of your own food whenever you travel (and travel means any car ride longer than 15 minutes). These travel snacks are always dried. As in not just dried plums, dried ginger, and beef/pork jerky, but dried cuttlefish (SQUID). Not quite. Although when we went cycling in the New Forest I brought 10 mini cupcakes, a banana, an apple, some bread and half a roast chicken. Hey we were miles from civilisation! Although i didn't eat the chicken in the end because we came upon a pub in the middle of the forest and had the heartiest English pub meal I've ever had. (And two pints of an ale called squirrel's bounty... looked for Shoggoth's Old Peculiar but there was none) Needless to say our intended day-long forest cycling excursion turned into a cycling to a pub-in-the-middle-of-forest excursion. I think I preferred that to my horse-riding experience.
Your parents vehemently refuse the sack of gold coin oranges that their guests just brought just to be courteous.
Your dad thinks he can fix everything himself. CHECK! He can't fix anything. Who fixes (or arranges people to come and fix) everything? Me! Or now, Gloria!
You majored in something practical like engineering, medicine or law. Check for my sister! Enough already!
When you go to a dance party, there is a wall of guys surrounding the dance floor trying to look cool. No. At Singaporean functions here its mostly decent guys suddenly turning into wanabe bengs and poking you in the eyes with their fingers.
You live with your parents and you are 30 years old (and they prefer it that way). Or if you're married and 30 years old, you live in the apartment next door to your parents, or at least in the same neighborhood. I see that happening. God forbid! After I'm 30, same country will do.
You don't use measuring cups.
You feel like you've gotten a good deal if you didn't pay tax. Check! Tax adds up to a lot!
You beat eggs with chopsticks.
Your parents' house is always cold.
You have a teacup with a cover on it.
You reuse teabags. Naturally
Your mom drives her Mercedes to the Price Club.
You tip Chinese delivery guys / waiters more.
You're a wok user. Check! Electric stoves are crap for wok cooking!
You like Chinese films in their original undubbed versions. Don't we all hate anything that's dubbed? Do I even like Chinese films in general? The only films I've watched and liked are infernal affairs and hero.
You have acquired a taste for bittermelon. Check!
You like congee with thousand year old eggs. They're the best! And century eggs were used in Fear factor, along with durian. I should've been there! $500,000
You prefer your shrimp with the heads and legs still attached -- it means they're fresh. Yes, but I peel them and take out all the gross shit in the prawn's back first.
You never call your parents just to say hi. They call me every week actually. Just to make sure I'm alive.
You always cook too much. I cook a lot and often. I also cook large amounts of food if I know it will turn out to be nice so I can have it for lunch tomorrow. If I'm trying something new I tend not to cook too much. Just now I tried a new and interesting dish-- pasta with swiss sausages and cream and cheese and white wine sauce. It was very nice and fattening. Difficult to get the cheese right.
If you don't live at home, when your parents call, they ask if you've eaten rice, even if it's midnight. I can so see this happening... Yup!
Your parents tell you to boil herbs and stay inside when you get sick. Check! That's what you should do. Tien chi really works!
They also tell you not to eat fried foods or baked goods because they produce hot air.
Your parents never go to the movies. Check! But that's 'cos they haven't got time...
Your parents send money to their relatives in China.
You use a face cloth.
Your parents use a clothes line.
You eat every last grain of rice in your bowl, but don't eat the last piece of food on the table.
You starve yourself before going to all you can eat sushi.
You've joined a CD club at least once.
You know someone who can get you a good deal on jewelry or electronics.
You never discuss your love life with your parents. Hallo? I haven't got one to begin with. I do!
Your parents are never happy with your grades. CHECK! Hah! TELL ME ABOUT IT. I sent one of my philosophy essays for daddy to look at, and he said, oh, you borrowed too many arguments from other people and it's not focussed enough. Generally ok, he said. Ok? OK?! And I got a first for it!
You keep most of your money in a savings account. CHECK! Where else would you put it?
You've been on the Love Boat or know someone who has.
Your toothpaste tubes are all squeezed paper-thin. Check!
You love Chinese Martial Arts films. Check!
You have Tupperware in your fridge with three bites of rice or one leftover chicken wing. Check!
Shao Lin and Wu Tang actually mean something to you. Check!
You love to go to $1.75 movies.
You love to go to $1.50 movies even more.
You never order sweet-n-sour pork, egg foo young, or chop suey at a Chinese restaurant.
You hate to spend more than $5 for lunch.
Someone in your family drives a Honda... with custom rims.
You have a Chinese knick-knack hanging from your rear-view mirror.
You like to eat chicken feet.
You suck on fish heads and fish fins.
You turn bright red after drinking two tablespoons of beer.
You can get a buzz on Coors O'Douls or Miller Sharps.
You look like you are eighteen. Got carded two weekends ago
You only buy used cars.
You have more than five remotes in your house. Check!
You leave the plastic on the lampshade for ten years or more. Check!
You can't bear to throw things away. Check!
Your dad washes his hair four times a day, or never at all. Check!
Your unassisted vision is worse than 20/500. Check, I think. I think I may be legally blind
You've worn glasses at least since the fifth grade. Check! since I was 9
Your parents (or some other close relative) own a grocery store or restaurant.
You drive around looking for the cheapest gas.
You add twice the amount of water recommended when making orange juice from concentrate. I can see my mum doing this...
You've never seen your parents hug. they're actually very affectionate. it's fascinating and strange
Your grandmother lives with you and your family.
You never order desserts at restaurants. Check!
You always have water when dining out.
You say "aiya!" and "wah!" frequently. CHECK!
You love Las Vegas, slot machines, and blackjack.
You love to play mah jong. Check!
You have to read all your parents' mail written in English. No lah, not that gone case.
You are constantly being set up with uninteresting (and usually ugly) people by your parents.
You hate eating cheese. That's not true, I love cheese! Ok, fine. Sometimes. I like fondue. Actually before I went to Switzerland and actually had proper, authentic fondue I only liked the idea of eating fondue because I'd never actually tried it in Singapore. Fondue is not just a big vat of boiling cheese. It also has schnapps, white wine and champagne in it (if you're feeling posh) I got quite drunk just eating it. And we had lemon sorbet with cream afterwards, which is the best dessert for a fondue meal!
You have a big aquarium filled with colorful fish somewhere in your house.
Your mother is strangely obsessed with plants.
White people look at you strangely if you tell them you are Buddhist.
You notice the main topic at family get-togethers is food.
You seldom ever owned new clothes if you were a second child.
Your folks never speak under 10 decibels at family gatherings.
You never made the school football or basketball team.
You have two middle initials instead of one.
You grow your own bean sprouts in the kitchen.
Your mother made you peel water chestnuts and snow peas.
You have an lonely unmarried relative who frequently drops by during dinner time.
You received little red envelopes containing money on special occasions. Duh!? Last I checked that was a good thing
You use the underside of a porcelain bowl to sharpen your knives.
You cut your own hair… or had someone in your family do it. Yeah, when I was younger!
Your grandmother has a lot of gold teeth… especially in front. She has hers at the side.
You keep fresh garlic and ginger in the kitchen at all times. I think we do.
You know what the term "lemon" or a "banana" means. Eh? You mean they're supposed to mean something else?
You only have to shave every other day (maybe).
You wash and reuse ziplock bags.
You know at least three people named Alan Wong.
You never drank milk after eating cherries.
Your parents collect jade jewelry. Check!
You always drink tea after a meal.
Your dad owns at least one bird.
Your parents grow vegetables in a garden.
You use doilies to decorate your furniture.
Your grandmother rapped your knuckles with her chopsticks while reaching food with your fingers.
You're proud to be Chinese - and you pass these jokes on to all your Chinese friends! Haha! Yes I didn't see that coming!

Got this off www.blogthings.com They've got some very amusing things over there...

Victoria,

Dad said you wanted a check on how much The Open Society and Its Enemies: Volume 1: The Spell of Plato by Karl Popper (what an odd surname!) costs over here. So he made me do some searching and this turned up.

