Same difference
Saturday, September 17, 2011 @ 2:20 pm leave a comment? | 0 shed some light
I went to the zoo on Monday. I felt a little disheartened that a few enclosures were closed and the animals were relocated (or hidden, I bet). I miss Inuka the polar bear. At least a few penguins are still there and I managed to visit those which were shifted to Jurong Bird Park during June with Jo.
It's funny how different it is with different people. I've gone to the zoo with many people before and I realised each visit is a different experience altogether, even if most of the enclosures are the same. The last time I went to the zoo, I was with Rosi and the rest. It was really fun since they were an excitable bunch. I remember the seal (or was it a sealion? Are the two the same?) giving Rosi a big wet kiss on her cheek!
I went with Stefanie, Shaw and Hazel this time. It was a fun time since we went quite early and managed to cover nearly the whole zoo. Stefanie took photos of nearly all the enclosures we visited and I think she has more than sufficient photo evidence of every animal we saw! This is the first time I got such efficient guides too! Hazel, Stefanie and Shaw had no problems with the map and directions at all. I just tagged along and trusted my three guides all the way.
I think the 'highlight' of our trip was at Kidsworld. We had our lunch at KFC and looked at the animals there afterwards. We managed to feed the rabbits and pet them, look at the horses, ponies, goats and this kampong exhibit which was really creepy. The exhibit had cockroaches one-third the size of my body! The mannequins in that little hut seemed like they were just stolen from the set of a horror movie too! It's too scary to be inside alone.
After giving ourselves a huge scare in the kampong exhibit and greeting the adorable rabbits, we went ahead to the water playground that's the hugest attraction at the Kidsworld. Hazel stayed to take care of our belongings since she didn't wish to get wet. Stefanie, Shaw and I played like little kids over there. In fact, most of the kids at the playground barely reached my waist and they were all accompanied by their parents. There was a boy who came over and hugged my leg randomly. I'm not sure why he did that but he must have gotten lost. But aside from that, it was great being able to play with the water and the slides. I say that while ignoring the huge age disparity between the kids playing at the playground and us, of course.
We visited many more animals after drying ourselves afterwards. Unfortunately, I was really uncomfortable because I forgot to bring a change of underwear. It's not exactly comfy to have wet undergarments with dry clothes on top. When we went for two animal shows afterwards, I left a wet 'butt-print' on the wooden benches after sitting on them. It was kind of embarrassing.
It was a long ride back to the bus interchange from the zoo. I think Shaw and I dozed off after getting seats on the bus while Stefanie stayed awake. I woke up with a crick in my neck and remained quite dazed on the rest of the trip home. It's good that I managed to recognise the bus stop Stefanie and I were supposed to alight at to take the third bus. It's the same bus I take each Chinese New Year to visit my cousins. The two of us were very lucky that day, by the way. We didn't need to wait more than a minute for the buses we took! I couldn't believe our luck!
Besides the zoo outing, I also went out with Mummy on Thursday. The library was our first stop, where I returned and borrowed more books. Since the selection of novels isn't interesting, I borrowed a recipe book and this guide on web design. Mummy borrowed some book on healthy lifestyle. Thanks to that book, I'm now banned from eating too much sweets since eating too much sweets could lead to hair loss apparently.
Nex Serangoon, a relatively new mall in the north, was our next stop. It looks very much like a normal heartland mall, with lots of food outlets and grocery stores for the people living nearby. In fact, I think it has more food than anything. The mall was pretty big too and Mummy and I just browsed through most of the shops on each level. Maybe because it was a Thursday, but the place seemed empty. The two of us didn't shop much and we went back without buying anything in the end. My stomach was also giving me problems. I think my gastric problems might be coming back. I'm crossing my fingers that my tummy would be better soon. I don't want to visit the doctor!
Labels: classouting, window shopping
I'm not sure what I did today
Thursday, July 21, 2011 @ 4:59 pm leave a comment? | 0 shed some light
My tutorial today was canceled as my lecturer had a family emergency to attend to. I hope my lecturer is alright. It seems pretty serious if she has to cancel a tutorial in the last minute.
Unfortunately, I was tapping out of the ticketing barrier at Dover station when I received the text message that there would be no tutorial today. Since they were also already on their way to school, I waited for Matin and Zi Wei at the station. We wanted to meet Avelin, Joey and Wai Meng afterwards but they asked us to head over to Orchard Road first since they wanted to finish up their breakfast at Raffles Place. They ended up staying at Raffles Place till noon instead, while Matin, Zi Wei and me ended up loitering in Takashimaya.
