timT's blog.

REVIVED.

2009-05-07T09:56:00.000-07:00

YES, IT LIVES!!!

Woah didn't expect that did ya. Army is SO SIAN that I decided to revive this ancient thing.

I have decided I am going to blog whatever I want even if nobody sees it. HAH.

But maybe I'll try Twitter.

2007-01-16T05:07:00.000-08:00

Found this on ErnestK's blog.

2007-01-13T03:55:00.000-08:00

OK, I'm officially down on blogging. Apart from being a month behind everyone else in the dynamic Blogosphere, or cursed be without a camera for photos to liven up this corner of the Web, I've run out of steam.

I know there's been lots of stuff going on lately that deserve some sort of mention (O1 rocks!), but I just don't feel like blogging anymore. Maybe because my blog is more stagnant than a dead Hippie in pajamas. It's like talking to a empty world.

Hoho. This must be the real definition of zi yan zi yu rite? I've got nothing to say.

Besides that, here's a reward for those who still spare a minute to visit this cesspool of nostalgia.

THE Orientation Videos. :)

Day 1 - The Beginning

Day 2+3 - COW Revealed + Spy's Flashback

Day 3 - Credits

2006-12-07T05:40:00.000-08:00

SDD was a mess for us infocomm (iCOMP) people. In short, whatever could go wrong, did go wrong. And so wrong it was. From a minor technical misunderstanding, it somehow almost tore our whole plan apart. I had to scurry all the way from Ritz-Carlton to VJ and back and...almost didn't make it.
In the end, we somehow managed to get the streaming system in the ballroom set up.

On the brightside though, I got to spend one night in a Ritz-Carlton suite! Cozy...well cozy as it could get with 5 guys sleeping on a queen bed. Unfortunately, none of us could really get much sleep that night. Maybe because lights-out was at 4am. Or maybe because we were concentrating on trying not to touch each other so much as to be considered gay and trying not to snore in each other's faces. Oh, and the hotel's posh bathroom door didn't have any sign of a lock on it. Ritz-Carlton huh?

Too bad I didn't have a cam handy.

SVA submission's tomorrow. Our film's almost done. I'd think our entry, "The Scar" is quite a piece of work, despite our being n00b at professional film-making. Haha at least that's what I think; not sure if the judges will agree with that. I'll try to upload a copy to Youtube sooner or later.

I'm missing badminton.

Stress??

2006-12-03T06:51:00.000-08:00

I'm sure everyone secretly aspires to become the next Brad Pitt or Kate Moss. But how'd you like to be a director of your own movie? Steven Spielberg, anyone?

It's one hell of a job.

Being in SVA means making your own movie. With your own crew & your own smarts; source out, schedule, manage, direct, and produce a movie within 2 months. For us, 1 month. Not an easy task at all.

Everything, from the actors' & crew members' schedules & the scripts to the hired musicians needs to be pre-arranged and planned out. Should anything go wrong, there needs to be a backup plan. Then there's actual production, where stuff you never thought about (i.e. Team morale) comes into play. Blah, blah blah. Gosh, I don't know where to go next.

Stressful, this has been. Only 4 more days till the deadline. Then OGL training. Not forgetting planning of the concert in January. Plus the holiday homework crap that's lying in pieces across my bedroom floor.

I'll grow white hair soon. And I haven't even started working yet.

Meanwhile, I'm still trying to figure out how to embed some music into here.

2006-11-27T06:51:00.000-08:00

Found this on Clar's blog, thought it was really meaningful. Ah that says alot, coming from a guy. Kinda like the Ode to Nice Guys I read. My guess; probably a couple did them.

No matter how I look at it, we're all selfish people. Though we may often play the role of being the friend in need, the one who's always caring for others, when it comes to the crunch; we always take the road that benefits us the most.

Like they say; randomness here. I really am bored. :(

Lol, emo stuff this is. I see heartwarming words like these, penned down by those kind souls who care enough to lift other people like myself out of their misery and cold, it makes my day.