Amazon (US): Used, US$14 on average. Freight charges $10.
Amazon (UK): Used, 6 to 9 pounds.
Kino: S$44.12
Borders: S$24.95

The MPH site is useless, it didn't have a search engine. Will go over to the J8 one and ask anyway, can make the trip tmr. Just take a look at this list first larh, I'll post again probably tmr night about MPH.

It's also available at the library. 368 pages, Amazon said. Times 5 cents that's $18.40 and times 3 cents it's $11.04. Depends on how much the place charges what, right?

So, like that lah.

Tonight was pretty fun. Am still in gown and make up with hair up as I type this because I can't bear to take it off. Have never dolled up properly before, quite fun really but slightly stressful.

The grad night itself was... mundane. The most fun bit was looking at all the fashion disasters and bitching. Alright, call me snobbish, you should know that by now! Most people looked good though, Tora, Rosie, Amanda, majority of my classmates, just to name a few. And especially those in trench coats!

The amusing bit was having Rosie and me hanging off each of Tora's arms and walking in like that. She was doing a Toshiya cosplay, so was in a suit. Gosh, the waiters were staring and it was so funny!

Went to sit at coffee club with the two of them after the thing itself, had coffee and conversation. Call me boring but that was perhaps the most enjoyable bit of the evening.

But on the whole it was a good night, I think. Would like to do it more often, the out at night with permission bit.

Am off to RP with Tora now.

Thanks. Am glad for you, dear sister. Shall I expect more blog entries from you as well then?

Yeah Khayce, of course!

Have Schaz over and she's sleeping. Had a pretty good time RP-ing earlier though, she's such an RP whore (actually, we all are...)! Then watched Saiyuki Reload, am at episode 12 now, methinks.

Just visited Gaiman's journal, from which I quote, '...was beaten by the young lady from Singapore in the who-came-furthest stakes." regarding this year's Fiddler's Green thing that they had in the states. I know this is a tad far-fetched, but does anyone, by any chance know who this person is? Singapore is so small that everyone knows everyone else anyway, so I thought that I'd give it a go...

Can you feel it? Can you taste it? That's freedom, that is! And I can't stop grinning. Remedy 89, here I come!!

Damn Jenny, the thing was down for a few days without warning. And you know how particular I can be about my blog...

Tora~ yesh oh so high. Care for another nicely dodgy RP with me?

Bloody bio paper, make me study till my brains leak out my ears. Digestion, reproduction in plants, manufacture of yogurt/cheese, the eye, the heart and countless other topics didn't bloody come out. I kill myself studying and the paper is like that?!

But oh, it's done, it's all done! I'm so high now, aargh~!

My last paper is in 3.5 hours.

Oh shit.

Papers are going nicely. I'm quite happy really, even if everyone else finishes today. Probably because I went and bought the $50 shirt I've been thinking about since last week. Shopping is good therapy. Fine, it counts even if I was stuck in Kino for a few hours. Do you know how much the price of Lord of the Rings has gone up? My dad got his for $10, now you can't find it below $30! Sheesh.

I am going to buy Priest from KKNM, because I'll get $8 off each book. That is, after I finish the Sandman, of course. *ahemcoughkinovouchersforchristmaspleasehacksputterchokedie*

TagBoard seems to have gone... somewhere. It's a broken link now, so I've no idea what's happening. Will change to another board when I find time, probably... sometime end of next week. Any recommendations? Since you can't here, then leave a note on my LJ (<-yes, that's a link).

Will be awfully busy. Also will be sitting in airport in the afternoon of Victoria's arrival, can probably get some of HA edited. It's such a nice place, you know? Will also probably one of the few moments of relaxation.

I think I may need to do an edit of the list that I created earlier as well...

Tor's List:

1 hour ago: Jessups meeting (5:30pm Wednesday)
1 day ago: having public international law lecture (5:30pm Tuesday)
1 week ago: having public international law lecture (5:30pm Tuesday)
1 lifetime ago: kicking pong pong fruit around in garden and berating little sister for negligently leaving favourite Cinderella Barbie doll outside house, resulting in traumatic loss of said property

01. I hurt: little animals and children when no one is looking
02. I love: bol bol, an inanimate soft squishy object infested with dust mite corpses and shit (see now-defunct blog for details)
03. I hate: cockroaches and yukky things
04. I cry: loudly and pathetically
05. I fear: JU ON!
06. I hope: that after I die I can still see what happens to the world
07. I sadden: see 01.
08. I feel alone: when the voices in my head stop talking
09. I kill: bacteria
10. I talk: about many interesting things (that too many other people are not interested in)
23. I read: too much
25. I breathe: bol fumes
27. I miss: my sister and parents and grandma and nice food and not having to put on a lot of clothes just to go outside
30. I feel: bol bol
31. I know: how to cook vaguely edible stuff and how to say 'I know' in Spanish. Yay!
32. I said: bol bol
34. I have: to relax my brain by doing bohliao lists like these
36. I fall: over myself all the time
38. I need: nice food

Am tired of Geography. Gacked off Bern.

1 hour ago: Studying Human Geography. Do you know how to process palm oil? I do.
1 day ago: Still studying Geography.
1 week ago: Studying/spotting for maths paper 2.
1 month ago: Studying.
1 year ago: Messing around without a care in the world.
1 lifetime ago: Please refer to above.

01. I hurt: in my brain. Ow, too much Geog.
02. I love: not having to study.
03. I hate: narrow-minded people.
04. I cry: when I need to.
05. I fear: the dark. Or rather, what you can't see in the dark.
06. I hope: to get 20 points for the O's. Then to buy myself 2 years, get in to CJ. (2 points bonus, 2 points affiliation. They have to bloody take me in I don't care.)
07. I sadden: because I'm the only idiot around with 8 more papers to go. (Geog(1), A/cs(2), Science mcq, sub Bio, CLB(3).)
08. I feel alone: when I close my eyes.
09. I kill: mosquitoes, especially in this monsoon season. DIE SUCKERS!
10. I talk: too loudly and when I shouldn't.
11. I listen: to people who need it.
12. I break: nails.
13. I see: the end of the bloody exams on the horizon.
14. I smell: technology. Yey for the internet!
15. I taste: mango flavoured milk.
16. I work: because I have to.
17. I remember: the stages of planting and harvesting wet rice. I do so hope that it comes out.
18. I hold: wet things because of my palms.
19. I hide: dead bodies.
20. I pray: when I remember to pray.
21. I walk: and not complain. It's good exercise, really. I don't get much.
22. I drive: when I'm old enough to. In the meantime, I'll just get chauffered around...
23. I read: not as much as I'd like to.
24. I burn: anything. Fire fascinates me.
25. I breathe: Music and books.
26. I play: the recorder and the saxophone.
27. I miss: my sister.
28. I touch: like a soggy towel. Honestly, the palm situation is really quite bad at puberty.
29. I learn: slowly. Am damned lucky to have patient tutors.
30. I feel: tired.
31. I know: I'll fall asleep after my last paper.
32. I said: aargh.
33. I dream: of smoke and mirrors.
34. I have: to do exams for the next week or so.
35. I want: to sleep for the next week or so.
36. I fall: with a blaze of glory.
37. I wait: for the bloody O's to be over.
38. I need: a massage (Oh Electra dear!), an RP, a game, a trip to KKNM, to go Christmas shopping, to edit HA and to shake someone to his senses. There are too many to list really.
39. I live: because I want to see what happens next.

The Homunculus problem: is the theory not worthless if it explains the behaviour of a person by introducing in the person homunculi, little people to bring about the behaviour?

No, I am coming home on time after all, because my team-mates are fine with me being away for a month and I don't really want to spend £200 on a date change...

This is what my moot problem is about-- it's on international law. (Oh, this is Tor, by the way, in case you haven't realised.)

Appollonia is a small technologically advanced coastal state. Raglan is an archipelago not far off the coast of Appollonia. Magmuffin (no I am not making the names up) is a country across the strait from Appollonia. A regularly ships nuclear waste to M, taking a route across the Raglan archipelago. Raglan has a pirate problem. (You can guess what happens) However, the Raglan has started this new anti-piracy programme where naval pilots from the Raglan navy can be requested by foreign ships to pilot them safely across the pirate-infested archipelago. Appollonia does this and the pilot from Raglan turns out to be a pirate! He steals all the valuable stuff and lets the ship, full of toxic waste, drift around without power. Obviously it crashes onto a sandbar and spills its guts out onto random Raglan fishermen, obliterating the region's thriving tourism and fishing industry in the process.

