:: sometimes to read is better than to watch::

since i know i will not be watching the episode tonite, i have pre-'viewed' it - courtesy of this blog.

American Idol Season 4

ps: caution - spoilers ahead.

:: walky thursday::

i realised that many of us do not make it a point to walk - including yours truly.

so today, after work, i decided to walk to make up for the lack of exercise lately.

it was not that far (but my shiny leather work-shoes which make that 'commanding' sound with every step could have killed me)

my route was as follows:
- suntec city
- esplanade
- queen elizabeth walk (ie: by the singapore river)
- boat quay
- raffles place mrt station.

viola! and i discovered botero sculptures along the way.


::thank goodness for the mobile phone cam - altho' bad in quality::

AND LASTLY, not to mention, the perspiration throughout my body (luckily i didn't stink during the train ride home, someone actually fell asleep on my shoulders :$)

::the "discovery" blues::

i am feeling blue now (noo... not because of the fact that i am lazy to get out of bed and thus, decided not to go to an empty office today).

it was because of a documentary that was shown just now on discovery channel.

it has brought back some-not-so-pleasant memories which i clearly recalled to this day.

on 8 july 2003, i remembered the followings:
- checking the internet every 30 minutes for any updates on that day.
- the excuses to go to raffles hospital for lunch at their banquet cafe every now and then.
- the care and concern that my customers-turned-friends had when i was with them in the project (that i loved).
- the flatness of the office atmosphere upon hearing the news.
- the visit to raffles hospital after work, to bid my last farewell.
- the long email (pre-blog days) that i've sent to my closed ones, it was meant as a closure for me.

i was talking about the death of Ladan and Laleh Bijani, the Iranian conjoined twin sisters who always wanted to be separated but met with a tragic end.

from discovery channel:

Iranian conjoined twin sisters – joined at the head – with unique personalities and individual dreams, Ladan and Laleh Bijani had wanted to be separated since they were youngsters. Having studied law for four years at Tehran University – a career path chosen by Ladan – they travelled to Germany in 1996, trying to get doctors there to separate them.

However, the German doctors declined to operate, due to the extremely high risk of separation surgery. But in 2002, at the age of 28, after meeting Dr. Keith Goh – a Singaporean neurosurgeon who successfully separated sisters who had also been joined at the head – the Bijani sisters traveled to Singapore to undergo the controversial operation. Even though they were warned that the surgery would be very risky, the sisters were determined.

Their decision to go ahead with the operation caused a worldwide media blitz. DYING TO BE APART, the documentary that tells their touching story, airs January 23 at 2100 hrs (9 pm SIN / HK).

::in memorium, may they rest in peace::

watch the documentary, if you have the chance.

read this, to recap the final journey of the iranians.

::frust...::

feel like shouting this to SOMEONE now!

:: tv monday::

okay, i am sold.

so long carrie, samantha, miranda and charlotte.

i've got my final episodes of season 6, part 2 (uncensored and direct from amazon.com).

i've subscribed to hbo asia because of that and i even bought the official book because of that.


so, so long sex and the city.

coz here comes desperate housewives, nevermind to the fact that we are 1 year and 3 months behind US!!

it made its premiere in singapore last nite at channel 5.

here's Susan Mayer (Teri Hatcher), the divorcee and single mom who will go to extraordinary lengths for love; Lynette Scavo (Felicity Huffman), the ex-career woman who traded the boardroom for boredom, mixed with moments of sheer panic as the mother of four unmanageable kids; Bree Van De Kamp (Marcia Cross), the Martha Stewart on steroids, whose family is about to mutiny; and Gabrielle Solis, the ex-model with everything she's ever wanted - a rich husband, a big house - so what is she doing with John, the 17-year-old gardener (Jesse Metcalfe)? And there are her neighbors, including serial divorcee Edie Britt (Nicollette Sheridan), whose romantic conquests have everyone buzzing.

via abc.com : desperate housewives

i think i will love this edie character ,just like i love samantha in sex and the city.

no wonder nicollette sheridan got the worst dressed list for 2004, guess she brought the character to her persona for good!