The three of us spent nearly two hours at the McDonalds' at Lucky Plaza. I've not been to town for ages actually. The last time I was in that same McDonalds', I was with Juniper, Yi Bin and Claudia. We were ordering the tops for the choir's performance at the Singapore Conference Hall. That was two years ago. I guess I didn't really go out that much when I was a Secondary school student, huh.
We later went to the Kinokuniya branch at Takashimaya. I bought a novel and then dragged the guys over to the stationery section. They didn't seem fascinated by it though. On my way there, I found this handbook on Singlish and it was really interesting learning the different terms. I didn't know Singlish could be so complex or diversified! Anyway, we tried to search for Zi Wei's manga afterwards but either the shelf doesn't exist or the book is hidden in some obscure corner. I'm guessing it's the former.
Lunch with mummy at Bugis Junction afterwards was nice. Mummy bought another two books for me at the Kinokuniya branch over there. They were not really pricey so she decided to buy it for me. I've got plenty of books to read now! I just need to find time to read them all.
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I realise I have yet to post about the Leadership training session on Wednesday. It was actually quite a light-hearted session, since the lecturer was a fun person. We started with identifying and making out optical illusions. Everyone helped each other to see the hidden pictures. The lecturer then moved on to sobre topics like Asperger's Syndrome, schizophrenia and depression.
I also got to talk to people from 01 too! The last time I spoke someone from 01 was Collin during the training for SPXperience (which got cancelled, by the way). The two classes don't really mingle anyway. I got to know Amanda, King, Cherlyn, Heidi and I think Asyiqin (I'm really not sure of her name). They were really friendly and candid. At least I now know more people from 01.
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By the way, I just realised it's Racial Harmony Day today! Happy Racial Harmony Day, everyone! Maybe we could get everyone to dress up in ethnic costumes next year!
Labels: CASS, window shopping
A Movie and The First Fieldtrip
Thursday, July 07, 2011 @ 8:51 pm leave a comment? | 0 shed some light
I recently watched the Thai movie Chocolate (also known as Fury) and it made me cry buckets. It's a 2008 film and its Thai name is ช็อคโกแลต if you want to search for it. It's not the usual kind of movies I would watch - it's more of an action movie with lots of violence in it.
But it's not just another senseless violent show, mind you. You could read the plot here but to sum things up, it's all about the life of a mother, Zin, with an autistic daughter, Zen, who was the result of her affair with a Yakuza boss. Zen has a special talent of being able to catch just about anything thrown at her. She also picked up martial arts purely just through observing people fighting and watching TV shows. This talent of Zen later proved to be a huge advantage as her mother's ex-boyfriend, a Thai gangster, seeks vengeance afterwards.
The entire plot is actually on Wikipedia. What made me really cry my heart out was when I saw how strong the bond between Zin and Zen is in the story. Fate was cruel to the mother-daughter pair and both of them tried their hardest to protect each other in their own ways throughout the film. It was particularly heart-wrenching to watch the ending. If you like touching movies with lots of action packed in it, I would recommend Chocolate.
Moving on, I went on a class field trip to Keppel Bay Creek this morning. It was really interesting listening to our guides talk about Keppel Club's green initiatives and the exhibit was pretty. There was even a replica of a kampung hut in the exhibit hall! There were dried leaves strewn around the place and it brought about a rustic feel. There was also a portion modeled after the movie Avatar.
The field trip reminded me a lot about what I had learnt in Geography. I remember memorising all the coastal protection techniques (that's where the mangroves come in), responsible forestry and the uses of rainforests. It made me miss Geography lessons all of a sudden.
The guides were really friendly and there was Abdullah the character played by one of the staff members, who told us a lot about kampung life. I also got to play five stones at the kampung exhibit. It's been ages since I last played it! I remember playing it nearly everyday when I was in Primary school. My friends and I would compete with each other with the many stages. My skills are really rusty now though. I couldn't even get past the fourth stage successfully. Maybe I should search for my five stones and practise once more!
Quite a few of us went over to Vivo City afterwards. After eating our lunch, we headed to Topshop, where Natasya, Shreya, Joey and Shahidah gave Wai Meng a mini makeover. Hazel, Avelin and I also tried on maxi dresses to pass the time. I found this really beautiful strapless maxi dress which fit me extremely well. I nearly bought it but decided not to in the end. I mean, I don't really have any occasion to wear it. It's such a big pity. In fact, I can't help but keep thinking about that dress. Oh well.
We all walked around for a bit afterwards and just sat down at a corner of the mall since everyone was pretty tired. I even managed to fall asleep right in the middle of the shopping center - I woke up with a headache though.
