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I'm better off than alot more others... mmm...
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hidden treasure chest
Finally! I have found the one CD that I had been hunting high and low for! Cappucino from the coffee lounge series ~ music to watch the days go by...Quoted from the CD:
"How many pleasures in life can you conjure that beat having a good cuppa and a heart warming conversation in the company of close friends?..."
Very true indeed, and it so happened that this coming week, is a week of reflections as well as a good time for meeting up with old friends for me... How timely that I have found this cd to brighten up my exciting week ahead!
To tell you the truth, it was the words: "music to watch the days go by" that caught my eyes, when I bought my very first album (mocha) of this series. Since then, I've been seeking to complete the set.
Never would I have thought that I'd find it at the old cd shop at parkway basement. In fact, I've only walked into that shop twice in this life.
Another cd found and striked off from my neverending search-that-cd-list.
The last one, which I think will be the greatest challenge yet - Espresso ... yummm ...
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addiction
My family and I have been chasing the Taiwan TV serial - State of Divinity 2000, where the story talked about a simple guy - Ling Hu Chong who made friends with the "evil" Sun Moon Clan and got kicked out of the sect by his narrow-minded and insecure Teacher. Thus, gotten to know Ren Yin Yin. A nobel and clever lady whom he eventually fell in love with. Like alot of popular tv series, the amazingly attractive actors or actresses tug at our heartstrings, stirring up our interest in the Characters and brought out our desire to know what might happen to that individual. It is addictive. It is bad for health...
For we will stay up to watch the show.
Think about the story day and night.
And maybe even dream of meeting someone as attractive and wonderful as the characters in the show someday. Well, I shall keep daydreaming...
I'd like to think myself to be like Ling Hu Chong. A simple and poor chap with no desires for fame or fortune. But was blessed with a sound mind, good friends, and lots of luck that helped him obtained the formidable skills and knowledge. Earning himself the respect for his good character and for what he had done for the world.
Apart from the touching love story, there is the constant struggle between the fine line of good and evil.
We were taught since young to learn to differentiate good and evil. Policeman are good, killers are bad. Or is it? Why can't bad people have a good side in them? Why can't good people have bad intentions? Sigh.. Sometimes, people are just too accustomed to the normality of life to be open to different options and possibilities. It is difficult to convince people to accept things that are beyond or in between their orthodoxies...
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Back and even more puzzled
Came back from Malaysia, supposed to be back with a more peaceful heart. A refreshed spirit. But nope. Not when I went there with those boys... I did not really enjoyed myself as I winded up walking around all by myself. For the boys couldn't stop themselves from using me as a source for their entertainment. *grumble*What in the world am I doing there being bullied by some silly guys that never really grew up? ...
Nonetheless the place was decent. With the view of Jurong Islands at the far end of the waters, the scene was somewhat 'misplaced'. Think lots of Singaporeans must have been there to do some fishing and BBQ cum quick getaway. The rooms are basic. Some may not have hot showering water available, but at least the air cons are working, think that was the MOST important feature that urban Singaporeans are most concern of. There's nothing much you can do there other then eat and sleep, watch TV from three different countries, and maybe fish some mudskippers, crabs, snappers or something. Food there is cheap and good. If you can't seem to decide what to eat, like me, they have set menu packages for you as well. But I think it will be wiser to bring a friend along to decide... (More information of the Resort here )
As I have lots of time to be on my own (finally...), I pondered about what I want again in life. What can I do to reach there? I found that I am clueless. I do not have the answers to alot of bugging questions too, but this one, bugs me the most...
Just read a friend's blog mentioning about 'Patience' for doing greater things that will make a difference ...
Perhaps patience is also my antidote for my unsettling heart...
May the Lord grant me patience to understand His great plan for me and grant me the patience as I walk on the road to discovery. Let me not forget that it's His plan and that it is His and not mine that I shall abide to, too...
'Patiently' I pray, in God's most awesome name, Amen...
'Patiently' I pray, in God's most awesome name, Amen...
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Sins of enjoyment
Just ended a week long camp at St. John's.Had enough of the two boys. They are really getting into my nerves with their constant teasing and their way of working. Tomorrow we'll be going to Malaysia with the teachers for a short getaway.
Not able to withstand the temptations of buying things, I broke my taboo today and bought 2cds which I think are only average...
Anyway, I ended up catching The Devil's Rejects by Rob Zombie with yes, my so-called boss cum friend again, GL, hoping to see some gore and brutility as of what the poster had proclaimed.
The Story (taken from the official website):
From the visionary mind of acclaimed musician Rob Zombie comes the follow-up to his smash hit "House of 1000 Corpses", "The Devil's Rejects". Written and directed by Zombie, "Rejects" further explores the Dr Satan Cult Murders by blending traditional horror elements with the Western gerne to paint a shocking portrait of vigilante justice.Hell-bent on revenging his brother's murder, Sheriff John Wydell (William Forsythe) takes the law into his own hands, tracking down the Firefly family, with the help of a bounty hunting duo called The Unholy Two, in what culminates in one of the most depraved and terrifying showdowns in cinematic history...
