Friday, August 31, 2007

The arriving... and finally

Man... this "Sociolite" magazine project of mine is like carrying a full term pregnancy... took me around 10 mths of forming, and the birth-ing process was the climax, the most intense of the production, before results finally showed. It was the first time for all of us to have the experience of oding a magazine.

Was a little apprehensive about receiving the copy of magazine that I co-published with my team of people, glad that it was finally done but not sure of the turn-out.

When I first held the copy in my hands, I leapt for joy. The feeling was indescribable. My heart thumped away, Qianfu(my marketing head) was almost tearful when he gave his thank-you speech during the AGM to thank the magazine project team. Even though I was not really close to the people at Sociology Society, I was beaming with pride and passion at our work too. It was almost emotional.

Then the stressful part came in, when I spotted a few grammatical mistakes in MY articles. There goes my reputation and integrity as an editor. I think I'm quite a lousy editor, and it dawned upon me that my command of english was not that fantastic afterall.... does blogging regularly mean that my english is good? Ha... who am I kidding..? My language is mediocre, and the phrasing of my words are not enticing. Argh... ignore me... I'm just at a nervous breakdown now that everyone in the campus who reads my magazine will scrutinize and judge me for my incapabilities...

But apart from my errors and shortcomings, there were a few pointers and procedures we as a team have to take note, to avoid similar errors in future.

Ah well... but I remind myself then again, this project is not a one-man team. Even though on my part there were problems, but I think the advertisements and design of the magazine were superb. And because we have already set the foundation for magazine compliation, future issues of Sociolite will only be better and better. Kudos to that!

AND, if I only focus on my faults and because of that I cannot move on and hinder the team... then I really am a loser. Community before self! Individualism will not reign here!

Finally, even though I'm a tad disappointed by things that(will definitely) go wrong, according to Murphy's Law, I still must say this magazine project is a blessing unto me. Refer to
God is Good entry. Even though I din work much with that 2 gals (though they left me with the basic struc ture of compling a magazine) but it was brought to completion. Some how or other.
I dunno if they will come across my blog or not, but.... QIANFU AND CLARYCE.... THANK YOU SO,SO MUCH!!!! Without the hardwork and passion of both of you....the magazine would never ever be possible just on my part. *misty eyes....*

Pictures of my offsprings...




Monday, August 27, 2007


Japanese Summer Festival!!!!

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Went to the Japanese Summer Festival with 2 of my friends + one of their bf. Ariel wore a goregous looking Yukata(the summer version of kimono) and so did me friend Xiu Hua aka Hideka. Both yukatas were Xiu Hua's- she is half-jap, as I like to tell everyone..

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The backdrop of the Japanese school with the summer lanterns across the picture

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Taking XH in action...
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Some youths blowing bubbles to add to the atmosphere

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Food is the highlight of the festival usually.. we would sit around with the food we purchased and have a picnic while soaking up the atmosphere of the stage, dancing and music... :)

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I had no chance to wear the yukata... :( arrived too late for spare ones... oh well but...




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Ha! This is me wearing Yukata 3 years ago!!!!

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Interesting, the word on the fan. It means forbidden... Can place it on forbidden places... It means Festival. Which... is the occasion that I was in. Hur hur...


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Somehow I just like this picture....



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It was an interesting festival... doesn't feel like we are in Singapore... next year, we will go again! Will rope in more friends! We realised dun need tickets to get in! hahah


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On another note, when I got home, I was playing with my camera functions.... managed to take this at 1am at night, from my bedroom window... it is so bright because of the over exposure... night mode...

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Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Inexpressible thoughts...

Thoughts and feelings that cannot be described by mere words... (or is it the lack of my language? :x)

Night after night I lie in my bed with heaves of sighs at my inexpression of words... the complexities of life, emotions, conflicts and all...

Most of all, different world views. Here we are, looking at the same world, living in it, but seeing it from different levels. In a world that embraces relativism, all the more we celebrate different perspectives.

Does this mean that, emotions and feelings can be fundamentally different? Does it mean that not everyone is able to experience similar kinds of emotions? If not, are humanistic values really universal then? If they are universal and common despite our racial, cultural differences, then why the relativism and differing world views in society?

But some say that having a solo, firm stand on one point of view, perceived to be the absolute truth to some, creates conflicts. Some believe that it is things like that that are the source of conflicts, cause they give rise to extremist and narrowminded views, which are rigid and have no room for tolerance. But while it is easy to blame conflict on a person having too firm a viewpoint, this may just be an easy excuse to find quick solutions to problems in the world.

An analogy: a circle is always and forever round, and people who guard this law and "view point" may do things to hurt and prevent others from thinking that it can be a square or a rectangle. But soon in the name of the "circle" law that they know that the circle is round, they use it to manipulate their personal/ political motives, which results in conflicts. And, because of this, other people will start to think that a circle can be a square as well; because if the law of the circle is proven wrong, there would be no basis for the source of conflict. Therefore, relativism can also tell you that a circle is a square.

Why am I saying all these? If you think hard enough, and if you know me, you will know what I'm trying to drive at, in a subtle way. This is my answer to the post-modern world, where people celebrate and embrace all things. I may be regarded as a total conservative and partially blinded to being open-minded, but, after all, in relativism, everything should be taken with a pinch of salt, and be criticized, even at relativism itself.

Of course, many of us, after being exposed to the possiblility and idea of relativism, will also experience normlessness in this society, I'm sure most people have felt it. The deep longing for something-but-dunno-what-thing, the tendency to get into a deep reflective mood late into the strange, quiet night.... some call it emptiness, some call it hollowness, some label it as "time to find a spouse", I call it trying to find some meaning and deeper realisation in my life. Thats what leads to my inexpressible thoughts, feeling and emotions that baffle myself.

