Sunday, July 08, 2007
Friday, December 22, 2006
Sunday, November 12, 2006
E20 @ YX farewell 2006
Saturday, November 11, 2006
E20 @ ECE Alumni gathering 2006
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Friday, October 13, 2006
Why Fri the 13th
Sunday, July 09, 2006
Sunday, June 25, 2006
Weekend June 24, 2006
Frances Ong Hock Lin
MY husband and I have been married for 18 years as of last Saturday.
I remember that when we were preparing for the wedding, there were many
rites and rituals we chose not to follow. Of course, there were a few that
we did, to please our parents, such as the wedding dinner and the church
ceremony.
But we did not go to the studio to have our wedding portraits taken;
neither did I have make-up done a by professional. My wedding gown was
hand-sewn by my students and I arranged a simple bunch of yellow lilies
tied with a pink ribbon.
For our honeymoon, we backpacked all the way to Bangkok on a shoe-string
budget.
Over the years, I have observed that many of my friends have followed many
rites and rituals with regard to weddings, the birth of a child, or
funerals.
As a family begins to form, family routines usually form, such as going to
church on Sunday or going overseas for holidays during June or December.
Sometimes these rituals cost an arm and a leg. But have we ever stopped to
think why we spend so much money on them?
While it is important to follow them in order to establish and reaffirm
our cultural roots, these rites do not guarantee that the relationships
between the participants are functioning or even healthy.
A great wedding does not automatically imply or even assure a great
marriage. Yet each year, more brides focus on being a great bride for that
one day, instead of being a faithful wife for life.
One of my friends does not have a functional marriage with his wife
anymore, yet he dutifully follows the rites and rituals for celebrating
the birth of his two daughters.
In the 1940s, Abraham Maslow the psychologist postulated that the most
basic of human needs are those of safety and physiological well-being. The
next level is the social need. People need to form relationships, to give
and receive love, to feel a link with others and to feel a sense of
belonging.
If these social needs are met, people can thrive at their optimal level
and live life to their full potential.
So what happens when you no longer have a functional relationship between
husband and wife, parent and child, or brother and sister?
Many will choose to hide behind these rituals and rites to avoid
confronting the truth that they need to work on the relationship.
Observing these gives one a false sense of achievement.
It is so much easier to give hongbaos and presents to someone you do not
like, than to ask for forgiveness from each other.
Similarly, it is easier to take the wedding photograph than to iron out
the nascent problems with your future spouse.
Routines, rites and rituals can never replace the relationships we have
with each other. It takes a lot of hard work, to work on a relationship.
It requires us to listen to each other and suspend judgment and bias. It
demands that we forget ourselves and focus on the other.
Instead of just wanting to have and to hold, we have to learn to give and
to serve.
The writer is an educator and mother of six.
Friday, April 28, 2006
Sunday, April 16, 2006
Saturday, April 15, 2006
Sunday, March 19, 2006
Friday, March 17, 2006
Sunday, January 29, 2006
I read from Yixuan's blog that the 4 pp she tagged has to perpetuate this post in their respective blogs and spread to another 4 others... Sounds familiar? Somewat like the Japanese movie: The Ring?!?!?! haha...
Well, instead of following suit, I thot I'll jus do something different over here. Take this opportunity to intro you guys to the new Superhero on the block. Here's a sneak peek of him in action. The E20 Spiderman


Today is the first day of Chinese New Year 2006. Here's wishing everybody happy holidays. =)
Wednesday, December 28, 2005

For those who are interested, my apologies for the delay. Me trying hard to keep up with the golden tortoise series but its jus changing too fast for me (a bit like trying to keep up with the 2.4km timing for IPPT). hee... Nobody ever said paparazzi business is a piece of cake.
Anyway, here's another 1 for the fans.
Merry Christmas 2005! Happy Holidays. =)


Hey YX and Kelly, pai seh leh, I forgot to bring this to the class gathering last time round. haha...
Finally got my scanner fixed up again so here is it guys. (this postcard was sent when YX met Kelly in the US. its seriously belated =P)
Looking fwd to the first E20 wedding dinner on sat! See ya guys there.
Monday, December 05, 2005

Christmas 2005 @ Bedok
Emily married.
Yongwei married.
Ruben will probably be lucky #3
i.e. provided Shane dun jump the queue and overtake him in 1 swift motion haha... =P
Interestingly, our dinner topics now have moved on to marriage, wedding dinners, HDB flats, babies and so forth. Time stops for no man.
Of cos, there was still the reminiscent bit. Days of the amplifier still come up now and then. A memory forever etched in E20 history (amongst many others). Though it was really surprising tt the word 'Haldar' popped up.
And how could we have a decent Xmas gift exchange w/o chocolates for yonghui? YongHow and his antics never fail to liven up any event. We shall wait for him to demostrate his 720 degree spin jump on Emily's wedding so that Bobby can imitate for us to see. Right Emily?...
For those interested, here are the rest of the fotos http://www.flickr.com/photos/54594832@N00/
Monday, October 31, 2005
What Women Really Want
From: Gail <gycube@gmail.com>
Date: 23-Oct-2005 14:58
Subject: What Women Really Want
What Women Really Want
Young King Arthur was ambushed and imprisoned by the monarch of a
neighboring kingdom. The monarch could have killed him, but was moved
by Arthur's youth and ideals. So the monarch offered him freedom, as
long as he could answer a very difficult question. Arthur would have a
year to figure out the answer; if, after a year, he still had no answer,
he would be put to death.
The question: What do women really want?
Such a question would perplex even the most knowledgeable man, and, to
young Arthur, it seemed an impossible query. But, since it was better
than death, he accepted the monarch's proposition to have an answer by
year's end.
