Smile pretty for the Devil

2011-01-13T18:36:00.004+08:00

Sorry for the lack of updates, I was way too caught up with school and other stuff. Well, here's something! Top 5 lookbook looks from last year!

And now here are the three things that are gonna be way hot in 2011, mark my words.

Polka dots
Horizontal stripes
Sheer lace tops

2011-01-02T11:41:00.002+08:00

HAHA MADE MY DAY!

2011-01-01T00:23:00.003+08:00

If I have to sum up 2010 in a single word, it will be, well, breathtaking.

I don't think ever have I felt a year gone past so quickly before. 2009 was a year that I'd really wanted to be rid off, but somehow I didn't want my 2010 to end. It was way too awesome. Well, the only way to go after an awesome year is, obviously, a new and more awesome one! I can't wait for what's about to unfold for me.

It's been a year of more ups than downs.

The first part of last year was an amazing part of my life. I always look back to the two DOPT chalets that we've organized and be sad and happy at the same time. Sad to have to see them leave school, but happy to have had them through all the fuck, yeah-moments in those 3 rapid years. This is going out to the GBBs and also the captain's ball girls. I miss all of you!

Of course, how could a year's summary be done without a paragraph or two dedicated to my dear sissey, Belle, and YY. You guys are so awesome, it's like I've had you ever since forever! Thanks for always being there for the simplest/stupidest things, like going to town just so we could dress up, or going to JP just to sit outside the carpark. Good times, no less!

And school just has to start again. I hate school. I love my new friends. This academic year would have been dry and hard and I couldn't have done it any better if not for the bunniest bunny ever, The Bunny! The shortest shortie ever has also been giving me plenty of support. Also, if not for my fourth year I wouldn't have formed so many new opinions on old stuff.

Finally, I'm in love.

2010 could have been worse. 2011 will be better.

Hugs, kisses(with lots of tongue and stuff), and a some making out,

Nov.

2010-12-21T16:25:00.001+08:00

My favourite things to do?

(Shelley & Tobias)

Dress up and kiss up.

2010-12-17T00:13:00.002+08:00

Some things are just better when they fade away.

Not that I did an excellent job breaking in those jeans, though. And jeans shall be the topic of the day.

This is probably my first raw jean that I tried to break in and stuff with effort. Before this year, I wasn't in the best shape of my life, literally and otherwise, to be having an interest in having a pair of jeans to be totally called, well, my own, in the sense of the fading and stuff.

I can't describe this strange sense of pride in me when I had my first groin tear, not of the muscular type, but rather the apparel kind.

Well, lots of lessons here, in case I want to have another pair to work on next time.

Do not rush into washing, seriously. No matter how much the women in your life (read: moms and girlfriends) nag about it!
You can wear your jeans almost anywhere and do almost anything you want to do, so why not?
Down-sizing. There are many different takes on this, but for me, choose the one that fits, well, at least barely to start off with. My reason being that, because these jeans do stretch, some more than others, we should get those that fit so that over exertion won't stretch the jeans more than we wanted, like, extra stretch, especially the waistband. I think that's something that the APCs are very prone to. Or, in case you get less stretch-y ones, then at least you can wear them out after a week of purchase. Personally I wouldn't want to wait for a month before I stretch it out to be able to not look like a boy in tights. And let's face it, down-sizing initiated from vanity sizing, then the real denim enthusiasts, which obviously my shallow knowledge and inferior passion keeps me out the list, discovered that we don't have to get exact sizes to get a good fit.
Don't plainly just believe in all that hype. Go ahead and get your pre-washed jeans. Stick with your mainstream Nudies. Try something rare. Just keep an open mind, because I believe everyone has their right to wear what they want, the way they want it. Sometimes people do it, well, wrong. But isn't right and wrong just another gauge that we set within ourselves? Share with them, help them, and maybe they just need somebody for advice so they can fix their mistakes.

I've made lots of mistakes myself, too. Still, everybody has to have a start. Which is why I hate this sense of elitism in some of those, well, elites.

Back in the days, I thought I was God of music. I condemned all mainstream music, I slammed metal-core bands and I always thought that my playlist shall be THE playlist. How wrong was I, I didn't know till, maybe, one year ago.

