Saturday, December 28, 2002
ted nasmith
Talk about having mass market tastes -- he's my favorite Tolkien illustrator, and apparently, he's practically everybody's favorite anyway. Well, for my part, I really like his Silmarillion pictures, especially the Valinor bits. I like this best (and of course, it had to be the cover of The Silmarillion):
E�rendil Searches Tirion
It took me forever to get through The Silmarillion. All those names! And the characters don't just have one name each either, so I ended up having to refer to the glossary over and over. It got less confusing the more I read it though :] I don't think it's better than the Lord of the Rings per se. More like if what you like about LOTR is the history of middle-earth and how things came to be, even more so than the epic battle at hand, The Silmarillion, along with Unfinished Tales and The Hobbit, is a must-read. I've tried Christopher Tolkien's History of Middle-Earth series, but I think that's only for die-hards. Unless you're into minute details about the Valar and other assorted characters in the First Age/Elder Days, it comes across as an attempt to milk all possible profits posthumously from JRRT's messy desk. It's highly repetitive and somewhat scrappy. All the same, I think the conception of Middle-earth -- its peoples, languages, history, geography and all -- is amazing. If you think the movies are fantastic, the book's even better.
Talk about having mass market tastes -- he's my favorite Tolkien illustrator, and apparently, he's practically everybody's favorite anyway. Well, for my part, I really like his Silmarillion pictures, especially the Valinor bits. I like this best (and of course, it had to be the cover of The Silmarillion):
E�rendil Searches Tirion
It took me forever to get through The Silmarillion. All those names! And the characters don't just have one name each either, so I ended up having to refer to the glossary over and over. It got less confusing the more I read it though :] I don't think it's better than the Lord of the Rings per se. More like if what you like about LOTR is the history of middle-earth and how things came to be, even more so than the epic battle at hand, The Silmarillion, along with Unfinished Tales and The Hobbit, is a must-read. I've tried Christopher Tolkien's History of Middle-Earth series, but I think that's only for die-hards. Unless you're into minute details about the Valar and other assorted characters in the First Age/Elder Days, it comes across as an attempt to milk all possible profits posthumously from JRRT's messy desk. It's highly repetitive and somewhat scrappy. All the same, I think the conception of Middle-earth -- its peoples, languages, history, geography and all -- is amazing. If you think the movies are fantastic, the book's even better.
Thursday, December 26, 2002
christmas day
After church, we had dad's friends over for nasi briyani (is that how you spell it), laksa, nonya kueh and assorted malay delicacies because Muslims work on Christmas day. Also because dad loves malay food (double ick). It was pretty enjoyable, what with the cheap jokes and gossip and all. However, mom was do-goody this year and insisted that this being Christmas, we couldn't play mahjong or gamble. So we ended up doing Taboo and Giant Twister. And watching Bridget Jones. Colin Firth is SO HOT :P~. Anyway, Twister was super :] legs were all over the place; hands too *grin*. We've got a really pretty tree this year, with a pink-and-champagne theme. The matt gold balls look really pretty I think. I loved it best when it got dark. We had light pink fairy lights all over the garden so it was quite lovely. The weather was just right too; it rained a little just before so it was nice and cool. I've finally resigned myself to the fact that I most definitely am allergic to alochol. I wheeze right after a sip. Which is rather fortunate I suppose -- it just means I'm a cheap date :] And that I'll never have hangovers.