He returned to his kingdom and began to poll everybody: the princess,
the prostitutes, the priests, the wise men, the court jester. He spoke
with everyone, but no one could give him a satisfactory answer. Many
people advised him to consult the old witch--only she would know the
answer. The price would be high; the witch was famous throughout the
kingdom for the exorbitant prices she charged.
The last day of the year arrived and Arthur had no alternative but to
talk to the witch. She agreed to answer his question, but he'd have to
accept her price first: The old witch wanted to marry Gawain, the most
noble of the Knights of the Round Table and Arthur's closest friend!
Young Arthur was horrified: She was hunchbacked and hideous, had only
one tooth, smelled like sewage, made obscene noises... etc. He had never
encountered such a repugnant creature. He refused to force his friend to
marry her and have to endure such a burden.
Gawain, upon learning of the proposal, spoke with Arthur. He told him
that nothing was too big a sacrifice compared to Arthur's life and the
preservation of the Round Table. Hence, their wedding was proclaimed,
and the witch answered Arthur's question thus:
What a woman really wants is to be in charge of her own life.
Everyone instantly knew that the witch had uttered a great truth and
that Arthur's life would be spared. And so it was. The neighboring
monarch granted Arthur total freedom.
What a wedding Gawain and the witch had! Arthur was torn between relief
and anguish. Gawain was proper as always, gentle and courteous. The old
witch put her worst manners on display, and generally made everyone very
uncomfortable.
The honeymoon hour approached. Gawain, steeling himself for a horrific
experience, entered the bedroom. But what a sight awaited him! The most
beautiful woman he'd ever seen lay before him! The astounded Gawain
asked what had happened. The beauty replied that since he had been so
kind to her when she'd appeared as a witch, she would henceforth be her
horrible, deformed self half the time, and the other half, she would be
her beautiful maiden self. Which would he want her to be during the day,
and which during the night?
What a cruel question! Gawain pondered his predicament. During the day,
a beautiful woman to show off to his friends, but at night, in the
privacy of his home, an old witch? Or would he prefer having by day a
hideous witch, but by night a beautiful woman with whom to enjoy many
intimate moments?
What would you do? What Gawain choice follows below, but don't read
until you've made your own choice.
Noble Gawain replied that he would let her choose for herself. Upon
hearing this, she announced that she would be beautiful all the time,
because he had respected her enough to let her be in charge of her own
life.
What is the moral of this story?
If your woman doesn't get her own way, things are going to get ugly!
Monday, September 19, 2005

If after seeing this foto, you are wondering if our Opamp has had a shotgun marriage in US and this is the foto our her first born......
then I believe you should be a gossipmonger as well (since great minds think alike). =p
Find out what is the real relation between this kid and Opamp's tummy here: http://sheyx.blogspot.com
Sunday, August 14, 2005
Good policy
IN-CAMP TRAINING FOR NSMEN REDUCED
Friday August 12, 2005
Loh Chee Kong
FROM April next year, In-Camp Training (ICT) for operationally ready
National Servicemen (NSmen) will be cut from 13 to 10 years, Mindef
announced yesterday.
The change will take place with immediate effect for NSmen who have
already started their ICT. This means that around 17,000 men who have
completed 10 years of training will be getting their run-out-date letters
earlier than expected.
The move follows the Singapore Armed Forces' (SAF) announcements that it
is working towards becoming a Third Generation (3G) fighting force, in
which it will harness new, advanced technologies to enhance soldiers'
fighting capability and reduce full-time NS from two-and-a-half years to
two years.
Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean said: "The army has finished the review of
the Operationally Ready National Service system, so we are now able to
streamline the ICTs."
A 3G SAF is "not just about the equipment but about training systems", he
added.
Said Mr Teo: "For example, the in-processing is a lot more efficient now.
So the time that a NSman spends in ICT can be better used for training.
(Training) will be more performance- and outcome-based. Subsequent
sessions can be tailored to the standards that the NSmen have achieved."
Previously, reservists had to undergo three two-day Basic Individual
Training (BIT) sessions and 10 ICT sessions over a period of 13 years.
Under the new system, there are no BIT sessions, but NSmen still have to
complete 10 ICTs or reach the statutory ages when their NS liability ends,
whichever is sooner. Under the Enlistment Act, reservists are liable for
NS call-ups up to the age of 40. For officers, this is 50 years.
Director of National Service Affairs Brigadier-General Hugh Lim said:
"The impetus for the change is the 3G transformation of the army. What
facilitates it is the surge of full-time NSmen over the next 10 years."
He added that the change will be sustainable, despite Singapore's
declining birth rates.
BG Lim said: "We hope that by then, all the 3G transformation efforts will
reduce the deficit of manpower and eradicate it. Many are already kicking
in at this point."
......
Saturday, August 06, 2005
TODAY article
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
YOUTH GET THEIR SPACE, BUT BUTTON THEIR LIPS
Given their own hotspot to play with, young S'poreans don't seem to care
Friday 5 August 2005
Tor Ching Li
NOW they have what they wanted, they don't know what to do with it. Or,
they don't care.
In a nationwide consultation exercise, Singaporean youth revealed last
year that they wanted a community space to call their own.
The Government has granted their wish in the form of a 1.2ha plot of land
in Orchard Road called *scape. It has even asked them how they would like
to see the space used.
All it has received so far are some uninspired suggestions - but mostly
silence.
The *scape advisory panel is trying to wring responses out of Singapore's
apathetic youth - even offering iPod shuffle mp3 players for ideas that
should have been forthcoming anyway.
With less than a month before the consultation period ends, just over 700
of Singapore's 700,000 youth - those aged between 15 and 29 - have come up
with suggestions.
According to *scape advisory panel co-chair Khairudin Saharom, 29, most of
the entries were obtained from secondary school students at school
outreach events.
Getting the views of working adults in their early-to-late-20s has proven
an uphill task.
