' capturing the moment

big yellow taxi

2009-07-20T16:38:00.003+08:00

I don't know how to break this to you all: I am off to boarding school in Australia.
I'm not sure if I can access blogspot from there, but if I can't, I might blog here: http://escapisms.tumblr.com/
If not, I'll find a way, I'll tell you one weekend.
Watch this space. I'll find a way to get back from this improbable hiatus, and drop you a line.

outlaws of the border

2009-07-09T22:36:00.002+08:00

Outlaws of the Border, via 'the cut'@nymag
I like the contemplative mood of this picture.

I wish my computer would stop being so narcoleptic when I'm trying to multi-task.

bad names

2009-07-07T21:16:00.000+08:00

playlists,

2009-06-22T20:48:00.001+08:00

3917.) I always wish that I would meet a boy just like Nick from Nick & Norah. I want my musical soulmate; I want someone to complete my infinite playlist.

(via blogsecret)

'every girl is a princess.'

2009-06-22T16:42:00.004+08:00

I know Disney was a big part of my childhood but I also know they have this way of disillusioning young girls into thinking everyone lives happily ever after.

I think these photos are too nice to not post about, so here they are.
(by Dina Goldstein)

These works place Fairy Tale characters in modern day scenarios. In all of the images the Princess is placed in an environment that articulates her conflict. The '...happily ever after' is replaced with a realistic outcome and addresses current issues.
The project was inspired by my observation of three-year-old girls, who were developing an interest in Disney's Fairy tales. As a new mother I have been able to get a close up look at the phenomenon of young girls fascinated with Princesses and their desire to dress up like them. The Disney versions almost always have sad beginning, with an overbearing female villain, and the end is predictably a happy one. The Prince usually saves the day and makes the victimized young beauty into a Princess.
As a young girl, growing up abroad, I was not exposed to Fairy tales. These new discoveries lead to my fascination with the origins of Fairy tales. I explored the original brothers Grimm's stories and found that they have very dark and sometimes gruesome aspects, many of which were changed by Disney. I began to imagine Disney's perfect Princesses juxtaposed with real issues that were affecting women around me, such as illness, addiction and self-image issues.

(here)

jeepers.

2009-06-22T15:26:00.003+08:00

On the day after my last exam I got the dreaded flu injection. I can still see it now on my arm, the point it went through eventhough it's almost been a week. I don't like needles very much.

If only there was an alternative.

On a happier note this is the week of prom! I have been doing virtually nothing all day, aside from manning my sister's Restaurant City on facebook, blogsurfing and reading The Great Gatsby.

Jobro fans, maybe you should check out this fashion blogger, he appears to have nick jonas hair.

I may not like the jonas brothers that much, but you have got to give this guy credit for being awesomely fashionable.

wunderkind

2009-06-17T11:27:00.004+08:00

ROSIE's BDAY, and the END OF EXAMS!

Stats was awful but after all those revision classes it was more bearable. I could actually do binomial distribution stuff. My only problem with the exam paper was the explaining bits, like the 'explanatory variable' and 'response variable.'

So now I'm free to do what I like. I got gossip girl yesterday so I've got to catch up on an entire season. I think I might change my blog layout when I find the time to, or get the inspiration.

Rosie's bday was on yesterday at cheesebox, and this time I decided to bring my camera along. Haven't used it in ages.

The cake Ling made, yummy.

The birthday girl who turned 1-6.

WW. I have always wanted to do a photo like this. Weiwen met Rain at cheesebox yesterday, no kidding. He served us food.

somewhere along the lines, we lost our horizon

2009-06-11T16:28:00.000+08:00

i have GOT to change this layout.

elephants are destined to remember

2009-06-10T22:45:00.003+08:00

physics today, one more to go! I'm so relieved, no ray diagrams (eventhough I was actually prepared for them this time!) Just stats to go, the only thing remaining between now and prom.

so. I'm not on tv like i would have liked to be. I'm on my sister's computer, hogging it actually because my computer has died on me AGAIN! It switches on but the screen doesn't light up. There goes all the music I downloaded :(

I really need a glossy mag to occupy myself now. Lately I've been hooked on some really random fashion blogs/websites.

FOR EXAMPLE:
lookbook.nu

but really, it only reminds me of things that i would love to have in my wardrobe. I covet too much. Plus, it's good inspiration for outfits. 90's inspired, vintage and futurist, grunge and rock and roll. the photos are amazing.

gofugyourself.com is the best because of the snazzy way the writer describes celeb fashion faux-pas. the best part is she actually agrees that taylor momsen is taking the grunge trend too far.

foreign blogs are good. here are a couple.

swedish: http://shelleyochjoachim.blogg.se/

australian: http://seaofghosts.com/

brands: http://www.ladakh.com.au/Index.html

see that dress on the frontpage, the 'die another day' dress? I was hoping that I could find a dress like that, about that colour to go with this midnight blue nailpolish I got awhile ago. But no such luck. It's Brunei and they don't sell things like these here.

here's some EYE CANDY. structured dresses from Project Runway winner Leanne Marshall, Fall 09. Inspired by 'the repetitive skyline of (her) new home-base, New York City, and the fantasy of glamour that one has when moving to a big metropolis.'

Something about this colour palette- purples, greys and gold makes me think of Burberry. On the other hand it looks almost sculptural, like Constructivism. [more here.]

Okay. Back to revising two year's worth of stats. One more exam to go, then I'll be able to do nothing all day and perhaps watch Gossip Girl Season 2 and go on facebook and do some art and maybe go out... the list could basically go on.

middle management

2009-06-05T00:34:00.003+08:00

This is basically the 3/4 point in my exams, 3 more to go!!
Just physics, geo and stats to go.

~~The exams have been pretty much okay~~ I'm scared for geo as there are huge amounts of things that need memorising. I am seriously scared. For paper 1, I don't think it was my best paper. I pretty much gave half-assed answers.

The exams have reduced me to a procastinating freak who studies a few hours before or on the day of the exam itself. This is because they are all at night. And basically I am blogging now because my mind is so active that I can't sleep. I swear, on the night of my maths exam I spent the whole night factorising algebraic expressions in my sleep. freak, much.

On a happier note, prom is coming up, and I'm so very excited :D
PS: gotta change my blog layout, this layout is starting to look BORRINGG

GCSEs, almost over. I can't wait till doing nothing isn't a crime.

EDEXCEL music listening exam 1426

2009-05-13T22:31:00.003+08:00

first impression, UGH
my brain shut down towards the end of the paper. couldn't tell what device was being used on the piano Grisabella the Glamour Cat in AOS#4(tremolo i'm guessing)
the african section was so very-very hard. what is an idiophone, membranophone, chordophone and aerophone?
just googled it. and so wikipedia says:

Hornbostel-Sachs (or Sachs-Hornbostel) is a system of musical instrument classification devised by Erich Moritz von Hornbostel and Curt Sachs, and first published in the Zeitschrift für Ethnologie in 1914. An English translation was published in the Galpin Society Journal in 1961. It is the most widely used system for classifying musical instruments by ethnomusicologists and organologists (people who study musical instruments).

definitely not in the syllabus. click here to find out more on this instrument classification.
there was a nice song though. Thank goodness for brit-pop in the listening paper. temporary relief- everyone felt the beat.
it's by BLUR- it's called Song 2.
It's just one of those exams when you walk out and begin to doubt that you put down anything correct on the paper. Hit or miss.
on a happier note, BYE GCSE MUSIC! :D
I'm back to listening to music without bothering about instrumental techniques and devices.

this is for adam lambert fans

2009-05-12T21:33:00.002+08:00

if you think adam lambert is cool because he can sing in falsetto, check out this guy.

no, he is not lip-syncing. he does it with an effortless falsetto.
Now I remember how they make men's voices stay high. look at this comment on the video:

somegirlonthefloor(4 hours ago)
He is amazing, there have been people who could sing that high before (men) but usually back when men got castrated (balls got chopped off) before their voice broke so they could sing high. They dont do this anymore but damn I hope he has his balls.

tomorrow's my music listening exam.

pictures of you, pictures of me

2009-05-07T19:00:00.003+08:00

The next time we have an assembly, we'll be in year twelve.

My first exam is on the thirteenth which is 6 days away. (jeepers) It's music listening and I can't really say I've covered it thoroughly, the past papers always manage to trick me into giving the wrong answer.

I might be going on a hiatus.

But I might occasionally come back, to blog about random things, or just write a sentence.

Or to blog about these things, such as the AUDI FASHION FESTIVAL in SINGAPORE.
yes, marc jacobs and vivienne westwood and christian lacroix are in singapore.
like joan said, 'I want to watch a fashion show.'

so near yet so far.

on chemistry

2009-04-25T14:50:00.002+08:00

T: what is the formula relating to concentration and volume?
Q: c1v1=c2v2
T: (substitutes numbers into the c's and v's) Okay, what is the final value, what is the number of moles?
Q: I did the wrong calculation...
T: It's okay, all calculations should get the correct answer.
Q: (hesitates) 54 moles.
T: That's too big!

teachers.

something always brings me back to you

2009-04-18T20:03:00.002+08:00

i'm really supposed to be a happy bunny now that my art exam has finished, but there are still more exams to come. I would show you the final piece, but I'm lazy.
have you watched susan boyle from britain's got talent? She can really sing. Don't judge a book by its cover.

and birds were singing to calm us down

2009-04-12T11:24:00.005+08:00

Double exposure means to ~~place two photographs in one frame~~ place two images on the same piece of photographic paper.

by horstdesign

(more here) by Tierney Gearon
--------------------------------------
major art cramming session in progress. The portfolio and final is due this week.

I'm considering (after the exams) to perhaps move this blog to wordpress for more privacy, but i won't be able to customise it anymore if i do. Alternatively I could move to livejournal, where I can customise layouts and have privacy. Or typepad, which has multiple pages under one blog but no privacy, or have my own webbie/blog where the blog can be powered by wordpress and set as private. (but that's not really the privacy I want)

I'm aware I'm not making much sense but if it made sense to you, do comment on this.

oh yeah, one more thing. HAPPY EASTER.

the instant digital camera.

2009-04-06T21:26:00.003+08:00

Meet Polaroid Pogo.
It has nothing to do with a pogo-stick, instead it is a cross between a polaroid camera and a digital cam.

Temptations.
only problem, it lacks the colours of a classic polaroid...
[how it works][polaroidpogo.us]

And the rain in my head, and the things that you said

2009-04-05T20:21:00.002+08:00

I'm finally on the internet on my own computer! :D For about two months now I've been using dad's spare computer because my laptop could not detect the wireless connection at home. I got it sent to the repair shop last friday, and it turns out the motherboard's broken and it will cost $700+ to get it replaced. (which is not really worth it, because a USB wireless router is $38) So we got the wireless router instead, which is much better. occasionally, though, my computer whites-out on me. It just goes blank and you can see those rainbow lines running vertically down the screen.

So, I've got the computer up and running, downloaded Limewire and got songs :D It's been raining pretty heavy this weekend and songs by Priscilla Ahn are great companions for dreary days like these.

I'm in a pretty good mood because my music composition is finished, so is my stats coursework that has been driving me up the wall. I can only hope that my stats stuff fulfilled all the criteria, because the Mr A didn't help us that much. (i could elaborate, but maybe not.)

As for art, I've got the gears I want for my final piece, so all I have to do is take photos for the final piece :D I've been lacking in observational drawings as well, so this weekend's been a real productive one, considering I've finished two drawings and drawn four more to paint.

Download this song: She and Him- Blackhole.
The 'She' in this band is the actress Zooey Deschanel. Didn't know she sang, but she's a lot better than Scarlett Johanssen, or so the critics say.

