What the Fish!?

2008-09-04T23:26:00.000+08:00

Last quarter in 2008

Time waits for no man and the year 2008 has been no exception. One moment I was with friends playing cards during Chinese New Year, the next I was receiving training halfway round the globe. Just a few months ago I was helping out at Ivan's wedding and now I'm about to embark on my own preparations!

The final four months of the year should prove pretty interesting - there are 6 more weddings to attend, including one at the zoo.. In a way, these last four months should be very precious to me - after which I'll be in my twenties no more! Urgh~

On a totally unrelated matter, our army has decided to upgrade the No.4 uniform.. This new uniform will apparently allow us to stay undetected longer.. With economic uncertainty lurking round the corner (despite so-and-so mini stars declaring every other day that they're confident Singaporeans can survive this and that), I have no idea why our scholarly commanders have deemed it proper to incur this high level of expenses on something which can hardly be considered pressing.. I guess there is no good time for them to change the uniform.. Maybe it's better to take the medicine in one dose..

I still find the idea of wearing the No.4 in Singapore ridiculous. The No.4 is supposed to aid camouflage. Instead, NS men are wearing the No.4 all over the island - mostly in shopping malls and the public transport. The 'lovely' shade of green make us bloody obvious in the crowd. In army lingo, we look like 'cocks'.. If we stand somewhere near Plaza Singapura, we'll look like cockaNathans...

I urge my fellow soldiers to fill up the USMS (suggestion) form and propose the No.5 - t-shirt and jeans. Only then can we blend in and take cover efficiently.. Trade in the rifle for the blackberry to shoot arrows instead.. After all, training needs to be realistic..

Hmm, how to end this post? "I don't know" But don't blame me for the abrupt ending hor, I am just a victim of the consistently high standards I've set over the years. You've come to rely on my quality work and have become complacent! That's why I'm giving you a dosage of bad reading mah.. Ta-ta! =)

2008-08-04T21:54:00.000+08:00

National Day is coming again

Our national day, 8 of August is upon us again.. Or is it 9 of August? Not really sure, don't really care.. They should change it to 8 August - might please the seventy-plus percent (and slowly dwindling) of our population who are Chinese (except the kantang wannabes).

So what exactly does National Day mean these days? Hearing awfully pretencious patriotic songs over the radio? Avoiding the marina area on Saturdays due to NDP rehearsal? Watching precious fuel (and our tax dollars) burn up in smoke as those bloody jets practice their stunts (or as we locals say, chu pattern) again and again? Bossini/Hang Ten/Giordano boutiques selling ridiculously ugly red t-shirts? Or is it the gigantic billboards that show your MPs saluting happily?

From past experience, I know July/August is a damning period for those in the army. Countless weekends are burnt for the greatest wayang show in Singapore. If everything goes well, the top joker who did nothing gets another tick of approval on his CV. One additional cannon shot and there goes some unlucky regular's career! Then there are the reservist folks who will always get mobilized during this period due to the supposedly high risk of being attacked.. (by wayward fireworks perhaps?)

Oh well.. I've ran out of things to say.. Happy national day, I guess..

Ripped off, by S********
victims with a smile
Ripped off by S********
we've been all this while

Believe in yourself coz they're not gonna share
F yourself, don't really care
Be resigned to give a little more~
Give up, give up on, S********!

2008-06-09T21:50:00.000+08:00

Days like this

It's a Monday night and I've just had Mum's curry chicken for dinner. I'm at my computer desk wearing my KL-bought spectacles, bought for less than S$40. I'm chilling out listening to some soothing music, with Creative speakers carried all the way from Jurong East to Holland by best pal Alfred.

It's a workday tomorrow but I only need to wake up at 7.15am. I'll board the bus at 8.00am but I'll arrive in the office at 8.15am, with ample time for breakfast. It's only Monday but I'm not working on Thursday. Most people will be working but I'll be lazing on a beach in Sentosa with my fiancee, ice lemon tea in one hand and her hand in my other.

It's only June but Alfred's coming home. It's only June but Ivan's getting married. It's only June but I'm celebrating my fiancee's birthday. It's only June but we'll have lots of fun.

when its not always raining there'll be days like this
when there's no one complaining there'll be days like this
when everything falls into place like the fall of a switch
well my mama told me there'll be days like this

when you don't need to worry there'll be days like this
when people understand what I mean there'll be days like this
when all the parts of the puzzle start to look like they'll fit
then i must remember there'll be days like this

2008-05-05T19:06:00.001+08:00

"Kopitiam Basics Tutorial 1: Teh" - An actual case study

Haven't been updating my blog recently for reasons obvious to most of you. Chanced upon an interesting exchange at the Marina Square foodcourt during the weekend that inspired me to type in my login and blog again..

I was enthustically queuing to buy my overpriced can of Green Tea at the drinks stall when the shrill voice of this auntie caught my attention:

Auntie on a mission: "Uncle! I want the Milo Si Kosong.. Milo Si Kosong.. Err.. I forgot Milo Si Kosong wat oready.. Can you tell me what is the last word huh? Aiyah.. Shit I forgot what he ordered.. Milo Si Kosong something wan.. Uncle, can help or not!?"

Uncle: "... Milo Si Kosong... Siu Dai?"

(Auntie on a Mission then scuttered back to her table to get the correct order..)

Should have referred her to Alfred's handy kopitiam guide, a real life saver.. On hindsight, maybe she was trying to order a Milo Si Kosong Peng without ice...

2008-03-02T01:05:00.001+08:00

Exhilarated

Fitness recovered. Career Switch. Overseas Trip pending. Soulmate found. =)

2007-12-03T18:56:00.000+08:00

Walk the Extra Mile!

While many were busy participating in the Standard Chartered Run last weekend, Mr Goh took part in another form of activity, which while not as strenuous, was every bit as satisfying.

2007-11-22T23:11:00.000+08:00

D&D 2007 @ M Hotel (Retro Fever)

Silly pose(r)s

Friendly dudes

David and me

Swee Lim and me

Winnie and Me

Kenny('s feminine pose) and Swee Lim

Eleaner and me

Joann and me

2007-10-21T20:28:00.000+08:00

Getting high

My physio has finally cleared me to start light jogging this coming Tuesday - not surprisingly though, my feet started to itch real bad and I gave in to temptation.. Went to the Ghim Moh track with the intention of doing a slow jog - maybe 3.2km if things went well?

The first 500m was awkard.. The knee felt unstable and I could only go at a snail's pace. (although that was the original plan..) Then the adrenaline took over and I ended running 5km instead... Oops.. All I can say is.. it feels damn good.. =)

2007-10-01T20:38:00.000+08:00

The perils of Wikipedia

2007-09-30T23:01:00.000+08:00

Engin Students see Arts no up..

The above was taken in the Gents of the Engineering faculty. Seems the freshmen have followed the tradition of condemning their peers across the bridge..

2007-09-05T21:23:00.000+08:00

Holy Cow!

Came home today to find my bed looking like this..

Think I need to have a word with my mum...

2007-08-30T13:18:00.000+08:00

A good day

You know life is slack when you wake up at 8.30am on a Wednesday morning and instead of fretting over being late for work, there is time for a cool shower before heading down to town for a simple breakfast in a t-shirt and berms.

Better still if you have a friend back from the Middle East and another who's about to head Down Under join you in observing poor office folks scutter all over the place. Great way to spend an idle morning. Do try it some time.

2007-08-19T14:20:00.000+08:00

Check out my new ligament!

After suffering from a dodgy knee for nearly 6 years, I finally went for my knee reconstruction surgery last Friday. The surgery itself was quite uneventful as I was unconscious during the operation. Funny thing though, the staff in the Operating Theatre seem to be sponsored by Crocs - everyone was wearing them! It was quite an experience; a whimsical array of colors on the feet of those who would be cutting me up in moments..

I must admit that I was quite relieved to be unconscious during surgery. It was exactly like what you see on television - I was lying on this bed with the bright lights directly above me. There were about 5 - 7 people scuttering around me, poking all sorts of needles and stuff into me. Last thing I remember, the doctor was telling me that i was being sedated and another nurse was putting an oxygen mask over my mouth..

The next thing I know, it was over! Check out my elephant leg:

The plasters are covering the holes they drilled in my leg..

2007-08-14T23:25:00.000+08:00

The One Where the Baby Cries

A colleague of mine brought her baby to the office today. Strangely enough, as the baby started to wail, the entire womenfolk was drawn to the cries and the whole office was gathered around the little one and her mum in no time.

Inevitably, something happened while Vivien was holding the baby, what she called "a vibration in the diapers". Louder cries duly followed as Regina and I fled for dear life!

Back at my desk, I heard noises at the workstation where our unpopular colleague dwells. Which is strange coz she is supposed to be on course today.. "Damn! I heard noises, she's back!" I msned Regina. "Think she's changed. We should be safe." was the puzzling reply I got.

Changed? Our colleague? Really? Then I realised. "D'oh! I wasn't referring to the baby!" Hahahahaha...

2007-08-12T18:32:00.000+08:00

MineSweeper the Movie

For some reason the YouTube version is out of sync...

2007-08-06T23:06:00.000+08:00

She who must not be named

It's the world's worst kept secret; I despise a certain someone. Here's why:

1. You are not a big deal. For all your ambition and boot licking ways, 10 years in the workforce without anything to show is an embarrassment.

2. You are neither young, pretty or charming. So quit acting cute. And NO, your hair does not look like an ah lian. If you must know, you look more like ah meng, only I like ah meng more.

3. You are amazing. Really. I've never met anyone who managed to offend the entire workplace. Your very existence offends me.