"Personally, I would like to hear more youth speak up," said fellow
co-chair Charissa Ee, 33.
The irony is that Mr Vivian Balakrishnan, the Minister for Community
Development, Youth and Sports, said at the launch of *scape that it
"should not be something that is planned top-down, but should emanate from
young Singaporeans".
Instead, it appears that young Singaporeans are either not used to being
asked for their opinion or simply cannot be bothered.
"We've never had something as 'bottom-up' as this before," said Ms Ee.
And the advisory panel has shown flashes of frustration. Added Ms Ee:
"It's typical of Singaporeans to ask for something, but when they get it,
they don't take ownership and wait for a top-down approach."
Entrepreneur and *scape advisory panel member Elim Chew is desperately
dreaming up ways to stir young people out of their apathy.
"We will be sending out emails to working youth above the age of 25," she
said. "The response should be (greater) than it has been."
One of the suggestions received so far is to include a rooftop garden, to
be linked to the nearby Orchard Cineleisure via an overhead bridge. "One
of the youth wanted this open rooftop to star-gaze and hang out with
friends," said Mr Saharom.
Other suggestions include a flea market where shops could be set up
rent-free and a swimming pool with see-through glass walls.
However, most ideas have been "quite tame", said Mr Saharom. "We're
waiting for that buzz that will shock."
But has the panel given enough publicity to the project in the first
place?
"It can be quite tricky because the panel, which is driving the project.
isn't full-time. But we're all very excited about it," said Ms Ee.
Now the panel is resorting to time-tested methods to get people talking. A
street-poll will be conducted next weekend along Orchard Road.
The top 20 ideas will be rewarded with iPod shuffles.
After the consultation exercise ends, the advisory panel will conduct
dialogue sessions before presenting its recommendations by the end of the
year.
Construction could start next year and *scape could be opened to the
public by 2008. More information is available at www.scape.youth.sg, the
project's official website.
Meanwhile, as she waits for fresh ideas, Ms Chew said: "Youths have asked
for this space - and now they have got this space.
"Moving forward, it's now about how they take ownership of their own
space."
Sunday, July 24, 2005
interesting opinion
IS OUR GOVERNMENT TOO GOOD FOR OUR OWN GOOD?
Friday July 22, 2005
Tang Li
LAST year, when India's communists became part of the governing coalition,
Mr Arun Jain, the CEO of Polaris Software Lab - an Indian IT company - was
asked what this would mean for India's IT industry. He replied: "We have
flourished without government help and as long as the government continues
to leave us alone, we shall continue to flourish."
This got me thinking. How is it possible for India - a large and unwieldy
nation - to produce companies such as Infosys and Wipro, private sector
companies that are investing in more developed countries?
By comparison, Singapore - a nation of highly-educated people - has only
produced world-class companies when its Government is involved in some
way or other.
India's entrepreneurs believe they succeed in spite of the government,
while Singapore businessmen view the Government as a necessity to success.
I believe this state of affairs has come about because the Government has
done too good a job at providing for Singaporeans.
Some would argue that what the nation needs is a spell of bad government.
Good government has killed one of the prerequisites of entrepreneurship -
curiosity and optimism. I read recently - and commented on - an article
about how the failure of the government to provide clean drinking water
had led to a thriving water industry in India. In Singapore, the Public
Utilities Board sees to it that every Singaporean household is provided
with clean drinking water.
Another downside of an overly competent government is that it has led to a
blind trust of authority figures. While Singaporeans do grumble about the
government, they do so in the same way that children complain about their
parents.
Take the Suzhou Industrial Park, for instance. The Singapore and Chinese
governments had "sealed the deal" and Singaporean businessmen assumed that
everything would work well because the Government had helped them. They
were not prepared for the problems of dealing with the provincial Chinese
government. By contrast, Hong Kong and Taiwanese businessmen are prepared
to do business in countries where the rule of law is not strong.
Could these problems be solved with a spell of bad government? The answer
is no, if this means dealing with a rogue or rotten government. One only
has to look at what rogue government has done for the large and
resource-rich Congo to imagine what it would do to small and
resource-poor Singapore.
However, Singapore could deal with indifferent government. Indifferent
government or less efficient government could make the population less
dependent on the government to provide and more willing to create its own
opportunities.
An example is Hong Kong, with not much more population or land than
Singapore. Private entrepreneurs fill many services that the indifferent
government does not. The population is renowned for entrepreneurial
dynamism. And if social indicators are anything to go by, Hong Kong has as
high a standard of living as Singapore. Crime levels are comparable; in
1991, Hong Kong had fewer cases of theft than Singapore.
Ironically, the Singapore Government recognises the dilemma of its own
competence and is taking some action. Its current solution is to involve
the private sector in managing its services or, in some cases, allowing
entrepreneurs to fill certain niches. Look at the way karung guni
enterprises work alongside the National Environment Agency in the disposal
of rubbish.
Will this solution work? My mother said: "Parenting is a lifelong habit"
and it will take time for the Government and electorate to change their
expectations of each other. But change is necessary and given time,
hopefully, Singaporeans will become more resilient and play a greater role
in society for themselves.
Tang Li is a freelance writer. If you wish to comment, email us at
news@newstoday.com.sg
Visit TODAYonline website at http://www.todayonline.com
Saturday, May 28, 2005
Tuesday, April 26, 2005
Sunday, April 24, 2005
Sunday, April 17, 2005
Saturday, April 16, 2005
Sunday, November 21, 2004
Friday, September 03, 2004
Here are the top nine comments made by NBC sports commentators so far during the Summer Olympics that they would like to take back:
1. Weightlifting commentator: "This is Gregoriava from Bulgaria. I saw her snatch this morning during her warm up and it was amazing."
2. Dressage commentator: "This is really a lovely horse and I speak from personal experience since I once mounted her mother."
