Savvy goes to the library

So I was on the phone today with Savvymom, who tells me that Savvy The Precious' latest trick is called Running Away (from her mom, into traffic, you name it).Savvymom: So today I tried to take her to the Orem library because it has the good storytime and the teepee and the stained glass and stuff. Only we get there, and she tears off through the doors and runs all the way through the lobby and down the aisle of the entire children's section, screaming like a banshee the whole time. And because it's got that 3-story vaulted ceiling, the accoustics in there are great. And I can't go chasing after her because I was holding the baby and all their crap and I had a sore knee from where I fell in the dark last night just before I yelled the f-word really loud. So she reaches the teepee at the...

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Ban Bread!

More than 98% of convicted felons are bread users.Fully HALF of all children who grew up in bread consuming households score below average on standardized tests.In the 18th century, where virtually all bread was baked in the home, the average life expectancy was less than 50 years; infant mortality rates were exceptionally high; many woman died in childbirth and diseases such as typhoid, yellow fever and influenza ravaged whole nations.More than 90% of violent crimes are committed within 24 hours of eating bread.Bread is made from a substance called "dough." It has been proven that as little as one pound of dough can be used to suffocate a mouse. The average American eats more bread than that in one month.Primitive tribal societies that have no bread exhibit a low incidence of cancer, Alzheimer's...

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Some updates.

Greetings, my fellow scum-of-the earth readers, time for some updates regarding my foul life.Last saturday saw a very eventful and fun day. Met someone who is extremely significant to me for lunch (she didn't eat though, she really need to eat some proper food!) at Cathay Cineleisure. Seeing nothing interesting at all in the stretch of Orchard Road, we decided to head to Penninsula aka The Metalhead Heaven for a look. Things always come in twos, there is absolutely nothing at Penninsula as well. And, Immortal 'Damned in Black' album is sold out! Darn, now I have to wait another 2 weeks for the next shipment to come. Next, we decided to head for the SMC magic outing at Esplanade. And, that was the first time I have stepped into Penninsula in 1 month plus! Am I even a metalhead?In the midst...

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When I am a Smug Married I will wear purple. And a muzzle.

So remember how WR and I went to that wedding last weekend and ate roasted meats until we were both sick? During the reception, I learned that people don't reserve the cringe-inducing questions/advice for just the Singletons--they're for the dating people, too. Turns out that some folks will walk up to two people who look like they might possibly be together, or are maybe just standing near each other, and say, “So, are you two married? Are you at least thinking about it, though?” (Thanks. Like the guys need one more reason to run away screaming into the bracken.)So that got me thinking back to all the things people have said to me and to my friends. Because, you know, if you're single, that's a problem. If you're single and LDS, it's an even bigger problem. I'm pretty sure that being 22...

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Ah-tishoo, ah-tishoo, we all fall down!

That's how I have to sing Ring Around the Rosy over here. They've assigned me to help with the nursery kids (18 months to 3 years) at church, and that's just one of the songs that the little pew monkeys get wrong. But I'm too nice to say anything about it.The kids are actually quite cute (there are 6 of them) and I'm just amazed at how well they've picked up the cute li'l English accents. I wish I could do it as well as they can. One little girl named Phoebe has an American dad and was born in the US, so I like to ask her if she's American. "Yes! I'm Phoebe and I'm American and English and British. I'm both."So I'm learning new songs like "Wind...

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Yay for the Olympics, Yay!

I am so, SO excited right now. I am seeing my first Winter 2006 Olympic event (it only took me until Day 13) and I finally figured out how to find BBC2 on my landlady's TV in time to catch the final Women's Figureskating.I was having a real problem with England because the Olympics had been on for days and days and my only hint was that Google had cool Olympic graphics on. The only people I eventually heard talking about it were other expats, like my Finnish and Chinese friends. So finally I decided to take this up with the Brits, on account of how they were the ones who lobbied so hard to get the Olympics in their own country and now they're completely ignoring that it's even on. I mean, seriously, what kind of attitude is that? Possibly people who don't appreciate the Olympics don't actually...