Labels: CASS, classouting, window shopping
我是本地人。
Monday, June 20, 2011 @ 10:18 pm leave a comment? | 0 shed some light
It was quite a fruitful weekend for me. After such a long time, I finally went shopping with my mum. I spent quite a large portion of what I'd saved from my allowance. Well, I'll just comfort myself with the fact that it's been a long time since I'd gone shopping with anyone. Aside from clothes, I bought the le sucre rabbit dolls I've been wanting to buy for so long! I actually got one from Gimpo airport last year but now my rabbit has company! I was gushing over the little pushcart stall with the rabbit dolls before I settled on getting two to bring home. We then went around browsing through the shops. My mum and I returned home really tired after spending an entire afternoon at Vivo City. I should start saving more money so I could buy more things the next time. Maybe I could try skipping lunch again - I used to do that in secondary school.
That aside, I wonder if I should start a 微博 (weibo) account. After such a long time, I've kind of lost touch with my Mother Tongue. I catch myself being tongue-tied each time someone speaks to me in Mandarin. It takes me a longer time to process everything now. I've forgotten a lot of the idioms and phrases 林老师 taught us during the countless lessons. Come to think of it, I sort of enjoyed Chinese Language lessons back when my teachers were nice.
My very first teacher was this young lady from China who wore at least 3-inch platforms to my preschool daily. She taught us purely through rote learning. My huge fear of 听写 (Mandarin dictation; something like spelling, except in Chinese characters) started all from the tender age of five. When I failed my weekly 听写 the teacher's glare would be so petrifying and I would have to do all the corrections many times over. Which was no different from all the 习字 exercises she made us do to practise anyway. But come to think of it, it was because of all the memory work I had to do that helped me later. I mean, Mandarin used to be one of my weaker subjects till I met this awfully nice teacher when I was twelve. 陈老师 taught us a lot and helped to provide English translations for all the phrases we didn't understand. Thankfully, I managed to do well for the subject and moved on to Crescent, where all the teachers, especially 林老师, were really good too. Thus my Mandarin improved a lot.
Now that I can no longer go for 林老师's lessons, I find that I don't really have an opportunity to use Mandarin anymore. It's no surprise that my Mandarin is getting rusty. It gets awkward when I automatically reply in English right after someone speaks to me in Mandarin. Really awkward. Then the auntie or uncle would presume that I'm not local and struggle to reply in English and ask me questions about my hometown (they think I'm a tourist from either Korea or Vietnam). I seriously ought to stop this bad habit of mine.
Anyway, I was thinking about having a weibo account which would force me to use Mandarin. The problem is that I'm already having quite a tough time making out the words on the homepage. Or I could just post in Mandarin on Twitter. I'm just making things more complicated by having a weibo actually. Hm.
By the way, I just took a personality test a few days ago. The last time I took one was four years ago. Apparently I'm no longer an ISTP based on the Myers-Briggs personality type. My current personality type is quite similar to my previous though. Somehow I feel that my current fits me more actually. I wonder if the Myer-Briggs personality types are accurate. To fit everyone's personality into sixteen categories, there'll bound to be exceptions all the time. I guess it depends on individual beliefs - something like astrology.
By the way, I just took a personality test a few days ago. The last time I took one was four years ago. Apparently I'm no longer an ISTP based on the Myers-Briggs personality type. My current personality type is quite similar to my previous though. Somehow I feel that my current fits me more actually. I wonder if the Myer-Briggs personality types are accurate. To fit everyone's personality into sixteen categories, there'll bound to be exceptions all the time. I guess it depends on individual beliefs - something like astrology.
Labels: window shopping
I say we should look out of the windows and contemplate on life.
Friday, September 03, 2010 @ 3:23 pm leave a comment? | 0 shed some light
(I know that I declared a hiatus, but I'm just dropping by...)
I made a pact, or rather a promise, not to buy any notebooks or soft toys for at least two months.
I made a pact, or rather a promise, not to buy any notebooks or soft toys for at least two months.
It went along fine actually. I managed to refrain from buying them for two months. I didn't even buy a new album recently, although I'm really really tempted to hunt down 이승기 4th album, Shadow. But of course, as in life, there are always slips. I bought two teddy bears on Tuesday, which was actually the last day of my so called "promise". So I guess that could be considered a celebration? I realise I always manage to get membership cards from shops like Artbox and EIII Street. All the shops with soft toys in them. Not really surprising.