Now they are suing each other.

Isn't it interesting? And this is for the Jessup International Law Moot. There's a regional round for the UK, then the winners go on to compete in Washington DC with the international teams. The Singapore team won last year (they win alot actually) and there're 3 Singaporeans in the LSE team (of 5) this year so we think there might be a reason behind our tutors choosing us to be in the team! How wierd would it be if we really do make it through to the final round and are up against Singaporeans! They will probably throw eggs at us and call us treacherous.

I really really really need to eat oh loa, char kway teoh and laksa. I cannot stand it anymore. I try and try but cannot seem to make chicken rice that tastes like how it should taste. Aargh. I hope my psyche is not irretrievably damaged. I am seriously considering not taking up my £30,000 a year job offer because I may end up deranged at the end of 3 years. Well, at least I have Bolbol.

No I am not dead yet.

Had tuition with Chris today for maths (naturally!). Feel very stupid around her, most of the time, I swear she's such a genius that it scares me sometimes. After being drilled with so much maths I could feel my eyes glaze over when I tagged along with her and Elizabeth for dinner. Actually, I'm still a bit stoned from it.

Can you get drunk on maths?

It's not a bad feeling, comparable to the nice muscle ache you get after exercise. Just in the mental sense, so it's a bit difficult to focus and carry conversation.

After dinner went for a bit of a stroll in town. Those two were awfully decent, to let me come along. D'you know what? The Christmas decor is up and lighted already, and the exams aren't even done yet god it's depressing.

Hallo Jenny! Random indeed, do you expect any less?

Rosie! I'd only do it if you did it first, you scoundrel! Lol~!

Eh? What crush, Amanda?

Tor,

What's this I hear about a moot? What's the topic this time? And pushing your departure date back for more than a week?! Oh, you'll stop complaining about the horrible food soon enough when you come home.

Am missing you loads.

Because I'm tired of studying Social Studies and am waiting for my math tutuor to arrive...

Ahem. So. Things I'd like to do. Took this off someone's LJ, a friend of Bern's. Italics means Gloria already done it. Bold means Tor has done it.

1. Bought everyone in the pub a drink
2. Swam with wild dolphins
3. Climbed a mountain
4. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
5. Been inside the Great Pyramid
6. Held a tarantula
7. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
8. Said 'I love you' and meant it
9. Hugged a tree
10. Done a striptease
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Stayed up all night long, and watch the sun rise (on the ferry to Croatia)
15. Seen the Northern Lights
16. Gone to a huge sports game
17. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
19. Touched an iceberg
20. Slept under the stars (at Ngee Ann Poly at astronomy camp)
21. Changed a baby’s diaper
22. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
23. Watched a meteor shower
24. Gotten drunk on champagne (i didn't buy my own)
25. Given more than you can afford to charity (Tor: when?) (Gloria: when I was really broke but gave it away anyway.)
26. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
27. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
28. Had a food fight
29. Bet on a winning horse
30. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
31. Asked out a stranger
32. Had a snowball fight
33. Photocopied your bottom on the office photocopier
34. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
35. Held a lamb
36. Enacted a favorite fantasy
37. Taken a midnight skinny dip
38. Taken an ice cold bath
39. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
40. Seen a total eclipse
41. Ridden a roller coaster
42. Hit a home run
43. Fit three weeks miraculously into three days
44. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking (when drunk )
45. Adopted an accent for an entire day
46. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors (CHINA)
47. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment (there are times... )
48. Had two hard drives for your computer
49. Visited all 50 states
50. Loved your job for all accounts
51. Taken care of someone who was faced
52. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
53. Had amazing friends
54. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country (country club in Naples)
55. Watched wild whales
56. Stolen a sign
57. Backpacked in Europe (YEAH!)
58. Taken a road-trip
59. Rock climbing
60. Lied to foreign government’s official in that country to avoid notice
61. Midnight walk on the beach (with gay friend. very unromantic)
62. Sky diving
63. Visited Ireland
64. Been heartbroken longer then you were actually in love
65. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them (Florence. we were forced to. )
66. Visited Japan
67. Benchpressed your own weight
68. Milked a cow
69. Alphabetized your records
70. Pretended to be a superhero
71. Sung karaoke
72. Lounged around in bed all day
73. Posed nude in front of strangers
74. Scuba diving
75. Got it on to 'Let’s Get It On' by Marvin Gaye
76. Kissed in the rain
77. Played in the mud
78. Played in the rain
79. Gone to a drive-in theater
80. Done something you should regret, but don’t regret it
81. Visited the Great Wall of China
82. Discovered that someone who’s not supposed to have known about your blog has discovered your blog.
83. Dropped Windows in favor of something better
84. Started a business
85. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
86. Toured ancient sites
87. Taken a martial arts class
88. Swordfought for the honor of a woman
89. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
90. Gotten married
91. Been in a movie (Teenage textbook. you can see my feet. )
92. Crashed a party
93. Loved someone you shouldn’t have
94. Kissed someone so passionately it made them dizzy
95. Gotten divorced
96. Had sex at the office
97. Gone without food for 5 days
98. Made cookies from scratch
99. Won first prize in a costume contest
100. Ridden a gondola in Venice
101. Gotten a tattoo
102. Found that the texture of some materials can turn you on
103. Rafted the Snake River
104. Been on television news programs as an 'expert'
105. Got flowers for no reason
106. Masturbated in a public place
107. Got so drunk you don’t remember anything
108. Been addicted to some form of illegal drug
110. Been to Las Vegas
111. Recorded music
112. Eaten shark
113. Had a one-night stand
114. Gone to Thailand
115. Seen Siouxsie live
116. Bought a house
117. Been in a combat zone
118. Buried one/both of your parents
119. Shaved or waxed your pubic hair off (Gloria: You have?! Pain or not?!)
120. Been on a cruise ship
121. Spoken more than one language fluently (before i forgot how to speak chinese)
122. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone
123. Bounced a check
124. Performed in Rocky Horror
125. Read - and understood - your credit report
126. Raised children
127. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy (bolbol)
128. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
129. Created and named your own constellation of stars
130. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country (does cycling in the New Forest count?)
131. Found out something significant that your ancestors did (Tor: What glor?)(Gloria: They used to own a mine, or a jeweller's or something. Had to wrap it up when they came over)
132. Called or written your Congress person
133. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
134. ...more than once
135. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
136. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking
137. Had an abortion or your female partner did
138. Had plastic surgery
139. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived.
140. Wrote articles for a large publication
141. Lost over 100 pounds
142. Held someone while they were having a flashback
143. Piloted an airplane
144. Petted a stingray (Underwater world)
145. Broken someone’s heart (oh god please don't remind me)
146. Helped an animal give birth
147. Been fired or laid off from a job
148. Won money on a T.V. game show
149. Broken a bone
150. Killed a human being.
151. Gone on an African photo safari
152. Ridden a motorcycle
153. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100mph
154. Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced
155. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
156. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild (Tor: magic mushrooms) (Gloria: Whee! Magic mushrooms! So, what colour were your elephants?)
157. Ridden a horse (really don't want to do it again. )
158. Had major surgery
159. Had sex on a moving train
160. Had a snake as a pet
161. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
162. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing
163. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
164. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states (Tor: definitely. Gloria, you have also visited more foreign countries than you have US states!)( Gloria: No, I thought it meant visited more countries as compared to how many US states there are..?)
165. Visited all 7 continents
166. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days (OBS )
167. Eaten kangaroo meat
168. Fallen in love at an ancient Mayan burial ground
169. Been a sperm or egg donor
170. Eaten sushi
171. Had your picture in the newspaper
172. Had 2 (or more) healthy romantic relationships for over a year in your lifetime
173. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about (MacDonalds. It is bad for you. )
174. Gotten someone fired for their actions
175. Gone back to school
176. Parasailed
177. Changed your name
178. Petted a cockroach
179. Eaten fried green tomatoes
180. Read The Iliad
181. Selected one 'important' author who you missed in school, and read (many of them)
182. Dined in a restaurant and stolen silverware, plates, cups because your apartment needed them (mummy did)
183. ...and gotten 86-ed from the restaurant because you did it so many times, they figured out it was you
184. Taught yourself an art from scratch
185. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
186. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt
187. Skipped all your school reunions
188. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language (bosnian passport control )
189. Been elected to public office
190. Written your own computer language
191. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream (everyday)
192. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
193. Built your own PC from parts
194. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you
195. Had a booth at a street fair
196: Dyed your hair
197: Been a DJ
198: Found out someone was going to dump you via LiveJournal
199: Written your own role playing game
200: Been arrested

You'll never guess who I saw at j8 today: Brenda Boh

I used to have the most awful crush on her (actually, it was more like hero worship. What to do, she was everything I wanted to be, at that point of time.) but it's the sort of thing that I look back on today and laugh about.

