The Gnomes Made Me Do It!

IT'S OUT

It's impossible.
No. Nothing is impossible.
Have to take a bloody MCAT.
Fuck.
I thought I'd see the last of it after the horrific GAMSAT in 2003.
Sigh

First intake 50 students.
It's impossible.

Posted by sideshowjo at 6:39 pm | Permalink | Comments

Mothers know best
Many a time I have been told that I will only truly become my own person when I am physically seperated from my mother and not living under her reign. I still believe that even when I get married and have a family of my own, the umbilical cord will be ever present, and I will still be very much attached to her. I suppose its the whole notion of passing part of oneself through the birthing canal. I am my mother in some ways, and certain beliefs and value systems have naturally been ingrained in me since young.

I don't believe in letting people get off scott free if they did something out of line.
They should be told so they will learn.
Mom is going to speak directly with the big gun of the yoga establishment, as apparently he's a customer of hers and she has seen him around in her building on occassion, probably visiting the doctor upstairs.
I have kept all e-mails between the assistant manager and myself, as well as a very disgruntled one from my mother's friend expressing her distaste with the centre, as a result of non-response from my transfer request from 2 weeks ago. Big service providing establishments need to learn, the very fundamental basis of success, next to having a good product is having good people relations.
I'm going to leave it to mom to sort out when she has tea with the big gun, and what will follow will be a nice e-mail with all previous communication history addressed to him and every single manager.
I can't stand incompetency.
Let's hope the centre shapes up.

Posted by sideshowjo at 12:16 pm | Permalink | Comments

I was going to do a tribute to my 2 month old red stain top which my maid had wrecked in the wash and with the iron (damnit). It's always the favourites that go first.
It was then that I realised I have so many polka dot things in my wardrobe! I started taking pictures of some, but I got bored and tired and left out a dress and 2 tops. I have 10 pieces of clothing with polka dots! I really need a new theme for my wardrobe.


My eyes my eyes!

Posted by sideshowjo at 3:05 pm | Permalink | Comments

Further to the mini furor over a certain local tabloid newspaper's journalist snitching a line from the blogsphere's Miss Linda Chia's blog some weeks ago and passing it off as her own, yesterday's paper had an article titled 'Muddy Gras'. Seems somewhat witty doesn't it? A play on words, so clever.
But then, you read on, and you realise, the article isn't about gay pride, or fancy floats or anything remotely related to the celebration of homosexuality. It's about the underground vice movement catered for foreign workers, illegal sex, gambling and what have you. Completely unrelated. So how does this piece warrant a title like that? Apart from the fact that activities are conducted on a big patch of muddy grass, I sure didn't read of men banging each other in the bushes. Get your festivals (and facts for that matter) right tabloid journos. It's so embarrassing!

Posted by sideshowjo at 11:02 am | Permalink | Comments

I want to go shopping.
I've been deprived of therapy for a long time.
I need a dress
I have to MC a wedding.
I have no dress
I cannot be funny on stage
I must buy dress
I miss the girls
I want to go Perth
Maybe I can alter dress in wardrobe

Yes the Singapore sale is upon us.
I must buy dress

Posted by sideshowjo at 10:29 am | Permalink | Comments

CANNOT-AFFORD-TO-FALL-SICK
This is the worst possible time for a flu.
Please no. no.

On a seperate note, Dual action strepsils is one strong mutha.
The anaesthetic is so strong it actually numbed the portion of my tongue where the lonzenges was.
Strong stuff that one.

Posted by sideshowjo at 1:48 pm | Permalink | Comments

TGIF

We've got milk


The first wives club. A radiant Mama Hoon receives her votes from the brides to be.

Posted by sideshowjo at 12:27 pm | Permalink | Comments

The workings of the universe are fucked up

Not too long ago I left a comment on someone's blog saying how I detest big yoga centres, "MacDonald" yoga so to speak. The fast food of meditation, the Ohm express. Whatever.
There is obviously a reason why I made that comment.
You see I've been part of the entire sick commercialized yoga world.
I commited myself to a one year contract June last year, (Mama Hoon and Drummer Girl, I can't believe it's been a year since we signed!) and went regularly for the first 7 months. Yes, things were good, work was frivolous, tai tai hour yoga classes were a daily affair. I went mainly for combat yoga in the early stages because the instructor was very good and I liked the marriage of high impact workout and yoga stretches after. Alas, Vijay left in November, much to the dismay of many a ladies at the centre. He was supposed to come back after his little stint in Bangkok, but we never saw him again.