3. Paul Hamm, Gymnast: "I owe a lot to my parents, especially my mother and father."
4. Boxing Analyst: "Sure there have been injuries, and even some deaths in boxing, but none of them really that serious.
5. Baseball announcer: "If history repeats itself, I should think we can expect the same thing again."
6. Basketball analyst: "He dribbles a lot and the opposition doesn't like it. In fact you can see it all over their faces."
7. At the rowing medal ceremony: "Ah, isn't that nice, the wife of the IOC president is hugging the cox of the British crew."
8. Soccer commentator: "Julian Dicks is everywhere. It's like they've got eleven Dicks on the field."
9. Tennis commentator: "One of the reasons Andy is playing so well is that, before the final round, his wife takes out his balls and kisses them... Oh my God, what have I just said?"
Tuesday, August 31, 2004
Wednesday, August 25, 2004
http://www.pinkystar.com/pds/contents/solo/200401/ttws3.wmv
Wednesday, June 23, 2004
Sunday, May 02, 2004
Popular chinese surnames...
1
TAN
237,800
9.5%
2
LIM
166,000
6.6%
3
LEE
112,600
4.5%
4
NG
106,200
4.2%
5
ONG
66,700
2.7%
6
WONG
65,000
2.6%
7
GOH
56,200
2.2%
8
CHUA
54,600
2.2%
9
CHAN
48,400
1.9%
10
KOH
48,100
1.9%
11
TEO
46,800
1.9%
12
ANG
43,600
1.7%
13
YEO
36,600
1.5%
14
TAY
35,800
1.4%
15
HO
35,000
1.4%
16
LOW
31,600
1.3%
17
TOH
25,300
1.0%
18
SIM
23,800
0.9%
19
CHONG
23,100
0.9%
20
CHIA
22,600
0.9%
Sunday, April 25, 2004
Monday, April 19, 2004
when was the last time a fren of yrs approached you to join venture in starting a dot.com business?
recently i received a call to go listen to a business proposal. as much as i was skeptical throughout the teleconversation, i ended up agreeing to go down for the talk. maybe i'm jus too soft-hearted to reject gals? perhaps only fellow men would understand. hee... =P
Jus to inform all users tt i'll be removing the Gossip Corner link to clube20 (if u dun understand, means it does not concern u so no worries =P) cos clube20 has been getting some spam since i opened up the posting to public. Furthermore, tt is an irritating bug in blogger which always post duplicate mail to clube20.
Also like to take the opportunity to wish Ruben happy birthday today. he's probably the only person in class which qualify to play income tax this yr haha... thanks for the contribution to the country. here's a bday kiss from me *muack!
JX,YM: when can we c the digi foto?
Enjoy the wk ahead! Cheers...
Thursday, April 15, 2004
take care fellas. bb!
Sunday, April 11, 2004
when was the last time u placed coloured paper on a tomb?
For the some of u who will be visiting yr ancesstors within this couple of wks, here's a tip when it comes to burning incense: fold them b4 dumping into the fire pile. It burns faster this way =)
hope u guys had a great good friday long wkend! cheers...
Tuesday, March 02, 2004
when was the last time someone asked u:" would u mind doing......?"
In a recent occasion, i replied no and the person who asked gave a shocked look and walked away. Sensing an obvious miscommunication, i cleared it up by explaining to the person tt i didn't mean no to her request but to her qn (no, i do not mind doing...). jus a minor issue, thot i'll put this up for the record.
cheers =)
Sunday, February 29, 2004
Btw, wat a coincidence bumping into Russel.
Russel: Smoke Less!
=P
Thursday, February 26, 2004
Tuesday, February 24, 2004
Monday, February 23, 2004
This is all done in the hope that a better looking blogsite = more blogs from everyone =P
A commenting function has also been added to keep topics within single threads. please post your comments and ideas about the new site.
ps: tables are a pain in the ass... will change it soon.
Saturday, February 21, 2004
Sunday, February 15, 2004
Sunday, February 08, 2004
i read recently an article tt changed my impression of MBK as Bangkok's shopping heaven. (it has been replaced by Chatuchak!)
[quote]"WHEN in Bangkok, go to Chatuchak weekend market. To say that it is big is an understatement. It is the mother of all mothers of markets. There are 15,000 stalls packed over 14ha. It is open on Saturdays and Sundays and 200,000 people visit it on each of the two days. There's a skytrain station right at its doorstep. The stalls sell a jaw-dropping range of goods - puppies, plants, crockery, cushions, antiques, screwdrivers, you name it, they've got it. The market is divided into maze-like sections, some trendier than others. You are almost guaranteed to get lost but that's part of the fun. You never quite know what you're going to stumble upon next, which also means that if you find something you like, buy it at once for chances of you locating the shop later will be slim. Which was how, 10 minutes after entering Chatuchak, I found myself clutching three bulging plastic bags."
Hey, if we ever have another chance at it again, here's an advise to my MacDonalds Pork Burger buddies [quote]"A colleague had recommended the beef noodle shop at MBK's sixth floor food court. Good choice. And on the fourth floor, you get crunchy pancake-like desserts for, what, 20 cents?"
Regards,
the blue missionary porn star =P
Tuesday, February 03, 2004
No intention to experience it soon though, not brave enough. I think i'll drop tears. btw, i have extremely sad news for all the 5-day work week pp... Labour Day this yr is on a saturday!!! this one really cos my tears to flow like open tap man.
sheesh... let us observe 1 minute of silence to mourn for this titanic loss. Whopee.