4. There is no need to act kantang when you are fluent in Chinese. Just be yourself. If its of any consolation, you resemble a sack of potatoes anyway.

5. So you want a room, an assistant and a husband. I can give you all three next month - it ain't that difficult to burn stuff..

6. Your book is not challenging. I have no wish to read your book just as I do not want to look at your face. They spoil my appetite.

7. Stop telling everyone you're snacking on healthy, non trans fat stuff. Its poor publicity. It's clearly not working for you.

8. Just because you attended a lousy course in IT doesn't mean you're tech savvy. Attending school sure as hell didn't make you smart at all..

9. If you keep up this nonsense one day even your imaginary friends will desert you..

10. I see three letters in your future. I. M. H.

2007-08-02T23:58:00.000+08:00

More Pictures @ Boston

Silly bike that needs 6 people..

Daily Breakfast..

PotteryBarn - Friends S6E11, The One with the Apothecary Table

The typical american schoolbus

The CheeseCake Factory!

My first (guided) attempt at Sushi!

Always see people doing this.. Feels damn stupid..

Bet Alf never tried this before, haha..

Nice place near Quincy Market

Shopping district near Copley

Correction - Expensive shopping district

2007-07-31T23:19:00.000+08:00

Old Internet Joke

Came across a joke that should be quite old but decided to post it nonetheless..

Recently one of my friends, a computer wizard, paid me a visit. As we were talking I mentioned that I had recently installed Windows on my PC, I told him how happy I was with this operating system and showed him the Windows CD.

To my astonishment and distress he threw it into my micro-wave oven and turned it on. I was upset because the CD had become precious to me, but he said: 'Do not worry, it is unharmed.' After a few minutes he took the CD out, gave it to me and said: 'Take a close look at it.'

To my surprise the CD was quite cold and it seemed to have become thicker and heavier than before. At first I could not see anything, but on the inner edge of the central hole I saw an inscription, in lines finer than anything I have ever seen before. The inscription shone piercingly bright, and yet remote, as if out of a great depth:

4F6E65204F5320746F2072756C65207468656D20616C6C2C204F6E65204F5320746F
2066696E64207468656D2C0D0A4F6E65204F5320746F206272696E67207468656D20
616C6C20616E6420696E20746865206461726B6E6573732062696E64207468656D

'I cannot read the fiery letters,' I said. 'No,' he said, 'but I can. The letters are Hex, of an ancient mode, but the language is that of Microsoft, which I shall not utter here. But in common English this is what it says:

'One OS to rule them all, One OS to find them, One OS to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.'

2007-07-29T23:56:00.000+08:00

God is not a voyeur

Had a light chat with a colleague recently on the topic of religion. Let me say once again that I am an agnostic - I believe that the evidence for or against the existence of god is inconclusive. It wasn't that long ago when people believed that the world was flat or that earth was the centre of the universe.. How can we expect to prove the existence of god or spirits when we can't even find the bloody dark matter!?

Some people believe in fate or destiny.. Their god must be a hell of a scriptwriter, cos our lives are intertwined with millions of others in this lifetime. Imagine "Man A must be born and Woman B must be born. A and B must meet and mate to allow Child C to enter the world. Man D must be there in Year X to give Child C a job in 20 years time. Child C owed Child E a debt in lifetime Q. Thus Child E must pass his driving test and get his car to knock down Child C in Year Y. In doing so, Child E will inevitably incur a debt towards Man A and Woman B, to be returned in lifetime T.." Nonsense..

Likewise, I do not believe in the general assumption that good people go to heaven while evil ones are condemned to hell. It is difficult for your boss to give you a fair appraisal for one year's worth of work alone, not to mention a lifetime of deeds/misdeeds! I shudder at how huge a HR dept god must maintain to keep score of believers/non-believers, continuous assessments, etc.. I cringe at the monstrosity of the database needed to maintain such information.. "Man A covered under Islam Scheme 201 from Year X to Y, since switched to Christianity Scheme 101, to write off rewards points earned under Scheme 201 and revise the Heaven Grade Access Plan accordingly.." Rubbish..

As Steven Weinberg said, 'the more the universe seems comprehensible, the more it seems pointless.' Who is to say that there is a benevolent designer behind everything anyway? Perhaps 'the good gets rewarded' is just wishful thinking, not unlike people of the past who used to dance to pray for rain.. What if this higher being is more interested in dollars and cents? Maybe you can take it with you after all - if rich people go to heaven!

2007-07-24T00:15:00.000+08:00

A Solemn Post

Made a couple of major decisions recently, all of which will greatly impact my life. The simplest one was to get my dodgy knee fixed once and for all. The latest MRI scan and x-ray diagnosis showed that my ACL was no longer visible, the meniscus pretty screwed while the cartilage is damaged too. Hope that with the surgery, I'll be able to return to the field and run down the wing once again. Competitive by nature, this injury has been holding me back for half a decade. Time to get into shape once and for all.

Also had to drop a precious gem which has accompanied me for three years. This gem has always been there for me and I really treasure it a lot. Countless memories. At the end of the day though, I cannot bring it along where I'm headed towards. How do you drop a precious yet fragile gem on the road, knowing that you'll cause it to shatter? Heartlessly. The shattered pieces have cut deep into my soul and it will take time to heal. Perhaps it is best that no other gems cross my path until I have found my way.

Am also giving serious consideration to taking the GRE in the near future. Will probably take more time to ponder it over, just in case this intellectual thirst is just a passing phase.

2007-06-18T15:54:00.000+08:00

Boston, the Walking City

This is an expensive trip.. Air tickets and accomodation alone costs around 6k.. Everything also must tip.. Would never have gone on my own.. Its an interesting place though.. Its a city of monopoly - Sony, Nike, Apple and Coke absolutely rule here.. Everyone is armed with an iPod - no room for Creatives or iRivers whatsoever.. Everyone drinks Coke - you can find Coke, Diet Coke, Diet Coke with Vitamins & Minerals, Diet Vanilla Coke, Diet Coke with Cherry & Cream, Coke DeCaf..

Also learnt to make sushi but thats a story for another day..

My cozy pad at Marriott Residence Inn - how can I ever stay in small hotel rooms ever again..

Nice...

Nice architecture everywhere

First Church of Christ, Scientist
Great view at the Charles River Basin 15 minutes walk from my Inn

The bridge that links Boston to Cambridge, leading to MIT campus. What's the name, you ask? Harvard Bridge, of course!
Speaking of which.. [Harvard is much more beautiful (and richer) than MIT..]

2007-06-18T15:37:00.000+08:00

New Post in a Long Time

Haven't blogged in a while as I have been pretty busy of late.. Guess this is what happens when you make two overseas trips in the space of two weeks..

So, after traveling to aSian countries all my life, I finally got to visit some ang moh places..

Darwin, The Northern Territory

This.. is the barracuda that I did not catch.. Its a monster though..

The fish I did catch - It looked pretty big when I reeled it in..

Breathtaking view of waterfall at Litchfield National Park

Sunset at the beach

2007-03-25T00:17:00.000+08:00

Brain Washing

Have been seeing the Total Bullshit animation clip "Just Because" being played over and over on TV Mobile and in the movie theatres.. Lines like "Just because we are economically stable now, doesn't mean we will never suffer.. bla bla bla" being continously repeated like a broken record..

Juz bcoz neighbour sign agreement, doesn't mean they will let u have cheap drinks forever,
Juz bcoz u donate money, doesn't mean u will always have sandwiches,
Juz bcoz private sector earn peanuts, doesn't mean u should get the same,
Juz bcoz ppl want to go the opposite way, doesn't mean u need to fix them,
Juz bcoz erection is over, doesn't mean u can take us for granted,
Tax is gonna increase, and we know it's not going to stop here..

2007-03-18T00:08:00.000+08:00

Spidy-San

Of course we know about Spidy. And even though we are certainly not fans of the corny show, we would be aware of the power rangers. What I did not know was that Spidy had his "Morphin-Time" long before the silly rangers!

2007-03-11T16:46:00.000+08:00

Doremon

Saw this photo while surfing the net..

2007-03-08T00:26:00.000+08:00

Work vs Prison

Saw this article some time ago, and happened to chance upon it again so there it is: (highlights only)

In prison, you get 3 meals a day. At work, you only get one break for one meal and you have to pay for it..

In prison, you get time off for good behavior. At work, you get more work for good behavior..

In prison, you can watch TV and play games. At work, you get fired for watching TV and playing games.

In prison, all expenses are paid by the taxpayers with no work required. At work, you get to pay all expenses to go to work and then they deduct taxes from your salary to pay for prisoners..

In prison, you deal with sadistic wardens. At work, they are called managers..

2007-03-06T19:00:00.000+08:00

Twisted

Managed to sprain my dodgy left knee again.. 1st major setback in over 2 years.. Wasn't even doing anything dangerous.. the bloody knee just collapsed on its own.. This is truly depressing..

Found an antique in my room..

2007-01-26T00:22:00.000+08:00

Taxi driver escapes with stern warning

Earlier this month, a taxi driver pissed me off with his lack of professionalism and unacceptable attitude. Almost 2 weeks after my complaint was lodged, the response finally arrived:

Dear Mr Goh

I refer to your report lodged on 12 January 2007 and wish to extend sincerest apologies for the unpleasant incident.

We have conducted an investigation and have issued a warning to the driver. He has also been reminded to adhere strictly to the service standards as set out by the company. The complaint has been included in his service record and we will monitor his performance closely.