It's so odd, that she'd forgotten that I'm in secondary 4 now, and was rather suprised when I mentioned stepping down. We exchanged only brief words but it seems like she hasn't changed much, from the time that she was still in IJ.

It was most strange, talking to her. Most strange...

"Talk to everyone even if they are complete idiots and don't let them know you think so." Erm, Victoria, that's going to be very difficult. But I'll try not to psycho-analyse them or anything, at least. Thanks, you really know how to make me feel better, don't you? I'm getting you something nice for Christmas~

Hallo Jillian! *waves enthusiastically*

You have no idea Adam. If I'm still alive after all that studying I'll probably not do any sleeping with all the things that're planned.

Jenny! *hug

Moshi moshi is only used over the phone. I'm not even sure if that's the proper romanji for it. Anyway, who're you?

Is that so, Amanda? Cool, random~

By the way, please take note that I've 2 new e-mail addresses, one for mail only, aarghrandom@gmail.com and another for msn, aargh_random@hotmail.com.

That should be it.

Quiz time, because I feel random~


Seer

The ULTIMATE personality test
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Category I - The Hub
You're a 'people person'. Networking runs in your
blood. Consequently, you can move through most
social circles with ease.

What Type of Social Entity are You?
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You are... SNICKERS!Nutty, diverse, and very sweet, you are full of
energy. You have loads of friends, and good
one's at that. But it's a strange thing. People
either love you, or they hate you.Either way, you're still fun to be around!

What Chocolate Bar Are You?
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What Smart Eyes You Have

What do your eyes say about you (for girls) with pix
brought to you by Quizilla

Every time I read Gloria's blog I am struck by how more mature and aware she is. Her innermost thoughts do not gel with the flighty, ADD personality she makes herself out to be-- either on purpose, with an enhanced sense of irony only a select few can appreciate, or simply as a consequence of her delirious realisation of what the world is and could be.

One of the side-effects of turning 21 is an inclination towards retrospection. One starts taking stock of one's life-- now that there's finally a significant chunk of it-- contemplating the achievements, bittersweet moments, burning embarassments and screaming, howling, gut-wrenching regrets.

Reading Gloria's blog is like seeing a distant spark of what I was before the years piled up on top of me. I wish I could tell her everything she needs to know so that she'll end up the brilliant, polished girl I wish I could be, had I started at that age. Of course I know that's terribly un-PC. Free will, choice, independence and all that. Her sense of self is impressively developed- but without condescending I would warn that many more obstacles will threaten that sense in time.

Gloria- it's not just about exams. Please do have a life. I am still trying to come to terms with not having had one even though I am having too much right now. (Just got back from Amsterdam celebrating my birthday.) Please develop a personality and discover what it is you really like doing. Please don't engage in intellectual snobbishness. Talk to everyone even if they are complete idiots and don't let them know you think so. This teaches you how to deal with idiots you have no choice but to work with in later life. Try as many new things as possible. Don't be a know-it-all. Be humble.

As some famous actor said, 'Be the little man. Don't let them see you coming.'

Why the sudden introspection? I've been dragged kicking and screaming into my third decade of existence and it does not feel nice. I want to be 18 forever. (And for a few fleeting hours last weekend I was- actually I was 14 for long periods of time.) I don't actually want to grow up. It feels artificial and at times I am uncomfortable inside my own skin.

So please Gloria (and friends of a similarly youthful age, mental or otherwise) do go crazy and have a lot of young, stupid fun. And say no to (only potentially dangerous) drugs.

Disclaimer: The author accepts no legal or moral liability for the contents of the above passage. It was a joke. JOKE.

Good luck for 'O's. Thanks for the Bday greetings.

Practical today went alright. Electricity didn't come out for Physics, oh joy! And with that, I'll never have to do another practical again, for as long as I live, though I don't know if that's a good thing or not...

Another thing is, technically speaking, I'm not part of IJ anymore (it was so strange to type that). It's... odd, and I don't feel it yet. Someone is screaming at the back of my head but it sounds like static and I'm mostly too tired to notice anyway. And when it hits me it will be an excruciating, bittersweet pain.

Met Chris and Eunice at the bus stop (they're band people). Asked about the band schedule during the hols, so that I know when to go down to get my saxophone.

No, hold on. It's not mine anymore. And it really hurts to say that.

Do you know what it's like? To know how much to loosen when its temperamental, or when the reed is just perfectly seasoned such that you get just the right sound? To play something that feels like a natural extension of yourself, to know its keys and smooth curves by heart?

I've never handled something with such practiced ease before. I'll miss carrying its reassuring weight by my side. But I know that I lack the skill, patience and discipline to continue with it.

I have to let go of so many things. It's more difficult than I care to admit. But then again, we can't always have what we want, it takes all the fun out of life. And of course, the price of getting what one desires is actually getting it.

Sorry if I'm in one of my goth moods. I seem to have a talent at making myself more depressed...

Hallo Adeline. Thanks, you take care too.

It's the online journal network, Lareina. If you try hard enough, you can get anywhere from most people's linking. Hallo to you too!

Thanks so much Amanda. Left something on your board. I love you.

Oh, and before I forget:
Happy 21st birthday Victoria!!!

You know what I need? Motivation, that's what.

List of things to do after the bloody O's:

RPG- D&D. Oh yeah, lots of. (and therefore let the gaming people meet the school people)
RP- Hika (yey! Inui/Yagyuu crack!)
Clean room (possibly paint walls as well)
Do something about my hair
Sing (properly)
Christmas shopping/writing
Finish my damn fic
Spend time and money at KKNM (when I repay my $140 loan, that is)
Have coffee with people on my Coffee List
Have/go to sleepovers (and possibly, even get some sleep)
Have Tora, Orion, Rosie and Dawn burn things for me (therefore a trip to Sim Lim square is in order)
Go to Jenny's place to burn everything that can't leave the house
Spend lots and lots of time with the gaming lot, SPYKBS and Jenny!
Meet all these damn cosplay people that I hear so much about (Rikka? Tessie? Alex? Who..?)
Edit HA (while drinking lots of coffee/red bull/brands. Plan to do whole thing in 2 sittings)
Learn basic guitar
Take out saxophone to clean (and scare the crap out of my juniors when I go back for it, lol!)

Er, that should be it. Pretty comprehensive, but if there're additions then I'll just stick them in larh.

Oh yes. And marry Sota while I'm at it.

*shakes head* Whatever you say, Adam...

Oy Tor, difficult and interesting lah. That's what you're there for, you know.

Was up in the choir loft for mass this evening. It's very difficult to keep a straight face on. Hmph, interpret that whichever way you please.

Went to Jack's place for dinner after that. Saw Olinder Cho, that girl from Singapore Idol. She's awfully polite, waving good-bye and taking pictures with random well-wishers. Very decent.

I got a burner! And it's portable so I can bring it to other people's houses who don't have burners and copy froody can't-leave-the-house stuff! *does victory dance*

Oh hell. Did I really do so badly for my prelims?! Aargh!!