To limit yourself to one rigid perspective is selfish not only to others, but most importantly, to yourself. We should always have lines drawn, our own codes and standards, but to expect everything to fall into our set of beliefs is childish.

We cannot embrace art, in any form, if we do not open our minds. Shutting ourselves from alternative perspectives would only give us less knowledge, and with that a lesser space for appreciation for any kind of beauty. We are human because, probably, we care for things more than is expected of living things. Music, literature, fashion, food, paintings; they're all but the same. They stem from our natural inclination to appreciate the finer things. If you don't look past the frame of one painting, you will not see the next one.

2010-12-15T22:07:00.000+08:00

Hey, guys and girls!

When it comes to FYP, everything else seems more interesting, which is probably more than half of the reason that I’m blogging today. It’s been a pretty spectacular few weeks!

Speaking of the word, spectacular, I’ve decided to go back to posting pictures along with my trademark boring chunks of words to, perhaps, make this space a little more of a spectacle. My readers are probably really dwindling now, which is always sad for an attention whore like yours truly. So here’re a couple of things I would like to do with this URL.

At least twice a week of entries. I still can’t believe I could blog every single day just not long ago.
Weekly WAYWT posts. Since it’s what I like to do, so might as well. A good excuse to post pictures here as well.
WAYWT, friends-version. This will make me hang with people more considering how anti-social I seem to be getting. So, people, please dress up when we come out!
A wider spectrum of topics! I figured to cater to different types of people; I probably need more interesting posts rather than just plainly my personal reflections. Music, fashion, sports, books, movies, you know, stuff like these that I like.
F-yeah moments. Yes, I’ve always been pretty against recounting daily happenings on blogs because I think that is a cheap way to blog and you may not need lots of intelligence to do that. However, living in such an awesome world with all my awesome friends, I guess it’s up to me to make those fuck, yeah-moments into FUCK, YEAH-moments.

So, stay tuned, beautiful people. Catch you guys tomorrow!

2010-12-07T00:13:00.002+08:00

Well, they say when life gives you lemon, make lemonade. So, what happens when your lemonade taste awesome?

Sell it. This way, people will know how good lemonade can taste, and hopefully decide to make their own as well.
Share your recipe. Show people the strength that you put in for your lemonade. Also, it gives clueless people who are trying to find a way to deal with their lemons some directions.
Explore and make better lemonade. We all have our favourite drinks, but it doesn't hurt to have more than one kind of drink to choose from when you're feeling parched.

And I'm typing all of this, while sipping on my own lemonade. The fruit was hard to come by, the process tedious. Time to drink up a bit and strive to make it better. Have a really terrific festive season, guys and girls! xx

2010-12-01T11:12:00.003+08:00

It's so unlike me to blog in the morning. Or, while we're at that, do anything constructive before noon strikes.

Anyway, I've been disappointing myself with the amount of work (or, rather, the lack thereof) I've put in this blog. Maybe because I still feel better blogging with LJ instead of Blogger. LJ has just always felt more personal. Or maybe it's just me. And stupid excuses.

It's December, now. The thing that I love/hate about this last month of the year has always been the same. The festive sales, and my ever-growing wishlist that comes along with it.

I would have been able to deal with this better had I have a steady part time job. Well, I'm supposed to have one, but they stopped calling me to ask about my schedule anymore, and I'm positive that I've not made any mistakes or because of any failings in my own end. Therefore, when work doesn't come looking for you anymore, then it's time for you to go and look for a new job.

Which is exactly what I'm going to do. And more. And more.

I didn't know this year was going to be so eventful. Yes, at the back of my head I've always been thinking: Nov, make this year AWESOME with a capital A and a capital W and a capital E... Well, you get the drift. Perhaps this is the reason why my year has been pretty cool. We attract what we project anyway.

Therefore, like how I can never stress enough of on this point, think positively.

Kind of brings me to my next point, which is the harvest. Yes, our thoughts plant the seeds and our actions cultivate them before we could harvest the crops and reap the rewards. It was just somehow lost on to me that all these planting and taking care of the crop needed time.

