the baka inu code

Last Post

2011-12-11T19:05:00.002+08:00

Hi all,

This blog will be moving to a new site: www.ganbattenebakainu.blogger.com come 1 Jan 2012.

Thank you for following this blog's growth till now. The next chapter begins... =)

Post-Reservist Thoughts

2011-12-03T05:43:00.003+08:00

The 6th High Key In-Camp is finally over. And its over with a heavy sigh of relief.

My first and foremost thought goes out to RSM who suffered a horrendous fall and is in ICU. I wonder how he's second operations has gone. I'm keeping him in my heart and my prayers.

Just a few interesting episodes for me:

IPPT

I didn't get to do my IPPT this year. Apparently my window stretched from 16 Nov 2010 to 20 Jan 2012, ie from before my previous ICT and after this one. Felt robbed of another $400. I asked repeated and even called NS.sg to clarify. Apparently no human can change this systemic input. Every staff simply shook his head and said it can't be done. It has irritated me the utmost.

So I paced my friend and helped him achieve his gold. That at least comforted me much.

BRT

Was supposed to lead three teams for a critical part of the entire exercise. Ironically, this is the one part the instructors seemed to have consciously decided to neglect any instruction. For the most part, they simply followed, rather than dispense any advice.

Thrown into an relatively unfamiliar row as BRT commander, which is usually undertaken by SP CSM, who was too busy standing in for someone else. But Daniel certainly have pushed himself and his voice way too hard.

So anyway, I must admit I've made a number of mistakes:
- I must secure my stuff properly
- I must ensure proper markings
- I must have extra markings on myself
- I must have more red cylum sticks
- I must move through more decisively and quickly
- Track over trail over Bash
- High ground over low ground
- Get a water or back pack. The sling bag can be quite a hazard
- Get a side water pouch to contain the sticks

Well, that about wraps up the most memorable parts of the ICT.

Now. Back to civlian life. I'd bet my work email has burst.

I've learned a little bit more about myself this time as well. How much I want to chiong, how garang I want to be, how much I want things to succeed. I still think I can do more, do better.

The scars of yesterday can and must serve as reminders of my determination and rectitude tomorrow. Fight through the pain and come out a better man.

I Forgot

2011-06-14T02:03:00.001+08:00

For a brief period of time, I had forgotten how much it hurts, until I met you again.

Dance floor

2011-05-24T23:55:00.002+08:00

Let me see you not in my dreams, but on the dance floor with someone else.

I would be sad either way, but with the latter, at least I know you are happy.

Morning Writes

2011-01-09T10:10:00.003+08:00

I read somewhere that for some people the best time to write is in the morning. So I decided to give this a shot.

Usually when I wake up, my mind is swimming in all sorts of thoughts pulled in from the aftermath of dreams, lingering reminders to remind myself about something I remembered just before I fell asleep, and the repeated run down of my imaginary to-do list (which should be in my head in the first place if only I had jotted it down).

So for me, I reckon it may be a good idea if I do a data/thoughts/idea dump first thing in the morning.

It's been a rather good new year so far. Been learning a lot of things from interacting with a range of people, about the internet, photography, feng shui, ba zi, zi wei, mattress, bed frames and interior designing.

And I think that the people I learned them from are so inspiring, in knowledge they have and the passionate way they speak. Aspiring to be like them is one thing, to become like them is another. I have a long way to go to become a subject-matter expert myself. But I should get there eventually.

A Full Life

2010-12-25T06:03:00.000+08:00

A boat docked in a tiny Mexican fishing village.
A tourist complimented the local fishermen on the quality of their
fish and asked
how long it took him to catch them.

"Not very long." they answered in unison.
"Why didn't you stay out longer and catch more?"
The fishermen explained that their small catches were sufficient to
meet their needs and those of their families.

"But what do you do with the rest of your time?"

"We sleep late, fish a little, play with our children,
and take siestas with our wives.
In the evenings, we go into the village to see our friends,
have a few drinks, play the guitar, and sing a few songs.
We have a full life."

The tourist interrupted,
"I have an MBA from Harvard and I can help you!
You should start by fishing longer every day.
You can then sell the extra fish you catch.
With the extra revenue, you can buy a bigger boat."

"And after that?"

asked the fisherman.

"With the extra money the larger boat will bring,
you can buy a second one and a third one
and so on until you have an entire fleet of trawlers..
Instead of selling your fish to a middle man,
you can then negotiate directly with the processing plants
and maybe even open your own plant.

You can then leave this little village and move to Mexico City,
Los Angeles, or even New York City!

From there you can direct your huge new enterprise."

"How long would that take?" asked the fisherman.

"Twenty, perhaps twenty-five years." replied the tourist.

"And after that?" asked the fisherman.

The tourist answered
" Afterward? Well my friend, that's when it gets really interesting, "
answered the tourist, laughing. "When your business gets really BIG,
you can start buying and selling stocks and make Millions of DOLLARS!"

"Millions? Really? And after that?"

asked the fisherman.

"After that you'll be able to retire,
live in a tiny village near the coast,
sleep late, play with your children,
catch a few fish, take a siesta with your wife
and spend your evenings drinking and enjoying with your friends."

"That’s what I am doing now!!”

Replied the fisherman

The moral of this story is:
Know where you're going in life....
you may already be there!!

Christmas 2010

2010-12-25T05:50:00.002+08:00

Merry Christmas everybody!

Santa decided to come by and grant me a sleepless night.

So I came on and looked back into the past entries of my on/off blog. Always a journey of mixed emotions -- nostalgia, joy, hate, sadness, regret, appreciation.

Been another dramatic year, especially with the start of my first job and all the experiences that came along with it. I must say I have learned a lot but I still have a long way to go.

While I am so glad to be back from my overseas adventures, I do miss the friends from abroad. I do wish to see them again and have a nice chat over coffee in the cafes of Graz, or over shisha in the cafes of Bursa, or over Asahi on the streets of Tokyo.

If I had a chance, I'd also like to eat the fisch burgers in Hamburg, drink Guinness in Dublin, listen to bagpipes in Edinburgh and bask in the sun in Palma Mallorca, but for a different reason with different company.

Looking ahead, there are still trips to be made: Trieste, Italy; Vienna, Austria; Berlin, Germany; San Paolo, Brazil; Shanghai, China; Tokyo, Japan.

But the trip I'd like to make most is really here in Singapore. I am reacquainting myself with the country I'm born with. Or perhaps with the new year coming up, it's just another way of saying, I'm starting my life all over again anew, and renewed.

On Writing

2010-07-11T02:23:00.001+08:00

I have never considered myself a "writer," who to me, is a craftsman expert in the art of expressing thought and argument in an cogent and persuasive arrangement of words.

I just hope, its not too late to start trying to be one.

If I Had You

2010-07-11T01:22:00.001+08:00

Adam Lambert's If I Had You.

Like this remix.

Work

2010-06-01T23:36:00.002+08:00

Work is getting me down a little. the work just keeps coming on and I can't seem to clear them as quickly as I should. partly because I feel somewhat thrown into the deep end and struggling some what.

Despite all the mistakes I have been making and will make in the future, im sure i will learn from it. And convince myself and prove to myself, that the taunts and laughter that echo at the back of my head from a distant past are wrong.

New Template

2010-05-29T01:09:00.001+08:00

Fatih motivated me to change my template. And so I did.

And whoever designed this template, thanks too. Its beautiful.

Hopefully, it will signal more beautiful times to come. Not that the time i'm living now, isn't already beautiful. =)

Writing again

2010-01-19T14:11:00.003+08:00

Hey Peepz,

as part of a bid to regain some semblance of my writing skills which i have care-free-ly tossed out the airplan window en route to tokyo a long time back, i am going to start blabbering verbose nonsense on my rather dilapidated blog.

life's been good to me, as long as I am still breathing. currently looking for a job after being turned down by two consulting companies. Though bummed out by the rejection, I am pretty glad I got the opportunities to go through the interview processes thanks to my dear friend Ms. Wen. My regret in this case is to have wasted her efforts thus far. Sorry Ms. Wen.

Other than that, am actively pursuing public service. Am looking at a few ministries and agencies. I would love to take a little bit more time as I still have some other life goals to attain. However, I keep feeling the pressure of society, in the form of genuinely-concerned friends who inquire about my work life. It seems that NEET-ing (Not in Employment, Education or Training) is the activity engaged by the scum that grows underneath of toilet seats left uncleaned for years in shopping centre relics left from the 1970s. The pressure to make money. The pressure to be engaged in productive activity. The pressure to stop sucking out the life of my parents retirement savings. The pressure when invited to high class restaurants by employed friends, only to be embarrassed by the background differences in social status as the scum that is... you get the picture. =)

Not that its a bad thing. Frankly, I feel that it is a rather interesting sensation, coming close to those considered as "in-transition workers." I am just imagining the out of job workers, the other job-seekers, or those who are hungry for work but are denied opportunities for whatever reasons. Is this me placing myself in the bottom of the social hierarchy of our modern society? Is this universal across the world? Is there any significance that can be understood from this? If there is one thing I do feel, is the sort of societal expectation of its people to be making money. And the things I see, one being the raised eyebrows when I tell others that I'm "unemployed."

Well, perhaps again, I am just imagining things. What I should do now, is to take good care of my health and head out for a swim.

More opining of a restless, stress-out brain of a NEETing scum to come soon. Hopefully with good news about my job hunting.

Goodbye

2010-01-13T11:34:00.001+08:00

I will see you when I see you.

Stay happy always.

Resolution

2009-12-31T20:27:00.000+08:00

My resolution for next year.

Is to remember you.

And to forget you.

La Roux - Bulletproof

2009-11-25T23:20:00.000+08:00

I will be bulletproof.

Been there, done that, messed around
I'm having fun, don't put me down
I'll never let you sweep me off my feet
I won't let you in again
The messages I've tried to send
My information's just not goin in
Burning bridges, shore to shore
I break away from something more
I'm not to, not to love until it's cheap
Been there, done that, messed around
I'm having fun, don't put me down
I'll never let you sweep me off my feet

Chorus
This time baby
I'll be Bulletproof
(repeat)

I won't let you turn around,
I'll tell you now, I'm much too proud
To walk away from something when it's dead
Do do do your dirty worst
Come out to play when you are hurt
There's certain things that should be
Left unsaid
Tick tick tick tick on the watch
Life's too short for me to stop
Oh baby, your time is running out
I won't let you turn around
And tell me now, I'm much too proud
All you do is fill be up with doubt

Chorus
This time baby
I'll be Bulletproof
(repeat)

This time, I'll be Bulletproof
(repeat)

Chorus
This time baby
I'll be Bulletproof
(repeat)
This time baby, this time baby
This time baby, this time
This time baby, this time baby
Bulletproof

Dario G - Sunchyme

2009-11-25T23:19:00.000+08:00

Dance to the African beat!

Lenka -- Enjoy the Show

2009-11-25T23:18:00.001+08:00

Seuss!

I'm just a little bit caught in the middle
Life is a maze and love is a riddle
I don't know where to go, can't do it alone
I've tried and I don't know why

Slow it down, make it stop or else my heart is going to pop
'Cause it's too much, yeah it's a lot to be something I'm not
I'm a fool out of love 'cause I just can't get enough

I'm just a little bit caught in the middle
Life is a maze and love is a riddle
I don't know where to go, can't do it alone
I've tried and I don't know why

I'm just a little girl lost in the moment
I'm so scared but I don't show it
I can't figure it out, it's bringing me down
I know I've got to let it go and just enjoy the show

The sun is hot in the sky just like a giant spotlight
The people follow the signs and synchronize in time
It's a joke nobody knows, they've got a ticket to the show

Yeah, I'm just a little bit caught in the middle
Life is a maze and love is a riddle
I don't know where to go, can't do it alone
I've tried and I don't know why

I'm just a little girl lost in the moment
I'm so scared but I don't show it
I can't figure it out, it's bringing me down
I know I've got to let it go and just enjoy the show
Just enjoy the show

I'm just a little bit caught in the middle
Life is a maze and love is a riddle
I don't know where to go, can't do it alone
I've tried and I don't know why

I'm just a little girl lost in the moment
I'm so scared but I don't show it
I can't figure it out, it's bringing me down
I know I've got to let it go and just enjoy the show
Just enjoy the show, just enjoy the show

I want my money back, I want my money back
I want my money back, just enjoy the show
I want my money back, I want my money back
I want my money back, just enjoy the show

Bon Jovi -- We weren't born to follow

2009-11-25T21:59:00.003+08:00

This one goes out to the man who mines for miracles
This one goes out to the ones in need
This one goes out to the sinner and the cynical
This ain't about no apology

This road was paved by the hopeless and the hungry
This road was paved by the winds of change
Walking beside the guilty and the innocent
How will you raise your hand when they call your name?

Yeah, yeah, yeah

We weren't born to follow
Come on and get up off your knees
When life is a bitter pill to swallow
You gotta hold on to what you believe

Believe that the sun will shine tomorrow
And that your saints and sinners bleed
We weren't born to follow
You gotta stand up for what you believe

Let me hear you say yeah, yeah, yeah, oh yeah

This one's about anyone who does it differently
This one's about the one who cusses and spits
This ain't about our livin' in a fantasy
This ain't about givin' up or givin' in

Yeah, yeah, yeah

We weren't born to follow
Come on and get up off your knees
When life is a bitter pill to swallow
You gotta hold on to what you believe

Believe that the sun will shine tomorrow
And that your saints and sinners bleed
We weren't born to follow
You gotta stand up for what you believe

Let me hear you say yeah, yeah, yeah, oh yeah
Let me hear you say yeah, yeah, yeah, oh yeah

We weren't born to follow
Come on and get up off your knees
When life is a bitter pill to swallow
You gotta hold on to what you believe

Believe that the sun will shine tomorrow
And that your saints and sinners bleed
We weren't born to follow
You gotta stand up for what you believe

Let me hear you say yeah, yeah, yeah, oh yeah
Let me hear you say yeah, yeah, yeah, oh yeah

We weren't born to follow, oh yeah
(Yeah, yeah, yeah, oh yeah)
We weren't born to follow, oh yeah
(Yeah, yeah, yeah, oh yeah)

Michael Buble -- I just haven't met you yet

2009-11-25T21:58:00.001+08:00

I'm Not Surprised
Not Everything Lasts
I've Broken My Heart So Many Times,
I Stop Keeping Track.
Talk Myself In
I Talk Myself Out
I Get All Worked Up
And Then I Let Myself Down.

I Tried So Very Hard Not To Loose It
I Came Up With A Million Excuses
I Thought I Thought Of Every Possibility

And I Know Someday That It'll All Turn Out
You'll Make Me Work So We Can Work To Work It Out
And I Promise You Kid That I'll Give So Much More Than I Get
I Just Haven't Met You Yet

Mmmmm ....

I Might Have To Wait
I'll Never Give Up
I Guess It's Half Timing
And The Other Half's Luck
Wherever You Are
Whenever It's Right
You Come Out Of Nowhere And Into My Life

And I Know That We Can Be So Amazing
And Baby Your Love Is Gonna Change Me
And Now I Can See Every Possibility

Mmmmm ......

And Somehow I Know That It Will All Turn Out
And You'll Make Me Work So We Can Work To Work It Out
And I Promise You Kid I'll Give So Much More Than I Get
I Just Haven't Met You Yet

They Say All's Fair
And In Love And War
But I Won't Need To Fight It
We'll Get It Right
And We'll Be United

And I Know That We Can Be So Amazing
And Being In Your Life Is Gonna Change Me
And Now I Can See Every Single Possibility

Mmmm .....