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Bathrooms are always good for a laugh

At least I hope they are, because they're all I have. Today has not been a good day, so I don't actually have any funny stories to offer. Sorry about that. But I've also noticed that if I don't at least post something, then my ratings (or, you know, "visits" for those people who don't think their blog is a television show) go down.So, anyway, here you have it. One of my classes is in a building (well, actually, all of them are) and during a break I went downstairs to use the facilities. (Note: In UK buildings there will not be bathrooms on every floor. And don't even think about looking for a drinking fountain, cuz it just ain't gonna happen.)I...

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Blank

Greetings, fellow reader-fiends. It's been a while since I updated this wretched blog of mine, so here am I, satisfying your foul reading desires.These few days had been rather boring. The reason being, I am cooped up at home with absolutely nothing much to do except to ''enrich'' my mind with new perversions by reading tonnes of fanfiction daily, and finger my cards occasionally and listen to more metal that dominate my ears for 99% of the time.I am damn freaking pissed at this riddle called 'Phonetix Riddle', a rather poser name. Here's the link, if you are equally bored as me; http://feroz.letzebuerg.org/riddle2/index.htm. I can bet you my middle finger that you will go insane doing this riddle, so happy going insane. =) [I am stuck at 24/30 after hours... That's the level of bo-liaoness...

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Because it is hailing and stupid outside

I am going to give you pictures of flowers, which I took in warmer and less hail-filled times. The first three were taken near my house, and the last two are on the castle grounds at Nottingham. Only it turns out what they call The Castle isn't actually a castle, but is a Victorian-era building built on the site where all the original castles stood before they got burned down and knocked over and quarried and stuff. But that's neither here nor there. Only it would have been nice if some people could have had a better sense of responsibility to their cultural heritage, that's all, or at least to the witty and attractive library students who might...

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My first UK wedding, wherein there were hats

Only a few, though. The bride's mom and the groom's mom had them, and then some of the guests did as well. There were much feathers.I'm happy to report that the groom was there and very much alive, despite his idiot groomsmen's best efforts. I just had to not look at any of them or their huge English wedding ties.The bride was 20 minutes late, which is pretty good over here, I am told. WR said you just have to wait until they show up, even if it takes an hour. I told him that if took longer than 30 minutes I wasn't going to give them my gift. Then it could kind of be like the pizza delivery system where you don't have to pay if they take too...

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Trying on hats in Debenhams

My American friend Goldilocks and I spent the day in Nottingham. We've both made goals to get off our bums and start visiting places, even if it is freezing cold, and today was Trip #1. I'll do the full report later, but Notts was very nice once we stopped heading off in wrong directions from the train station and wandering off the map and into the outskirts where they keep the gun crime. We did this not once but twice, because we are both Smart People.Also, who are proper English ladies now, huh? Please feel free to vote for your favorites. I won't be buying any, even if there is a wedding this weekend, because they all cost between £25 and...

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Litany against Cabbage

Still obsessed about the sci-fi epic sextet series, Dune, I joined a fan forum sometime ago and I found this spoof of the famous quote of the Bene Gesserit.The Original one : Litany against Fear."I will not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain." --Bene Gesserit, Litany against FearThe spoof Cabbage version: Litany against Cabbage.I must not be a cabbage.Cabbages are the mind-dead.Cabbages are the little-dead that bring grayface.I will confront cabbages.I will not permit cabbages pass over me and through me.And when l have turned...

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The white fluffy bunny who lived in the cotton candy tree in the forest of shared feelings

I did promise my dad a post about the bunny, but maybe I'll skip it and give a Valentine's Day report instead.Turns out that here in the blessed British Isles, they do not celebrate Valentine's Day properly in the schools. Americans (and Canadians?) will back me up here. When you're little Valentine's Day is this huge day-long party, and everyone brings Valentines for everyone else (the kind with Barbie and Shrek and stuff on the front) and you have your little mailbox on your desk, and during the big classroom Valentine's party everyone goes around and delivers them, and you eat candy and cupcakes and drink red Kool-Aid until you're sick, and...