Looking back this year, I've given up on a couple of thing because, well, I forgot that results take time. It is only when you stick to something you desperately want would you manage to hang on and wait for the result. I guess I was just not hungry enough on some stuff. Well, as long as food is in it I guess it's okay.

Anyways, November was a cracking month and I can only hope a lesser month like December can follow through. By the looks of it, well, maybe!

formspring.me

2010-11-23T00:18:00.003+08:00

Tell me your secrets, ask me your questions @ http://formspring.me/nvmbr

formspring.me

2010-11-23T00:18:00.001+08:00

Tell me your secrets, ask me your questions @ http://formspring.me/nvmbr

formspring.me

2010-11-23T00:17:00.001+08:00

Tell me your secrets, ask me your questions @ http://formspring.me/nvmbr

2010-11-16T00:28:00.001+08:00

If this is all part of the plan; All these lessons, heartbreaks, trips and rewards, then I would say, dear powers that be, you're so awesome.

2010-11-13T11:58:00.002+08:00

I was reading Belle's blog talking about being an FB addict. Well, I guess we're all addicts of at least one thing or another in our own ways.

To me, being addicted to something means irrationally indulging in an activity. Or, at least, that's what I want myself to believe. Look at it this way:

A: "I'm addicted to these drugs."

B: "I'm addicted to taking these drugs."

If we all take the mentality of B, then it would be easier to kick an addiction, because then the object that causes the addiction will be the subject itself, which is ourselves, instead. So what's easier to control than ourselves, right?

Easier said than done, yes, but I guess easier nonetheless. Because seriously there is no way you can change anything else but yourself anyway.

And all these, because I'm trying to hide the fact that I'm addicted to being a fucking spendthrift these days.

2010-11-05T15:00:00.002+08:00

No, I wasn't going to write a letter to myself.

Anyway, It's been pretty long since I've last blogged. In fact, it's been pretty long since I've written anything much or did any significant reflections or thinking about anything at all, barring what to eat and what to wear.

Work's eaten up most of my time, so much so that I can't remember the last time I had a fun evening/night out. Still, I love my current job. Pity it's going to end this Sunday. And pay day will still have to wait.

Speaking about pay, I don't think I will ever work for Ban Leong again. The way they handle the pay with the promoters is just atrocious. There are no fixed dates, no black and white statements about how the commission system works, and no notices. It seems like the only way to get our pay from them is to call them up regularly and beg for it. Seriously, their HR department needs an overhaul.

Bitching aside, I would really like to wish all my boys enlisting next week good luck. Life's gonna suck a bit without all of you around, damn.

And, lastly, it's November. Let's hope it'll be a massive month.

2010-10-16T15:30:00.002+08:00

Day 29

Dear Mother,

I wish I could tell you everything about me, but I'm sorry, I can't. These truths might be too hard for your closed and narrow mind could take. Truly knowing me may break you, Mother. But I love you, whatever it is.

Love,

Nov.

2010-10-15T15:26:00.000+08:00

Day 27

Another ode to Edz, then. Ha!

2010-10-14T15:24:00.000+08:00

Day 27

Dear J E R L I N N,

I hope one day you'll be a great DJ. And the tattooed words on your arms, those are my favourite lyrics. Thanks for being such a friendly guy during our road trip!

Love,

Nov.

2010-10-13T15:19:00.000+08:00

Day 26

Dear Soccer Dude,

I can't remember your name but you better keep your promise and not tackle me so hard the next time if we ever play with each other again. I've nothing much to say to a random soccer dude, though.

Love,

Nov.

2010-10-12T15:19:00.000+08:00

Day 25

Refer to day 21.

2010-10-11T15:11:00.000+08:00

Day 24

Dear BelleKylieC,

My favourite memory, if anyone must know, would be the one we went to see the sunset and read the clouds and feel on top of the world. You, and YY and JK, are probably my favourite persons in the world.

I'm really glad that you're beginning to be more responsible and thoughtful nowadays. Keep at it!

Love,

Nov.

2010-10-10T15:09:00.001+08:00

Day 23

Dear XX,

The kiss probably shouldn't have happened. I still think about it and feel stupid about myself sometimes. At least, though, we're still friends. (:

Love,

Nov.