And Someday I Know It'll All Turn Out
And I'll Work To Work It Out
Promise You Kid I'll Give More Than I Get
Than I Get Than I Get Than I Get

Oh You Know It'll All Turn Out
And You'll Make Me Work So We Can Work To Work It Out
And I Promise You Kid To Give So Much More Than I Get
Yeah I Just Haven't Met You Yet

I Just Haven't Met You Yet
Oh Promise You Kid
To Give So Much More Than I Get

I Said Love Love Love Love Love Love Love .....
I Just Haven't Met You Yet
Love Love Love .....
I Just Haven't Met You Yet

Lily Allen -- Fuck You

2009-10-30T00:02:00.002+08:00

Das ist sehr seuss!

蔡旻佑--寂寞

2009-10-27T19:01:00.001+08:00

拼命的奢望闷坏的胸口让我想大声的呐喊
我努力不放你冷淡你让分手就这样
我连做梦也感觉受伤

一年过了还是一天计算著慌张
计程车上的音响我们最爱的情歌
这一刻却重重击破思念的心脏

夜深了我怎么办寂寞了谁在身旁
心情变得好复杂想她念她恨她
一个人你害怕吗细数过漫天星光
说好永远不分开多假多假多假
让记忆长出翅膀飞翔
心放空了寂寞好了

坚强外表下我脆弱情人节开始失常
别人庆祝我却很失落
秋天过了冬天漫长
关于爱感伤
我们天真的勇敢我们追求的梦想
舍不得也只能收藏旅行的时光

寂寞感冒全都可以好的
爱多甜伤多痛都释放 oh~

没有你心放空了寂寞好了

蔡旻佑-我可以

2009-10-27T19:00:00.000+08:00

寄沒有地址的信
這樣的情緒有種距離

你放著誰的歌曲
是怎樣的心情能不能說給我聽

雨下得好安靜
是不是你偷偷在哭泣
幸福真的不容易
在你的背景有我愛你

我可以陪你去看星星
不用再多說明我就要和你在一起
我不想又再一次和你分離
我多麼想每一次的美麗是因為你

寄沒有地址的信
這樣的情緒有種距離

你放著誰的歌曲
是怎樣的心情能不能說給我聽

雨下得好安靜
是不是你偷偷在哭泣
幸福它真的不容易
在你的背景有我愛你

我可以陪你去看星星
不用再多說明我就要和你在一起
我不想又再一次和你分離
我多麼想每一次的美麗是因為你

我可以陪你去看星星
不用再多說明我就要和你在一起
我不想又再一次和你分離
我多麼想每一次的美麗是因為你

Miho Fukuhara- Let it Out

2009-10-27T17:43:00.002+08:00

Let it all out, Let it all out
強がらなくていいんだね
Tsuyogaranakute iin da ne
誰かが描いてった　壁の落書きの花が揺れる
Dareka ga kaitetta kabe no rakugaki no hana ga yureru

自分らしさなんて　誰も分からないよ
Jibunrashisa nante dare mo wakaranai yo
長い長い道の途中で　失くしたり拾ったり
Nagai nagai michi no tochuu de nakushitari hirottari
急に寂しくなって泣いちゃう日もあるけど　oh...oh...
Kyuu ni samishiku natte naichau hi mo aru kedo

涙も痛みも星に変えよう
Namida mo itami mo hoshi ni kaeyou
明日を照らす灯りをともそう
Ashita wo terasu akari wo tomosou
小さく迷っても　ふたりで作ろう
Chiisaku mayotte mo futari de tsukurou
星屑を　強く光る永遠を探そう
Hoshikuzu wo tsuyoku hikaru eien wo sagasou

Let it all out, Let it all out
足りないことだらけだよね
Tarinai koto darake da yo n
足りなくていいんだね　だから君と出逢えたんだ　oh...
Tarinakute iin da ne dakara kimi to deaetan da

明日が何なのか　それが知りたくて
"Tashika" ga nan na no ka sore ga shiritakute
小さなナイフを　靴下に隠してた
Chiisana NAIFU wo kutsushita ni kakushiteta
強がってついた　嘘のほうがずっと痛かった
Tsuyogatte tsuita uso no hou ga zutto itakatta

本当は怖いよ　だけど生きていく
Hontou wa kowai yo dakedo ikiteku
笑顔の意味を　風を奏でてく
Egao no kimi wo kaze ga nadeteku
小さな手をかざして　ふたりで作ろう
Chiisana te kazashite futari de tsukurou
星屑を　強く光る永遠を探そう
Hoshikuzu wo tsuyoku hikaru eien wo sagasou

正しいことが間違ってたらどうすればいい？
Tadashii koto ga machigattetara dousureba ii?
悲しいことが正しかったら受け入れるだけ
Kanashii koto ga tadashikattara ukeireru dake?
失くしたと思ってた　でも君が知ってた
Nakushita to omotteta demo kimi ga shitteta
君がいて本当に良かった
Kimi ga ite hontou ni yokatta

涙も痛みも星に変えよう
Namida mo itami mo hoshi ni kaeyou
明日を照らす明かりを灯そう
Ashita wo terasu akari wo tomosou
小さな手かざして　ふたりで作ろう
Chiisana te kazashite futari de tsukurou
星屑を　強く光る永遠を・・・
Hoshikuzu wo tsuyoku hikaru eien wo...

さよなら　いつかは来るかもしれない
Sayonara itsuka wa kuru kamo shirenai
季節はそれでも巡り巡ってく
Kisetsu wa soredemo meguri megutteku
小さく迷っても　歩いてく　君と歩いてく　
Chiisaku mayottemo aruiteku
それだけは変わらないでいようね
Kimi to aruiteku sore dake wa kawaranaideiyou ne

Let it all out, Let it all out
It's okay pretending to be tough
The scribbled flowers someone painted on the wall tremble

No one knows their own way of being
You lose it and find it during the long long path on your way
Suddenly I feel lonely
There's also days in which I'd burst into tears, but...

Let's transform pain and tears into stars
Let's turn on the light that will illuminate the future
Let's hold hands together to create stardust
Let's search for the eternity that will shine powerfully

Farewell, perhaps it'll come someday
Seasons bounce around from one place to the next, nevertheless...

Despite losing the way a bit
I'm walking, I'm walking with you
Let's not change just that

Inspiration

2009-10-15T02:06:00.001+08:00

You'd never know

2009-10-15T02:00:00.000+08:00

You belong to me -- Taylor Swift

2009-10-15T01:12:00.003+08:00

You're on the phone with your girlfriend, she's upset
She's going off about something that you said
'Cause she doesn't get your humor like I do

I'm in the room, it's a typical Tuesday night
I'm listening to the kind of music she doesn't like
And she'll never know your story like I do

But she wears short skirts, I wear T-shirts
She's Cheer Captain and I'm on the bleachers
Dreaming about the day when you wake up and find
That what you're looking for has been here the whole time

If you could see that I'm the one who understands you
Been here all along, so why can't you see?
You, you belong with me, you belong with me

Walking the streets with you and your worn-out jeans
I can't help thinking this is how it ought to be
Laughing on a park bench, thinking to myself
Hey, isn't this easy?

And you've got a smile that could light up this whole town
I haven't seen it in a while since she brought you down
You say you're fine, I know you better than that
Hey, what ya doing with a girl like that?

She wears high heels, I wear sneakers
She's Cheer Captain and I'm on the bleachers
Dreaming about the day when you wake up and find
That what you're looking for has been here the whole time

If you could see that I'm the one who understands you
Been here all along, so why can't you see?
You belong with me

Standing by and waiting at your back door
All this time how could you not know?
Baby, you belong with me, you belong with me

Oh, I remember you driving to my house in the middle of the night
I'm the one who makes you laugh when you know you're 'bout to cry
And I know your favorite songs and you tell me 'bout your dreams
Think I know where you belong, think I know it's with me

Can't you see that I'm the one who understands you?
Been here all along, so why can't you see?
You belong with me

Standing by and waiting at your back door
All this time, how could you not know?
Baby, you belong with me, you belong with me

You belong with me
Have you ever thought just maybe
You belong with me?
You belong with me

**

Thanks Riz for the recommendation!

Dance

2009-10-15T01:11:00.001+08:00

Two of my favourite dance tracks remixed into one. Sweet!

Read and be Poetic

2009-10-14T22:40:00.000+08:00

How tired I am of this unbearable distance between us.
How I long for the toll of the recess bell.
Have you forgotten me, grown mindless of me?
Tell me I am not writing into an abyss,
Or that is what will become of my heart

Musing

2009-10-13T15:48:00.003+08:00

hey peepz,

the sun is peeking through the Austrian clouds this cool and getting colder autumn Tuesday. And a musing has come over me and persuaded me to drop by and breathe a little life of verbosity into my otherwise musical blog.

Its been 6 weeks here in Graz and I am already halfway through the duration of my project. For the still unfamiliar, I am here to educate about global issues, namely about poverty to high school children in various high schools in and around Graz. For the still unfamiliar, Graz is the second biggest city after Vienna in Austria. And is the birthplace of Arnold Swazcheneggar. Actually, he was born just outside of Graz. But Graz has claimed him to be their own child. Like how Vienna has done. And now California.

Teaching has always been rather fun for me. Not for the fact that I usually speak in a matter-of-fact tone (as if I know everything, when I just pretend i do), if i do speak at all, but rather I (still) believe that education is the first step to solving global problems. However, I do continue to feel rather unqualified to teach about poverty to children so accustomed to affluence and wealth (as I have). However I always justify that the poor can't travel halfway across the world to tell of their plight, so someone has to speak on their behalf. Another one of my inner dialogues arguing with one another.

On political issues, I have recently become more aware of immigration issues. Like Singapore, a lot of foreigners travel and try to settle in Austria, for all sorts of reasons. The good thing about the EU, is that the ability travel around is very liberal and free. However, Austria (and Germany) seems to be having some issues with certain groups of a different religion and culture. Some Austrian complain about their reluctance to integrate and adopt local ways of living, but instead ghetto and group themselves and continue to display with varying degrees of pride, their home cultures. And it so happens, that many of them tend to be rather loud and prominent, not just in their looks, but to oomph it up with their clothing and behaviors. To say there is some resentment against these foreigners is to be politically correct in an otherwise 'neutral' and 'developed first world country.' Sounds like Singapore? It does so to me.

So is what is happening here in Austria going to be played out in Singapore? At the current rate (or at least from the reports Wilson has kindly been sending me), it does seem so. Singapore, already crowded, is getting more crowded. And by people who are less likely to integrate as our forefathers have.

But the good thing is that, I think Singaporeans, as opposed to Austrians are more tolerant and more exposed to the effects of globalization and internationalization. Many of the children I have talked to thinks that all Chinese eat dogs. I don't blame them really, since the social and personal value of dogs as pets seem to take higher standing than most other issues. (But then again, a few Singaporeans think there are kangeroos in Austria.)

So coming back to the immigration issue in Singapore. What sort of effects would we incur if the policy of flooding our shores with foreign talents continue? Just wondering we can predict any parallelisms with what is happening here with whats is happening there.

日々の音色

2009-10-12T05:42:00.000+08:00

Really cool MV direction!

Post It Love

2009-10-12T04:12:00.002+08:00

Sweet love expressed through the simplest of materials and the sincerest of actions =)

Make You Feel My Love

2009-10-09T02:04:00.003+08:00

Great cover of Bob Dylan's songs =)

Make You Feel My Love - Adele

When the rain is blowing in your face,
and the whole world is on your case,
I could offer you a warm embrace
to make you feel my love.

When the evening shadows and the stars appear,
and there is no one there to dry your tears,
I could hold you for a million years
to make you feel my love.

I know you haven't made your mind up yet,
but I would never do you wrong.
I've known it from the moment that we met,
no doubt in my mind where you belong.

I'd go hungry; I'd go black and blue,
I'd go crawling down the avenue.
No, there's nothing that I wouldn't do
to make you feel my love.

The storms are raging on the rolling sea
and on the highway of regret.
Though winds of change are throwing wild and free,
you ain't seen nothing like me yet.

I could make you happy, make your dreams come true.
Nothing that I wouldn't do.
Go to the ends of the Earth for you,
to make you feel my love,
to make you feel my love.

Proud

2009-10-09T01:46:00.000+08:00

Proud -- Heather Small

I look into the window of my mind
Reflections of the fears I know I've left behind
I step out of the ordinary
I can feel my soul ascending
I'm on my way
Can't stop me now
And you can do the same (yeah)

What have you done today to make you feel proud?
It's never too late to try
What have you done today to make you feel proud?
You could be so many people
If you make that break for freedom
What have you done today to make you feel proud?

Still so many answers I don't know (there are so many answers)
Realize that to question is how we grow (to question is to grow)
So I step out of the ordinary
I can feel my soul ascending
I'm on my way
Can't stop me now
You can do the same (yeah)

What have you done today to make you feel proud?
It's never too late to try
What have you done today to make you feel proud?
You could be so many people
If you make that break for freedom
What have you done today to make you feel proud?

(yeah) We need a change (Yeah)
Do it today (yeah)
I can feel my spirit rising
(change, yeah) We need a change (yeah)
So do it today (yeah)
'Cause I can see a clear horizon

What have you done today to make you feel proud? (to make you feel proud)
(let me hear ya X3)So what have you done today to make you feel proud?
(yeah)'Cause you could be so many people
Just make that break for freedom
So what have you done today to make you feel proud?

Signs

2009-09-21T19:05:00.001+08:00

Signs

Sweet short film =)

Thanks Geeky Christian for this video!

Graz

2009-09-13T04:20:00.002+08:00

Hey peepz,

Its been another long while.

It been another long journey. And I've just closed another chapter of life. Essentially, a year exchange to Japan.

I'm glad to have taken my chances where I could. And regret those opportunity costs that I have chosen to forgo.

Friends made, affections lost. Thats the circle of life.

We just have to keep on living.

Right now, I'm in Graz, Austria. Doing a 3 month volunteering/internship project trying to raise awareness of global issues in high schools. The project is called "Piece Together." While running along the River Mur, it dawned on me how apt that title applies to my own life as well.

To the best of my own abilities, I shall try to fix what's broken.

Release Me

2009-09-11T05:59:00.000+08:00

Agnes Carlsson - Release Me

Release me , release my body.
I know it's wrong, So why am I with you now.
I say release me, Cause I'm not able to
convince myself
That I'm better off without you.

Yeah, it's perfectly clear
That love's not what you need
I tell you I don't care
But I don't want to
Anything that you say
I hear myself agree
And I don't recognize
What I've turned into,

I don't know why I want you so
'Cause I don't need the heart break
I don't know what addictive hold
You have on me I can't shake
No, I'm not in control
So let me go

Release me
Release my body
I know it's wrong
So why do I keep coming back
I say release me
'Cause I'm not able to
Convince myself
That I'm better off without you

I could sleep by myself
I would burn me alive
Find me somebody else
But I don't want to
Try to leave out the love
That goes against the grain
But I can rationalize it
If I have to

I don't know why I want you so
'Cause I don't need the heart break
I don't know what addictive hold
You have on me I can't shake
No, I'm not in control
So let me go

Release me
Release my body
I know it's wrong
So why do I keep coming back
I say release me
'Cause I'm not able to
Convince myself
That I'm better off without you..

I'm not in control
So let me go

Release me
Release my body
I know it's wrong
So why do I keep coming back
I say release me
'Cause I'm not able to
Convince myself
That I'm better off without you..

Release me
Release my body
I know it's wrong
So why do I keep coming back
I say release me
'Cause I'm not able to
Convince myself
That I'm better off without you..