Tomorrow's physics test, is coincidentally about Black Holes and miscellanous constellations. Gotta go study, since this doesn't really involve application of concepts or logic, just memorising.

i promised your blue eyes

2009-03-23T22:38:00.004+08:00

Nothing but blue skies, always on my mind.
Photo I took with the SLR.
Here's a cause for celebration, I've finished my GCSE MUSIC COMPOSITIONS! :D

lover in a matchbox

2009-03-13T20:13:00.003+08:00

School's been unbearable this term, but it's finally over!
This term was the showcase concert and sixth form subject choices, mock exams and the deadlines of numerous courseworks (of which some I still haven't finished!) but it's great to have time to watch TV now for 3 hours straight without being bothered by mum. :D

My computer died on me this term. It's not as useful when it's internet router doesn't detect the internet at all. I've been hogging mum's computer since CNY when that happened. Because of this, I've had less time to download more songs. It sucks when Nurul recommends you songs and you can't listen to them.

And Art. This time it's preparation again, but this time I have this really clearly idea of what I want to do for my final piece, but no idea how to show the development towards it.

In the meantime, this holidays, I plan to try to finish off this coursework and still have fun. I wouldn't mind having a fun photo shoot for fun. I'm going to read, maybe and still try to study... oh, and maybe paint my nails :D

Books. Palindromes and Sestinas. I think I'm off to read some Neil Gaiman.
------

[ ] Gotten detention.
[x] Gotten your phone taken away in class.
[ ] Gotten suspended.
[x] Gotten caught chewing gum.
[x] Gotten caught cheating on a test.
Total: 3

[x] Arrived late to class more than 5 times.
[x] Didn’t do homework over 5 times
[ ] Turned at least 3 projects in late.
[x] Missed school cause you felt like it.
[ ] Laughed so loud you got kicked out of class.
Total: 6

[x] Got your mom / dad etc. to get you out of school.
[x] Texted people during class.
[x] Passed notes.
[x] Threw stuff across the room.
[x] Laughed at the teacher.
Total : 11

[ ] Pulled down the fire alarm. sprayed the fire extinguisher for no reason though.
[x] Went on Myspace , Facebook , Xanga , etc. on the computer at school.
[x] Took pictures during school hours.
[x] Called someone during school hours.
[x] Listened to an iPod , CD , etc... During class.
Total : 15

[ ] Threw something at the teacher
[x] Went outside the classroom without permission.
[x] Broke the dress code.
[ ] Failed a class.
[x] Ate food during class.
Total: 18

[x] Gotten a call from school.
[ ] Couldn’t go on a field trip cause you behaved badly.
[x] Didn’t take your stuff to school.
[ ] Gotten a detention and didn't go.
[ ] Stuck up your middle finger at a teacher when they were not looking.
[ ] Cursed during class loud enough so the teacher could hear
Total: 20

[x] Faked your parents signature
[x] Slept in class.
[ ] Cursed at a teacher to their face.
[x] Copied homework
Total: 23

MULTIPLY BY THREE : 23 x 3 = 69%
I tag anyone who's bored and needs something to do.

matchbox lover and the clockwork orange

2009-03-09T21:42:00.003+08:00

One hectic week, over.
Showcase Concert, over.
Next up: Music Coursework, Stats Coursework, Art Exam Preparation
& end of term! I just can't wait.

PS: I know this is random, but this is effortlessly chic.

alexi lubomirski, photographer
The equation is:
cap+ vest - skinny jeans= (the above)
no skinny jeans. just the classic vest and trenchcoat please.

POTC

2009-02-24T20:30:00.002+08:00

Nothing beats the 'soaring' feeling you have when you listen(or play) the Pirates of the Caribbean. You have got to listen to it, it's so grand.

don't you steal my sunshine

2009-02-23T16:00:00.007+08:00

This week's been hectic, so hectic that I'm thankful for the long weekend. This week I had to hand in my art coursework and decide my subjects for sixth form (yikes) This was a tough decision not only because I had to decide which five subjects to drop, I only got two weeks to decide this. The teachers have also made this decision sound so very crucial because 'it decides your final career.'

Finally got the candygrams and rose-a-grams on Monday. Wasn't too happy about the unwrapped roses, they were too thorny to hold and my locker didn't have any space due to the two huge art books and pe bag I had to fit in.

I am excited about this week, I'll be getting art exam questions! I know this is weird but I enjoy doing artist research more than experimenting, because when it comes to experimenting, I hate it when my experiments don't work out and I still have to stick it into my book. It becomes quite an eyesore as a result, so I have resorted to doing experiments on loose sheets rather than in my book.

I have finally finished the book Camille lent me, 'Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.' It's a really poignant story of how a little boy who grieves for his dad who was killed in 9/11. He's quite precocious, in a sense but I think the last sentence of the book summed up the reason for his inventing. In the end he wishes he could turn back time so he and his dad would have been safe.

A tree just fell on across the main road near my house. The house just got renovated, and the tree fell onto the new roof they put over the kitchen. Scary how a short afternoon shower can do this.

let's put our love into motion

2009-02-14T23:32:00.002+08:00

HAPPY V-DAY!
the social yesterday was okay, but I don't think the DJ was as good as the one last year. I'm just waiting for the photos to appear on facebook :D
didn't do much today, spent tonight taking more photos of light. I'll show you when the project is done. ALL ART COURSEWORK DUE NEXT WEEEK! (eekkk) means until thursday to rectify anything that went wrong. Hope i manage to finish off incomplete experiments or improve final pieces, because I'm an inconsistent artist.

a kiss on the cheek and you'll call it a treason

2009-02-08T13:08:00.002+08:00

Went to watch Bride Wars yesterday to 'celebrate not going to Mulu.' There was one song that stood out in the entire soundtrack- it's Dream by Priscilla Ahn. I have recently had this small thing for folk, so this is currently top on my playlist.

Here's another song I like, it's called the Boob Song, it sounds scandalous but it's not. As the singer puts it, 'it's about someone else's boobs.' Love how it sounds jazzy with the double bass and the funny instrument she plays.

I think I've finished the designs for V-day cards. Thank goodness no DOE this weekend, it's been especially rainy. (now i have time to do my work and bum around a bit too.) Apparently the road on the way to Mulu is flooded so even if we went on with the trip it would have to be cancelled. VDAY NEXT WEEK!

heart-shaped bruises and late night kisses

2009-01-28T21:35:00.002+08:00

Exams are finally over but getting the results will probably be worse. I don't think I thoroughly revised everything, especially maths. I BLAME IT ON THE ELECTRICITY. Try studying maths by candlelight. Not romantic at all.

Last day of school was cool though, we went to Rosie's house and we watched Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging. Finally watched it, the DVD itself has been lying on my study desk since I bought it and it's still in its plastic bag. Eventually I brought it along with me to M'sia for Chinese New Year and watched it again the second time with subtitles on to hear every single thing. (The first time I watched it, there was a running commentary going on- actually more of a debate- on whether Aaron Johnson was hot or not with his high-pitched voice.)

Because of this movie, I've put Toothpaste Kisses on repeat on Windows Media Player. Also, who thinks that Jas looks like Jess, the girl in Yr8 who plays flute in the orchestra?

Chinese New Year was brill but the mosquitoes played tic-tac-toe on my arms and legs again. I'm probably not going to wear shorts out for awhile, because the mosquito bites look like huge red birthmarks. I'm done with unpacking now but I could really use some lazy blog-surfing time right now, and perhaps maybe download a few new songs into my mp3.

if i could take you away, pretend I was queen

2009-01-20T22:27:00.002+08:00

today's finally over: the day on which have the most exams. From tomorrow onwards it should be easy(ier)-going.

There's even time for procastination, actually.
MONIQUE LHUILLIER, pre-fall 2009.

from nymag. One-shoulder, or strapless? I love the midnight blue dress, but it's too flamboyant for prom and I probably won't be able to hold it up either.

a worry wart on a bad day.

2009-01-15T16:02:00.003+08:00

I swear, I am losing my mind.
I lost the extension to plug my mp3 into my laptop. My mind is playing tricks on me, I'm running up and down the stairs as my mind tells me it might be here, it might be there. I need it for art, how am I going to survive 5 hours of non-stop artwork and no talking?
I'm scared about my art exam, I don't know what composition to use, don't know if my digital processing program will work. I don't know if the weather will be fine today, fine enought for me to take photos.
This morning I woke up at 5.30am to take sunrise at Kampong Ayer. Now I hope to take a sunset at 6.30pm at Muara Beach. Hope the weather doesn't mess up. Hope everything works out fine tomorrow.

english revision, pg 41

2009-01-07T22:01:00.003+08:00

(English revision. Read pages 28 to 67.)
Task 7: Notice how a simple sentence can be developed.

1. I love you.
2. Despite your bad taste in music, I love you.
3. Despite your bad taste in music, which includes popstars like Britney Spears, I love you.
4. Despite your bad taste in music, which includes popstars like Britney Spears, I love you and your braying laugh.
5. Despite your bad taste in music, which includes popstars like Britney Spears, I love you and your braying laugh, especially the way you laugh at all my jokes.

Take 2.
1. I love sushi.
2. Despite it being uncooked, I love sushi.
3. Despite it being uncooked and perhaps containing many pathogens, I love sushi.
4. Despite it being uncooked and perhaps containing many pathogens, I love sushi and its raw taste.
5. Despite it being uncooked and perhaps containing many pathogens, I love sushi and its raw taste, especially salmon sashimi.

end of pointless post. I'm revising for English now, this post was just a random sentence construction thing, an attempt at amusing oneself during revision. exams in wk3, which is the 19th of january. back to the books again.
PS: no, you did not just read a confession of things i like.

2009

2009-01-01T00:26:00.002+08:00

hope you all had a lovely 2008, and will have a fantastic 2009.

reshuffling.

2008-12-22T15:22:00.002+08:00

Catherine Hardwick will not direct the next film, which is a shame. But now it seems they're changing the actor who plays Jacob Black as well.

When it was announced last week that Weitz would step up to direct (New) Moon, it was noted that Lautner's name was not included on the press release... this week a Summit Entertainment representative told MTV News that “the casting decision in regards to the character Jacob Black has yet to be made.” MTV names Michael Copon, best known for his role in the Scorpion King 2, as a possible contender for the part.
The same MTV article goes on to confirm that Ben Barnes is vying for the role of Aro, a vampire with mind-reading abilities whose character debuts in the second book. Looks like Robert Pattinson might have some competition for the title of Twilight's hottest vampire!

Sara, I hope you're reading this. I wonder if this other guy looks good with long hair? The current Jacob Black doesn't.
The article is here.

you're making me blush.

2008-12-22T12:20:00.002+08:00

If you can look beyond the chatspeak or need something to do, visit this site.

boy in a rock and roll band.

2008-12-21T21:06:00.004+08:00

Today we put up the christmas tree. It's grown a year's worth of cobwebs while it was stowed away under the sofa in the spare room, so we had to clean it up. In the process of doing so we actually found a few spiderss and some bugs called 'silvertails' that eat books or something(my most hated insect, the antennaes and all.)

I came back from spore yesterday, met syaz and wafi on the flight. It's been five long days in spore, and I'm glad to be back. A lot less walking to do now, don't need to walk to place just for lunch, don't need to take the mrt anymore to go anyplace. I must confess though, this time I wasn't too happy about cd-shopping because I didn't get to go to HMV and That CD Shop didn't have Rachael Yamagata's newest CD and Lenka and The Pierces. However, I found Yael Naim :) and because I dragged my mum along she thinks well of this shop too because she bought more CD's than I did.

