The hols have started! On with the busy festive months! I love the feeling of -doing- things. Like runnng errands or Christmas shopping in town, where there are people everywhere and you're just zipping from place to place, working through the crowd like a Kender.

A whirl of bags and stream of phone calls... left, right, and a left again, to the underpass then waltzing out into the sunlight and weaving past a gaggle of teenagers, a family with a crying child, past the lovers sharing an ice cream...

I love this Christmas, not having to worry about taking care of my voice or the over packed scheduele.

Been in town alot recently, due to sick aunt staying at Mount E. Strolling through the streets arm in arm with my younger cousin Peter this evening. Got a balloon off his younger sister. Is bobbing on my finger as I type right now! The giant Taka tree is out, decor soon to come.

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed...

I'm starting to remember why I loved Christmas as a child...

Am through to next year! By the skin of my teeth, so have to continue mugging. Somebody kill me please!

I like Econs. Really, I do. And I'm not just saying this because Wen might read this journal either. But, it's just so damned difficult to do. So I've to go for more tuition this holiday. On the bright side, Wen was nice about me failing. Wen's the best tuition teacher ever~!

So like that lah. Think I've to bring homework over to London. Bleah.

Rumours say that Mirrormask was going to be brought to Singapore, but haven't seen publicity for it yet. Judging by the response to Gaiman's trip here, they should recognise that there is a market to be exploited. I -do- hope that it eventually gets here. Keyword here being eventually.

Did you know that the director for Brothers Grmm did The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (if that's how you spell it)? I loved that movie. Never seen the DVD around though. The scene where the baron took rope from the top of the rope they were climbing down of, will never cease to amuse me.

You ah. I'm worried about you leh. Don't be depressed ok? I'll come and pester you in a few months, then you'll be too embarrased to be seen with your scruffy teenaged sister to be lonely. *hugg~

Oh, by the way. Got this off LiveJournal (I do have an account there you know).

I am the girl kicked out of her home because I confided in my mother that I am a lesbian.

I am the prostitute working the streets because nobody will hire a transsexual woman.

I am the sister who holds her gay brother tight through the painful, tear-filled nights.

We are the parents who buried our daughter long before her time.

I am the man who died alone in the hospital because they would not let my partner of twenty-seven years into the room.

I am the foster child who wakes up with nightmares of being taken away from the two fathers who are the only loving family I have ever had. I wish they could adopt me.

I am one of the lucky ones, I guess. I survived the attack that left me in a coma for three weeks, and in another year I will probably be able to walk again.

I am not one of the lucky ones. I killed myself just weeks before graduating high school. It was simply too much to bear.

We are the couple who had the realtor hang up on us when she found out we wanted to rent a one-bedroom for two men.

I am the person who never knows which bathroom I should use if I want to avoid getting the management called on me.

I am the mother who is not allowed to even visit the children I bore, nursed, and raised. The court says I am an unfit mother because I now live with another woman.

I am the domestic-violence survivor who found the support system grow suddenly cold and distant when they found out my abusive partner is also a woman.

I am the domestic-violence survivor who has no support system to turn to because I am male.

I am the father who has never hugged his son because I grew up afraid to show affection to other men.

I am the home-economics teacher who always wanted to teach gym until someone told me that only lesbians do that.

I am the man who died when the paramedics stopped treating me as soon as they realized I was transsexual.

I am the person who feels guilty because I think I could be a much better person if I didn’t have to always deal with society hating me.

I am the man who stopped attending church, not because I don't believe, but because they closed their doors to my kind.

I am the person who has to hide what this world needs most, love.

(Feel free to repost this if you believe homophobia is wrong.)

TOR AGAIN!

Argh! Forgot to say that I've got the LAST ticket for Mirrormask on the 1st of Nov. I can hardly believe it myself. I knew it was coming with the London Film Festival and was just talking about booking tickets, but forgot. So this morning I woke up bright and early, went down to leicester square, and tried to get tickets for all the other shows I want to watch too.

'Ok, the most important is Mirrormask', I said. 'Oops, sold out.' 'What?! No. You're kidding me. Please be kidding me.' 'Wait I'll check. Oh... there's one left.'

'I'll take it!'

So now Mirrormask is all sold out, 1 and 1/2 weeks before it is due to show. Cost me £10. I'm also gonna see is Everything is Illuminated and the Brothers Grimm. Will report back on how it goes.

THIS IS TOR

I maintain that a little bit of navel-gazing now and then, the occassional bout of introspection, is healthy, even necessary, in a well-adjusted person. As a wise man once said, there's nothing wrong with being self-absorbed if you are interesting enough to justify it.

So it comes to pass that at some point in the lifetimes of every girl who is sufficiently self-aware, this question must be asked: which character am I in Sex and the City?

The other day five such individuals were making merry in a Holborn pub after a hard day's work. That entailed serious discussions on topics ranging from the most interesting place we've ever had sex in, to the nature of our desire to be like, or to live the lives of, television characters.

The answer to the first was a draw between 'under a weeping willow in a Montreal garden' and 'the backseat of a car on the Brighton sea front'. The answer to the other was slightly tricker.

Nick pointed out that for the boys, it was in fact not one question but two. Which girl would you like to be with, versus which girl you would eventually end up with. Unsurprisingly, they plumped for a night with Samantha but a lifetime with Carrie.

However, the girls as one said, 'Miranda'. Generally considered by men to be the least conventionally attractive of the group, yet the most intelligent and career-oriented, we identified with her the most.

But something struck me and I turned to nick-- girls have two levels also. Everyone wants to be Carrie but we can't say that that's who we are in case guys take one look at us and go, 'huh'. We all want to be pretty and fun, carefree and creative, effortlessly stylish and intelligent and strong.

But the bunch of us here, we've sold out. We don't dare say we're pretty and fun. We may say we're reasonably attractive (as indeed that's what I think of myself), and good conversationalists, but pretty and fun? No. We set store by our intellect, our ambition, our independence, our mannish qualities. Our confidence does not derive from our looks. We do not practise the art of the smile and glance, play the coquette, ask for lights for our cigarettes. We are to be men's colleagues, first, and their love interests second. They must know us for what we do, then, who we are. 'Carefree and creative' are not words to describe the image of the City lawyer we will all be. We're afraid to be Carrie. We might've been, once, or could be, in the future, but that is not who we are.

So he shakes his head, "ah! the fatalism of the young!" Why trap yourself in a self-fulfilling prophecy? I could hardly bear to tell him that this is all we know.

THIS IS TOR

Many thanks for all the birthday greetings!

Oh! I cringe when I read my BolBol poem. It really is quite personal, isn't it? I'm not sure if it is appropriate to exhibit my dysfunction so openly. Anyway, I feel okay now after having had a very good birthday. I think breaking up with him may have been the best thing I've done all year (well, actually, no, the best was going to new york for free) because, cliched as it is, it has made me realise who my friends are etc etc. You see, my problem is that I am a serial monogamist and I've never really had to depend on my friends just cos the next guy has always been waiting to catch me. Now, there is no next guy!

Or to put it differently, there are a variety of possible next guys to choose from. *rubbing hands in evil anticipation*

I was very pleased to receive calls from some friends in SG in the morning so I feel loved now. And I had a really lovely time at drinks, and dinner and the club later with my hot friend Leila who always gets guys to buy her drinks (and me by proxy, haha! suckers!) I looked around the dinner table and thought, damn! my friends are cool. And then proceeded to slide gently and slowly into inebriation. Am pleased about prezzies too. (Ok, now starting to sound a little like a 12 year old, but I'm still hungover, bear with me) For the first time in my life, I got 2 dozen roses! And nice books and CDs, and Flor gave me a pot of purple flowers for mky windowsill too.

So that was tuesday. On wednesday I went out with my class as it was another girl's birthday on monday, and mine was tuesday so we decided to combine it and make a night out of it. The class bought us a cake and when it came out, the waiters threw pizza dough all over us. It must be some kind of strange italian tradition, but by then I really was more interested in the flaming shots of sambuca everyone was suddenly thrusting at me. I looked around the dinner table and thought, damn! I like my classmates. They are cool. Good conversation, good wine, good food (for london, and for the price)... what more could you ask for for a good night out?

Actually, it looks like it might happen all over again, as I'm meeting the LSE Jessup crowd tonight, I'm helping out with selection and Jim's gone and told everyone that it's my birthday so they're gearing up for a big night out. I don't know how much more of this I can take, I haven't done any work whatsoever this week and am trying to cram in an hour's work for tomorrow's assignment which I have to hand in.

*looks at tagboard* Many thanks, Grace.

Happy Birthday, my dear sister! Hope you got the mail we sent. It's in 2 parts, remember ok? Oh, so you don't have a boyfriend that goes 'super cool hawker food ' anymore. Play the field man. And you'll have to cook for me, when I'm there!

To cheer you up, there is always Bolbol! Plus the poem you wrote for it is still lying around the house...

Ode To Bolbol

Happiness is a warm bolster smelling like youself
With Bolbol to squeeze sleep is joy itself
The nice mushy inside all squishy and snug
The softness of Bolbol yielding to a hug

Anytime anywhere a bolster is good
'cos smelling Bolbol is happy food
I doesn't matter what's inside it
Even though it's dustmite corpses and shit

'cos they're vacummed out by the $3000 machine
And think of how clean Bolbol's been
Since the bol case was changed last year
So there's really nothing to fear.

From the thing that brings happiness to me
The nicest bolster all the world can see.

