the night of many firsts

tonight was indeed a night of many firsts...

1. I walked into Gotham with priority entry. It was also the first time I wasn't afraid of being bounced out for being under-aged (Gotham has an illogical 23 and above policy).

2. I danced to trance music. it wasn't even house.

3. I danced to 'Sexy Back' and tried not to think of Patricia Mok, unsuccessfully.

4. I found a nice private corner at Gotham I could emo in. it comes complete with your own music, couches, pool table, fancy lights and a bar, and no one else was there.

5. I broke my drinking glass when I received the bill for dinner.

6. I ended the clubbing session by singing hymns.

So...dinner at Shayray was decent. I'd recommend it if you don't mind the overpriced menu. Of course, that was compensated for by the excellent service, so-so ambiance and generous servings.

Gotham is once again my favorite place to club at. Music was exceptionally good. and then there's the secret emo place I discovered, the priority entry, the 2-for-1 bottle promotions, and... the dancers from Johannesburg. To think that all this while I had the impression that European females couldn't dance for nuts.

the post that matters

maybe it's time to stop blogging about the trivial and discuss the things that really matter. but does anything really matter? how can anything matter if life just goes on, whether we like it or not. whether we accept it or not. life will takes its course, people will continue living, with or without us. so when something matters, and we stop to contemplate the issue, we're left behind. we fall behind. and we take the effort to get back on track, to get back in this rat race of a life.

we complicate our own lives. just cos society seems complicated. we expect too much. because much is expected of us. we conform to societal norms. and that may ironically leave us estranged. but what if we compartmentalize our lives, and not allow the external to affect the internal. endogenous living. ENDOGENEITY. at the risk of being labeled a weirdo?

had a nice time today at Tapas Tree (not including the scene of some random old lady dancing in the middle of the nowhere) and Indochine. once again i displayed my direction deficiency.

i returned the taxi uncle the extra $3 he accidentally gave me as change. and i tried telling myself that i felt good about it. and for a moment, i almost did.

the bad day that ended alright

I REALLY SHOULD CHECK THE PARKING CHARGES BEFORE I GO PAST THE GANTRY. The 2 hr interview with DBS emptied my cashcard. The interview experience was petrifying, by the way. The interview was done in a group. That meant that I had to market myself (and subtly play my competitors down) in front of 20 other people. Boy, was that weird. I never felt so thick-skinned before.

I'm suddenly a fan of Hillsong United.. again.

A very smart woman with good taste came up to me and said tt I looked like Hugh Grant. :):)

the circle of life and the zone

There is always an external reaction to an internal stimuli - a response from my surroundings, in relation to my behavior. hence, if my behavior remains unchanged, I shouldn't be surprised that I keep getting the same responses, keep landing myself in hot soup, keep finding myself back at where I started. no change, no progress.

I've changed alright...maybe just not enough.

The Hillsong United concert was a visual feast. One could observe thousands of heads bobbing up and down (yes, many were doing their jumping routines. i mean... dancing). Colorful spotlights and glow sticks added to the already vibrant setting. The atmosphere of excitement, anticipation and furor was almost enough to quell my mild displeasure at being stood up by a certain someone. The sound was awesome. The music was fantastic. The voices were envy-inducing. The synth was the only instrument playing throughout (keyboardists are indispensable, I tell you :P). To top it off, we were treated to a 20min get-rich-quick scheme presentation during the interval.

I found it ironic when Joel Houston, the band's front man, quoted Isaiah as follows:

"...he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him." (53:2)

These words uttered at the massive Max Pavilion. Full-house. Screaming audience. Against the backdrop of scored music that undeniably conjured up feelings of awe and majesty. Hmmm...

- no photoshop. just pure photography genius -

- Romans 14:10 -

the businessman in me

Warren Buffet used to buy six Cokes for 25 cents from his grandfather's grocery store and resell them in his neighborhood for 5 cents each - a 17% profit margin. We all know the man's net worth now.

I recall a time when I used to burn audio CDs for people and charge them $10 when my cost price was only 70 cents, securing a 93% profit margin. I wonder how much my net worth will be......