I must show you that song that made me want an album by the Pierces.

Yeah, it's from gossip girl. I don't think I watch Gossip Girl for the storyline, I watch it more for music and the clothes, because they have inspiring style.
So, what are you guys doing for Christmas?

twilight

2008-12-15T20:39:00.002+08:00

Hardwicke's films are notable for their original use of color-manipulation techniques to complement the narrative.

it was simply breathtaking.
off to spore tomorrow morning. more photos again today, at empire but ruined due to the cloudiness.

as time runs out

2008-12-13T21:35:00.003+08:00

I watched House Bunny yesterday and found it to be one of the pinkest movies I've seen awhile. The cast of sorority girls, including Kat Dennings (of Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist) Rumer Willis (of PerezHilton.com fame) and Katherine McPhee are pretty funny, all of them insecure and don't know how to handle boys. One of the highlights of the movie was the makeover. Don't you love it when they do makeovers in shows, like in St.Trinian's? The house bunny herself is so silly and perky, I found it hard to laugh at the way she kept misunderstanding things. I especially like the scene where Anna Faris tries to be such a nerd, and fails miserably. It goes to show that it is hard to be a nerd, as hard as it is to be popular.

before.

this movie basically goes hand-in-hand with whatever ideas you have about a blonde's IQ. (which is actually pretty cliched now)

No, I haven't watched Twilight yet, but I will- when Nurul and Ling comes back, then we can all go together. That way, Camille can fall in love with Edward Cullen all over again.

I'm going to spore next week. I'm actually pretty excited but at the same time, while we're abroad, I'll get less homework done. After shopping in spore, there is seriously no way I'm going to spend my nights revising. I know what you're thinking, why am I procastinating now? At the moment, I'm lazy yet I feel that I have to get this revision done, which is pretty ironic.

After all those weddings in Msia, I gained 2 kilos and this weird, painful bulge on my left foot, apparently it's because I put too much weight on one foot while I was wearing heels. (according to my ballet teacher.) But it'll go away, provided I don't wear anymore heels the rest of this holidays.

I was tempted to buy GG the other day, but decided not too, after all it's bothersome having them in disks with only 3 episodes each. I'll wait till this season's over then get a compilation. In the meantime, I'll content myself with ~~spoilers~~ sneak peeks.

PS: nurul, if you're reading this, are you coming back from spore on the 20th at 9pm? if you are we might be on the same flight.

double, twice the trouble

2008-12-08T09:47:00.004+08:00

I've been to one wedding so far, one more to go. Tomorrow I'll be travelling to Bintulu, which is closer to Brunei than the place I'm at now. The greatest thing is I'm staying at my uncle's place now in Sarikei and there is actually Internet here. The only thing is now I'm sneaking onto blogger to post, when I'm supposed to be amusing my younger cousins- Jason (8) and Valarie (7). I haven't done any Geo yet. And it's the holidays, but this morning I had to wake up at 7am for kolomee. Can't wait to get home and sleep in.

And this post should be dedicated to Joan as well, who just turned sixteen too! (Joan is one of the people I ask for fashion advice from, she's VERY fashion savvy. :D) Now we've had two succesful surprise parties under our belt, and it was so good that she didn't even suspect anything. Again, we embarassed ourselves when we tried taking a group photo again. The waitress didn't know how to take photos, so we ended up with funny close ups.

okay, I have to go now, off to watch rapunzel. :D

written on the subway walls

2008-12-03T21:28:00.004+08:00

Today we were class marking the biology test, and this was one of the answers this person wrote down.

What is the substance in the red blood cells that carries the oxygen?
Haemogoblin.

It's only two days more till December break. Today, I managed to get mum to bring me out to take photos, so we went to Jubilee Park, near St. Andrews School. It's pretty boring, actually, unless you focus on the nice clouds in the sky for your photos. In the distance, you can actually see the mosque near Kiarong. Math's coursework's waiting for me, and the first draft is due this Friday, so I'm going to stop procastinating.

diane arbus

2008-11-22T14:52:00.002+08:00

Identical Twins, Roselle, New Jersey, 1967

Jewish Giant, taken at Home with His Parents in the Bronx, NY, 1970

Arbus' Child with Toy Hand Grenade in Central Park, New York City, 1962

A scrawny boy, with the left strap of his jumper awkwardly hanging off his shoulder, tensely holds his long, thin arms by his side. Clenching a toy grenade in his right hand and holding his left hand in a claw-like gesture, his facial expression is maniacal. Arbus captured this photograph by having the boy stand while moving around him, claiming she was trying to find the right angle. The boy became impatient and told her to "Take the picture already!" This photo was also used, without permission, on the cover of punk band SNFU's first studio album, And No One Else Wanted to Play.

I wonder if anyone else finds this kid creepy too?

sometimes i feel like a stranger

2008-11-19T17:25:00.007+08:00

We stayed at the Rasa Sentosa Resort. At first, I thought that Mr E was joking when he said there were peacocks were running free around the island, but this suspicion soon ended when I saw a peacock perched on one of the stands at the ballroom on the 5th floor.

The rooms were great, the best bit about it was that there were nice balconies for each room.

No kidding. So close you could actually climb over. We could see people from other schools at their balconies as well. Apparently Kellett School (Hong Kong) and BIS (Vietnam) were on the same floor, every morning we could see them at their balconies.

But the best bit was the fact that you could see ships at twilight, if you woke up at 6 am you could see the sun slowly rising and the lights of distant ships glimmering in the distance. pretty romantic. This was Camille's favourite thing to do every morning. :)

Just when you thought JIS was pretty big and modern. This is Tanglin's Berrick Hall, it is on the 5th floor of one of their tall buildings, connected by a skywalk-kind-of-thing. It has the showiest lights for selective lighting, and it's the size of our gym. Their gym is twice the size of our gym and it literally echoes as you walk through it. Lots of empty space in the place. It's big, probably bigger than jis, but it's big is in height, everything is built upwards instead of sprawled over a large surface area. (hope that makes sense.) They actually have elevators, which is a better alternative to their puny, dark stairwells. (juxtapose that to our huge airy stairwells in jis)

There are a lot of things in Tanglin, they have fake grass courts to play football on, and they have the most signs in a school I have ever seen. Just look up and you'll see about 12 signs leading you to many various places. Swimming pool, junior school block, canteen, admissions... scary, you'd get lost there pretty easily. In fact, on the first few days at Tanglin I basically followed anyone I recognized from the woodwind section to the practice room.

There were 19 flutes, imagine that. In an actual orchestra, there are only supposed to be 2 flutes. There were about 13 flute 1's and 6 flute 2's. We had a massive string section as well, and a pretty big choir. I'm not hearing things when I tell you that I can hear Min Jin over that crowd, literally everyone just hits the note and stops singing, only she hits the note and holds it for the count it's worth. On the concert night, she should clearly have been the soloist, no kidding.

Here is Min Jin stacking our staple drink, the drink of the trip. Minute Maid's Apple Cranberry Juice. Our lunches were pretty much the same all the time, just sandwiches with different fillings. The vegetarians, despite being unable to eat roasted chicken or pizza, got to have more posh meals. Camille and I were so tired of sandwiches, on the last day we had sushi at the airport, just to have some rice. There was still some variety though, one dinner we had fish and chips, then Indian food.

Robert insisted he could deal with the Indian food, but he finished two bottles of water during the entire ordeal, and felt bloated afterwards. Ummi was trying to tell him it was no use drinking water when eating curry.

Most days started early, breakfast at 7am, going to Tanglin at 8am, 8.15am starting section practice. We basically played music most of the day, till about 4pm, stopping for breaks in between when we got fed a lot. But I guess the food they have still beats JIS canteen food.

it's heaven when romance is on the menu

2008-11-17T22:18:00.002+08:00

Camille's wasabi ice-cream, at Bugis Junction in Singapore. I shall post the photos when I have more time. I tried to capture the colours of a polaroid, based on Karen's polaroid camera's photos.

Seems like ages that Ive been in school, seem to have missed a lot when it's only been a week! :D Also, can't decide on a question to do for art. Abstract, or nature in design? I don't know.

like the sky is for the stars.

2008-11-03T20:41:00.003+08:00

Last week was a long week. It's still not over yet. Last week I handed in my first music composition, after being given an extension, but it still needs more work. Last week was the first time I had got sick in ages. It was over the 'best time' ever. The day before the social, I got a running nose, because my physics teacher sneezed in my direction in physics, so I caught the bug. (it doesn't matter who he is, but he should get a bio lesson on pathogens.) That explains why I didn't go to the social. I had a chem test as well to study for, so I probably wouldn't have gone either if I had been well.

Last Saturday I played in the empire for the prince charles' visit, but only saw the dutchess. We were there from 8 in the morning till 2pm. Got tired and really hungry from the whole thing. She only stopped briefly to talk to Mr E and under direction from Miss Sumich I managed to get a photo of it. Everytime she sees me now she keeps saying thanks :D I heard them(miss chen and ms sumich) showing off and comparing photos with mr thin who tried to take some as well.

tomorrow is ching's b'day. Aren't you lucky. After being reluctant to play on your birthday, your wish has come true, tomorrrow's thingy is cancelled, so means classes as usual, but no orchestra :)
This week is going to be hectic. A bio and geo test on wednesday, along with orchestra practices and dancing practices. And I need shoes.

I think you should watch this video, I find it amusing. I do this sometimes in the car when I'm waiting for my mum while she goes to the atm or the grocery store and I have to wait in the car. hahaha.

yesterday I got curious about the current developments in gossip girl, so I read a couple of spoilers on the last episodes I had missed, and was shocked to find that NATE and JENNY are together?! nevermind. (sorry to anyone who read this spoiler too.)

Joan, here's an article on a lady who cut her hair short and donated it to Locks of Love.

it's raining

2008-10-24T10:40:00.004+08:00

the weather here has been... unpredictable. I was anticipating that it'd be pretty cold, because last summer when we came down here it was really-really cold, and they called it late summer, i.e. still spring. But now it's spring and yet the weather has been bright and sunny when the weather people predicted there would be rain. Over the past week the weather has deteriorated, though. Only yesterday then i decided i had to take photos for art, and boy did they turn out really disgusting and quite bland. (compare that with my latest deviations on deviantart, those were taken on the first day.) And today, the rain they were expecting just came(as i'm am typing this blog post, stray bits of rain are falling on my aunt's front lawn.)

but anyway. why am I ranting about the weather? I'm bored, seriously, I am. I've got so much to do though! I haven't geared up for school yet. My composition is half-way done, I left the rest of it in a pendrive at home! The only thing I've done is literally study for bio and read three books that my aunt recommended. I've read, Remember me? by Sophie Kinsella, Unpolished Gem by Alice Pung and Girls of Riyadh by Rajaa Alsanea. All great books. I can't be bothered to review now, though. Ask me if you're really wondering and I'll just tell you.

Today is actually my last whole day spent in Australia. Just one more sleep and I'll be back to the hot and humid Brunei! Okay, back to art.

------------
Whoa i just realised that I haven't blogged about my birthday! Basically it was one birthday I'd remember for ages as it was both sweet and very embarassing at the same time! In tutor, I told Lorena that I was turning sixteen, she went hOMG and told Nestor. Then in turn, both of them informed every single person in tutor that it was my birthday, and they weren't allowed to pass unless they had said happy birthday to me first! hahaha :D

Later the Nurul got this party hat and made me wear it during maths, but I didn't. This was a decision I regretted later because they made me wear it on my head to the canteen, where random people stopped me and asked if it was my birthday! (embarassing!)