Yes Vic, they're moderating it. So I end up failing only Accounts. It's still bad, I know!!

Oh, sorry about that Amanda, didn't notice 'cos I posted some time after that...

Hallo Adam. Thanks, you take care too.

Feeling random and crappy. Ack, have 4 maths papers to finish by Monday, think I'll go start now.

Have you ever smiled at someone, eventhough you felt like clawing their eyes out? It's better than actually going ahead and doing it 'cos, well, it's against the law and you'll also be a lot scarier that way.

It took me slightly more than one and a half years for Kunna to get on my nerves.

:)

Damn you Tora, get me hooked on Dir En Grey. Going to memorise the lyric for Cage now 'cos it's such a damned good song~

And on to more serious matters. Did horribly for the prelims, results are as follows:

Accounts- 43 (quite expected, didn't sleep the previous night)
SS/Lit- 48 (what a disgrace, to fail the subject I'm teaching at Hika)
Phy/Bio- 48.5
Geography- 49.9
E Maths- 61 (bloody easy paper though. Stupid me do the wrong question)
English- 70.5 (yes, I know it's terrible too. Gloria Ho, to just scrape a distinction, ack.)

Not freaking out because I've got too little blood in my sugar stream to do so.

Off to study now. Yes, it wasn't a proper post but haven't got much time now. Long list of things to do, both online and regarding school.

Oh, spread the word. Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean, in collaboration with the Jim Henson company are coming up with a movie, teaser trailer at mirrormask. Haven't wanted to watch something so badly since Return of the King. They'll probably not release it here, so I'll have to get the DVD, even if it kills me.

Hallo Adam! What, are you implying that none of the others are friendly?!

Sap, Amanda, is rarely a good thing, in my humble opinion. And you're being rather random, aren't you? *glomp*

Hallo dearest Jenny! You're being random too... good luck for the exams, yes?

Er, hi to you too, Orion. Hope you're doing well, shall see you during CLB. (I passed it!)

You take care Althea, everytime I see you in class you seem quite tense. Look after yourself!

Note to self: Don't RP before going to sleep, you will have some very strange dreams.

Shan't talk about it here. It involved caramel apples, a pair of glasses and a really hot guy, in that order. And yes, fangirling is off-limits here, I know.

So the worst is over. Going to Totally Slack this weekend, also thinking of holding SPYKBS coffee meeting next week, as am very worried about Electra and Bern.

Speaking of next week, I hear that there'll be this Shishedo (you know, that Japanese cosmetics brand..? Don't know how to spell it.) talk on personal grooming, or something, on Monday. Whole morning taken up by it. I remember my sister telling me about the time when she was in secondary school and people came in to teach them how to apply make-up and what not.

What I would give to see certain people of our school in make-up.

In any case, this is all very odd, I think. Ah well, as long as we don't have to pay then why complain, neh? Not like the $70 we have to cough up for grad night. Not even sure if I'll be going, am thinking of just taking the money and doing something else with it...

Papers yesterday were alright, suprisingly easy for a prelim exam actually. If the O's were like this I'd be very worried.

Mum's getting the house a CD burner!! I love my mum so much, now I can get all my nonsense space consuming music off window's media player. Victoria, bring your CDs back, I'll have to do a lot of burning with those.

Hallo Electra *waves enthusiatically*. Kumquat~

I dunno, Amanda. Probably the rain? And he wrote a poem on it? I hope it's not too depressing, then it would defeat the purpose...

Just realised that I've got 4 journals to upkeep: this one, my LJ account and the 2 RP ones. So I can't do quadruple posting, it won't work and it wouldn't be fair either.

Right, should go now.

Recently, I've been in a state of exhaustion.

Tired because of, well, exams obviously. Need that be said? However, am approaching the end of my prelims soon, which should be a good thing.

The fellow who refused to leave its name. I have very few friends who would refrain from leaving a name and even fewer who have only a loose grasp of English. I am not sure as to what you speak in reference of. Please feel free to drop me a line, if you found your way to my blog then you should also either know me, have my number or e-mail address.

Met up with Chris and Elizabeth today. It was a very educational meeting. Very glad to see that they're doing well, will probably see much of them in December.

They put me in a dilemma, worse than the one I am at the current moment deliberating. Choir, of course. Something that has always left me weary, in more ways than one.

Ever since I... applied for leave, if it can be called that, I feel as if a great weight has been lifted off, since I need not show till January. The singing is missed of course, very much so. But not the endless scoldings, unseen political nonsense and random bullshit flying around.

And for the first time in nearly half my life I will actually have time to go Christmas shopping properly, spend time catching up with friends and paint my room (or various combinations of those).

And ice-cream during the holiday season! What a luxury!

Am getting the feeling that it seems more advantageous for me to leave. I should quit whining and just do it, shouldn't I?

We'll see.

I swear, I've killed about 5 mosquitoes this afternoon, all of them while feeding off me. And no, am not mistaken and killed the same one over and over, I actually wash the dead ones down the sink. Maybe my blood is sweet or something, but I do happen to be the only living thing in the house now. Stupid insects.

In any case, had Tora, Rosie and Sam over at my place on Wednesday. Note to self: group study does not work. On the bright side, Rosie dug up my westlife collection and borrowed the lot and also got her blog altered, courtesy of Tora, Sam got to do a little surfing and I got a load of new songs burned and named, also courtesy of Tora (thanks again!).

I really have to stop listening to these damned tennis musicals, my pitching may have gone down because of it, that and not having gone for choir practice for, how long now? Not even sure if I can carry a proper harmony anymore... and my sister brought all her musical CDs along with her to London. Jeez.

Signed up for the PoT rp thing, hah! Don't believe I did it. Talk about out of character. Roleplaying is all good but paper pencil for me please, I miss D&D!

If you're interested and bo liao, check it out then, hika_bs. Have taken the post of choir master(naturally!) and Literature teacher, which is why I'm at the present moment trying to type with Proper Punctuation.

Am totally screwing up my body clock, slept at 5 yesterday morning, got up at the god-forsaken hour of 10 to go to church. Maybe I should have gone to Holy Spirit with Tora on Saturday... ah, no use thinking about it now.

Just found out that she doesn't like vegetables. You know you shouldn't have told me that, right? *flashes a grin*

I have accounts tmr, shouldn't be posting! Whatever. Won't be sleeping tonight anyway.

Decided to do occasional double posting for my LiveJournal and here. Please note that it's not going to be the same thing, as there will be more nonsense there. My blog is a more accurate reflection of my personality.

Yes Althea!! I swear, they should set up a Centre for People Who Are Disturbed by Drilling. You hang in there too ok?

Yes it's blanco and I happen to think it's very important do you have a problem with that Victoria? The listing is in no particular order. And they are not mysterious, you'll get to meet them when you come back. For the moment, you can check out their blogs/LJs: Tora, Bern, Schaz, Rosie and though I'm not sure if she's in it too, Electra.

Hallo Adam! Am drowning in exams but am ok. You take care too.

I don't like it and you can't do anything about it, Sarah! I know you like it but... ah, whatever :P

Going to have dinner soon. Bags, I'm hungry.

THIS IS TOR. NOT GLORIA. I am doing this because Gloria said I was least likely to do this quiz. But you know what, I am bohliao enough. And also I am a sucker for dumb quizzes.

1. WHAT IS YOUR FULL NAME?
I refuse to answer on the grounds that it may incriminate me. Not Ho Limin Gloria Sarah

2. WHAT kind of PANTS ARE YOU WEARING NOW?
A dark grey assymetrical skirt with dark red stripes from Jesiree and a red psuedo-cheongsam style top from random shop in far east plaza. Why does the author of this quiz assume everyone wears pants all the tims? I've just come back from a law firm do and had to don corporate dress for the afternoon. I don't usually wear skirts though.

3. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
Literally, the usual library noses, keyboard clicking, electronic beeping, footsteps, and people talking and surreptitiously eating. In general, Stacey Kent a jazz singer my friend introduced me to (err not in person although we saw a gig of hers).

4. WHAT ARE THE LAST 4 DIGITS OF YOUR PHONE NUMBer?
I don't have a landline. Part of my cost saving drive. Other initiatives include not getting broadband. (i hear disbelieving exclamations) It is very ex here.

5. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE?
Glass of white wine- at the corporate thing

6. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?
yellow. The colour of sunflowers, a nice warm day, and bolbol.

7. HOW IS THE WEATHER RIGHT NOW?
yully. normal london weather. about 23 degrees even in summer. i think it is spitting with rain a bit.

8. LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
Florian (my flatmate's) mother, who I had to collect from the tube station last night as she and his sister is staying in his room in london while he travels in Malaysia and Singapore with his girlfriend (my other flatmate, CAt).

9. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT THE OPPOSITE SEX?
How goofy/nerdy they look and how likely it is that he will be interesting to talk to.

10. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT YOU THIS?
Most of the time. Well, actually yes. Gloria is an interesting and strange girl I would be happy to be friends with if she were not my sister. However, when we were growing up, I always thought I was the main point and she was just around to keep me company. Haha! I think I may be very very lucky that she does not hate me. (Right?)

.11. HOW ARE YOU TODAY?
Very happy since I've got 2 job offers with big firms here. Through sheer bloodymindedness and working very very hard. As you can see I am not a modest person.

12. FAVORITE DRINK?
I drink a lot of water. I like tea also. Absolutely hate any soft drink. Caffeine makes me jumpy.

13. WHATS YOUR FAVORITE ALCOHOLIC DRINK?
A cocktail called the HAkka at Hakkasan-- its got lychee liquer and a whole crushed passion fruit in it. Obviously with all the skins and stuff removed. I like Pimms and lemonade also.

.14. FAVORITE SPORTS?
Err, pool? Definitely not horseriding. Sex?

15. HAIR COLOR?
highlighted brown streaks and black. A chinese girl from China I met also said I don't look very Chinese... but she may just have been confused by the hair. which is cut by a jap hairstylist.

16. REAL EYE COLOR?
black.

17. DO U WEAR CONTACTS?
yes

18. SIBLINGS AND THEIR AGES?
Gloria, 12 in my mind, 16 in real life, and prolly ageless in her own mind.

19. FAVORITE MONTH?
July. Holiday time!

20. FAVORITE FOOD?
laksa from s11, sambal stingray, hokkien fried noodle, or loa (oyster omlette), beef hor fun from novena, chicken curry from dhoby ghaut kopitiam, chendol, AJ ice kacang, chilli kangkong, indian rojak, and running a distant second- spaghetti al vongole (clams) DAMN I MISS SG FOOD 2 years ago when I did a quiz like this i didnt list any sg food at all!

21. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?
Supersize me!! Watch it!!

.22. FAVORITE DAY OF THE YEAR?
don't have a specific favourite day. First day of my first holiday of the year seems like the closest bet.

23. ARE YOU TOO SHY TO ASK SOMEONE OUT?
Haha, yeah right.

24. DO YOU LIKE SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY?
Both! I liked Before Sunset a lot... and The Village and The Devil's Backbone, and Ju On 2 which freaked me out so much I couldn't sleep... but i also like studio ghibli and interesting shows like futurama and sex and the city. ok slightly out of point.

.25. SUMMER OR WINTER?
definitely summer. i used to say winter but that was before i discovered its actually NOT romantic at all-- it just looks it in books and movies.

26. HUGS OR KISSES
I like giving both and having both too! Eee.. I sound like some crazy sailor moon type character.

.28. CHOCOLATE OR VANILLA?
Mango sorbet

29. DO YOU WANT YOUR FRIENDS TO WRITE BACK?
Friends? What friends? They're all too busy looking for jobs at the moment.

30. WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND?
No one since only glor and me write here.

.31. WHO IS LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND?
Glor as she's already done it

32. WHAT BOOK(S)ARE YOU READING?
Tears of the Giraffe-- Alexander McCall Smith, Croatia guidebook.

33. WHAT'S ON YOUR SCREEN SAVER?
Some wierd fish screen-- fish swim around like in an aquarium... sometimes there are sharks.

.34. FAVORITE BOARD GAME?
I like cluedo too.

35. WHAT DID YOU DO LAST NIGHT?
Cleaned the house, fetched Florian's mum. Cooked fried beehoon that went all sticky and clumpy (does anyone know how to get the bee hoon to not stick together?) with prawns and vege and egg and tom yam paste. it tasted quite nice but I didn't have msg so it didnt taste like proper bee hoon. did some washing, ironed some clothes and looked at some paperwork for the job. yes i am sad.

36. FAVORITE SMELLS?
Bolbol smell, which smells like me. Gloria's bolster smell, which smells like Glor. Nice food smells but only when I am hungry, disinfectant smell when I have just finished cleaning the floor. It makes me feel happy when my floor is very clean.

37. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU WAKE UP IN THE MORNING? Where's bolbol?

.38. WHAT DAY IS TODAY? friday.

39.WAD ARE YOU THINKING OF NOW? I have to go meet my boyfriend for dinner oops I am late. I am quite thirsty. Also, should I go home and change my shoes because they are quite pointy and hard to walk in.

40.WHO ARE YOUR BESTFRENS?
In SG, Sheena, Eldred tho he's in CAnada now, Bunn (in HK), Grace from IJ, Terrence and Janet from AJ. Here, Kenny, Cat, Florian, JD, Carmel (in NY now), Liane (my ex supervisor... funny how we became friends) and Charles and William (who are a couple).

41. WHO IS YOUR SOUL MATE?
Bolbol.

.42.WHO DO YOU RESPECT THE MOST?
Neil Gaiman. He is a genius.

.43.WHO DID YOU LAST CHAT WITH ONLINE?
I absolutely do not remember. It may have been terrence.

.44.WHO IS THE LAMEST PERSON YOU KNOW?
my father

45.DO YOU HAVE A CRUSH ON ANYONE NOW?
no

.46.WHO ALWAYS CHEERS YOU UP WHEN YOU ARE DOWN?
James, Glor when I talk to her cos she is so preoccupied with the small things that I wish I were so carefree, Kenny, Carmel-- she is so optimistic its crazy. her motto is: nothing bad ever happens! Mummy- she is really funny. Cecely- She is always so gloomy I feel that my life is actually not so bad after all.

.48.WHICH IS YOUR WORST SUBJECT? haha! chinese also. maths maybe. at uni, LAw and Institutions of the EU which is actually as boring as it sounds.

GOOD LUCK FOR EXAMS EVERYONE ESPECIALLY GLOR!

so blogger finally decides to let me post. bah, technology.(oh no! starting to sound like electra!)

had to migrate out of the house to junction 8 today, to study. stupid town council wasting money on upgrading (again!). seriously, how many times do you want to re-do the parking lot? i swear, add anguished screams to the drilling and you've got what hell sounds like.

not only that, it left a layer of dust all over the house, even if the windows were closed. mum had a fit when she got back.

by the way victoria, her package arrived today. eh, how much did it cost arh? in any case, am getting her one of those chinese CDs that you see on tv, she always like those.

mum: wah! real one ah?! nice ah? so sweet!

is what she said. so basically that's a thank you larh.(now she's complaining about the cost of postage...)

hallo nora. my, you seem to be on a tagging spree neh?

i think tora's alright with you going over on monday rosie, but i'm having accounts tuition so maybe i'll pop by later. cheh, thought you talking abt having a marathon... one episode only...

oh yarh. got an account on livejournal, http://www.livejournal.com/users/gloreo/

haven't had dinner yet. am hungry. *potters off to help with dinner*

1. WHAT IS YOUR FULL NAME? Ho Limin Gloria Sarah (i know it means princess. i don't like it either.)

2. WHAT kind of PANTS ARE YOU WEARING NOW? khaki coloured berms. just came back from accounts tuition lah.

3. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? the devil in the wishing well- five for fighting.

4. WHAT ARE THE LAST 4 DIGITS OF YOUR PHONE NUMBer? 5658. this is a pointless question, what're going to do with just 4 figures, buy 4D?

5. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? what, ate or ingested? i drank some damned strong lime juice after tuition but had lunch of char siew rice. with butabara~!

6. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? multi-coloured. i've got several of those, very convenient.

7. HOW IS THE WEATHER RIGHT NOW? er, as i can't see the sky from this room (damn sheltered walkway) can't really tell. regular balmy evening, i guess.

8. LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? mum, telling her what time i'd be back.

9. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT THE OPPOSITE SEX? what language he speaks. if english then how fluent he is.

10. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT YOU THIS? er, kind of stole it off bern. in any case, i like her alot. i'm her... 13th wife.

11. HOW ARE YOU TODAY? fine. slightly panicky, with the prelims and all. and how are you?

12. FAVORITE DRINK? bailey's irish cream, with vanilla ice-cream. pure ambrosia!

13. WHATS YOUR FAVORITE ALCOHOLIC DRINK? refer to above answer.

14. FAVORITE SPORTS? don't really like sports in general, hand eye coordination shot to shit. was rather good at long jump though.

15. HAIR COLOR? seriously? brown. i'm not all chinese you know.

16. REAL EYE COLOR? black.

17. DO U WEAR CONTACTS? yes but not often. most of the time can't put in effort to be vain.

18. SIBLINGS AND THEIR AGES? Victoria, 21 (yes, you are. did you notice?)

19. FAVORITE MONTH? december. generally, there's no homework to be done.

20. FAVORITE FOOD? oh hell. general stuff. er, most fruit (dried or otherwise), practically anything that's sweet, got cinnamon or garlic in it... just not dodgy things like... cockroaches or worms, i suppose.

21. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? good question. i don't remember, haven't watched one for ages. the prince and me maybe? lousy movie, by the way. makes you feel like grabbing any random cute guy off the street and snogging him.

22. FAVORITE DAY OF THE YEAR? haven't got one. i would say my birthday but i've had some horrible ones...

23. ARE YOU TOO SHY TO ASK SOMEONE OUT? i've never had the reason to.

24. DO YOU LIKE SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY? depends what mood i'm in. happy movies are usually stupid so maybe scary? i like comedy best, or whatever studio ghibli has done.

25. SUMMER OR WINTER? we've got a monsoon climate here so can't really say. winter, i suppose. can't stand getting fried everytime i step out.

26. HUGS OR KISSES? hugs, 'cos everyone can give them.

28. CHOCOLATE OR VANILLA? tempted to quote gackt but honestly, am more of a chocolate person.

29. DO YOU WANT YOUR FRIENDS TO WRITE BACK? eh? if they're really bored lah.

30. WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? very bored people like me who haven't done a random quiz for ages.

31. WHO IS LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? my sister, since she's decided to stop blogging (you ass...)

32. WHAT BOOK(S)ARE YOU READING? none, if textbooks are not counted.

33. WHAT'S ON YOUR SCREEN SAVER? haven't got one, at this point.

34. FAVORITE BOARD GAME? cluedo!

35. WHAT DID YOU DO LAST NIGHT? spent 4 hours talking to Jenny then finished up notes for factors for malaysia's population density and distribution.

36. FAVORITE SMELLS? whatever my mum happens to use, the air after rain, roses, my grandmother's spiced mushroom soup, fresh bed sheets, old books, etc.

37. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU WAKE UP IN THE MORNING? 'damn it. damn (school/whatever i have to wake up for)'.

38. WHAT DAY IS TODAY? wednesday.

39.WAD ARE YOU THINKING OF NOW? why am i doing this? i have to go and do my accounts tuition homework... stupid trial balance...

40.WHO ARE YOUR BESTFRENS? isn't that irony? best usually implies only one. Jenny. but to answer the question, her, the Super Pocky Yandao Kinky Bondage Sex (SPYKBS) and pretty much the people who give a shit about me.

41. WHO IS YOUR SOUL MATE? i don't believe in that concept (no, i'll not say sota, you idiots).

42.WHO DO YOU RESPECT THE MOST? whoever came up with blanco. it's saved my work more times than i can count.

43.WHO DID YOU LAST CHAT WITH ONLINE? a few people, i think paul, brian, tora? don't remember. don't chat too often.

44.WHO IS THE LAMEST PERSON YOU KNOW? my father.

45.THE MOST FUN PEOPLE YOU KNOW? the SPYKBS people, the gaming people...

46.DO YOU HAVE A CRUSH ON ANYONE NOW? don't think so.

47.WHO ALWAYS CHEERS YOU UP WHEN YOU ARE DOWN? the SPYKBS people, Jenny, Nick, Eldred, Victoria, Mavis, my mum (sometimes. she's got this knack of being very practical).

48.WHICH IS YOUR WORST SUBJECT? hrm. used to be chinese but since i dropped to CLB... if it counts, the only thing i failed at the mid-years was [ss/lit]. bleah, structured!

whew. i spent how long doing that? talk about random.

I can't see how people who read this blog think Glor and I are the same person! There are no homeless bums in Singapore and you all know Gloria never went to Wales. It is actually TOR. Me, TOR! Is our writing so similar that people can't tell us apart? I won't post anymore then.... no more blog entries from TOR. (indifferent shrugs) Ok, am hungry now so I'm, gonna eat some chicken katsu curry.

got up at 2-ish today. felt hungry so went off to j8, craving for chicken, not sure why. after my meal i got chocolate from the ntuc downstairs. yeah, carbo to help me get through the day/night. anyway, took the bus home. even though it was nice and wet and walking would have been nice, i was lazy.

there was this girl. on the bus, with her mother.

you know the conventional portrayal of little girls, skipping along, wearing pink, pigtails (think Roald Dahl's Matilda), finger in mouth going 'lah lah lah'?

well, it actually happens. except she was sitting down.

if i hadn't been nicely sated and sleepy, i would have bitten her head off. but i have always found something deeply scary and disturbing about empty-eyed, off-tune, cheerful children.

we got off at the same stop. and then she started skipping.

you're welcome tanya. thank you as well, for being my massage guinea pig.

are you scared of the dark althea? it's not dark in school, the street lamps cast marvelous shadows. you work hard too yeah? i'll see you in school then...

don't be an idiot toria, i'm not going to get anyone cthulhu plush slippers! that's ridiculous! honestly, who comes up with these things?! am probably getting mum a david tao cd, by the way.

panadol is your new best friend then, lixx? just don't let tora see you, tennis really sets her off...

don't be so negative amanda. i'm sure you'll look back and laugh about it later... right? fun-kay indeed, it was something of an accident really. what say you we squeeze in KKnM after prelims and oh, everyday in december? :P

have i mentioned? my accounts tuition teacher came down with pneumonia, doesn't know how he got it either. jeez, poor paul.

ok, should go now. expect me to post often during prelims, blogging very good form of de-stressing.

new layout! got rather tired of the old one. nice right? took me longer than usual to get it modified, but it paid off. yeah, and i'm not the type to use pictures, can't be bothered to upload and whatnot.

ok, so i've altered the tagboard, added archives too. haven't seen those in a while. also, links will be in bold. neither my sister nor i usually type in bold anyway, so there shouldn't be any confusion.

doesn't everybody like the new blogger toolbar above? lots better than the stupid adverts really.

so that's that then. will probably make a proper post next week, seeing as how i haven't got school.

There was a homeless bum on my street when I got home today. He was shouting, 'I'll be honest with you! I need money to buy cannabis! I won't lie, I want to get high! I want cash, to buy some hash!'

I didn't give him any money.

Neither did I give him any drugs, although there was a man selling magic mushrooms on Neal Street. It's funny how big, black Rastafarians come up to me in Picadilly Circus and ask me if I want a spliff. I imagine how I must look to them, cute little Jap girl (usually presumed) amused by their sleazy overtures.

Last night there was a fire in front of my flat. The fire brigade came and quickly put it out, so luckily no one was hurt. Apparently some idiot deposited a load of furniture in front of out flat and tried to set it on fire. I don't think anyone hates me that much, do they? It's a scary thought but it's occurred to me that it may have been one of Kenny's spurned potential sugar daddys. Well not much about this city really surprises me anymore. It could have been a random drunk person.

Checking back in after the Wales horse-riding experience...