We will continue to reinforce our communication and training efforts to push up service levels by our drivers. it is our desire that every commuter's experience with our taxi service is pleasant and comfortable. we will not hesitate to discipline errant drivers with proven service lapses.

Once again, we apologise for the inconvenience caused.

No fine or demerit points... Wat the fish...

2007-01-16T10:54:00.000+08:00

Vandaleeism!

2007-01-13T13:28:00.000+08:00

A damn (fun &) stupid game!

Flight of the Hamsters

2007-01-13T12:54:00.000+08:00

Isle Cafe Dining

The standard meal - 2x variants of fried noodles with luncheon meat & "kantang", plus kopi-peng

2007-01-08T21:49:00.000+08:00

Geoffrey the Giraffe blames economy boom for weight gain

Geoffrey during happier times

Signs of prosperity? The more "substantial" towkay of the biggest toy store at VivoCity

2007-01-06T00:40:00.000+08:00

Taxi! Taxi!

ComfortDelGro reports total of over 17 million bookings in 2006

This is supposedly attributed to:

1. A stronger economy
2. Wet weather
3. An improved taxi booking system!?

I suppose this 17 million figure has nothing to do with the fellowship of taxi drivers who circle patiently around their frustrated prey, waiting for their flailing arms to reach inevitably for the mobile and punch in those magic numbers. Yes, we like to call for the cab just to enjoy the lovely experience of the taxi booking system..

Here's a thought; the next time your boss wants to hand you an assignment, deliberately take cover and force him into ringing/emailing you. Then charge an additional 4 bucks for the booking..

2007-01-05T00:54:00.000+08:00

Computer Finally Up and Running

Finally fixed my desktop... Still using the dinosaur CRT monitor though... Curse all CMI Samsung LCD monitors... What a great way to start the year... Oh ya.. Happy new year folks!

2006-12-17T23:47:00.000+08:00

You want to jump? Fine...

Not too long ago, the subject of people jumping onto the bandwagon by commiting suicide on the MRT tracks was raised and I joked how the LTA authorities would soon impose a fine on offenders, eg. "Suicide is strictly forbidden on the tracks - repeat offenders will be fined $XXXX".

Well, what do you know...

The photo above is not too clear due to the poor light conditions and the limitations of my phone camera.. Anyway, the sign reads as follows:

Do not step beyond the yellow line until train stops - Fine $500

Do not go down to tracks - Fine $5000

How a suggestion as stupid and futile as this got implemented will forever remain beyond my comprehension.. While I do not specifically remember all the past accidents involving MRT tracks, I think quite a number of cases were intentional suicide attempts while another was a girl being pushed by her boyfriend.

Perhaps it is supposed to work this way; depressed man walks to MRT platform intending to commit suicide. Depressed man reads warning about offenders being fined. Depressed man, worried that the burden of $5000 would be passed on his family after his death, uses the remaining $1.40 in his ezlink card to travel to the reservoir and finish the deed there. Reservoir management considers the situation and puts up similar signage warning the public.

This is in stark contrast to the subway system in Taipei, where public-friendly signages can be seen everywhere; "Please seek assistance from staff if you need to retrieve your items on the tracks", "The escalator is moving at a high speed, please hold on to the side for safety"

I think we have a lot to learn...

2006-12-15T23:20:00.000+08:00

Located the Gundam Base at Taipei!

Destiny

Me in the cockpit!

2006-12-15T00:25:00.001+08:00

More Taipei stuff

Expensive exhibit at Taipei 101 - priced at NT$7,800,000 or S$390,000 (that's roughly the price of my HDB apartment!!!)

Ear wax (literally)

Cannot do this, cannot do that.. Feels just like home...

The delicious and ultra spicy Ma La Liang Mian (not for the faint hearted)

Statue of Liberty at Taipei

2006-12-14T23:55:00.000+08:00

Just returned from Taipei..

My first visit to Taiwan left me impressed - its amazing how the Chinese can behave so differently in various parts of the world. Generally polite, friendly and civic-conscious, I think the Taiwanese put us Singaporeans to shame.

At the Fisherman's Wharf - totally missed the sunset (it turned dark ard 5pm..)

Interesting store name at the Wufenpu district

Beautiful coastline near Jiufen

Obscenely huge sausages at Shilin Night Market

A huge Ferris wheel at Miramar Entertainment Park

On top of the world - I always have had a fear of heights

And of course, the currently tallest building in the world - Taipei 101..

2006-12-07T00:49:00.000+08:00

Stuck...

Like God, our government often works in mysterious ways, beyond the comprehension of ordinary mortals such as you and I. (It is also all powerful, has eyes everywhere and most importantly, decrees that you must help yourself before it will help you)

Every now and then however, comes a hero who uses his power to do good for the community - the banning of chewing gum. All hail lao goh.. (no, not me..)

May the devil have mercy on the moron who stuck gum on my lift button should I lay on hands on him..

2006-12-05T23:16:00.000+08:00

Back to the Future

Isn't it amazing how a few simple switches, couple of colored bulbs and a LED display produced one of the biggest blockbusters in the 80s? That's probably what the kids will say about the Matrix in 20 years' time! =(

2006-12-04T23:44:00.000+08:00

Christmas cometh early this year

Make new friends but don't forget the old..

The old faithful DSC-P7, loyal companion since 2002..

2006-12-03T23:52:00.000+08:00

Outing with Alfred's Siao-eh

Under section 4.6 of the Brothers Code, one is required to take care of another brother's siao-eh during his absence. A gathering has duly taken place on the 2nd day of December in the year 2006, thus fulfilling the stipulation of the Code.

This gathering has resulted in several findings, summarised as follows:

- It is a myth that cats (must) drink milk; Cats actually do not need milk if properly nourished while many will get diarrhea if they consume too much milk. If given at all, milk should be provided in infrequent and small amounts.

- The quiet and peaceful ambience at The Lounge, InterContinental Singapore is such because the grumpy waitress has chasen away all potential customers. Before we were even seated or handed any menus, she curtly interrupted with a "Are you ready to order" and then delivered her swan song by dragging our requested armchair over in an obvious "I'm not happy" manner. Needless to say, we fled that horrid place where atrocious waitresses live..

- Some "peoples" went to Tokyo again! That's thrice in 2 years, twice in a couple of months!

- Santa waitresses in skimpy outfits have returned to Marina Mandarin - collect them all!

The Marina Mandarin routine - A bowl of mixed nuts, the candle and Gordon Gin Tonic

Annex A - Complaint Letter to InterContinental Singapore

Dear Sir/Mdm,

My group of friends and I had intended to have a couple of drinks at your lounge on Saturday, 2 Dec '06 (evening). Whilst looking for a place to sit, your staff curtly interrupted us by asking whether we were ready to place orders. We were not even seated, not to mention not a single menu had been given to us.

When we requested for an additional chair, your staff again displayed poor attitude by dragging the chair over. Granted she might not be able to lift the chair, but it was evident from her body language that she did not want to serve us.

Needless to say, we fled from the hostility extended by your staff. The purpose of this email is not to complain but in hope that your service will improve in the near future. Compliments to the excellent ambience of your lounge, we would certainly like to come back one day. Pity the service level is such a mismatch.

Yours sincerely, Alvin Goh

2006-12-03T23:02:00.001+08:00

Marc's Wedding

Former S&M colleagues from TMC

Me with the ladies formerly from SS dept

The truth behind the glamour (Censorship is for the protection of the groom)

2006-11-30T02:15:00.000+08:00

Weird Disclaimers

"Kia Si" mentality hits Burger King.. Bought a burger for lunch today and Burger King apparently wants me to chew carefully. What do they expect us to do? It's fast food, for goodness sake! If I find a bone in my burger you are not going to hear the end of it no matter how many stickers you paste! Wat the fish!

Dumb Disclaimer.. Sometimes, you gotta follow the rules

2006-11-27T21:57:00.000+08:00

D&D 2006

Preparations back in the office - lovely works of art in the background, no?

No one seems to be frightened in the least - no respect!

Yeah, the kids are cute - no, I'm not ready for fatherhood

2006-11-26T02:06:00.000+08:00

Entering the 12th phase of 2006

Oh my goodness.. Can't believe December is just around the corner.. Next week's going be really interesting - its make or break at work for negotiations on this tacky IP agreement, followed by Marc's wedding, gatherings with Cat and hopefully the long-lost CJ, preparations for my Taiwan getaway and of course, football at the Cage.

Just visited Alfred's blog - since he misses Singapore so much:

The Isle Cafe @ Cuppage

No hurry to return to Sillypore, dude. Unless you miss all this nonsense:

Loosely translated as: Don't blame us if you miss the bus

Loosely translated as: Please commit suicide elsewhere

2006-11-25T02:03:00.000+08:00

X'mas Approaches

Yes, this is the merriest time of the year in S'pore. Daily thunderstorms cool our acursed weather and lower the humidity - this is probably the only time when taking 5 steps out of the house will not make your shirt soaked with perspiration..

Have been taking a few candid shots here and there, trying to capture the spirit of Christmas..

Is it the obscenely huge X'mas tree at Takashimaya that won't fit into my photo?

Is it the romantic set-up inside Wisma Atria where the creepy auntie dwells?

What about the electrifying angel which comes with a warning?

Or this splendid tree that might as well carry a sign that says "Come ye tourists, spend it all!"

Personally, this is what really epitomises the spirit of christmas in S'pore context..

2006-11-24T01:23:00.000+08:00

Look who I found!!

Have always been proud of my googling skills - managed to track down one of our long lost QSTS classmates:

Photo shall be removed upon request of the copyright owner

Hint: I used to be botak. I carried a huge bag at school with a raincoat inside.