On the way to tutor, Alexia delibrately mentioned in front of everyone who passed that it was my birthday today! Mr Lopez threatened to tell everyone in class that it was my birthday, if i didn't 'scream' but unfortunately everyone ALREADY knew. :)
But i got through it though, never in my whole sixteen years have that many people known that it was my birthday! Thanks guys. :)

Today, I

2008-10-16T16:10:00.003+08:00

HANDED IN MY GEO COURSEWORK!
(excuse me while i go spazz for awhile.)
It took ages, drove me up the wall, but as Miss Smith put it, I enjoyed it in an 'odd' sort of way. The best moment was when I handed it in. No, when I printed and compiled all my work! So much thicker than I thought it'd be. I remember Ching asking how many pages my geo coursework was, I said 30 pages. Little did I know, it was actually 20 pages more than that! Either way, I'm satisfied, and it feels right to blog at this very moment.

Today is the only day in the whole entire year, Nurul and I are the same age. (she turned 1-5 today!) She even celebrated big time, barbershop sang for her in the canteen :)

I remember how we used to scribble around on our diaries during chemistry in year9, instead of watching the videos... good times :D We still scribble in each other's notebooks. But now, it's all about song recommendations :D , because you have the most awesome taste in music in the world!

have an awesome day. stay cool.

embedding youtube videos- for ling.

2008-10-07T18:25:00.003+08:00

hope this solves the problem. copy and paste the underlined code under the video you want to embed into your post. In blogger, click the EDIT HTML tab in the 'create a post page' and just paste the code, then it should show up.

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist

2008-10-06T19:41:00.003+08:00

Watch this. The guy from Juno, Michael Cera is in this movie. I saw the ad in this month's teenvogue, and it looks pretty sweet(and funny).

mamma mia.

2008-10-04T11:02:00.002+08:00

It's been four days of holiday, but i haven't done much yet- except relax :)
on wednesday i went out with my parents to the mall to watch MAMMA MIA. It is as good as a lot of people say it is. I love their little seaside house, I want to live in the mediterannean now! I kind of like the way it's very airy and how haphazard the house is, so many staircases, secret places and how things keep breaking.

The dance sequences in the movie are pretty cool. who knew meryl streep could sing? i think the song 'honey' is the best one. :D

best of all, amanda seyfried. I noticed that she was shorter than her two friends in the movie, so i went and googled her and found out she's about my height. she makes me feel better about my height, especially when I feel short. she's 5 foot three. heeheee :D

The scene where they end up getting women all over the island into a dance-and-sing frenzy.

Sophie trying to persuade all her (potential)dads to stay.

Revival of the 70's. Spandex and go-go boots. Donna and the Dynamos.

Skopelos Island, the actual island where the movie was filmed. This is the church where the wedding scene was filmed.

if the golden train came to take you away, would you go or would you stay?

2008-09-29T22:27:00.004+08:00

A shoutout to Justin Nozuka who turns 20 today :)
IF you DONT listen to his music, you really should.
mira, we share. and it's 20 haha. I know i posted later than you, but still it's the thought that counts. hhehe :)

a discovery.

2008-09-25T22:33:00.002+08:00

guess what I found in the garden today?

more pictures in deviantart.

this situation.

2008-09-24T22:34:00.002+08:00

first of all, HAPPY 16th B'DAY SARA!
It's been awhile since the last post, 'cause a lot has been going on, so I think you lot deserve an update.

Peace Day. 21st Sept. I wish I had pictures of this, but there is always FACEBOOK. No camera for me this time because I was at the face-painting stand.
Camille's BDAY. Her 16th as well. We got dancing to some music, and several people lost their voices singing to the Jonas Brothers. :D Then we watched the movie 10 Things I hate About You. The movie made Heath Ledger look like the perfect guy (eventhough he was meeannn at first) It was such a sweet movie! After that was Taking Five- pstt. such a corny and impossible movie, made up for the fact that it had (hot)STARS in it- Click Five.
Piano Exam. This was last Tuesday. The examiner was (as i have said to so many people) intimidating.
Today the science teachers decided to give us a three tests in a row- physics, chem then bio.
I finished my final piece. (and, no pictures again.) We started a new topic- landscape but the actual topic is IMPRESSIONISM.
this is goloubetski, he's russian.

must be the way you see the world

2008-09-06T13:09:00.003+08:00

The favourite gossip-ridden show is back- it premiered in USA and Aus on the 1st of September but not many had the chance to watch it.

Last season saw the end of Serena and Dan's relationship and the beginning of Chuck and Blair's. We saw Jenny clutching an application for summer school in Parsons and the end of Georgina Sparks (good riddance.)

But however this season's started scandalously. (SPOILER-spoiler-SPOILER)

What was Nate thinking when he got into a relationship with an older woman? It looks really, really WRONG. And he covers this up by pretending to go out with Serena. Blair's come back with a new man, who is really not what he seems to be. Chuck has his heart on his sleeve, but it is unduly crushed. Jenny is at the mercy of a nightmare boss, and Dan (big shocker) becomes a serial dater.

I think I'd leave it there. Visit this link if you do have spare hours to wait for videos to load. :D It shows the entire episode one of this new season, but sectioned off in parts.

tagged.

2008-09-01T17:40:00.003+08:00

The rules:
State 15 weird things/habits/little known facts about yourself.
The 10 people I tag are then to follow and write their own 15 weird things/ habits/ little known facts.
Most importantly, NO TAGBACKS

(1) I love appearing offline all the time on msn, it's fun to watch and see who goes online.
(2) I blog surf too much. Just the other day I saw some people who's blogs I've been to. The funny thing is I know about them but they don't know me or my name.
(3) I love fruit juice. I always have at least one glass of it a day. :)
(4) I'm allergic to dust. When in contact with a lot of dust, my skin gets irritated and peels a lot, makes me scaly.
(5) I have a little webbie that I haven't put anything in yet. I've only told some people about it. I've wanted a space for so long, and finally after the exams last term in yr 10 and got it done!
(6) Almost always my personal msgs on msn are from songs. But sometimes I change them a little.
(7) I still do ballet! hahaha :D
(8) I hope to own a brand of something in the future. Maybe furniture, clothes, jewellery or maybe chocolate. =/
(9) I sing in the shower. It actually happens.
(10) Actually I've done this sort of tag thing on deviantart before. But now it's 15, not 8 facts.
(11) I bookmark a lot of clothing sites/blogs/fashion magazines on my laptop. I'm in constant need of inspiration.
(12) I hardly ever watch horror films.
(13) I read manga online. (like weiwen. haha) I like those by Ai Yazawa. She draws really well.
(14) I don't like my new locker.
(15) I actually think Japanese writers are pretty good, although you could say their translators are the good ones. Try Haruki Murakami. :)

And here comes the next part of this tag game.
I tag: Lyd C, Charlotte, Sara, Joan, Mira, Cin, Ling, Mel T and Mel H. :)
(I excuse Ching and Nurul because they've done it before)
And whoever else that feels like doing this. :)

And that concludes my post today. Ramadhan's starting tomorrow, so holidays for us all. :)

Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award

2008-08-30T22:47:00.004+08:00

My DOE service is finished!! :D

It keeps raining nowadays, at least once in a day. I've survived school for a week now, but I have homework on almost everything.

Met up with Tim and the others today, we went to escapade, then we went to the mall and the others met up with an old classmate. It was pretty awkward because I didn't know the guy. He thought Ling was Camille! haha :D Body shop has this cool lomo thing going on for charity. We took several photos together.
Lomography is characterized by its 'unique, colorful and sometimes blurry' photos. At least it's still in production, unlike polaroids. :(

Fish eye lomo.

yr 11- first day

2008-08-25T16:31:00.003+08:00

Not so sure why I always anticipate first days of school after a long break. This must have been the third time this has happened. Year 11 is the BIG year with all those GCSE and coursework wrestling, as well as prom.

I would put it this way, change is nice. But the Year 11 timetable is totally messed up, well, for me- straight after monday's first lesson, art, I have DOUBLE PE! I'm not in Alexia's PE class, I'm scared they put me in some funny class, I've got to check that out. I'm in Miss Bennett's class for art, which is quite nice but I'm separated from Syaz. To top it off, my locker is in S block when things happen only in T block- it's where the 'life' is- where the rest of upper school has their lockers. Oh, and Mr Lowther was nice, as soon as we walked into physics, he told us we had a test on Wednesday. We also have to hand in our geo coursework on Wednesday. So it's back to school and whining about work. :)

you’ve got yesterday’s heroes in last night's clothes

2008-08-21T20:42:00.004+08:00

School's next week, still a lot to do, and not much done- I've got to rewrite and add some more bits to my geo coursework and my Sibelius doesn't work. :(

Also, today's the day we get our science results(+ foreign chinese). It didn't work at 1pm, it only worked at about 6pm. Even with the delay, I still haven't got my bio results yet. It makes me scared, because I didn't do as well as I expected in my last Bio exam. Other than that, the results I did get were satisfactory and I'm very happy about it.

Today I finished the book 'The Host' by Stephanie Meyer. It's a really sweet love story, yet it feels like science fiction at the same time. Somehow, just by reading it, it made me feel really upset- humans living with no future, which is a pretty scary prospect.

It talks about Earth, taken over by parasite souls that live in people to colonize them. When the souls go into the human(host), usually the host's real soul dies. However this particular girl refuses to die and the soul ends up with all her memories and begins to fall in love with her host body's human lover. This is when things start to go wrong, the soul and the host body(Melanie) both go in search for the man they both love.

PS: nope, m'sia lost to china in men's singles.

back.

2008-08-17T21:14:00.003+08:00

First things first, LEE CHONG WEI has to win men's singles in badminton and China has got to stop the mind-numbing cheerings of 加油, it's unsettling and upsetting :( He's returning rather feeble shots, oh dear. olympics is getting to me, sorry. :)

I just got back from KK, I think it was a great experience :D WON in the 2 categories that I joined :D, so very happy. Sutera Harbour's a lovely place, the hotel rooms are pretty comfy, and the bathroom has a tub and a shower area- with shutters as well! There have fantastic landscaping and stuff, food's not bad either. They have cable tv, but somehow no live Olympics broadcast- tomorrow rhythmic gymnastics will start, i think.

back to the TV.

summery beats: bangkok

2008-08-05T20:02:00.003+08:00

Just got back from Bangkok. It's been about 5 days or a bit more than that since i've been away, and it seems like nothing much has changed even though it feels like it's been ages.

bangkok's so modern. i went there not quite sure what to expect, but it turned out to be a lot like s'pore because of all the high-rise buildings, underground trains and skytrain.

the hotel i stayed in was connected to the skytrain, so it made things so easy. thai people kept speaking thai to all of us. This random lady on the skytrain asked mum what was the next stop in thai, a random caucasian guy asked sis to press the number four on the lift in thai.

despite us looking thai of some sorts we still stuck out like sore thumbs when we used the skytrain. The coins wouldn't go in, because we were using 1 baht when only 5 baht and 10 baht could be used. We got pinned down by the gates at least three times while carrying shopping bags (embarassing). Later we noticed thai people carrying bags put their hands clear of the sensor thing-o, so we did the same whenever we had a lot of shopping bags.

The hotel we stayed in had a cabaret show that had she-male performers. According to the tour-guides, these men were more beautiful than his wife. He even went on to explain how they got their boobs done, and he kept trying to persuade us to go. (we didn't go.) But the tour-guide was right. Some 'ladies' we met on the skytrain had shaved smooth legs and were decked out in skinny jeans and shorts!

