Personal Blather!

So to fill up some of the free time I have, I decided to polish up a bit of my photoshop skills. After playing around quite a bit, this is a little something I came up with.

 

Things haven't been all that exciting lately. Life has just kind of been plodding along, taking it slowly one step at a time. It's at a pretty leisurely pace, and I'm very comfortable with that. Chasing one thing after another gets really tiring, if you get what I mean.

Ever woke up remembering very vividly the dream you had while you were asleep? It wasn't just any dream, you could even recall the incidents leading up to that point in the dream. Sometimes, people whom you hardly come in contact with turn up in your dream. I remember sister Angie telling me she had a dream about me once. We weren't all that close, but the fact that I popped up out of nowhere in her dream made her sit up and take notice. She told me of course, and I don't know for sure what to make of it. I THINK it was also meant for her, but what if it was also for me? I don't know, and I guess it shouldn't matter because I'm not going to think too much into it. I entrust everything to Him, so why worry?

I've been hoping to see some fruits in my ministry. Unfortunately, so far, things aren't quite going the way I want it to. I won't be satisfied until I see some. I'm really praying for it, so I hope God's hand be with me and annoint me to be able to do His will.

Tags: Wallpaper, Anime, Rei, Ayanami, Evangelion, Photoshop, Dreams

I've been contemplating this for quite some time and I think I've finally decided that I WILL make a change. The only issue is, WHEN do I do it?

At this point I don't feel it's quite right to spend that kind of money, but it isn't really all that much if you think about it. It's roughly equivalent to a couple of good meals which I can forego for a few days. However, I feel really guilty because it's not my own money. I'll just wait a while and do all the necessary preparation so that the transition will be as smooth when the time eventually comes.

I'm thinking of names, and so far I came up with one really cool one which I will not reveal just yet. I've checked and it's available, so that's what I'll call it. It will contain far more than what I have now, but how much more really depends. I don't want to end up expanding in breadth but failing in depth, so expect a small expansion for a start.

Concert is still progressing well. Having my next meeting on Sunday and hopefully most people will be back. There are some things we need to work out so it's good that everyone is back to help out. Hopefully we can all work together and have fun doing it!

Parents will be off on a 2 week cruise and I'm planning to head back to KL for a couple of days (to take care of the place and the car etc). Going on a cruise is really fun, if you go with the right people. I'm hoping to make a cruise with friends instead of just family members this time. Planning for a cruise on my own with my cell and if it falls through, I'll be taking a few days off mid-July. Will most probably be heading to Phuket and Langkawi where there are lots of beaches. Look forward to more updates then!

Tags: Concert, Raffles Hall, Production, Cruise, Star Cruises, Phuket, Langkawi

Concert work has been progressing, and I'm pretty happy the way things are going. We could probably do a lot more, but I shouldn't ask too much from my members. They're doing a great job as it is and I'm quite impressed by what's been done so far. Really makes things easy for me.

Bash might be a headache. As of now, we are unsure as to what or how we want to proceed. We can choose to expand, or fall on our backup plan. In any case, things should finalise by the end of next week, and then we can start working on the concrete plans so that we can make it a great, enjoyable bash.

 

Went to town to catch Cars today. It wasn't that bad a show IMHO, but I guess some people may find it thoroughly predictable and not quite worth the watch. I wouldn't disagree considering it IS a children's (read DISNEY) animation, so it was kind of expected. It had the usual "lesson learned at the end of the day". Since I'm 21 and not 12, I definitely prefer Shrek, but children might find Cars a good watch. The comedy value was pretty OK, but the show had to have a lot of "serious" scenes, cutting it by quite a bit. I very much preferred the short introduction video Pixar seems very famous for at the beginning of the show. The One Man Band had the comedy value but was still pretty predictable.

I have yet to watch any of the other animations currently (like Over the Hedge and Garfield 2) so I can't make a comparison. If I go by hearsay, catch Over the Hedge as it will probably be a more worthwhile watch.

So there you have it. A little bit about concert and Cars. Let's hope there'll be more on concert next time.

Tags: Concert, Raffles Hall, Production, Cars, Disney, Pixar, One Man Band

 

A beauty ain't she? She certainly packs great features, with a 2.0 megapixel camera, 3G capabilities, bluetooth, quadband, MP3 player and superb TFT display. I didn't really think about picking her at first, but the fact that all these features came at a more affordable (read cheaper) price than the one I originally wanted, there was no reason for me not to take it!