2006-11-21T20:38:00.000+08:00

Everything Changes

Saturday morning runs have rarely happened since Alfred's overseas posting, so it came little as a surprise when Zhai suggested calling off the whole thing today.

When I was young, I never needed anyone
And jogging was just for fun
Those days are gone
All by myself.. (haha, being a little melodramatic here..)

Happier times - Warming down outside Ngee Ann City before breakfast at Isle Cafe

Running into Orchard Road, passing by St Regis

On a brighter note, Thursdays have become quite happening of late - thanks to Ben's invitation to his weekly game at the Cage. I have so much fun playing there! =)

Despite a long and indirect journey from NUS to Kallang after work, missing dinner and getting home close to 11pm, I so look forward to football on Thursdays these days. Somehow, playing at the street soccer court just ain't the same..

Lonely bus stop where I wait for bus 16 at 9/10pm plus after the game

2006-11-20T00:41:00.000+08:00

Remember this old game?

France's deadly Combo - No Zidane or Henry?

Tsubasa's famous overhead kick

Wakabayashi, apparently shocked at Tsubasa's antics

Amazing how a Nintendo game played while I was in primary six can still entertain me during the era of PS3.. Not to mention my CMI Photoshop skills..

2006-11-18T12:39:00.000+08:00

Wat the Fish!?

Novel Advertising at Plaza Singapura Bus Stop - something fishy is going on in Singapore indeed...

2006-11-17T23:42:00.000+08:00

Waterfall

Funny how a drink named Waterfall can turn out to be so flamboyant! Apparently had no effect on Lixing or Ben.. Lousy drink which led to Spurs losing to Reading and Pool getting thrashed by Arsenal... Sucks...

2006-11-09T23:24:00.000+08:00

Service No Enough

Despite our best efforts, wayang will be wayang and the brutal truth is out: Singapore's ranking in the world for service standards has fallen from 17 to 26.

Why? Can anyone exprain why with or without the aid of a CCTV cambrea?

Surely we have not been trying hard enough! 90% of drops in service standards can be prevented, so long as we remain more service-oriented!

No problem! We can conduct a survey liaos! Maybe "4 million smiles" is not good enough! Next time we will aim higher - "4 million grins"! Perhaps we need to flag ~ er, I mean, launch the GEMS campaign earlier so that people can notice in time! Bring in more mystery shoppers!

Looking from another perspective, if positive means prove ineffective, maybe we ought to consider other alternatives. Might as well "zeng" the Penal Code to enable prosecution of those who fail to say "Thank you" or "You are welcome" after a transaction/verbal exchange.

Must also think outside the box these days! "Do it with a smile and be eligible for tax relief!"

Actually, the solution is very simple - just give Singaporeans a reason to smile, instead of this highly stressed climate. Then we will really be able to treat one another with sincerity and graciousness. Dun say I never tell you hor!

2006-11-07T21:44:00.000+08:00

Gatchaman Opening

This is the coolest video!

"Sometimes one, sometimes five. The white shadow that moves unseen"

2006-11-06T23:10:00.000+08:00

Finally Assembled...

SF. Strike Freedom(top) and IJ. Infinite Justice(bottom) are finally completed, haha... SF is absolute crap however - the wings threaten to fall off any minute while the body ratio is all wrong. Pathetic design that allows for no posability whatsoever.. Wonder if Bandai is trying to "encourage" consumers to purchase the Master Grade edition.. IJ is a totally different story though - just perfect! =)

2006-11-06T13:40:00.000+08:00

More Creative Works from Singapore

Nobody will be left behind

Survival of the fittest

2006-10-31T22:01:00.000+08:00

Who say Singapore got no creativity?

2006-10-31T21:49:00.000+08:00

The Biggest Festival in Singapore
Well what do you know? They're putting up that damn tree again... 2 months early...

2006-10-09T22:25:00.000+08:00

Interim Loss of a Great Pal

It is now around 6.30pm in Dubai, UAE. Our good friend is probably (or hopefully) still working, even as Singapore prepares to go into slumber. For Ah Zhai and myself, Saturday mornings will feel weird without him, although we will continue our weekly jog.

As my army officer used to preach, "The world will not stop spinning because of one person, young man". True, the world will not stop spinning at all; it sure will feel lonelier, though. Have a great adventure in Dubai, young man! We look forward to your return, whenever that is.

2006-10-09T21:57:00.000+08:00

Things I did / picked up during Reservist Training

1. Training Safety Regulation - If you are attacked by a swarm of bees, run as fast as you can till the bees are out of sight. (Pre-condition: You must be freaking fleet-footed!)

2. During a field exercise, you should refrain from building a huge bonfire - it is quite likely that you will make your CO (Commanding Officer) very, very angry..

3. Bunkmate PP Tan and I made a few modifications of the Chinese Chess game. You cover the chess pieces by turning them upside down, shuffle the pieces (both red and black together) and then place them randomly onto the chess board, in the same formation as the traditional game. The moves of the various ranks are unchanged, except that they can move in all directions and can also cross the river. The game ends when you successfully eliminates your opponent's "king". You can only move your chess pieces which are uncovered.

These modifications are more reflective of the modern SingXpore army - one will discover that during the game, only very few chess pieces are involved while the rest remain uncovered. (sleeping in bunks) The "king" or "CO" is also a burden - once he appears, you will find operations much tougher.

4. When attempting to sleep for the better half of the day, you should make an effort to wake up once your eyelids open, instead of going back to sleep. This way, you should be able to get another 1-2 hours of rest in half an hour's time or so, compared to going back to sleep immediately and waking up perhaps half an hour later. This technique, when combined with 6 meals in-between, should enable you to achieve up to 16 hours of sleep daily. (results may differ for individuals)

2006-09-22T20:47:00.000+08:00

Pepper Lunch

Finally got the chance to try Pepper Lunch - the popular restaurant franchise. Quite tasty!

2006-09-19T00:03:00.000+08:00

My Childhood Story

I arrived into this world 23 January 1979. My earliest memories begin from my kindergarden days - there were only two. Rolling down from a slope and being detained after retaliating by hitting a kindergarden-mate on the head, right in front of the teacher.

I also remember hurling abuses at the teacher who detained me until my mum came to pick me up - various permutations of eggs; bad egg, smelly egg, etc etc.

I did not complete my kindergarden studies due to my stubborness of not wanting to learn English - my parents had to send me to a pre-primary school for one year.

I got mocked by my teacher during recess break for "counting" the bean sprouts in my fried bee-hoon when everyone else have finished their meals. My favorite time at school was when we played with plasticine. I hated the smell though.

My parents transferred me to another primary school because they refused to let the school put me into class 3D after coming 5th in class 2A - I still ended up in class 3B anyhow.

The new kid on the block came 1st in class 3B the following year - but the form teacher disliked me because she claimed I was lazy.

Eric, the boy whom I usurped the no. 1 spot from became my best friend - both of us came nowhere near no.1 the following year in 4A. Our mothers quickly turned into allies and formed a deadly partnership in thwarting our misadventures.

I averaged one storybook per day from primary four to primary five. I curse the day when Eric introduced me to Tintin and Asterix and the Gauls; they took away my 6/6 vision - Eric's eyesight remained perfect.

I had my first fight with my best friend in primary five on school premises - we patched things up in less than an eye blink.

Our school basketball team won honours every year. The only year we turned champions was the year when I fractured my elbow - all my basketball trophies are silver in colour.

I secretly played tetris instead of studying for the PSLE - and did not manage a single A* for my PSLE.

Eric and I got admitted to the same secondary school but he went to 1B while I was in 1A.

I sat by myself for a large part of the first day of school. I prayed very hard that the new boy who turned up in a yellow t-shirt wouldn't sit next to me, which he did.

Alfred is the name of the boy without the school uniform - he transferred to our school because he had problems finding his way to a better school further away.

Alfred thought I was an obedient student as did I of him, the class quickly came to know that we both were nothing of the sort.

I spent my entire sec 1 days mutli-tasking - learning to "spin" the pen in class, joining the basketball team and table-tennis club, keeping contact with my primary schoolmates. Somehow, I forgot to add studying to this list and came in 35th in a class of 38 students - I think the only people behind me were of a different race.

I find it ridiculous that a classmate's mum allowed him to hang around with me simply because I came in 9th in the following year.

Of all my subjects, I was most consistent in Art - it was 50/100 thru' out.

I have fond memories of spending Sunday mornings in Queenstown Swimming Complex with Alfred and company - it is amazing how wrestling and games involving a ping pong ball in the water could bring us so much joy.

I also remember Benedict turning up late every time - I am now the latecomer when we go jogging on Saturdays.

Alfred and I continued sitting next to each other in 2A - we had so much fun making mischief that I actually looked forward to school during the June holidays.

We caused so much trouble that our form teacher made us sit apart when school re-opened.

Weizheng became my new neighour, we took bus 64 home together after school and tried knocking each other off the one-person seat on the way back.

Alfred and I embarked on a great scientific project in sec two; we designed a hydrophonics model.

Two enterprising 14-year olds were venturing into agriculture without the use of soil - our only miscalculation was forgetting that seeds needed time to mature into plants.

Our project would never have received an A grade without the timely aid of the uprooted plant from Alfred's mum.

Our then fat friend Zhiyong borrowed a book from the library and copied wholesale from that book with a typewritten submission - he recieved an A grade as well.

2006-08-22T21:36:00.000+08:00

Does the moon exist only when someone is looking at it?