BUT, also good on telly on monday nite (but terribly late at 12.30 am) is arrested development.

i love its black humour and the fact that its about a totally screwed-up american family.

tv monday will never be the same, for the next 13 weeks.

::what a bummer::

not wurking today, to make up for the fact that i worked on MY public holiday last Friday.

slacking around with lots of food and watching jackie chan's DVD "the new police story".

still my mind needs to exercise today and discovered something from (from pc world) , so here's what i've learnt and to share with you...hope it is useful:

Every time you move or copy files from one folder to another, Windows checks the target folder for files that have the same names as those you are copying. If it finds a duplicate name, it asks whether you want to overwrite the file in the target folder.

When more than one file is selected, your choices are 'Yes' (overwrite just this file), 'Yes to All' (overwrite all files with matching names), 'No' (don't overwrite this file), and 'Cancel' (stop the whole process now). If you click 'Yes' or 'No', you will see the same prompt for each duplicate that Windows finds. If you're just resuming an interrupted download from a server, you can click 'Yes to All' to overwrite everything and save yourself some clicks. But this approach slows down the process as Windows overwrites files you downloaded previously. Why not just say 'No to All'?

Well, mainly because that button is missing.

Burak Gul of Eskisehir, Turkey, has the solution. To say 'No to All', simply hold down Shift as you click No. Windows will move or copy all files except those with duplicate names in the target folder. Note that if you move or copy folders as well as files, you still get at least one prompt for folders and another for files when duplicate names are found.

via J-Walk Blog

::song addict::

"i am agentX and i am a song addict"

there are songs that i crave for and love more than the others.

strangely though, those songs are mostly japanese and my last obsession (circa 4 months ago) was with this song: "love addict" by mika nakashima.



not only did i buy the cd and the single, had it converted mp3 and recorded into MD, reading the japanese lyrics, got it translated and tried to karaok-ed it with much gusto.

i listen to the song everywhere -- in the shower, while driving, roller-blading, jogging, sleeping and when i'm logged to my notebook. i just can't get enough of this song.

the translated lyric of this song (hopefully you can view japanese characters), for your pleasure.

Artist: Nakashima Mika
Title: Love Addict
Words: Nakashima Mika
Music: Osawa Shinichi

もぐる　ベッド
Slip under the covers,
いききらして、　やつがやってくる
he's on his way here, out of breath.
うでの　なかで
in his arms,
あした　の　おとき　を　おもう
I'm thinking of who I'll be with tomorrow.
つかれた　かた、　
his tired shoulders,
タバコ　ふかし　みえたけむり　が、
by the time the smoke from his cigarette clears,
きえる　ころに　私　の　はだ　は　もうえ　かわく
my skin will be dry again.

Chorus

リズム　に　あわせた　おどる　その　あせ　は
Dancing to the rhythm,
げんきい　の　はざま　を　こえて　は　おそう
that sweat pushes right through my limitations.
て　に　そまる　あい　を　くらい　とべる　のさ
Devour the love that stains my hand and I can fly.
いっしゅん　の　はかない　もの　に　しれい　は　くだされた
receiving orders from a person who's come and gone in a flash. *1

さがしだせ　その　て　で　よくぼう
find my desire with those hands
うちこがせ　その　て　で　あいじょう
set my love ablaze with those hands
しんじて　やどる　あい　は　うつくしい
the love I trust in and harbor in my heart is beautiful.


ときあかせ　その　み　で　くちびる
discover the meaning behind the lips with your body.
つきあげ　よ　その　み　で　かんじょう
drive me wild with your body
あい　に　くるう　おんな　は　うつくしい
a woman driven mad by love is beautiful.

ぬぐった　かぜ　ほお　を　なぐり　なみだ　を　さそう
the wind passing through hits my cheek, bringing on the tears.
くせ　に　なった　こにゃ　も　にげられない　は
it's getting to be habit, there's no escape tonight.
て　を　なめる　ねこ　の　よう　に　すりよって
nestle close like a cat licking its fur,
ふさがった　こころ　を　あとおし　してる
backing the heart I closed off.
とびちった　つき　おいこし　きめる　の　さ
Overcome the shattered moon going for the goal
いだい　な　あい　の　ちから　が　ここ　に　あたえ　らで
It's here that I gain the great power of love.