Combat yoga classes just went downhill after that, and I started turning to dance, pilates and hatha yoga. In retrospect, I did alot of everything else and alot less yoga. I was never impressed with the service there, and always felt it was way below par, terrible actually, more so since it was the flagship centre in Asia. Yoga representatives lingering around, hounding you to upgrade your membership, having to book classes 2 days in advance, because if you don't, you don't get a place in the class (I am quite sure they over sold their membership), phonelines for booking being constantly engaged, being a stick in the mud when it came to contract suspension or transfer. So much for a place that encourages holistic well being and relaxation.

As of today, I have a month and a half to go before my contract finishes. I am trying to transfer this to my mother's friend, so she can make use of it before she flies back to england again. Might as well give it to someone who has the time to go for classes everyday and fully utilize the $200 a month (Bloody expensive on top of that). I have been trying to get in touch with the membership manager since a week ago, finally getting a chance to speak with her today, after 6 calls to the office. I have now found out:
1. I do not have a one time transfer as promised by my representative, who incidentally has left the centre 6 months ago
2. I must write a termination letter to state the reasons why I want my membership to end on the said date on contact. You see, they practive auto-renewal. So if you fail to write them a letter saying you want to finish on the date stated in your contract (!!!) they will just renew your membership and you will be committed for another year. WHAT A FUCKING SCAM!


I have since been told that most gyms operate on this system.
This solidifies my resentment towards "MacDonald" yoga and any other such establishment.
I'll NEVER pay anyone anything ever again for the sake of fitness.

PS: Mama Hoon and Drummer girl, please note. Write your letters.

Posted by sideshowjo at 10:42 pm | Permalink | Comments

I must strive to remember that verbal abuse is the most destructive.
You can hit a person (I'm not saying beating up someone is ok) and they may forget after the bruises have subsided, but with verbal abuse, they scars are so permanent, there is hardly any way to completely erase it. Poke the scars and they run the high chance of bursting open again.
Physical abuse assults the flesh.
Verbal abuse assults one's values, dignity and soul.
It is painful, it is destructive
We must all be mindful of the things that come out from our mouth, lest we hurt and destroy those we love.

Posted by sideshowjo at 2:19 pm | Permalink | Comments

My brother is going to have a big fit when he returns in June.
I have successfully wrecked his computer, and amidst the barrage of technical terms from the computer guy over the phone, I managed to catch "Failed startup...stuck...Your situation sounds bad...may not be able to fix it."
Great.
From being able to run 2 out of the 6 computer simulated lab tutorials I need done by the 2nd of June, I have now regressed to having NO COMPUTER and not being able to run ANY of the 6 tutorials, not only that, an unhappy sibling to contend within a month :(
So much for good progress.
Fuck.
It's times like these that I wonder if it was worth getting a mac in the first place.
Universities mostly develop programmes for your everyday PC which, more often than not, is not possible to run on a mac. Either that or you have to go find the approriate patches for the programmes to run. For someone who's really clueless about what drivers/prgrammes/whateveritisyouneedtorunthedamnthing to download, this does not bode well. I'm seriously considering selling away this alloy beauty for something more....practical (urg, what a dirty word) ie: a PC type thing.
Either that or get a boyfriend that can sort out your computer woes, one that actually has time and the know how to do so.

I'm so fucked.

I'm back in my hermit shell.
But I am getting tired of these soliloquies.
At least I've got Marcus who spends his day in the corner smoking his pipe.
Thank God for Gnomes
They are the only thing that's constant.
Screw human relations.

Only another month till the end of part 1.

Posted by sideshowjo at 8:14 pm | Permalink | Comments

Let me be a girl for 2 seconds.
SQUEEEEEEEEEEL!!!
After holding out for so very long and turning down offers of digital cameras and unwilling to spend money to get one, the very lovely Max's owner, who in all his sweetness managed to find a friend who had a Contax that was lying at home, cause he had bought a new one. A fricken contax! 2nd hand nevermind. I finally have a digital camera. Oh it is so beautiful. I can't wait to get my hands on it.




Photos from http://www.dpreview.com/news/0409/04092808contax_u4r.asp

Posted by sideshowjo at 8:22 pm | Permalink | Comments

TODAY I WILL HAVE A LIFE!
Sweet Respite.
I shall start off my day with a generous serve of Radiohead and Arcade Fire.
I will hop into the shower.
After which, I will finish page 9 of the 10 page bloody assignment.
Then, I will put on a dress, wear my shoes and GO OUT!
OUT! Away from the desk, the mother mary picture and crucifix in my room.
A healthly dose of movie magic and good food and all in good company.
Today I will have a life.
Come monday I will crawl back into my shell.