2010-10-09T15:05:00.001+08:00

Day 22

I give second, third, fourth, nth chances to everybody. Most of them just always never fail to let me down. But it's those that proved me wrong that count.

2010-10-08T14:49:00.001+08:00

Day 21

Dear Prem,

When I first saw you during class orientation I thought you were just another poseur gangster.

However, our first experience at Gate 8 changed all that. Over time, we've grown to great buddies, and I come to know the man behind the inked skin, smell of Marlboro Reds, proptosis and the Sexologist tee.

It's hard to be you. Misfortune, it seems, is always in your proximity. Still, after every hit I just see you stand up again and again. It's not easy, anyone lesser would have collapsed long ago. I firmly believe in the saying that what does not kill you makes you stronger, and you're my perfect living advocate for that.

The fighter is in your blood. Do your bloodline proud. All your heroes in your life have fought so much and they've not always won. However, it doesn't take away those victories they have, and how they did it with honour and integrity. You win some and you lose some, my friend. And when you lose all that big titles, I hope you will stop, take a breather and make bigger victories after.

Thanks for being such a valuable friend, and teaching me what honour, brotherhood, generosity and racial harmony mean. You made a difference in my life.

Love,

Nov.

2010-10-07T00:54:00.001+08:00

Day 20

Please refer to day 7. To keep it short, what doesn't kill you, makes you fucking strong.

2010-10-06T00:47:00.000+08:00

Day 19

Dear Sunshine,

Yes, you're just constantly in my head.

Love,

Nov.

2010-10-05T00:36:00.001+08:00

Day 18

Dear Nov,

There is no one else that I want to be more than you. It's hard to be you. It's hard to be seen as a typical partying kid who flirts with every girl, and who isn't very sensible, smart or special. But it doesn't matter though, because I know you're not, and nobody else can be who you are. You're just so haute couture. Keep at it!

Love,

Nov.

2010-10-04T00:42:00.001+08:00

Day 17

Dear GXY,

It's amazing how we were from the same primary schools (yes, schools), secondary school and even until tertiary level. However, I don't think I'm going to any other schools to study anymore but hopefully we would still be friends. And I will never understand why my mother dotes and is concerned about you so much, ha!

Love,

Nov.

2010-10-03T00:35:00.001+08:00

Day 16

Dear Jenjen,

I hope you're adapting well in dull Hull! It's a pity we didn't have a polaroid moment together before, though. I want to be on your wall, too! But it's fine, I'll just wait for you to come back and then we'll take a picture together and I'll make you develop it so that at least my face is in the UK.

Really proud of you that you're doing all these on your own. I think I would need to summon plenty of courage to do the same and I don't exactly think I've enough, even! So please try and be a good Asian stereotype and geek it out a bit, enjoy yourself and try not to come back with a Saudi ~~duckling~~ princeling. Hope you're having a good adventure!

Love,

Nov.

2010-10-02T00:05:00.000+08:00

Day 15

This is not valid because I don't have a particular person that I miss the most. When I say I miss you I really mean it as it is, I don't give a value to my misses, so they all weigh the same. Basically I miss all my GGBs and Yuli and Ziwei. So, let's all wait for day 16, then!

2010-10-01T00:56:00.001+08:00

Day 14

Dear Yuli-chan,

I miss you a lot. It sucks to see all of us drift apart like that after graduation as much as we don't want to. You're probably the only person who doesn't judge the gate 8 kids. I wish you'll be less busy, if not for me then at least for yourself, you need to learn when to stop and breathe for awhile! I'm so happy that you're enjoying work, despite your pay which I think is pretty much an insult compared to the optometrists working in retail, and not whining and complaining about anything while you're at it. I miss hanging with you during clinic and going for dinner at FC 2 after. And of course there's the talking part. You've been such a great friend, I'm really lucky to have known you! I really hope to hear from you soon, Yuli!

Love,

Nov.

2010-09-30T15:53:00.001+08:00

Day 13

Dear Whoever it may concern,

I'm sorry if I've pissed you off or upset you unknowingly. Please forgive me because I think I forgive you.

Love,

Nov.

//p.s ok this is a stupid letter to write

2010-09-29T00:22:00.000+08:00

Day 12

Dear Aaron,

First of all, a big 'fuck you'.