きりおとせ　おどれない　がんぼう！
cut off any desires that can't dance.
ふみにじれ　いらない　プライド
rample upon the unnescessary pride.
しんじて　やどる　あい　は　うつくしい
the love I trust in and harbor in my heart is beautiful.

まきおこせ　かぎりない　かいかん
create boundless pleasure.
とりあげろ　まよわない　ていこう
take away the resolute resistance
あい　に　くるう　おんあ　は　うつくしい
a woman driven mad by love is beautiful.

きり　の　ない　こんな　あい　のど　に　ふりまわされている　は　ざんこくに　　　
I'm being tugged back and forth cruelly by this never ending love
あい　の　かたち　ならば　ひてい　できない
No one can deny the shape of love,
私　の　あかし　だわ
it's who I am.

Repeat chorus

Translated By: Brian Stewart & Takako Sakuma
*1 - The lyrics here could be interpreted as being that in the moment of orgasm, The singer is not herself, and is in fact at the beck and call of her primal urges.

you can listen to the sample here, BUT you have been warned.

so, that is my song addict, what's yours?

:: still wurking....::

darn, still stuck at the project before i bid my final goodbyes (for now).

why must issues surface only at the very last minute - actually i could just leave as my consulting charges will stop at 6.00 pm, but what the heck, i thought it will be a last goodwill gesture.


::the work area that i was at throughout this project, not gonna miss it::

but i miss my previous work desk in my previous job.

marangkusheebye!can't wait to drive home and eat all the food that my mom has cooked for today....

:: so cheap cheap ne....::

it's public holiday today - but i am working.

no, don't get me wrong, i am not complaining.

although today is a muslim holiday, and being a muslim myself, i should be 'celebrating' this day like many others.

nevertheless, i'm glad to be working today, as it is the last day of my involvement of project that has started since 2002! phew...

BUT, i am not going to miss it though.

i've made some travelling plans for 1Q2005 and have successfully reserved a return ticket to Phuket with TigerAirways at only SGD$9.98 (one-way).

next stop, is to HongKong. The price? only SGD$40 with JetStarAsia.

for 2Q2005, it will be Japan - my all-time favourite destination. the cheapest rate to osaka currently is only SGD$438 by Malaysian Airlines.

travelling has never been as good and cheap.

and,

to all muslims - "Selamat Hari Raya Haji"

::curse word of the moment::

"marangkusheebye"

ever since late last month aka year, i found myself to be using that word often. not sure what it meant, but i am sure it has got to do with either one's mother or some private parts.

did i say that i use it a lot? especially when driving and cursing at j-plated motorcycles at the bke every morning.

i picked it up from watching too much of korean films, especially from this movie "old boy", which is a ultra-violent and pitched-dark humour about a man who was kidnapped for 15 years, and set out to discover the reason behind his incarceration and to take revenge on his mysterious enemies.

by the way, it won the Grand Jury Prize at Cannes Film Festival 2004.


the film is quite simply a masterpiece in modern cinema.

before i disgress....
"marangkusheebye""marangkusheebye""marangkusheebye"
"marangkusheebye""marangkusheebye""marangkusheebye""marangkusheebye""marangkusheebye"
"marangkusheebye""marangkusheebye""marangkusheebye"


damn...that felt good

:: 1st lesson for 2005 (work category)::

bad things happened when one is away from work for *1 week*...

shit happens today...but i will not go into the details.

anyhow, it was a small issue but became something bigger due to email exchanges between the project manager and i as i guess he wanted to show that he has bigger balls.....
try-lah, see whose balls are bigger, KNNCB.

it affected me today: at lunch *usually cheery and nonsensical with my customers* and on the drive home *usually i will sing out loud or shake my head like having 'e-fixes'*.

my head felt heavy.

and i know the cause: it was not because of the problem that happened at work, it was because i was just an unrealistic perfectionist.

whoever expect that a project 'go-live' to be perfect is crazy, that's the 1st lesson for 2005 for me.

must learn to 'relak one corner, brudder'....so says the Mat.


