1. The person who last tagged you is:
Angeline

2. Your relationship with him/her is:
Fellow chorister, member of CTITW, and part of the groaning chorus during literature classes when encountering youth and beauty as subject matter/themes in texts.

3. Your five impressions of him/her:
Pet person who likes rearing small animals, draconian and mercenary treasurer, person to rant and rage with, caring and grandmotherly figure, cheerleaderish (see below), and someone who will grow up to have well-behaved and disciplined children,

4. The most memorable thing he/she has done for you:
Wrote little encouragement notes during competitions that I really appreciate. Thanks Angeline!

5. The most memorable thing he/she said to you:
(it wasn't to me but I was in the presence of her rebuking of a certain someone in the choir room, ahem.)

6. If he/she becomes your lover you will:
Realise that she has high expectations and start to worry.

7. If he/she becomes your lover, one thing he/she needs to improve will be:
Has to like cats more than dogs. In fact, I will deliberately borrow other people's cats and purchase cat-related paraphernalia just to emphasise that point.

8. If he/she becomes your enemy you will:
Be sad and try to reconcile our differences in non-violent communication. (Also bearing in mind scary verbal aggression.)

9. The reason he/she becomes your enemy:
Probably due to arguing over animals.

10. The most desired thing you want to do for him/her:
To step in a time machine and relive Melizo again!

11. Your overall impression of him/her is:
Person who is strong-willed and iron-fisted but still has mercy and grace! And will definitely grow up to have well-behaved, disciplined children. Definitely.

I am teething. I have two new molars at the back of my mouth and with them, flaps of gum that have yet to be shed. I am cranky and irritable because I can't help but chew on them when eating, and it is mildly painful but extremely annoying to constantly feel as if there are pieces of flesh that are about to fall off and one wrong move could cause massive hemorrhaging and hence disaster.

Anyway, I have found a great way to eventually fall into a deep sleep. I downloaded this astrophysics video lecture on cosmic waves from itunes U and slowly fell asleep to the lulling voice of the old professor as he was giving his introduction and enumerating about SI units and other terms. And I hadn't even got to the part where he was actually TALKING about cosmic waves.

Results for science subjects will be out around this week and I know that I haven't done really terribly badly and poorly for my paper 1s, only that my scores pale in comparison to the sciencier people, and I, by a massive freak accident, scored B3 for paper 1 alone for Chemistry which is extremely worrying and somewhat upsetting. I am not digging this mediocrity or the triple science combination in any way whatsoever.

At Suki Sushi, after binging on sashimi

Yesterday, CTITW threw a farewell gathering for Lucas! (Why, the CCITW, of course.) We went to Shiyun's house to prep, we brainstormed ideas, I did some clearing up of housekeeping issues to the present (an arty scrapbook), then we had a crossfire (of poker cards) and Mingting and I finally grasped the concept of Bridge. Later on, we left to meet Lucas at Suki Sushi in Hougang Plaza for its sushi buffet. At $17.90 for students, it includes a free flow of juices and sushi. Some premium items are included too, which is perhaps the main draw for us as the promise of a free flow of sashimi and hotate made it a more attractive and economical dinner venue for cash-strapped students like us.

And, as usual, Shiyun wowed us with her amazing distensible stomach as she wolfed down more plates of sashimi and fried, impaled baby octopi and korokke than anyone else. After reaching breaking point, we had to resort to playing games to finish off the rest of the unagi sushi that was declared unworthy since there were only mere traces of unagi in the rolls. However, as if the adrenaline rush gave us slightly more room in our then-depleted appetites, the profiteroles with frozen cream inside were quickly deemed worthy of our consumption during the last few minutes of our meal after someone declared it "nice". This proclamation was then followed by snatching two plates of dessert off the conveyor belt that were completely eaten in rapid succession. In the end, we hobbled out of the restaurant bloated but content. We were in no condition to cam-whore.

And hey people, grab your photos!




And I have breathed new life into my old school shorts. Not in a literal sense, of course; it's more of a "hey I can now include it in my regular wardrobe" kind of discovery. That last picture does not do justice to the sartorial, fashion-forward merits of these bermudas! (OK maybe to a lesser extent.)