THIS IS TOR

I am newly single. For the first time in years. Weeerrgh! Although it is a bit lonely and sad in my house now, with no one to cook for, I think it was the right decision for the Long Run. Seeing people my age getting married (1 girl in my class came straight from her honeymoon for start of term and the guy who sits opposite me is getting hitched in March in a castle in Austria. woah.) has totally scared the shit out of me. James is 30. Do I want to marry him? No. Has he asked me? No, but it's only a matter of time and we'd been together 2 years already.

So it was time to take stock of what I wanted to do and where I wanted to be. He wanted to go home. I have to stay here. He basically wanted to settle down. And I've spent a loooong time in stable relationships. And I was getting very tired of having to be with somebody who isn't really there, who hates the place he's in, who spouts vitriol about the people he is surrounded by. In new age terms, it was just too much negative energy. So that's that. Until something interesting happens in my love life-- well, actually, until I'm ready for something interesting to happen-- it's gonna be solitary evenings, strictly me-time, cooking for my friends or crazy partying.

Oh my lord, I just woke up. That must have been some kind of sleep of the dead one gets after the exams, or something. Didn't bother going for the post exam activities the school thoughtfully organised for us, simply because I think I would have dropped dead from bordem or exhaustion or maybe both. I don't like sports that make you run around alot, no.

Do feel bad for not turning up to get my fencing jacket off Cephas, my fencing captain. Heh, always have this urge to call him buchou, really. Have this vague impression that he called this morning to ask where I was. I hope I apologised. Don't you hate asnwering the phone in your sleep and having conversations you aren't quite aware of?

Fencing. I know I just said that I don't like sports, but I figured it would be a cool thing to join. A bit of a change from performance arts. I've just realised that I'm afraid to commit. That's why I'm so slack about it, something that was almost unheard of with choir and band.

I'm tired of putting in so much blood and sweat but not getting much in return. I mean look, the greatest achievement I had in band was singing for the last concert. And in choir I never really ment much to them. Doesn't mean I didn't have any fun singing or playing though. It simply stopped being about the music somewhere along the way, and started being a duty, more than anythig else. I wanted to progress, but that wasn't happening much. I sound like a snob, but I'm simply stating my feelings. Thinking about how static the choir was just serves to make me annoyed. For both, we'd get scoldings all the bloody time.

But here in fencing... you fence only for yourself. It's not a group thing anymore, where you work together to sound good. It doesn't matter when you've got a different style or anything like that. I keep on forgetting that this is a sport, anything that matters to you, only matters to you. I used to get pissed off when someone couldn't hit that god easy note, but that doesn't happen here.

Besides, the people in fencing actually love doing it, they're not here because of friends or anything. It's not a duty to them. So much so that I was the only person left at the booth during Open House, everyone else was all over the place having bouts. I guess I'm the only person who wants to tell others how fun fencing really is. I do give a damn about it, you know.

Time to get back on the horse.

Aargh aargh
last paper tommorow
is
more econs
want to catch
up on reading and
random people and
gaming! Oh!
need to burn 10 GB
worth of data to
clear space
like
my
brain

In middle of exam marathon. Not including National Education, we've got 4 papers to go, ending next Wednesday. Alright, a week more then.

Don't even know why they make us take the stupid NE exam anyway, at least put it in a decent timeslot and not in the middle of the afternoon lunch-ish sort of time larh. I know people have exams in the morning before that but it just serves to make them irritated, no? NE preventing them from going off, and all that. On the bright side, at least people like me who don't have exams that morning can sleep in. But really, it doesn't even matter when we fail the thing.

I can't help but think that it would be better for us to have nice breaks between our papers, so that we've got more time to study, instead of freaking out by the fact that we've got papers one after another. Ach, I suppose it's better than those in poly, I hear they have projects due all the freaking time, even if they don't have exams. I'd rather do exams really, especially when I know what I'm talking about.

I've just come to a conclusion; I learn most during lectures, like when we're under pressure to have to understand why exactly a monopoly makes so much money. I need to invest in a tape recorder, as Khayce suggested. That's why I couldn't do the Long Day's Journey essay properly today, I'd missed a couple of important lectures. I am quite hating myself for that, so I've got to be more selective about ponning school now.

And, I've only just noticed, after doing more than 10 years worth of exams, that I silently read what I write. With a start I'd realised that my lips were moving while I was talking about Huxley's use of irony. Bloody hell, I'm even doing it now. Wonder why I'd never noticed before.

Like that larh. Need to go do geog now.

I am that child who loved wandering outside in the estate, parents mad with worry. I am that child who hated the gate when it was locked, or when the stairs were barred, with my sister on the other side making fun of me (yes, I still remember that).

I am the sister who will never be as good as you are. I am that sister whom you have shaped in so many ways, more than you know, who misses you very much too.

I am the reason you continue to work, not letting you retire early. I am that daughter who sees you coming back late everyday, and listens to your conversations about work over dinner.

I am the granddaughter who never appreciated you until you were gone.

I am that student who has spent 10 good years in a convent, the blue pinafoe marking me for life, even if I don't wear it anymore.

I am the band member who would sing with you during sectionals, instead of play the saxophone. I am the same who left the school having that as an achievement.

I am the choir member who quit because she couldn't stand the weekly scoldings, who realised that she could be doing other more productive things with her saturday afternoons and holidays.

I am that singer who let her voice go down the drain.

I am that friend who constantly worries about you. I am that friend who will constantly pimp books/musicals/anime/gaming to you. I am that friend who will give you shelter if you ever run away from home. I am that friend who will listen, if you need it.

I am your ina roel.

I am that classmate who needs to re-roll her charisma.

I am the girl who will always have a crush on you, that girl who woke up crying when you went away.

I am that teenager who will always bear that grudge against you.

I am a young woman who doesn't know what to do with the rest of her life. I am that girl who wants to grow up to be an adventurer.

I am wondering what next life will throw at me.

OK TOR AGAIN

Yay! Am freeriding on someone else's wireless at home so I have internet! I now have a nice new laptop and have installed msn! I have just re-connected into the world of the virtually living. I shall be adding everyone slowly to my new msn. The old one diededed on me years ago. Since my computer won't let me post my homework on my school's web discussion board thingie for some reason, I might as well do this quiz, using my new-found internet source. And since it caters so appealingly to the self-absorbed (i.e. me, although less so now than when khayce first brought this fact about myself to my attention-- see, am doing it again).

Write 20 random facts about yourself then tag the same amount of people as minutes it takes you to write the facts. If you're tagged it's your turn.

1. The nicest thing in my house is my bolster, named BolBol.
2. The nicest thing about my house is that it is in Covent Garden.
3. I once wrote a poem dedicated to BolBol.
4. My sister's bolster used to be called Ster Ster. Wait, that isn't about me. I used to make my sister say that my bolster is nice. That's better.
5. More than one person has said that I look like Daniel Chan.
6. I am self-absorbed enough to think that people will find a list like this interesting.
7. I like the colour tan more than the colour red now.
8. I go to a Japanese hair stylist and have funky Jap hair that looks like a mushroom.
9. I actually enjoy reading The Economist.
10. Reading The Economist makes me feel smart.
11. I am now so fat now that my aunt could not spot me in my graduation photo with my friends.
12. I now cycle every day for half an hour while reading The Economist so that I can feel fit AND smart.
13. I now do not eat any carbohydrates after 5pm.
14. I have just discovered Paul Theroux and am spending way too much money on his books, particularly his travel writing.
15. I once got picked up at the County Hall gallery by this guy who saw me clutching a Theroux novel. He worked for the Foreign Office and spoke chinese. Obviously I had to decline his invitation to dinner since I am attached. (Damn! there went a free dinner)
16. My boyfriend has logged over 400 dives (scuba). I have done about 20.
17. I still hang out with my dive instructor who is from Malta but works in London now. (As an accountant, not a dive instructor)
18. I don't drink beer anymore, unless it is Ninkeberry, which is mango-and-passionfruit flavoured beer.
19. I miss watching Glor's anime.
20. I miss Glor.

Can everyone Glor tagged link back here so we can all see what they wrote?

Don't know why, but I got tagged for this twice, so I guess it mean that I'd better do it...

Write 20 random facts about yourself then tag the same amount of people as minutes it takes you to write the facts. If you're tagged it's your turn.

1. I think I may be beginning to like red more than black.
2. But I still like black anyway.
3. I actually -do- like my classmates. Really.
4. I still think my older sister is 19, so I've got to add the years up when people ask me how old she is.
5. I like liquorice, and it's damned difficult to find good liquorice here.
6. Stupid people make me laugh. That would include the blur tourists one often sees in town.
7. I am beggining to be quite enthusiastic about wuxia films.
8. My father likes long distance running.
9. He also happens to have a degree in both philosophy and literature.
10. So does my mum. But she graduated at a chinese university so she knows all about confucious.
11. But I really -don't- know why I speak the way I do, or where it came from.
12. I can play the saxophone. And I rather miss it.
13. I'd like to think that I can/could sing.
14. I'm frustrated by the fact that no one seems to have heard of the korean manwha, Priest.
15. My left ring finger is longer than my right. Seriously!
16. The surface of my nails are ridged, so on the occasion of a manicure, the lady has to file them down.
17. I like pretty dice. Especially the runic d10 and the blue blood scarab set on dicepool.com
18. My favourite character so far isn't my Ars Magica magus, but the V:tM Daughter of Cacophony.
19. I think that anime and manga are underrated, by the general public. And I like to argue with them on that. Even if you really -do- have some nonsense stuff out there.
20. I'm so fair that sometimes under the sun, I burn when walking from place to place.