Another thing, thai people walk a lot. Almost all of them wear shorts all the time in all places, they all have skinny, skinny legs. Almost all thai teens have dyed hair in a layer cut. Almost all the guys appear to go to the same hairdresser and they all wear skinny jeans. The girls' uniform skirts that are even shorter than my miniskirts! I wonder what they do to get so skinny, because thai food in super-yummy. It's not all hot and spicy. The desserts they make are good. Sugar made from coconut, used to make their lovely desserts. Mango and sticky rice, coated with coconut santan. The tour guide also brought us to the market where dad got durian and smuggled it into the hotel :D we also got longan and duku.

Another market that was lovely was Chatuchak. It's every bit amazing as they say it is, but it's so very hot. The place is humungous, so big you could get lost. Every corner there are shops chock-full of printed t-shirts with all those rock prints all over them- the beatles, the libertines and so on.

The tuk-tuks are scary, the first day we went there there was one tailing us and trying to get us get on his little buggy. Scared us so much we never ventured on foot on the street, we used the skytrain instead. Wondering why we didn't get on? The tour-guide said apparently they overcharge people, making them go around in circles instead of going for the shorter alternative route. Now for photos.

edit://6th of August.

yes, the taxis in Thailand are the cutest. They come in all colours of the rainbow: blue and red, pink, green and yellow, orange and purple.

This is not your typical temple. This is Wat Arun.(temple of the dawn)

every bit of this structure is made of broken porcelain that they found off sunken Chinese ships. A great way to recycle eyy.

bags in the market at Wat Arun.

This is on a longboat sampan on the waterways which lead to the floating market. This waterway went through A LOT of backyards and frontyards of people's houses in thailand.

Everywhere in Thailand there are traffic jams, even in the Floating Market.

The tour guide insisted he take hold of the camera to take a picture of this man. This ah-pek(old man) is 80+ and apparently, he looks like on of those chinese old men with the beards. I think he's modern, advocating for world peace.

Intricate wood carvings. They even do the detail of each wrinkle on the elephant!

dorian gray- ben barnes?

2008-07-25T21:08:00.004+08:00

I decided to read THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY. It was in one of mum's oldish omnibuses of Oscar Wilde's works, so I thought I ought to read it and see what Ben Barnes is in for in his next movie.
(Ben Barnes is going to play Dorian Gray in the adaption of the book)
when i started the book, i thought he was perfect for the role--

'with his finely-curved scarlet lips, his frank blue eyes, his crisp golden hair... One felt that he had kept himself unspotted from the world.'

Perfect, except for the blonde part. The part about him being unspotted from the world? Well, that will change. I'm giving no spoilers here, but I'm not watching the last bit of the film.

percy pigs, marks and spencer

2008-07-18T20:28:00.002+08:00

my cravings for percy pigs have now been sated :D

it's hard not to love its fruity-ness and gumminess.

a year of blogging

2008-07-16T21:13:00.001+08:00

here's my eighth layout. tell me if the javascript thing doesn't work, i will have to change it if it doesn't. It was made to celebrate my 1 year of blogging :D

neon pink

2008-07-10T18:38:00.004+08:00

to get myself out of the house (and to cure my boredrom) i went out with mira and syaz today and we ate at cheezbox :D our order was taken by an awfully slow trainee waiter who kept getting the orders wrong. ('milo milk tea with nata de coco?') we managed to shop quite a bit while teasing mira about her rafi. we were like, 'hey, wouldn't it be nice to spot him from here?' Then mira said 'hey, he's in gadong now.' sheer coincidence. :D

Syaz got a slogan shirt that she will wear in front of her 'kerbau' in hopes he will realise... um, things. Mira got flip-flops. despite our attempts to look for nice dresses, it seemed that most of the dresses either had odd finishing touches that messed it up entirely or the wrong fabric, the wrong colour or the price was simply beyond our budget. we went into rock paper scissors again, and found a bunch of little miss shirts :D sadly we didn't buy anything, AGAIN. syaz, we have got to go back there with enough to buy the little miss shirts! you'll get little miss giggles and i'll get little miss trouble.

joan, if you're in brunei, i need to talk to you about the dance classes. ching, i'll talk to you about it when you get back.

PS: i got nail polish today at the face shop :D
PPS: mira, remember to do the little miss quiz on facebook
PPPS: i got my haircut 2 days ago.

edit: a russian woman kills her husband with a folding bed-couch thing. whoa. [here]

the african billy elliot

2008-07-06T11:14:00.004+08:00

next time, before you think something is gay, think again.

this 19 yr old south african man, Andile Ndlovu through ballet, managed to get out of poverty and go to usa to pursue his ballet career. Ballet is a predominantly 'white' sport, so there were prejudices. he is one of the few african ballet dancers.
[news-link] [video-link]
from what the video shows, he's one powerful dancer.

to last the entire summer;

2008-07-05T12:12:00.002+08:00

summer has just started but i've already started missing you lot. lying around at home doing nothing doesn't beat hanging around with all of you guys. in short, i miss school, i think.
i've made facebook. add me.

in the summertime, i fear i'm gonna lose my mind

2008-07-03T22:11:00.004+08:00

today was the activities day. it was pretty tiring but nevertheless fun. we got teamed up with what natasha called 'the sporty guys,' she was all set on winning! :D the kayaking was fun as usual but the guys didn't trust us girls to be able to go on our own.

everyone's pretty much in a holiday mood now, we made miss perry's leaving card in english today, and miss thompson danced to 'hate that i love you.' funny. in the midst of this there was syaz reading a book about sylvia plath and bronwen taking videos, people admiring flags and mathew twisting pipe cleaners. miss perry's going to spain! she actually cried when we gave her the card. (also it had paper flowers that i made, hehe)

after that, sara's leaving party at camille's. we made ju-on into a funny movie, wei thong reading the subtitles, nurul predicting what was coming next and sara trying to make the scary noises. I've got some pictures, again. now i'm really contemplating on whether to have a facebook or not. i've totally abandoned my friendster account, it's a bore.

tomorrow's last day of school, three lessons then assembly then it's end of year ten, which is pretty quick. miss r had decided to let us have a teensy party in art tomorrow. she's leaving, so we'll end up with either miss bennett or miss stroud... not sure which one i'd prefer, the only advantage is now that art will be in T block.

also, tomorrow is the day that ling officially turns sixteen, but as she puts it, 'i've been in the world longer than all of you guys.' today's RINA's birthday :D

and a lot of love goes out to ching who will be flying to london alone. have fun and stay safe chingles. will miss you a ton.

this is what summer does to you:

Tanning’s bad for you!
I know it’s a risk. I wear SPF 30 all the time. But come on, it’s summer!

to mira;

2008-07-01T15:48:00.002+08:00

this is for mira;
HAPPY 15th BIRTHDAY!
when i saw you this morning, i knew i had something to say, just forgot what. sorry! I've made you a card, actually a polaroid thing.
picture taken from Flickr, edited curves and brightness&contrast. [view in full size]

i hope the cake was yummy. :D

a sugar-sweet sixteen

2008-06-29T22:03:00.004+08:00

ling's b'day. escapades, then swensens. it was pure fun :D
met a whole lot of jis people again, especially in escapade.
in swensens a chinese girl tried to tell us off for being too noisy, but all we could hear of what she was saying was, ".........................shut up." did she think we'd listen to her? i really don't think so.
a lot of camera shots. but only at the end of the night did i discover the VR wasn't on. but it was okay, most blur shots were due to spazzing.

first, joan and sara in funky glasses. the next two of ling, a lot of shots i took of her were blur because she was excited and kept spazzing. "Joan, how did you know i wanted a cookbook?"
Next, Nurul and her egyptian. then ching and the glasses. i think ching looks good in glasses, i have a older post of her in sunglasses, and she looks good there too :D

in escapade, after eating we went a-snapping.

joan and rosie. joan in her lovely baju, and she felt overdressed. Rosie keeping it simple with the shirt-top thing. :D

two pictures of sara, that i owe her. (with her looking like a superstar, too.)

nurul and linguine's linguine, a present from joan.

Total ling appearances: 4
better now, ling?
happy birthday, aspiring stand-up comedian-photographer-pastry chef :D

PS: and i think i should include a little on my friendship with ling.
we had art together last year, she was one of the first friends i made in jis. Aside from that, a great hip-hop dancer who loves to criticise the way i dance, saying i dance too 'ballet-style.' I know, i can't help it, and i still can't do your 'whatsamacallit' step that you learnt through watching music videos. She's headstrong, funny, daring and doesn't give a poop of what other people think (in a good way- independent) I can't imagine a day in school without her stand-up comedy and jokes. :D

brunei and art

2008-06-22T18:11:00.003+08:00

somehow i get this feeling that brunei is trying to promote art-appreciation.

this weekend itself, there are three exhibitions on- 'art to heart' exhibition by the brunei art forum, alliance francaise's ENVIROMENTALLY-FRIENDLY SPRAYPAINT artists(x3) and JIS's annual one. They all end today. this can be no coincidence. If you haven't heard about any of this, you might be (cross as appropriate) living under a rock, living overseas and not in brunei or have not read the local newspaper. sorry.

if you do actually read this on the day of the posting, 22nd july 2008, the exhibition by alliance francaise starts at 6pm in sheraton. go take a look. also, you might be kicking yourself for not going to the one yesterday, where they personalised items with their art for people in the mall.

PS: I watched the 3d hannah montana concert thing yesterday.

Helmut Newton, fashion photographer

2008-06-21T18:38:00.006+08:00

Who? Helmut Newton, born Helmut Neustädter was a German-Australian fashion photographer.

In the 1970’s Helmut Newton came up with the idea of The Newton Machine, a specially made studio to take fashion images without the photographer being present.

“I had a photo-machine built, a camera fitted with a motor and a timer that can be adjusted by the model who can decide whether to work fast or slow. A mirror behind the camera allows the model to check the pose. Before every shot, a bell goes off, and then a strobe light flashes. The whole system is devised to heighten the tension of the modelling session and to catch the model at the peak of each pose.
Carefully I explain the system to my models. I tell them, It’s up to you to control the whole sitting, you will decide when to stop, the entire responsibility is with you. Of course the lighting has been set up and a cross where they must stand has been marked on the floor.”
Helmut Newton
Autobiography
Nan A. Talese, Munich, 2002

Topshop have recreated the original 70’s concept in a bespoke photographic studio in Topshop Oxford Circus, Manchester and Dublin to allow you to become the subject, stylist and photographer, all in one.
pictures. most of the info taken off wikipedia or the topshop site.

rosie's 15th.

2008-06-15T20:26:00.007+08:00

The party was fantabulous, except not that much of a surprise in the end. :D There were THREE PRO PHOTOGRAPHERS, haha snap-snapping away, but these are some photos. Yesterday was my first day out with my new camera.
Pictures.

The birthday girl, Rosie. She loves Skandar Keynes. (and so does Ling, who surrendered Skandar to Rosie for a day)

Ching and the pizzas.

went shopping with Kyung for Rosie's present, she spent a grand total of B$64 in faceshop! This is her with some of the stuff she bought, haha.
Sarah Barnes, whom i will miss a lot. I'll miss her doctor's daughter way of talking, how she's the authority of healthcare :D i'll miss her in english. I'll miss her on casual day, when she comes in platforms and towers over everybody else.

above, the family. :D Nurul's expression in the second photo is priceless.