Hush Hush

2009-08-28T19:03:00.001+08:00

Pussycat Dolls -- Hush Hush

Oooooh ooooh
I never needed you to be strong
I never needed you for pointin' out my wrongs
i never needed pain,i never needed strain.
My love for you was strong enough you should've known.
I never needed you for judgement
I never needed you to question what i spent
I never asked for help, I take care of myself, I don't know why you think you got a hold on me.
And it's a little in the conversations
There isn't anything that you can say.
And my eyes hurt, hands shiver, so look at me and listen to me because,

I don't want to
Stay another minute
I don't want you
To say a single word
Hush Hush, Hush Hush
There is no other way
I get the final say
Because
I don't want to
Do this any longer
I don't want you
There's nothing left to say
Hush Hush, Hush Hush
I've already spoken
Our love is broken
Baby Hush Hush

I never needed your corrections
On everything from how i act to what i say
i never needed words, i never needed hurt, i never needed you to be there everyday
I'm sorry for the way i let go
Of everything i wanted when you came along
But i am never beaten, broken, not defeated
I know next to you is not where i belong
And it's a little late for explanations
There isn't anything that you can do
And my eyes hurt, hands shiver, so you will listen when i say baby

I don't want to
Stay another minute
I don't want you
To say a single word
Hush Hush, Hush Hush
There is no other way
I get the final say
Because
I don't want to
Do this any longer
I don't want you
There's nothing left to say
Hush Hush, Hush Hush
I've already spoken
Our love is broken
Baby Hush Hush

No more words
No more lies
No more crying ooh ooh
No more pain
No more hurt
No more tryin' Oh Oh Yeah
Because

I don't want to
Stay another minute
I don't want you
To say a single word
Hush Hush, Hush Hush
There is no other way
I get the final say
Because
I don't want to
Do this any longer
I don't want you
There's nothing left to say
Hush Hush, Hush Hush
I've already spoken
Our love is broken
Baby Hush Hush

Yeah Oh
Hush Hush, Hush Hush
I've already spoken
Our love is broken
Baby

I got a Feeling

2009-08-28T18:57:00.000+08:00

Black Eyed Peas – I Gotta Feeling

I gotta feeling that tonight’s gonna be a good night
That tonight’s gonna be a good night
That tonight’s gonna be a good good night

Tonight’s the night night
Let’s live it up
I got my money
Let’s spend it up
Go out and smash it
Like Oh My God
Jump off that sofa
Let’s get get off

I know that we’ll have a ball
If we get down
And go out
And just loose it all
I feel stressed out
I wanna let it go
Lets go way out spaced out
And losing all control

Fill up my cup
Mozoltov
Look at her dancing
Just take it off
Lets paint the town
We’ll shut it down
Let’s burn the roof
And then we’ll do it again

Lets Do it (x5)
And live it up
Lets Do it (x5)
I gotta feeling that tonight’s gonna be a good night
That tonight’s gonna be a good night
That tonight’s gonna be a good good night
A feeling
That tonight’s gonna be a good night (x2)
That tonight’s gonna be a good good night

“I Gotta Feeling” lyrics are provided by Geniusbeauty.com
Tonight’s the night
Let’s live it up (Let’s live it up)
I got my money
Lets spend it up (Lets spend it up)
Go out and smash it
Like Oh My God
Jump off that sofa
Lets get get off
Fill up my cup (Drink)
Mozolotov (Lahyme)
Look at her dancing (Move it Move it)
Just take it off
Lets paint the town
We’ll shut it down
Lets burn the roof
And then we’ll do it again

Lets do it (x4)
Let’s live it up
Lets do it…
Here we come
Here we go
We gotta rock
Easy come
Easy go
Now we on top
Feel the shot
Body rock
Rock it, don’t stop
Round and round
Up and down
Around the clock

Monday, Tuesday,
Wednesday, and Thursday
Friday, Saturday
Saturday to Sunday

Get get get get get with us
You know what we say
Party every day
Pa-pa-pa-party every day
And I’m feelin
That tonight’s gonna be a good night
That tonight’s gonna be a good night
That tonight’s gonna be a good good night
I gotta feeling tonight’s gonna be a good night
That tonight’s gonna be a good night
That tonight’s gonna be a good good night

When Love takes over

2009-08-27T20:37:00.000+08:00

David Guetta ft. Kelly Rowland - When Love takes over

It's complicated
It always is
That’s just the way it goes
Feels like I've waited so long for this
I wonder if it shows

Head underwater
Now I can't breathe
It never felt so good
'Cause I can feel it coming over me
I wouldn’t stop it if I could

When love takes over
You know you can’t deny
When love takes over
'Cause something’s here tonight

Give me a reason
I gotta know
Do you feel it too?
Can't you see me here on overload
And this time I blame you
Looking out for you to hold my hand
It feels like I could fall
Now love me right like I know you can
We could lose it all

When love takes over
You know you can’t deny
When love takes over
'Cause something’s here tonight
Tonight, tonight, tonight, tonight, tonight, tonight

And I'll be loving you all the time, it's true
'Cause I wanna make it right with you

When love takes over (repeat)

When love takes over
You know you can’t deny
When love takes over
'Cause something’s here tonight

I know You Want Me

2009-08-27T20:35:00.000+08:00

PitBull, Calle Ocho (I know You Want Me)

Haha
Its Mr. 305 checkin' in for the remix,
you know that S 75 Street Brazil?
Well this year gon be called Calle Ocho,
Hahahaha

Que ola cata, Que ola omega
and this how we gon do it

Dale,
1-2-3-4
Uno-do'-tres-quarto
I know you want me (want me)
you know I want cha (want ya)
I know you want me
you know I want cha (want cha)
I know you want me (want me)
you know I want cha (want you)
I know you want me
You know I want cha (want cha)

(Hahaha) 1-2-3-4 Uno-do'-tres-quarto

Roomba (Si)
Ella queres un Roomba (Como?)
Roomba (Si)
Ella queres un Roomba (Como?)

Si me trake dwele wapa,
Yo te wapo de busar
Tu tiene la boca grande dale punte a jugar (Como)

1-2-3-4
Uno-do'-tres-quarto (Woooo-ooo!)

6 to tha clock, on my way to the top uh,
Pit got it locked from brews to the locker,
All I.P uh, big and packer,
That he's not, but damn he's hot,
label fly but pit wont stop,
got her in the car, quit playin' with his (Como?)
watch him make a movie like Alba Hitch Hock, Enjoy Me

I know you want me (want me)
you know I wancha (want you)
I know you want em
you know I wancha (want you)
I know you want me (want me)
you know I wancha (want you)
I know you want me
You know I wancha (want you)

1-2-3-4
Uno-do'-tres-quarto

Roomba (Si)
Ella queres un Roomba (Como?)
Roomba (Si)
Ella queres un Roomba (Como?)

Si me trake dwele wapa,
Yo te wapo de busar
Tu tiene la boca grande dale punte a jugar (Como)

1-2-3-4
Uno-do'-tres-quarto (Woooo-ooo!)

Mami got an ass like a donkey, with a monkey,
look like King Kong, welcome to the crib,
305 thats what it is,
with a woman down ya s*** dont play games,
they up the chain, and they let her do everythang and anythang, hit tha thang
and they love it gettin' it in, gettin' on,
all night long (Dale)

I know you want me (want me)
you know I want you (want you)
I know you want me
you know I want you (want you)
I know you want me (want me)
you know I want you (want you)
I know you want me
You know I want you (want you)

1-2-3-4
Uno-do'-tres-quarto

Roomba (Si)
Ella queres un Roomba (Como?)
Roomba (Si)
Ella queres un Roomba (Como?)

Si me trake dwele wapa,
Yo te wapo de busar
Tu tiene la boca grande dale punte a jugar (Como)

1-2-3-4
Uno-do'-tres-quarto

Baby you can get it, if you win it we can play,
baby I got cribs, I got condos we can stay,
even got a king size matress we can lay,
baby I dont care, I dont care, what they say

I know you want me (want me)
you know I want you (want ya)
I know you want em
you know I want you (want ya)
I know you want em (want ya)
you know I want you (want ya)
I know you want em
You know I want cha (want ya)

1-2-3-4
Uno-do'-tres-quarto

Roomba (Si)
Ella queres un Roomba (Como?)
Roomba (Si)
Ella queres un Roomba (Como?)

Si me trake dwele wapa,
Yo te wapo de busar
Tu tiene la boca grande dale punte a jugar (Como)

1-2-3-4
Uno-do'-tres-quarto

Distract me

2009-08-23T17:27:00.000+08:00

Distract me.

heartbreak

2009-08-17T14:17:00.002+08:00

im no stranger to heartbreaks.

hello again.

Giving

2009-07-10T17:00:00.001+08:00

Here are some suggestions for small, but powerful ways you can give to those around you today:

* Drop the expectations that you have for your partner and your family. Instead of expecting them to behave a certain way to you, see how you can show them how much they really mean to you.
* Give away your attitude. This is really one of the most awesome ways you can give to others. Your attitude and positive energy has an amazing effect on those around you. Darkness, when approached with light, becomes illuminated. In the same way, low energy, when approached by higher energy, dissolves. Help dissolve others’ lower energy patterns by bringing your higher, positive energy to them.
* Gift your intention. Whenever you encounter someone, say a silent blessing or send them a positive intention, instead of judging them.
* Show your gratitude. Write a simple note or letter expressing to someone how much they mean to you and the reasons you love them. The impact this will have on the receiver is amazing.
* Simply offer your help. If there’s nothing specific you can do for another person, simply let them know that if there is ever a way you can help, you would like them to let you know.

These things may seem small, but I think the world is changed by a profusion of micro ideas. Revolutions start with small actions.

Rainbow

2009-07-03T08:43:00.001+08:00

Jay's Cai Hong

どこ

2009-07-02T18:31:00.002+08:00

お久しぶり。

今日、どうして疲れがちだった？　多分夕べ寝た時間は足りなかったんです。　今日気分が悪かったんです。

いろいろ未だ完成したことはしなければいけなくて、体の力はどこへ残してしまいました。

シンガポールへちょっと帰りたくない。なぜなら未だ経験しません。

ユーロパへいきたい。新しい世界もみたいんです。

今夢をつくったり、ブログを書いたりしています。

未来の計画はどうやって作れる？今度のインタンシープによって、どこへ行きます。

Shelter

2009-05-11T11:57:00.003+08:00

Shelter by Corinne May

Just discovered this song from one of my favourite singers, the US-based Singaporean Corinne May. Someone made a fan vid with this song to art works of on my favourite anime, Naruto.

Warning: there is some yaoi (boy to boy love) in this vid, so dun get offended! I didn't make the video! If you like anime girls, watch the second video, which is a 処女 classification.

The song is great. The lyrics are meaningful. And I hope I can a shelter to my family and friends too.

What's wrong, whats getting you down
Is it something I might have said?
You're walking around
with your head to the ground
and your eyes are watery red

I know you've been through rough times
Kicked around, thrown to the ground
but you've always been the strong one
So don't tell me that nobody gets you
'cause I'm standing in your corner
Knocking at tour door
You don't have to be alone

Just call my name
Let me be an answer
'cause it hurts me to see you this way
I wanna ease your pain
Help me understand
Let me be your shelter my friend

We share a bond
You and I we belong
We're like coffee and morning trains
You strip my defenses
I catch your pretenses
The same blood runs through our veins
I swore I'd be your lifeline
Made a vow that I'd surround you with love at every milestone
I'll listen when nobody gets you
I'm still standing in your corner
Waiting by your door
You don't have to be alone

Just call my name
Let me be an answer
'cause it hurts me to see you this way
I wanna ease your pain
Help me understand
Let me be your shelter my friend

It was not too long ago
You sought to understand
You helped me mend
Remember when
So promise me you'll

Call my name
Let me be an answer
'cause it hurts me to see you this way
I wanna ease your pain
Help me understand
Let my be your shelter my friend

下一个天亮

2009-05-08T10:54:00.002+08:00

郭静 - 下一个天亮

词:姚若龙
曲:陈小霞

用起伏的背影挡住哭泣的心
有些故事不必说给每个人听

许多眼睛看的太浅太近
错过我没被看见那个自己

用简单的言语解开超载的心
有些情绪是该说给懂的人听

你的热泪比我激动怜惜
我发誓要更努力更有勇气

等下一个天亮去上次牵手赏花那里散步好吗
有些积雪会自己融化
你的肩膀是我豁达的天堂

等下一个天亮把偷拍我看海的照片送我好吗
我喜欢我飞舞的头发
和飘着雨还是眺望的眼光

用简单的言语解开超载的心
有些情绪是该说给懂的人听

你的热泪比我激动怜惜
我发誓要更努力更有勇气

等下一个天亮去上次牵手赏花那里散步好吗
有些积雪会自己融化
你的肩膀是我豁达的天堂

等下一个天亮把偷拍我看海的照片送我好吗
我喜欢我飞舞的头发
和飘着雨还是眺望的眼光

时间可以磨去我的棱角
有些坚持却永远磨不掉
请容许我小小的骄傲
因为有你这样的依靠

等下一个天亮去上次牵手赏花那里散步好吗
有些积雪会自己融化
你的肩膀是我豁达的天堂

等下一个天亮把偷拍我看海的照片送我好吗
我喜欢我飞舞的头发
和飘着雨还是眺望的眼光

Let me appreciate the now while it lasts.

Great Speeches

2009-05-06T10:29:00.001+08:00

Steve Job's Standford University's Commencement speech

2009-05-06T09:52:00.002+08:00

Hey peepz!

Its been a while (again) since I actually wrote something substantial. So here is a short update with my life.

I've had a really exciting life in Japan so far! Its has been a great learning experience so far.

After 5 months in Japan, I had the chance to go to Turkey for 2 months for an unpaid internship and undertook a project of educating Turkey High school children about Singapore and Japanese culture. And in turn, I learned about Turkish, as well as Taiwanese, Chinese, Weierzhu, Bosnian, Italian, Kazakhstan, Polish, German and Slovakian cultures as well.

It was a great opportunity to see the world in one place and make the sort of comparisons a comparative political scientist would take delight in.

Now I'm back and completing my Spring Semester studies in Waseda. I have deliberately chosen two business modules: Comparative Corporate Governance (I'm attracted to anything that has the word 'Governance') and Financial Management (in the light of the current economic crisis, I want to know more about stocks, shares and other business terminology that is being thrown over my head everyday). I am also taking a module called Intercultural Communication. Being in a intercultural environment (more complex that the 4 layered multi-cultural categorization of Singapore, while ironically being in "homogeneous" Japan), I think I had better gain some more sensitivity in my inter-personal relations across differences.

Speaking of differences, I have experienced more so than in Singapore, what it means to be examining who I am, when faced with such diversity and differences. And the more I examine, the more I think its essential to celebrate such diversity and difference.

Having made many friends, I learn more the necessity of trying to keep up with friends across vast distances and the importance of constant and consistent effort in communication. Its a matter of discipline, effort and interest in keeping up.

I have opined to a well-travelled friend of mine, that now that I have actually travelled out to Japan, I realize the importance and joy of travelling to other places. For me its about getting out of my comfort zone and shocking myself once in a while. Its about opening my eyes to the many options I have laid out in front of me. At the same time, its experiencing the conundrum of being out here, still as a student and a dependent, and looking at my peers diving into their careers and eking a living out for themselves.

It can be perceived as the "unsettled life" vs the "settled life" dilemma. The whole, get down, get married and get a family kind of life. At the same time, I do recognize the eventuality (and opportunity costs) of it all, especially when I see my friends and brother get married.

In any case, while being here in Japan, there are still loads to do! Just went to the infamous Yasukuni Shrine and Yuushuukan Museum of Japanese military history. They were very interesting to say the least.

Am planning to go on more of these kinds of trips in and around Tokyo over the weekends. Am planning to go Kyoto and Oosaka in July to visit dear dear Yui-san with a Turkish friend who's coming over for a conference.

