Constipated with No Ideas

OK. One more entry before I hit the sheets. I meant to come up with some story ideas for the next Teens Crossroad mag - but that did not materialise. I guess that has to wait cause I'm so constipated with idealess right now. There are a few tasks I've to complete.

1. Short story - got the idea and put down the premise. Yet to develop.
2. 2005 Work Plan - This is for my workplace. So overdue.
3. Aire Latino, David Russell - Need to buy this CD, and I don't think one of those 'Kucing-Kurap' neighbourhood CDRama or Sembawang music shops has this. Sigh, looks I like I have to get my sorry ass to HMV again.
4. Lombok - Holiday trip planning stage.
5. Story ideas to pitch to my editor friend.

There you have it! More tasks to make my Monday morning sweeter. Self-inflict. Love it!

Genius Loves Company

Been listening to Ray all morning. It just feels good listening to this man and how he complements other artists. That's a hallmark of a generous, assured and talented person. And yeah I went to see the movie too. Jamie Foxx was astounding. And can I just say that I bought this album months before his Grammy sweep?

Just Drive

I will be completing my driving lessons with the final subject lesson 33, Pre-Test Assessment next week. I flipped the pages in my training booklet and saw the first lesson was on 28 July 2004. Boy... that's quite a while ago. I've exceeded my target of 6 months, but I least I'm there. Family and friends have been encouraging me to take this up and finish asap.

I wasn't too keen at first, but after months of learning the shiok is inescapable. The excitement in me is palpable each time I see a Perodua Kembara on the road.

On the downside though, driving with a school costs a bomb and if you're not stingy with money you could always book practice slots back to back. Yeah the school'll like that. For me I just have to make sure I space-out my lessons. No rush.

Guitar lesson last Tuesday didn't turn out good. We have another week to impress the instructor with Carruli's Rondo.

Allow Me to Backtrack

Sunday morning. Been blogging for almost three months now. Started last December solely because I was writing a feature on the blogging phenomenon for a teenager magazine and I needed to know what it's like. I remember writing that feature and was fully engrossed in capturing every precise thoughts I have at that time on blogging. I wanted the process to be as real as possible. Yeah it was genuine. But I did not explore how a blog can be a sanctuary for its owner. Funny that didn’t cross my mind. Because I’m beginning to feel like it is now.

Saturday, I did some serious practise on a Rondo by F. Carulli. Don’t like this Rondo stuff but I’m aware it’s all for the left finger development. I need to pin Carulli down before this Tuesday night. The last lesson didn’t turn up well because I played badly and I also want to redeem my playing in the classroom. Nothing competitive.

Friday I went out with M. We had dinner at Beach Road. Saw Constantine at Bugis Junction at 9.30pm. The show ended at about 11.30pm. Took a taxi, drop M at her place and then continued with journey back home. Quality Time, that's all we need.

Thursday I was on leave. Utter fabulous! I remember it was a glorious day and I didn’t mind the heat-wave at all. Thought of seeing M, but she just had an eye lasik operation. She told me her vision was still blurred but improving. But nevermind, we’re going out Friday. Eh? Am I doing a sequential of events – but only backwards?

Wednesday. Something interesting happened at the office. I conducted a Calibration session for some new agents. It was an opportunity for them to listen to their calls and discuss any areas of development or best practices. It went well, as usual, until one agent thought I had disguised myself as a user with an email virus problem and called up the helpdesk to test him on purpose! Seriously dude, I got better things to do! Anyway, I had to put up a diplomatic front as usual, and assured him that the call was indeed genuine, the user was no fake, and the problem user had was certainly for real.

After work , a mad rush to SSDC for a driving lesson. Oh yeah... I've almost clocked the requisite number of lessons now and I do hope to finish this all before April ends. I'm getting rather impatient now.

Tuesday. Can’t remember what I did on Tuesday. Oh yes! Met up with my editor during lunchtime to collect the check for a previous writing assignment. She also passed me 3 previous magazine issues. They really looked good – impressive reads for teenagers. I stayed and chit-chatted for nearly an hour and left with another possibility of an assignment.

Monday. Monday? See previous entry below on Back to Work. LOLs. I just did a Memento movie here.

Back to Work

CNY is over. And I'm squeezing some Monday thoughts here. I have 4 days of annual leave brought forward from 2004 - to be cleared, and I have till end of February to do so. Awesome! If only all decision making in life can be this sweet. Now where is that calendar?

From Ubin to Queen's Close to Clementi to Woodlands

Many relatives and friends came by. It was mighty nice of them to do so considering that one has to get to Changi Point Jetty and take the boat (I won't call it a ferry) and upon reaching Ubin, either walk or take the mini-bus to get to the destination. Or if you're up to it - rent a bicycle.

Anyway, I cannot recall the last time I was there. Too long ago. That place really gave me so much fond memories. I didn't grow up there, but when I was in primary school I sure did spend much of my holidays roaming Ubin with my cousin.

This used to be my playground. Front view of my late-grandparents' kampung house. It's really lovely. You got to see and experience it for yourself and have a glimpse of what kampung life and all its wonderful cliches are about.

My nephews and nieces having a go at the ice-kacang machine. Right... when I was their age I was probably running bare-footed, screaming my head off in the rubber tree plantation. That, or ruining my late grandfather's Raleigh bicycle by cycling on off-road tracks.

I was really amused upon seeing this setup under the mangoesteen tree. Don't know who put it up there and I'm not questioning. Some of my nephews and nieces on the steps leading to the main hall. You can see and gauge their age bracket from this pic. God I'm old.

Thanksgiving at Ubin

The family is having a kenduri (thanksgiving for 1 Muharram 1426 - Islamic calendar) tomorrow at Ubin. Since today is the Chinese New Year and most of the shops are closed, we have actually started our preparation early. So it's no surprise that the fridge is packed with food items. First to arrive today and help things were my aunt and her daughter from Johor. I'd expect more family members and relatives to drop by and help out.

Already, as I'm typing this the fragrance coming out of the kitchen is unbelievable. My mother is such a wonderful cook.

Kaka Snack Strikes Back

A colleague surprised me yesterday morning by giving this snack I used to eat when I was in primary school. My oh my, I thought this snack had altogether disappeared but it made a comeback in Tampines. Anyways looking at the packaging itself brought fond memories of my schooling days. And no wonder I was so skinny - I ate too much of these!

If Kaka had a frequency card for kids back then.

Come to think of it, this snack survives but not my old school. Permaisura Primary is defunct. The building is still there but its now a part of New Town Primary School. And no there weren't any little toys inside this Kaka. Time has changed. I used covet the little toys in them. Even my colleague was a fan. Well this assured me that I did lead a normal childhood.

Kids nowadays spent a fortune at McDonald's or Burger King to get movie tie-in merchandise. If only they had a frequency card for loyal Kakaist like me and my colleague.