9 minutes. Tagg~!
Jerrick
Victoria
Rosie
Khayce
Ed
Jenny
Amanda
Tsu
Dawn

THIS IS TOR

I know how you feel about people like The Girl Who Giggled. Thankfully, I am no longer surrounded by such numbskulls, and/or can move away slowly and carefully if I ever find myself their midst. Although I did meet a very interesting girl at a business course we had to go for in Manchester. Didn't get to see the city at all (except a little bit of the Uni campus) but I had a luxurious room all to myself with a TV and ironing board! *gasp* It's funny how your standards get lowered, staying in UK hotels.

So, this girl.

'Howdy!' she said as I entered the room for our little groupwork session thingie. This greeting seemed strange as she was obviously very posh. It could have been her confused effort to connect with the common people such as myself. I didn't have the heart to tell her that she had got her countries mixed up. What else could I say but 'er, hello?'.

'Is it just you?' she replied.

I didn't know, there were meant to be 6 of us but apparently many people had had a rather heavy night the night before and hadn't actually got up that afternoon.

After a pause she said, 'So, what's your background then?'. I forgot to mention that this girl looks like the queen (perhaps a younger version) and was wearing tweed. I didn't know if I was meant to say that I was from the Bishan branch of the Ho family involved in middle class pursuits (I'm afraid), or just that I was from SG.

'No,no!' she said, 'I meant, which university are you from?'

So I detailed my educational pedigree.

'Are you at Oxford next year then?' she was referring to the LPC year that everyone has to do in order to sit their bar exam. We can do this in Nottingham, Oxford, or London.

'No, I'll be in London,' I told her.

'Jolly good.'

Absolute and awkward silence.

Luckily people started coming in and having conversations about houses in the country, and the people who knew the other people in the room, so I could relax. But the majority of my future colleagues are nice or at least ok, from what I've experienced. There are one or two that are just not on the same planet though, for example, one girl is on planet Paris Hilton.

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against my future colleagues, they just exasperate me very easily.

Just jotting this down, while in school. Have to dash for Lit lect in a bit.

Bloody hell. If there's one thing that I don't like, it's being locked out of class first thing in the morning. Especially when the first period is a lecture and my notes are in class. I do sit rather close to the windows, but I don't have abnormally long arms to reach my stuff (however, have I ever mentioned that my left ring finger is longer than my right?).

Added to that, my class chairman acted like he didn't care, when I asked him about it after assembly. Don't think he liked me interrupting his conversation with other fencers. Well, of course he didn't care; he had his notes with him.

But what I detest most of all is when the person holding the fucking key tag giggles when she discovers her mistake.

Urgh.

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against my classmates. They just exasperate me very easily.

Please excuse my previous post, I'm fine. Was just PMS-ing. That's what blogs're for, no?

Just got back from fencing, haven't fenced for a month, by estimation. In fact, I hardly fence at all in the first place. Now my fingers feel like they want to fall off because my hand is so strained. Good thing I'm using a french grip though, because a pistol grip would probably do worse. Couldn't write, when I first put down my blade. Write, as in do Econs MCQ while presiding other bouts. So my TYS has 15 point score matches all over the Labour Market section.

Started on the shadowrun main book some time back, muchly thanks to Wen and his gigantic portable hard drive. Got through the history bit of it, so have grasp of what setting is like. Now I know what Khayce ment by Snow Crash beng a very shadowrun book.

Can't quite get through the technicalities of the game though, am beggining to form habit of reading only fluff text. Must be all the fanfic reading I do online, articles in PDF aren't so much different. On the other hand, I've never really liked going through technical bits, it's easier to learn it when you actually play. Like science practical like that.

Went back to IJ this week, to get Angelina's camera from Jenny, for Project Work. The fact that I reognise nearly nobody anymore is more than just slightly alarming. The few that I did were band juniors, who have stepped down. Damned good to see them again. At least the teachers are mostly constant; I said hallo to Mr Chan. Oh hell, I miss my saxophone so much! But fencing is doing a fine job of a replacement, at least. Besides, I really am quite sick of performance arts, at the mo. But honestly, the feeling of walking through the place you've always thought of as your school, only to see strangers in that classic blue pinafoe...

Mailed Eldred. Suddenly I find out that he's got a blog. On friendster no less. And he's on bloody msn messenger too. Utterly contrary to the veiws that he shared with me, while he was still here. He's doing well, and that is always a good thing to know. Which is more than I can say for some of my friends here in CJ.

It's funny how you turn around for what seems like just a moment, only to be suprised at the very odd things that happened while you weren't looking.

Is it just me, or does it seem to rain alot on days when I have Geog lectures? Tuesdays and Thursdays. How odd. In any case, I've taken to bringing a heavy jeacket down to all lectures now, so that I don't keep freezing my ass off, or have my body wanting to shut down/start hibernating. I haven't the faintest idea where the jacket came from, I just found it in the spare cupboard one day. I know it sounds creepy but I think my sister chucked it there before she left. Keyword here being think.

I think I shall go dump my hand in ice water now, so that I can fence tmr. Oww.

THIS IS TOR

Do you know what else? At the Malaysian restaurants here, you can't have white chai dao kuei because they only have black chai dao kueh in Malaysia and they refuse to do a special one for me. Can life get any more miserable? Think about it. Can you imagine not having eaten white chai dao kueh for a year?

My obsession with proper, wholesome food is considered very strange here. And chai dao kueh is healthy compared to typical london food, which consists mainly of soggy sandwiches, greasy kebabs and MacDonald's. For some reason, the junk food here tastes a lot worse than in SG and the portions are also a lot smaller. (I tried a few fries in the name of research so that I can say I know what I'm talking about, despite my principled objection to MacDonald's.) Actually, most of the time people just don't eat. As in, they go to a pub straight after work for 'after work drinks', and then stumble home pissed at midnight (on a weekday). On weekends, dinner for most people my age means grabbing a burger while waiting in line to get into a club at 10:30pm. Before that, during the normal dinnertime hours (7-9+), everyone's at home or at another bar getting steadily more and more drunk, until they get thrown out of the bar and sober up in the cold night air. Then everyone stumbles around trying to find a club, perhaps stopping at an off-license to get more beer/alcopops in order to try and stay pissed while waiting in the queue to get in.

A weekend night in London is drunk people carousing around trying blearily to find a club 'they know is around here somewhere'. But don't get me wrong, I do go out, just to nice, non-sleazy places where one can have a drink with friends in relative comfort, hopefully without burning a hole in one's pocket. Urgh, I sound snobbish now. But what I really am trying to say is...

As I mentioned, no one actually has dinner properly here. My English friends are constantly amazed by the fact that I go to the supermarket and buy groceries like raw fish and meat, because it's usually pasta or microwave food for them. But then most of my classmates don't really live in London. They go home to their parents' houses in other parts of the country every few weekends and have proper food then (ie roast beef, meatloaf, typical ang moh food etc.). I, on the other hand, can't bloody go home whenever I want.

So I have to cook my own mee pok, laksa, etc. Did you know that a vital ingredient in mee pok is the pork lard? You know, the small crispy thing that no one eats because it is too fattening? Well, mee pok tastes like a pale shadow of itself when you don't cook it with that pork lard. And I can't bring myself to buy or make that because it is too fattening. Damn! Damned if I do, (cos it's fattening) and damned if I don't (cos it doesn't taste as nice).

People don't even have proper lunches! Everyone eats sandwiches at their desks and some may go out for a smoke and a coffee, but no one goes and sits down at a table and orders food. Since there aren't any hawker centres here, you can't do that without spending quite a lot of money at restaurants. And if you want a healthy option, there's only sushi, which costs quite a lot here (as it does in the rest of the world, even Japan. Except Union Square in New York though).

So to anyone who is thinking of studying/working abroad, I say, go to America! Go to Australia! Do not come to London/the UK. Because if you are a true Sgean, life will be quite miserable for you. Especially if you like white chai dao kueh.

I am very poor thing. Feeling very sorry for myself.

THIS IS TOR

From some angles, my bolster smells like chai dao kueh. I think I've been away too long. The other end of Bolbol smells like chui kueh.

The weather this morning suited my mood perfectly.

I stepped out of Geog lecture (Impacts of Rapid Population Growth in Developing Countries) and the sky was wonderfully overcast. I was just in time to catch that gorgeous pause, the almost audible sigh of the sky as it prepared to pour.

I want to stand on the roof, scream and shout and cry until there is nothing left of me, til the rain finally pounds that message home: you are nothing. You do not matter in the grand scheme of things.

what if what if what if

I have come to hate those words.

I feel blades eating into my flesh; spelling out that one letter I know so well, mine, all mine... and the blood runs in ruby rivulets down to stain my fair skin like ink on paper. Or maybe there is no blood? I am tired of thinking.

The lightning drowns out my rage but not the voices in my head that continue to argue and bicker and-

(Brought to you courtesy of my hormones, inferiority complex and that Unavoidable Thing Called Puberty)

Once again, with regards to the more recent London bombings, my sister (and my parents for that matter, since they went for her graduation; I expect she'll write about it) is perfectly fine as she/they are actually in France.

So don't worry!

For posterity's sake.

Today was a good day.

When you do something, it's better not to look back.

And now I don't quite know if I should have done it at all. One and a half years is a long time, for a teenager especially. A faint breath of what might have been, a quickening pulse. Then trying, trying! not to think so much.

This is why blogs are good.

Locked away into my memory files, in a separate drive. To be taken out and enjoyed, once in a while. That's all it will remain, I think. But I am grateful for it, and I am done being melancholic.

I just never knew it would hurt so much.