**update**
can't sleep, change skin, what gives?

:: kobe earthquake - 10 years on...::

Rekindling memories


Japanese children pray for victims at a park in Itami, near western Japanese port city of Kobe on the eve of the 10th anniversary of the 1995 Kobe earthquake on January 17 which killed over 6,400 people.

see Mainichi Interactive

i have been there in autumn 2003 - it is now a memorial park.
the japanese resilience to rebuild this city is a living proof that we all can overcome the tsunami tragedy.


- i believe this park still attracts loads of tourists: both local and overseas. this part of the wrecked port due to the earthquake was preserved to remember the tragedy.


- yours truly, at kobe earthquake memorial park. notice the shadows of kobe tower and the harbour view at the backdrop-

:: manic monday ::

i am tad lazy today and decided to wake up unfashionably late.

was at office just in time for lunch and preparing for my real work for the next few days,(with 'analysis' work on car shopping and holiday plans for 2005)...heee

weather is cloudy as seen from the office below (taken from my mobile cam)



**added entry**
today, i formally announce my allegiance to lush fm.

have been looking forward to it since their pre-launch tests over the airwaves and i am glad to say that this has been a permanent frequency while driving and showers ;)

one of the things that i could not stand with our local radio is that the deejays are so full of shit (ie: themselves) when all i ever wanted was to listen to good damn music. who gives a damn about their so-called-celebrity life and who they met - AS IFs!.

so to radio deejays out there - shut up and just play the music.

perhaps, on second thought, do away with deejays completely. it's becoming a passe occupation hazard, unless you have darm interesting personality like howard stern or rick dees .

how glamourous can a deejay be with a stage name that ends with a 'glamour'? duh...

i am glad that lush has only 2 deejays and they don't talk crap. radio ads were tastefully done and quick.

and best of all - it caters for listeners like me:
- sexy
- sensual
- smooth....hahaha.

:: to buy or not to buy ::

what a sunday!

we won the tiger cup and i had to rush the 'car window-shopping' in order to be home in time for the live match on TV.

speaking of which, my 'car-sell-buy analysis' has indicated that this is a good time to buy a new car as my loan instalment can be reduced, and get a new car at the same time.

the 2nd opinion and analysis made by the sales rep at tan chong motors also showed the same outcome.

but also, this means another loan, and longer loan repayment period.

you just can't win them all.

i have decided to sign the dotted lines after chinese new year - once i have decided which car to buy.

ps: at KIA (Paya Lebar Branch), the customer service and sales' staff proficiency in good english SUCKS BIG time!

from Automobile Association of Singapore
Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione - My Dream Car

Although the 8C's gorgeously stunning lines were inspired from Alfa Romeos from the 50s and 60s, the car's running gear has more in common with the present-day Maserati Coupé than anything else. The Maserati's 4.2-litre V8 and rear mounted gearbox have been tried and tested for the last two years in the 4200GT, but Alfa Romeo engineers have tuned the engine to be more powerful in the 8C. This car is almost certainly slated for production, but it may only be available in left hand drive, and thus, not for sale in Singapore

.

::for sushi lovers:

inspired by TR's sushi-craving, here is something for all things sushi:

see Digital Sushi

:: friday man ::

yesterday, i worked - after being on the bench for the past 4 days.

well, at least i made half-day billable effort to the firm .

went to office 1st (post ERP hours), had quick lunch and off to the customer's office. being a news center and huncho of the publication business here, the building is huge. the security guard was an asshole and the receptionists' people skills could be improved though.

anyway, look at customer's issues, evaluated, analysed and solutioning recommendations.
it will cost them though....heee. all in a day's work :)

felt good that i left for home early, had a nap, watched beautiful boxer on dvd, dinner and left home to hang out with old buddies at arab street for shisha and drinks.

later, joined another friend at a bar for drinks and some dancin' ;)

reached home at 3.30am.

how i love friday.