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The Secret Garden

When I was in the 6th grade, I won the school library's "Reader of the Year" award. I think that was possibly because I checked out about 3 or 4 books every day from the library and would usually have at least one of them finished by the time school got out. This kind of makes me wonder now just how bad that school must have been that I had so much free time to just sit at my desk and read, but whatever.My prize was a hardback copy of The Secret Garden, the edition with the lovely Tasha Tudor illustrations. I already had a copy, but the fact is that I won this one, see. And that meant something.Then in 1993 they did the Warner Brothers film...

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Count Orlock.

Jesus Christ! I just finished watching an extremely disturbing horror movie, called Shadow of the Vampire. It's basically about a director, namely Friedrich W. Murnau, who is determined to film the most realistic rendition of the Gothic film classic, Nosferatu. Friedrich went about to hire a stange actor who claims to be Max Schreck. But things does not seem that simple. Friedric, maddened by his dreams of the perfect film, is willing to sacrifice his crew members for the film, leaving the evil-doer, Count Orlock to reign over the whole production.I was highly disturbed at the end of the film... Thinking which to trust... And, Count Orlock has definitely qualified into my 'Villian Heart-Throb'' list.Here's a quote from the movie:(Upon being asked what he thought of the book, Dracula, by Bram...

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Decadent...

Dear reader-fiends who frequents this accursed journal of yours truly, you might be thinking why I have not updated you with news of my O level results. The reason is; I do not wish to comment and delve into that abdominable issue, as it will spark off many (good and bad alike) emotions within me, which will ultimately result in the rise of death rates in Singapore.The only thing I am willing to reveal is that my results are very monotonous and that I can enter a (medicore) Junior College. Full Stop.I want to depart with those melancholic memories that nearly and always suffocates me concerning my secondary school life and my ruinations of my various upper secondary exam results that never failed to deepen my sorrows if they aren't deep enough. I want to start anew...Oh yes, there's one interesting...

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Market Highlights

I braved the cold and wind today to go to the market, and here are some highlights so you can feel like you were there. First imagine that it was grey and windy and cold and England. That will help.1. It is not easy to shop for Valentine's Day cards here. They're either schmoopy and sappy, or they're really gross and raunchy. In one of the card stores, these two college-age guys found a Valentine's Day card that has a really long sound byte of a woman giving her best Meg-Ryan-in-the-diner impression. (I'd use the real word but then the Google weirdos might end up here.)So they opened the card twice to listen to the recording. In my head I had it all set out that if they did it a third time I was going to let them have it. Only they didn't. Pity.2. One stall was selling these pretty wine glasses...

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My fate shall be decided

It is today. Today, 2.30pm. Today, 2.30pm in that drank school hall of NCHS. I shall wear that uniform for the very last time and I shall sit together with my 4Integral people for the last time as well. The worry and stress is ever mounting inside me, like dead bodies after a disaster... I will be meeting my ex-classmates for lunch at none other than the fucking school canteen, how nostalgic indeed. Should I be a kiasu singaporean and be super worried all the way or should I be a heck-care metalhead who do not give a fuck about anything? Yesternight saw the paramount of worrying as me and Rei confided in each other as we reminisced over each respective's secondary school life and how we felt about whilst doing the Os. To avoid me having a sleepless night, I drank a veteran mixed...

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So I'm out of the will now, apparently

Savvymom just informed me that, because of my last blog post, I am now dead to both my parents.I am dead to my mother because when one of the lovely people who were nice enough to comment drew a comparison to her mother and mine, I did not immediately rush to clarify things. And so I inadvertently let the Internet have the idea for 24 hours that my mother is not "into" hair and makeup. Only I've put a picture of her up here where everyone can see how pretty she is, and I told a story about how she used to get perms in Germany during the Cold War.Only Savvymom says that my mother is not speaking to me and that now Savvymom gets the china. And I couldn't immediately say that she was full of rubbish because I realized that I haven't actually heard from my mom in the last little while. So I'd...