It synchronises well with my PC, being able to communicate with Outlook and iTunes. I can transfer data to it too with a 512 MB card extra. The amazing thing is that it charges from a USB port, implying that I can use my PC to do the job saving a socket for other uses.

My trusty 8310 was a pretty good phone. I still like it but it was giving me problems... it was also a pretty good time to get a new plan since the student plan gave an extra 500 SMS a month and I get to call 3 numbers for free, all at HALF of what I've been paying. That's a good deal to me.

I've been playing around with my trusty V3x and although it may not be perfect, it still is a good phone. I need a little adjusting to the interface though, since I'm so accustomed to my old one. I managed to send a couple of wrong SMSes too while figuring how to do it right. I hope to get it down pat soon so I can start replying SMSes at my usual speed again.

Apart from that, it's something I'm truly happy about. Now I need to get protection for it because I don't think I'd like to see ANY scars on her body.

Tags: Motorola, V3x, Gadget, Tech, 3G, Bluetooth

How can I not write anything about this season? I'm not bonkers over it, but it sure is nice to go hangout with people and watch as the game unfolds. It also makes for good conversational material.

Opening match with Germany and Costa Rica was most certainly one of the interesting matches to watch. Germany won with a score of 4-2, with the first three goals of the six scored six minutes apart from the starting whistle. The new FIFA ball is obviously a whole lot lighter, because Germany was taking pot shots at the Costa Rica goal from outside the penalty area, resulting in one goal in the second half that was really amazing. It's probably not the first time this has been done, but the sheer number of attempts indicate that it's either a lot easier to do it now, or they simply took for granted that the Costa Rican defence was poor.

Unfortunately, I didn't catch England's game, which from what I hear wasn't a big loss anyway. They won 1-0, but it was an own goal, so in essence none of England's strikers have any goal to their credit yet. Perhaps they need to buck up a little.

The next match I watched was Netherlands vs Serbia and Montenegro. Exciting match really, with a lot of good plays, but I think it would've been nicer if we were rewarded with more goals. Still, I guess Holland deserved the win.

I just missed the match between Australia and Japan, but the win went to Australia with a score of 3-1. I didn't watch it though, so there's not really much to say.

All the scores aside, here's a little something to share. It's been circulating around, but perhaps not many have seen it. Don't worry, I don't think it really applies to ALL men.

World Cup rules for women

Extremely important advice and recommendations to be passed on to wives, girlfriends, fiancés, mothers, sisters, daughters, etc. (to all women in general).

These rules are to be communicated prior to the World Cup in June/July this year...

LIST OF RULES

1. From 9 June to 9 July 2006, you should read the sports section of the newspaper so that you are aware of what is going on regarding the World Cup, and that way you will be able to join in the conversations. If you fail to do this, then you will be looked at in a bad way, or you will be totally ignored. DO NOT complain about not receiving any attention.

2. During the World Cup, the television is mine, at all times, without any exceptions. If you even take a glimpse of the remote control, you will lose it (your eye).

3. If you have to pass by in front of the TV during a game, I don't mind, as long as you do it crawling on the floor and without distracting me. If you decide to stand nude in front of the TV, make sure you put clothes on right after because if you catch a cold, I wont have time to take you to the doctor or look after you during the World Cup month.

4. During the games I will be blind, deaf and mute, unless I require a refill of my drink or something to eat. You are out of your mind if you expect me to listen to you, open the door, answer the telephone, or pick up the baby that just fell from the second floor....it wont happen.

5. It would be a good idea for you to keep at least 2 six packs in the fridge at all times, as well as plenty of things to nibble on, and please do not make any funny faces to my friends when they come over to watch the games. In return, you will be allowed to use the TV between 12am and 6am, unless they replay a good game that I missed during the day.

6. Please, please, please!! if you see me upset because one of my teams is losing, DO NOT say "get over it, its only a game", or "don't worry, they'll win next time". If you say these things, you will only make me angrier and I will love you less. Remember, you will never ever know more about football than me and your so called "words of encouragement" will only lead to a break up or divorce.

7. You are welcome to sit with me to watch one game and you can talk to me during halftime but only when the commercials are on, and only if the halftime score is pleasing me. In addition, please note I am saying "one" game, hence do not use the World Cup as a nice cheesy excuse to "spend time together".

8. The replays of the goals are very important. I don't care if I have seen them or I haven't seen them, I want to see them again. Many times.