And it's hard to come by.

Taiwan!

2006-11-24T06:42:00.000-08:00

For the benefit of those TIPers who come here (dunno how many).

台湾
Taiwan

The main areas I got to visit were Taipei(台北), Hualien(花蓮), Taitung(台東), Kenting(墾丁), & Kaohsiung(高雄). Also Nantou(南投), but only its Sun Moon Lake.

Stuff to look out for:

Photo spots. Taiwan has some great scenery around the more sub-urban places, so do take lots and lots and lots of pics. I mean LOTS.

Here are some shots I took.

Great stuff eh? That's called perfectionisim. :P
Shopping. Ok this needs some coverage.
Taiwan does have alot of stuff to shop, especially if you're planning on doing the window version. But if it comes to cold hard cash, consider first.

The exchange rate from SG$ to NT$ (New Taiwan Dollar) is about 1:21, meaning one buck in sunny Singapore is worth 21 in Taiwan. Sounds good? Not exactly, because the stuff in Taiwan isn't exactly cheap. Most would go for clothing (Taiwanese fashion is hot!), and the price of one shirt in the night market ranges from NT$200-300 (SG$10-20).

Another thing would be the food, which is really cheap. (I'll talk more later)

One thing to note though; deciding to get anything special (like Royal Jelly or the infamous SK-I) will most undoubtably burn holes in your pocket. Prices are...crap. High.

Ximenting in Taipei is good for trendy clothes and the latest fashion, but prices aren't very cheap.

The various night markets, on the other hand, sell at cheap prices while having reasonably good quality. They're quite easy to find; almost every urban city will have one somewhere. The best ones are all listed in Wiki.
Food. Oh, my favourite part.
Taiwanese cuisine is really a must-try! Stalls in the night market will spoil for choice, but do note that hygiene is important. A few dishes to note:
1. Taiwanese meatball soup.
  
  Looks like ordinary meatball soup, but the meatballs are stuffed with a second layer of meat. Sometimes with soup inside.
2. Xiaolongbao & Xiaolongtangbao. Definitely worth it, although hard to find on the streets. Make sure to suck it dry before eating.
3. Dou Kou Beef Noodles. Didn't try this, but heard the beef is good.
4. Fried Ice Cream.
  
  This one was recommended by my tour guide, but so far I've seen only one stall. (Leo Ho Night Market in 高雄)
5. Muah Chee. Like a dessert, but these have jam inside. Bought 4 packets home. :)
6. Grandma's Iron Egg (铁蛋). Tastes like a tea egg, said to be one of Taiwan's unique eats. Not fantastic, but try anyway.
  
  Last but not least...
7. Chou Tofu.
  The stink is incredible. I smelled it from 4 or 5 shops away. The way they make this is...i'm not saying. It really isn't worth mentioning. Just...free your mind and eat. While holding your nose shut. I didn't dare try this, but it's supposed to be really tasty. If anyone finds out, tell me about it ok??
  
  With all that smell, it has to be. Very easy to find because of the smell.
  
  I would have added Peking Duck to the list, but it's too pricey. NT$1000 at its cheapest.
Locals. It's a real asset to be fluent in Mandarin if you wanna get around. Knowing Hokkien helps, too. But most of the people seem quite friendly. What's better, they get even friendlier when you give them money. In the night market, in particular.
Transport. Easiest way to get around in Taipei is by Metro, so make sure to get a full-day pass. Works exactly like our EZ-Link system, down to the NT$50 deposit. (Hmm might be wrong about the amount)
Roads, on the other hand, are long and winding. I sat a bus throughout my tour and was duly rewarded with a splitting migrane. Ow.

That's my 101 guide to Taiwan.
Speaking of which, don't forget to take a pic of Taipei 101, the world's tallest building.

And light some fireworks before you get back! :)

-timT
Taiwanese survivor.