Bye Bye

Posted by sideshowjo at 11:13 am | Permalink | Comments

Ode to Monkeys
Monkeys are my friends
Sometimes I give them treats
Sometimes I help pick ticks
Usually they make me laugh
Occassionally they make me barff
They frolick with the chimps
And placate my silly whims
Most days they need spanking
To remind them of their ranking
Monkeys are good friends
Get one if you can.

Posted by sideshowjo at 2:08 pm | Permalink | Comments

Wilfred is shy

Going over the house rules


Marcus and Peadus have a new friend.
I am going to build me an army.

Posted by sideshowjo at 11:07 am | Permalink | Comments

Damn it.
This is the 2nd time the boss has asked if I would like to join the channel full time.
I am so very tempted to because it'll look fantastic on the CV if this whole study thing goes to shits.
However, I do not think I can juggle a full time job, the demands of school, volunteering and maintaing a healthy personal life.
But so many others have done it, have they not?
Got till Monday.
I'll sleep on it, as how I always do.

Posted by sideshowjo at 4:35 pm | Permalink | Comments

I wish I hadn't read some of the doctor blogs online today where they speak very honestly about their houseman year, that if anyone ever told them that life was going to be like that they might have considered doing something else, if only someone had told them. But then again, when you're so set on what is it you want to do or become, it's quite difficult to be swayed easily, and even if you experience the slightest tinge of self doubt, it will instantly be replaced with denial topped off with a "It can't be THAT bad can it?"
But honestly, Grey's Anatomy preaches it, SCRUBS portrays it, and the blogs I read so far all say it's true, you will pull 100 hour weeks. You will be stretched beyond your human limit, you will be tired and you will constantly ask yourself "WHY?", you will have little time for much else, but when you do, you are supposed to remember that you have a life beyond hospital doors.

So what am I to believe?
I suppose it is all true, and work will be all consuming.
And it's much more difficult now, because I was in the work force for almost 2 years and I loved my weekends (although it was 5.5days!) and my dinners after work and the great equilibrium between work and play. Yes, it is often skewed, but that's life isn't it, constantly trying to find your centre and balance things out.
And it's difficult because I know I can head out now and make something of myself now, and in a completely different industry even, if I wanted to. I opened up my options in that year and a half. I'm taking a huge risk, and not only that, a risk with a massive debt. It's either the biggest mistake of my life or the smartest thing I'll ever do for myself.

Well, I'll find out soon enough.
I'm going to stop at 3.
3 applications, that's quite enough.
If this doesn't work out, I'll start making something out of myself.
At least I can say with all honesty,
I gave it my all.

Posted by sideshowjo at 9:25 pm | Permalink | Comments

I love my Singapore men, this reminds me of Trina declaring loudly some years ago "I LOVE MY CHINESE BOYS!"
Indeed, we love our chinky goofballs, Singaporean men in particular, Malaysian, also can I suppose.
Of course I have double standards because they must speak good english, be ang moh eat potatos and preferably schooled overseas so their views are not myopic and means they are somewhat worldly, of course this is a broad generalization.
But yes, I love Singapore men, you are all a fine breed, and I think your mamas raised you well.
You know how to take care of your women, you have good chinese values of filial piety, modesty, diligence and obedience. You are mostly hard working and responsible and your healthy vices include computer games and 1 sport (For the love of God, let it be only 1), which we can deal with most of the time. I'm so glad I live in Singapore. God bless Singapore men.


Exhibit A: Some nice Singaporean men exuding men-ness, in front of a mural of neanderthals hunting and starting fires, no less. Me Man. GRUNT.

Posted by sideshowjo at 9:21 pm | Permalink | Comments

Apart from the virus that courses through one's body when the flu bug hits, do you think it's because of the clogged up nasal passage and congested lungs that causes one to reduce oxygen intake to less than optimal, hence making you feel sleepy all the time?

Man, who doesn't hate having the sniffles.
Hack
Hack

Posted by sideshowjo at 7:13 pm | Permalink | Comments

It's been a long weekend in every sense.
I can't believe I'm home on a nice overcast public holiday monday.
Then again, IT IS overcast and perfect for snoozing.
I'm really overwhelmed by the study timetable I've got planned out for the month.
I'm seriously panicking, and this is such a stark contrast when me and Pam would trade study for chai tea and videos.
Gone are the days, hello panic attacks and heart palpitations.
Every day holds a sense of panic and worry.
I'm just so stressed!
I can't screw this up, I just can't!
I need the 80% average even if it kills me.
Alright, back to forensics.
Pray for me please.

Posted by sideshowjo at 4:10 pm | Permalink | Comments