Of course I'm alive just busy
tell Mum and Dad not to worry
didn't respond to msg sorry
still adjusting to not having them here
weird to eat with Nanny and Auntie G for dinner
swear I'm doing work
have to send out reports to classmates
writing in point form for many many notes
(that are all over the place
running out of lecture pad)
going to have a packed weekend
geog field trip among other things
staying over at Farrer Sat night
more convenient
tell Mum and Dad to just enjoy themselves
and leave me to tear my hair out here
will make proper post maybe Sunday or whenever free

get out of my head out out damn-

TOR: Daddy says everything ok?

We had to physically restrain mummy from calling Glor to find out if she is still alive.

I too met Neil Gaiman two years ago on an autumn morning in the children's department of Harrods' book store. The staff were surprised to see so many people, none of them children, and some of them apparently dead. But being English, they didn't show it and even offered to take my dripping umbrella. This could have been because I was the most normal-looking person around. He signed my stardust hardcover for Gloria, and my endless nights for myself, I babbled some stuff about how he should go to Singapore and how my sister would be dying to meet him, and how he should try all the food because that's what I miss... then I realised I was talking about myself and not him. I'd completely neglected to mention even once that I admire and enjoy his work. The fact that I was there would have implied that but saying it's just common courtesy, isn't it?

Anyway what happened at yours, Glor?

Time for an abrupt change of subject: there have been bomb blasts all over London. This is a horrible and sad thing; many people are dead. Ever since 9/11, London has been holding its breath for a terrorist attack. No one knows if one had already been foiled but there is a sense here that it has finally happened. At this point, it's very easy to give into the paranoia that the Americans have gladly embraced, (and I myself being Singaporean, gave quick thanks that we still have a 5 kg bag of rice should there be a stampede to stock up,) but I hope that Londoners will not be sucked in. Every major world capital is subject to these dangers. I'm just lucky that I don't use the tube, at least not during peak hours. I was in bed the whole time and not travelling industriously on the tube so the whole 'incident' (what the Home Sec called it) passed me by.

So. I'm ok and not dead. That's 3 times in my lifetime that I've had to reassure people that I am not dead. I do live in interesting times. The first was when a girl with the same name as me died in a car`accident and they misreported in SG that shw was from LSE, the second was the tsunami when I was in Sipadan, and now.

Oh yah, THIS IS TOR and NOT GLOR if you haven't yet figured it out. It's so me to write about Neil Gaiman first, then the terrorist attack on London.

Wow. Just... wow. So he came, and went. Probably didn't spend even a week here.

Tsu and I got to Kino at nearly 4. We were rather far back in the queue. Which was quite a good thing, I say. We made a load of new friends, while waiting. By the end of it all, the 6 of us were a-pic-a-nicking on biscuits and water kindly donated by the lady in front (whom we obviously made friends with. Her name was Linda) who gave up when we were in the rut that was the Japenese novel section, I believe.

It seems that all of us knew each other, or had something to do with each other, however indirectly or obscurely. Primary school class/bus mates, seniors, neighbours... this country is too small. I can't decide if I like that fact or not.

We met up again for the borders signing, to get more stuff signed, and to just meet, of course! Who knew waiting in a queue would be such a wonderful experience, or that you'd meet such great people...

Elljay, YX, Mel, Angela! It's been fantastic. I'm so glad we met!

So we've promised to keep in touch and all that, contacts and addresses swapped. Sometimes I think that hanging out with those guys was more fun than actaully getting to the end of the line. And it's all Gaiman's fault, heh heh!

He's... tall. And looks exactly like how he does in pictures. And so awfully nice! The number of hours of signing he did! Fans like us do nonsense in the queue for the 6 hours that we wait but he meets person after person, signing continuously. And still relatively cheerful and oh so accomodating near the end.

Did I already mention he was awfully nice? My vocab has gone down the drian, I don't quite think I'd do justice to how it felt, meeting him (twice). And getting a hug made him feel more... real, somehow.

I have thus concluded that Gaiman should come here more often.

Really should have jotted down a post during the Queue but I guess I was enjoying myself too much. And that's it for my Gaiman entry, seeing how not all the memories in my head want to be copied out. And they're not something I'd ever forget.

I'm glad you're alright Tor..! *hugg

Might make post about what goes on in my head (and vocally wonder why my sister now ends sentences with "girl"), someother time. Mum's frantically trying to call you, why can't she get through your mobile?!

Aargh! Just met Neil Gaiman!! Not enough time to make a proper entry about the whole thing, will do after tmr.

So exciting!

Because I am bored and enjoy doing lists like this even when no one has asked me.

THIS IS TOR NOT GLOR. TOR of the injured leg. I got stung by a random sea plant which I incidentally am allergic to and now my leg looks like it is rotting. So I have to rest, stay indoors and read blogs. Wish I could put up a pic of my wound here. It is strangely fascinating, much like Glor's nail-less toe.

Total Number of films I own on DVD/Video

Not including those in SG.. only a very few since they are all burnt on DVD since I am too cheap to buy real one.

I have Team America! (Watch it!) Sixth Sense, Princess Mononoke, and Before Sunset.

The Last Film I Bought

JD gave me Team America.

Five Films I Watch A Lot/Mean a Lot to Me

1.Snoopy Come Home. I used to cry when I watched it. I used to watch it a lot. When I was 6-8.

2.Labyrinth. I thought David Bowie was very kewl but now he's just old and strange. I liked the part where she was in her house except she wasn't, because she was in the rubbish dump with the old woman!! That's when I first realised that there is a world inside your head and sometimes people forget.

3. Before Sunset is the best film I've seen in a long time. The chemistry between the two leads and the way the dialogue bounces around is delicious and causes you to go... aaargh I wish I was Julie Delpy!

4. David Copperfield's magic shows. I used to watch them a lot and they were very entertaining. I liked the one where he put a chicken's head on a duck's body and a duck's head on the chicken's body. And then they ran around the stage! So amazing! And the one where he romanced the girl by disappearing to the strains of 'Memory' from Cats. I really liked the song at that time but didn't know where it was from. I was about 10. Then, in Sec 2, I saw Les Mis and really got interested in musicals then.

5. Supersize Me. Because now I have facts and ammunition for my longterm boycott of MacDonalds and can easily explain to people why they are exploitative and hypocritical.

I have no one to tag. So sad. More about my leg later.

Because Kayce tagged me and I'm too damned lazy to do a proper entry. And he's right, I'm not even sure what I'll write. :P

Total Number of films I own on DVD/Video

Erm. Not many, am generally not in the habit of collecting them, either I want to watch them and see them in theatres or I miss them completely. But a few, I guess.

The Last Film I Bought

Bought or was given? Spirited Away, from Ed who got it in Malaysia.

Five Films I Watch A Lot/Mean a Lot to Me

1. Anything by Studio Ghibli. Because you can always depend on the fantastic art and superior storytelling. I mean look, Miyazaki even made Moving Castle a half love story thing and managed to pull it off without me wanting to pull out my teeth. And not all their movies end with a happily ever after, unlike Disney, and keeps you thinking about it for some time after. Tomb of the Fireflies and that tanuki I-can't-remember-the-name-of-it ones come to mind.

2. Toy Story. It was the first movie I ever watched in the cinemas (with my parents obviously). Wah, I remember that it was like some kind of expedition liddat, going out so late. And could only get popcorn because everything else was too ridiculously priced.

3. Anything by Tim Burton. I love his style and the odd ideas that he comes up with. Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorshands and Big Fish, how can anyone -not- love his movies?

4. Labyrinth. The film that introdued me, however indirectly, to a taste of the Sandman, since Morpheus was sorta kinda modeled after Bowie's Goblin king. In any case, the muppets were wonderful and it was a very good adventure indeed.

5. The LotR trilogy. Damn well made these films were, especially for something that was once said to be un-makeable. Plus I'm a fantasy junkie, 'nuff said.

Tag 5 People and Have Them Put It In Their Blog

In no particular order:
Jenny
Amanda
Rosie
Tora (even if I know what se'll put)
Schaz (because I want her to -write- something for once)

So it took me 2/3 of a carrot and half an apple to get through that. I sound like a horse don't I? Mum's home and is feeding me healthy stuff lah.

The toe is fine, for anyone who asks. Nail bed has scabbed over and half a cm of nail has grown out already. Had to get the whole thing removed because I'd left it for too long and was starting to grow in the wrong direction, that is, sideways. So the only way to solve that was to start growing the thing from scratch.

Went around flashing it to family during grandfather's birthday dinner last Saturday. As it turns out, none of them have ever seen a toenail removed. Okok, will stop being obsessed about toenail.

So it was a Big Guy's birthday cum father's day thing.

For the first time in years at my grandfather's dinner thing on Saturday we had a change in menu! Gasp! In addition to the usual chilli crab and shark's fin dishes and whatnot we also had bamboo clam (that I discovered I like quite alot) and lobster. I can see you fall off your chair, Tor! I've not really tasted lobster before but it's nice, I guess. Are you suppose to have to chew it alot?

Have just realised why I love my father. He doesn't throw me out of the house eventhough I'm an obnoxious bimbotic brat who thinks she knows everything. That and he willingly deals with idiots at work everyday to put food on the table and to send his children through school.

My life isn't that interesting to blog about, Tor. That's why I have irregular posts. Nothing's going on.

Really.

Removing a toenail really isn't that painful. The idea is, which makes that the only scary part. The doctor does inject your toe with anesthesia you know. Granted, it's not nice to hover on the edge of painkillers, keeping your foot up all the time to take the pressure off it. Nor is it alright for a friend to grab it by accident when you're sitting covered, on the couch in the fencing room. It is also a bad idea to be running errands around town 2 days after (see: birthday presents), still on antibiotics, with hormones heralding your period, running through your bloodstream.