2006-11-23T06:15:00.000-08:00

Just came back from Taiwan! 9 days straight, and I'm beat. Toured almost the whole of Taiwan I think...mostly those major cities like Taipei, Danshui and Gaoxiong (can't rmb how to spell).

Updates when I get those pics onto the com! Stay tuned.

PW's over.

2006-11-14T14:09:00.000-08:00

PW's finally over! As the VERY LAST PW group to present in the entire school, I think we were under much heavier fire than other groups. However, all went well, and we still managed to pull off that "CC COOL!" thingy we planned. Haha...we rock!

Anyway, I love my PW group! Ying Han, Valerie, Geri & Liu Pan. All that crap we had to go through, all the nights we had no sleep; it was all worth it. I still remember the time we were screwed from Mr Chua's relentless orders to "specialise!". Which we did, then turned out we had specialised too much (Study Room??). But thanks to Mr Chua, I think our class was definitely one of the better ones in PW.

Congrats to Eahy's group as well for their OP! I think they did present very well. Maybe because of my video :P

I'm off to Taiwan from the 15th to the 25th of November. If need be, email me at tayyqt@gmail.com if anything's up. I won't be able to reply any sms or calls overseas.

Oh well, off to Taiwan! I'll scout the area for mines before you TIPpers come. :)

Stuff.

2006-11-03T06:12:00.000-08:00

Okay, the scores. It wasn't easy.

Terence 3 (Even though u didn't finish it)
Ty 3
Eahy 2
Pearly 1 (^^)

The false answers are:

1. I eat garlic and ginger salad every month to boost my chi.
That'll not only give me breath potent enough to blow Dracula clear into the next month, it'll scald my tongue so badly, you'd think i swallowed magma. I ate a piece of ginger accidentally and I almost died.
5. I love Yul.
I am not gay.
9. I have been knocked down by cars 3 times before in my life.
Tell me someone that's done that before, and i'll shake his hand.
11. One of my hobbies is doing push-ups on the piano.
Now who the hell does that. Push-ups, oookay, but on the piano? Would it be like; "Push-ups, C# Minor, 30 counts of 4, exercise begin!"
19. I am gay.
I am NOT gay! How many times must I say that!!

Pearly u think I'm GAY AH??! Wa lao. -_-''

On another note, Deathnote rocks! Just went to watch it today with the Scandalities. Awsome! Although I felt the anime was still much better. Can't wait for the 2nd to come out!

Oh yes, catch our own version of Death Newspaper in the Scandalnavian Times. Episode 1.

Tagged!

2006-10-31T03:48:00.000-08:00

Tagged by Eahy:

One. Think of 15 short bits of interesting stuff about yourself. And they've gotta be true.

Two. Come up with 5 false statements regarding yourself, but for fun's sake keep them in the threshold of believability.

Three. Jumble them all up together and list them in any order.

Four. Post them on your blog and let people guess which the five false ones are!

Five. Get 5 others to do the same.

..................................................................................

1. I eat garlic and ginger salad every month to boost my chi.
2. Slow moving people are annoying to me.
3. I am politically correct. Mostly.
4. When I was 3, I was force-fed on Soya Milk and hated it afterwards.
5. I love Yul.
6. I run out of money often.
7. I invest in a ridiculous amount of hairstyling products.
8. I plot a minimum of 5 ways to kill someone if I'm angry at that person.
9. I have been knocked down by cars 3 times before in my life.
10. I make sure to spend at least 30 minutes each day gazing into the mirror and reminding myself how pretty I actually am.
11. One of my hobbies is doing push-ups on the piano.
12. My degree of eyesight (without glasses or contacts) fluctuates between 20 and 200.
13. I hate the chinese language passionately.
14. I have worn lipstick before.
15. I want to learn mahjong.
16. I sing in the shower on a regular basis.
17. Until a year ago, I always kept a combover as my hairstyle.
18. I hate my hair.
19. I am gay.
20. I am obsessed about Jimmy Neutron.