However, I suppose it is quite pathetic that I still didn't manage to save as much as I'd expected two months ago. I did restrict myself. I didn't buy albums, soft toys, accessories, cases, trinkets whatnot. But I somehow spent on books. Maybe it's because the Kinokuniya branch at Bugis Junction has just been revamped and the new concept really appeals to me. It actually looks so much more like the branch at Takashimaya now. Which reminds me, it must have been eons since I last stepped into the Orchard Road shopping district. O' woe is me. What'd happened to my life?
But before I digress even further, as I was saying, I seem to have been spending my allowance on books. It could be also due to the fact that I have been having my lunches with my mum at Bugis Junction, where she works. Since the bookstore is in the building too, temptation is near. There seems to be a mystical force which draws me into the quiet shop while my mum is in her office.
Within two weeks, I've bought three books, on three separate days I have been there. I could have bought a fourth too actually, if not for my mum dragging me to a different level on that day. Ah well.
So recently, I managed to get these three books of entirely different genres, styles and authors. The first I bought was about something everyone should be familiar about in this day and age. It's titled "The Facebook Effect". It's not so much about the appeal of Facebook as to the story behind it. It made me look at Facebook from a different angle altogether.
The second was not a really good choice. I actually bought it on an impulse. Then again, all my books are bought on an impulse. Well, I was a little reckless on that day I guess. It's a fantasy book, and is part of the Vampire Academy series. Now, I have never read the series before and book I picked, "Spirit Bound" Is actually the second last volume of the whole plot. And it does not seem to be all that interesting after all that novelty of finding a book on vampires. Believe me, I do like reading about vampires, but the story just seems to be a little tiresome at some parts and the main character seemed...indecisive? It seems that it will just turn out as some 'Bella and Edward' game all over again. After reading the Twilight series last year, this holds no novelty for me anymore.
The third which I acquired today is really good. Titled "The Unconsoled" by Kazuo Ishiguro. Really, I find that the Literature section always manages to help me unearth some real treasures instead of the common trashy novels many hanker after these days. The section for Young Adults is also not a good choice half the time because I would have read quite a few of the books there. Maybe I really should have taken Literature after all. I miss it so much.
Anyway, this is the second time I'm exposed to the slow and dreamy kind of writing style in "The Unconsoled", which is similar to Soseki Natsume's "I Am a Cat" from what I can see. It's difficult to master in my opinion. Yet, it really attracts me and I love reading such kind of novels. Few people agree with me however. Even my mum feels that my books are difficult to read.
Well, today's the last day of Term 3 of school. It didn't really seem like a big day or anything actually, considering that there was our Elementary Mathematics Paper 2 for our Preliminary Examinations. Secondary Four life, that's just how it is. I'm already numbed to exams and tests. I honestly feel that I should reevaluate my life sometimes.
Labels: Kpop, School Days, window shopping
what colour is the horse?
Thursday, November 27, 2008 @ 10:06 pm leave a comment? | 0 shed some light
We started on the 2009 SYF piece this morning. We had to get into pairs and Ms Ong asked me to teach Jorina how to count since she didn't understand. I was really worried that Jorina didn't get what I was trying to tell her... after all, I am bad at any music theory. The song still sounds weird to me but I guess it's just a matter of getting used to it.
Ms Ong also bought us cakes. And Cynthia just had to feed me. Yeah, she loves me too much. She insisted on stuffing my mouth with the cake since I couldn't reach it. Anyway, thank goodness Juniper warned me about the brandy butter - I almost took it. Hahah, I don't want to break out into rashes.
Oh oh, and Teryne and I are now the managers of the 'Fist- rubbing' club. Cynthia was trying desperately to get warm since the PAT is like a freezer and I still can't understand why she should rub her fists and not palms together to keep warm. So Teryne and I thought that she was trying to start a fire. It was really funny and we tried to imitate Cynthia. Then Ms Ong was talking about using some primitive way of communication (which was using the phone to call the other party personally). But somehow I thought of the paper cups and string method and the smoke signal thing. Teryne then said that was what Cynthia was trying to do. Although I think if it was an emergency, it would be a decade before Cynthia can even get a fire started.
Lunch and Tiong Bahru Plaza was just funny. Anna and Zhuo Min couldn't stop laughing and somehow everyone laughed when I said I felt like a walrus and after that, a mammoth. Well, I was that full.
The rest of the day proved that I am really bad at shopping alone. I spent five minutes walking around Bugis Junction before giving up. Then I popped into Kinokuniya and read a whole novel within thirty minutes and then left since I felt bad reading a whole book there instead of buying anything. With more than two and a half hours left before my mum can end her work, I spent the time stoning on the seat outside Kinokuniya. I slept half the time sleeping though. I also saw a man cross dressing as a woman...he was wearing this low back dress with a V-neck with his chest hair sticking out.