Currently, I'm also trying to look for job opportunities around the globe. Except Mexico. Hope the flu is not getting any serious, since I'm also going to Korea in 3 weeks time to attend my elder brother's wedding to his Korean wife. Am going to meet up with my parents as well! so am very excited about that. I just hope that the wedding won't be attended by mask-wearing guests and pastors. Imagine a pastor reading the wedding rites through a mask. Imagine my brother and sister-in-law reciting the vows through masks! That would be a medical sight to behold. Maybe there should a medical theme to the dress code, rather than simply "Formal." Hmmm...

Well, just a shout out: "I'm doing great! And I am going to be back at the end of August or early September! Try not to expect any presents. Horrible exchange rates."

Miss ya'll.

In a relationship

2009-04-22T21:37:00.001+08:00

What someone is looking for in a relationship:

A tinge of cheekiness, a splash of humour, generous spoonful of intelligence before blending it with lotsa honesty, commitment and respect for each other space. Bake it under 200 degree celsius of intimacy. Chill with occasional sweet whispers. Sprinkle with some maturity, chemistry and patience. Garnish with smiles before serving. ;)

Made me hungry for some food of love in my life!

Kiwi!

2009-04-14T20:56:00.002+08:00

Kiwi!

Some dreams are worth it all. It is sentimental and inspiration.

Ganbare!

Turkey

2009-02-16T20:50:00.003+08:00

Am here in Bursa, Turkey!

Things have been quite the experience so far! Both good and bad of course. Even though I have gone through the intercultural communications class, some things I can never get used to and the culture shock between Turkey and Japan has been a lot wider than that between Japan and Singapore.

That said, I must say I have begun to appreciate both Japan and Singapore even more despite my constant complaints about the little things. At the same time, I am also very appreciative of the good points that Turkish culture and people have over what Japanese and Singaporean cultures have to offer.

Turkish weather in winter is to say the least, dreadful. Its been raining non-stop here in Bursa. Miserable, wet and gloomy. Thats how i would describe the weather here. I have taken ill, with a cough and a sore throat. Thankfully I have an (overly) caring host family, fussing over me, even though i just requested for an early night, cough mixture and lozenges. -_-'''

I unilaterally decided to take the day off, instead of travelling to goodness know where, 2 schools, where me and my foreign friends will undoubtedly be treated with the warmth of prized fantastical creatures they have only read from story books. Because I am the only Asian guy in the group, it seems Im the most "prized." I have had girls running up to me and proclaiming they like me and they want to take me home. 0_o... Of course i enjoyed by 15 minutes of fame and my Facebook friends probably jumped 30 percent because of the hordes of high schools kids trying to get me on their list, kids I probably wont be able to maintain contact even if i want to because most of them can't speak English and I can't speak Turkish.

Haha! Of course, i don't think its a bad thing. If not I wouldnt be doing it. I realized that so many people in this world are ignorant. Especially myself. To discover the ignorance of people and being their to enlighten them (and in so doing myself), I feel accomplished. As if I have made the immediate world around me a little better. I just hope that my relating own experiences when i go back home will also do the same for those i will come across in my life.

the cocoon that governments weave over to protect their own people are so strong. That of Singapore, of Japan and of Turkey, each utilizing the many political and ideological tools to forge that national consciousness. Everywhere i go and everyone i ask, they only wish to be the nationality they were born with. The Turk wants to be Turk, the Japanese wants to be Japanese and the Singaporean wants to be Singaporean. What do you think this means for international cooperation? To deal with global issues? Just wondering how can we strengthen this avenue of international politics. Because thats why im here isn't? To promote intercultural understanding and global consciousness.

I just hope we will be in time, considering the huge mental barriers i witness here in Turkey. On the one hand Turkish men see us on streets and try to heckle at us, on the other, many stare at us like aliens, while some do smile when I smile back at them. Its going to be a hard task, as I see it.

Turkey

2009-02-07T15:02:00.002+08:00

Hey Peepz!

Its been a while since I put up an entry! So im putting one up now!

I have been really busy of late, rushing my deadlines, completing my examinations and doing up my preparations for my 2 month trip to Turkey, and here I am in the apartment of some Turkish friends in Istanbul!

Was put up here for the night before we will move on to Bursa where I will be going around Turkish high schools telling them about Singapore and Japan, as well as facilitating them with discussions of global village.

Took an Aeroflot flight from Tokyo to Istanbul, transiting in Moscow. The trip was rather pleasant. The food was pretty decent and the inflight entertainment system too. Watched Ratatouille. Funny show! "Anyone can cook!" Such a positive show. On the whole, i still prefer SIA though with its smiling crew and KrisWorld with a wider variety. I must say there were some very pretty Russian stewardesses and people on board. Sake-san was remarking that the young Russian girls seem to jump right out a model magazine.

Moscow's transit airport was a little below expectations for me. I don't know where we docked but we had to get onto a bus transiting through a few minutes of minus 7 degrees temperatures. Sake-san and I tried to take some photos with the aeroplane but were (rather rudely by Japanese standards) asked to get onto the bus by Russian security. Getting through security took a long time because there was only one metal detector for our flight and there were quite a number transiting. Food was exorbitant, as expected of EU countries really. Two sandwiches and 1 drink came up to 15 Euro, or 1780 Yen or 23 SGD. I changed my mind on buying any Russian postcards thereafter... -_-''' And there was no internet access either wireless or computer terminals at the transit area. So Sake and I were rather bored. Luckily we met a Turkish man who spoke Japanese because his wife was Japanese. He spoke Japanese very fluently and he was only in Japan for 8 months! I have been in Japan for 6 and I can barely hear a word exchanged between Sake and him! So embarrassing! I could participate somewhat in the discussion though and I thought it was a pretty interesting conversation. So the transit didn't turn out to be all that bad. =)

Getting to Istanbul meant completing our 18 hour journey from narita. But of course the journey started a lot longer before that. By the time we got to Istanbul it was 0020 local time. Was so glad that Arda and Mune came to pick us up at the airport, provided a much needed sense of security. Then a Brazilian girl, Maria Fernanda joined us shortly and proved to be a crazy burst of Latin American energy to fatigued travellers.

We spent the night at the airport before setting out on the public transport that starts running at 6 in the morning. Traffic is crazy. Much like Japan. Expect more cars. One interesting thing about Turkey is that one of their bus services, the Metrobus has a dedicated bus lane, so it sped through its stops pretty quick and I got to see a good view of sprawling buildings and residences that spread over all the way to top of the rolling hills, and frequently spotted by the two distinctive spires of the many mosques.

Got to the apartment of Arda's friends. The apartment was huge by Japanese standards. Shall try not to stereotype the Turkish people, but the housemates love a few things: playstation, especially winning eleven, soccer, drinking and smoking. They are a relaxed, spontaneous and friendly bunch of people. After waking up in the afternoon trying to get over the jet lag, (Istanbul is GMT +7, singapore is GMT +8 and Tokyo is GMT +9), one of the housemates, Deniz, Maria and me started talking about Turkey and Deniz was so passionate about Turkey. He reminds me of Michi. Michi said he would always want to be Japanese. and Deniz proclaimed he wanted to be nothing other than Turkish. And on the spot, Deniz said if we wanted to go to look around Istanbul, and we did!

we met two more of his friends, Kagen and Rasit and we all had dinner at Taksim, which was the shopping street of Istanbul. 2 million people come here everyday. The Shinjuku of Istanbul. And boy was it crowded! We had a meal at a place called "Barcelona Cafe" and had crepes and cake. It was sooooo filling! The crepes were like chicken meat wrapped up in crispy bread with french fries. Deniz treated me to dessert which turned out to be this HUGE slice of strawberry with chocolate cake!

Then we went to Bosporus Bridge, a popular tourist spot to look at the glittering lights of the Bridge that joins Turkish Europe and Turkish Asia. It felt a little existential to be standing at the point that is said to divide two continents.

Another interesting things about Istanbul, is that the place features the Ataturk, or the Father of the Turks everywhere. He was the founder of the Turkish Republic and was responsible for many modernizing efforts as well as the establishing of a secular Republic amidst the majority Moslem population. Because of him, civil law, rather than the Shariat law was instituted and the Turkish could wear western clothes, smoke and drink alcohol. I would dare say that Turkey is so much more a modern developed religious country than say certain "neighbours" that seem to be trying so hard to put religion into their constitution if they havent already. My Turkish friend seemed a little shocked by the fact that there was an Islamic police force in that country, trained to catch Muslim adherents that drink alcohol or wear anything that reveals the slightest bit of skin.

Other than that, Istanbul is a popular destination spot for tourists. And it is definitely worth a trip if you wish to catch a glimpse of the mystique of middle east in a relatively safe environment. Of course, turkey does have its weakness and social and political issues like the extremist Kurds and their invasion of Turkish Cyprus, but I will need to do more research on them.

All right! Thats all for my report on my first day in Turkey! Hope to do more when I do have the time and internet access!

Take care everyone!

Brendan Fraser

2009-02-01T01:49:00.001+08:00

The difference one can make...

ただ…逢いたくて

2009-01-28T22:47:00.003+08:00

ただ…逢いたくて　(I just... Miss you) by EXILE

New Version

Touching MV

悲しい過去も　若過ぎた日々の過ちさえ
kanashii kako mo wakasugita hibi no ayamachi sae
キミに出会えて　深い海に沈められたのに
KIMI ni deaete fukai umi ni shizumerareta no ni

あの頃の僕と言えば　愛し方さえも知らず…ただ…
ano koro no boku to ieba aishikata sae mo shirazu...tada...
不器用にキミを傷つけて　優しさ忘れていた。
bukiyou ni KIMI wo kizutsukete yasashisa wasurete ita.

※ただ　逢いたくて…　もう逢えなくて
* tada aitakute... mou aenakute
くちびるかみしめて　泣いてた。
kuchibiru kamishimete naite'ta.
今　逢いたくて…忘れられないまま
ima aitakute...wasurerarenai mama
過ごした時間だけがまた　一人にさせる。※
sugoshita jikan dake ga mata hitori ni saseru. *

最終電車　僕の肩に顔をうずめたまま
saishuu densha boku no kata ni kao wo uzumeta mama
寝息を立てる　何よりも幸せだったよ…。
neiki wo tate'ru nani yori mo shiawase datta yo...

今ならば叫ぶ事も　キミを守り抜く事も出来る。
ima naraba sakebu koto mo KIMI wo mamorinuku koto mo dekiru.
もう戻らない時間だけを　悔んでしまうのは…何故？
mou modoranai jikan dake wo kuyande shimau no wa...naze?

ただ…愛しくて…涙も枯れて
tada...aishikute...namida mo karete
キミの居ない世界をさまよう。
KIMI no inai sekai wo samayou.
忘れたくない…キミの香りをまだ
wasuretakunai...KIMI no kaori wo mada
抱き締め眠る夜がAh～孤独にさせる…。
dakishimenemuru yoru ga Ah~ kodoku ni saseru...
(※くり返し)
* kurikaeshi

ただ…逢いたくて
tada...aitakute

My sad past and the days of youthful mistakes
Were submerged in a deep ocean when I met you

Back then I didn't know how to love...I just...
Hurt you carelessly and forgot to be gentle

I just miss you...but I can't see you anymore
I bit my lip and cried
I want to see you now...I can't forget you
The time we spent together makes me lonely

On the last train, you buried your head in my shoulder
Breathing deeply in your sleep and I was so happy...

Now I can shout, now I can protect you
Why...am I regretting the time I can't get back?

I just...love you...my tears have dried up
I drift through a world without you
I don't want to forget you...the nights I sleep
With your scent in my arms, ah, make me lonely

I just miss you...but I can't see you anymore
I bit my lip and cried
I want to see you now...I can't forget you
The time we spent together makes me lonely

I just...miss you

Walk in Beer Closet

2009-01-24T20:17:00.001+08:00

What better than beer to make one go hysterical. LOL

Lovers Again

2009-01-24T15:28:00.002+08:00

Lovers Again by EXILE

初雪にざわめく街で
hatsuyuki ni zawameku machi de
見覚えのあるスカイブルーのマフラー
mioboe no aru SUKAI BURU- no MAFURA-
ふり向いた知らない顔にうつむく
furimuita shiranai kao ni utsumuku

あのひとが部屋を出てから
ano hito ga heya wo dete kara
この退屈な街に二度目の冬
kono taikutsu na machi ni nidome no fuyu
僕はまだ想いの炎消せずにくすぶっている
boku wa mada omoi no honoo kesezu ni kusubutte iru

ひとりでは愛してる証さえ
hitori dewa ai shiteru akashi sae
曖昧でせつないだけ
aimai de setsunai dake
ふたりではやさしく見守ること
futari dewa yasashiku mimamoru koto
続けられない...
tsudzukerarenai...

もう一度会いたいと願うのは
mou ichido aitai to negau no wa
痛みさえいとしいから
itami sae itoshii kara
ときめきを失くした永遠より
tokimeki wo nakushita eien yori
熱い刹那を
atsui setsuna wo

「さよなら」は僕から告げた
"sayonara" wa boku kara tsugeta
後悔ならば何度したことだろう
koukai naraba nando shita koto darou
時間だけ巻き戻せたらいいのに
jikan dake makimodosetara ii noni

唇を薄く開いて
kuchibiru wo usuku hiraite
「もう平気よ」とつぶやいたあのひと
"mou heiki yo" to tsubuyaita ano hito
つよがりと本当は気づいていたよ
tsuyogari to hontou wa kidzuite ita yo
この僕でも
kono boku demo

ひとりでは愛された記憶さえ
hitori dewa ai sareta kioku sae
儚くてむなしいだけ
hakanakute munashii dake
ふたりでは想いあたためる意味見つけられない
futari dewa omoi atatameru imi mitsukerarenai

* もう二度とあんなに*
mou nido to anna ni
誰かのこと愛せないそう思ってた
dareka no koto ai senai sou omotteta
でも今は情熱が
demo ima wa jounetsu ga
目を覚ます予感がしてる
me wo samasu yokan ga shiteru

If I ever fall in love, again
もう一度めぐり会えたら
mou ichido meguriaetara
その手を離さないもう迷わないさ
sono te wo hanasanai mou mayowanai sa

I just don't know what to say to you
言葉にできないままで
kotoba ni dekinai mama de
想いはあふれてくGet back in love, again
omoi wa afureteku Get back in love, again

もう一度会いたいと願うのは
mou ichido aitai to negau no wa
痛みさえいとしいから
itami sae itoshii kara
ときめきを失くした永遠より
tokimeki wo nakushita eien yori
現実(リアル)を生きる
現実(RIARU) wo ikiru

* repeat

On the first snow on this rustling town, I notice a sky blue scarf
When I turn to see a stranger's face, I hang my head down

Since you have left, it's the second winter in this tedious town
The burning feelings I have still smolder, never fading

All alone, the proof of love is covered by an obscure pain
Together, we can't continue kindly looking over each other...

My wish to meet once again is more lovely than the pain
So I'd rather have one hot moment than an eternity of lost memories

Ever since I said goodbye, I've regretted it so many times
If I could only turn back the time

As your lips slightly open, you whisper "I'm fine"
Even I realized it was just a bluff of courage

All alone, the beloved memories are covered by a miserable void
Together, we couldn't find the warm meaning of our feelings

I thought I could never love anyone again
But now I have a premonition of my passion awakening

If I ever fall in love again, If we could meet again
I won't let go of that hand or lose my way
I just don't know what to say to you, Without saying a word
My feelings are overflowing, Get back in love again

My wish to meet once again is more lovely than the pain
So I'd rather live in reality than an eternity of lost memories

I thought I could never love anyone again
But now I have a premonition of my passion awakening

Kurumi

2009-01-16T20:25:00.002+08:00

It's never too late to realize your dreams.