Was reading this article on the net that touched on antirealism.. Sometimes I think some people really have too much spare time...

The link to the article is here, in case anyone is interested:

http://www.eequalsmcsquared.auckland.ac.nz/sites/emc2/tl/philosophy/moon.cfm

2006-08-22T20:57:00.000+08:00

Interesting Observation @ the faculty of Engineering

2006-08-21T20:37:00.000+08:00

Currently reading: Fowler My autobiography

Bought this book since it was going for only $20, which must be a bargain coz its a holy book! A book written by GOD... What else could it be other than the bible?

2006-08-21T20:20:00.000+08:00

Interesting excerpt from Gerrard: My Autobiography

Saw this interesting excerpt on the net. What can I say? Life is good when you have a homegrown superhero playing for your team.

I HAVE never known hatred like Manchester United's and the poison dripping from their fans never ceases to shock me.

Growing up in Huyton, I was taught to loathe United, their fans, players, manager, kit-man, mascot — everyone associated with Old Trafford. And during 90 minutes of football I want United to die. Everton fans have grown to despise me because I score against them so regularly and because I keep saying I love beating Everton.

They loathe me but I think they respect me as a player. At Old Trafford it's different. Everyone there hates me because I'm Liverpool. Visiting Old Trafford is like negotiating an assault course as it rains vitriol.

A winter's day trip there in 2000 was no different. Liverpool's coach was belted and the United fans were jumping up at the windows, their faces contorted by sheer hatred. We got the full welcome: V-signs, w***** signs, knife signs. "F*** off, scum!" they'd shout. "We'll f****** kill you!" And they sang: "In your Liverpool slum..."

S***, the United fans really loathe us. Bang! A window splintered and a brick nearly bounced off my head. Here we go again. I ran for the dressing rooms. I almost couldn't hear the first whistle because of the booing. "F*** me." I thought, "This is show time. Get on my game or get f*****."

As a kid I once wore a United shirt with Bryan Robson's name and seven on the back. I detested United with a passion and loathed the idea of putting on one of their strips, but this was different. A mate of mine owned this Robson top, the old blue-and-white one with dashes. I asked him whether I could be Robson.

I put on the Robson one. It felt fantastic. I wore it for an hour, charging all over, flying into tackles, scoring brave goals, pretending I was Robson. Because the shirt had Robson's name on it, I forgot about the United bit.
It didn't seem like treachery, more homage to an England god.

Unfortunately, Dad looked out the window and went ballistic. "Get inside now!" he screamed. Scarcely through the door, I ran into a right grilling. What the hell are you playing at, wearing a United shirt?" he asked. "But Dad, it's Bryan Robson's shirt!" I explained. Dad couldn't have cared less. "You should know better," he said. Dad was not having any son of his dragging the Gerrard name through the Huyton gutter. What would the neighbours think?

Honest to God, I thought I was going to have to move house! I was only a baby, but was convinced Dad would kick me out for putting on that shirt. At 14 I put on a United shirt again! I wore the red of United in two trial matches.
After doing well in those games, United offered me a three-year pro contract.

I even met their legendary manager. A group of trialists had dinner with Mr Ferguson, as he was then.
Michael Owen was meant to be at the meal, but didn't turn up. We sat and listened in awe to one of the managerial greats. He had heard about me and desperately wanted me to sign, but I was never going to sign for United. I looked around other clubs partly to pressure Liverpool into giving me a YTS contract.

But almost 20 years of being conditioned to hate Man U went up in smoke on my first England call-up. The other Liverpool boys introduced me to the rest of the squad. The last table I visited belonged to Manchester United. Phil Neville, David Beckham, Andy Cole and Paul Scholes looked up and smiled at me.

What the hell was going on? Shock-waves ripped through me. These people were supposed to be my enemy. We don't smile at each other. We snarl. I was thinking: "But they hate me and I them."

But they didn't hate me. They were brilliant at putting the new boy at ease. I ran out the next day for practice, looking for any sign of an ambush. Surely this would be normal United versus Liverpool, in a neutral venue? No. Again, the United lads were fantastic. I spoke to Gary Neville about the tension between his United and my Liverpool.
At the time, Gary was getting stick for something he was supposed to have said about Liverpool supporters. He got misquoted. What Gary actually said was: "I have been brought up in my area to hate Scousers." The same way Liverpool fans are raised to hate Mancs. But it was printed as "I Hate Scousers."

I don't know whether Gary was telling me to get the message across! He certainly got on with this Scouser. But the biggest, and probably only, compliment someone from United ever paid me came from Sir Alex Ferguson in the papers. "I couldn't believe my eyes as I read his view of me. ‘Gerrard is physically and technically precocious, has a good engine, remarkable energy, reads the game and passes quickly. I'd hate to think Liverpool have someone as good as Roy Keane.'

For Ferguson to compare me with his captain was some accolade. After reading Ferguson's comments, I just wanted to prove him right, to let him know Liverpool did have a Keane of their own.

Gerrard: My Autobiography by Steven Gerrard is published in hardcover by Bantam Press on September 2, priced £18.99 © Steven Gerrard 2006.

2006-08-20T20:50:00.000+08:00

Taking it out on the bus driver

Today, Mr Goh encountered one too many paranoid/rude SBS bus driver and committed an act for which he feels remorseful.

It might be the sense of loyalty towards their organisation, or a genuine concern for public commuters who sometimes unwittingly commit an offence by forgetting to tap their Ezlink cards. Or it could simply be the fear of getting caught / "bau-toh" by the ever vigilant bus inspectors. Whatever it is, our Singapore bus drivers are fiercely committed to upholding the integrity of the Ezlink system and mercy for those who dare cross the line.

The problem is, our righteous bus drivers do not believe in "you are innocent until proven otherwise". No, the moment their bionic ears fail to register a "beep" while you are boarding the bus, they turn all paranoid and start yelling at passengers to wise up. It doesn't matter whether you are seated all the way at the back or if you have indeed "tapped" the damn card. Prove your innocence or be prepared for more abuse/embarrasment from the bus driver.

The worse thing is, they don't even bother apologising for false accusations. I wonder if such mentality/empowerment is encouraged/bestowed by their management?

Well, the exact same thing happened today. After falsely accusing the poor ah-pek, the young malay bus driver turned his attention to me and duly started the finger pointing. Not in the best of moods, I challenged him "What if I have already tapped my Ezlink card?" Sneer from the bus driver

"Entry Okay" read the display.

Seeing that he wasn't apologetic at all, I snapped and loudly demanded "Say SORRY". Well, I got my apology but not without humiliating the bus driver in the process. It did not feel good shaming someone in public. After all, he was just doing his job, and for how much? A miserable $2k per month? Why can't Singaporeans be civil and polite? What
is the point of welcoming our foreign visitors with 4 million smiles when we cannot even smile to a fellow Singaporean?

2006-08-10T22:09:00.000+08:00

Higher Singlish/Singlish as the 1st language

My colleague recently taught me what can only be described as a highly sophisticated line of Singlish poetry:

"You take come, I bring go"

Wah, Saad Saad no laugh man...

2006-07-29T23:26:00.000+08:00

The XO Fish Head Bee Hoon Man (Aka the Curly Hair Bxstard)

Mr Goh had a craving for the famous "Holland Village XO Fish Head Bee Hoon" today and duly patronised the stall.

Goh: "Err, Uncle, 2 bowls of fish head bee hoon and a plate of prawn paste fried chicken please"

Curly Hair Bxstard: "Seventeen dollars! Where you sit!?"

Goh: "Err.. Wait, I go take a look... It's table 21"

Curly Hair Bxstard: "Pay money! (pause) Eighteen dollars"

Goh: "Err.. Is it seventeen or eighteen dollars?"

Curly Hair Bxstard: "I WASN"T TALKING TO YOU!!" (hence implying the bill was seventeen dollars)

At this juncture, a very indignant Mr Goh was feeling damn pissed..

Goh: "Nah! Seventeen dollars!" deliberately ignoring the outstretched hand awaiting payment and throwing the dollar notes onto the table insultingly

Curly Hair Baxtard: "Dun throw the money at me hor! I dun need your business!" Throwing the money back at Mr Goh
~End of Encounter~

Epilogue

In all fairness, the XO fish head bee hoon is indeed excellent and savoury. The boss, however, will forever remain an axxhole with curly hair as far as I am concerned. Not too long ago, this curly bastard was in very deep shit and only managed to get out of the mess by begging certain people for favors. His luck changed for the better and he struck lottery of some sort, winding up with a fortune. Now Mr Curly feels he can afford to be snobbish.. WTF...

Conclusion: The XO Fish Head Bee Hoon tastes so good because all the $5 you paid is for the food, there is simply no service provided at all. After this encounter, I know I would rather take a bowl of plain congee than to receive such fxxxed up service.. I hope your scrxxtum gets sliced and txxticles fall off, you curly haired bxstxrd..

Related feedback I found:

Hall of Shame - XO Fish Head Noodles With regards to XO Fish Head Noodles at Holland Drive posted on Hall of Shame, I've somemore to add on. I've visited the shop in around June 2004 with at least 15 of my CCA friends. We requested to add 2 more tables as 1 table of diameter approximately 1m is definitely not enough for 15 people. The boss then asked us if we're all eating his stall's food and continued, "If 15 of you here and only 10 are eating my stall's food and the rest of the 5 eat Wan Ton noodle or Chicken rice, what business do I have?" Mind you, he said that in a very rude manner. He only allowed us to add 1 more table and we even had to move the tables and chairs ourselves, talk about service! We decided to leave the stall and he didn't even stop us. I think that the shop owner thinks that his XO Fish Head Noodles are of big deal. - Meng Yen

[Source: http://www.makantime.com/indexnew.html]

2006-07-27T22:17:00.000+08:00

STARCOM Toys I Once Owned

2006-07-26T21:37:00.000+08:00

Fun at Penang

Here's a checklist of what I achieved at Penang:

Indulged myself in food and lots of teh-peng? Check!