Yup, so if i get scolded for dozing off in the office later, the blame goes to him too. =P
Dear readers,
so when's the last time u made an effort to see a fren off at the airport?
i have always been very curious to know wats the feeling of the person being on the other side of the glass waving back to one's family and frens as he/she embarks on a long trip alone into an unknown territory for the first time. the mixed feelings - a pinch of anxiety, a touch of apprehension, a teaspoon of trepidation and an endless flow of excitement the night b4 the flight... shld be quite intense... though i can only 'try' to empathise.
i guess there's only 1 way to find out. haha. =)
Selamat Hari Raya Haji (belated)
Monday, February 02, 2004
here's a cute brain teaser...
2 blind men went shopping. each bought 1 pair of black socks and 1 pair of white socks. after leaving the shop, they bumped into each other and the 4 pairs of socks fell to the ground.
Qn: how can the blind men ensure tt they get back 1 pair of black and 1 pair white socks each?
Saturday, December 13, 2003
when was the last time u went to a wedding ceremony?
I went to my fren's church wedding today and one of the speakers who took the podium left an impression in me. He shared with the newly weds and the audience the secret to a lasting marriage. He even said tt according to researchers who discovered this, tt pp who practise it not only get to enjoy a very lasting blissful marriage, they'll probably also earn more money and live longer!!! Sounds too good to be true? Well, I guess the only way to find out if its jus bullshit would be to put it to the test. So tell u wat, I'll practise this "secret" when I get married and see if I do earn more, enjoy my married life and live longer ;P
2 wks to Christmas. Ho! Ho! Ho!
Sunday, November 30, 2003
have u seen 'The Matrix: Revolutions' yet?
Hopefully, coming this Christmas, we'll get to see a spoof of this epic at the party in Godwin's new home. Featuring Op-amp as Trinity (she gets to choose her own 'The One' out of her 4 current heatsinks namely, the original heatsink and her number 1, 2 and 3 heatsinks) and her fav man as Neo. We'll be shooting our version of Trinity's death scene where her only lines is jus 4 words and for Neo, its jus action, no words. Refer to script below:
Trinity (says to Neo): Kiss me.
Neo: ...(pause)
Trinity: Kiss me.
Neo: (Neo gets lucky)
So now the qn remains... which heatsink will land up with the meaty role? cos the other rejected heatsinks will have to double up as Agent Smith(s).
So for yr own sakes, do catch the show b4 u come for the party! Cheers...
Friday, November 28, 2003
would u dare to try the "food" featured on the show Fear Factor?
i jus ate an egg containing a partially developed duck embryo! Filipinos call them balut and most of them treat it as a delicacy. Had 2nd thoughts b4 i finally decided to munch on, esp when i opened the shell up and saw wat i saw... well if they ever have a spore version of Fear Factor with balut in it, at least i know i'll be 1 step closer to the money. =P
maybe we can use it as a forfeit? haha...
Tuesday, November 25, 2003
so when was the last time u ate food highly recommended by frens? did the taste do justice to its repute?
after digging into a couple of supposedly famous foods and gg away with the "over-rated" feeling each time, i wondered if i'm the one with the fussy tastebuds. heck, i know for sure tt i'm not choosy over food cos i happen to be ok with both beef noodles or kway chup! and if a burger is hot from the oven, has enough mayo (the most sinful on the planet), then it's good enough. The quality of the patty ranks way behind in my list.
So i guess it's the unreasonable expectation i bring along whenever i go sampling famous food. maybe a suggestion for anybody who intend be bring others to savour good food, tell them its famous only after it goes down his/her throats. =)
Selamat Hari Raya.
Sunday, November 23, 2003
it seems the saying tt:"u learn something everyday" is indeed true. =)
yesterday, i learnt something which i thot i'll put in the record such tt i'll rem an outstanding treat from this person. i learnt tt 1 entire banana cake only needs 2 bananas! amazing right? but, in return for the banana cake insight, i shared tt Convectional Rain is a type of rainfall that is common in equatorial areas, caused by warm air (heated by the sun) rising, cooling, condensing and bringing heavy rainshowers. We'll be having a lot of it in the coming mth so get yr umbrellas ready.
eagerly waiting for the banana cake... u know who u r, start baking soon!
=P
Saturday, November 15, 2003
here's another piece of quality gossip fresh from the oven...
For those of u who weren't at Gail's house this afternoon, we received word from a reliable source tt our dear Opamp has got another suitor (tt makes 1 more on top of the current few in the running) hot on her heels. Looks like our dear boy Heatsink will have his hands full clinging on while fending off others' advances toward his heat source. So far, we remain unable to establish anything conclusive yet. I will "try" to give u guys the lastest updates. Do stayed tuned...
Wednesday, October 29, 2003
Remember the painful feeling of not getting wat u want when you most needed it?
Well, if anyone ever needs to get a cough mixture and it jus so happens tt all the pharmacies are closed, dun lose hope cos I got jus the cure for yr pain (or cough). All u need to do is to go down to the nearest Han's restaurant and ask for their Mango Soda. It taste exactly the same except the soda version is diluted with ice.
Wa lau eh! Crap man!
Friday, October 24, 2003
Just like to take the opportunity to share a concern our dear Heatsink might have... in case he is at wits end with finding the right present for his darling Opamp's coming 23th birthday. Well guess wat, there's no need to fret anymore. Here's a sure win tip: get her the Takashimaya Shopping Card. Sure it'll kill yr bank account but wat the heck right? The smile on her face is more than enough reason for u to slog at work for. Pls remember not to wait till her birthday to give it to her cos the sale ends 2 Nov!!! So hurry now, while stocks last. =P
Happy Deepavali. Enjoy the long wkend!
Sunday, October 19, 2003
I happened to chance upon a love quote while surfing the Net. Somehow, it kinda got me thinking and i thot i'll jus share it with u folks over here...
"Love is a fire. But whether it is going to warm your heart or burn down your house, you can never tell." Joan Crawford
My version... =P
"Love is a fire. Get yr own heatsink!" Gossip Gu-niang
Thursday, September 25, 2003
Jus to ans some qns posed in the last 2 msgs.