Do you know that if you blow your nose hard enough, you can displace your contact lens?

the 7 habits of highly effective road block avoiders

1. Do NOT blast R&B music over the stereo. if you can handle it, play symphony 92.4 instead.

2. Do NOT allow any room for awkward silence. Have the passengers chat, or just start laughing when the officer approaches. (But make sure the others laugh with you)

3. Do NOT look with shifty eyes. If you can' help it, think happy, unrelated thoughts. Do not avoid eye contact with the officer. Poker faces don't work.

4. Pull up the STUPID handbrake when you've stopped. it isn't very sober-like to allow the car to roll up or down a slope when the officer's talking to you through the window - especially if you don't notice that the car's moving until it's pointed out to you.

5. Do NOT open the fuel tank when asked to open the booth.

6. Do NOT drive in or around town at 4 in the morning.

7. Do NOT allow me to be in the driver's seat.

The Southen Ridges (Henderson Waves) is a nice place to lepak at. Far removed from the busy streets 40m below, you feel a sense of peace and calm when you look at nature all around you. it also helps that wood is the predominant building material of the overhanging structure. and the warm orange lights give a.. erm.. warm feeling. then there's the stars, and the almost-full moon. and the melbourne shuffle music softly playing from a certain someone's mobile.
.
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then comes the 5am text message from my exasperated dad saying that he needs the car urgently in 15mins (and i live in ulu Jurong, mind you). so back home we go, at 120kmph for most of the way. sweet.

- woody -

the chill-out place

Wala Wala is the perfect place to chill out and lose your voice by attempting to be heard over the cacophony of conversations, crooning voices and music. listen to the performer who has an awesome vocal range, but hits the off-keys a good too many times. also, have fun maneuvering through the sea of bodies when you're making your way to the restroom with a full bladder. speaking of which, restrooms with frosted doors look nice. having said all that, all you need are bitch-worthy topics, good company, office politics/gossip and CHEAP beer to make your day.

i get very excited when i meet another person who's contemplating going down the enlightened path of finance/investment banking/wealth management. i get REALLY excited.

on a grumpier note, there's cat hair all over the booth. grrr...

the the the the

i've a feeling i'm gonna be ditching tmr's group the same way i ditched dear Graou and Co. 40mins ago. but i'm always forgiven :)

i asked a friend if he was heading to Wala Wala and he asked me who she was. hmmm.

Spaghetti, octopus and mushrooms (fungi :P:P) don't go well together. if only i had known...

i bought my first non-textbook book in 4 years today.

450+450=900!!!!

the more-than-random post

after 2 years of slothful living, i'm proud to say that i can still do 1.5 pull-ups.

it's one thing to be marginalized.
it's another to not know that you're being marginalized.
it's yet another to not care that you're being marginalized.

If you think about it, entertainment is but a futile attempt to remove ourselves from the rigors and unpleasantness of reality. And this includes reality TV. Entertainment - the child of escapism.

- seems like i've never been able to smile since forever -
(photos courtesy of Lina. tnx!)

- United concert next week. :) -

the odd news

Read the papers, and you'll realize how screwed up things have become:

"Woman sits on boyfriend's toilet for 2 years"
35 year old woman from Kansas refuses to come out of the bathroom for 2 years. She makes the boyfriend deliver food, water and clothes to her daily. And after 2 years, the boyfriend suspects that something may be wrong with her. I'm not sure how fast his brain processes information. 2 years of sitting on the toilet had caused her skin to grow around the seat. She had to be sent to the hospital with the seat cover attached to her.

"Austrian Woman says held in basement for 24 years"
A 42 year old woman was locked up by her dad in the cellar when she turned 18. He had seven children with her, kept 3 of them in the cellar, one died and he tossed the poor thing into the furnace, and the other 3 were adopted by him. Poor wife was oblivious to her husband's devious scheme. Investigations show that he had been planning for his daughter's captivity at least 6 years before. ie. when she was 12. when she was TWELVE. He also faked his daughter's voice on the telephone, to convince his wife that the daughter had run away to join a religious cult. I'm not sure how a grown man was able to pull that off.