9. Tell your friends NOT to have any babies, or any other child related parties or gatherings that requires my attendance because:
a) I will not go,
b) I will not go, and
c) I will not go.

10. But, if a friend of mine invites us to his house on a Sunday to watch a game, we will be there in a flash.

11. The daily World Cup highlights show on TV every night is just as important as the games themselves. Do not even think about saying "but you have already seen this... why don't you change the channel to something we can all watch??", the reply will be: "Refer to Rule #2 of this list".

12. And finally, please save your expressions such as "Thank God the World Cup is only every 4 years". I am immune to these words, because after this comes the Champions League, Italian League, Spanish League, Premier League, etc etc.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Regards

Tags: World Cup, Germany, Football, Soccer, 2006, FIFA

In case you've been wondering what I've been up to, here's a little update on what has been happening. Last weekend was really tiring since it was EMERGE 2006 weekend. It was absolutely amazing! The thing I got most out of it was on Friday night when Pastor Kong talked about spiritual hunger, and I caught that, even though it was not the first time I heard about it. I decided enough is enough and drew the line, making myself DECIDE to be more fervent for Him. My prayer life and quiet time has never been better. I've been spending so much time with Him I can feel Him with me throughout the whole week, and I just love it!

I really believe I caught something during the conference. It was, to me, a life changing experience. The events were great, the sermon was powerful, but ultimately, it was the presence that made all the difference. I can't wait for cell later.

Since I came back from the conference, I've been concentrating on the things I need to do, to continue to excel in the place that I'm placed in and to do well for Him. I've been working on my hall production and it is coming along great. I pray that as I gear up and put in my best, and commit the entire event to Him, I ask that His hand will be with me. I'm trusting Him for it, and I believe that He will deliver. I know He has even greater plans, for "eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who love Him."

I've made resolutions to achieve even greater excellence. I've learned that although inner beauty is important, it doesn't mean we neglect totally outer beauty. It has to be balanced, and come hand in hand. So I'm going to try my utmost best to dress better, present myself better, and mum and dad may not be too happy, but I'll probably start shopping a fair bit too. I won't change overnight, but step by step, I intend not to be a sloppy person when it comes to dressing anymore.

I went down to expo to help with shifting on Tuesday because the hall needed to be relocated for service. It was quite educational to help out the sound and tech crew as they play with a lot of cool stuff. I learned about the LED board, about power sockets and portable generators for huge halls like in expo. I met some new people and it was tiring yet enjoyable. I was glad to be given the privilege to serve in that area. Everyone is so dedicated that I feel a little ashamed I'm not giving that much.

My phone died a couple of times these few days, which sort of indicate to me that a change is in order. The good news is, my contract can be renewed and there's a new plan that costs about HALF of what I pay now with BETTER perks. I'm going to change my phone, I just need to find the time to go and do it! Thank you God for blessing me so much!

I'm back on my feet. I'm feeling great about life. Mum had her birthday yesterday, and although I wasn't there to celebrate with her, I know she had a great time. Dad bought her flowers... something she says is one of the happiest things that happened to her. I love them both!

Well, planning for concert means a lot of things to do. I unfortunately don't have a job yet as the honours year student I'm supposed to work with isn't back in Singapore yet. I'm thinking of finding another job, but it can't be long term either. Guess I'll just have to pray for wisdom on what to do.

See? There are so many things happening. I'm meeting some people from a startup company on Wednesday to discuss some bash plans. It may help us generate more income, but that'll have to be negotiated. Things are progressing, and I'm giving it my all to play my part!

Tags: EMERGE, Spiritual, Hunger, Singapore, Asian, Conference, Excellence, Bash

I'd always though Malaysia was a free country, even if not at the same level as Western nations. THIS however, made me start thinking it's probably not quite true. Hugging and kissing is now considered "disorderly behaviour" as it is not consistent with "Asian morals". While I could understand if this were so in more conservative places, this took place in Kuala Lumpur, supposedly the most educated and thus liberal of all states in Malaysia.