I think I've eaten enough for all of next year. Am counting down till next Christmas, when I shall finally break my fast. I can't wait :]
After church, we had dad's friends over for nasi briyani (is that how you spell it), laksa, nonya kueh and assorted malay delicacies because Muslims work on Christmas day. Also because dad loves malay food (double ick). It was pretty enjoyable, what with the cheap jokes and gossip and all. However, mom was do-goody this year and insisted that this being Christmas, we couldn't play mahjong or gamble. So we ended up doing Taboo and Giant Twister. And watching Bridget Jones. Colin Firth is SO HOT :P~. Anyway, Twister was super :] legs were all over the place; hands too *grin*. We've got a really pretty tree this year, with a pink-and-champagne theme. The matt gold balls look really pretty I think. I loved it best when it got dark. We had light pink fairy lights all over the garden so it was quite lovely. The weather was just right too; it rained a little just before so it was nice and cool. I've finally resigned myself to the fact that I most definitely am allergic to alochol. I wheeze right after a sip. Which is rather fortunate I suppose -- it just means I'm a cheap date :] And that I'll never have hangovers.
I think I've eaten enough for all of next year. Am counting down till next Christmas, when I shall finally break my fast. I can't wait :]
Tuesday, December 24, 2002
turkeys
Here's a bit o' Christmas trivia :]
Turkeys are the dumbest animals in the world. And that's scientifically proven, according to Discovery. No, it's not because they gobble. It's because they gobble and leave their mouths open to the sky and don't think to shut it when it rains so they end up drowning in their rainwater gobble.
Here's a bit o' Christmas trivia :]
Turkeys are the dumbest animals in the world. And that's scientifically proven, according to Discovery. No, it's not because they gobble. It's because they gobble and leave their mouths open to the sky and don't think to shut it when it rains so they end up drowning in their rainwater gobble.
pre-christmas chaos
So we kicked off the Christmas partying today (it's already Christmas now actually -- it's 3am as I'm typing this). Today we had the family over and we did the usual turkey carving and ham sawing. Only this year, the turkey finally turned out moist (as opposed to the lump of chalk we usually end up with) and the ham was pepper-something (because they ran out of honeybaked). Thanks to my cheenapok uncle, we had a DURIAN yule-log this year. The look on mom's face was priceless :] Dad and the boys ate it all up though. It started off rather enjoyably, and up till the yule-log cutting it was still pretty conventional. Then as we were polishing off the last bits of tart and eggnog, chaos broke out: "Dad, I can't find Swift." Swift is by the way, one of the two baby snakes we smuggled home from Bangkok. And that was my youngest brother Gerald (who's vet aspirations have transformed a perfectly normal home into a friggin menagerie). His latest obsession's been to show off the li'l buggers and scare the crap out of guests. Somehow, Swift managed to worm his way out of the tank so you can imagine how horrified we all were. The nasty sod couldn't be found so everybody huddled up outside the house and kept their feet up on the sofas. Then it was open-presents time and we all had to trudge back in. Of all the lousiest things to happen, Swift had nestled his way onto my present and blended in with the red ribbon. Of course I squealed. In my shock I flung him across the room. Unfortunately, snakes are not so easily destroyed so I guess short of using sulphur, I'll just have to wait for my brother to get sick of them and give them to the SPCA.
All the same, Merry Christmas to you all :] Don't forget the post-xmas sales!!!
So we kicked off the Christmas partying today (it's already Christmas now actually -- it's 3am as I'm typing this). Today we had the family over and we did the usual turkey carving and ham sawing. Only this year, the turkey finally turned out moist (as opposed to the lump of chalk we usually end up with) and the ham was pepper-something (because they ran out of honeybaked). Thanks to my cheenapok uncle, we had a DURIAN yule-log this year. The look on mom's face was priceless :] Dad and the boys ate it all up though. It started off rather enjoyably, and up till the yule-log cutting it was still pretty conventional. Then as we were polishing off the last bits of tart and eggnog, chaos broke out: "Dad, I can't find Swift." Swift is by the way, one of the two baby snakes we smuggled home from Bangkok. And that was my youngest brother Gerald (who's vet aspirations have transformed a perfectly normal home into a friggin menagerie). His latest obsession's been to show off the li'l buggers and scare the crap out of guests. Somehow, Swift managed to worm his way out of the tank so you can imagine how horrified we all were. The nasty sod couldn't be found so everybody huddled up outside the house and kept their feet up on the sofas. Then it was open-presents time and we all had to trudge back in. Of all the lousiest things to happen, Swift had nestled his way onto my present and blended in with the red ribbon. Of course I squealed. In my shock I flung him across the room. Unfortunately, snakes are not so easily destroyed so I guess short of using sulphur, I'll just have to wait for my brother to get sick of them and give them to the SPCA.