"Clinton struggles to hang on in democratic race"
Need I say more. Yes she can.

And...
I began summer term last week, and I found out today that mid-term exams are in 2 days time.
Someone actually said tt I look like I'm from RJ. :):):) Finally...
I'm trying to figure out why some people choose to become eunuchs. seriously.

the play called 'The Fallen World'

on my way to tuition, i saw a body bag at the void deck, and about 7 police cars dotting the parking spots all around. the place was cordoned off with police tape. the crowd was 'kaypoh'ing (myself included), patiently waiting for the drama to conclude. but the body just lay there... lifeless, alone, distant... at rest. looked like murder to me. except that, there was no blood.

and so everyone arrived at their own conclusions, and went about their own business.

i just realised tt i'm supposed to submit an assignment by midnight. shit.

the Wii

3 months late... but i've FINALLY set up the Wii :) Ahhh... the satisfaction of accomplishment.


A member of DBS' senior management said that the best way to get an internship is to walk right in and ask for one. He's asked me to try it if I don't believe in its efficacy. But I've never been kicked out of an office before.

life seems to be repeating itself. each time, it's a different setting. but the plot remains the same. life is nothing more than a cycle - a series of events that repeat themselves over and over. Jaques' soliloquy from Shakespeare's As You Like It begins with the following: All the worlds a stage, and all the men and women merely players. It sure feels like it. We're all part of this huge sadistic play call The Fallen World. I'd like to be the melancholic lunatic.

NOTE TO SELF: play it better this time round, or you're going to be screwed over.. again?

the all-time favorites

we're learning about mummification in class. i'm not sure why. so i decided to compile my list of all-time favorite songs to listen to. I've arranged them in order of year of release:

The Beatles – Yesterday (1965)
The Beatles – Let it Be (1970)
Tommy Page - Shoulder to Cry On (1988)
Extreme – More than Words (1991)
Michael Jackson – Give in to Me (1993)
Oasis – Wonderwall (1995)
Sarah McLachlan – Angel (1997)
Greenday – Good Riddance (1997)
Fastball – Out of My Head (1998)
Luther Vandross – Dance with My Father (2003)
Craig David – You Don’t Miss Your Water (2003)
Maroon 5 – She Will Be Loved (2004)
McFly – All About You (2005)
Michael Buble – Home (2005)
Wyclef Jean ft. Jay Read, Akon, & Lil Wayne - The Sweetest Girl (2007)
Natasha Bedingfield – Soulmate (2007)
John Legend – PDA (2007)
Akon – Don’t Matter (2007)
Flo Rida ft. T-Pain - Get Low (2007)
Madonna ft. JT and Timbaland – 4 minutes (2008)

The songs that stick seem to be the emo ones. Either that, or they only had emo songs playing on the radio in the past.

no, i still can't memorise more than half a line from each song.

the mud-slingers, cockroach, and bartender

i was reading 'The Warren Buffett Way' by Robert Hagstrom (yes I read) and chanced upon this passage:

"Unfortunately, there will always be a small percent of society, but a large absolute number, of small-minded envious miscreants who can't create a life of their own. Instead they love to throw mud. The purpose of life for these misguided souls is to attempt to create pain where they can't otherwise create gain... And when mud is thrown,... contemplate the criticism or allegation without feeling judged by it."

I like the way he writes. He was writing about the mudslingers of Warren Buffet - only the most brilliant of investors in the world. Very... soothing, don't you think?

i displayed my valor recently.... by running away from a flying cockroach. my friend was so freaked out, she screamed with terrible persistence. AT 3AM. the neighbors came up to check if something was amiss. that was a little embarrassing.

i attended a wedding where the bartender himself got pretty high. yes, he was Indian. ah.. our rich heritage.