It's alright, really. Not allowed to wear shoes for 2 weeks, the doctor said. By the by, it costs near a hundered dollars to take your nail out so please cut yours properly and not end up like me.

Gouged flesh is Not Fun. Needles aren't either.

On the other hand, I can't and am not allowed to fence. Can't lunge at the moment, even barefoot, not to mention, the whole foot is also target area for the epee. Having the risk of raw flesh being jabbed by the hard metal point of a weapon is really a very bad idea. But it is educational and entertaining to watch others free fence. It's also very good a spot to socialise with those whose turn isn't up yet. And for those who have gone already of course. You'd hear things like, "she kept on walking into my blade!".

Spent the day with Jenny yesterday. Long overdue and what better day to do it than her birthday? Hope you have a good one this year, and yes, I've passed on the msg.

It's not accurate Tor, I got something like 22. And we all know that I'm actually 8 years old, don't we? And how are things with Auntie G and the 3 copies of Mummy?

STILL TOR, NOT GLOR

I don't normally do these quiz thingies but I was so shocked by the result I thought I'd out it up for Glor's blog readers and Glor to read... The quiz is what age do you act?

You Are 31 Years Old

31 Under 12: You are a kid at heart. You still have an optimistic life view - and you look at the world with awe. 13-19: You are a teenager at heart. You question authority and are still trying to find your place in this world. 20-29: You are a twentysomething at heart. You feel excited about what's to come... love, work, and new experiences. 30-39: You are a thirtysomething at heart. You've had a taste of success and true love, but you want more! 40+: You are a mature adult. You've been through most of the ups and downs of life already. Now you get to sit back and relax.

What Age Do You Act?

Aargh!!! I can't believe I act that old! Could you take it and tell me if it's accurate? Am enjoying old chang kee currypuff at the moment, and pretending to study while I read blogs.

THIS IS TOR NOT GLOR

Writing this while waiting for the little star wars clip to load.

... Ok, watched it. That was really cute! I watched episode 3 last night and found myself enjoying immensely, apart from having to confer with Cat about who was evil and who was who and gagging at the incredibly 'romantic' romance scenes. 'It's because I'm so in love.' 'No, I'm so in love' 'You mean love has blinded you?' Urgh...

I disagree with all the bad reviews it got. I was with Ewan McGregor when he fought the cool robot-with-heart thing, and cheered very loudly when said thing exploded. Every scene was laden with dramatic irony! Along with the audience (most of whom were my friends. It was a late, late show) I shouted, no! don't turn to the dark side! during the anakin-turning-into-darth-vader scene. For people indifferent to the star wars phenomenon (like myself), who possess only a passing knowledge of the plot, this was pure pathos-filled entertainment, a good old fashioned celebration of the human condition. Just what films are meant to be. None of this pretentious bullshit about cute guys who go around shagging random models at photo shoots.

Now I have to go and watch the whole thing again. The last time I watched it was (I think) when I was small, during CNY in my grandmother's house in toa payoh, on tv. Glor, when was the last time we watched any of the Star Wars movies? I only remember the ewoks well because that was the point when our aunties/uncles at our grandma's house would point and the screen and say, 'see! cute bears!' And I'd be like, 'ya, so what?'

Pre-movie dinner conversation at our house:

Chris: I only remember the last scene in the last movie (episode 6) where the bears came out after the evil guy died.
Everyone else: We have absolutely no idea what you are talking about.
Me: Err, do you mean the ewoks?
Cat: What are ewoks? I don't remember.
Florian: No, they weren't ewoks. Ewoks weren't in the last movie.
Marc: Or were they wookies?
Cat: What are wookies?
Me: You know, the big furry furry things that go woarghorgh!

Hmm, I don't think the humour translates very well onto the page. Obviously we are all not star wars fans. It's very pleasant to find out interesting facts like how anakin really does turn out to be the chosen one! Facts everyone else knows but I didn't, and now that I've watched the movie, I can easily find out what happens next without knowing it from before! Haha! And what's more, I can easily talk about what happens in the end to people who haven't watched the movie and not be a spoiler, because they all know what happens anyway! Haha!

I must be a very sad and deprived person.

Surreal walking the deserted streets, through leicester square and covent garden market after the show. We all got free posters and v-zhing v-zhinged them around, squawking excitedly about our favourite parts of the film. Somehow, we were part of the scenery, along with the little piles of homeless people in the doorways, drunken yobs chanting 'Li-ver-pull, li-ver-pool, li-ver-pool!', and all the denizens of night-time central london. We were the cut-price late-night ticket student gang walking to chinatown to have supper, having come from dinner before the show. There's a melancholy beauty to be found in places which are alive and bustling with tourists during the day that shows itself at night, in the dark, alone, that has the quality of truth. We sat on the cobblestone road (carefully avoiding the patches of vomit of course) continued to v-zhing, v-zhing, and just breathed in the silence (punctuated by occasional screaming and crying of course). Simple pleasures.

...

Did you know that in the books, episode 7-9, Luke is somehow lured by the ghost of sidious and turns to the dark side too? (noooo! so sad!) but in the end, is converted back to the non-dark side by his son? I'm never gonna read those books cos that sounds like they ran out of ideas.

Oh! Don't watch hitch-hiker's. I hated the beginning, the title song, the end, the characters (I know we all have to PC now but have you ever imagined Ford Prefect as black? I mean, it's one thing to be inclusive and another to be totally un-true to the character in the book) I know Adams helped to write the screenplay but I'm sure he'd be turning over in his grave at some of the liberties taken. The ending! Oh! The ending! (The humanity! No-- I'm not going to say that. It's rather, oh! The non-humanity) Ok, you won't understand that unless you know the book and watched the film, and I won't tell you why I think it's completely missed the point in case you still want to watch it. Please don't.

I mean, I laughed. It was funny. But it was only funny because the lines were funny, and the lines are funny because the book is funny. The only good thing about the movie is the dialogue and narration. And of course the story. But not the end! And for some strange reason the makers totally missed out on some of the classic scenes in the book-- like they ignored the fact that the reason for the Heart of Gold's shut-down during the Vogon attack was Arthur's request for a cup of tea! Oh, I shan't go on, this is starting to sound pedantic.

The more difficult my work is, the less refined my entertainment tastes become. But all I'm asking for is a minimum level of clever/interesting plot, decent dialogue and really cool flinging people around via the force and lightsabres that go 'v-zhing, v-zhing!' OK. *shrug*

Everytime I think of the word wookie, I think of Khayce. woarghorgh!

Exams coming soon, this should be interesting. Will be slogging all through the June hols, interrupted by fencing prac. Which is muchly fun, I don't even mind getting up at 7 in the morn on a Saturday for it.

No, am not going away like as planned, anymore. Seeing as how with the exception of GP, all my papers are on the last week of June I obviously cannot go anywhere for obvious reasons. At this rate don't think will make it to London at all, oh well. We'll see how it goes, as usual.

Dear Ed is back~! Missed him awfully, but have only seen him once, so far. Will probably have coffee during June, I hope. Then we can talk about fencing too~

I miss RK, and everyone in my graduating year, for that matter. I do believe we really need to meet up for an RK coffee meeting one day. Bern could do with some more cheering up.

Which reminds me, I've nothing to wear for Camelot this Saturday...

Thanks so much for the essay outline, Tor! Very big help, wish me luck for the blasted exam!

Marc just sent this to me... it's the cutest Star Wars thing ever! The clip may take some time to load, but it's hell worth it, especially the ending shot!

@http://www.starwars.com/collecting/news/lego/rotb.html

(Random update written in school today.)

A breather during class, before extra econs lesson starts. Incessant drizzle (i.e. high storm intensity, contributing to higher infiltration rates) that's lasted from recess, making everyone relaxed. My previously overdue stuff for this week is all done, just need to focus on project work and econs test on Thursday.

Assorted collection of iPod shuffles being plugged into class speaker. Generally good tastes in music, my classmates have. Boulavard of Broken Dreams, Scar Tissue, among some other pieces I've not heard in a while. But when they started on the techno I decided to listen to my own stuff. Haven't yet decided, to promote Budak Pantai or not. Or that utterly ridiculous D&D song! On second thoughts, they wouldn't understand it, "I've got my twelve sided die and I'm ready to roll...". Have yet to find a gamer in this blasted school.

Oh! But have found other Pratchett reader, in CLB class! Think I've mentioned. Steffi's also anticipating Hitchhiker's! I know it's already out in other bits of the world (you shut up Tora.) and I don't know why it's taking so long to get here. Like Butrton's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, opening here a month later than the officila release date. Oh well, at least it's coming here at all, unlike Mirrormask.

(Ooh, have to go for econs tuition now. Sometimes I wish I could blog in class...)

Ran 2.4 on Wednesday and passed, suprisingly. Fell down at some point though, so now have mild case of grass rash on left shin and knee as forgot to wash it off, was too damned tired.

School is good, but the workload is erratic. Sometimes it's alot then at others, it's even more. Good thing the hols are coming soon, then I can properly do up my notes and study for the exams. Especially my sorry, sorry Lit notes that are all over the place.

Aargh! I have to complain about my ridiculous Huxley tutor! She doesn't bloody teach during tuorials, just scolds us a lot. I hardly have any notes from her, dammit. Had to resort to photocopying Tsu's notes instead. Good thing I write cursive so I can read her handwriting.

Been hanging out with Tsu and Agustine (though not at the same time). Agustine's the only classmate I automatically gravitate to, not sure why. We don't have alot in common, but we just like each other's company.