All the same, Merry Christmas to you all :] Don't forget the post-xmas sales!!!
Sunday, December 22, 2002
bimbo talk
uh-huh :] Life's been super! Bangkok was GREAT, esp food and shopping. The shopping's definitely one of the best in the area, and I'd say it beats even Hong Kong. For one thing, it's all summerwear and the quality's really not bad at all. You get genuine designer stuff at knockoff prices (prada for $150!!), and in addition to that, lots of funky local designer clothes that are totally unique! We had dinner at the Mango Tree and a couple of other restaurants -- impeccable service, heavenly cuisine and of course, unbeatable prices. Health and beauty services were totally cheap too. How cheap? Let's put it this way -- you get both a manicure and pedicure, in addition to a foot massage all for a grande total of 12 bucks. And it ain't one of those roadside, HIV infested transsexual salons either (twas at the hotel). Can you believe that? Haha Thailand is one transvestite paradise I'm telling you -- everywhere you look, you see one. And they look so real, you can only tell em apart from women by their adam's apple. Well, that's about it :] I actually got back a week ago but I've been too lazy to blog. With that out of the way, hopefully the slump'll clear off now.
uh-huh :] Life's been super! Bangkok was GREAT, esp food and shopping. The shopping's definitely one of the best in the area, and I'd say it beats even Hong Kong. For one thing, it's all summerwear and the quality's really not bad at all. You get genuine designer stuff at knockoff prices (prada for $150!!), and in addition to that, lots of funky local designer clothes that are totally unique! We had dinner at the Mango Tree and a couple of other restaurants -- impeccable service, heavenly cuisine and of course, unbeatable prices. Health and beauty services were totally cheap too. How cheap? Let's put it this way -- you get both a manicure and pedicure, in addition to a foot massage all for a grande total of 12 bucks. And it ain't one of those roadside, HIV infested transsexual salons either (twas at the hotel). Can you believe that? Haha Thailand is one transvestite paradise I'm telling you -- everywhere you look, you see one. And they look so real, you can only tell em apart from women by their adam's apple. Well, that's about it :] I actually got back a week ago but I've been too lazy to blog. With that out of the way, hopefully the slump'll clear off now.
Wednesday, December 11, 2002
back on sunday
So we're off to good ole Bangkok for the year-end Family Bonding Exercise, at a most inconvenient time (I'm in the middle of several good books and I can't lug them along with me argh). We'll be staying right next to Patpong (renowned redlight district-cum-transvestite paradise :] heard of the Patpong PingPong Girls?) because mom says, "It's the best place to shop!". Did you know that liposuction and other assorted plastic surgery goodies come at a fraction of the price in Thailand? But appparently they're not very good with the anaesthetic. A family acquaintance, whose direction in life is somewhat skewed, did his tummy lipo there and to his horror, he awoke midway through the op to an awful lot of sucking, and pain, and not to mention helluva shock. And what did the surgeon do? Tell him to stop his whingeing and slapped him so hard he fell straight back into unconscious bliss. I kid you not. But you didn't need to know that :] I've got about an hour plus to pack my suitcase. We fly at 7am. I'll miss you all!