1. Our class rep asked abt the chalet in 2004. Yes, Shane is planning for it to be held in Dec 2004 (in his free time). As of today (until late 2004 i presume), no bookings have been made. So nothing is confirmed yet cos with terrorist bombings here and there every now and then, we really dun know which chalets would still be left standing by tt time.
Thus, there's is really no pt to plan too far ahead though many motivational speakers will tell u otherwise... =P
Jus keep in mind lah (in case there really is one). And if u happen to have a hot date on the same day as the chalet, jus bring yr partner along lah. Shane really dun mind one lah provided u pay for yr other half's share.
P.S. Xuan jie, i propose tt u read my earlier post regarding the Talent Night to be held during the chalet. u cannot claim ignorance when u kenna the very painful forfeit.
2. Our class most popular, most loved, most endearing actress has yet again brought up the issue on changing the lead actor and actress. But so far (at least for the last 3 yrs lah), i have not yet seen any member of the audience not thoroughly entertained nor heard any complains of sian, no fun, etc from them by any of yr numerous performances. u r like Zoe Tay of TCS. she been the lead for 15~20 yrs but her fans nvr get sick of more!
Ever heard of the saying:"If it ain't broken, dun fix it." ?
Sunday, September 14, 2003
haven't draop a line or 2 in the blog for long...
great to see it updated. Talking about the Mid-autumn MTV..i agree it def still bring out tt smile fr me.
anyway, just wish tt u guys have a great wk ahead! btw got chalet in 2004??i din know tt.
Wednesday, September 10, 2003
As u take a bite into yr lotus paste mooncakes (the more adventurous folk might be testing out new flavours such as durian mooncake instead), slip yr Chinese Oolong teh or bubble teh for the younger generation and gaze at the full moon this Mid-Autumn Festival 2003, some of u, like me, probabaly had sweet old memories resurface in yr heads. The memories of the exact same occassion but of 2 yrs ago... Mid-Autumn Festival 2001... never fails to bring a smile onto my face =P
Therefore, I'll like to take this opportunity to thank the cast for the 'Chang Er ben yue' MTV filmed on tt fateful day. Its a performance not to be forgotten. Thanks for being such a sport!
Sunday, September 07, 2003
Dear readers,
During a recent group gathering, I heard someone lament abt being poor and got no money to spend. Funny thing was, I happen to catch him covered in branded apparels from OP tee, Giodarno jeans, Teva scandals, Deuter bagpack and carrying one of those VERY EXPENSIVE metal water bottles made in Switzerland. These Swiss made bottles have been in fashion ever since some dork discovered tt drinking from the same mineral plastic bottle for too long can kill. So I guess millions of pp like u and I who have been doing jus tt shld start burning joss sticks or saying yr prayers to thank yr own God(s) for letting u off huh...
Back to topic. So the guy was full of branded stuff and even his hp is those got colour type. The only thing we din get to check was his underwear which some suggested tt might have been Hush Puppies. So there i was, confronted by this guy with incessant complains abt his financial woes but yet everything i owned from head to toe probably can't even match his footwear. Bummer, low morale siah.
So the next time u meet someone like i had, remember to check out wat his wearing/carrying. And if its a similar case to mine, u might want to do wat i did tt night (and forever and ever). Use his clothes, scandals, bag, Swiss bottle against him when the talk of no money comes out of his mouth.
Cheers to not raising the booking fees for sports facilities! Have a good wk ahead =)
Dear all, some pp have expressed concern over the Talent Time which is to be held during our class chalet projected to be in Dec 2004. Let me jus take this opportunity to reassure u guys tt there r at least a thousand and one things out there u can do during tt night which can help u avoid forfeit. So pls, no worries, stay cool... its gg to be a night of pure fun and entertainment and hopefully another one of those memorable sessions tt we always have together.
In case any one of u r still desperate for ideas on wat to do, i got one which u can consider all the way until next yr end. Its very simple. Bring a set of spare change (of clothes) and jump off Bedok Jetty!
=P
Friday, August 15, 2003
It's great to hear from u after so long... this blog reminds me of a common tv serial scenerio where the biological father, being a man caught within circumstances, dumps his son to the care of his good fren. I'm proud to tell u tt yr 'son' has survived the mths of yr negligence haha! =P It still commands a fan club of at least 3 pp which is abt 20% of the total no of members.
Since u have realised tt consistency matters in anything we do, i hope to see u consistently dropping by to leave words of encouragement for Heatsink to remind him constantly to be consistent and perservere in his quest to win back his true love. This is a good time for u to show yr concern and be a source of strength to yr dear fren.
Well, here r some words from me:
Heatsink Heatsink all the way!
Dun jus sit at home to pray,
Listen to Kelly and obey,
It'll make her bright and gay.
Better buck up by today,
Else u'll be digging yr own grave.
CHEERS. =)
Tuesday, August 05, 2003
hey, I'm really surprised tt u actually posted a msg!!! =)
wow, thanks for the encouragement. so now, i know tt there's at least 3 pp who follow the story. haha...
Regards,
Gossip Gu-niang
P.S. as for the person who asked me for Big Kapo's identity, u'll jus have u keep on guessing until u get it right ;P
Monday, July 28, 2003
3 Steps to win back yr true love
continued from [11/7/03]
Chapter 2
Step 2 - Enhance yr strengths, accentuate his weaknesses
“No man is infallible.”
In a recent poll conducted at Holland Village, it was ascertained tt one of the fundamental prerequisites most women want in their guy is height. Somehow it seems tt the ladies have conveniently correlated a man’s height to the amount of ‘an quan gan’ she derives from hanging out with him (much to the displeasure of the men present during the polls who were incidentally, all below 1.8m).