I personally think it's balderdash. I'm more inclined to believe that they were charged solely because they refused to fill the pockets of enforcement officers with a bribe. It's a first that people get charged and possibly face a RM2000 fine as well as a jail term simply for kissing and hugging in public. It's no wonder every other nation can't help but consider our laws draconian. The chief justice's defence of the mayor's decision was solely a hyberbole of the situation which did not relate to the case at all. His claim is simply that by allowing kissing and hugging in public, we are allowing anarchy. (Quoted from the article, "So, they should be given freedom to live as they like? The constitution allows all citizens to do that (hugging and kissing) even by the roadside, in a public park?") Hello? It's not anarchy to kiss and hug in public. If I went be the same logic, I think it's more logical to charge every single smoker who takes a puff in public. It's a health hazard to every other person, and since when was smoking "consistent with Asian morals"? It would save the government millions of ringgit on health care and anti-smoking campaigns. Did I mention also that just about everything we see on television is "not consistent with Asian morals"? Charge everyone for watching television please...

Who can say just when something is considered "disorderly" and "consistent with Asian values"? Simply put, "disorderly behaviour" can be defined as "anything the mayor deems he/she does not like". I don't like you laughing out loud like that, it's "disorderly behaviour". We as Asians should not laugh at people openly. You're fined RM2000, or you can pay me so I can close an eye. I saw you show the finger. That's "disorderly behaviour". I fine you RM2000. I heard you say the 'f' word. RM2000 fine for disorderly behaviour... pathetic...

I'm just exaggerating, but the fact that such an incident occurs just goes to show that there might be a problem with our justice system. It doesn't take a genius to know that we have taken a step back from progressing towards a mature, considerate and open society.

I fear the day where every single citizen has to have a 2 meter distance between every other person in public. I fear the day where even married couples cannot go out together because anything they might do together constitutes a violation of "Asian morals". Most of all, I fear the day where every member in society doesn't even CARE when things like this happen.

Tags: Public, Disorderly, Behaviour, Malaysia, Asian, Morals, Corruption, Fundamentalist

Beauty is a trait that is considered superficial, yet extremely important and sought after. It's something that everyone wants to be, but sometimes can lead to a negative downside. However, I truly believe that beauty, or at least the superficial, 'on the surface' kind, is very much in the eyes of the beholder. To bring this into perspective, allow me to be shallow for this once and talk about what guys look at when they see a girl.

Interestingly, when I asked some of my friends what is the first thing they notice in a girl, based solely on looks, the answer varies from the usual to the extremely weird (at least it's weird to me). For example, one of the things about a girl that a friend notices on first impression, is the legs. To me, that's a little weird. But that may be because to me, the most important physical aspect of a girl is her face. Even so, a girl I think is pretty may not be as pretty to someone else, because I guess all guys have different tastes, even when it's just comparing the face. Some prefer those who look 'cute', with big eyes and rounded features. Others like the sizzling hot ones who have sharp attractive features. Then there're those who look for the um... 'chest magnitude' or the 'rear end'... nothing wrong with that I guess, but... nevermind.

Since I look at the face, I'd like to discuss a little bit more about that part here. I think even if you choose to look at the face, one can have different ideas of 'attractiveness' (or have I mentioned that already?). To be more specific, I think the thing about a girl's face that attracts me the most, are the eyes. Don't ask me why, they just do. I've seen some girls who have really beautiful eyes, and I find them pretty attractive, but have most of my friends feel otherwise. Likewise, I've had experiences where my friends claim just how 'beautiful' this particular girl is, only to find that she's merely 'so-so' to me.

Have you ever heard the phrase that goes "There aren't any ugly girls, only poor or lazy ones."? Perhaps that phrase isn't entirely false. Make up does wonders... and girls won't pass up a chance to look good. There're a few good examples where a girl's before and after photo clearly shows how plastic surgery + make up can turn a truly 'hopeless' case into one worthy of a beauty magazine front cover. So make up can make you look much better. The PROBLEM arises when some people just don't know HOW to put on make up. Most end up putting on too much, resulting in what I dub "ICI", after the infamous ICI paint. They apply so much foundation, or whatever it is they put on their face, that I think they gain a couple of pounds after putting the make up on. I admit that it may not be an easy task, and I am NOT against make up. I just know that make up can make a girl look REALLY good, and it can make a girl look really bad too.

Anyway, before I get beaten up, let me just state that the value of a girl is most definitely NOT solely in her looks. This post merely states an observatory phenomenon which is, granted, superficial. I do not judge a girl solely by her looks, since I understand also that not all pretty girls have good character. Beauty, I believe, creates only the first impression which may or may not trigger an interest to know a girl's character... at least that's what it is to me.

So, to conclude, this little attachment is an example of a girl I might consider really attractive. Not everyone will feel the same way I suppose, but that's just because I have different taste.

Tags: Beauty, Hot, Pretty, Attractive, Girls, Make up