Second of all, a big 'thank you'.

Last of all, 'otherwise, you're not worthy of me to give a fuck about, thank you very much.'

Love,

Nov.

//p.s sorry for the f-bombs, but this is supposed to be a hate mail, right, for day 12?

2010-09-28T00:13:00.000+08:00

Day 11

Dear Kurt Cobain,

I wish you would tell me how you really died and how you really felt. It's hard to be a celebrity, especially when you didn't exactly want to be that big. When everybody wants a piece of you, we would just feel too vulnerable to give them everything, as much as we would like to. I'd understand if you lied. Thank you for your contribution, not just to the musical realm, but you made grunge a culture as well. And, yes, it is better to burn out than to fade away.

Love,

Nov.

2010-09-27T00:54:00.000+08:00

Day 10

Dear pohziwei,

WE NEED TO CATCH UP AND YOU NEED TO TELL ME MORE ABOUT YOUR OFFDAYS IN YOUR SCHEDULE BECAUSE I DESPERATELY MISS YOU AND YULI-CHAN!

Love,

Nov.

2010-09-26T00:43:00.000+08:00

Day 9

Dear Shelley,

I wish I could meet you. Not that we can communicate, but to just see you and say hi would be enough for me. Please keep the looks and entries on your ezine coming. You always have pretty photos and an even prettier face. One day I'll visit Stockholm and I'll definitely go to RED when I'm there. If they let me in. You're my inspiration for so many things. Keep on inspiring!

Love,

Nov.

2010-09-25T17:22:00.000+08:00

Day 8

Dear @jjjamieee,

You are my favourite internet friend because I think that you're as dope as me. Like you've said, twins! I could easily go to your url and check almost 3/4 of your interests as mine as well. You have this unpretentious way of talking which is really cool, and you're prettier than me. And finally, your love for clothes. You need to keep coming up with those new looks and outfits, love 'em!

I think my blog is very much kept alive these days because of this letter challenge, and it's all thanks to your tweet for this.

If I could be a girl I would wanna be just like you.

Love,

Nov.

2010-09-24T01:48:00.003+08:00

Day 7

Dear Edz,

It was a great 2 1/2 years with you. It's a pity that looking back, or even looking at things now, that we're probably not meant to be forever. Like what they always say, it's better to have loved and lost than not to have loved at all. A rather scant excuse, to be honest. However, consolations aren't designed to be true, they're made to tide things over for people, to give them some false hope so that they could stay alive and therefore enjoy the better things that life has in store for them.

And this is when I shall start to be grateful. Thank you for letting me know my ability and capacity to love. Thanks for making me grow up and stuff. Ultimately, thank you for allowing me to see the world unbound by any obligations or commitment, so that I could see things more objectively. Thanks for all that pain when you left. I am who I am now hugely because of who I was then. If not for you, I wouldn't have been so damn pretty awesome.

I'm happy that you've found somebody to love in quick time. You guys probably deserve each other a lot. It's hard to have your guy so busy with work, but bear with it, perhaps he's working for both of your future. He just has to work more than the average person because his qualifications are pretty much below average. Don't break his heart, I'm sure he loves you like hell. If you do, he'll most probably be single forever.

Thanks for giving me your everything while we were together. I miss bearbear and everyone else. And also your cousin, well, sort of.

If not for you I wouldn't have found my sunshine.

Love,

Nov.

2010-09-23T14:35:00.002+08:00

Day 6

Dear Stranger,

You will probably never see this. If it were me from perhaps two months ago I would have relished writing you this little note, but not anymore, no, not now. I guess it's probably destiny that we are strangers to some people, and friends to others. And the thing is, stranger, this applies to you, too.

Thanks for distracting my mind for a moment, but then that's probably just it. But this reflection of sort made me realise that you have your own life, too. I mean, when we just walk pass people and perhaps give some a second glance, we don't exactly think about their lives, the troubles that they might have, or stuff like that.

Therefore, stranger, I wish you good luck in whatever you do. I won't remember you even if I see you again. Till then, if we ever meet again.

Love,

Nov.