Hello Teddy....




Wednesday, August 15, 2007

All will be good... all will be good

Today was somewhat a day of nostalgia... a mix of the new and the old. I took the day off to go for a psychometric and personality test at mindef as part of my job recruitment. Following that was a chain of meeting-up-with-old-friends, retail therapy and a visit to my good ol' campus, to see and dine at the new arts canteen.

When I was doing my personality test, I felt like I couldn't really give a firm answer of what kind of person I really am. I feel like I'm in the in-between stage, having to fret and be bothered about nitty-gritty things, but at the same time, I'm in the process of learning how to relax and let go of things. I'm optimistic yet worried at times, calm with bits of anxiety stirring up from time to time. But nonetheless, I'm glad for the optimism I see in my life.

It was really good having to take the day off and meet up with friends I have not met for sometime, met Clark "Quay" working at CMPB for a light snack after my job testing, had retail therapy at Vivo City cos I realised my favourite not-too-causal looking shirt is going to be washed till its see-through (oops wore the wrong color bra today!!!) and bought some decent looking tops appropriate for office wear.

Scooted off to NUS, awed at the new canteen and met dear old Nicole for lunch, and along the way, saw many old faces. :) It was really a comforting feeling to see the noisy, funky, vibrant campus again! Ate the good ol Yong Tau Foo laksa (actually the standard dropped abit cos they have not cooked for a long long time) and drank the same old tea. Ahhh nicee... its like back to the old days with a much better canteen condition, windier and all. Had an interesting, quite intellectual discussion with Nic on the political situation in Singapore... I think Sociology majors, even though deemed irrelevant w.r.t to our course of study in the working world, raises a breed of thinkers who have more radical world views than most people, and hoho we are proud of that. Later in the evening caught up with poor Fishie aka Ariel (her real name) who was so lost in her emotional world till she cannot articulate her thoughts properly to me. Sighz....

Went back to the good ol library, and saw the same people, ahh so nice to see them again, and went back to the canteen after a while to further "socialise". This time I tried some masala chai latte from the new cafes built a level above the canteen, nice. Had a further longer talk with elizabeth and finally went home. Dunno when I will be back in arts for a visit again. But I suppose, it is the absence that makes the heart grow fonder. The thought of going back to school but without having to fret the workload makes it all the more desirable for campus life.

But no matter which route I have decided to take or am taking now, in my course of job searching, in my course of working temp at IMH, and my personal life... all will be good, all will be good....

Saturday, August 11, 2007

HAPPY 42th BIRTHDAY MY COUNTRY!!!!

[Amy's first attempt at photoshop with her sis's help. :) ]

Wednesday, August 08, 2007

Amy @ IMH

I recently got into IMH. And I have been there everyday. The place there is quite nice and green, peaceful and calm.

At first I was quite apprehensive going there, but after sometime, I found that the people there were very nice, and the environment very friendly. If only people from the working world could all be as nice as these workers in there. The world will be such a beautiful place with tolerance.

If you have not quite figured out why am I there still.... I am working as a temporary research assistant in that place. Haha.

I liking it more and more everyday, save for the long distance from my house. People there are soo nice.

Yep, and the appointment at IMH marks the begining of my working life... :)

WAKE n BAKE

Last friday's wake session was just COOL... Me and Nicole upped our skills from that session and played till our arms and backs were aching, and our skins nicely roasted to a golden brown. Perfect colour, like roasted chicken.

Let the pictures do the talking!!!!

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This is how you begin- floating in the water

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Boat pulling Nic up- and ready to glide on the waters

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In the uber cool position!


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Uh-oh... felt flat into the waters again :P
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A shot on the boat


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While we were enjoying, there were our friends in green slogging away in the army jungle mauhahah


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One of the stunts we learnt- learning to cruise through the waves to the left side


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Yet another uber cool shot..


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Best shot so far! Nicole just looks damn cool.. of course with the help of the good camera woman- me. HAHA


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View from the boat which is making the foamy waves
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Took time out for a vain shot before I got into the waters...


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Hur hur... Will Nicole kill me for putting this up??

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Me! I just made through the waves without falling or losing my balance!!!

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Trying to look to the far end and make myself balanced so that I wouldn't slam into the water and shuff seawater into my brains through my nostrils...

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After a tiring morning.... free buffet lunch... mmmmm

Saturday, August 04, 2007

Pictures and results...

Last weekend's event:
  • Swim 750m: 00:24:47
  • Bike 20km: 00:55:13
  • Run 5km: 00:36:13
  • Total: 01:56:12
  • Ranking: 93








Wednesday, August 01, 2007

Silly question...

I was at Holiday Inn last thursday to collect my race kit. The collection point was at the 4th floor in the hotel. Just as I approach the lift lobby, a few men entered the lift and were about to close the doors. I rushed in just in time before the door closed.
(my mood was very dead and sleepy due to a long and rainy bus ride from home to the hotel)

When I entered the lift, the few men, I think from Korea or China, those old-fashioned middle aged kind, chuckled to me... :"Hohoho.. quick! quickly press the lift buttons!! ahh ahh! Just in tiimee to presss... hohoho..."

I gave them a forced smile....

Then a few seconds later, one of them quipped:" Ohh... why 4th floor? why not 27th floor? (27th was the highest)"

I gave them a dead pan face and told them:" Er because I need to go to the 4th floor?"

*silence*

Then the same guy added:" Hohoho... that was a silly question ya?"

Me:(pretend to be friendly)" hur hur... its okay..."

Lift stops at 4th floor

"Byeee"
"Bye bye!"
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