The entire movie was set in a very sixties feel, with good ol cowboys, country singers and porn queens. There are quite abit of curel and humiliating scenes and like what they have promised LOTS of blood. I'd say that the movie was interesting as it really gave a very good twist to the perception of good and evil - being bad people are always bad to the core and good people will always be good and live to tell the tale. The killers in the show killed in the na
me of pleasure, while the Sherrif killed in the name of justice.. but I'd think that he's really enjoying it too...Hmmm, that brought me to think about the question of Good and Evil. About the orthodox and unorthodox that people are so accustomed with and so used to. Anyway, will save it for another day of blabbering...
Enough sins for a day of pleasure...
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Image
This is a picture that Elaine made for me yesterday...
This is an image of me. It is also the impression that I gave to others of who I am and what I'm like... Outdoorish, outgoing and LOVE the sea... with the Artistc element missing, but that's alright.
However, alot of people mistook me as a 20 something, due to my studious look with naturally coloured hair, tan skin and simple attire. Anyway, I don't want to dump my precious money on fanciful stuff that lasts only for one season. Maybe I'll try a perm or a new frame next time.. Of course, I still enjoy dressing up once in a while just to please myself.
Just a couple of days back, I was wearing my usual quarter pants and spaghetti top and this guy who sat next to me in the bus was trying to do something funny while I was trying to catch a snooze. Augh! So I sat up and gave a very nasty black face and he quickly drew his hands further away from me... sigh...
Yes, I know, I know... The dressing sometimes invites unwanted attentions. But, that's the way that I am and I like to wear spaghettis/sleeveless and skirts/pants with flip-flops/slip-ons. So I guess, though girls now have the librety to wear whatever that they want, but they can't. They can only wear things that are safe-to-wear, unless they are to be found with someone or a group of friends. How sad! And you wonder what some girls bring in their big bags everywhere... Mind you, it is not Man that I will be fearful of, rather, it is the thoughts that Man can have thereafter that are scary. God knows what they have in their sinful minds... Sheesh...
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a shorter longest yard
After a long day at the lagoon, GL,Yong and I decided to go catch a show, but since Yong is going to take his Emergency First-aid Response course, we can only watch either The Longest Yard, or The Cave at midnight...
So Longest Yard it is, as it was a comedy, so we should be able to "pull through" watching without being visited by Monster Z. I was wrong. I doozed off, but just before it went into the climax of the movie, I woke up. Then, the most unbelievable thing happened... The cinema lights flooded the space and an alarm went off! A fire? Where? Really? Feeling rather puzzled, I told my friends that "this better not be just a false alarm"... Once out of the building, we saw a civil defense vehicle, then another, then another, then another!
Still no signs of any actions, so we waited abit across the street, hoping to see more good stuff. Afterall, we did pay for a movie didn't we? wahahha... Yeap, it's definately a false alarm. No smoke, no fire, only some firemen walking around with torchlight searching high and low at level 3. So much for all the commotion.
Very swiftly, the big vehicles left the scene one by one, leaving us hanging on to our ticket studs, wondering what can we do with our half satisfied desire of watching a good show...
2am, and GL is looking grouchy,Yong is tired, while I was busy playing with both their mobile phone cameras, trying to take some good photos of the incident. We left the place to go for supper instead before hitting the sack at 4am... it was one of the Longest Day...
ps: all the photos in this blog entry are taken using GL's Siemens M65 and Yong's brand new Nokia 6230i
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Nerita?
Family Name: Neritidea
Common Name: Narites
Common Name: Narites
The family Neritidae Rafinesque, 1815, commonly called nerites, with approximately 19 genera, 31 subgenera, and over 150 species of Neritidae. They are often small, brightly colored and intricately patterned shells found in tide pools, on logs, on trees, and on rock rubble along the shore.
About the Name
But since there are so many species of Nerites with numerous colors and patterns found in the same species, no two shells are identical, it posts as a problem in identifing them correctly.
Body, Mind and Soul?
Nerites are prosobranch gastropods (one gill in front of the heart), while wetted by water, are capable of breathing air, thus enabling it to live high up the shore, out of reach of its predators. They are typically small (the vast majority are less than 25mm) with semi-globose shells. This shape offers least resistance to waves and moving debris like sand and rocks. They are well represented in the fossil record and are probably identifiable as far back as the Ordovician period (440-500 million years ago) and were flourishing by the Devonian period (350-400 million years ago). At present, they are numerous and widespread, most (not all) are inhabiting in tropical and subtropical intertidal rocky areas and shallow waters, a harsh habitat with great fluctuations in temperature and low tidal periods with no water. Many are at home in brackish and even fresh water, and there are records of species living in forested areas quite a distance from water. There's species that are found in deep waters too!Defence
The aperture of the nerite is half-moon shaped and may have teeth on both the outer and inner lips, or one or both may be smooth. Most nerites can be completely closed by a thick and calcareous operculum. The color of the operculum varies from almost white to beige or dark gray and it is usually granulate, although some are smooth.
