Mild depression sets in, as the holidays draw to a close.
But then, I think of the many many $ingaporeans I see having to rush to work early in the mornings when on those days the most pressing thing on my mind when I open my eyes in bed is where to go and what to eat for breakfast, and I feel better.

I didn't go overseas during this holiday, only to Johor for a day-trip, by way of bus 969 and MRT and bus 170.

But I enjoyed my home, the many mornings of leisurely breakfasts with family, and shopping at Orchard (Polo Ralph and Tommy Hilfiger both had 20% off storewide). I think I better stop picking up Polo Ralph polo tees, sale or not.

My black IPod Nano from Prudential has finally arrived the week before, and it is fun, even though it's the 2GB version. What to expect, it's a free gift for their savings plan. Whole albums that I've put inside the IPod:

Dimitri from Paris - A Night at the Playboy Mansion

Dimitri from Paris - After the Playboy Mansion (2CD)

Dimitri from Paris - In The House (2CD)

Dimitri from Paris with Joey Negro - Kings of Disco (2CD)

Dimitri from Paris with DJ Muro - Super Disco Friends (2CD) (simply the best)

Teenage Fanclub - Man-Made

Teenage Fanclub with Jad Fair - Words Of Wisdom And Hope (had to buy the CD online)

Sonic Youth - Dirty (deluxe edition)

Thievery Corporation - The Richest Man in Babylon

Thievery Corporation - The Cosmic Game (their latest album)

The Avalanches - Since I Left You (a masterpiece of mixing together old samples)

BLOOD exhibition sountrack

Obviously, I think old-school disco simply rocks (and I'm not referring to the likes of Bee Gees or Boney M). No one makes uplifting music like that anymore. One can always trust Dimitri from Paris. To get a feel of what I mean by old-school disco, go to the 'Super Disco Friends' website, where you can listen to a full stream (yes, full) of the 2 mixes on this 2CD album. It's WORTH A LISTEN.

Had the difficult task of picking a decal to cover my Ipod Nano (which hasn't even arrived yet).
Torn between:







Chose the first one in the end.

With the return of A from Adelaide, we finally got an opportunity to visit and take a look at D's flat in CCK.
In comparison to our last gathering early this year, I could see that TL and A have become less horizontally-challenged. Oh, and myself too, bugger. Whereas ZH seems to have shrunk a bit.
It was also a rare opportunity to check out D's collection of collectible toys. I liked his bear-brick collection cum display.

I was mobilized (silent) for my first time today, so had to leave D 's place earlier, to report to Selarang Camp in full battle order. Luckily we are not at war with Malaysia, or else I would find myself drawing arms.

Onitsuka boutique at Wheelock Place, here I come!

Came across a worthy article to read from a London newspaper regarding our island, in the wake of the Nguyen hanging.

Excerpt: he will be the rare bird who challenges Singapore's unwritten 'social contract' with the Lees, under which compliant Singaporeans essentially agree to eschew high-minded things like democracy and human rights in return for never-ending wealth.

There is a Christmassy UOB credit card commercial on TV now which says that a UOB credit card is the best Christmas 'card' of all, and shows happy people receiving Christmas gifts, with the tagline 'The card that gives... and gives... and gives'.
Well, well, well, BOLLOCKS to that; seems UOB had forgotten to add another line: 'You pay and pay and pay'.

Credit cards, as Scott Adams (Dilbert) once wrote, are the cocaine of banks. Don't get addicted to spendin'.

Absorbed in a library-loaned Stephen King novel now, the thick thick paperback kind-- NEEDFUL THINGS.

Memorable phrases from the book:

'she was about as Christian as Judas Iscariot'

'he was not overburdened with intelligence'

The next time, I can tell some of my students, "You are certainly not overburdened with intelligence...'

The beauty of blogging is being able to keep a record of things that one wants to remember and never forget. It has been more than a year since I posted the poem below composed by my ex-student Benjamin Seet. He composed it after the class (me included) witnessed an accident involving their classmate (Lynette) and a van. Lynette suffered serious injuries, while we suffered mentally.
Thanks to God that Lynette was strong, and survived and rode through her ordeal, even managing to complete her O levels in the same year. Seeing Lynette up and about has brought me great joy, and helped to heal my mental scar. However, reading the poem, even now, still brings tears. Thanks Benjamin, for your way with words, and thanks Lynette, for pulling through.

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The strongest girl who ever lived

The scent of jubilance saturates the morning air,
And the birds, their chirps, based on a major.
I saw you, quiet and reserved, just as ever.
Up the bus you went, not knowing what a fate it might deliver
All this while, a love for you, in our hearts it hid
For we would never have realized how much you mean to us,
till the day, the van, it sped.

But I hope you realize our desire,
Our desire to share this burden with you, to lessen this pain for you
Our love we no longer want to hide,
For all we want you to do is to continue to fight.

Our class would never be complete without you.
Our hearts will forever exist a vacuum only you could fill.
For we know of your bravery, we have witnessed your courage.
We know you do not want us to shed a tear for your sake.
But we're sorry, this wish, we could never fulfill.
Please be strong, Lynette, please get well soon.
For only with your return, will our hearts keep still..........

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Came back from the launch of the Gerald Charles Genta TURBO chronograph, where Gerald Genta (he of the grey hair and grey curled moustache) himself was present. Organised by Cortina, the venue of the event was at Velvet Underground, and began at 8pm.
Haven't been to Velvet for ages; I remember I was there quite a while ago for the Thievery Corporation gig (Heineken Green Room Sessions). As I entered, I received a chop on my arm, and upon checking with the bouncer, he confirmed that the chop would also give me entry to Phuture and Zouk later on, not bad at all! It would be an opportunity to see the post-renovation Zouk and Phuture without paying any crummy cover charge.
Benedict Goh was the emcee at the TURBO launch. Also spotted Jimmy Z (Ch 5 actor), Jason Oh (ex Ch 8 actor) and the guy who played the fat security guard in Eric Khoo's Be With Me.
Slipped out to grab a burger at Great World City, came back, and it was 11pm. Since it was Wednesday, it was MAMBO night, and were the crowds thick outside Zouk. The chop on my arm meant I could breeze through the youths who were looking beautiful and queueing patiently. Phuture looked more spacious now, with an additional bar right at the extreme end. Entered Zouk and suddenly was transported back to a Wednesday during my N.S when my camp mates and I squeezed into a car and headed for Zouk from 4SIR, after which we had to go back to camp to sleep.

Back to the present: looking at the human jam inside Zouk, it seemed that 99% of them were 5 or more years younger than me. I knew EVERY song that was played at the dancefloor (of course, they are still playing the same old songs), and it was fun watching the synchronised movements of the youngsters as they performed the correct moves for each song. I guess cheesy 80s retro will always be a hit with the youngsters since EVERYONE could dance to it. After half an hour, I had enough, and went home. I'd much prefer the kitschy disco tunes spun by Dimitri from Paris.