:Life Goes On:

After the tsunami aftermath.

see Life Goes On


I will not judge because I was not there when the tragedy happened.
These people were there.
I felt that it was their right to go on living, despite whatever happened.

:: Mr Blackwell's Dress List 2004::

It's that time of the year again, topping of the bitched-list of the worst-dressed for 2004 is actress Nicolette Sheridan who plays the conniving Edit Britt of ABC's hit "Desperate Housewives" (soon on Channel 5, Jan 16th).

See: "'Housewife' tops worst-dressed

“In barely-there bombs, she’s a taste-free pain. Let’s crown her the Tacky Temptress of Wisteria Lane,” he wrote in a statement released Tuesday.

Lindsay Lohan was the next target of the acid-tongued critic, who called the starlet “over-hyped and under-dressed.”

However, Blackwell gave kudos to

“fabulous fashion independents” Nicole Kidman, Natalie Portman, Barbara Walters, Kate Winslet, Annette Bening, Oprah Winfrey, Scarlett Johansson, Gwen Stefani, Jennifer Garner and Sheridan’s on-screen nemesis Teri Hatcher.

This is the 45th year that Blackwell, a former fashion designer, has offered his best- and worst-dressed women lists.

It's tough being a celebrity, eh?.

:: a little experiment ::

9, no actually 8.5 songs.

That was all it took from Ghim Moh MRT station to my office at Suntec City.
Woke up late - so Park and Ride again and started my MD player (yeah, I know...still not into IPODs yet - waiting for the newer designs by Q2 2005).


the song list was:
+ What The World Needs Now - American Idol 3 Finalists
+ I'm With You - Avril Lavigne
+ Baby I Love You - Jennifer Lopez
+ Baby, Now That I Found You - Alisson Krauss
+ What's Going On - Marvin Gaye
+ Dream A Little Dream For Me - Beautiful South
+ Holding On - Beverly Craven
+ Slave To Love - Bryan Ferry
+ You Come To My Senses - Chicago

But too bad, the display did not include the total track time for all these songs :(
bummer....

:: CameraMail ::

-->CameraMail<--

On the 22nd of December 2004, Kyle Van Horn taped a disposable camera to a piece of black foamcore and inscribed upon it the following message: "ATTENTION POSTAL WORKERS! Please help us with our project. As this camera travels across the country we want photos of all whom it encounters. Please take a photo before you pass it along. Thank you!"

via Geisha Asobi

:: bored ::

--cloudy and sunny whole day...view from the office window now--

damn, i am bored.

cannot imagine life without work and stress...hee2 :p

task completed for today:
- long lunch,
- desserts and people-watching at bugis junction.
- slow walk back to suntec city,
- leisurely toilet breaks
- remain indoors to enjoy the cool comfort in office
- suft the internet (read blogs and gadgets updates)
- organised my email folders neatly
- install nokia pc suite software
- took some pics from mobile phone

and

here i am.

could it be that i am a type 'A' - prone to heart-attacks,impatient, too fast and furious - that i am bored.

i should be grateful, actually.

::the office::

:: I miss the office : watched 'em all and not sure if they will continue the series or not::

survived the train ride to work today, well, did not really get into the morning mad rush as I was leisurely late for work :p it went well, except that i took the longer route (had forgotten that there is a shorter way, but it meant that i had to made a train transfer).guess i was lazy to move my butt, since the longer route meant having a guaranteed seat. but not for long, as once we have reached yishun, it was packed to the max, and i had to give up my seat to an elder uncle who was nice enough to thank me and pat my shoulders.
shame to all those who pretended to sleep, and especially to a 'foreign talent couple' who sat at the seat meant for the aged, pregnant and disabled :p

anyhow, reached the office, set up my laptop to surf the net, had coffee with the boss at the food court in the basement. some work talk and he asked me about my plans. i asked him about HIS plans instead and said he may need some help for a regional roadmap for research and presentation, yada..yadaa.. anyhow, told him that i will be taking about 10days off-work starting from 1st Feb because i will be away on medical leave (!!?) for some minor ops (ie: wishful plastic surgery, hee2).
in the end, still not clear when can i start to be billable and be a whore again because the customers are still finalising their budget for the projects...whatever.