Licking beaters

I made mushroom soup using the immersion blender today! It was so convenient! Usually, I have to pour the unblended soup into the blender in annoying watery-chunky batches, which did not help with the cleaning-up at all. Now I just stick the thing in and it purees right it in my pot! While it continues to simmer! And there's no splattering even! It is so amazing and I shall make a tomato-based soup the next time I actually have inspiration to do a soup. Also, for today's soup, I grilled slivers of fresh button mushrooms with sea salt and black pepper in attempt to do a pretentious take on the truffles that people put on cream/puree/confit/reduction-of-so-and-so type soupy dishes just to be fancy-schmancy. I then added the slices on top of each bowl as a garnish, and to provide added flavour.

And I've made more cookie dough. Will bake them tomorrow morning! (there's no school!)

I have been using too many exclamation marks these few days. I don't want to come across as those irritating shouty-types who get worked up over small things and have tendencies to squeal/yell/bellow.

And if you're bored;
Net Disaster!
This is fun! You get to type in a website's URL (preferably of one you particularly dislike), and then choose your mode of destruction from the extensive list of options available! I'd recommend the vomit one. A guy walks along the webpage and vomits, but continues walking and leaves gross trails of stepped-on vomit around your target! (If you're into that sort of thing.) There are also choices like mold, dog poop, mars attacks... the Works.

Almost forgot... I have finally got my immersion blender!! *\O/*

I can now purée to my heart's delight,
with utmost diligence and trembling pride.

:D Rhyming couplet in iambic pentameter!

1. The person who last tagged you is:
Shiyun

2. Your relationship with him/her is:
Debate buddy, member of CTITW, fellow physics-hater, sharer of triple-science stream remorse

3. Your five impressions of him/her:
Has a mind of her own, might just become a career woman leaving her well-behaved husband and two well-behaved girls at home while jet-setting off to Beijing to strike a corporate deal, will be known for turning down popular guys in jc, is the voice of reason, dispenses valuable advice to peers, and has amazing time-management.

4. The most memorable thing he/she has done for you:
By helping me with the stubborn-sugar-that-will-never-dissolve-fully-in-the-whipped-cream episode. And also by being extremely patient with my selective amnesia (the juniors' cards!)

5. The most memorable thing he/she said to you:
Well, it wasn't to me, but it was hearing the magic disappearing reply for the last time in XD. (that is not a smiley!)

6. If he/she becomes your lover you will:
Anticipate harsh reprimanding for forgetting anniversaries, valentine's day etc. etc.

7. If he/she becomes your lover, one thing he/she needs to improve will be:
(See Andrea's one, har de har.)

8. If he/she becomes your enemy you will:
(Once again, see below)

9. The reason he/she becomes your enemy:
(ditto.)

10. The most desired thing you want to do for him/her:
Have a bake-off! :D

11. Your overall impression of him/her is:
Frank, but empathising and sincere nonetheless.

1. The person who last tagged you is:
Andrea

2. Your relationship with him/her is:
Best Friend!

3. Your five impressions of him/her:
Highly logical individual: might work in the EDB or the IMF, will never bake a cake unless absolutely necessary, is pragmatic but compassionate, will get married before hitting 26, and will attend class reunions faithfully till around retirement age. (Oh whoops that's more than five.) Is also loyal, charmingly surprising sometimes, and will be the kind of husband that spouse's girlfriends/bitch posse/clique would not mind having around.

4. The most memorable thing he/she has done for you:
By passing me his jacket during the morning of vj invites because I wasn't feeling so good. And also keeping me company on the phone when I was walking through Bishan Park (from some other place) in its deserted and foreboding state at 10 PM. And also randomly smsing sometimes to congratulate/encourage/cheer me. And remembering that it's a chocolate FONDANT! (off-topic: everyone initially thinks it's a chocolate fonda. What's it with "fonda"? It certainly doesn't resemble Jane Fonda in any possible way, right? So. odd.)