Kurumi by Mr. Children

作詩：Kazutoshi Sakurai 作曲：Kazutoshi Sakurai

ねぇ　くるみ
nee kurumi
この街の景色は君の目にどう映るの?
kono machi no keshiki ha kimi no me ni dou utsuru no?
今の僕はどう見えるの?
ima no boku ha dou mieru no?

ねぇ　くるみ
nee kurumi
誰かの優しさも皮肉に聞こえてしまうんだ
dareka no yasashisa mo hiniku ni kikoeteshimaun da
そんな時はどうしたらいい?
sonna toki ha dou shitara ii?

良かった事だけ思い出して
yokatta koto dake omoidashite
やけに年老いた気持ちになる
yake ni toshioita kimochi ni naru
とはいえ暮らしの中で
to ha ie kurashi no naka de
今　動き出そうとしているima
ugokidasou to shiteiru
歯車のひとつにならなくてはなぁ
haguruma no hitotsu ni naranakute ha naa
希望の数だけ失望は増える
kibou no kazu dake shitsubou ha fueru
それでも明日に胸は震える
soredemo asu ni mune ha furueru
「どんな事が起こるんだろう?」
'donna koto ga okorun darou?'
想像してみるんだよ
souzou shitemirun da yo

tell me, Kurumi
What do you see looking at this city
How do I look to you now?

tell me, Kurumi
When I start to hear the sarcasm in someone's kindness
What am I to do?

Remembering only the good times
though it makes me feel like I've aged a sum
But you gotta be one of the gears
trying to get turning
You can have only as much despair as you have hope.
but still, my heart trembles at the thought of the future
'what's going to happen?'
I try to imagine.

How It All Ends

2009-01-16T18:57:00.003+08:00

Interesting video on Global Warming, or Climate Change or Global Climate Destabilization. Logic, risk management and saving our own bacon.

"We have greatness within us, innovative, giving, determined. Its time for the best in us to come out."

Some extreme ideas:
Don't eat meat.
Stop driving cars.
Don't use disposable chopsticks.

Some better ones:
Eat less meat.
Use public transport.
Bring your own chopsticks.

Every little bit counts.

Tegami

2009-01-11T16:36:00.003+08:00

Lovely song by Angela Aki, "Letter." Thanks Eddie for introducing it to me!

Its about a 15 year old growing up writing a letter to his/her future self. And his/her future self tell him/her to "keep on believing" and press on amidst life's hardships and challenges.

Its usually sung as a graduation song. People cry when they sing this song... T_T It's like that moving...

Angela Aki MV

Angela Aki Live

Sung by Mixed Choir. watch out for the girls sobbing...

Angela Aki will High school girls. More girls crying... With Japanese lyrics

Lyrics: English Romanji and English translation

Three part choir with Japanese lyrics

手紙～拝啓　十五の君へ～
作詞 & 作曲: アンジェラ・アキ

拝啓　この手紙読んでいるあなたは
Haikei kono tegami yonde iru anata wa
どこで何をしているのだろう
Dokode nani wo shite iru no darou

十五の僕には誰にも話せない
Juugo no boku ni wa dare nimo hanase nai
悩みの種があるのです
Nayami no tane ga aru no desu

未来の自分に宛てて書く手紙なら
Mirai no jibun ni atete kaku tegami nara
きっと素直に打ち明けられるだろう
Kitto sunao ni uchi akerareru darou

今　負けそうで　泣きそうで
Ima make sou de naki sou de
消えてしまいそうな僕は
Kiete shimai sou na boku wa
誰の言葉を信じ歩けばいいの?
Dare no kotoba wo shinji arukeba ii no?
ひとつしかないこの胸が
Hitotsu shika nai kono mune ga
何度もばらばらに割れて
Nandomo barabara ni warete
苦しい中で今を生きている
Kurushii naka de ima wo ikite iru
今を生きている
Ima wo ikite iru

拝啓　ありがとう
Haikei arigatou
十五のあなたに伝えたい事があるのです
Juugo no anata ni tsutaetai koto ga aru no desu

自分とは何でどこへ向かうべきか
Jibun to wa nani de dokohe mukaubeki ka
問い続ければ見えてくる
Toi tsudukereba miete kuru

荒れた青春の海は厳しいけれど
Areta seishun no umi wa kibishii keredo
明日の岸辺へと　夢の舟よ進め
Asu no kishibe he to yume no fune yo susume

今　負けないで　泣かないで
Ima make nai de naka nai de
消えてしまいそうな時は
Kiete shimai sou na toki wa
自分の声を信じ歩けばいいの
Jibun no koe wo shinji arukeba ii no
大人の僕も傷ついて眠れない夜はあるけど
Otona no boku mo kizutsuite nemure nai yoru wa aru kedo
苦くて甘い今を生きている
Nigakute amai ima wo ikite iru

人生の全てに意味があるから
Jinsei no subete ni imi ga aru kara
恐れずにあなたの夢を育てて
Osorezu ni anata no yume wo sodatete

Keep on believing

負けそうで　泣きそうで
Make sou de naki sou de
消えてしまいそうな僕は
Kiete shimai sou na boku wa
誰の言葉を信じ歩けばいいの?
Dare no kotoba wo shinji arukeba ii no?
ああ　負けないで　泣かないで

Aa make nai de naka nai de
消えてしまいそうな時は
Kiete shimai sou na toki wa
自分の声を信じ歩けばいいの
Jibun no koe wo shinji arukeba ii no
いつの時代も悲しみを避けては通れないけれど
Itsuno jidai mo kanashimi wo sakete wa toure nai keredo
笑顔を見せて　今を生きていこう
Egao wo misete ima wo ikite ikou
今を生きていこう
Ima wo ikite ikou

拝啓　この手紙読んでいるあなたが
Haikei kono tegami yonde iru anata ga
幸せな事を願います
Shiawase na koto wo negai masu

Bugged

2008-12-24T15:08:00.002+08:00

Christmas is here again. And it always marks the coming to an end of the old year.

I shall try to be retrospective and look back into the last year.

As like previous years, 2008 has been another exciting and tumultuous, energizing and enervating, magical and mystifying, clarifying and baffling, as well as gratifying and regretful year for me. Luckily, it has always been more good than bad. =)

This has been the year when I graduated after 4 years in NUS. This was the year when I had my most draining semester trying to complete a thesis in the midst of drama and emotional inertia. I am just glad that I had a lot of support from some rather key friends in my life, notably WT, PQ, XY, Ray, Small Bird, IT Darren and E. And thankfully I got a rather decent grade too! Graduating with a Second Class Upper, I fell short of my goal 4 years back, but like I always tell myself (and usually always on hindsight, shoot for the moon and even if you miss, you would land up among the stars).

Having "retired" from DB, I am always grateful for the experiences. There have been so many good moments and down episodes in both the sport and in OKR. I knew I have grown so much stronger, mentally and physically there. And I have made some really good friends and taught me alot of lessons. Mainly about how much I can push myself if I want to, and how much focus and concentration is needed to accomplish amazing feats.

Simultaneously, DB has also taught me the evil, bitchy, overly competitive, hypocritical, selfish and narrow-mindedness of people. A good stepping stone into the rather cruel world that I will soon be stepping into. Luckily, DB also taught me that there will always be people I can turn to, if I would only just knock on their doors. =)

I also joined Toastmasters in NUS. Best decision ever I should say, in the development of a wider perspective of the working world. Gotten to learn more about public speaking, networking, giving feedback in a positive way and reacting to public embarrassments in a more gracious way. Got to know some really interesting people there too. Most importantly, they have given me the motivation and confidence to speak up before I speak out, and to think through before I speak up.

After graduation, I took up an internship at the Singapore Civil Service College. There I learnt more about the public service and CSCI's functions as a department in this statutory board. I had good mentors who were very kind in guiding me and very flexible in letting me do what needed to be done. At the job, I learned about work productivity through James Allen's book and that spurred me into doing more research about GTD and productivity theory. I cant say that Im now the most organized and productive person in the world, but at least I know where my faults lie.

Been helping out at PPC and am really glad to get to know a more intellectual and social side of the community besides all its usual "vices" (and of course, such judgments is always relative). Wish I can contribute more when I return.

Lastly, the long awaited journey to my trip to Japan. Japanese classes at Bunka were so fun and tiring of course, especially after school or work. But Im glad to have made friends there too, esp. Jade. Hope that we can converse in Japanese when I return!

And of course, the Fall semester here at Waseda is coming to an end real soon. A few more weeks after the Winter Holiday will be the Spring Holiday. Glad to have made a lot of friends with very different perspectives about their own lives, cultures and stories. My Intercultural Communications class, Collapse of Complex Societies class, Global Environmental Systems class, Global Environment Politics and Policies class and of course, my Japanese classes all have been great, enriching and edifying! I believe I have learnt so much, and made really good friends too! People like Satoshi, Michi, Shoji, Arisa, Aya, Junya and so many more. And even outside of classes, I made friends like Masao and Hide through other friends.

Having made friends through the JSA like Eng Seng, Hor See, Stephanie, Ee Phong, Goi and more made me realise that there is more to Japan than just school and sushi. Coming to Japan taught me that its not just about Japan. Its about home too. And of course the Singapore classmates who came along with me. Even though Im older, one should keep an open mind about who's junior and who's senior in hierarchical Japan. They have taught me alot of things too.

And of course, Im so glad to have met Yoshi again after so long. And am thankful for Ms Oochi's guardianship. And also to Eddie who has been so much like my elder brother here in Japan.

Last but not least, I am very grateful for my family. Especially to my parents who have supported me in so many ways. =)

In short, it was a very, very, very good year.

I don't need any more presents. I already got them. =)

Inspiration

2008-12-11T19:43:00.003+08:00

Just a sudden spurt of inspiration to pen my unedited thoughts.

Life in Japan has been great. It has been a real learning experience for me so far. For someone who has never been on exchange (having, to some extent, mindlessly devoting myself to my extra curricular activities these last 4 years and severely miscalculating the opportunity costs), this trip to Japan has opened my eyes to many things and issues.

Probably the most salient issue is that of national identity. Being a foreigner in the famous Japan -- that is in some cases subtle and in many blantant, xenophobic -- I have come to understand and appreciate my own identity as a Singaporean a lot more. And even more so when many of the classmates I have met are either foreigners or Japanese with a lot of international exposures. And through their stories (especially in Introduction to Intercultural Communications class), I get to hear many stories and see from their perspectives what it means to be Japanese, or whichever nationality that they come from. And of course, their stories have gotten me to think about what it means for me to be Singaporean.

I sometimes wonder why so many students were encouraged to go abroad for exchanges in NUS. I half suspect that, after going abroad, a sense of national identity and pride swells. Well, it did at least for me. I am very happy to talk about my country, how clean, how efficient and how much cheaper (compared to Tokyo) Singapore is. Of course, I try to objectify Singapore's image and remind them about the high prices for tobacco and alcohol and the death penalty for drug possession. But that only makes me appreciate the policies that the Singapore government has made with regard to these issues.

Perhaps because of me, being who I am, rather than get all hyped up about seeing the beautiful kouyou, or autumn foilage, or the snow covered whiteness of the northern parts, I get more concerned with the human aspects of my own surroundings. Yes, the physical environment is beautiful, but I would rather spend my time drinking coffee inside a warm cafe with friends, or even a (cheap) can of beer on the cold sidewalk along Waseda dori with Tosh. To me, the development of human relationships bears a different kind of beauty. A hello or a smile along the corridor, a touching story of their adapting to foreign environments in ICC class, or even just the silly jesting of nonsensical phrases in Japanese class. These are the moments that get me going.

At the same time, me being a political science major, have this tendency to be bogged down with the more depressing issues of the wider environment. The global recession and its impacts on companies are huge. But take the trickle effects even further, what would be the multiplied effects on the people, especially the poorer segments. And what about the environment that is so intimately linked with poverty? These are issues that bug me and no amount of brown leaves can alleviate the heavy thoughts that weigh my mind.

Of course, as usual, I think too much. =)

I guess being 25, and having to constantly repeat to my friends who ask, that I am 25, pricks my mind to ask, "so what does being 25 mean?" A quarter of my life has passed (assuming I would live till 100) and what am I doing here in Japan that might help me contribute to the betterment of the wider environment? How can I serve and give to making it easier for my fellow humans to breathe better? And this coming from the guy who has yet to find a job, and who might continue to be jobless because of the difficult economic conditions and language barriers.

And again, I think too much. =)

So these some of the issues that I am constantly thinking these last 3 months. Less about where I am going to travel (though I still want to see some specific spots), less about what delicious sashimi I am going to eat (though I really want to try going to Tsukiji Fish Market at 4 am in the morning), less about when I am finally going to fill that bathtub of mind and soak in there for an hour (cos my heater bill eats my money faster than the dropping of oil prices) and less about who I am going to try to get into bed with (cos some foreigners here seem to be more preoccupied with the idea of a more intimate form of "inter-cultural exchange" of the biblical kind). But its nonetheless interesting that I should be so strung up by the tensions of such dialectical brooding.

In conclusion, I am really appreciating and enjoying my time in Japan!

Effortless

2008-11-27T17:13:00.002+08:00

I wish life was this "effortless," which by the way, is the name of this ad

But, watch this making of the video, and you'd know, that it takes a lot of effort to be effortless.

Hanakimi2

2008-11-24T19:07:00.003+08:00

Sorry people. I like Hanakimi's soundtrack! the upbeat ones sure are energizing!

Hanakimi

2008-11-24T15:29:00.004+08:00

Thanks to a Ms Caithlin Brown, I spent my renyuu, or long holiday weekend watching the Japanese drama, Hanazakari no Kimitachi e. Thanks Caithlin!

Here are the opening and ending songs from Youtube.

Ikenai Taiyo by Orange Range

Hoo イケナイ太陽 Na Na Na･･･

チョットでいいから見せてくれないか
お前のセクシー・フェロモンでオレメロメロ

Ah ふれちゃいそうでもイケナイの!
徐々に高なる鼓動止められないわ

交わす言葉の記憶遠く口元の動きに揺れ動く
濡れた髪を撫でたそしてAh~~~~~？

ABC　続かないそんなんじゃダメじゃない
だってココロの奥は違うんじゃない?
オレの青春そんなもんじゃない熱く奥で果てたいよ
きっとキミじゃなきゃやだよ
オレはイケナイ太陽 Na Na Na･･･

「赤い糸」なんて絵空事でも下心でさ

Ikenai taiyou Na Na na na na
Chotto de ii kara Misete kurenai ka
Omae no sekushii feromon de Ore Meromero

Ah furechaisou Demo Ikenai no!
Jojo ni takanaru kodou Tomerarenai wa

Kawasu kotoba no Kioku tooku Kuchimoto no ugoki ni yureugoku
Nureta kami wo nadeta Soshite Ah

ABC Tsuzukanai Sonnan ja Dame ja nai
Datte Kokoro no oku wa chigaun ja nai?
Ore no seishun Sonna mon ja nai Atsuku oku de hatetai yo
Kitto Kimi ja nakya Ya da yo Ore wa Ikenai taiyou Na Na

Peach by Otsuka Ai

taiyou sansan
moriagaru kotoshi wa uta itai
kibun runrun
nomitai houdai waraitai

yureru yureru kokoro ni
dokidoki shitai na
soremo sou kana rakuen
ah~ ah~ ah~
natsu da ne

peach
hikkurikaeru ai no mark
itten de fuantei dakara
sugu itten suru dakedo
kaeshite miseru yo

peach
hikkurikaeru ai no mark
nanbai mono power ga hitsuyou
ganbatte miseru yo
aishichau kara

yuu'utsu ni bye bye
sonna hima wa nai motta inai
dappi de bye bye
ii tokoro mitara chance desho

hitamukisa ga daiji nee
wasureta ano hi
itsu no ma ni yogoreta n da
ah~ ah~ ah~
tsukushimaasu

peach
oishii darake no yuuwaku
sukoshi kurai shinpai shitatte ii janai
shinjiteru kedo

peach
oshiri ga hoshii kereba ageru wa
sashigeteki na yoru to iyashi no asa yooi suru ne

suikonda naka ni zatteta akuma to tenshi
osedo osedo hiki
moto ni kaeshitara
high touch !

peach !
nanigoto mo balance
otagai my pace
rhythm ni awasete
JUMP! JUMP!

peach !
yappa isshoni iyou yo
iru beki da yo
kigen nao shite tanoshi mou you no natsu wo

peach
hikkurikaeru ai no mark
nanbai mono power ga hitsuyou
ganbatte miseru yo

aishichau kara

aishichau kara

aishichau kara

I have never really been a drama person, but I must profess, I simply love this serial! Especially the characters Ashiya and Nakatsu! Both of which the actors received Best Actress and Best Supporting Actor! the show won Best Drama too! I like Yusuke, the ghost-reading, aura-detecting guy as well! And Dr Omeda as well! These characters say such thought-provoking quotes.