Then came the other surprise, we blindfolded Rosie and set cupcakes that Ling had baked in front of her. They had icing (which she made herself) with jellybeans stuck on and sprinkles all over. Very yummy. She should contribute to the bake sale. I like the second picture, Rosie looks very happy. :)
She's officially fifteen tomorrow. Happy Birthday again! :D
special thanks to both ching and ling for organizing this :D
PS: i think JIS PEOPLE are terrorizing The Mall now, there were so many of them there yesterday!

exam-free

2008-06-12T15:45:00.003+08:00

the last exam is over :D I'm finally free to do whatever i want now.

i browsed msn just now, and i was shocked to see this news.

This man is Manuel Uribe, the man who holds the record for heaviest man in the world- he was half a ton. now he's shed 550 pounds. This, however is not the shocking thing. the shocking thing is he has a girlfriend. And he can't even stand on his two feet and get out of bed.

A volkswagen beetle weighs a ton. he is half a ton. no, i'm am not being sizist.
Soon he's gonna hold the record for the most weight lost. good luck to him. :D Things like this never cease to amaze me. and there was a headline awhile ago about a baby who was born twice. go search msn, it should be there.

and one more thing, this is for ching.
Twelve students from JIS with three officials from the Ministry of Culture, Youths and Sport's Culture Section attended yesterday's workshops.
The students were also accompanied by their Head of Music Paul Edgeler.

no, there are no pictures of us anywhere. phew.
[link to headlines]

x-makeena

2008-06-10T18:38:00.003+08:00

last week's chem exam was hard. the empirical formula question was worth a whopping 4 marks, with 4 different values in one. It's the formula of phosgenite. (PB2CL2CO3- lead chlorocarbonate)

I've tried the new lenses to go with my cam now :D i shall bring it around to places as soon as i get a hang of it. It's pretty heavy.

AND X-MAKEENA. man, they were cool. two guys taught us how to make the sound of the drums so now i can make the sound of the drums without using anything, just my mouth. The guy there could even make the sound of a trumpet. He pretended to play it using his mic with the three buttons. so yaz said to mr edgeler, 'imagine sir, how many years you spent learning the trumpet.' haha just to get a good tone, and this guy can just do it without the instrument.
he could also make the sound of a double bass, bass guitar and electric guitar. he could make the sound of those squeaky kids' shoes, pretty cool :D for celebrities they're pretty nice. so patient with all of us while we were trying to make the sounds and ended up blowing raspberries.

the guy in red was one of the two who taught us, there was another guy as well with an afro-ish do. taken from tasteofindie.com
the brunei times came to interview them and take photos of the workshop thing, so keep an eye out for the article.
tomorrow's physics. one more, then no more exams :D

last fm.

2008-06-02T19:14:00.005+08:00

paolo nutini and his soulful music.
last.fm is pretty good, it's got tons of artists. not one indie artist i search for is missing from their list. first day back to school. no denying the teachers also miss their holidays- mr airdrie couldn't set a single question without weird answers, so he made us do questions from our textbook instead.
oh, and one more thing. The designer Yves Saint Laurent died yesterday.

today's rubbish, tomorrow's resource

2008-05-31T16:30:00.003+08:00

a post in response to green-tags.
recycling is today's design revolution, when waste is seen as a resource.
three artists for inspiration.
1. madeleine boulesteix, teacup chandeliers.

can you see the cups? ;)
elegant and pretty. you probably won't even realise they're made from recycled materials that no one wants anymore.

2. Joe Pogan- scrap metal sculptures
I create animal sculptures using various "found metal" objects like old watches, sprockets, nuts and bolts. The stranger the piece of metal the better, since the end goal is an eye-catching, fascinating amalgamation of metal with odd nooks and crannies you can explore for hours.

3. Clare Graham- recycled material art.
Clare creates art. Recently “Recycled Art” or art made from discarded materials. Take a look but try to think of something to say besides “Oh my Gawd” – or his favorite; “Why would someone do that?”.

Soda Cans

Bottle Caps

made entirely out of buttons.

i hope this has inspired you to think green too. Who knows, you could create some fantastical art with the rubbish lying around in your house? ;)

dabbling with fashion.

2008-05-26T20:08:00.005+08:00

two things i'm blogging about today.

first: Kira Plastinina. She's fifteen, turning sixteen next month. She has accomplished what most girls could only dream of doing. She has a fashion company, given to her for her birthday.
Most people remarked she could only do this because her father is rich. How did it start off? Apparently she showed her dad her designs, who then showed it to designers.
She's opening stores in US now.
[video of her fashion show] [article on her in NYmag]

second: Alex Evans. Canadian guy with tons of fans. He's part of a band, models, designs clothes and he's into photography. He's seventeen. But fame must come with haters, because you can't be famous without haters. He even has fan-art! Don't know if he's famous simply because he looks cute. you judge.

like the hair though. look at those eyelashes. long, and on a guy.
[videos of him on youtube- there's an astounding number of them]

i wonder how many other prodigies and jacks-of-all-trades are out and about? This inspires too much jealousy from all of us average joes. bleh.

we are finally free--- tonight

2008-05-23T22:14:00.003+08:00

it's half-term now, finally. we had the yr13's farewell assembly thing today, and they sang the great escape and threw their ties and bags and bits of paper into the air in celebration. Quite funny, actually. There was a soloist guy who sang this really jazzy piece, and camille's sister and another girl sang as well.

it's half-term yet there'll still be tons to do. Geo coursework and english essays, art coursework and revision for chem as well as physics. Big lots of work, but i'm all set with a new book to start the entire week off. Teenvogue is not out yet, what a shame. Put three new deviations into deviantart. oh, and DAVID COOK won!

Mum's birthday today. :D

contemporary japanese photography. subject: flowers

patience

2008-05-20T20:01:00.002+08:00

sometimes i lose my patience. Got most of my results back :D i'm pretty satisfied with most of the marks. I'm procastinating now because i'm not feeling eager to get back to bio. I think i can state a the functions of RNA and mitochondria well enough. The odd thing is no matter how much we all study for the exam, the exam will not cover every single topic. Farah says she'll study it all tomorrow. We have the whole of tomorrow anyway, the exams at 8.30pm, but we gotta be there at 8pm.

On thursday, the geography trip's on at bukit shahbandar, again. This time nurul and ching should bring their slrs. TO PHOTOGRAPH THE SOIL EROSION :D in miss smith's words, "there was a lot of fantastic erosion going on at the last end of the track." As far as i'm concerned, soil erosion's probably not that fantastic, but it means you'll have to climb the entire lot of hills to arrive at that spot, or probably go the wrong way up, starting from the nineth hill.

After that, at seven, i have my GCSE Foreign Language Chinese Reading and Listening exam. pretty rushed, perhaps i'll go home early or something. Anyhow, back to Bio.

dissecting a leapple durian cake.

2008-05-18T11:05:00.007+08:00

photo post.

sponsored by le apple. quote from dad, "Best durian cake ever ,can eat the skin and seeds also!"

Prince Caspian (SPOILER WARNING)

2008-05-17T22:12:00.004+08:00

this is prince caspian.

Ben Barnes, in Narnia. With a cool Spanish accent, which contrasted with the other accents (the dwarves had COCKNEY accents!) and made him sound really foreign :D (he learnt it from a dialect coach) he had this really romantic character, just look at the way he treated Susan, his small sweet smiles and her lame lines and him saving her from the baddies. swweeet.

I think the screenplay was brilliant. The scariest bit was when the ICE QUEEN made a litte comeback, with the hag and werewolf. creepy. And the most anxious bit was when Peter was fighting Miraz until he had him on his knees, i was whispering, 'quick, quick' because i was really scared they would finish Peter off with the crossbow one of soldiers had. The saddest was when the poor minotaur sacrificed himself to hold the gate of the castle open to allow the Narnians to retreat, and he ends up being hit by the arrows of the archers. He held it open till he died, then he fell flat and the door went smack right on top of him :(

read the wikipedia article for spoilers, if you really want to know what happens.

but i'll give a sneak preview.
In Narnia, Caspian, a Telemarine Prince, is wakened by his mentor, Doctor Cornelius. Doctor Cornelius explains to Caspian that his aunt has just given birth to a son. Caspian is the rightful heir to the Narnian throne, but his father died when he was young. His uncle, Miraz, maintained rule over Narnia until Caspian was old enough, only because Miraz had no children of his own. Now that he did have a child, if he killed Caspian, he would be the sole heir to the throne and his son would be his successor.

Caspian realizes that his life is in danger, and escapes through a secret passage in a wardrobe just before some Telemarine soldiers charge into the room and fire arrows right into his bed. Dr. Cornelius gets Caspian's horse, Destrier, and gives Caspian a small package, saying not to use it except in great need. Caspian gallops away from the castle, but not before some Telemarine soldiers notice and chase after him. Caspian enters the woods to lose his chasers, since the Telemarines are afraid of The Shuddering Woods.

Here he blows the horn and summons the Pevensies, for another journey into Narnia. He unites the Narnians, and prepares to be the first Telmarine to be on the side of the Narnians and to overthrow his wicked uncle.
---------------
and now for the little song that ended the entire show.
regina spektor, the call.

guess who.

2008-05-16T15:27:00.003+08:00

guess who called by my house today.
it's the CONSmen.
they called by about three times, once in the afternoon and once at night.
the news has broadcasted about this, but still they dared to do this...
i think almost everyone we know have got this call.
it's apparently a filipino lady's voice, according to mum.

the EXAMs are over. maths and chemistry are over and done with.
camille's a smarty-pants, she managed to beat tat meng at bio, haha
(it's not a one off, camille.)
mr lopez decided to tie a noose round nurul's teddybear's neck- one of those me-to-you teddies. now it looks really miserable. he did it with such skill that it would make you wonder where he learnt it from.

now that the exams are over, we got ice-cream again. but still gotta study because wednesday's the GCSE bio exam, the official external ones. apparently we've got the tail end of a typhoon again, that's what's been causing the rain. not fun, so much rain that i don't feel like going out at all.

and now, i've got an entire list of things i want to do, so i'll leave you with a little inspiration.
fashion photography.

andreas sjodin-

suzanne golden, beadwork artist.

2008-05-13T16:12:00.002+08:00

i'm back for a little while to share something funny :D
i saw this in the music office. not meaning to offend anyone, but this is what some kids put down in their music test.

in the LISTENING TEST the song played was Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star,
a second language student put Tickle, Tickle Little Star.

name a percussion instrument.
ans: tangerine.

and this

is a wrist.

that ends it, i guess.
the expression concert was good but it started and ended late. came to school next day feeling like a zombie. still haven't caught up on those hours sleep yet. today was geo and chinese, humongous amounts of writing. my languages and options exams are over, only the sciences and maths left, which is pretty good. three more days...

some things to look at.

the interrupted hiatus.

2008-05-03T10:13:00.003+08:00

this post is dedicated to a friend.

EILEEN LEE HUI SHI. who...

hates her chinese name
corrected my chinese
was a big part of my early JIS-life
was in soooo many of my classes- maths, art and ict, pe.
discussed boys, food, countries (those ideal for living in or travelling to) and teachers during maths with me.
was into bball.
who could juggle dating with studying and still get top scores.
was able to ace PMB in a few short months, got better scores than a lot of people who were there the whole year.
could make something out of nothing. she could go to ego and pick random stuff and make it match and look pretty.
was from labuan, and attracted AH-BENGS on the ferry :D
speaks cantonese. (can go to hongkong and know her way around)
who knew she wanted to do finance as a career. (above picture taken during Career Matters ASA)
chose accounting, business and foodtech (because she loved to cook.)

i'm so mad at myself for not finding this out earlier. kinda lost contact with her when she moved back to chms. saw her in the airport when she came back from AUS. She's been in Aus since end of march. will be missed a lot.

bogged.