So we're off to good ole Bangkok for the year-end Family Bonding Exercise, at a most inconvenient time (I'm in the middle of several good books and I can't lug them along with me argh). We'll be staying right next to Patpong (renowned redlight district-cum-transvestite paradise :] heard of the Patpong PingPong Girls?) because mom says, "It's the best place to shop!". Did you know that liposuction and other assorted plastic surgery goodies come at a fraction of the price in Thailand? But appparently they're not very good with the anaesthetic. A family acquaintance, whose direction in life is somewhat skewed, did his tummy lipo there and to his horror, he awoke midway through the op to an awful lot of sucking, and pain, and not to mention helluva shock. And what did the surgeon do? Tell him to stop his whingeing and slapped him so hard he fell straight back into unconscious bliss. I kid you not. But you didn't need to know that :] I've got about an hour plus to pack my suitcase. We fly at 7am. I'll miss you all!
Monday, December 09, 2002
What beauty staple are you?
brought to you by Quizilla
What's YOUR fetish?
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snuffleupagus!!
Which Sesame Street Muppet's Dark Secret Are You?
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Hahaha snuffy's my favorite one :] Well, snuffy and cookie monster!
Which Sesame Street Muppet's Dark Secret Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla
Hahaha snuffy's my favorite one :] Well, snuffy and cookie monster!
Friday, December 06, 2002
sex and the city
I think Sex and the City's one of the most entertaining dramedies there are today. But then again my taste for shows is pretty dodgy, considering how I did kinda like Ally McBeal and that I find Boston Public a big bore, so take this with a pinch of salt. For the horny, testosterone-charged adolescent male and deprived middle-aged man, SATC's probably just another excuse for a good pop! the weasel and while I have to admit the sex scenes are a little overkill for the more innocent types (aka good, decent girls), it's seriously nothing much (let's just say everything's mostly hidden beneath the sheets) -- though that's not very credible, coming from me :P I think the girls on SATC lead as un-Asian a life as it gets, and watching them live it up (bars, one-night stands, manolo blahniks, dolce dolce dolce!) is really fun. It makes you question what, as an Asian, you make of life and love and sex and friendship, and sometimes, conventional Asian norms seem rather old-fashioned and out of place, even a little stifling. Given a more liberal environment, would you dare do that? Wear that? Smoke that? Say that? Be happier? It's a real eye-opener, Sex and the City. But I don't expect they'll ever show it here; it's just too provocative.
I think Sex and the City's one of the most entertaining dramedies there are today. But then again my taste for shows is pretty dodgy, considering how I did kinda like Ally McBeal and that I find Boston Public a big bore, so take this with a pinch of salt. For the horny, testosterone-charged adolescent male and deprived middle-aged man, SATC's probably just another excuse for a good pop! the weasel and while I have to admit the sex scenes are a little overkill for the more innocent types (aka good, decent girls), it's seriously nothing much (let's just say everything's mostly hidden beneath the sheets) -- though that's not very credible, coming from me :P I think the girls on SATC lead as un-Asian a life as it gets, and watching them live it up (bars, one-night stands, manolo blahniks, dolce dolce dolce!) is really fun. It makes you question what, as an Asian, you make of life and love and sex and friendship, and sometimes, conventional Asian norms seem rather old-fashioned and out of place, even a little stifling. Given a more liberal environment, would you dare do that? Wear that? Smoke that? Say that? Be happier? It's a real eye-opener, Sex and the City. But I don't expect they'll ever show it here; it's just too provocative.
Thursday, December 05, 2002
day 13
This probably was as interesting as it got at the hospital. Did psychiatry today, and probably more than all the other days spent at TTSH combined. Times two. Apart from sitting in during the consultations (schizos, manic-depressives, etc) and discovering how normal these people seemed (the lady sitting behind you on the bus? She could very well strangle you with her brolly), I also attended a morning tutorial with a bunch of med undergrads which was pretty informative and read very much like a bio lecture.