Sushi

2008-11-20T23:39:00.000+08:00

Sushi. Thanks Satoshi for showing this to me! Its hilarious!

Hitohira no Hanabira

2008-11-19T16:14:00.002+08:00

You can tell im a Bleach Fan. Love EP 17! Its called Hitohira no hanabira by Stereo Pony, a three woman band.

Anime version, abridged song

Fan Art version, full song

MV, full song

ヒトヒラのハナビラが揺れている僕のとなりで今
hitohira no hanabira ga yurete iru boku no tonari de ima

間違った恋だったそんな事思いたくはない
machigatta koi datta sonna koto omoitaku wa nai

テーブルの向こう暗い顔してる
tel no mukou kurai kao shiteru

切り出すコトバに怯えてんだ
kiridasu kotoba ni obietenda

いったいいつから僕らこんなキモチに
ittai itsu kara bokura konna kimochi ni

気づかないふり続けてたんだ?
kizukanai furi tsuzukete tanda

出逢った日のようなあの透き通る風の中で
deatta hi no you na ano suki tooru kaze no naka de

やり直せるのならもう一度抱きしめたい
yarinaoseru no nara mou ichido dakishimetai

ヒトヒラのハナビラが揺れている僕のとなりで今
hitohira no hanabira ga yurete iru boku no tonari de ima

間違った恋だったそんな事思いたくはない
machigatta koi datta sonna koto omoitaku wa nai

好きだったはずだったいつだって声が聞きたくなるほど
suki datta hazu datta itsu datte koe ga kikitaku naru hodo

それなのに手が届く先の君が見えなくなりそうだ
sore nanoni te ga todoku saki no kimi ga mienaku narisouda

平気だってすぐ我慢してたのは
heiki datte sugu gaman shiteta nowa

きっと僕たちの悪いトコで
kitto bokutachi no warui toko de

いっつも一緒にいたいって想ってたのに
itsumo issho ni itaitte omotteta noni

すれ違いは現実を変えた?
surechigai wa genjitsu wo kaeta

出逢った日のようなあの柔らかな笑顔だって
deatta hi no you na ano yawaraka na egao datte

すぐに取り戻せる気がしてた抱きしめたい
sugu ni tori modoseru ki ga shiteta dakishimetai

ヒトヒラのハナビラが揺れている僕のとなりで今

hitohira no hanabira ga yurete iru boku no tonari de ima

間違った恋だったそんな事思いたくはない
machigatta koi datta sonna koto omoitaku wa nai

黙ったままの君の手のひら
damatta mama no kimi no te no hira

たどり着いたナミダがハジけた
tadori tsuita namida ga hajiketa

こんな僕たちの時間を巻き戻して・・・
konna bokutachi no jikan wo maki modoshite

ヒトヒラのハナビラが舞い落ちた僕のとなりで今
hitohira no hanabira ga mai ochita boku no tonari de ima

間違った恋だったなんて忘れられるはずはないんだ
machigatta koi datta nante wasurerareru hazu wa nainda

好きだった好きだったいまだってすがりつきたくなるほど

suki datta suki datta ima datte sugari tsukitaku naru hodo

それなのに手が届く先の君が見えなくなりそうだ
sore nanoni te ga todoku saki no kimi ga mienaku narisouda

A single flower petal brushes against my skin
I don't want to believe
our romance was a mistake

We've got a bad, bad habit of saying "everything's fine" and bottling it up
I always thought about how i wanted to be with you forever
but we don't see eye to eye
I assumed i could always make you smile
in that soft, gentle way of yours
like when we first met
I want to hold you...

A single flower petal brushes against my skin
I don't want to believe
our romance was a mistake
I thought I loved you
I wanted to hear your voice more and more
and while my hand still reaches yours,
I can't see what your future holds.

Human

2008-11-16T14:38:00.001+08:00

'Under capitalism, man exploits man. Under socialism, its the other way around.'

-- Economist, J.K. Galbraith

Life

2008-11-08T14:56:00.066+08:00

Hey Peepz! Finally accumulated enough photos to warrant a posting! Just some of the more interesting parts of my regular life in Japan.

This is the Japanese Airlines Urayasu Dormitary. This is where I stay. Its a dorm mainly for the employees of JAL, as well as its dedicated rugby team. I stay on the fifth floor somewhere on the left end.

Every morning, I take a 15 to 20 minute hike to the train station. 15 minute by Tokyo speed, and 20 minute by Singapore leisurely walking speed. This picture is the first leg of the hike.

This is the second leg.

This is the third leg. An unlit, open corridor. Is rather cold and dark when I return at night. It gets pretty freaky when someone decides to take a stroll at night. I sees these moving shadows but don't know who they are or what they are doing.

The fourth leg. A rather scenic corridor. As I go towards the station, students in all shapes and sizes in all sorts of clothes or the lack of them, from the nearby Meikai University walk past me.

Autumn is browning the leaves rather quickly.

The fifth leg. I get to the shopping centres and just beyond them is the train station.

Took some random pictures of my room. Today, I'm featuring my toilet!

Picked up the towel hanger from the 100 yen shop. Picked up the Snoopy towel from the trash of a tenant that recently moved out. It was still packed and unused when I found it. How convenient!

My toiletries basket! From left to right: Hand soap, dish washing detergent, Bosch and Lomb saline solution, Keihls hair styling cream, Keihls moisturizer 1, Keihls moisturizer 2, Keihls toner, Oral B floss, Listerine mouth wash, Johnson and Johnson's body moisturizer, toilet paper, toilet deodorant and facial cottons.

Trying to keep moisturized! The air in Japan right now is cold and rather arid. So one tends to moisturize rather frequently. Especially the lips. Some shops sell lip moisturizers in huge sticks, or in multiples of 5s. This is pretty indicative of how much moisturizing a typical Japanese needs to maintain their rather beautiful complexions.

I could not resist buying this huge honey grapes. Compare the individual grapes with the Singapore one dollar coin... They were huge and sweet!

Another marvelous invention: the water proofer. I spray this on my shoes to guard against the rain.
Bought a pair of gloves for 15o0 yen from Uniqlo. I typically cant feel my hands or my face when I reach back the dorm after the 20 minute walk in the cold wind from the station.

Another great invention, the ear digger with spiral ends!

And lastly, dedicated coin boxes for my coin denominations. Japan uses ALOT of coins. And these boxes are made just to fit in the different coins! Very useful and handy!

Met Teddy, Benny and Paul for lunch. Ted and Ben were in Tokyo for a holiday. They were going to meet Paul. I just happened to be invited to a very nice meal at an izakaya. This is crab in a shell on a hot stove.

My first sushi!

Crispy onigiri! Yum!

Went to Michael's dorm to be a spectator his dorm's annual kibasen competition. The men have to be shirtless to play this rather rough sport of body tug-o-war. Michael warms up for the first game.

And everyone typically decorates their body with salacious or menacing words. In this case, humourous. Michael had "Free Hug" written on him, while his friend had "Sex Bomb" and when you put both of them together and read the words horizontally, you get guffaws of laughter.

The general carries the flag and rallies the residents of North Wing together.

The North Wing war cry.

"We are going to pounce on them like tigers! purrr..."

The generals of the South Wing and West Wing shake hands on top of their "horses."

The game, Kibasen goes like this. Guys in groups of 4, form a "horse" and a "rider." There are two opposing camps. Each team is divided into the attacking force and the defending force. The defending force surrounds their general and put up a fortress to protect their general. The attacking force tears down the opposing team's defending force to get to their general. The first team that forces the other's general onto the ground wins.

The attacking tactic, is to force individual horses and their rider out of their fortress by forcefully pulling them out. And the force the rider onto the grown as seen below.

As the rider tugs and pulls, the three men below, the horse, is to ensure that the rider does not fall down or gets thrown to the ground. If any one of the three men falls or touches the ground with any part of their body besides their feet, he is disqualified, leaving the rider with only two guys to form the horse. If one more guy below is disqualified, the rider is left with one guy below him to support him on his back or shoulders. If the rider is pushed to the grown, the entire team of 4 gets disqualified.

The game is rather ruthless and violent, riders engage in pulls, pulls, and resistance; while the horses below engage in their own violent, and rather clandestine punches, scratches and screeches.

In this first game, the North Wing's attacking force broke through the West Wing's fortress to get to the general.

And all at once, three teams attacked the general simultaneously and won.

At the end of the game, the two teams face each other. The losing general offers his congratulations to the winning team, while the winning general offers his thanks

And each team sings their own war cry, claps and bows.

And that was the end of the first game. There were 12 games, as there were 4 Wings. Each wing fights the other 3 wings once. It went on until at night.

It was very exciting! Alumni, friends and parents all came down to cheer on their juniors, friends and sons.

Went to Shinagawa to apply for my work permit.

Shinagawa is a major intersecting station for many train lines, as well as financial buildings.

The good thing about Japan, for travelers, is that there are a lot of directional signages that include English.

Participated in the Waseda Sports Day! Went for 2 hour introductory classes for Gymnastics and Aikido! Boy, did I learn much! Am thinking of doing Aikido after I get back home! Got a body deodorant and a Sports Centre flag for my participation. Because I participated in two classes, I got two sets!

Went to watch a Noh performance at Kagurazaka. My friend Emi was performing. But I did not manage to catch her act because I had to go back school for lessons.

I did managed to catch the comedic part of the Noh performance though. Unfortunately I did not understand a single Japanese they said.

The stage was pretty impressive though! It was a pavilion WITHIN a theatre. And with traditional Japanese motifs, no less.

The Singaporeans at the Nishi-Waseda dorm, an international students dorm not far from school, invited me to their hot pot dinner! Aik Heng bought the pot!

So Siyun, Choon Meng, Yiting and Aik Heng (in red) cooked up a storm!

It was really fun to eat with them! Thinking we might do this more often.

I went to the areas outside of Disney to do a field work homework!

Kids playing at a fountain.

Disney greets the incoming commuters and visitors.

Below are bronze statues of famous Disney cartoon characters that lined the bridge that led to Disneyland.

Mickey Mouse with wide open arms.

Minnie, thinking of her Mickey.

Donald Duck beckons!

As Daisy Duck gets surprised!

Goofy wonders what is going on!

So Pinnochio tells Jimmy T Cricket.

The White Rabbit (is that his name?) checks to make sure he has enough time.

Tinkerbell says, "Yes!" And do you know that Tinkerbell has gotten her own full length movie?

I dunno who this is, but he looks all ready to go!

So is Dumbo and his mouse friend!

And who is this?!

Pluto just sticks his tongue out at quizzical me.

The festivity of Halloween and Christmas fills the air.

Lastly, Mickey and Minnie invites the guests to stay in the luxurious Disney Resort.

I wonder if I will ever get to stay in there!

Classics in the City

2008-11-07T17:43:00.002+08:00

Putting up a string of music videos. Been hearing this compilation album called Classics in the City. It has beautiful songs. Here are some of my favourites. Hope you will enjoy them too!

Many of these songs struck me as "where did I hear this from before?!" But those questions were never really pursued. And as fate had it, this album helped me answer many of them.

Forbidden Love

Remember the French show Amelie? I loved the show, I bought the vcd when I was still in secondary school.

La Valse d'Amelie -- Orchestra version

La Valse d'Amelie -- Piano version by Yann Tiersen

To Love You More -- Violin version by Taro Hakase

To Love You More -- Taro Hakase with the fabulous Celine Dion

Oltre La Tempestra by Duetto

Libertango by Yoyoma and his oh-so-toot-and-cute glasses and his oh-so-cool-and-talented cello

Sabre Dance by Vanassa Mae, who puts "sexy" into classical

Aria by Yanni. I will always remember British Airways for this song.

Love by Grace

2008-11-07T17:12:00.001+08:00

Smitten by this song. Love By Grace by Lara Fabian

Live version

I remember the rain on the roof that morning
And all the things that I wanted to say
The angry words that came from nowhere
without warning
That stole the moment and sent me away
And you standing there at the doorway crying
And me wondering if I'd ever be back

I said I didn't come here to leave you
I didn't come here to lose
I didn't come here believing I would ever be
away from you
I didn't come here to find out
There's a weakness in my faith
I was brought here by the power of love
Love by grace

And I remember the road just went on forever
Just couldn't seem to turn that car around
'Till in the distance like a long lost treasure
A phone booth that just could not be found
And you standing there at the doorway waiting
And the moment when we laid back down

Chorus

That was just a moment in time
And one we'll never forget
One we can leave behind
'Cause when there was doubt
You'll remember I said

I didn't come here believing I would ever be
away from you
I didn't come here to find out
There's a weakness in my faith
I was brought here by the power of love
I was brought here by the power of love
Love by grace

New Meanings

2008-11-07T16:53:00.006+08:00

Got this from Aeron's blog who got it from his friend's blog

School:
A place where Papa pays and Son plays.

Life Insurance:
A contract that keeps you poor all your life so that you can die Rich.

Nurse:
A person who wakes u up to give you sleeping pills.

Marriage:
It's an agreement in which a man loses his bachelor degree and a woman gains her masters.

Divorce:
Future tense of Marriage.

Tears:
The hydraulic force by which masculine willpower is defeated by feminine waterpower.

Lecture:
An art of transferring information from the notes of the Lecturer to the notes of
the students without passing through 'the minds of either'

Conference:
The confusion of one man multiplied by the number present.

Compromise:
The art of dividing a cake in such a way that everybody believes he got the biggest piece.

Dictionary:
A place where success comes before work.

Conference Room:
A place where everybody talks
nobody listens and everybody
disagrees later on.

Father:
A banker provided by nature.

Criminal:
A guy no different from the rest....except that he got caught.

Boss:
Someone who is early when you are late and late when you are early.

Politician:
One who shakes your hand before elections and your Confidence after.

Doctor:
A person who kills your ills by pills, and kills you by bills.

Classic:
Books, which people praise, but do not read.

Smile:
A curve that can set a lot of things straight.

Office:
A place where you can relax after your strenuous home life.

Yawn:
The only time some married men ever get to open their mouth.

Etc.:
A sign to make others believe that you know more than you actually do.

Committee:
Individuals who can do nothing individually and sit to decide that nothing can be done together.

Experience:
The name men give to their mistakes.

Atom Bomb:
An invention to end all inventions.

Philosopher:
A fool who torments himself during life, to be wise

Motivated

2008-10-31T16:15:00.003+08:00

Feeling a little motivated to write something right now.