Lost my way while sightseeing? Check!

Visited a toy museum with lots of retro toys? Check!

Chanced upon a car with integrity and proven track record? Check!

And the one accomplishment to rule them all...

Falling into the koi pond located on the top floor of a very tall pagoda, dedicated to the Goddess of Mercy! (Yup, thats me making hell of a splash! Notice the contrasting looks on Riping's face and mine...)

2006-07-18T22:32:00.000+08:00

Signs

Someone get me a baseball bat! There are crop circles at the soccer field next to my block! I knew there were aliens hiding in the construction sites around the neighbourhood! I need the MIB or ICA!

2006-07-18T21:53:00.000+08:00

You only live once

It dawned upon me that time seems to pass darn fast these days - its already July and we'll be seeing those damn x'mas lights at Orchard before you know it..

Everything seems to be so routine.. You go to work, try to get as much work done (by work, I mean credit, haha) as possible without offending too many people. You try to laze on the job as much as possible, without getting caught.. You then try to get off work as soon as possible, without appearing too bo-chup.

You are relieved to be off work, but are usually too tired to do anything fun.. (save one or twice each week) Dinner becomes the highlight of your evening, after which you turn to your companions for the rest of the night - the computer or television set..

The weekend arrives and you suddenly turn alive - engaging in sports, chilling out with friends or keeping your partner company. But what is there to do? Spend your hard-earned money on movies? Expensive dinners? Or scrimp, invest and save up to buy a car? (and spend even more $$) Get married? (and sabo your friends to pay more money to evil hotel chains/resturant bosses for a 8-course dinner?) Get your own apartment? Upgrade yourself in hope of career advancement? (which will eventually lead to even more work and less time for yourself?)

Whilst some allegedly poor farmer in some backward rural part of the world is enjoying the sunrise? Climbing trees to pick coconuts? Fishing for tonight's dinner? Flying kites with his family? Getting swindled by evil businessmen?

When you reflect on your life's journey during your final days in this wretched world, would you be happily thinking about the huge amount of savings in your bank? How your pay increased from $2000 to $8000? How many computer games you managed to complete? How much muscles you built while you were young? The number of women you slept with? The parts of the world you've visited? Having spent your entire life with your loved ones?

Or would you be lamenting over how you would never get another opportunity to do the things that are truly meaningful to you? Tick tock tick tock, my friends..

2006-07-15T23:48:00.000+08:00

This is how the Japanese do it!

2006-07-10T22:37:00.000+08:00

Superman Returns

You will travel far, my little dragon
but we will never leave you - even in the face of our deaths
You will make my party your own
You will see my life through your eyes,
as your life be seen through mine
The son becomes the father
And the father, the son.

2006-05-04T21:39:00.000+08:00

Chronicles of NiNaoHia - The Flat, the Pinard and the Missing Foam

Based on the class novel by CS Lee. Four singra children are sent to a clean and orderly island during a certain event. There they find a magic wardrobe which leads to a mystical heartland called NiNaoHia, which is being ruled by a powerful counsel. To hammer their enemy, they must form an alliance with Singa, the courtesy lion god of NiNaoHia, and join the great battle between good and evil.

Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy are fascinated in NiNaoHia where animals can talk cock (though not freely) but soon discover all is not well in this magical island, where the lighting is strong. The land is kept in perpetual winter by the White Witch, who turns anyone who doesn't obey him into a loss-suit. But while three of them trudge through the snow with some helpful Bloggers to join forces with the ever courteous Singa, the fourth is in fact...

Will our young heroes turn the tide and emerge victorious, despite the lack of experience? Or will the temptation of the turkish delight package offered by the White Witch prove too much?

2006-04-25T19:59:00.000+08:00

Memoirs of a tourist in Japan

I landed in Osaka on 7 Apr 06, knowing nothing about Sakura or cherry blossoms. Immediately, I was forced to witness the beauty of this famous flower at first hand. And thus began my story, the story of a tourist in Japan...

2006-04-16T20:32:00.000+08:00

A Dream Fulfilled

Came back recently from the land of the rising sun for the second time in 2 years. Yeah, I love that place. Okay, so I spent 3k to satisfy this whim of mine but there are no regrets at all.

I've got to step foot on Mt Fuji once more, this time even seeing snow for the first time in my life. The beauty of the cherry blossoms indeed precede their reputation and I'm glad to have experienced their splendor at least once in this lifetime.

Enjoying life: taking a dip in a hot spring at the foot of Mount Fuji, at water temp of 43 degrees cel where the room temp is 12 degree cel whilst talking cock to your pal of over 10 years.

Having visited Mt Fuji twice, taken the bullet train twice, visited Disneyland twice by the age of 27 ain't bad at all..

Guess these are things that are better experienced while we're still young; sightseeing tours can wait! =)

2006-01-29T14:15:00.000+08:00

Do you believe in God?

The prodigal son returns 1st Feb 2006

2005-12-26T00:46:00.000+08:00

Post-Christmas Post

During a x'mas gathering with my secondary school friends, the old argument 'can money buy you happiness' surfaced. Well, as a JC student who has been taught how to answer General Paper questions correctly, the safest approach to answering this question must be "it depends".

The Cambridge Dictionary defines happiness as "the feeling of being happy (noun)" and happy as an adjective means "feeling, showing or causing pleasure or satisfaction".

In my opinion, happiness is indeed a feeling and you can't really purchase emotions. For example, if you receive an expensive gift such as an ipod nano from your beloved partner, you might feel happy. Your happiness may not necessarily stem from the price of the gift, but by the sincerity of your bf/gf. A spoilt brat might receive the very same gift from his rich parents and cast it aside, feeling instead the disappointment of not getting his private jet. Thus money can buy you a ipod nano and that is all to it, really.

Of course, that is a very simplistic argument and we all know that it is just naive to dismiss the importance of money. It would almost certainly be good if you didn't need to worry about money. I know of many people who face the burden of raising a family, paying off debts and so on. If you fall sick, the last thing you would need is to worry about money? Well, how about if you are financially well-off but have no family who gives a hoot about you? I would say that money can alleviate your suffering but it wouldn't buy you happiness..

As they say, being content is the key to happiness. You can sell peanuts for a living, return to your 1-room flat and spend quality time with your family everyday or you can earn peanuts by working 7 days a week, neglect your family and end up in some serious trouble. Money can buy you an air-ticket to Australia but it won't buy you companionship. Likewise, you may only be going to kusu island with your loved ones but feel on top of the world. Or you may be going to disneyland with your family but feel like sh*t coz your child is dying. Your child may be dying but you may still feel happy if you can appreciate the times you have had with him/her and be thankful for it.

I guess my point is that money can buy you plenty of stuff and its absence/shortage can definitely be quite frustrating but ultimately, you are the only one who can make yourself happy. If that is to be achieved thru' financial means, fine. If you can be happy with or without money, all the better. As the beer commercial goes, 'just be true to yourself'.

Have a good year ahead, everyone!

2005-11-22T20:20:00.000+08:00

Lost Youth

Today one of my old, old friends turns 26. In about 2 months from now, I will turn 27. It just struck me how can I be nearing my 30s so damn soon? I didn't study 2 extra years of primary school. I went to express stream. I did not have to repeat my A levels. And I most certainly did not do an extra honours year. =p

The answer lies in the wretched Snapore Umed Fources. Were it not for the 2 year and 4 month stint, I would still be only 24 right now. I could have had a fun, commitment-less relationship during that 2-year period. I would have made more than $400 a month. I could have travelled to more places, seen more and done more.

I most definitely would not have ended up being blacklisted with M1 and SingTel or suffered the trauma of being hounded by loansharks due to the armie misplacing my identity card. I most definitely do not enjoy getting a green sticker every year and cancelling my plans every now and then.

Just lamenting..

2005-10-30T13:00:00.000+08:00

Liverpool 2 West Ham 0

Caught the game last night at home. Was initially surprised by the omission of a certain Harry, as I thought the gaffer wanted to build his match fitness. Despite his recurring injury problems and consistent poor form, I'm sure Harry Kewell is one player all pool fans want to see 'back to his best'.

We may support different teams, or even watch different sports, but the bottomline for most of us is that we want to be entertained. As Cruyff said, the big clubs have a responsibility to entertain. Watching your team lift a trophy can be satisfying to a certain degree, but in this case the journey is certainly just as important as the destination. Believe me, there is little joy in watching Carragher and friends performing a 'back to the wall defending'. I have never liked Carragher in the past for the simple reason that he is uncomfortable on the ball and can't pass the ball to save his life. Indeed, in the Roy Evans era, Carragher would have looked strange amongst the likes of Steve McManaman, Patrik Berger and Robbie Fowler. In today's reality, Carragher was Liverpool's player of the year last season and that alone tells you how the club plays their football.

To be fair, Carragher has improved a lot under Benitez's guidance; hell, he even initiates an attacking move at times these days! But in an ideal world, he should not be a star in the Liverpool team; a defensive rock? Yes. But not someone whom people would think synonymously with Liverpool. Claude Makelele plays a very important role in the Chelsea team, but you can be sure it is the likes of Lampard, Robben and Joe Cole who will be mentioned when you talk about Chelsea. The same goes for Sol Campbell and so many other 'defensive rocks' who are destined to be unsung heroes.