It has been painfully brought home to me that to enjoy horse-riding you've actually got to really like horses, not just be indifferent or ambivalent about them. It's not that I don't like the blasted things, I do feel a kind of objective respect for them-- after all they can run, jump and shit better than I ever could-- it's just that I don't have the necessary tenderness and sensitivity to animals in order to ride them well.

Riding is a very psychological exercise. You must like the horse and the horse must like you. This means maintaining a continuous stream of encouragement like 'Good boy, Snowball', 'C'mon boy' and 'Very good, Snowball!' I cannot bring myself to talk to a horse. The most I can say is, 'please please stop eating grass and let's move!' You must pat it, stroke it, yet keep a tight rein and your heels around the thing to show it who's master. You must dig your heels into its ribs repeatedly, and learn to tell when it is peeing or shitting so you can stand clear.

Something I wasn't very good at.

It is surprisingly difficult to tell if a horse is resting, stopping to shit, or just plain being stubborn because, being mounted, you obviously cannot see the bottom of the horse. The sudden blast of country fragrance following the pause is the only way to tell. If I seem to be overemphasising a certain bodily function let me assure that the one thing horse movies/books don't mention is how bloody often they do it. And how much of it there is.

The countryside was very pretty, but more P.G.Wodehouse than J.R.R. Tolkien. No waterfalls this time round, but we did 'ford' some babbling brooks and rushing streams. It was a rugged trail and the horse (Snowball) spent more time picking its way past the stone-littered climbing paths (somewhat reluctantly I thought, but then I'm no horse psychologist) than cantering past magnificent views. We did see some rolling hills and dales and fields and pretty stone churches and many many sheep. I did more trotting than cantering and no galloping at all (what do you think I am, Liv Tyler?) and after 5 hours, I'm happy I didn't go any faster-- as it is I could barely sit the next day.

Two hours in the hot tub at the cottage soon cured that (maybe the jugs of Pimms helped too), and here I am in London, £155 lighter, and all country-ed out. The company was pleasant overall, and the food fantastic. The guy who runs the place is a former chef. All in all, a moderately enjoyable weekend. But I'm not a big fan of horseriding-- I probably wouldn't do it again unless I bring Gloria next time.

Oh yes, and I did fall off once. But it didn't hurt. I landed with a soft squelch.

i share your sentiments amanda, am freaking tired. came home from CLB today and slept as if dead, for a few hours. which means i can stay up late tonight to do my studying. it's a light day tmr anyway.

you know everytime i fall asleep in the afternoon, i scare myself when i wake up, 'cos my first reaction to sunlight when i wake is 'ohshitamilate?!!' and it takes me a bit to realise it's evening still. most times i laugh and go back to sleep.

so, been going to school for night study since monday. good stuff, am very productive. kudos to whoever came up with the scheme. but sometimes get carried away, we spent abt 15mins of last night talking crap with Ms Tan. am enlightened now, about the whole canteen problem thing.

have i ever mentioned that singing in a dark carpark brings a rush of blood to my head?

am not eating well, studying at irregular hours... on the whole is quite enjoyable, though not terribly healthy. but i love being a student, being this age. not too old to be resentful but still young enough to get away with most things, if you take my meaning. there is always truth in cliches, which brings to mind:

'youth is wasted on the young
before you know it's come and gone
too soon'

robbie williams, eternity, i believe. haven't been listening to him for ages. need toria to bring back her albums so i can burn them...

just got new glasses. black, square frames that make me look 'severe', to quote mrs kunna. they make me feel intelligent actually. it's also fun to punctuate my sentences while making a slight adjustment to them, such that they glint in the light. ok, so some people can tell i am obviously fangirling. but seriously, they're a little slanted so it doesn't sit in my face properly.

haven't been answering tags, sorry abt that.

thanks adam, will do. you take care too?

even the word 'prelims' scare the crap outta me cass, dunno how i'm going to sit for them!! am not planning to drop by choir anytime soon but thanks, see you around?

thanks mel, you doing the dancemania thing in school? what's it abt anyway, posters up all over the place...

hallo electra!!! have a feeling you and my sister will get along just fine...

althea, thanks for dropping by. you shd come for night study, very fun, very productive. and i like my glasses too!

toria,
you've got to be joking, bol?!! hell, anything's possible i suppose. you know, i hear that there's a place actually called hell. and it also happens to be very warm over there too.
okok, stop with the fruits basket thing. i'll just have to bring you to kknm and you can bloody choose something for yourself.
you got the stuff that uncle morris brought over? rent has stopped skipping, due to my sudden fascination with cd cleaner. will have edwin bring the sausages over.

rather have to go. does anyone want to borrow my kazoo?

Was researching the viability of a trip to Croatia a few minutes ago; cost, activities, temperature, destinations... Whatever happens though, I am most definitely staying on the island of Bol in Croatia.

chinese o level reults came out today. my school has a very nice 100% pass. good thing people like us CLB girls didn't take the paper, or it would have been something like 95%... so obviously didn't sit for it lah. you've no idea how liberating it feels to be somewhere else on the morning of your chinese exam.

went to the dental yesterday. now have extra braket on the inside of my back tooth, thus new spot for rubber band. have i ever mentioned my hatred for those damned things? now mouth feeling very cramped. have had braces on for so long i've lost count, erm, 3 years?

decided to go for night study, though i remember that it wasn't terribly popular last year, they closed it down half-way through. still, studying by myself in the school library til 9 in the night is a nice thought for this nocturnal animal.

did something extremely stupid on saturday. made a trip down to kknm in the late afternoon, right before mass to catch up on some reading. am a bloody moron! reading before mass is one thing, reading, of all things, priest, is something so stupid i amaze myself. not that it's lousy, quite the contrary. in fact, one of the reasons i read it is because i like the art. don't want to elaborate. for information on this korean comic, click here.

i think i had lots more to say but can't remember it all, now. oh well.

From Neil Gaiman's blog:



Amongst many other things, in Dave Sim's Cerebus (which is a story that took Dave and his partner-in-art Gerhard 300 issues to tell) he did, in the Women storyline, easily the best parody of Sandman anyone's ever done, as various members of the Cerebus cast of characters become Snuff, Swoon and the rest of the Clueless. It was wickedly funny, and had the author of Sandman curling his toes when he read it.

Dave Sim has made an extremely generous offer to readers of this journal (and indeed, to readers not of this journal, but just people who simply hear about his offer elsewhere on the Internet. Memes propagate, after all), which is the kind of offer that I found as interesting as he did. It's this:

If you'd like to read one of the Sandman parody issues of Cerebus, Dave will send you one. He'll send it to you very happily, free of charge. He will sign it for you, too. And he won't charge you a thing. Not even postage.

And if you're wondering what the catch is, it's this: Dave wants to know (as, I have to admit, do I) how many of the people out there in internet-land will actually go and do things that don't involve passively clicking on a link and going somewhere interesting. So what you have to do is write Dave a letter (not an e-mail. Dave doesn't have e-mail) telling him that you read that he'll send you a signed Cerebus, and telling him why you'd like him to send you a copy. It's as easy as that. And, quite possibly as difficult.

The address to write to is:

Aardvark Vanaheim, Inc
P.O. Box 1674 Station C
Kitchener, Ontario, Canada N2G 4R2

Dave, I suspect, thinks he'll get a handful of requests. In my more pessimistic moments, I think he's right, although I'd love it if he got deluged with letters, like those kids in hospitals who don't exist but are still collecting postcards...

We have a second-part of the plan too, which involves doing good things for the CBLDF. But that's for later. For now, if you're even mildly curious, write Dave a letter. Tell him you're curious...

(And for those of you who aren't sure if they want to risk having to go and find a stamp, you could go and look at http://www.cerebusfangirl.com/ -- and at http://www.cerebusfangirl.com/stories/stories.html you can even read several Cerebus short stories from Epic Illustrated, or the four pager from Alan Moore and partners' AARGH anthology.)

(But once you've read them, write Dave the letter. Don't forget to put your address on it, or to say why you'd like him to send you a signed Cerebus comic. And feel very very free to pass the word on to the comics news-sites or groups, or just to anywhere that people who might be interested congregate.)