2010-09-22T20:50:00.003+08:00

Day 5

Dear dreams,

I will chase all of you like hell. Run hard, because I don't want to catch you when you're just half-hearted. I know at the end of the day, no matter if I've succeeded in one, none, or even all of you, I would be pleased and proud that I have dreams and I've tried. While you're at it, brush pass people, let them catch on, too. Everyone needs a dream, or many.

Love,

Nov.

2010-09-21T16:22:00.000+08:00

Day 4

Dear brother,

You're the best brother in the world. I can't have a better brother than you. I am proud of you.

Please have your dreams, and don't be afraid to chase them. You have swift feet, you can do it. Time is on your side, so think more. And maybe quit DOTA, it's gay. You've a kind heart, and you've a determined mind. You're made to be successful in whatever you do. My advice to you is to dare to imagine. And also to be a more willing slave to me.

Love,

Nov.

2010-09-20T00:10:00.000+08:00

Day 3

Dear Mom and Dad,

I've nothing but gratitude for the both of you.

Thank you for giving your everything, and more. Thank you for feeding me the best food that you can get. Thank you for raising me up to the person I am now. Thank you, Mom, for the cajoling and harsh truthful words. Thank you, Dad, for the encouragements and advices. Thank you for not giving up on the disappointing son that I am. Thank you for tolerating the late nights, the missed calls, the senseless shopping sprees, the crazy adolescent incidents, the lies, the ingratitude and everything else.

We don't wear our hearts on our sleeves in this house when it comes to expressing ourselves to each other, but I wish that you would know I've been trying to be better. I think actually both of you do.

Both of you must be the reason why I am so handsome, cute and kind.

Words can't say what love can do.

Love,

Nov.

2010-09-19T15:34:00.000+08:00

Day 2

Dear Sunshine,

It feels like living on a completely different planet. You make me want to sing, you make me want to be the better me but you make me want to die as well.

I feel that, therefore, it is crucial to be a team considering our little similarities and differences. This could just be the perfect blend of sense and sensibility. I'm going to conquer this world anyway, but you can rule over it. So, for world peace, then, if for nothing else.

I feel so tiny and flawed, but hopeful. This is so amazing.

Come and have an adventure. And that was how America was discovered. We could be bigger than that.

Love,

Nov.

2010-09-18T15:18:00.003+08:00

Day 1

Dear Pikachu,

I figured it's unfair to just make one person my best friend and write a letter to him or her. How many of us still believe in friendships anyways these days? Still, I love all my friends and I don't really care if they love me back less than how I love them. But, you are best friend because I guess you probably will never let me down, and you know me the best. And we sleep together.

Love,

Nov.

2010-09-17T15:17:00.009+08:00

The 30 Day Letter Challenge

WRITE A LETTER TO THESE PEOPLE :

Day 1 — ~~Your Best Friend~~

Day 2 — ~~Your Crush~~

Day 3 — ~~Your parents~~

Day 4 — ~~Your sibling (or closest relative)~~

Day 5 — ~~Your dreams~~

Day 6 — ~~A stranger~~

Day 7 — ~~Your Ex-boyfriend/girlfriend/love/crush~~

Day 8 — ~~Your favorite internet friend~~

Day 9 — ~~Someone you wish you could meet~~

Day 10 — ~~Someone you don’t talk to as much as you’d like to~~

Day 11 — ~~A Deceased person you wish you could talk to~~

Day 12 — ~~The person you hate most/caused you a lot of pain~~

Day 13 — ~~Someone you wish could forgive you~~

Day 14 — ~~Someone you’ve drifted away from~~

Day 15 — ~~The person you miss the most~~

Day 16 — ~~Someone that’s not in your state/country~~

Day 17 — ~~Someone from your childhood~~

Day 18 — ~~The person that you wish you could be~~

Day 19 — ~~Someone that pesters your mind—good or bad~~

Day 20 — ~~The one that broke your heart the hardest~~

Day 21 — ~~Someone you judged by their first impression~~

Day 22 — ~~Someone you want to give a second chance to~~

Day 23 — ~~The last person you kissed~~

Day 24 — ~~The person that gave you your favorite memory~~

Day 25 — ~~The person you know that is going through the worst of times~~

Day 26 — ~~The last person you made a pinky promise to~~

Day 27 — ~~The friendliest person you knew for only one day~~

Day 28 — ~~Someone that changed your life~~

Day 29 — ~~The person that you want tell everything to, but too afraid to~~

Day 30 — Your reflection in the mirror

http://letterchallengetumblr.tumblr.com/post/670539707/the-30-day-letter-challenge

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BELLE.KYLIE.C

2010-09-13T15:26:00.001+08:00

-----edited-----

Regular readers from my livejournal would have known that I refer to Belle as my part time little sister, or Stacey on fb. Whatever it is, it's a cause for celebration because an 18th birthday will always be monumental.