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Stupid things I've done

The lovely Cicada and Redlaw do such a good job of telling Days of Yore stories that I wanted to have a go at it myself. Please forgive me if mine aren't as good as theirs. Also keep it to yourself if that's what you think.To people who know me in real life, please forgive me if you've heard this story before. And if you actually participated in said story, then it's me who should be deciding whether to forgive you.I spent New Year's Eve 1995 (turning 1996) at a friend's house. We had a big huge party, and then the boys went home and the girls had a sleepover. In the morning, the hostess friend, whom we will call K, decided that she wanted to...

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An encounter with Mayhem.

Yesterevening saw the surreal gathering with the Gods of Black Metal at a blasphemous location where strong winds prevail.First things first, Mayhem and Arifeen and gang arrived in a mini-bus with reinforcements that consisted of alot of alcohol. Nice. I feel so weird and out of place partially because I was the one of the five or six people there not wearing an Mayhem shirt and that I was one of few girls there. I feel rather constricted and uneasy. Then, I shook hands with each of the Mayhem's members, and then I feel even more surreal about all these. Nonetheless, Mayhem seemed like a bunch of down to earth and friendly people. Neat. =)Then, to break some ice with Mayhem, I decided and finally picked up the courage to show some magic to them. The god damned wind was so strong, I lost my...

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The things they say when they think we're not listening

So yesterday I was in my Online Information Retrieval lab, and we were discussing the strengths and weaknesses of the database searching tool thing that the university library uses. (I know, try to contain yourselves from drooling on your keyboards over such a steamy topic. . . )Anyway, we talked about whether or not the search function was powerful enough to allow for things like spelling mistakes, or dyslexia (you know how Google will say, "Did you mean: _____?"). Turns out it isn't powerful enough. It also doesn't account for what my professor seems to believe is the grandaddy of all the plagues of all the searches, even the Americanisation/Americanization of Terms.He gave the example of personalization/personalisation. Professor: If you spell it with an s, you won't get any American stuff,...

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Fateful Friday

It has been confirmed. GCE O Level Results will be released on this very Friday, at the apocalytic time of 2.30PM. The moment I heard the news and confirmation messages sent by ex-classmates in secondary school, I could feel my heartbeat increase tenfold and my skeletal muscles will contrict and my blood vessels will dilate, and my breathing increased as well, adrenaline was pumped into me. Haha. I still remember my biology! =) Anyways, crapping aside, I solemnly hope that my L1R5 will be anywhere from 12 to 15, then I'm gay happy. Please... God (if there is any), be a nice bloke and not let history repeat itself like prelims. Although, I proudly proclaim that I'm a Polymer, I still secretly hope that I can make it into a JC and secure my way to an University for my dream job -- Genetics/Stem...

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Feathers, schmeathers

No offense to the brilliant Emily Dickinson, but to me hope looks like this instead.These are in the front garden and I can't wait to see what they'll be when they finish growing up. I figure I could use a little bit of hope, because even when life is good there are always the little things that can wear at you if you let them.For instance:1. It has been bitterly, bitterly cold here for the past few weeks. Like freeze-the-marrow-in-your-bones cold. So seeing these little shoots reminds me that it won't always be this cold, and I won't always be worried that my frozen bones will just break into a million pieces the next time I fall down the stairs..2....

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Androgynous me!

Androgynous You scored 73 masculinity and 76 femininity! You scored high on both masculinity and femininity. You have a strongpersonality exhibiting characteristics of both traditional sex roles. My test tracked 2 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender:You scored higher than 81% on masculinityYou scored higher than 87% on femininity Link: The Bem Sex Role Inventory Test written by weirdscience on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the 32-Type Dating T...

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Uh huh...

Was reading some fanfiction on Lord Voldemort and found these 2 paragraphs that made me half grin and half dreaded as I knew how it feels like to incur the Dark Lord's wrath.Here's it:"Please, Tom. Don't..." Minerva begins. Her words bring my ire to the fore and I turn on her, eyes blazing with rage. Within barely the time it takes her heart to beat once, I have my wand pointed at her. "Do not ever call me by that name, Minerva.You will not like the consequences you will incur, should you do so again," I warn her softly, my voice hissing out between clenched teeth. She pales and gives a slight nod of her head, but says nothing more. The entire time, the girl watches us with horror scrawled across her face. I risk a glance at her and a quick trip into her mind and find that she is still oblivious...