Tsu on the other hand... is the only person I can comfortably be myself with, can rant about books and fangirl too. It helps when we know what the other person is talking about, which is usually not the case, with classmates. Us misfits must look out for each other, ne? She's currently letting me go through her comic collection, Fables in particular, written by Bill Willingham, and am indefinatly holding on the Arkham Asylum, that Grant Morrison wrote and Dave McKean illustated.

We see each other mostly at lectures we have in common, and of course, CLB class. Gosh, I love chinese classes so much now, we just go there and slack. And all the other peope are pro-CLB too! Then there's the other girl who reads Pratchett, Steffi, and that boy Benjamin, that Tsu is shamlessly pimpimg Fables to, who is borrowing it. It's just a group of random students coming together and having a breather during school.

Which reminds me, went to OCS last Friday, and got Fables confiscated by brother Paul for trying to bring it along. Got it back from him after though, with him calling me the 'girl who owned the weird comic'. Hah, wait till he meets Tsu. Was also shamelessly pimping it to him. Hey, no harm trying right?

Gah, then there's this boy I like. We've got much in common and I just love having conversations with him. Mm, I'll probably just leave it, like I always do.

Tor,

checked out James' watch. Turns out the watch shop in J8 doesn't stock Omega, so I've got to go down to town for it. I'll probably do it tmr, since I've got a dental appointment too.

I should go now, have school tmr. And a wretched Huxley tutorial.

Actually got around to writing the thing. It's something that I've always wanted to write, a nice short, one-shot thing, not about any particular anyone that could apply to nearly everyone. I hope you like it, if you decide to read it.

This is for Jenny, I hope it makes her feel better.

And for the one who makes me smile.


'Mm.'

She rolls over and presses into his arms, inhaling, and slides a leg over his waist. Then-

she realises it's only a bolster.

The female human lies there in the cold darkness, drawing the covers tightly around her, trying to grasp the last edges of the Dreaming, when the door creaks.

Someone climbs into bed and under the quilt with her. An arm encircles her from behind, ending with a hand clasping hers, over her breast near her heart. She feels warm lips against the back of her neck, feathery, then they pull away, only to nuzzle at her hair, making her smile. She snuggles closer.

Then there is stillness, and silence.

A strong gust of wind blows the curtains aside, making them flap, like wings. For an instant through half-lidded eyes, she sees their limbs, pale and motionless, entwined in the silver moonlight.

Then in the darkness, there might have been a soft voice, that might have whispered three words. Already asleep, she did not hear them, if there were anything to hear at all.

~

She stirs under the harsh morning light. Frowning slightly, she rolls over and presses into his arms, inhaling, and slides a leg over his waist. Then-

she realises it's only a bolster.

I really should start blogging again, shouldn't I.

There have always been things chasing themselves around in my head, more often then not they form on paper, during school when I've just got itchy fingers and time. Of these, some make it to the blog, but most just get consigned to the sheaves of Dead Lecture Pad one gathers over the years.

I'd meant to say something about Nick, because I sort of bumped into him in town earlier this week, when I was with Yenyi, and wanted to say something about IJ, as well as work on a small fic wossname thing that had been going round and wailing to get out. But I've lost it now, and not sure if a ghost of the thing is enough to bring it over.

Now my blank sheets of paper continually fill up with notes, charts and essays. I've worked through a full pad and not one piece has proper scribbles on it. Gosh, I've just realised that I don't even randomly dash down Inui's name anymore.

On the other hand, the stuff that I'm learning in school is actually quite interesting, even if it's not the sort of thing I'd generally like doing. There's only so much I can infer from a poem about a blasted flower that's sexually deprived. After a few of these kind of poems it gets a bit tiring (I'm doing Blake larh). But I do like reading, and that's that.

I'll get them written, one day. Somewhere.

Tor,

no, I'm not just being contrary because I can. It's there, if you position your mouse over "Ho!" my address will appear on your taskbar.

Got your e-mail, printed it out for Mummy, minus the bits I think she should not have seen, and forwarded the whole thing to Auntie G so she can get whatever for you.

Me a year ago: studying in IJ, fangirling in my free time, with Tora or Rosie. Being frantic about upcoming O' levels.

3 months ago: literally slacking at MI, the strange spikey haired girl at Starbucks, occasionally, in the morning.

Now: girl with ridiculously long CJ uniform, in slippers (see: ingrown toenail), quite enjoying the classes where she is.

Yup. That about sums up the recent changes in my life, in a very condensed way. This really makes me realise that it's not really how much time you have, but what you do with it that matters.

What I've done so far, with my life and the decisions I've made, I wouldn't change for the world. The funny situations I've gotten myself into, the choices of school and CCA, the strange friends I have, the even stranger hobbies I've been initiated into...

's all good.

Ha, I am on a bit of a quiz spree~

I Am A: Chaotic Good Half-Elf Ranger Druid


Alignment:
Chaotic Good characters are independent types with a strong belief in the value of goodness. They have little use for governments and other forces of order, and will generally do their own things, without heed to such groups.


Race:
Half-Elves are a cross between a human and an elf. They are smaller, like their elven ancestors, but have a much shorter lifespan. They are sometimes looked down upon as half-breeds, but this is rare. They have both the curious drive of humans and the patience of elves.


Primary Class:
Rangers are the defenders of nature and the elements. They are in tune with the Earth, and work to keep it safe and healthy.


Secondary Class:
Druids are a special variety of Cleric who serves the Earth, and can call upon the power in the earth to accomplish their goals. They tend to be somewhat fanatical about defending natural settings.


Deity:
Solonor Thelandria is the Chaotic Good elven god of archery and the hunt. He is also known as the Keen Eye, the Great Archer, and the Forest Hunter. His followers respect nature, and only hunt when needed, but are quick to defend the forest from intruders. Their favorite weapon is the bow, and they tend to be extremely talented with it. Solonor Thelandria's symbol is an arrow with green fletchings.


Find out What D&D Character Are You?, courtesy ofNeppyMan (e-mail)

Take the quiz at dicepool.com

You are the large, round, friendly d20! (You probably didn't know this, but the shape of the twenty-sided die is called an Icosahedron.) You are the friendly, outgoing, outspoken, leader of friends. You are often looked up to, even though you don't normally deserve it. Most other types secretly wish they were you, and you'd give them tips on how, if only you had a clue yourself. Your charisma is often all you need, but you have your occasional moments of brilliance as well--just never when it's actually needed. You are the all-around good guy, a dependable chum, a respectable foe, and an inspiration to those who need one. Who says you can't get by on a smile and good looks alone?

Si... Silicon You scored 51 Mass, 29 Electronegativity, 44 Metal, and 0 Radioactivity!

Interesting. Take a bunch of really common person-elements and throw them together to get something truely exceptional... that's you. You are probably someone that gave up on trying to understand society at large a long time ago. You don't fear it, but you don't try to be one with it either. You are more or less unperturbed by things... if a problem comes up you might deal with it, or you might avoid it... whatever. You don't take kindly to people pushing you around, and you don't really push anyone else around. You're probably the only one that can tame oxygen simply because you don't understand it's raging neediness, but that doesn't mean that you'll really enjoy having a tame oxygen hanging around all that much either. You can probably get along with people like yourself really well, but you aren't your own soulmate... if only they could make entire colonies of people like you you'd be stoked. Just like you don't understand society, society doesn't understand you... and yes that is my excuse for not knowing how to describe you better.

My test tracked 4 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 84% on Mass You scored higher than 43% on Electroneg You scored higher than 34% on Metal You scored higher than 0% on Radioactivity

Link: The Which Chemical Element Am I Test written by effataigus on OkCupid Free Online Dating

Have just gotten nearly settled into new school, and class.

I generally like my new schoolmates, though they're not the sort of people I'd usually be friends with. Here we go again, that snobbish side of me rearing up again like during MI. But really, truly being friends with them is not worth the effort for me, why should I arrange my personality to suit theirs? As long as I'm nice to them, they're nice to me too, so I think I'll just leave it at that.

Trying to settle on a CCA is giving me grief. Band, astro and fencing were all on Friday afternoon, gah. Went for fencing in the end, think I'll end up joining that. Guitar orientation and fencing training clash on Wednesday though, haven't quite made up my mind about that yet.

Didn't bother to turn up for choir yesterday morning, it would mean that I'm under some obligation to join and I'm simply too damned sick of a being in an unrewarding performance arts group to do so. My mistake was putting my name down before I heard them perform, I think.

Read the papers this morning. The leader of our Roman Catholic church is dead, and the golden age of sci-fi has come to an end with the wrapping up of Star Trek and Star Wars.

I've never been particularly... devoted to my religion, but I've always thought that the Pope was extremely cool. He's one of the few people who have made an impact on the world, the sort of person who's going to go down in history books and be remembered, not just for what he was, but also who he was. We mourn the passing of a great man.

Gah! No more Star Trek! No more anticipating a new Star Wars movie! I'm not a particularly huge fan of either (perhaps with the exception of Voyager), but I've always enjoyed the genre. Always wanted to properly get into Star Trek, perhaps one day I will.

I really am quite upset with these recent events, along with a few more that's none of my business to blog, but I am Gloria Ho and I will let go, quit whining and deal with it, because I know there's more to come.

Change is inevitable, and we must adapt with the world.