2008-04-29T17:16:00.002+08:00

bogged down by work. but i blogged anyway. more procastination. :D

i've got my EXAM TIMETABLES, eeekk! fortunately no art exams. for music we have to do composition, but because someone complained now we have to do theory as well, just when i thought i didn't have to study for music.

what's more is it's THREE exams on the first day, and the night before i have this concert thing. So i gotta juggle homework and rehearsals and revison... not fun. i'll probably go on a teeny hiatus thing. i've never been able to do this, but we'll see how i fare with keeping myself off blogspot. :D

it's a passing whim, nothing but a dream;

2008-04-24T19:33:00.002+08:00

paris.

it's my choice destination.
i wonder if it is what i think it is.

bukit shahbandar and midwich cuckoos

2008-04-17T20:48:00.007+08:00

midwich cuckoos was good, it would be a shame if you didn't watch it :D

(SPOILER!) the eyes were creepy, the staring was creepy and the smartness of the alien kids were just freaky. I mean, those kids could kill just with stares, make people do things their way by staring at them and freak people out. how many times have we hoped that just through staring we could kill/cause people to go nuts? morbid.

even mr flynn said he couldn't sleep so well after that. haha.

watch the trailer here.

next week is earth week. no inspiration for any photography regarding this topic, will have to wait and see. now, for some photos. today we went to bukit shahbandar for geography coursework.

drank coconut juice, but not sustainable because the containers are plastic, use of resources- oil! to create plastic.

this is the menu. somehow found it rather quaint.

there was a playground and maze thing we went to. went in despite the sign saying '12 and below.' (and we're fifteen. haha. can you see the guys in the background?)

camille, feeling oh-so-happy.

camille and ching on the see-saw.

the macro of the day: the acacia seeds. non-sustainable, and invasive or feral species. survives fires while other species of plants don't, so they are invading into the bruneian rainforests. (sounds alien-ish- 'invade')

californian pine trees. unsustainable again. the pine needles make the ground so very acidic that nothing else can grow.

pictures edited in photoshop. still haven't decided the focus of my project yet. one more day of school. results of council come out tomorrow.

born to rock.

2008-04-16T16:11:00.002+08:00

stumbled upon these fancy guitars while researching on an artist.

Misery Under Gold.
"It's about wealth and poverty. It's about London. At one end of a street there are Ferraris, at the other end people have nothing to eat."

Fish out of Water

Electric Circus.

Cubist Cool

ADAM HARGREAVES!! :D
mr happy and little miss sunshine

Songs I Love

Images from borntorock.tv

student council speeches

2008-04-10T18:56:00.004+08:00

i've been mistakenly put in the red house voting sheet. I'm starting to wonder if i can just spontaneously go join red just like that, and not be discovered. It's not too late to change, hehe. Anyway, i heard that some guys prank-voted for me when i wasn't there. I wonder if those votes count? Nurul says it's biased, some people would probably not bother to put me into their voting sheet, so in the process not vote for me at all. I agree.

This speech must have been one of worst i've delivered, i forgot to look at Ching, and I didn't put my cue-cards on the table, so i ended up shaking like a leaf. I didn't promise anything i could achieve, but I hope the message got through anyway.

for art we're doing self-identity, but it sucks now because you can't pick your own portrait artists, and the ones Miss chose have the pontillism idea going on, not very nice to recreate a direct copy from that. looking forward to the weekends. and tomorrow's D.E.A.R. event, DROP EVERYTHING AND READ. :D

ps: i love you

2008-04-05T18:19:00.002+08:00

Watched PS I love you today. It was pretty good, I could hear sobs from people at the really sweet moments. The guy was really sweet, he was IRISH. *gasp* the movie seemed to paint Irish men in good light- making them all seem tough, gruff yet affectionate and sweet. The soundtrack was good, in the pub you could hear Paolo Nutini singing ‘Rewind’ in the background.

It was funny at the same time at some bits- there was this guy who was so very direct, he said things when he felt like it- meaning he was rude, but he said it was now a SYNDROME. And there was this bit when Holly got nervous talking to this Irish guy called William, he said ‘wow it’s got much darker since I arrived’ and she said ‘yeah, it.. it gets darker at night.’

There was one bit where her single friend was going guy-hunting- she asked questions before she decided to talk to them- and if they didn't fit her requirements she would simply spin a heel and walk away. Most of her conversations began with…
• Hey, I like your… (insert object)
• I’m (insert name)
• Are you single? (if yes, proceed)
• Then are you gay? (if no, walks away, if yes proceeds)
• Are you working? (if no, walks away, if yes proceeds)
• Proceeds to kiss and check for spark or bad breath.

And the funny thing was that she asked about four guys till she got a spark, and the guy said exactly the thing she said about where all the nice guys were- ‘with the wrong girls.’

First week of school’s finally over, and I’ve finished my final piece for art :D More homework yet to come, music composition and exams. And Council Speeches.

april fool's.

2008-04-01T16:53:00.003+08:00

Syaz and I were hoping Miss R would be in a good mood today, but GUESS WHAT we had a TEST. an art history test, where we had ten questions to be done in ten minutes, which accounted for 10 percent of our grade-she said all the other art classes had done it. She kept saying, 'don't panic!' and Qiyah even looked at her artbook to check the spelling of 'Archimboldo Guiseppe.' And it turned out to be a simple spelling test. spell- paint, texture, composition, elements, media. then when it ended, she repeated it again, then she said APRIL FOOL'S!

Then the whole class burst out laughing, you could literally feel the tension ease... yuck, didn't know she had a sense of humour. I can't believe i got tricked by her, of all people, her. She sort of kick-started the April fool's thing today... after a long English lesson about Hardy- quiet (causing sleepiness) yet remotely interesting.

Term 3 has started, and we have two new kids, another Mohammad and Maria's best buddy Ollie. We're doing football this term, had PE today. only problem was that we didn't play a proper game- with an entire field and enough people and stuff. Camille is back from PERTH now :D Ling now back from MELBOURNE with a lot of candy. somehow i feel happy that this new term's started, but it's also the start of all the exams. I like term one's best. :D

I logged into deviantart and everyone has this icon: so-i--herd-u-liek- MUDKIPS?? mudkip is actually a starter pokemon from pokemon ruby and sapphire and emerald. :D
~~CHING IS GETTING AN SLR!!~~

this little doggy

2008-03-25T12:47:00.005+08:00

think about this: the guy must have prayed so often that even his dog was influenced to do the same! [link]

too close for comfort

2008-03-24T13:33:00.004+08:00

Got back from the ‘retreat’ yesterday, I put it in inverted commas because this was more of a mega sleepover time, rather than a proper restful retreat. All three night were spent sleeping at unearthly hours, then waking up at 6 or 7am.

The first day was fantastic, we finished pretty early after a rather frustrating game. I was leader in my group (to my utter shock and horror) and was to lead a bunch of people, mostly older than me or around the same age- and people who were probably more spiritually mature, but anyway… The game we played involved us going around the entire room looking for pieces of a puzzle. Each group had different puzzles to complete, each puzzle had nine pieces in all. So we went around the entire room and only found three pieces to our frustration. It turned out later that another group had found six of our pieces, so with them finding a greater proportion of pieces, the puzzle was ‘theirs.’

We stayed in this longhouse place, with thin walls and echoing corridors. Just walking alone could cause a racket. Imagine the little kids laughing and running down the corridors, or even worse, us teenagers having a running competition at the dead of the night? Not my fault. Someone said ‘race you to the other end of the corridor’ and when we all started running, naturally we screamed. :D

The first night was spent laughing at odd things with my roommates Joyee, Karis and WengJin, the second was spent watching La Corda on Wengjin’s DVD player, and the third was spent playing murderer. The most frustrating thing on the last night was that in all the games we played that night, never once was I the murderer, no matter how much I wanted to be one. Imagine winking and killing people, thwarting the ‘police.’

It’s a fun game to play- you can stare at people and wink at them randomly.It’s funny when you see the murderer winking, and you are the ‘citizen’ and can’t do anything about it.During every first few minutes of the game Lys always started laughing first, passing on contagious laughter onto other people. I think she probably discovered who the murderer was. Another thing why this game is so fun- you get to watch people, how they react to being the murderer.

Alyssa would be more talkative and try say things to suggest she wasn’t the murderer, Karis would start getting restless, Ella would start leaning forward to get a good look at people, and Andy would start smiling for no reason. Jared was the funniest, because when Andy, the murderer was sitting beside him in one of the games, and he got killed by Andy, he kept looking at Andy with sideward glances, almost like he was using his eyes to ‘point’ at Andy. Mayanne was the scariest murderer and the most skilled at murdering everyone before the police discovered her identity. small ambigious winks and everything. Andy was the best police, always catching the murderer's winks.

Another cool thing was this video that took everyone by storm, except Jo Yee. Even Karis was enamoured when she watched the video. This is what the video is about- we’ll give them names to make them easier to identify, not NICE GUY and JEALOUS GUY and SINISTER GUY. maybe initials.

it starts off with a group of kids in 'acting school.' two little boys were running around and they broke a vase. standing in a line, they were all interrogated by their teacher, so each boy pointed and pointed till the reached the last one, a little girl who didn't say anything. one of the older boys who weren't one of the accusing ones decided to take the blame, so the little girl and him(NG) became friends. then along came this other little boy who seems jealous (JG) teased NG, so he decided to let him into their circle of friends.

Next scene, they are all grown up. both guys, the darker haired one is (JG) and the brown haired one is (NG) both pick jade keyrings for her, then (JG) goes over and asks her which one she likes better. she picks unwittingly, the one NG picked for her.

The three of them now act in Chinese Operas. the girl and NG are in a scene where NG pretend-stabs JG. JG pretends that he cannot get up, causing one of the guys there to get fired for their messing around. this guy (SG) later comes to get his revenge on JG. He replaces the spear head with a real one. later he walks through the rooms and gets spotted by the girl. he manages to get JG stabbed on the real night of the performance, and the girl notices him walking away satisfied, thinking that JG would die, but he lives. JG thinks that NG delibrately did that to hurt him, so he goes to look for NG. in the meantime, NG and the girl are living in seclusion, but the girl feels guilty about JG. while JG goes to look for NG, they show SG going to 'finish him off.' and guess what happens. watch the second video. one last thing, NG is too nice.

(if you're lazy to watch the second vid, i might post the spoiler in some other post.)
Video here:

it's a super video, very touching.

and now for the rest of the multimedia. the photos. (editt:)

maan and hannah at tea time

mayanne, sharron, adeline and maria. dinner time at the main building, by the lake.

ELLA :D

Joyee playing with her food.

uncle chai. this is not a candid. it is not distorted either, done to the request of the subject.

wengjin.

dorothea. candids and non-candids. At tea-time.

unidentified flowers with nice shades of colour on them.

a hamster.

and another hamster.

ate a lot this trip, slept very little, did very little as well, brought things to study, and never got round to doing anything. so back to homework again. physics and geography.

music makes you lose control; this time it should be automatic

2008-03-13T20:04:00.002+08:00

not meaning to rub salt into any wounds, but YAY GREEN WON!
this seems to have been the most tense house competition ever, you could literally feel the tenseness in the air. well, great competition though, amazingly vast crowd of people... quite scary, really dancing in front of all those people.
tomorrow's the last day of school, then holidays.... :)

one more week of school!

2008-03-09T20:01:00.002+08:00

This is starting to become unbearable, only one week of school to go! This past week’s been pretty rushed, lots of practices for the music concert yesterday. The concert yesterday was fab, as soon as this boogie music started playing at the end of the show we felt so relieved that we felt like dancing! It’s the happiest I’ve felt in awhile, so relieved.