I think Miyavi would do a better job however. Since the guy was in his mid-forties and it's just unusual to see chest hair sticking out of a dress. I've seen a few cross dressers on the MRT trains and stations before and I have nothing against them since they are actually nice people but this is seriously the first time I've seen someone who didn't even bother to shave. -.-
Ms Ong also bought us cakes. And Cynthia just had to feed me. Yeah, she loves me too much. She insisted on stuffing my mouth with the cake since I couldn't reach it. Anyway, thank goodness Juniper warned me about the brandy butter - I almost took it. Hahah, I don't want to break out into rashes.
Oh oh, and Teryne and I are now the managers of the 'Fist- rubbing' club. Cynthia was trying desperately to get warm since the PAT is like a freezer and I still can't understand why she should rub her fists and not palms together to keep warm. So Teryne and I thought that she was trying to start a fire. It was really funny and we tried to imitate Cynthia. Then Ms Ong was talking about using some primitive way of communication (which was using the phone to call the other party personally). But somehow I thought of the paper cups and string method and the smoke signal thing. Teryne then said that was what Cynthia was trying to do. Although I think if it was an emergency, it would be a decade before Cynthia can even get a fire started.
Lunch and Tiong Bahru Plaza was just funny. Anna and Zhuo Min couldn't stop laughing and somehow everyone laughed when I said I felt like a walrus and after that, a mammoth. Well, I was that full.
The rest of the day proved that I am really bad at shopping alone. I spent five minutes walking around Bugis Junction before giving up. Then I popped into Kinokuniya and read a whole novel within thirty minutes and then left since I felt bad reading a whole book there instead of buying anything. With more than two and a half hours left before my mum can end her work, I spent the time stoning on the seat outside Kinokuniya. I slept half the time sleeping though. I also saw a man cross dressing as a woman...he was wearing this low back dress with a V-neck with his chest hair sticking out.
I think Miyavi would do a better job however. Since the guy was in his mid-forties and it's just unusual to see chest hair sticking out of a dress. I've seen a few cross dressers on the MRT trains and stations before and I have nothing against them since they are actually nice people but this is seriously the first time I've seen someone who didn't even bother to shave. -.-
Labels: choir, Crez chorale, window shopping
Vivo window shopping
Monday, March 19, 2007 @ 8:49 pm leave a comment? | 0 shed some light
Lol, last Friday I went to Vivo with Cassie, Dao Xin and Si Hui. We met up for the Visual Arts project which is doing an advertisement featuring on certain aspects of Singapore that can help promote tourism. We chose the theme "Shopping Paradise" @ Vivo. Hahas. The shop assistants all didn't allow us to take any pictures inside the shop or on the items so we took photographs OUTSIDE the shop, fair enough. Anyways, it was quite fun. We went to the Banquet for lunch and I ate yong tau fu >>
Hahas...Cassie took a picture of it and gave it to me.
It looks disgusting coz I'd already eaten have of it, lol.
Well, there's nothing much to post about again... The other day when I was window shopping alone, I saw this bear!!! It was damn cute [sry if it's too vulgar for you]!! I know that doesn't sound like me but that's my weakness-teddy bears!!! I've got twenty-two pooh bears plus more than thirty of others!!! AWWW, they are so cute. ^^ That bear that I saw the other day while walking around alone at Bugis costs $5.90, it's from A,B 'n' C shop btw. I love that shop! Every time I go Bugis, I will stop by the stuff toys section at Seiyu, then onto Kinokuniya, then A,B'n'C. So sorry, don't think you all will be interested in my 'shopping' style....-.-
Hahas...Cassie took a picture of it and gave it to me.It looks disgusting coz I'd already eaten have of it, lol.
Well, there's nothing much to post about again... The other day when I was window shopping alone, I saw this bear!!! It was damn cute [sry if it's too vulgar for you]!! I know that doesn't sound like me but that's my weakness-teddy bears!!! I've got twenty-two pooh bears plus more than thirty of others!!! AWWW, they are so cute. ^^ That bear that I saw the other day while walking around alone at Bugis costs $5.90, it's from A,B 'n' C shop btw. I love that shop! Every time I go Bugis, I will stop by the stuff toys section at Seiyu, then onto Kinokuniya, then A,B'n'C. So sorry, don't think you all will be interested in my 'shopping' style....-.-
Labels: window shopping