so, still not sure whether i will be in singapore, KL or bangkok.
or maybe to HK or Japan (for my own leisure, that is).

don't get me wrong, i love my job and my boss.

but i don't like being bored at work and not charging monies to anyone with every passing minute. just like those girls at geylang walking whole day/nite without any income.

but like they say, in consulting line, it happens.
there will be a lull period once a while.
and i guess, my time is now.

:: taxi-reality check::

I did not drive to work today.
Make that -> I drove today, but I also took the train to work (??)

You see, I took advantage of the Park and Ride scheme, whereby I drove my car to the nearest point, took the train to my office in town. All in the name of saving money from the expensive parking charges and ERP in town.

I will be in town for the whole of this week :(
And to drive to work is not cost effective, if your office happens to be in town.

How I miss the ERP and parking free at my customer's office - sans town area.

Anyhow, took a cab for an appointment later, and still, even at 4.30 pm, taxis here also pick and choose. Varied reasons given - change of shift lah, already got on-call booking lah, toilet-break lah...yada, yada yada.

I gave up on taxi, after today's experience.

So tomorrow, I will still try the train rides, but this time, without driving at all. See how it goes.

::Japanese taxis are also like the ones here - many only after midnite::

:: on the bench ::

what a roller-coaster ride.
it started with the depressing last week of 2005 and the hectic project schedule on the 1st week of jan 2005 and now - it's my null period.
will be basically got paid for nothing for the whole of this week while resuming some additional work for the hari raya haji week.
wonder what will one do for 5 working days other than net surfing, clean up emails, coffee breaks and listen to online music.
can't complain-lah, just enjoy this moment as it does not come often.

:: kindness everywhere ::

Messages of gratitude
Originally uploaded by AgentX.

Inspirational quotes for help and care and concern are all over Concorde Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.

Signs and gestures like this have made my 'runaway' New Year to KL worthwhile.

Thanks for welcoming the new year with me, KL.

:: KL's tsunami efforts ::

After all that depression from the terrible news lately, I just had to see how our northern brothers and sisters rallied in support to raise funds for the tsunami tragedies. Almost every private radio and television has some sort of fund-raising activities and/or awareness of the fund-raising exercise. At the predominantly Indonesian community at Chow Kit Road, KL, a very big banner "Aceh Tsunami Fund" was displayed and almost every shops around there have put up the donation boxes.
In Chinatown of Petaling Street, volunteers with their donation boxes were braving the hot and humid weather to ask for loose change to raise funds.

The local TV news showed the plight of the tsunami victims at Penang and Langkawi. Malaysians had rallied together, and Malaysia boleh! (can do!)

Let's us forget out love-hate squabbles for the meantime, both Singapore and Malaysia have shown to the world that they care and will do whatever it takes to help the tsunami victims.

:: Happy 2005::

Concorde Hotel's No New Year Countdown Announcement

The devastation of the tsumani tragedy was something that I had tried to deny, or wish that it was all a mistake.

I decided to run away to Kuala Lumpur, maybe things will be more cheerful there. I left Singapore at 4.30 am and only to learn on the morning radio shows that the Malaysian government has cancelled all the New Year's Day Celebration planned for the night. NO fireworks, NO countdown. Deep inside, I was not really looking forward to celebrate the arrival of 2005, when so many of our brothers and sisters across tsunami-hit countries had suffered.

I was at Hard Rock Cafe when the clock striked 12 am. There was no counting down to 2005, just a minute's of silence when 2005 arrived. Michael Jackson's "Heal The World" soon was played. The mood was sombre and muted, with exception of some irritating party animals who cheered into the new year.

But I was glad. Glad to be safe and alive in the so sterile country of mine - Singapore. God has blessed us with a good geographical position, for now.