Eating Habits
Sex
Neritas are often found huddling together in moist recesses, usually facing away from the sun. In this manner they can withstand large waves, while being close enough to exchange spawn. This behaviour also traps more moisture in between them. The sexes are separate, and fertilization is internal, which is unusual among the Archaeogastropoda. The female lays many small, dome-shaped egg capsules (like sesame seeds) on any nearby surface, including rocks, logs, and other nerites, living and dead (Fig. 2). Each capsule can contain up to 100 eggs. In most species, the eggs hatch into a typical free-swimming, four-lobed veliger. A few species apparently have direct development, with the eggs hatching crawling larvae.
Most information is taken from http://www.molluscan.com/
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Films worth talking about indeed
36 Quai des Orfevres
A french film that was featured at the Edinburgh International Film Festival 2005
It was such a good show catch that GL and I watched it again last night. Really good storyline, good plot, fanastic cast... Go catch it... :-)
Below is a brief introduction taken from the edinburgh film fest website.
After three decades on the force, Superintendent Mancini (André Dussollier) is about to retire. Two high-ranking plainclothes detectives - Leo Vrinks (Daniel Auteuil) and Denis Klein (Gérard Depardieu) - are each tipped to take his place. The pair were once close friends, but their relationship has soured, as Klein has succumbed to drink, a certain moral expediency, and his own immoderate ambitions. Mancini sets them a task: to capture the gang responsible for a string of murderous heists on armoured cars around Paris. Whoever succeeds in nailing the perps, he declares, will inherit his job. But the ensuing contest soon escalates into a protracted and reckless power struggle, into which the subordinates and families of both men are drawn - often at great cost. Before long, it becomes apparent that only one man can survive.
Writer-director Olivier Marchal was himself a cop, back in the turbulent mid-1980s, and for all his concessions to mainstream cinema (that cool blue palette, the near-constant score), he also manages to bring a sense of weary verisimilitude to proceedings: one would have to look to Bertrand Tavernier's superb L.627, or Maurice Pialat's Police, to find so disenchanted a depiction of life behind the French shield. Here, a handful of decent, if not exactly idealistic cops do battle, not only with the criminals they've pledged to bring down, but also with the corruption, inefficiency and disregard that plague their own ranks. The narrative apparently draws on actual case histories, and the film divides its attention neatly between spectacular action sequences and bloodless detection, shootouts and conversations. Above all, it conveys an unusually acute sense of the danger of police work, where neither the benefits of experience or the reassurance of procedure can always protect against betrayal, stupidity or simple bad luck. In this film, violence is abrupt, extreme and almost always fatal.
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Simple pleasures
Been way too busy these days to even to visit the toilet, let alone being at home to taste homecooked food. The two most lovely people in my life are - Grandma and the Maid
For, they are the ones that would greet me with a smile whenever I come home. Ask me if I would like to have a share of the soup that they have prepared and find out how have I been doing...
This picture was taken at home when the Maid was trimming Grandma's neat and fine hair, in May...
They are the people that I would really like to have more time with so as to make them feel as "loved" as I had.
I have been packing sandbags in Sentosa for 4days and I think my back is cracking (sun burn)... Nonetheless, it was fun, despite that it was really hard labour. It helped when I am working with a bunch of crazier people, and get paid doing crazy things. But the real draw to this project was actually the opportunity to go into the lagoon, get to know the people working there, understanding of what they do with the animals and DIVING there...
But unlike the boys, I make sure that I'm rewarded for all the work that I've done with good old ice cream ... Yummm perks me up real good...This one is the "yam loti" -
Yam flavoured ice cream wrapped with marble bread.
Tuesday they are entering the water already.
I hope I'll get a chance to go in as well...
Show you the pictures of the heaps of sandbags that we've made another time...
Gotta go teach kids how to fold clothes tomorrow morning man! Good night...
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Busy busy busy...
Busy
Busy
Busy
Very Busy...
Busy
Very Busy...
Too busy... look at the time now!
Still got work to do later!!!
Will try to update the blog another time... Akan Datang!
Some back dated blogs will be put up on a later date too.
As I've got no time to finish them up and put in the wonderful pictures that I've already got...
There's alot of things that I want to blog. Alot of things that I would want to write down and share... Alot of things that are happening... too many...
so I'll be right BACK!
Cheers! :)
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