No Title

2006-10-29T04:41:00.000-08:00

Yay! I'm an OGL! :)

I know this is abit late but whatever.
Congratz to all those who got in!...which was practically everyone.

Doing I&R now, sian. I need de-stressment.
To all those chiong-ing last minute like me, here's some clips from Youtube.

This one's damn funny. Mind the vulgarities, though.

Something rather...creepy.

The Korean Wave.

2006-10-23T04:17:00.000-07:00

Face it people. We're being invaded.

Yes, this is huge, unstoppable, terrifying, onrushing, unquenchable, relentless, inevitable. *Insert Jay Chou's 四面楚歌 here* Every blog I go, I see pictures of Princess Hours and more pasted everywhere, some screaming about the latest Korean...stuff. AHHH! *curls into a small ball in some corner*

First, it was the Japanese. Then, the Americans. Then the Japanese again. Now the Koreans.

Everything around me's turning Korean. Korean TV, Korean Ginseng, Korean Songs with *gasps* Korean lyrics. No one understands them (at least, I don't), but then again, who cares?? As long as it's Korean, it's the bomb.

I think my hair's turning Korean. You know, the kinda hair that all Korean actors love to wear; flat, zero-gel/wax/mousse/clay/spray, uncombed and uncut. Only one thing left to complete the look: A mohogany dye.

We must stop this invasion! We must stand united, freed of all foreign corruption, unique and uncompromised. I propose a Singaporean Wave! Spread the lah, the durian, Char Kuey Teow and PCK abroad. Sure to be power one. We must get to work on this patrotic crusade right away.

After I finish watching Princess Hours.

(A.N.: Assuming that:
All Things Korean = HOTT,
then
Kim Jung Il = HOTT
Nuclear Missles/Tests = HOTT
Cruel Dictatorian Leadership + Blatant Threat to Humanity = 2(HOTT)

which is so insane. Randomness.)

Shamelessness.

2006-10-19T02:58:00.000-07:00

Today was my OGL interview. Boy, it was...

Let's just say different.

The first thing I saw when I opened the door was a blockade of chairs and tables blocking the door. I was like wth, do you expect me to phase through the wall or something?? After the initial customaries, they started with the "Icebreaker Questions".

Oh my tian. Damn random lar!

First, they asked me what's so significant about the number 5. Dunno how they arrived at that! Bullshit mode on, I told myself. And so I went of on how 5 was a prime number, and there were 5 chairs in the room. There were alot more, but I was too blind.

Then they asked me to pretend I was a blind person shopping.

LOL. I somehow turned the whole thing into the chestnut drink on the table worth $5, while Jason was worth $0.50, with me buying the $5 drink as it was 'more value for money'. Jason was like 0_o. Haha sorry Jason! I just had to say that.

That aside, they wanted me to friendship-dance with the chair. Fine. I did the mash potato (plus passionate eye-contact) with 2 chairs. I tried to do the Chee Cheong Fun, but the chair wouldn't co-operate in twirling. -_-

Haha. I guess mine wasn't as crazy as some others I heard about. Imagine having to do aerobics with the chair, or teach a class of chairs and tables how to mass dance. The things we do to become OGLs...sigh. Shameless.

Hope Jason wasn't too offended from my wonderful suan-ing. The other interviewer was laughing all the while. LOL. I hope she wasn't laughing at the fact that I couldn't darn well act as a blind old woman. (Blind people can't see price tags!) TSD!!

Well that's about all. Hope I pass my interview though :) Good luck to all other OGL-wannabes! Go nuts will ya!

The Damn Promos.

2006-10-16T02:15:00.000-07:00

Something we all don't wanna remember.

Getting back our results was indeed a sour ending after the short holiday we had. Alot of people I know didn't get the grades they wanted, or got the grades they didn't want, didn't want the grades they got or wanted the grades they didn't get.