Its been one month and 21 days since I have come to Japan. Life has been pretty challenging to say the least. Largely as a result of the language difficulties. Though I have been studying Japanese for a year, I am not able to communicate properly as I am unable to hold conversations. Furthermore, what I learn in books is very different from what is being said in daily life. I have not watch Bill Murray's Lost in Translation, but I think I get a good idea of what he goes through. Its a little worse for me, because I have a long time to go through. Haaa...

Not that I am not enjoying myself. I appreciate being here! At the same time there are a lot of things I just miss having when I was in Singapore: namely the convenience, the cheap(er) food and the weather.

One more thing I really dislike about Japan, is its subtle "discrimination." I think that unless one is Nippon-fied, foreigners like myself find it rather tough to live in Japan. From what I gather from my international friends, a number of things are constant reminders that we are foreigners in Japan.

For example, the work permit. In order to do part time jobs, foreign students must apply for a Work Permit. It limits my classification to working 14 hours a week. It requires me to get a application from my home department's office in block 19, then it requires another application from the Centre for International Education office in block 22, then I have fill in another application for the Immigration Bureau, which requires a train ride AND a bus ride to arrive at the front desk of seemingly unenthusiastic Japanese receptionists. After that, I will have to wait for another 1 to 2 weeks for a certain postcard to arrive to inform me that my work permit card is ready for collection. Which requires me to take another one and a half hour train and bus ride to the Bureau just to pick it up. Did I mention the journey will also cost at least 1000 Yen per trip?

While I was there, I applied for a Multiple Entry permit at the same time. This means, that if I were to travel out of Japan to say, Korea (for my brother's wedding), I have to get a permission to RE-ENTER. And there are two classifications for this permission. One is SINGLE entry, which costs 3000 Yen. and one is MULTIPLE Entry, which costs 6000 Yen. If one fails to get this permission, that person will be barred from re-entering, and will be required to do his ENTIRE application process of Certificate of Eligibility, Foreign Alien's Registration's Pass and National Health Insurance (which means paying again) and which takes a few months. So in effect, he or she will be stranded, or has to go back home to redo his administration.

And so applying for this permit, requires me to make a payment of 6000 Yen, in a convenience store DOWNSTAIRS. The Japanese seems to like to keep their processes untainted by the exchange of money. Many food stalls (not all) have separated machines to accept the cash which will give you a ticket proving your purchase. Seems like an uncorrupted way of handling money. The inconvenient thing, is to walk that little bit more.

English is VERY limited here in Japan. Its funny how instruction manuals will have their title (and sub-titles) in English, but their instructions are ALL in Japanese. You know how electrical appliances in Singapore will their manuals in multiple languages? Well, Japan doesn't. Which makes me wonder why even bother to title their manuals in English in the first place?

Why am I talking about instruction manuals? That is because I applied for internet in my dorm. So on Thursday, someone from NTT (the internet service provider) came into my room to plug in the modem to my telephone point. But that's it. The LAN cable is neatly coiled and left for myself to do the rest. Along with the cable, are instruction manuals from NTT, as well as instructions manuals from Palala. Palala is the PLAN provider. So there are two different companies involved with the internet provision. And when I thought I finally had my internet, if I just follow the colourful pictures, it turns out that the installation CD from NTT, cannot be read on my English-based lap top. All the Japanese turned out gibberish, and nothing I did seemed to allow me to change it. I tried changing the language of the laptop, but to no effect.

So I had to call Kitai-san, the guy in charge and with whom I have had some trouble communicating him to about my Lap top being in English. And guess what, he had to take vacation, on the very next day after my modem got installed. I thought, "how convenient."

So right now, I have a modem sitting on my floor, two unreadable instruction manuals and a CD that can't be read on my lap top. I can get my Japanese friends to read the manuals, but its a technical problem that I seem to be facing right now...

So... *blink blink* Sigh.

One more grouse: Apples. On apple in Singapore is 40 cents. One apple in Japan is a dollar. But then again, the apples here are at least 2 times bigger than the ones I get in Singapore. So I take that grouse back.

Because the Yen has appreciated soooo much against the Singapore dollar, I'm quite determined to not go out and play. As much as my friends implore me to do all things Japanese, simply because I am in Japan, could I remind all of us, that I am not Japanese and I am not earning any money, let alone earning a Japanese salary which would probably enhance my capacity to live like a Japanese. And doing any thing Japanese in Japan, is still very steeply priced. Public baths? Onsens? Kyoto castles amidst browning leaves? Sure they may be pretty, sure they may be enjoyable. But for a poor student who is worrying about his ability to find a job when he returns, suddenly it seems, that every dollar suggests survival.

Besides, I just paid 2000 Yen for the school's gym membership. I should try to make full use of it. And not to mention my 3 hour commuting. By the time I am done with gym, I should already be in bed, just so so I can wake up at 530 the next morning to try to avoid the morning rush hour, which seems to start at 530 every morning. I wont be surprised if there are Japanese just standing outside the frosty autumn morning, waiting for the gates of the train stations to open, like the small handful of them who wait outside the shopping centre next to my train station at 10 am, when it only opens at 11. Japan never ceases to amaze me.

The small number of Japanese friends I have made so far, somehow makes me very happy. Also the international friends too. Though I dun "hang out" with them so to speak, its always a pleasure attending classes with them, especially when we do group work.

In Japanese class, I usually pair up with an American guy called David, who plays the cello. He's just so funny. We usually have to come up with dialogues and he like so fun to make dialogues with. And in my Introduction to Intercultural Communications class, I am in a group with 4 very different Japanese girls whom I enjoy laughing about with, and from whom I learn quite a bit about Japanese culture from their perspectives. And in my Global Environmental Politics class, there is Satoshi who went to Scottland, and Michy that stayed in Australia. Both I have found great pleasure conversing with.

In the evenings, when I return back to my dorm, if a security guard named Hikino-san is on duty, and if I have enough energy to try to converse in Japanese, I would stop by and talk to him. I like him very much, cos he is so grandfatherly and he tries to explain Japanese things. For example, I learned that Japanese set meals are called teishoku, but non-Japanese set meals are called setto. Its another one of the distinguishing features of the Japanese language: the determination to distinguish all things Japanese. He also told me to stay away from certain parts of Shinjuku where the Yakuza roams. Hahaha!

Tomorrow is the grand SouKei baseball match. Sou represents Waseda Uni and Kei represents Keio Uni. And the baseball match is like the Oxford-Cambridge or NUS-NTU grand rivalries. So its going to be exciting. The only thing is, I'm not going. And the main reason is that, you have to reach the stadium at 730 (in the cold autumn dawn) to queue up and wait for the game that starts at 1400.

I will miss out on the atmosphere and the excitement though. Just yesterday, the student council presumably held a rally to rile up fervent Waseda Spirit. The entire military band was there playing music. And there were these male counselors in the Waseda military uniform trying shouting and screaming in Japanese in front of two flag bearers holding the Waseda and Keio flag that is at least 10m long. The flag bearers had to bend over backwards to hold up the flags. And the counselors were SUPER exaggerated in their shouting, their bowing and their clapping. Clapping cos, they were changing "WASEDA" and trying to get the crowd going. And as the music blared, female cheerleaders in all their short skirts and pompoms were cheer leading, and the male counselors were clapping behind the cheerleaders and there were two doing some out-of-this world choreography that involved wild swingings of their arms and mid air leg splits.

This video will show you what I mean.

And this will probably what I will miss in the game:

Well, I never had a thing for baseball. And I think I still have a backlog of Japanese to catch up on. And there will always be opportunity costs.

Japan and Waseda are continues to amaze me. =)

Cold

2008-10-30T17:46:00.002+08:00

Its only 18 degrees.

And I'm freezing in my pants.

I am afraid to yawn, cos if my eyes were to water, I'm so scared that my eyes will crystalize into ice.

No. Kidding.

Just very cold.

And its not even winter.

Bud Light

2008-10-25T17:07:00.003+08:00

Bud Light has the funniest commercials. Funny why I havent seen any Bud Light in Japan yet..

Angel In Disguise

2008-10-25T16:57:00.001+08:00

My favourite song from Corrine May's second album. Thank you Ms Wen for sharing! =)

Angel in Disguise

I woke up this morning feeling kind of blue
and I stumbled out of bed and
dragged my feet across the room
Right outside my front door was a rose
and a note that said 'Somebody Loves You'

Oh~ But out on the street it starts to pour
and before I get soaking wet,
A total stranger runs to give me
the jacket off his back
I turn around to thank him
But he waves me with a smile
And I can hardly believe my eyes
He puts on a halo and starts to fly

Take a look at the ordinary
Don't need to look for Paradise
You could be next to
an angel in disguise

I met a good friend for lunch
and we had a delicious meal
But I forgot to bring my wallet
I felt like an imbecile
But she was sweet, she gave me a treat and
Bought me a chicken sandwich
To take home for tea

Oh~ But out on the street with nothing to eat
A man and his shopping cart go
Travelling to places
Collecting social graces
I give him my sandwich
and we chatter for a while
I see a rainbow wash over his eyes
He gives me his halo and
I start to fly

Take a look at the ordinary
Don't need to look for Paradise
You could be next to
an angel in disguise

Don't try to hide away from me
I know you're by my side

Oooh~~

Take a look at the ordinary
Don't need to look at Paradise
You could be next to
an angel in disguise
Everyday can be legendary
Every minute, an endless surprise
You could be the next angel in disguise

I woke up this morning
Feeling kind of new

Motivation

2008-10-21T12:38:00.002+08:00

Motivation through expletives. =)

Alec Baldwin in Glen Gary Glen Ross. Read the script. Vulgar language abound. Powerful story line.

Ben Affleck in the Boiler Room. I want to get filthy rich!

Movie Themes

2008-10-17T17:58:00.001+08:00

Somehow just gotten the sound track bug. Here are the main themes from two of my favourite movies, Shawshank Redemption and Forrest Gump

Catch the movies if you havent! Hee hee.

Love Theme

2008-10-17T17:29:00.003+08:00

I absolutely love this piece: "Love Theme" in Cinema Paradiso, by Ennio Morricone.

It has spawned different versions. Here are some of my favourite. The melodies are covered by different instruments.

This is the orchestra version conducted by Ennio Morricone if I am not wrong. This melody is done by the flute. I love the orchestra version because of the broader based provided by the string ensemble. More dramatic.

This is one is covered by acclaimed violinist Itzhak Perlman. The attention is on the player of course! Violins make such romantic melodies.

This one is covered by Japanese singer Minako Honda, who has passed on. The lyrics penned for this version talks about a lonely girl who finds love from watching movies in the cinema. Her voice is great.

Rosa de Lima made had a swig at the song too. I think she gives a more pop feel to the song.

But my favourite vocalist for this song has to be Josh Groban!!! He does it in French, in the language of Love, no less. Here are two. The first one is him live with Spanish lyrics, for those who are learning Spanish. =)

For those who know only English, someone made a video just for us! But i cant seem to embed it, so here is the link:

http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=91jv-eneLuQ&feature=related

Of all of the above, I love the orchestra version best. The music allowed me to be transported to the cool autumn time in Ueno Kouen or Herrenhaeuser Garten with all its trees turning brown and red. And amidst the falling leaves or with the water fountain in the background, two lovers meet again after a long respite and they run, and in all its dramatic slow motion, they hug and kiss.

Hahaha!!! Dramatic right? Thats why I love this song!

Reminds me of my favourite Josh Groban's song: Per Te.

Feet and Places

2008-10-12T11:48:00.033+08:00

Another pictorial life of MC in Japan! Went to a straw sandal making workshop with Siyun. Got into some back breaking working weaving straws into a sandal under the guidances of a number of obaasans, who were very nice in instructing us in Japanese... and when we could not understand them, they directly demonstrated how to weave it.

Siyun and proud of her sandal!

We both only had enough time to make ONE sandal though. So in the end, there was no practical purpose to the sandals except experience.

Met Audrey, a Singaporean studying in Canada, here in Japan for a year exchange. She was in the Yukata dressing work shop.

Me and my obaasan sensei!

Walking with one sandal.

One of the obaasan gave Siyun a cloth covered sandal!

One of the participants was so kawaiiii.... She asked politely for the bundle of straws and heaved it over her back and asked me to take photos of her with her one straw sandal!

Participated in the Study Abroad Fair in Waseda. Its a fair where the many partner schools come and set up booths to promote their school. NUS also had one. I offered to do the presentation bit for NUS. Choon Meng and Aik Heng did most of the slides. It went pretty smoothly I should say.

A scene of the booths set up.

Ms. Nakamura, the NUS Double Degree Program Coordinator, counseling of the students interested in studying in NUS.

The NUS group with Ms Nakamura.

We went to Harajuku to catch a flea market next to Tojo Shrine. The flea market sold all sorts of things. Here are some samples!

Earthern wares, books, porcelain wares.

These metal pencil sharpeners brought back a lot of memories cos I used to play with them when I was alot younger.

A lot of old cameras too. Photography afficiandoes Lydia and Winnie were mesmorized.

I on the other hand, was attracted to this one stall that sold old Imperial Japanese soldiers' uniforms. It even had the Imperial Japanese flag! The clothes were pretty expensive though. And the thought of wearing what might have been taken off a dead soldier in the WWII was not very appealing...

Then we went to Akihabara, or Electric City.

Where otakus over the world gather. Wierd people too. Like this lady with a paper mache giraffe mask.

Like in everywhere in Japan, shrine and temples snuggle into small caches of space to provide some solitude away from the craziness of modern day consumerism.

Modern day consumerism in all its pretty looks and cute out fittings, like this pretty AU promoter and a super cute dog.

Japan is definitely porn heaven. Porn shops like this, featuring all sorts of women in all sorts of situations and positions, litter Akihabara. GM will be very happy. Haha!

Sex shops such as this 7 story wonder are also prevalent in Japan.

A closer look and you can find all sorts of costumes for the ladies in this shop. Pornographic material is easily found even in convenience stores... So bra-burning feminists should try to steer clear of this issue in patriarchal Japan.

Yodabashi is one of Tokyo's largest electronic shop. 8 levels of pure electric electronic experience

This is only two out of probably ten rows of toy capsule mahines in Yodabashi.

Met up with Yong Qin, another Singaporean studying Architecture in Japan, and we headed to the National Diet Library.

The outside of the library.

A statue of a woman with her shirt unbutton and legs wide open. Its called 'Ponder.' and its outside the library. Whats with Japan and naked women?!

Nearby is the National Diet.

The dominating facade of the national Parliament.

Side view of parliament.

The headquarters of the major political parties are found surrounding the National Diet.

All right folks! these are some of the highlights in my life.

School has just started, so I am probably going to get down and be serious with some studying!

Update!

2008-10-12T10:42:00.009+08:00

Hey peepz! Its yours truly in Japan! A short update here from Waseda U.

Met up with Eng Seng from Waseda. He brought me around Harajuku. And this is the famous Takeshita-dori where the happening young throng this single alley lined with the trendiest of street fashion.

Then we proceeded to the nearby Meiji-jingu. It is considered to be the most majestic of Shinto shrines in Japan. Hundreds of thousands come queue here for hours on New Years Eve to pray for blessings that takes 3 minutes for you to put in your incense before you are hastily pushed out to let others in... This according to Eng Seng.

Its a cool and beautiful walk down the forests enroute to the shrine.

A huge display of rice wine donated by the rich. Rice wine is a symbol of wealth and prosperity.

The huge entrance (mon?) to the shrine.

The next day, I and Aikheng went to Akasaka to meet up with some Singaporeans in the Singapore Association in Japan. We met up at Tully's Coffee before proceeding to a Hainanese Chicken Rice stall nearby.

Its authentic Singapore food!

With a merlion!

And the entire set up! For SGD 15. =_=

Some of the Singaporeans we met! Its was definitely fun meeting Singaporeans in a foreign land!