Soccer investments...

the Grameen Bank guy

today, I had to make a presentation during lecture on Professor Muhammad Yunus, the guy who founded Grameen Bank. for some weird reason, i kept misreading his name as Prophet Muhammad. i think i'm secretly Muslim.

i wasted a mouth-full of Baileys today cos i choked. damn sad.

the reasons

I’m not sure if it’s wrong to justify everything I do. If anything, doesn’t that mean that I believe in what I do – that I have my reasons for doing what I do? Any rational person will do something only if he has reasons to do it. When someone accuses me of doing something, and I justify my doing it, is it reasonable for the accuser to feel exasperated that I have reasons for everything? Would it make the accuser feel any better if I said that I didn’t have any reason - I just did it because I felt like it? I’m guessing that that’ll make him/her even more upset with me – because I didn’t even bother to have a reason to do what I did.

Example: I go kill Mr X. Mrs X asks me why I killed him. Which response would appease her most?

1. Mr X was planning to murder Timbaland, so I killed him.
2. Mr X likes Elton John, so I killed him.
3. Doh… I just felt like killing him. (recall: psychopathic killer from Scream)

Response 1 is obviously more valid than Response 2. But Response 2, no matter how unjustified, still makes a person feel less awful than Response 3, doesn’t it?

So, the next time you get angry when I come up with reasons for whatever I do, wonder what it would be like if I provided no reason at all. Then you’ll have REASON to thank me ☺

the road accidents

today's a sad day. i drove past 2 accidents and got sort of involved in one.

have you seen a trailer overturned on a van, blocking all 4 lanes of the PIE? we had to use the road shoulder cos everywhere else was blocked off by the massive trailer. and some clowns parked on the road shoulder, got out of their vehicles and started snapping pictures, adding to the congestion.

- you can't see the van cos it's crushed -

4 hours later, i saw a pile up involving 2 taxis and a private vehicle. i know i shouldn't have, but i smiled when i saw the taxis. (my dislike is not directed at anyone in particular. pls don't take offense)

1 hour later, i was listening to '4 mins' blasting through the car stereo and couldn't respond in time to the taxi that braked suddenly infront of me. (now u know y i smiled). for such an impact, i'm surprised there were no damages. i'll know for sure on monday.

the Omen

Today, at the credit market crisis talk, I asked the JP Morgan Director guy a question. He responded vaguely and concluded by saying that the question was a difficult one indeed. I'm not sure if he meant that I had asked a good one, or a useless one. I have a bad feeling it's the latter. Why can't people be less tactful? It saves everyone the trouble of guessing.

Today, i ate at a hawker center after a very, very long time. No, I'm not a perpetual patron of restaurants. I think it has more to do with me eating only one meal a day. I wake up too late to have breakfast. And I'm (acting) busy during lunch time. The drink auntie refused us beer cos she thought we were underaged. Hmmmm...

We watched the Omen today. I think I would be really happy if my kid turned out to be the anti-Christ and I had to kill him. I'd feel all-important with the fate of the world lying solely in my hands. The Omen kid's hair is like mine (see below). If he squinted a little more, his eyes would look like mine too.


I think I am not fated to quit alcohol. I received a bottle of Baileys Mint Chocolate from a cuzzin today. Apparently, I had asked him to buy it for me a loooong time ago. Thank you MAN! :P

This term sux. If I don't make it to Dean's List, I'll go down 5 pints of beer at a go. That might make me happy.

the play

Hats off to the ACSian Theatre for the incomparably entertaining production of Pride and Prejudice. I was totally blown away by the acting, dancing, unintentional dirty dancing, almost-kissing scenes, mushy dialogue and fake English accents. Only regret is that they disallowed picture-taking due to copyright issues.

I realised that the Balcony has a jacuzzi in the middle of the bar. not sure how i missed that before. wonder if they allow people in.

my tuition kid wants more lessons. =) woo hoo!

the rich offices

The Bloomberg office is SINFUL. Half the office is the pantry. And everything's so white and minimalist.

The AXA Wealth Management office houses RICH people. The director's target annual commission is $7m. @#%$@%$. We discussed P/E ratios extensively. Something I knew almost zilch about.

Oosh is freakin' awesome, if you have a car.

- i know how to use double-headed financial terminals -