5. The most memorable thing he/she said to you:
Oh many things... actually, many conversations. :D

6. If he/she becomes your lover you will:
Start questioning my sanity.

7. If he/she becomes your lover, one thing he/she needs to improve will be:
I require "lovers" to be able to find Phoebe Buffay from Friends hilarious, share the same taste in music, hold a PhD in quantum mechanics, and be a professor of something obscure but brilliant-sounding. Should also hold michelin stars, and have experience in German expressionist film criticism. (this is optional)

8. If he/she becomes your enemy you will:
Be sad and try to reconcile our differences in non-violent communication.

9. The reason he/she becomes your enemy:
Because he was exposed to alien, mind-altering radiation and starts to become too bent on world-domination / making smelly vegetable sculptures / wants to hunt me down to kill me. And none of which are quite possible realities, anyway. Phew!

10. The most desired thing you want to do for him/her:
Make us some coffee so we can have decent conversation (which is such a rarity now with our busy lives in the maddening crowd!)

11. Your overall impression of him/her is:
Person who keeps calling me a fuzzy bear even though I am not. But besides that, an awesome person to talk, laugh and mope with.

12. How you think people around you will feel about you:
That I am strangely quiet and sometimes lively. I also appear deep in thought when in actuality I am merely stoning. I also can never make up my mind when presented with too many alluring choices.

13. Some characteristics you love about yourself are:
I am patient, understanding, and have the heart to correct the grammar mistakes in the questions before posting. :)

14. On the contrary, the characteristics you hate about yourself:
I spout silly and embarrassing things sometimes in an effort to appear friendly.

15. The most ideal person you wanna be:
Hmm. Hard to say now. But I don't mind being myself, as per normal.

16. For people who care and like you, say something to them:
I'm a terrible friend sometimes and I can make incredibly mean and insensitive remarks, but I hope that if you've been offended, you'll understand that this is only in jest of our human condition and sometimes meant to be taken with a pinch of salt. And I love spending time with you.

17. Pass on this quiz to 10 people whose feelings about you you wished you knew. Those who have done the quiz before may ignore this, but for those have are named and have not, it is my sincerest wish that you take some time off to complete it:
(Hey actually I've done this part for close to like, a few hundred thousand times now and you've also probably done this for me enough times to drive you nuts, so I'm going to fill in other people! [Not that I don't care about what you think about me or anything...])

1. A, the boy who cried because he couldn't sit with me, supposedly his only friend, during tuition when we were in kindergarten
2. The checkout counter staff at 7-11 who sees me nearly every morning when I go in to buy chocolate.
3. Phoebe Buffay (had I met her in real life)
4. My neighbour whom I barely talk to, but often notice carrying a tin of coffee walking placidly underneath the block
5. Toshiki, my Japanese buddy from 2007!
6. My principal
7. The cat that I occasionally visit and play with 2 blocks away
8. Gore Vidal
9. My primary 1 form teacher
10. God

- FIN - (I still have to do one more for Shiyun!)

Full-circle! Full-circle!

I've just come back from Drama Night! (And I could count the number of sec 4s who attended WITH HALF MY LEFT HAND ALONE :O, not counting the drama seniors.) To put it somewhat briefly, they did a play about some toys in a shop that were preparing for their annual mid-year sale parade, only to discover the ritual dashed when piece by piece, they unravel the mysteries surrounding the box that lands into the store, and soon after, their eventual fates. I think there's an element of the macabre in it that underpins the whimsy that is created by the toy store setting, in that the damning hints that the more "informed", as it were, group of toys uncover give some of them a chance to peer into their grisly fates, which is that of their own condemnation and discard. Also of interest is the leitmotif of the toys swinging their arms and giving a cheesy grin whenever they mention the toy store. This becomes and indicator of their pride in the toy store when dissent and ideological differences split them up.

There's a strong sense of moralism on the surface, since the toys split regularly on opposing viewpoints, some choosing to lead a carefree, vain and ignorant existence, living only to celebrate their looks and fame, while others choose to go against the laws and draconian rule of "the minister" of Toysville society, intent on finding out the truth for themselves than to be content with the explanations that The Minister has to offer. (Or rather, imposes on them.) A range of characters is sketched, such as those that worry excessively about the Unknown, and those that are strongly non-conformist and individualistic, almost to the point of being anarchist.