Hence, I am looking forward to the days when Liverpool headlines will be grabbed by Steven Gerrard, Xabi Alonso, Morientes, Kewell and dare I say, Luis Garcia? Garcia certainly gave a delightful performance in the win over West Ham; his passing, dribbling and tricks finally quenched my thirst for entertainment. If you saw the game, you would have noticed the painfully obvious body language of Gerrard; he was trying so hard to create goalscoring chances of Morientes. It was only when the latter left the pitch did Gerrard resume taking shots again.

Anyway, the West Ham game was a typical performance by the Reds these days; numerous chances but only a few goals to show for their efforts. Well, I guess mutiple orgasms remains the birthright of the womenfolk... =)

2005-10-24T20:40:00.000+08:00

Miscellaneous

Nothing interesting has happened of late.. The usual stuff.. Tropical storms turning into cat 5 hurricanes, birds passing the flu bug to each other, earthquakes causing such terrible problems that somehow manage to elude the entire world.. Of coz, closer to home, mosquitoes are doing their very best too. Or as in an anime, mosquito-chan kambade ne!

Interestingly, amidst all the gloom, something good happened to one of my old pals, who finally got attached after 26 years of waiting.. Well, if it took Manchester United that long to win the league title, I suppose it would be a
reasonable amount of time to wait for your first love.. =)

Caught the animation movie, Final Fantasy VII Advent Children. All I can say is that it is a must for all FF fans! The animation totally rocks and the characters are drawn and dubbed so fantastically! Tifa!!!

2005-10-04T21:56:00.000+08:00

I love the Beautiful Game

The most popular sport in my primary school was actually basketball. Every boy joined the basketball club, it didn't matter if you were athletic, hopelessly clumsy or didn't care for the game at all. Our school always ended first or second in our zone area, losing only to Nan Hua whose team was full of stocky dudes, restricting our attacks to only speculative shots outside the zone. I remember wearing the number 13 jersey, which meant I wasn't a star player. But we stayed back everyday after school and played till late in the evening, meaning a scolding/beating awaited back home.

On a fateful day in primary five, soccer entered my life as another group of schoolmates got me into a game of void deck soccer. Like most people, I started off as a defender but as we mostly played on the field, my stamina quickly pushed me to take up a place in midfield. Now here's something that not many of you will be able to boast; I actually played a game which was captured on video! It was a classmate's birthday and his dad came down after the party to flim the game on his videocam. During those days, we all had fake jersey replicas; England, Germany, Argentina, etc.. I still have my tiny England replica with me:

When I entered secondary school, it took quite a bit of trouble to get my new classmates to play a game of soccer. To my horror, we played our first game with a rubber ball bought at the mama shop! Anyway, we eventually had 6 to 8 guys who would play every sunday at a basketball court at Queenstown after swimming. That was fun! We also formed a team and we wore a blue jersey with red shorts. There was a 'training bust-up' incident between myself and Benedict, where I threw my jersey into the dustbin after leaving the court in anger, haha.. Although we played mostly on the basketball court due to the lack of players, we managed the occasional game at the Telok Blangah field which was so muddy that your boots would get stuck in the the mud.. Looking back, I was a very selfish player who dribbled the ball with my head down and could have passed the darn ball more often, haha..

I seriously believe I spent more time on the basketball court playing soccer than the lecture theatres during my JC days.. Almost everyone in my class was nuts about football and there were enough players in our class alone to form a team! And we were a bloody good team as well, not once did we lose a match for 2 years in JC, including a classic 4-3 comeback after trailing 0-3 at half-time!

There is so much to crap about soccer so I'll continue some other day, gonna sleep now.. Here are some footie links:

Freestyle Soccer

Great Soccer Moves

2005-09-23T22:37:00.000+08:00

Death comes to us all

One of my lunch topics this week was about the one sure thing in life - death. Yes, you are going to die someday.

I remember as a kid, once it occured to me that I was going to die someday and then be gnawed by countless worms among other parasites, and tears just started to flow.. At some point when I grew a little older, I sometimes wished I were a rock so that I didn't have to live or die.. During some truly frustrating times as a young adult, I even yearned for death as release to end this taxing rollercoaster ride known as life..

Anyway, do you have any idea how your death is to be 'processed'? That was what my colleague asked when I revealed my religionless nature. Cremation? Burial? What kind of wake? Rituals? After giving it some thought, I decided that my permanent absence shall be celebrated as a joyous occasion. Regardless of what awaits; to gaze down from heaven, look up from the abyss or as a visiting spirit, I would never want to see a group gathering to mope around my remains.

Until that day, let's live life to the fullest. Cheers.

2005-09-18T02:12:00.000+08:00

Dun Play Play..

Just went through my previous posts and deleted some 'grey area' comments... Seems like its not very safe to blog these days... So damn scary...

2005-09-11T22:30:00.000+08:00

Outstanding Tasks

Damn.. Just did an inventory check of my Gundam models and realised I have been buying and buying without assembly...

Force Impulse Gundam 1/144
Force Impulse Gundam 1/100
Force Impulse Gundam 1/60
Meteor Unit 1/400
SD Freedom Gundam
Destiny Gundam 1/100
Strike Freedom Gundam 1/100

Still looking to acquire Infinite Justice 1/100 when it comes out, and possibly Arch Angel as soon as I find that elusive item... So many Gundams, so little time... Sigh...

2005-09-11T22:07:00.000+08:00

Run!

Went for the Sheares Bridge Run with my colleagues today, though we only ran 6km...

Amazing how many kids participated in the event, even heard the organizer announcing an eleven year old approaching the finishing line..

Amazing how many aunties went for the run...

Amazing how many hot yet well-toned chicks could run so fast...

Amazing how people kept coming up to me to hand in their coupons juz bcoz I was holding a few bottles of Gatorade...

2005-08-29T21:19:00.000+08:00

There goes a hundred bucks...

Finally found these 2 models after a long long search... Haha...

2005-08-25T22:35:00.000+08:00

The Journey to work

Every darn morning, I have to endure a terrible bus ride to get to work. For a ride which costs me only 64 cents, the journey takes almost half an hour.. At Buona Vista MRT Station, the damned bus stops for 10-15 minutes, coz these inconsiderate students simply cannot bother to MOVE TO THE BACK. Satisfied with their achievement in boarding the bus ahead of everyone else, they simply park their asses comfortably at the back of the bus while their peers pack like mashed potatoes in an Old Chang Kee curry puff in the front, the frustrated bus driver is yelling at the front, trying to accomodate the rest of the horde who are unable to get on.

I think SBS should consider teaching these buggers some simple bus etiquette. Just like arrows on lanes instructing us which way to walk, we can paint boxes on the floor of the bus to indicate to these people where they should stand. Every morning, I see students squeezing with each other at the front of the bus while their counterparts chat away at the back, with ample elbow space to scratch their backsides..

Even the pretty girls onboard can't make up for this frustrating moments...

2005-08-22T22:54:00.000+08:00

Fictional Characters

In this world, there are some cool blokes who will hardly raise an eyebrow even if the merlion starts to drink water instead of sprouting it.. Likewise, there are some fellas out there leading a life so miserable that they fabricate a story and live their lives as a lead character where the world revolves around them..

The lead character is sometimes the SNAG, the superstar, the friend to the rescue or the hero, depending on which channel he/she switches on that particular day. He/she can be identified by an obsessive need to characterize people, evaluate situations and stereotype all kinds of stuff, coz you've got to have roles and themes in fantasy land.

As suggested by the role, the lead character has an overwhelming need to be at the centre of the things. His role is often flamboyant and loud, so as to compensate for all that is not. The lead character usually plays a self-sacrificing and suffering role, noble at heart as well as righteous. This is explained by the fact that beneath the character, the poor dude is really suffering, but the imaginary character along with the storyline makes the suffering seem a lot better..

We are surrounded by fictionous characters in our everyday lives, and we often, too take on a role of our own when the occasion arises. The question is, can you identify a fictionous character in action when you see one? That's very easy, my friend. Just turn on the blo*dy television...

2005-08-16T23:42:00.000+08:00

Do you think you deserve better?

Many of us (myself included) spend a significant proportion of our lifes complaining about our problems, the countless dreams that elude us and what we really deserve..

Amongst our constant whining:

- "I don't understand what that bl**dy foreigner is doing here and robbing our jobs, he can't do nuts.."

- "I'm working long hours and earning peanuts.."

- "can you believe that hawker is driving a BMW?"

- "Even the Bangla can return to Bangla Land and live like a king happily after.."

- "what is the gahmen doing?"

- "OMG, he is earning peanuts!"

Well, children of Singapore, this is basically how the world works, so get on with it.. So that bl**dy foreigner is not exactly competent and you can do a much better job than him; you may not be the most ideal (or even close) person for your job either yet you're still getting paid...

If you're working long hours and earning peanuts, then for god's* sake treasure your hard-earned salary! If you're that talented and so hard-working, you should have gotten your break by now.. Farmers of the world work pretty damn hard either, some of them actually grow nuts... Merchants on the other hand, use their brains..

* not to be taken literally

(Some) hawkers drive BMWs, high level executives and managers drive BMWs, high-ranking army and police officers drive BMWs, genius criminals drive (sometimes stolen) BMWs.. Successful people get the perks, get it? If you can't even cook a decent plate of char kuay teow, why should you get the flashy car?