In another poll (done on the same grp of pp), it was discovered tt though height wins out, there is another trait tt women look for in men which is jus as important. And this being: a good conversationalist. Hence, as much as they want someone who can provide them with a sense of security when they r with, deep down, they also yearn for a guy who can provide them comfort though his words and can share their ideas, thoughts and lives.
The morale of the story is: If yr opponent is a taller person, the odds against u r proportional to the difference of both yr heights. The proportionality constant differs from individual to individual. However, do take heart as this does not mean the end of the world for u. So b4 u start running off to yr guy frens to KB, lets assess the situation again and look for possibilities…
Now, so wat if his taller than u?
If…
1. he’s a quiet person
2. he’s someone who prefers to keep to himself
3. those ard him usually have no idea wat’s on his mind
This might be yr best place to carry out Step 2.
Chapter 3
Step 3 - Declare yr intentions
to be concluded...
Friday, July 11, 2003
3 Steps to win back yr true love
continued from [9/7/03]
Chapter 1
Step 1 - Seize up yr opponent
“Know yr enemy, know yrself, every battle fought will be a battle won.” [Sun Tze]
Jus how good yr competition is would be the crux to determining an appropriate battle plan. Before u start to strategize, it is imperative tt you do a good background study of the challenger. Some fundamental qns tt comes to mind would be…
Is he tall?
Is he rich?
Is he a nice guy?
Is he good looking?
Is he a 1st class honours grad?
Is he appealing to women in an overall sense?
After finding the ans to those qns, the next set of qns u have to ask yrself…
Do I last 1 minute (average) into most of my conversations b4 I start complaining?
Do I keep saying I’ll fail my test and exams but end up getting distinctions?
Do I bet with pp if I’ll get into dean’s list when it’s a sure thing?
Do I complain excessively?
Do I get frustrated easily?
Is it a pattern in my life?
If u happen to encounter any difficulty in answering these qns, feel free to approach yr frens for assistance. Only when u have the necessary info required, r u ready to move on to the next step.
Chapter 2
Step 2 - Enhance yr strengths, accentuate his weaknesses
to be continued...
Thursday, July 10, 2003
I read yr compliments with delight. I'll like u to know tt yr words made me giggle too. =)
Thanks for the boost to my self-esteem. Gives me a sense of purpose to continue dishing out crap.
Do wait patiently for the next few instalments. In the meantime, I urge all to contribute yr juicy info (reliability of info is not impt) to aid in my writing.
Regards,
Gossip Gu-niang
Wednesday, July 09, 2003
I’ll like to pay tribute to this special someone...
You’ve been our source of fun and laughter, peace and joy.
You’ve brought colour to the mundane lives of engineering undergrads.
You’ve made NUS a memorable place in our hearts.
On behalf of the many pp whose lives you’ve brighten, Thank You!
How to Win yr gal from a “Better” guy!
3 Steps to win back yr true love
Prologue
So u wake up early in the morning feeling as if u've won Toto the night b4 and ready to take on the world. This energy stems from knowing yr true love has come back from her graduation tour in Japan. U r all excited cos its been 8 long days since you last seen her angelic face, heard her sweet girlish voice, msg-ed her on icq to chat abt how yr day has been and sms-ed her to report yr status. Jus thinking abt the wonderful things tt will resume from this day on make u beam with joy.
Alas, soon afterward joy turned into shock, shock turned into sorrow as u began to realize tt yr closest buddy. A fren since yr sec sch days has become yr arch rival in love. Already, the torment from his betrayal seem too much too bear but the thought of losing yr woman is unthinkable! U realise this will be as good as yr fight for survival bcos life w/o her is not worth living. As u brace yrself for the greatest challenge for the past quarter of a century, u grit yr teeth and recite in yr mind repeatedly tt this 1st class graduate will give his 100% and rise to the occasion!
Chapter 1
Step 1 - Seize up yr opponent
to be continued...
Monday, July 07, 2003
Tuesday, July 01, 2003
Saturday, May 31, 2003
Milestone addition
Shane kena insulted
This one is a classic!
It's Sem4 hols and we were again at 23 Duchess Ave. This time there wasn't any fishball eating competition. It was meant to be a tech comm tape viewing session. So we were eating dinner at the giant round dining table and it was a pizza hut / KFC delivery thing. Somehow, water seeped under the glass cover and we had to lift it and dry the water b4 it can damage the wood. Took quite a while jus to remove the heavy glass. Then Shane took the initiative to wipe the glass. I dun remember the exact words used but Bubble's mom said Shane got no strength. Funny siah...
Milestone addition
Yhow's chef stint
Remember the potluck at Ruben's house (not too sure when) where we were supposed to each bring a dish tt was preferably self-cooked? Yhow's "gu lou yoke" was one of the highlights tt night. We had divided opinions on the real identity of those pineapples in his dish. Some claimed tt they tasted like papaya. Others say it was in fact more like potato. Only minority was convinced tt it was really indeed pineapple.
Monday, May 26, 2003
Bubble Teh & Brother Hann's 3210 incident (dedicated to Bubble)
continued from part 1 [24/5/03]...
As the night went on, we got an icq msg again. How said: She's coming up! Excitement filled the air. We did it. We won. We had to prepare for a big show. No laughing now. We struggled to keep our face straight at first. (special mention tt this was esp an arduous task for How). Then everyone tried to progress to putting up a solemn face. We knew this plot was all abt teamwork and nobody wanted to let the others down. Losing a hp a is big deal esp back in those days. Oh ya, we almost forgot to switch off the hp and hide it jus in case.