It's actually a long time since we've took time out to talk to each other beyond the quick updates about her room and other minor stuff. Therefore it was really great to be talking more again, especially of her views on the world and her own projects for photography and videography. After today, I realised that my little sister has indeed grown up. No, no that kind of cliched "Happy birthday, you've grown older!" kind of shallow and ridiculous birthday greetings (Seriously, it makes no sense! It's a birthday, duh. This is not the Curious Case of Benjamin Button.) . I'm saying to really have grown up. I'm totally proud of her.

Happy birthday, Belle! Your life has just begun.

2010-09-07T22:37:00.001+08:00

I went to my Grandmother's last week. Revisiting that place where I grew up, I decided to take a stroll in the evening since I've nothing else much to do anyway considering the programmes on TV these days. So I went downstairs and walked the places where my cousins and I used to frolic and have plenty of fun when we were still kids and when Facebook and Twitter didn't exist to steal our social lives (that is irl, see, another online acronym) away. Ah, childhood memories. Everybody has them, be it good ones or bad.

The problem starts here, you see. While trying to reminisce and take in the sights of what have changed and what have not, I realized that I have lost the ability to stroll. That is, to walk at a decently slow speed. I guess this has got to do with growing up. As we start to have more activities lined up other than school, we try to squeeze them as much as possible so that we end up having an activities-filled day. This usually means more transportation time and also less sleeping time. So we sleep less, wake up tired, do things slower and end up rushing for time so that we don't screw up our schedules. The end result being having to walk at a faster pace so we that won't be late. Sadly, this rushing about has evolved into part of my lifestyle. To add to that is our nation's obsession with being the best and not missing out on things. And of course our live fast, live dangerous, live on the edge, and try not to die young mentality.

#1. Have something to live for.

One of my resolutions this year is to take things down a notch, what with all that hardcore partying and stuff, and to enjoy life's little things, pretty much Zombieland inspired. I've been trying consciously to do that, and it's not easy to break from going goal to goal. However, I think being able to slow ourselves down to take things in is important, lest we forget what the goals are really for, and then we'll slowly but surely lose ourselves. Losing our souls, that's equivalent to death. What's living if we've nothing to live for.

#2. Have something to die for.

To add to the point of living, I'd like to talk about something else. I always have concerned friends (and meddlesome strangers) coming up to me and say "Come on, Nov, stop your drinks, fags, parties and late nights. You'll die soon." Well, yeah, it's true too much of all these are really bad for the health, and with a poor body we can't survive to live our dreams. However, this also set me thinking about this thing about the age old pursuit of longetivity. To me, every second that we are living, we are also dying at the same time. Isn't it true? I guess that is why, on top of the point I mentioned in the last paragraph, being alive also means having something to die for. Nope, not the alcohol and fags, of course.

#3. Live like you're dying.

Seize the day. This is easier said than done. Well, I think a living example of somebody who lives by this code is Mr. Jordon Ng. He's many things, but a soulless barren capsule he is not. Carpe Diem, he always says. So clichéd, but so true! It's good to be safe, but don't be too afraid. I've always stand by my view that the best things in life costs only blind faith. And by standing by it, I mean taking the leaps. In the movies, they did it, didn't they? You can be a Casanova who takes and breaks heart so your own wouldn't be broken, or a shy kid who closes his heart to the world so that he wouldn't be let down. However, what would that give you? Vision gives you the ability to see opportunities, courage gives you the ability to go and get it despite the potential obstacles that your vision can't get pass. On top of that, you'll never learn what you really have until you lose it. So don't be afraid of getting something in the fear that you may lose it. That is stupidity.