That Bangla dude you often see wearing the table cloth as a shirt and holding hands with his happy Bangla pal, is an expatriate among his countrymen standards.. Do you dare to go to a place where every guy is holding hands, has a Bangla smell and spend hours under the sun building useless sheltered walkways, pavilions, etc for them? Or go to a place where white skin is the dominant color and work as a waiter/road-sweeper while getting sh*t treatment from the locals..

The gahmen is doing what it believes in and the best it can.. If you feel you can do better, go run for a place in the cabinet or something.. Not enough credentials? You can always volunteer your services at the RC and help out.. Can't be bothered? Then don't bother us and shut up..

Sometimes it is easy to point the finger at someone but be honest.. How many of us would turn down such a huge packet of peanuts? Would you give up your nuts for a noble cause?

Btw, I'm just crapping... Don't get offended.. TaTa!

2005-08-11T22:46:00.000+08:00

Small Talk

I have been introducing myself over and over again to my new colleagues for the past few days over lunch. Here is the standard set of questions to ask someone you're meeting for the first time:

"So did you study here previously? Which faculty were you from?"

"So where did you work previously? Why did you leave?"

"So which part of Singapore do you stay?"

"What do you normally do in your free time?"

Which is why I think I have had an interesting conversation during lunch break today:

Her: Are you the eldest sibling?
Me: Err. Yah.. Why? *puzzled*
Her: Okay... Coz differently ranked siblings behave differently mah. You have a younger sister.
Me: Yup *is she psychic?*
Her: Hmm... Studying?
Me: Yup
Her: NUS?
Me: Nope, NTU
Her: Studying Mass Communication. (note it is a statement)
Me: ... Business
Her: Whats your chinese name?
Me: Em.. Guowei..
Her: Are you hokkien?
Me: Yup *lost*
Her: Are you a Christian?
Me: nope *feeling amused by already*
Me: You're an interesting character.. Most people make small chat by talking about the weather, haha
Her: the weather? It's Singapore... Always the same mah..

Now, thats what I call conversation! Now you're talking..

2005-08-09T11:47:00.000+08:00

Happy National Day

We celebrate National Day every year; it is truly a joyous occasion where everyone is happy, Singaporean or not, simply because it is a holiday and we get to rest even if we're not actually at the parade or watching the live/many repeat telecasts at home/tvmobile...

I have never been to the National Day Parade(NDP) and I think the last time I caught it on tv was during my lower secondary school days.. Searching thru my memories, I vaguely recall my primary school life where they used to play a series of national day-related songs (there are five stars arising, out of a stormy sea..) during assembly and how it gave me goosebumps when we were all singing aloud together happily.

In retrospect, I realised that the period where I stopped enjoying singing National Day songs and the actual event itself actually coincides with the breaking of my voice. If you apply induction here and stretch things a little, you might even conclude that it has something to do with maturity, haha..

Happy National Day, my friends!

2005-08-06T23:43:00.000+08:00

Disappointing Show...

Caught the movie, 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' last night and have to say that it was a complete waste of time.. Although it has been long since I last read Roald Dahl's books, (and rightfully so) I remember that I had always been filled with a sense of wonder and adventure by his amazing stories and captivating style of writing.

I had no such experience at all.. There was no magic nor adventure, only a lousy script accompanied by a very average soundtrack(Danny Elfman losing his touch?) and irritating songs.. It's worrying how a poorly directed movie can tarnish the good reputation of a classic, especially for young children who have yet to read books like the Great Glass Elevator, the Big Friendly Giant, the Twits, Matilda and many more. I just hope they won't do the same to Chronicles of Narnia!

Rating: 3.5 out of 10 chocolate bars (You have been warned)

2005-08-03T20:03:00.000+08:00

First Day at Work

Drastic change in lifestyle... Got up at 7 in the morning and barely got to the office on time.. All the bloody students boarding and alighting... And school hasn't even officially started yet! Surprisingly, 830am sharp and everyone is already in the office! OMG...

Morning passes so slowly without the routine trip to 'dabao' kopi and breakfast.. Already started doing work on the very first day! Had economical rice for lunch, which cost me $1.50! Had to wipe a foolish grin off my face as I paid the uncle... $1.50 is about the cost of one can of Coke in the food court where I used to work! Ain't that cool?

Really going thru' a culture shock... Its so quiet in the office, all you can hear are people typing furiously away.. Sort of miss walking around to talk cock with this and that colleague.. Oh well...

2005-08-02T22:39:00.000+08:00

I suck at mathematics

I'm currently reading this interesting book, the curious incident of the dog in the night-time.
[Credits: Alfred Lim who made the recommendation, Joyce Leow who bought me the book]

The book is about this fifteen year old kid, remarkably gifted at mathematics but has got severe issues with people.. In summary, a dog got murdered and this kid wants to know why.. (I haven't quite worked out the night-time part yet, though I'm nearing the end of the book already...)

Anyway, I'm sure you guys are more interested in finding out why I suck at maths, ain't I right? To quote a certain tutor in my uni days, with friends like you, who need enemies? Well, just to satisfy your need to feel superior, I suck at many things, among which is my poor judgement in making friends.. =P

Anyway, the book mentions what the author refers to as The Monty Hall Problem, which I have actually came across as a tutorial question years back. My sadist version goes like this:

You are in a scenario where there are 3 closed doors in front of you; only one of the doors lead to treasure(a ton of cigarettes, hot chicks, whatever...) but the other two will release an enormous rock which will smash you to bits, haha.. Suddenly, this joker appears and asks you to choose a door. Reluctantly, you choose one but instead of opening it, the fella opens one of the other doors which instantly drops a boulder, killing him immediately.. Wiping his blood and guts off your face, you now must decide whether to remain with your first choice or switch to the other remaining closed door. What should you do?

According to the theory, you should always change doors as in doing so, your probability of getting the treasure will be 2/3. Of course, you can also think that now that there are but 2 doors left, your chances must be 50-50!

So, what do you think?

Using maths, you can indeed prove that by switching doors, your chances are getting the treasure is 2/3 and not 1/2.. While I managed to work out the maths part, I never really understood why until reading the book illustration.. To put it across to you simply, the idea is that there are 2 wrong doors out of 3, so the chances of you choosing the wrong option is 2/3. Thus if you have chosen a wrong door initially, switching later will get you the treasure. Hence by switching, your chances of getting the treasure is actually 2/3. In contrast, if you choose to stay with your initial door, in order for you to avoid getting killed, you must have chosen the correct door in the first place, which brings you probability to 1/3..

But as my friend JA will say, it's all bullsh*t, it all depends on luck!

2005-08-02T00:04:00.000+08:00

Private Education

After working in the private education industry for the past 1.5 years, I guess it might be a good idea for me to share my thoughts and feelings about this area..

I guess the most important misconception to clear is that private education is not a poor substitute for those who are poor in their studies or not good enough to make it into the local establishments. The real difference here, apart from financial considerations, is the experience offered to the student. (The context of student here may refer to a young school-leaver or a part-timer who is holding a full-time job and possibly years of industrial experience)

In the case of most private schools, the organizations are profit-driven even if the nature of their primary product somehow has an intrinsic moral value. There are so many constraints that go against the benefit of the students who opt for a private education.. Unlike government schools who receive public funding, private establishments are very much affected by stuff like expenses, profit margins, etc. Tutors/lecturers who work in the private sector earn very humble salaries when compared to their counterparts in the government sector. As we all know, when you pay peanuts, you get monkeys. Those who are holding regulars jobs and teach part-time have many commitments which affect their ability to teach well. As such, it is detrimental to young students who require good teachers who serve to provide them guidance and even inspiration. As for part-time students, the last thing you need after dragging yourself to class after work, is to have a dubious tutor from some other part of the world who can't even articulate properly..

However, I must once again stress that going for private education does not necessarily make you short-changed or gives you a competitive edge. Similarly, graduating from a well-ranked school does not guarantee anything either.. I know of very capable people who are holding qualifications from so-called lesser schools, rich and spoilt brats in both private and government schools who don't even care for studying at all, brilliant individuals who are graduates from local universities and a few towkays who don't even hold a diploma..

To the people who like to ask whether this or that programme is recognised, I can give you a definite answer; everything is relative.. Talented people sometimes need a paper qualification to open a door for them, young people with potential require a solid foundation to help them develop. You have to decide what works for you.

2005-07-30T23:23:00.000+08:00

Life Goes On...

Slowly coming to grips with the recent disassociation with my first love, TMC. Still found myself checking the email account daily, only to find nothing new in the mailbox.. Very similar to the post-mortem of coming out of a relationship where you tend to reminisce on the good old days but somehow forget the frustrating moments and unacceptable deeds which led to the present situation..

Well, to quote the words of a certain famous Gerard Houllier, I may have left TMC, but TMC will never leave me. Haha...

Personally, one of the main reasons for leaving the company was that I felt being stifled by the environment. At the age of 26, time was no longer my ally. I was developing much too slowly and most of the problems presented to me offered little challenge.

This is why I'm excited. Going to a place where I have to prove my worth all over, to learn from my superior and continue my growth.

2005-07-29T10:18:00.000+08:00

Farewell TMC Academy...

Recently quit my job after almost 1.5 years.. Mixed feelings of sadness and joy..

Feels strange to leave a place where you've made so many friends..

Honestly, I could not have asked for a better place to start my career.. It's a place where all colleagues are fantastic and I have truly made many dear friends in TMC. I shall never forget the precious memories with you guys(S&M, SS, ISAM, etc).. Though things will never be the same again, I'm confident that we'll remain close as a group!

Thanks for everything, you guys! You are the best! =)

Have a great day!

Alvin Goh