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A reunion.

Started the wrenched day of meeting my long-lost paternal big aunt who went ''missing'' for around 35 years. Thirty-five fucking years. Fathom that.To give the reason why she went missing a miss, because I was not sure of why she did that as well, all I knew was because of family politics that drove her to the edge of her threshold. So she just vanished from the face of the Earth when she was around 20 plus years old, like any cheesy movie or that Missing TV show. Then, my unfortunate father plus his siblings and my lone grandmother (my grandfather was a jerk, he left the family as well) waited in total vigil for my big aunt's return every single day for the whole of 5 to 6 years until they saw no hope and could not shed anymore tears. It must be heart-harrowing for them.Thus, she went off...

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The one where my head explodes

So you know how I posted about the wedding yesterday? Here comes the second half.You know how in the US there's the whole thing with the bachelor parties? When sweet Mormon boys say they're having a bachelor party, what that really means is that a bunch of guys are getting together to play video games, eat pizza, drink root beer, and say "Dude" a lot. Because that's all you're left with once the booze and the strippers get nixed.Anyway. Let's cross the pond. Over here they have Stag and Hen Nights. Hen Nights are pretty much Girls' Night Out and are more about food and talking and giggles and maybe spa treatments if you're really lucky. Now, let's say that your typical Stag Night is comprised of 10% food, 30% alcohol, 30% strippers, and 30% pranks. (Don't kill me if the math is off--this...

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Could I BE more popular?

So last week I got two invitations to things, which probably means that I've been accepted into the Upper Crust of British society.Invitation #1 was a letter from the NHS, inviting me to make an appointment with my doctor for a cervical smear test. I was kind of taken aback by this, and pictured in my head some NHS office worker looking at a computer and going, "Hmm. You know whose cervix we haven't seen yet . . ." But then I came to understand that they just routinely go through the database and send screening invites out to all women between 25 and 64 years of age. And that's kind of nice to know that they care. I suppose I should go, since the embarrassment of the "Are you aware of your breasts?" incident has worn off and I could probably use some new material. Trick is, I don't actually...

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Enlightenment - within your grasp.

I feel that it is best to me to post some thought-provoking lines from some Buddhism prayers here and hope that you reader-fiends, could find something beautiful in Buddhism.Refuge and BodhichittaI go for refuge until I am enlightened.To the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha.By the merit I create by practising generosity and the other perfections,May I become a Buddha in order to benefit all sentient beings. Four ImmeasurablesMay all sentient beings have happiness and the causes of happiness.May all sentient beings be free from suffering, and the causes of suffering.May all sentient beings be inseparable from the happiness that is free from suffering.May all sentient beings abide in equanimity, free from the bias of attachment and hatred.See the light of Buddhism, feeling the slavation that...

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Enlightenment.

Today saw the 'exciting' outing with my mom and the debut lesson of the Buddhism course -The Stages of the Path to Enlightenment at Kong Ming San monastery.I think I don't need to talk alot about the 'exciting' outing with my mom. So let's talk more about the latter event of today.First and foremost, as I was walking towards the library of the monastery, I asked myself, 'This is even real?!' But, that thought killed itself when I stepped into the library and took the folder. The sight of the serene Buddha statue just broke that barrier of surrealism and calmed myself down totally and that sense of calmness is amazing and overwhelming. Plus, I can bet you my middle finger that I am the youngest there. The programme started as follows; the mass recital of The Heart Sutra, Refuge and Bodhichitta,...

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See these stairs? They're going to feature in this story.

You know how I've been using that Soft Touch body butter from Lush? Last night I completed my nightly ritual of buttering up my hands. Now that I'm getting to bed at (mostly) decent hours I can actually have things like nightly rituals. I had to crack down after one too many mornings of waking up with all my lights on, wondering why I'm still wearing shoes.So I got my hands all greased up and then noticed that the soles of my feet could use some attention--like they're so dry that they might just crack open at any second. So I figured that if it'll work on my hands then it couldn't hurt my feet. And I woke up this morning with soft, sweet-smelling...

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