You know you've been away too long when your dinner conversations with other Singaporeans go like this:

"It's quite worth it, the hokkien mee is only £6 there"

(Remember that it's £1=S$3)

"The laksa's alright, as good as laksa can get without harhm"
"Oh yes, you can't get harhm in london anymore because those chinese immigrant cockle pickers died in that flash flood in Dorset."
"Yes, what a pity... laksa's not laksa without the harhmy taste."
"And tau pok! Here they seem to not understand that tau pok is essential!"
"I totally agree. You need an intermediary between the gravy and your tastebuds sometimes."
"Yes! It facilitates consumption of the sauce and diminishes the jelak effect!"

"Did you know that in hawker centres they are starting to angmohgrify dessert names?"
"Like how?"
"Chendol de durian... and yam soup"
"What the hell is yam soup?"
"Bo bo cha cha"

So you have an elite group of SG scholars (excluding me of course) sitting around the dinner table being suaku about Greek food and woefully mispronouncing the strange consonant-filled names, missing local food like mad and trying very very hard to pretend we know what we're doing. If only we'd gone to Malaysian kopitiam like I suggested! But then we'd be paying like S$18 for a plate of nasi lemak/char kway tiao/hokkien mee that will invariably fall short of the real thing and going against our deepest 'value for money' instincts honed by many years of not going to the hawker stall that sells chendol for $2.20 but to the one that sells it for S$2 instead even if it is at a totally different hawker centre altogether.

See, you don't even find it strange. That's cos you're singaporean and that's the kind of thing we do. Instead we'd rather pay £20 to have 'exotic' Greek food and eventually find that we don't like it after all. Khayce, take note. The debilitating effects of being deprived of favourite foods for long periods of time is the most traumatic aspect of being away from home. I can't overstate this. Am going to attempt to cook bak kut teh tomorrow for lunch. Will report back on results. (People who say hah! I can cook that-- face it, have you tried?) (except my grandma)

In case I've given you the idea that my Sgean friends in London are a sad bunch, let me assure you, we do more than just go out and makan together. We also travel to exotic destinations to go out and makan together. As well as engage in stimulating conversation about the casino referendum and straits times making us pay for online access and What the Health Minister Said About Gays-- and on that topic, the new gay sauna bar that's just opened across the road. In case this sounds kinky, yes, it is. It's funny how you become ten times more aware of local politics and news when you have to defend your country against narrow-minded liberals who have never been there, take The Economist as gospel and are looking to score easy points by comparing it against their own democracy.

Yeah, we are kinda sad.

On that note: I am going to Washington on Sat! So exciting! It will be very very interesting when we meet the NUS team and the Malaysian team and the Canadian team. (As I've said elsewhere in this blog, the UK JEssup team is comprised of 2 Singaporeans, 1 malaysian, 1 Canadian and 1 Brit.) For cultural night we were thinking of going as 'oppressor and oppressed' in a subtle political statement on Prince Harry's gaffe at a recent 'colonial and native' themed costume party attended by the hoi polloi of English society, held the day before Auschwitz commemoration day-- he came in a Nazi officer's uniform. Do you think anyone will get it? Or maybe we could more charitably term ourselves 'commonwealth'. (as julian suggested) Talk about foreign talent. Meet the team.

Julian: "Dude! Awesome!" (kancheong spider)
Jim: "Capitalism is harmful to your health." (kiasee)
Rich: "Chillax." (boh chup)
Preeti: "Victoria, I need to speak to you about your argument." (kiasu-literally can't lose an argument ever)
Me: "Wah lau." (yau kwee)

Guess which is which. (And our personalities all fit into stereotypes! Just like in the Mr Kiasu comics! Yes, I sadly used to read those.) We were too bored on the plane to Aberdeen and had to find a way to amuse ourselves. I gave Rich a quick run down on Sg geography, economy, politics, cultural stereotypes, lifestyle and food. I added that the fact is we may get roundly thrashed by NUS soon, 4-time winner of the international rounds out of more than 100 teams. They are genuinely feared. SGeans, be proud of NUS. It is a very good uni and I think many Sgeans don't realise this. They are 18th in the world Uni rankings! LSE is just 11th. Oxford and Cambridge are 5th and 6th. Top is Harvard.

Aargh. Am leaving tomorrow and haven't packed yet!


TOR

First day of school today.

CJ is alright, made a grand total of 1 new friend. Name's Nadia, very nice girl who seems to be the friendliest in my group. But then again, have not exactly gotten to know my group yet, so yarh.

Applied for a Literature and Geography class, if I don't get in will be chucked into a combi with History instead. And I haven't touched that subject for years, so I hope it doesn't kill me. Also seems to have a problem with CLB, so have to bring all sorts of official looking letters tmr to clear it up.

Haven't got any sort of timetable for the next week, and orientation is going to be spread out over 5 days. A bit long, but hey, am not complaining. I'm located very conveniently near home, town, the Lim residence, Comic mart and a straight bus to Thompson too. Yes, it all seems very game oriented, but that's not going to happen, seeing how that lot have to work in the afternoon.

Since I've a memory like a sieve, I can't remeber what I wanted to blog, so will do it some time later lah.

Oy, Toria. Mum says to take care yarh? You going to Washington and all.

Made it to CJ!

Hope I make friends there.

Haven't blogged in ages, been busy.

On thursday, had Schaz's birthday cum bodycount thing. The food was done by Bern, cooked on the spot was... the sort of food good enough to dream about. The whole thing was very enjoyable really, especially the bit where we blasted Avenue Q.

Wen was kind of swamped during the game, and I co-GMed a bit. Was guided throught the technical bits, so was ok. Think I'll run an RP in another few years or so though (is not Schaz...).

It seems that every Saturday, I forget to bring down my choir scores. Mm, they've added a new song or two, I noticed during mass. Ah, who needs scores, just wing it larh.

Urgh, so angry! IJ having holiday this Thursday, in celebration of the good O level results. What's the point if we're not there to enjoy it, sheesh. I don't recall having one last year either.

Posting results out tmr, will be camping out in front of computer, in anticipation. Might do some writing here, while waiting in the wee hours of the morning. Do hope I get into CJ, will have to report to aforementioned school on Wednesday.

Tor,

Oh what a pity it is then, that Ed will be in Sg by that time... was so looking forward to spending time with him in London.

In any case, yes yes, we will go forth and seek adventure and exciting things without you, not to worry. Just joking.

Auntie G's going to send you an e-mail by Wednesday, to your lse account, covering the details for our trip ie. arrival and departure, and whatever else she got as a bonus at the travel fair. What's been confirmed so far though, is that I'll leave London on the 24th, and Auntie G and her friends the 17th, I think.

My exam timetable is really crap! I won't be done until the 7th of June! So you will be wandering around London while I sadly sit in the library mugging! Since you are coming on the 29th of May, it means you will have to entertain yourself for 10 days. That's a long time for London so I suggest you visit Paris too, in that time. You should stay there for 3 days if possible-- there's a lot to see and will be beautiful in summer.

A very stressed TOR.

Have been down with a lungful of phelgm for nearly a week.

It's hampering my singing. I try to execute a simple descant part and the strain of it is killing me. I know this is an egotistical comment but yes, I do like to hear myself sing and do it quite often. You know the times when you've just finished school and you're walking home, there's no one much around and the environment is just perfect for singing... now you open your mouth and you just can't let go, like you always can.

Could.

The worst bit about it all is that it's all my damned fault. For not taking care of my own health, for keeping late nights.

I think I shall go try hack up my lungs now.

Erm, am not exactly supposed to be home right now, but left school early as was not supposed to be there either. I know that didn't exactly make sense, but yeah.

Since I had Richard clean up the C drive, the machine's been so much easier to manage, now I haven't got strange icons of unknown origin anymore, so have been on the com for an hour or more since I got back, tinkering with new music conversion programme.

It's easier to find and arrange my music now, which means I'll have much nonsense on my mp3 player in months to come. The stuff that I've not been able to plug in, Dir en Grey, Gackt, Adagio, Budak Pantai... what's missing would only be the musicals Victoria brought over to London. Mm, I do miss Webber. Wonder if I can do any burning over in London...

Have been absent on the LiveJournal role-play site. Will pop by to poke around soon, I do miss the candid situations and the sheer fun of playing off each other's characters. Not to mention the nosebleeds.

Hey Althea~! Thanks, you too. Shouldn't we meet up one of these days?

Miss you too Jenny! *hugg

Congrats to you too Justin. Even if we're not off to the same school we've to keep in touch, ne?

Yes Amanda, will see you 3 on Wednesday? Mm, will have Pullman's His Dark Materials for you. And/or Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide... let's see how much I feel like carrying with me larh.

Hallo Cass. Yes, will see you around, probably.

Am sleepy. Think I'll go drink some milk then drop into bed and try not to sleep in side of head with pierced cartilage.

This is not Gloria. And I'm not saying this is an effected post-modern Matrixy kind of way. I am really not Gloria. That's because I am TOR, of the Bolbol fame.

I am writing this in a somewhat disturbed state. There is wailing under my window. Yes, wailing. Not a cat yowling or children screaming kind of wail, but a low creepy moan born of real despair and anger. It is scary. It is reminds me of a surreal scene in horror movie where the people in the house are trapped without knowing it. The zombies are coming and they can smell your sweet human flesh! Like Night of the Living Dead. Which is more creepy in black and white than you would imagine it to be. Sometimes I really don't like living in London.

Luckily, I have Bolbol. Also, I have a bar of dark chocolate and a cup of soya bean milk. And a big glass mineral water bottle from Norway which I can use to defend myself, if necessary. Dao huey chui is more comforting that you suppose it to be. Accompanying me is a huge assortment of dustmites crawling up my nose this very instant as I've just vacuumed up a few hundred by sniffing my bolster. Not to mention their carcasses and shit. Hmm... tickly. Somehow the thought is less scary than the zombie people outside breaking in and eating me. I suppose I'd better wash Bolbol. I am not mad.