Whatever, it sucked. Incredibly.

As for me, I know I'm definitely not satisfied with what I got. I put myself through all this crap, forcing myself for God knows how long to plant my ass on that scratchy chair in front of my studying table and drown myself in insurmountable floods of econs concepts, maths and physics formulas and chemistry data that I just CAN'T seem to swallow properly. I'd expect myself to get better than what I got, but frankly; I simply don't know what to expect out of myself.

I guess I should just be happy with whatever I got, seeing that I'd certainly improved much more from the horrendous Mid-Years. But seeing certain people in my class getting the (much better) grades they got seemingly effortlessly, it makes me feel hopelessly stupid.

Maybe I was just born this way.

I should just stop complaining about my results. Like HaThu said; "There's always next year." Damned right there is.

Now what's left is the other half of Econs, and GP. The latter now spells doom.

A, B, C, ?. I am the alphabet.

Starboard.

2006-10-14T03:36:00.000-07:00

Wow. Talk about havoc.

Being in-charge of 3 booths (2 iCOMP/infocomm + piano) and the plasma screen, I had to be superman for a day.

So superman I was.

I ended up zoom from one booth to another, trying both different paths (to find the most time-effective route) and attempting to break the sound barrier. The latter failed miserably, and the distance just seemed to get longer and longer. I think my 2.4 timing's improved. Maybe.

Getting the logistics for both booths was frustrating enough. Really glad the group of infocomm hardcores put in all efforts in getting all the stuff set up; otherwise stuff would have really gotten crazy. And also for the entire piano crew that turned out to man the booth and the music studio. Thanks people! :)

I'm just drained now. But on retrospect, I'm definately not the worst off. If manning 3 booths was this hectic, imagine being in-charge of the ENTIRE open house, all 40 plus booths and performances. Kudos to Marc, Zara, the entire SC and CT gangs. You people are Captain America, Wonder Woman, the Justice League and the Incredibles today. Hope you enjoyed yourselves while at it.

After all that, I hope all those who stepped into VJ left with a lasting impression.

Especially about the mass dances.

Politik and Beauty.

2006-10-09T05:50:00.000-07:00

Politics are interesting. So are BGRs.

Just today, I had to spend my entire day working on the video for the farewell assembly this Friday. Thought it would take 4 hours max. Thought wrong: it took me 10. And it's not even finished yet.

iCOMP is definitely the most taxing CCA you can get, especially in the Exco. Every school event that pops up on the calendar, and we're set another deadline. Filming, editing, website-making and maintaining, producing, directing and going for competitions. On top of that, we're still burdened with the task of trying to get our entire club involved. Plus hoping that we don't mar the club's repute too much. For all that, we don't get much credit or recognition. All you see of us are perhaps 3 seconds of our names being flashed on the screen. The next time you see a great video production, do spare a moment or half thinking of the people that slaved behind the computer for countless days just for you.

Enough bitching, timT.

Went home with the usual 55 gang. On the way home, while news reports of the recent N.Tests that N.Korea (note similar iNitial) flashed on the screen, our conversation drifted into the throes of BGRs and the like. Interesting, to say the least. I found out then how confusing JC life can be for the average homonally-charged teen that most of us are, and strangely, a parallel between that and diplomacy.

The nuclear issue, in North Korea's aspect (as well as US & USSR), seems to me as a race to prove their significance in the globe. Just to show, "Hey, I've got nuclear now. I'm somebody." Okay, maybe I'm just a fool in saying this things. But sometimes, as was mentioned in our onboard conversation, such stupidity does exist. In the end, who loses out? Everyone.

The same's in our JC life, particularly in the sacrosanct area of the BGR. (Not going into homosex.) What do people in our age threshold get into BGRs for? They might say, "Love."

Well, they're deluded. For the most part, that is.