Yet, the underlying theme that emerges is that of Truth, and also, the entire notion of the suppression of truth to maintain social order — sort of a political allusion to terrorism issues of the status quo.

OKAY THIS IS NO LONGER BRIEF SO I SHALL STOP HERE.

Oh but the ending was good. There was plenty of tension and pathos thrown in, and when the soundtrack playing out the destruction of the toy store played out and the lights faded to black, the ones who escaped questioned their futures, and those who returned and perished with stubborn loved ones gave rise to the question of whether fate is fair and just, and whether it was worth the escape. (Ya know, that sort of thing.)

I remember the first time I went for a performance in secondary school. It was Romeo and Juliet, and I was sec 1 then. It was staged in the hall. As I was looking back, I realised that things had indeed come full-circle again for me. I have just watched my last performance as a secondary school student, and I am back in the hall once again, taking photos, laughing with friends, complaining about the person in front blocking my view, walking back in the night, coughing due to the smoke. It feels strange to be graduating so soon!

And I will be deliberately vague, and say that I do not understand the youth of today and their strange social norms. (!)

Dulce et Decorum Est

Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,
Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs
And towards our distant rest began to trudge.
Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots
But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind;
Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots
Of tired, outstripped Five-Nines that dropped behind.

Gas! GAS! Quick, boys! -- An ecstasy of fumbling,
Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time;
But someone still was yelling out and stumbling
And flound'ring like a man in fire or lime . . .
Dim, through the misty panes and thick green light,
As under I green sea, I saw him drowning.

In all my dreams, before my helpless sight,
He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.

If in some smothering dreams you too could pace
Behind the wagon that we flung him in,
And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,
His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin;
If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,
Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues, --
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest
To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old lie: Dulce et decorum est
Pro patria mori.

Wilfred Owen 1893-1918

He was only 25 when he died!
But I am not seeing the link to chlorine gas, ahem.
(Okay, other "green light", "green sea" and "gas". Green light and green sea could be symbolism, rather than something taken literally, right? Huh? Huh?)

Day 10 of Prelim Exams

Prelims are over! :( Nothing to look forward to now — except the release of O level Chinese results!!! :O :O :O

And EVERYONE has watched the Dark Knight now. I have no time to watch it anymore anyway. But I don't want to catch it on DVD! Movies on DVD just aren't as magical as watching them in the cinema. I think the whole movie-theatre experience amplifies the emotional intensity and tension of the brooding characters, and the (usually) brilliant sound system often adds an aural element that enhances the drama unfolding in front of us. I'm a borderline audiophile, yeah!

I think I screwed up my chem!! It was only outside the exam hall that it dawned on me that many of my answers were wrong and I COULD have known the correct ones! The last question was so unconventional — we were given a war poem, and asked to infer what gas the poem was talking about, and then select one of the 4 given options which states the correct method to test for that gas. How was I supposed to know it was chlorine?! It could have been mustard gas, or ammonia, or tear gas or sarin — the point is, we had to infer from the poem which did not create a level playing field for other students who have never taken literature nor are well-versed in chemical warfare and hence this question is unfair I demand my marks back I want an explanation we can't be thrown multi-disciplinary stuff in our current fragile state etc. etc. etc. (OK, I thought it was a very fun and original question anyway.)

Biology was fun, as always. However, I have confirmed that I have already lost two marks which is such a bummer. The thing about biology is that you can spend less than a minute per question, because the only calculations I had to do for the entire thing was to calculate surface area-to-volume ratios. So when I had finished, and realized I still had 35 minutes left, I checked my paper TO DEATH and spotted so many careless mistakes it was insane. (It was only when I reclined in my seat as the papers were being collected that it dawned on me that one of my answers should have been something else and by then, it was already too late to change it. Gah.)




Interesting: Can you guess who the person in the photo is? I couldn't. I'll bake a cookie for anyone who can. :D