She came up. Qizhang came up with her. They were all packed to go home. She jus had to come up and know for herself the actual situation and whether she was to blame for it. To the evil men's surprise, Fabian and Yinghann put up a great show together. They went thru their impromptu lines as if they had done them b4 many times over. They had so much chemistry, displayed so much emotions. For Yinghann it was abt loss and sadness. While for Fabian, it was more of sympathy and regret. 2 evil men were utterly useless. They were trying hard to contain their laughter within themselves throughout.
In the end, we managed wat we set out to do. Bubble was finally taken in.
Well, after we cleared up the mess, explained the plot, everything went back to normal. Yinghann still has his hp, he still retained his 'nice guy' title in Bubble's heart. The 2 evil men got wat they deserved, their loyalty pts dropped tremendously. (so unfair tt Yinghann got special treatment!) =P
Ok, so I put here the official Bubble Teh & Brother Hann's 3210 incident (the way I remembered it). Hopefully we might go thru it again in yrs to come and laugh it off as one of those crazy things tt happened in the gates of NUS.
Sunday, May 25, 2003
Excerpt from: Are tummies the new cleavage? By Sumiko Tan (The Sunday Times 25 May 2003)
[...Contrary to what men think, most women don't dress up to please the other sex. If we did, all you would see would be low-cut blouses and mini-skirts. Clearly, that's not the case. Women wear what we do for ourselves, and, yes, sometimes to impress other women. We put on what we think looks nice on us and what feels comfortable, not whether it will get men excited...]
we learn something everyday... =P
Saturday, May 24, 2003
Here's a E20 milestone which many pp might not know abt... a bit exaggerated at certain parts for comedy effect (dedicated to Bubble)
Sem 4 (Jan 2001)
Bubble Teh & Brother Hann's 3210 incident
- main cast: Bubble, Yinghann, Fabian, How and YB
- guest stars: Qizhang and an Indian cleaner
Date: the night before the 2nd Control quiz by Dr. W W Tan
Location: a bench behind LT2
Story starts with the guys studying last minute for the control quiz. Our female lead Ms Bubble Teh also studying for the quiz at another obscure corner of the faculty icqs How (mind u, in those olden days, we din have wireless LAN cards) to say hi. She discovers our whereabouts and decides to pay us a visit.
The guys were elated upon her visit. We exchanged the normal hi-5s. The guys then took the chance to visit the toilet together and pee as we had utmost trust in our dearest Bubble to look after our stuff.
We came back from the toilet shocked to find tt our stuff were left unattended including How's laptop and Yinghann's Nokia 3210 (it was his first hp with the class hotline 93825966. Apparently, he fell into Starhub's free incoming ploy then).
One thing led to another... shock to distrust, distrust to anger, anger to rage... we thought we could trust Bubble with our stuff and pee in peace. Never did we once expect her to return to her obscure corner, into the arms of another before we were back.
Suddenly, this Indian cleaner came from nowhere and started mopping the floor near our bench. Thus, an evil plot to make our Bubble come back up and apologise began to form in the devilish minds of How and YB (personally, I still feel it was more How than YB lah). These 2 jokers were determined to make Bubble guilty for leaving b4 we returned by letting her believe tt our Indian cleaner took the 3210 immediately after she left.
I have to add here tt Fabian and Yinghann were rather against this ingenious plot at first. They were worried tt we might really hurt Bubble with this hoax. But the other 2 evil men persisted. They even proposed a wager to guess whether she would finally apologise and if we would see tears tt very night. Fabian said we were damm bo liao.
The plan was executed to near perfection. First, How asked if she had seen the 3210 on the bench. She said she din notice. How continued tt Yinghann seems to think his hp went missing but nothing is confirmed as he's still looking for it. Slowly, the seed of doubt was planted in the mind of Bubble. She began to wonder if it was her negligence had caused this disaster to happen.
After the initial icq exchanges, after we thot everything went as planned, there was still no show from her. 2 evil men were disappointed. The plot failed materialise. She din come...end of part1.
Friday, May 23, 2003
Friday, May 09, 2003
Thursday, May 08, 2003
Sunday, May 04, 2003
Saturday, May 03, 2003
Hotel 81?
Heard they dun 'catch' pp over there. =P
Gail, u really think changi would be better? Unless the changi chalet is within walking distance from Changi Village. If not, getting food would be a headache. Furthermore, there might not be a bowling centre nearby and the beach might not have a foot reflexology path... i was thinking we take the package on the website Emily found if the ballot was unsuccessful.
u think?
Friday, May 02, 2003
maybe dinner at some neighbourhood coffeeshop?
like tt time where we each ordered 1 dish and we all share. i rem it was some coffeeshop near Holland V but i forgot wat the occasion was. and i think it was during IA too cos i remembered discussing abt work and tt Bubble and Yimei were in the same line as me. construction site. =)
Thursday, May 01, 2003
Ok, I'm thinking a tentative game programme might be useful. So i drafted one for discussion. It spans for 2 days. Fresh ideas r always welcome so feel free to post activities which u have been hoping to do since exams so tt we can better explore our alternatives.
Day1
AM check in
PM lunch
rollerblading (pp who cannot blade muz try too)
volleyball (provided Yimin's chio bu frens lend us the ball)
NIGHT dinner
bowling
talent night 1 (includes forfeits to be done on the spot)
supper
beach walk
own activities (free time)
Day2
AM sleep
PM lunch
canoeing (pp who cannot canoe muz try too)
Captain's Ball in water (provided we can find pp at the park to play with. hopefully fellow nus students on chalet too)
kite flying (will depend on wind conditions)
NIGHT dinner
games (charades, win lose or draw, guess the number)
talent night 2
supper
own activities (free time)
Day3
AM check out
PM lunch
bye bye
Of cos, the wet weather I propose is The E20 Bachelor[15/4/03]. Anybody got a portable VCD player? Mini Hi-Fi (with Cd-player)?






