True love is a rarity, and chancing upon THE ONE this early in life is hardly probable. Particularly in our beauty-orientated, sex-marketing society of today. What we perceive in a person, is their looks. A person who is lucky enough to be good-looking gets social acclaim, regardless of whatever their obvious flaws. And the flipside: without looks, you are nothing.

That's why so many people vy to go for superficial plastic surgeries, enhancements, extravagance in accessories and whatnot. Those that do so, having their newfound beauty, believe that they will now live happy and successful lives.

Such is the deluded.

What constitutes happiness? If superficial beauty is your answer, think harder. True, beautiful people get more attention. True, people fantasize themselves having good-looking partners, and if one of such people happens to be within reach, they begin to lust for IT. But...then what? True love is found? Hardly. Beauty fades with age, and a freak accident, a sudden invasion of pimples, a loss in complexion, or something else snatches it away. Then what happens? Will the same person, being primarily attracted to beauty, still feel the same attraction to the other?

Beauty, superficial, is a ghost. After living with their object of affection for some time, true colours begins to show beneath the facade of looks. The girl with that angelic face could very well be a monster inside. That guy with the broad strong shoulders, firm six-pack, masculine ruggedness and chiseled looks? He's a player. Reality abodes in stark difference from fantasy. That's why true love, many say, is never found by many.

Beauty also, ironically, corrupts. Why do the most glamorous and the best-looking tend to lead less-than-perfect lives? (Less-than-perfect implying failed relationships, drugs or promscuious sex) The fault lies in their own beauty. Like money, it invariably corrupts, giving them a feeling of power. It is that sense of power that leads to this outcome. As they say, the beautiful goes for the beautiful. And you already know what follows.

But saying so, it's so hard for us to ignore our instinct to tunnel-focus on the most glamorous. Nature, it seems, made it so. Hence, many young people today rush into relationships so early in life, chasing an illusion that seems so vivid, so real. And the divorce rates skyrocket.

I'm not saying this because of any personal vendetta. Or maybe I am; you can't tell lies from the truth in this corrupt wasteland we exist in. Nor am I saying this against anyone who already has, thankfully, found their significant other that they can truly care about. But for the rest of us, the next time you think of chasing that pretty nymphet or that dashing prince, think twice.

You might regret it.

Sian.

2006-10-08T07:27:00.000-07:00

Stayed at home yesterday because of the haze. PSI:150, who knew? I'm thankful that it didn't shoot way past that. But even so, the haze really is a problem this time round. I mean, it was so bad that places everywhere had much thinner crowds. Staying at home, the haze really gets on my nerves. As Mr Miyagi put it;

The good thing about the Haze, the worst since 1997-98, is that you can pretty much attribute everything to it.

Not feeling well? The Haze, lah.

Not getting your work done? The Haze, lah.

The boss on your case? The Haze, lah.

Not having a good day? The Haze, lah.

Pretty much what I was feeling yesterday. With the promos over, I suddenly find so much more free time on my hands, with no idea how and when to spend it. I know I still have lots of other stuff to do (PW :(, Open House & Farewell Assembly stuff plus study for the Chinese exam) but somehow, I can't pick myself up to do it. It's like I'm stuck in some self-degenerative cycle. In the meantime, I've ran out of ways to kill my time.

Computer games? Played 'em.

Books? Not interested.

Eating? I'm on a diet.

Stoning? Been there, done that. Doing that, in fact.

Outing? Broke.

Please, let this just stop.

First.

2006-10-06T08:00:00.000-07:00

Hah. Finally decided to get my blog back online. Suprise, suprise. Well, I hope it doesn't go down too early like my previous one.

I've found that Blogskins doesn't have this scroll-down skin type, only those 4-sectioned ones. Bah. Spent over an hour leafing thru that mess at Blogskins before outsourcing to http://blogger-templates.blogspot.com .

N.B: This blog is still 98% crap. Trying to cut that down by half soon.