And speaking of not being mad, I just wrote this in my philosophy essay:

In Popper’s philosophy, all laws or theories are conjectural, or guesses, and one can never justify their truth empirically. In this regard he agrees with Hume. The implication of this sceptical conclusion, as stressed by Russell, is that all knowledge is of the nature of irrational belief, such that ‘there is no intellectual distinction’ between a sane man and one who ‘believes he is a poached egg.’[1] Popper counters this with the argument that the ravings of the lunatic can be refuted deductively by experience and that it is rational to choose the best-tested theory (he is a man) when there are competing theories (he is a man or he is an egg). Thus his method boils down to one of choice, and does not claim to be able to justify the truth or certainty of hypotheses.

Don't you wish you had a chance to ever write 'he is a man or he is an egg' in an essay? So actually in philosophy being mad and sane is the same. Isn't that nice?

I am so relieved. The endless mugging for the O's, finally paid off. From a 32 to an 18, all that panic for nearly nothing. The freaking out at Mrs. Ho's office, on the phone, in the hall itself... but freaking out is healthy (to an extent), I suppose.

Looks like giving 4 years to band wasn't such a bad idea after all, even if it did eat my life out. Don't think joining another time-consuming CCA at CJ is such a good idea though, even if the choir seems very tempting, looking at how accomplished it is.

Or perhaps I should go there and do what they have at RJ, that is, set up a gaming group...

It pays to have kender blood. After all the stress and running around, I think I'll still stay up til tmr. Mm, adrenaline.

Got a couple of things to do... burn all stuff out of com as it needs to be sent for reformatting, apply for CJ, mostly admin stuff. And have to stay up to watch Trainspotting so that I can return the disc.

Hallo Adam, thanks for the concern. You take care, I'll see you in church..?

Results are out!

English - A2 (this is ridiculous. Yes I am Upset at this mark.)
SS/Lit - B3
Geography - B3
E Math - B4 (damn this, I was expecting a 3, at least. Must have altered the grade requirement because the paper was quite easy.)
Phy/Bio - B3
PoA - B3

And I passed Chinese. 18 points in total, deduct 2 for CCA (that I got A2 for) and 2 for affiliation and I should get into CJ quite comfortably.

Am satisfied. Will write proper some other time.

THIS IS TOR:
Just came here to moan... I need KC's email to so that I can moan more privately to him too. Although we won the national championships I'm starting to think thet it may have been better if we hadn't won. Moan moan etc about amount of preparation to be done and forcibly abandoned ski trip. Darn! I can't go skiing in the Austrian alps because I have to represent the UK in the international rounds in Washington. Aargh arrgh. This is the same competition that NUS has won more times than any other team. And they have a coach who just so happens to specialise in the same topics the moot problem is on. Wah lau. It's not cos the rest of the world is just no competition but that NUS is really really really good. They have a special course that prepares them for this moot.

And now our coaches and my other team mates are hell bent on making it to the very top. Eurgh is the only thing I can say-- I do have a degree to study for. I wonder if I will be conflicted out of competing with NUS, if it comes to that...?

Victoria,

Mum's been bugging for me to drop you a couple of msges. Driving me crazy (as usual) so here goes...

-Why didn't we call you yesterday? Mum said she thought you were still in Scotland for that Jessups thing. By the way, congrats on winning it!

-Have sent off James' parcel diving equipment regulator whatever thing, to his place in Australia. Has he got it yet?

-Got the parcel you sent me. Thanks so much, you always know what to get me!

Hallo stranger, glad that you like what you see. Do you have a journal yourself, that I could visit too? And how did you find me anyway?

Came across a musical recently, one that Victoria brought back the other time. It occurs to me that I've never posted song lyrics here. Probably because I've not really found many song lyrics very meaningful.

Hands touch, eyes meet
Sudden silence, sudden heat
Hearts leap in a giddy whirl
He could be that boy
But I'm not that girl

Don't dream too far
Don't lose sight of who you are
Don't remember that rush of joy
He could be that boy
I'm not that girl

Ev'ry so often we long to steal
To the land of what-might-have-been
But that doesn't soften the ache we feel
When reality sets back in

Blithe smile, lithe limb
She who's winsome, she wins him
Gold hair with a gentle curl
That's the girl he chose
And Heaven knows
I'm not that girl

Don't wish, don't start
Wishing only wounds the heart
I wasn't born for the rose and the pearl
There's a girl I know
He loves her so
I'm not that girl

- Wicked, the musical: 'I'm not that girl'.

Settled the matter, couldn't have asked for better results. Another memory for the photo album of my life. I feel like a satisfied cat right now, complete with the head patting.

*stretches and smiles*

Amanda dear, we'll get that done when you finish work? Looking forward to it!

Thanks Toria, wish you were here for it!

Hallo MI people. Am not even going to try guessing who you are...

Tora~! *glomps* Thanks, miss you loads! Oh, and about the Naruto scanlations, I can't seem to send it to you, so have asked Schaz to send instead. If that fails then will get Wen to do it, since he's got everything till 37 or something.

You stay happy too, Gaby... thanks for dropping by.

Quid pro quo, King Kong. I'll tell you where I've been, if you tell me who you are? Why'd you want to know anyway?

Thanks for giving a damn, Orion. I've no idea when yours is either?

All done fine, Khayce. Oh, and have new friend for you to meet this Saturday. She's sitting in for VtR, Richard says it's fine. Bern (that's her name) loved Bodycount Thursday, so what will she think of actual role playing?

To you: Thanks, for everything.

My life has been turned upside down, within a week. This is ridiculous.

I am a teenager, even if I'd like to think that I don't act like one (not all the time, anyway). Something has been brought to my attention recently and believe that I should deal with it the way it should be handled, with care and awareness of all consequences. But I want to be the child that I am and just do what I want to do, to satisfy my own needs, or my own lust in this case.

God help me, I thought it was a done deal by Sunday... have I made a mistake with my recent actions? I had hoped not, despite warnings from one whom I trust. She has spoken of it for ages long... and only now do I learn the hard way.

Many things hinge on the events of tomorrow, the best results being that we come to a peaceful understanding. Worst case scenario, me being scarred for life perhaps. I don't really want to think about it. Playing it by ear seems like the best course of action now.

I don't have time for this.

To whom it may concern: it's not about barriers, it's about- what is it all about anyway? I'm so sorry to have started it all.

THIS IS TOR

Top questions I hate people asking me in making conversation:

5. What kind of law?

When I tell them. they go blank anyway. I know they're hoping I'll say something fun like criminal or family... since that's what girls do, right?

4. So, whereabouts in Singapore are you from?

I had a lecturer who said, hey, I was brought up in Singapore. Where in Sg are you from? And I'm thinking, if I say Bishan, that would just embarrass you cos you have not the slightest idea where that is. So I said, Bishan. And he said, oh... That's nice. I'm from Terlok Blarng-Arh.

3. So, what language do you speak in Singapore?

Ugh. This is Britain, our former colonial masters.

2. Do you speak English?

Ugh. This from a customs official. I just blinked and waited for a long time to see what he would do. Then he flipped my passpart and discovered what exactly I was doing in his country. [Planning to steal his pathetic job along with all the bloody illegal immigrants here, of course.]

1. So, what's your real name?

Aargh. What was I to do but laugh and down my Foster's? No prizes for guessing where this knob was from.

Am to be 17 soon, next week actually. Which means... birthday wishlist.

1. Earphones with a decent bass (my current ones are crap, they came with the player)
2. Black, collared short-sleeved shirt (to wear over my indecent... pieces of cloth)
3. Wallet that cannot pass off as a brick, prefably one of those slim leather ones (it's possible to stun a burglar with my current one)
4. Multi-purpose plain stud earrings
5. Black, liquid eyeliner
6. Black, plain sports sandals (sport shoes can get tiring)
7. Black, reversible belt from Giordano
8. Spirited Away DVD, Japanese dub with English subs (my favourite movie)
9. Return of the King official soundtrack
10. Someone to come over to my house to teach me how to convert songs to mp3 format to plug into my player, dammit
11. Coffee with RK
12. Kino voucher
13. A hug

So like that larh. Or you can get me anything you think I'd like, which should be quite easy.

Had Justin and Alex meet Ed and Gee today. Needless to say, they get along just fine. Now they know why I always wax lyrical about my other friends. Generally find that having my friends meet my friends is usually a very good thing, for some reason.

Am too damned tired to do a full entry today, might blog next week?

Tora~! *glomp* nice of you to drop by. Well, bury yourself in a good book and carry your player around with you, should be rather effective. I should know.

Yes, coffee Rosie. Shall we arrange it on Valentine's day? You working?

I am in Singapore, Althea. That was my sister posting, you should know that by now! Ok, are you free after the new year week? I'll give you a call larh.

Jenny, yeah. Ouch! Oh the wax, it's dripping. I like it between my-

Khayce, is it me or does all this reservist business sound quite ridiculous? Erm, you don't have to do anything for my birthday, really.

Tor,

what you could get me? Erm, books again I guess. Can't go wrong with that right? I'll think about it lah.

Eh, remember the coduroy pants Auntie G got for us from Giordano? Do you have my pair? I can't find them larh. And several pairs of your jeans mysteriously appeared in my closet?

Now I can't wait for June lah! Won't tell them anything, and will go read up on that bit of the world. Paris, Venice, Italy, Spain. Will need to meet up with Ed and Paul as well.

Ok. First milk, then sleep. G'night.