That was quite the bohemian speech, eh? Speaking of bohemian, I'd recently re-watched Moulin Rouge. I've always told people when asked (or not!) about my beliefs, that I believe in Beauty, Freedom, Truth and Love. I don't know was it because I was subconsciously influenced by that movie. In the show, it spoke about these four things that make up the bohemian spirit. So I would like to think that I've an inner streak of boho-ism in me because that would be really pretty cool, ha! I hope this is the reason I went ahead to buy a headband last year. So, to wrap up this entry, I'm going to share a really awesome quote from Moulin Rouge.

"The greatest thing that you'll ever learn is to love and to be loved in return."

2010-08-30T23:53:00.003+08:00

Okay, I'm loving my background (tiled) mosaic of Shelley Mulshine!

It's barely the second day into the final week of school with all that clinic and tests but I'm already thinking about the holidays and what to do with it. I'm going to learn some basic video editing. Also, clock some work hours so that I've money to shop for the winter collection/CNY/refreshment pieces/whatever. But these are all still pretty faraway. Right now I need a new iPod and possibly a camera, which is something that I've been holding off for quite some time already. Besides these material wants, of course there are other personal goals and improvements that I really want to achieve. But let's leave that for another day.

Let's hear some good news, now. I'm now done with my dispensing paper which probably didn't go too badly. This definitely calls for a celebration of some sorts, you'll never know the relief I felt handing over the paper after the test. I really, really suck at numbers.

It's been a week without football and I'm missing it already. Football is a sport, a passion, it's not just a form of exercise for me. Therefore, I can't really content myself with running. Not that I worked a great deal of distance. Just enough to make use of my body, so maybe this is something to work on.

Recently my posts have been so disjointed and 'random', I disgust myself. I don't know if I've mentioned about my irk towards random people using the word random in my previous blog. So let's do it (again, maybe).

So, randomness. According to this dictionary website, the word random means "proceeding, made, or occurring without aim, reason, or pattern". So, can we safely say that when we say somebody is doing something random, then he or she is doing whatever it is without any rhyme or reason? How can a person do something that is without aim, reason or pattern? Perhaps we don't just don't see it.

And therefore I shall counter argue myself that the random people use on others is a 'subjective random', not an objective one. Then again, every opinion is considered subjective. So yeah, maybe it's not wrong after all. But it still irritates me sometimes.

I'm sorry to have to type out my entire train of thought into two huge chunks of words so that it makes sense to me. Oh well, but isn't that what a blog is for, to express what you're thinking? Maybe I'm taking it a little bit too literally.

Okie doo, let's do some lighter stuff like reading Tham's notes then it's off to bed for me. Remember, smile pretty for the Devil, darlings.

2010-08-30T01:08:00.003+08:00

The holidays end right about now, or, rather, when I wake up tomorrow. But technically it is tomorrow now. But, oh well, I hate this kind of stuff. What's tomorrow, whats today, what's yesterday. It doesn't really matter, does it? Numbers are just numbers until we give meanings to them.

Which brings me to another point. Things generally don't mean much until we give them meanings. An M is just an M, until Mr. Ronald Macdonald convinced us otherwise. Lesson: we can respect predetermined meanings and definitions, but we should always carry an open mind when we see things.

Preaching aside, let's talk about how I've spent my three weeks of YOG break.

Working at Shin Sapporo Ramen
Going back to school for talks/workshops/whatnots
A little bit of football
A little bit of Aly and Fran
A lot of Starbucks

That's about it, really. This break has been less than eventful, emotional events not counting. Nevertheless, because of this you can't really say that this break has been unmemorable. It's been a good break, actually. I've found old and new things/people/activities/thinking to fight for and defend. It's always good to have a drive in life. (Hey,it rhymed!)

I'm going back to read my notes for tomorrow's killer test in a jiffy, so let's close this. McSpicy rocks max and,something that I keep saying (on my statuses) these couple of weeks, your love is my drug.

Have a happy week 20, students. Have a happy BMT, soldiers. Just, have a happy week, readers/stalkers. I love you guys, but I love you girls more and I love, well, yeah, the most. *winks*

2010-08-29T14:46:00.000+08:00

Hello, new url!

Catch you guys soon!