The music and everything went okay, except for one bit when Wafi tossed his hat to the back during barbershop, haha. The hairspray dance was good, very funny. The friendship video and the walkaway videos really got the crowd laughing.

Zul F was dressed in this white tuxedo, pretty daring choice of costume. The morning shows crowd was more responsive to his pointings at the crowd and going ‘aku jatuh cinta padamu,’ pretty funny, actually, all the schoolgirls started giggling because they felt special.

I had sudden inspiration today, so I decided to post a deviation. Wonder if it’s okay though, the maid caught me in the middle of the ‘photoshoot’ and said I was like a ‘hantu’ (ghost) taking a photo without taking the face! When she says or relates something to ghosts I always get shivers.

finished neil gaiman's neverwhere. only one more of his books to go that i haven't read. have to check best eastern for it, it's anasi's boys.

and a little review: richard mayhew is a doormat, allowing everyone to step all over him. but when he encounters an alternative world below london (literally, LONDON BELOW) he begins to learn how to stand-up for himself and endure pain, like a man. London below, ruthless, lawless, messy and dirty. there are even practiced assasins there that have such gross ways of making people suffer. makes me think that in that sort of world you are never safe unless you keep your life separate from you, or you have some sort of combat skill. neil gaiman manages to portray richard as a gutless git who literally has no courage at all, even having less than the most low of creatures in london below, imagine that. the rawness of his character and vulnerability is amazing. another brilliant book by him, just one more of his books to go before i've read everything he's published.

okay, last week of school, have to get into gear and finish off my final piece in art, or else miss R is going to be real pissed.

oh, and apparently brunei has had fiction based on it. and zul f is actually a jazz singer..?

put some new shoes on and suddenly everything's right

2008-03-01T19:00:00.004+08:00

This weekend was spent scourging Brunei for a pathetic box for my art. I can’t believe Brunei has no such thing as a plain and pretty box with a decent cover. ALL of the ones I’ve seen so far have detached covers, or they are tacky and tiny. Can barely fit anything inside. Crazy, really. Wonder what they can use them for. Then I found one humongous one in a furniture shop, an Indonesian furniture shop. Guess what, it was a tissue-box. Big, huge, posh with carvings with a dear price. $200 dollars. Not plain, carved. Not unpolished, it was VARNISHED brownish-red.

I wonder what’s with the obsession with the song ‘you raise me up’, because I know there are two concerts playing the exact same thing. Question is, which comes first? Yup, different style too.

Look at these shoes.

Love the color? same here :) a rainbow spectrum of various shoes, wedges-ballet flats- peep toe heels-stilletos.

shoes. against a white background. crisp, contrasting.

no shoes in this one, but look at the shading in this one. perfect lighting, perfect shot.

couldn't resist putting the last one. for one, the cat is cute, second, those sort of shoes look very familiar. :)

love is a drug, causes withdrawal symptoms. refer to: addicted- kelly clarkson.

2008-02-27T18:22:00.005+08:00

jazz band and concert band played today for the mini concert we had over every school break today. For once i couldn't help feeling as though the classes passed really quickly.

Mr moore's rendition of 'let me entertain you' is still stuck in my head. the way he bawled it out and belted the song was like, 'whoa' - he was super loud.

and all this for a sneak-peek of march's concert.

had a fruitful art lesson today, now i have inspiration, and a direction to pursue to get my final outcome. It's going to be interactive, that's all i can say now. :)

and might have something to do with papier mache. so i went and googled it, and decided to review the process of producing papier-mache.
inspiration drawn from:

literally, love is blind. Just like anger can be blind.
magritte, cornell (surrealist- assemblage)

check out this article, couldn't help feeling sorry for the papier mache figures when they began to deteriorate during this waterproofing experiment.

i'll put it this way: you gain affinity with things you name. like imaginary friends, for example.

above: neville no-neck, brian bushy-beard, mad major, flora floosie.

oh, and good luck to the SEAMAC people. SYAZ and FERNANDO. :)

we're rooting for you guys.

Hari Kebangsaan 2008- Tunas Bangsa

2008-02-23T11:56:00.004+08:00

I love it when the long weekends come, because I can just laze around reading magazines, but the downside is when I have to rush to finish all my homework on the last day, just before school the next day.

I watched 27 dresses yesterday (yes, I am behind in the movie scene) and got to see all the hideous 27 dresses. Makes you wonder why they have ugly bridesmaid dresses like that. To make the bride look prettier, or to create an fanciful unnecessary eyesore you can never wear again?

Quote: ‘oh, good, you can shorten it and wear it again.’

Jane Nichols never does that, she keeps hers in her closet. 27 dresses and counting, she can never close her wardrobe. She has a fetish for weddings- no, she is not a wedding planner. She just loves being the one ordering the cakes the dresses organizing the whole thing. Love comes in the form of a cynical guy who will, most eventually change her fate, and stop her from wearing another hideous bridesmaid gown. Disaster strikes, when her sister returns from New York and falls in love with her boss (whom jane has a crush on as well) then plans to have a wedding- which Jane will organize (because she CANnot say no).

Her sister plays the part very well- annoying and careless and a tattletale, making stuff up as she goes along. I loved the slideshow, so sarcastic. The script itself reflects her sister’s shallowness and childish conception of love- ‘from the beginning TESS and GEORGE were meant for each other blah-blah…

I can’t understand why Jane adores her boss, he looks rather old for her. Oh, and the guy who saves her from her 28th dress is Patrick Marsden, the utterly gay-looking prince from Enchanted. Oh, and he also acted in Hairspray- CORNY COLLINS! He looked noticeably better in this film, goes to show what a world of difference a good haircut can make.

i watched the hari kebangsaan dance thing this morning, the theme is tunas bangsa or something, i suppose the rainbow was supposed to reflect the different cultures in brunei. very colourful this year. did you see the little kids in silver dancing? so cute, but they were rather messy when they ran.

Born Ruffians. Indie rock.

puppies needing homes.

2008-02-19T21:06:00.004+08:00

Wore contacts to school today, couldn’t help feeling self-conscious, as though my face was extremely bare. But it does look a little empty without the glasses frames to frame up my features- nose, eyes and temples.

I went looking for the puppies again today. I suspect one of the white ones may have died due to the chills of the monsoon rain. Today, there were the same 2 white ones and 1 brown puppy. The brown one’s a real character. Not scared of humans like all the others. Just sits in your hands while you fuss over him. The other two ‘shriek’ like hell and make the neighbours think you’re abusing them, when you’re not. More pictures, after this I’ll stop all this puppy candids. :D

puppies currently living in temporary conditions- i.e. under a Toyota Estima. Mother seems unable to feed puppies, leaving extremely hungry yet cute puppies.

an aftermath of valentine's

2008-02-18T19:01:00.004+08:00

the flowers from valentine's day have begun to wilt so i decided to speed up the process by plucking the dry petals off. The flowers don't seem very big after you do that, and when you reach the middle of the flower... it seems rather pretty for macro shots.

this morning, in tutor group.

mr s: flowers are supposed to mean everlasting love and friendship.

nikki: so what happens when they wilt?

mr s: roses don't last very long.

so therefore, not a very good flower to represent long-standing friendship, i guess. but still, nice flowers to get for valentine's. thanks to the people who gave me roses this valentine's. ;)

the neighbourhood bitch has given birth again. 4 white puppies, 1 brown one. only managed to find 2 of them today, both white in color.

they need homes.

blog layout version 6- pouring water into the ocean

2008-02-17T11:34:00.004+08:00

found this inspirational picture on the internet, and the rest came after that.
i've been told my previous layout had problems in the other browsers like Safari, ~~godzilla~~ mozilla firefox. Not so sure about netscape, i bet my dad's the only one using that now.
So, i'm back to the conventional layout- the everything on one page layout.

the social was quite fun, the music was better than the last. I think the people who didn't go lost out on some decent music, but you can't blame them, they've gained a phobia of bad socials since the previous one. the previous one had some odd music, not exactly ones you could dance to, but this social at empire had some 'danceable' oldies- like dancing queen, don't worry, be happy. And to finish it off, 1 song for the couples.

just a thought.

2008-02-09T20:57:00.000+08:00

being short-sighted is like having a permanent macro-function in your eyes-
can't see far, it's all blur; the near bits are ultra-clear.

i'm back.

So I wished upon a chili-hua

2008-02-06T20:18:00.000+08:00

…and my wish was granted =)
I’m having fun. i've been here for two days now, almost. I'm currently at my uncle's house, who has an internet connection- which is unavailable in my grandparent's, whom i'm staying with.

I've had time to catch up with my two little cousins, valarie and jason... both studying in sarikei. I discovered that Valarie's ears are so small that they can barely fit a earphone inside! oh, and have i mentioned her favourite song is 'Lollipop' by Mika? :D

it's chinese new year tomorrow. i hope i can go on somemore after this. The angpao's are here, but i have yet to open them. think of them as 'christmas' presents. :) oh, and how was casual clothes day? it sucks knowing what you'll wear, but not being able to be there....

yar–dee-do-dah do-dar-day

2008-01-27T14:04:00.000+08:00

This weekend was the much-dreaded DOE expedition. Our group that went this weekend wasn’t able to practice the last trip- there was the high tide thing that spoiled our expedition. Anyway, this expedition wasn’t actually as bad as we expected, but it was overall still very muddy and quite tiring.

First they split us into three groups, each with nine students plus a teacher and three guides. Then began the five hour walk. Five hours through the Andalau Forest Reserve. Through the swamp and the leech-infested mangrove.

Halfway we stopped for lunch, then the guide peeled off his boots so we proceeded to do the same. Halfway eating, I peeled off my boots and found a lot of mud… then a wriggling thing making its way up my sock. LLEEECCHHH! I gave a big scream, the guide jumped up and took a leaf and scooped it from my sock into the bushes.

The rest of the trip was uneventful till we reached the campsite. They made us walk up a hill again, just to get our huge rucksacks, then down to set up the tent on this sandy area. Near there were two rivers, one with tadpoles we tried to catch, another that was our drinking source- which apparently tasted sour-ish and ‘bloody.’

That night we had plain pasta and pot mee for dinner. After that we sat around the bonfire while we roasted our marshmallows, and the talent show thing. Rosie told a really scary ghost story that night in the huge four person tent, and that made me a little scared during the night.

Amazingly, I went to bed at almost nine, but was woken up several times during the night. It was hard to sleep, it was really hot. Then it started to rain. Our tent outer cover was stuck to the inner cover, so the ‘waterproof’ cover started leaking. Several tents were flooded as the swollen river surged, they had to be moved. Some people had to wake up in the middle of the night to fix the pegs of the tent.

The second time I woke up, there was a chorus of snores from several tents. When one person stopped, another would start. Then in the midst of that, a pig snort. The next morning, Rosie said apparently that night she and Natasha heard noises- footsteps, sounding alien and without a flashlight, heavy breathing and several snorts. The next time I woke up I heard the tour guide talking, and a woman’s voice I think was probably miss maclearn.

The next time I woke up, it was still dark. I heard voices though, Camille, Rosie and Natasha were awake. We asked the time, it was about five almost six then, but it started to get brighter after that.

Trying to pack everything in was hard enough. The tent wouldn’t fit it, things seemed to grow. But after we got our bags on, the real bad part began.

The swollen river had to be crossed using this log, and some went off balance because of the heavy bags. Then it was the 1 hour and a half plus trudge up and down a hill with whip-like branches on either side of our route out of the forest reserve. When we finally reached the tarmac road, it was a long walk before we actually got to our bus.

I think I have learnt to appreciate my bed, food and water. I’m going to go get some water now, and perhaps sleep a little.