There's a certain mold that med students fit into, and it's not a very exciting one. They're highly studious and mostly serious, throw in a couple of cocky know-it-alls and idealistic goody-two-shoes and there you have it! The medfac demographic. I've figured that as long as you're a product of the current system of education, there's not much difference whether you're in secondary school or NUS. It's all about the grades, memorising/solving heaps of non-applicable rubbish and of course, notes. You know? The stuff you copy eagerly off the screen and the stacks of extra readings and additional supplements everybody rushes to photocopy come exam time. Can you honestly believe these wannabe-doctors have subjected themselves to such torment for another 12 long years? I think Medicine's really not a bad field to go into. It's just really exclusive and really anti-female, and really really L-O-N-G. I always wonder if I'll end up being one of these sadists, and right now, I'm not sure I want to/can anymore. Imagine still plugging away at a 3-inch thick, practically-encyclopaedic textbook when you're 31. You'll be no better off than a 14 year old with a 10 o'clock curfew and absolutely no life. Being a doctor's not the problem, it's the getting there that's hard.
This probably was as interesting as it got at the hospital. Did psychiatry today, and probably more than all the other days spent at TTSH combined. Times two. Apart from sitting in during the consultations (schizos, manic-depressives, etc) and discovering how normal these people seemed (the lady sitting behind you on the bus? She could very well strangle you with her brolly), I also attended a morning tutorial with a bunch of med undergrads which was pretty informative and read very much like a bio lecture.
There's a certain mold that med students fit into, and it's not a very exciting one. They're highly studious and mostly serious, throw in a couple of cocky know-it-alls and idealistic goody-two-shoes and there you have it! The medfac demographic. I've figured that as long as you're a product of the current system of education, there's not much difference whether you're in secondary school or NUS. It's all about the grades, memorising/solving heaps of non-applicable rubbish and of course, notes. You know? The stuff you copy eagerly off the screen and the stacks of extra readings and additional supplements everybody rushes to photocopy come exam time. Can you honestly believe these wannabe-doctors have subjected themselves to such torment for another 12 long years? I think Medicine's really not a bad field to go into. It's just really exclusive and really anti-female, and really really L-O-N-G. I always wonder if I'll end up being one of these sadists, and right now, I'm not sure I want to/can anymore. Imagine still plugging away at a 3-inch thick, practically-encyclopaedic textbook when you're 31. You'll be no better off than a 14 year old with a 10 o'clock curfew and absolutely no life. Being a doctor's not the problem, it's the getting there that's hard.
Monday, December 02, 2002
audrey hepburn
This is my favourite picture of her.
A picture paints a thousand words, but an
Audrey Hepburn picture, leaves you speechless.
This is my favourite picture of her.
A picture paints a thousand words, but an
Audrey Hepburn picture, leaves you speechless.
Sunday, December 01, 2002
je ne veux pas travailler
means, I Do Not Want To Work. And is also my latest audio addiction. It's a wonderful, floozy little fluffy French concoction by Pink Martini. It's very very French -- you'll just have to listen to it to understand. You can almost imagine yourself skipping down Montmartre in a colourful beret-and-scarf ensemble with a baguette under your arm, and a silly grin dancing about your face. Oh and the lady's voice is recorded such that is sounds as though it's coming out of one of those old radio boxes, you know the sort where the voice comes out somewhat tinny and a little damped? It's very cute :]
Je ne veux pas travailler
Je ne veux pas d�jeuner
Je veux seulement l'oublier
Et puis je fume
-- Sympathique, by Pink Martini
And all too soon, it's December.
means, I Do Not Want To Work. And is also my latest audio addiction. It's a wonderful, floozy little fluffy French concoction by Pink Martini. It's very very French -- you'll just have to listen to it to understand. You can almost imagine yourself skipping down Montmartre in a colourful beret-and-scarf ensemble with a baguette under your arm, and a silly grin dancing about your face. Oh and the lady's voice is recorded such that is sounds as though it's coming out of one of those old radio boxes, you know the sort where the voice comes out somewhat tinny and a little damped? It's very cute :]
Je ne veux pas travailler
Je ne veux pas d�jeuner
Je veux seulement l'oublier
Et puis je fume
-- Sympathique, by Pink Martini
And all too soon, it's December.