Containers

2008-10-10T19:20:00.002+08:00

Interesting clip I have found about livable spaces that are cheap and save the environment.

Fascinating idea. Wonder if Singapore is amenable to this idea of Container Houses.

For those who know German...

Me Gustas Tu

2008-10-01T18:48:00.002+08:00

Got introduced to these songs!

They are pretty catchy!

The World Should Revolve Around Me by Little Jackie

I take it in stride; One day at a time
If I ask no questions I’ll hear no lies
How come blessings only come in disguise?
Try them on for size as I vocalize
Ain’t nothing gonna get in between me and my flow
Aint’ nothing gonna come between me and my afro
My man just left me; what do ya know?
Easy come; easy go!

He came out of the blue
And went right back into it
Had to forfeit because he couldn’t get with it
Called it quits and when he spins
He said he didn’t have time for my juvenile bullshit

I've had a lot of failed relationships; I don’t get involved because I’m not equipped
I believe that the world should revolve around me!
I don’t see the point of a partnership; it won’t be long until they start to trip
Yessiree, the whole world should revolve around me!

There’s only one me in the galaxy
I am an endangered species
This kind of flower don’t grow on Earth
Just lettin’ you know for what it’s worth

This kind of mountain shouldn't cause a depression
So I bide my time with philosophical questions
Not for nothing but what came first
The chicken nugget or the egg mcmuffin?

I got talent and I got tits
I know I’ll find another guy who wants to get with it
I’m not convinced that I’m a big fat bore
One man’s pleasure is another man’s chore

I've had a lot of failed relationships; I don’t get involved because I’m not equipped
I believe that the world should revolve around me!
I don’t see the point of a partnership; it won’t be long until they start to trip
Yessiree, the whole world should revolve around me!

I know I rock and what I got is hot
And you know I got a lot
Cause all that trippin you gotta stop
Before you know it your ass’ll be drop

And if you concerned with my biological clock
Since I never grow old my heart is always in stock
Keep screwing that bitch from down the block
I don’t need you around I know I rock!

I've had a lot of failed relationships; I don’t get involved because I’m not equipped
I believe that the world should revolve around me!
I don’t see the point of a partnership; it won’t be long until they start to trip
Yessiree, the whole world should revolve around me!

I've had a lot of failed relationships; I don’t get involved because I’m not equipped
I believe that the world should revolve around me!
I don’t see the point of a partnership; it won’t be long until they start to trip
Yessiree, the whole world should revolve around me!

Me Gusas Tu

Que hora son mi corazn
Te lo dije bien clarito
Permanece a la escucha

Permanece a la escucha
12 de la noche en La Habana, Cuba
11 de la noche en San Salvador, El Salvador
11 de la noche en Maragua, Nicaragua
Me gustan los aviones, me gustas tu.
Me gusta viajar, me gustas tu.
Me gusta la maana, me gustas tu.
Me gusta el viento, me gustas tu.
Me gusta soar, me gustas tu.
Me gusta la mar, me gustas tu.
Que voy a hacer,
je ne sais pas
Que voy a hacer
Je ne sais plus
Que voy a hacer
Je suis perdu
Que horas son, mi corazn
Me gusta la moto, me gustas tu.
Me gusta correr, me gustas tu.
Me gusta la lluvia, me gustas tu.
Me gusta volver, me gustas tu.
Me gusta marihuana, me gustas tu.
Me gusta colombiana, me gustas tu.
Me gusta la montaa, me gustas tu.
Me gusta la noche, me gustas tu.
Que voy a hacer,
je ne sais pas
Que voy a hacer
Je ne sais plus
Que voy a hacer
Je suis perdu
Que horas son, mi corazn

Me gusta la cena, me gustas tu.
Me gusta la vecina, me gustas tu.
Me gusta su cocina, me gustas tu.
Me gusta camelar, me gustas tu.
Me gusta la guitarra, me gustas tu.
Me gusta el regaee, me gustas tu.
Que voy a hacer,
je ne sais pas
Que voy a hacer
Je ne sais plus
Que voy a hacer
Je suis perdu
Que horas son, mi corazn
Me gusta la canela, me gustas tu.
Me gusta el fuego, me gustas tu.
Me gusta menear, me gustas tu.
Me gusta la Corua, me gustas tu.
Me gusta Malasaa, me gustas tu.
Me gusta la castaa, me gustas tu.
Me gusta Guatemala, me gustas tu.
Que voy a hacer,
je ne sais pas
Que voy a hacer
Je ne sais plus
Que voy a hacer
Je suis perdu
Que horas son, mi corazn
Que voy a hacer,
je ne sais pas
Que voy a hacer
Je ne sais plus
Que voy a hacer
Je suis perdu
Que horas son, mi corazn
Que voy a hacer,
je ne sais pas
Que voy a hacer
Je ne sais plus
Que voy a hacer
Je suis perdu
Que horas son, mi corazn

Que horas son, mi corazn
Que horas son, mi corazn
Que horas son, mi corazn

Que horas son, mi corazn

Que horas son, mi corazn

Radio reloj

5 de la maana

No todo lo que es oro brilla
Remedio chino e infalible

Me Gustas Tu too. =)

Address

2008-09-26T14:58:00.007+08:00

Hey Peepz!

My address is a little different from the one I previously posted. So if you are going to send me any surprises (hint hint), do send it to this following address:

〒279-0013千葉県浦安市日の出2-16-1日本航空浦安寮526号室

Or if you cant see that clearly, here's a picture of my address

Thanks!

Stuff

2008-09-26T12:08:00.006+08:00

Went to the post office to open a bank account because I could not wait for my Alien's Registration Card needed to open a private bank account. So I opened one with the Japan Post Office. Thats the 郵便番号　(yuubin bango) sign. Which is the postal code sign. Their bank is called JP bank.

The funny thing is that its not particularly compatible with many insitutions. For example, Waseda. For instance, for the students of the JASSO scholarship, the school deposits their scholarship money monthly into the student's bank account. But cannot do so if their bank account is the post office's. They must apply for one of the private banks, names Mitsubishi-Tokyo UFJ, or Mizuho or Resona and others.

I am going to have to apply for Resona because they are having coming to Waseda to simply the procedures for opening a bank account with foreign students like myself. Apparently, it is, I quote 'very very very difficult to open a bank account on your own.' There is a clause saying somewhere, that foreigners need to prove that they have stayed in Japan for the past 6 months to open a private bank account.

Having done my research, there have been some conflicting accounts of personal experiences of opening bank accounts here. More bad than good, I should say. Unfortunately, my dorm automatically deducts my rental directly from my bank account if its Mitsubishi-Tokyo UFJ. So if I open one with Resona, it means I have to make my payments personally, which is to me not that big a deal really. Just a small hassle.

So this are the bank's services, and opening times. Which I think is a very good and comprehensive way to telling customers what they can and cannot do.

The inside of a bank. Opening a bank account here was very fast! And the pin number here is 4 digit. But if your pin number cannot be your birth date or the last four number of your handphone. and its interesting how the system knows and rejects any combination of those numbers!

Oh, and for those coming to Japan to open an account, you MUST have your seal, otherwise known as inkan or hanko to open one. Japanese tend not to use handwritten signatures. But that also means you have to guard your inkan with your life. If not you will have to go through the hassle of doing all your documentation all over again!

I bought an electronic good, and I thought this was a good way to carry bulky items! Its like a handle. I wonder if Singapore electronic shops do something like this.

And this is what I bought. A dehumidifier! Why? Cos my room gets very very very dusty very very very easily. I have to sweep my floor once in the day and once at night! This dehumidifier is supposed to ionize the air and suck in the dust and stuff. I dunno how true it is, but I just had to try something. I have started to get some respiratory problems, namely with my throat getting all clogged up and sore, and with my breathing. I can distincting feel the dust in my nostrils... Ha...

Dehumidifiers are big in Japan. There were so many brands!!! Namely targetting mothers concerned with getting clean air for their babies. This one I bought was already on sale, came up to about SGD200, after discount (I suspect no one likes the colour green). There were alot more expensive brands. And I even got a loyalty card. Any item I purchase there gives me 3% discount.

Oh, loyalty cards are also big in Japan. Practically every chain store has a loyalty card. Even noodle houses and convenience stores... I guess there is so much retail competition going out there, that retailers are pulling the guns to keep their customers.

The thing on top of the dehumidifier is some fragrance. Japan has this thing for mega stores. Shall take a picture next time, of this one level shopping mall, that spans acres selling practically EVERYTHING. from furniture to electronics to clothes to rubbish bags.

Across THAT mega mall, is KS Denki, where I bought the dehumidifier, which like the mega mall, is a sprawling electronics stall. And across THIS one, is ANOTHER mega store called 'Kids R Us.' No prizes for guessing what kind of merchandises they sell there! In graying Japan, kids are MEGA investments and cherished prizes.

Oh, dogs too. It seems that every other person on the street has a dog on a lease. Some even two. I saw one couple at Ueno park with FIVE sausage dogs in tow. But they were all very well groomed dogs. The Japanese certain love their dogs.

Shall put up more pictures along the way!

Retract!

2008-09-25T09:07:00.002+08:00

Ｈｅｙ　Ｐｅｅｐｚ！

Ｉ　ｊｕｓｔ　ｆｏｕｎｄ　ｏｕｔ　ｔｈａｔ　ｕｎｌｅｓｓ　ｙｏｕａｒｅ　ａ　ｓｏｆｔｂａｎｋ　ｕｓｅｒ，　ｅｖｅｒｙ　ｍａｉｌ　ｔｈａｔ　Ｉ　ｓｅｎｄ　ｔｏ　ｙｏｕ　ｏｒ　ｔｈａｔ　ｙｏｕ　ｓｅｎｄ　ｔｏ　ｍｅ，　ｃｏｓｔｓ　３　Ｙｅｎ．

Ｓｏ，　ｐｌｅａｓｅ　ｓｅｎｄ　ｙｏｕｒ　ｗｅｌｌ　ｗｉｓｈｅｓ　ｔｏ　ｍｙ　ｉｎｔｅｒｎｅｔ　ｅｍａｉｌ　ａｄｄｒｅｓｓｅｓ　ｉｎｓｔｅａｄ！　ｉｔｓ　ｃｍｃｈｕａｎ＠ｈｏｔｍａｉｌ．ｃｏｍ，　ｉｎ　ｃａｓｅ　ｙｏｕ　ｄｏ　ｎｏｔ　ｋｎｏｗ　＝）

Ｔｈａｎｋｓ　ｔｏ　ｄｏ　ｗｈｏ　ｈａｖｅ　ｓｅｎｔ　ｔｏ　ｍｙ　ｈａｎｄｐｈｏｎｅ　ｅｍａｉｌ！！！　

Pictures of Japan

2008-09-24T11:04:00.019+08:00

Hey peepz! Posting more pictures before too much accumulate and I cant put them all up at once! Here are some pictures of the sights in the part of Japan in my life.

Shops line the tunnels and train stations.

Lockers seem to be an integral part of Japanese train stations. And alot of people seem to put things in them. I still cant quite figure what is it that people put in...

A spot for commuters like me to stop and rest amidst the looooong walks between stations and the navigation in the random craziness, or crazy randomness of Tokyo crowds. Or maybe its for the people waiting to board the shinkansen.

Long, long, long corridors

Japanese smokers are very law abiding, in spoking only at designated yellow boxes. Well, most anyway. This is one on the platform of Shin Urayasu train station.

A alley just along side Waseda Uni, lined with, you guessed it, shops.

All things miniature seem to be of fascination to Japanese. This is a miniature toy cars factory and shop.

One lady operates a machine in a glass box to make the miniature toy cars.

Shin Urayasu Festival! Crowds, performances and lots of food.

Flowers are big in Japan. There seems to be a florist on every street or in every shopping department.

Japanese chocolates!

Paul Snowden, the Dean of SILS, giving the opening address at the Okuma Auditorium. The Okuma Auditorium is the ceremonial auditorium, of which has historical significance.

Dr Howard gives another speech with a beautiful ball in a beautiful box. Like her enthusaism, if all goes well, I should be taking here Introduction to Intercultural Communications class.

Kinda miss being the choir. Somewhat.

Like the part where I look like this.

The symphony orchestra, or WaseOrchi, was very good.

Our little expedition to get a softbank phone!

Irene Ooi pays the USP-SILs people a visit! I decided to tag along to say hi! We ate at a rice curry restaurant, where we get to customize the amount of rice and the level of spiciness we desire. How interesting! This shop also has a unique eating challenge. If one person can eat 1.3kg worth of curry rice in 20 minutes, that person gets to eat it for free!

Aik Heng and I have a bet. If he does not get all As for this semester, I will have to treat him to that 1.3kg worth of curry rice. Hahaha!

A Day at Asakusa

2008-09-24T10:43:00.016+08:00

We went to Asakusa today, as its a public holiday!

The famous Kaminari-mon or Kaminari gate.

Riskshaw pullers cum tourist guide. They pull rickshaws with two people aboard which taking them around Asakusa and explaining the place's history.

The long stretch of shops leading up to the Askakusa jinja.
Some of the things on sale!

Me and fellow aquarian, Bing Zhou

The second gate leading up to the shrine.

Aik Heng buys himeself a bundle of joss sticks for 200 Yen for offerings.

The stamp counter. There are 33 Kanon shrines in Tokyo. Something like a religious chain of temples. What the devotees do, is to embark on a pilgrimage to visit all 33 temples and get some thing like a 'I have been here' chop in the form of a beautifully written calligraphy, 3 stamps and I presume a page of sutra. What happens when they get finish all 33 stamps, I dunno. Enlightenment perhaps?

This is the spot where people cleanse themselves before they enter the temple. The art work of each spot varies from temple to temple. The one here is huge with intricate carvings of dragons.

Me!

A shop selling everything ninja. katon no jutsu!

The streets outside the temple

Lastly, a pictorial introduction of Fugu. Otherwise known as the puffer fish. A popular and assumably not cheap delicacy of an otherwise dangerous treat.

Ueno Park

2008-09-24T10:26:00.013+08:00

Went to Ueno Park with Yiting, Choon Meng, Aik Heng and Bing Zhou.

They wanted to go Ueno Park because they watch this Japanese Drama called Heroes, and there is this one scene where the six characters stand in a row in Ueno Park. They wanted to go to that spot..

The leaves are still pretty green because is a the national holiday that marks the start of autumn! Over time, the foilage will change into golden brown. And I will be sure to go back to the park again!

People throng the park on this holiday.

A huge pond filled with lotuses.

Japan, despite all this beautiful facade, does, like every society have its ugly side. The poor and homeless sleep in the open in the park as do in underground tunnels between train stations. This one sleeps, albeit peacefully, amidst moving crowds, in front of tablet at the temple.

One of the many many temples in Japan.

Performers and acrobats stage shows to the amusement of park goers.

I bought myself this huge red bean mochi for SGD2. And the takopachis here have huge tako pieces in them. Unlike their counterparts in Singapore. Of course, the cost here is higher too.

Interesting architecture of a Koban, or a police box in the park.

Lovey Dovey couple Yiting and Choon Meng, and me

At the front of the Japanese National Museum of Western Art. This is the statue of Hercules the Archer. Its a bronze work by Rodin, the same guy that bestowed upon us...

The Thinker. And me, who does happen to think alot too. Maybe too much for my own good. =)

Bought myself a handkerchief of Renoir's Portrait of a Lady

Sorry

2008-09-23T09:18:00.002+08:00

I just heard. I'm very sorry that I had to be here and not there with and for you, Jon.

Phone

2008-09-23T09:16:00.001+08:00

Hey peepz! Gotten my Handphone here in Japan. Its a softbank phone, and trying very hard to understand how it works.

my number is 08033644031

my handphone address is teammctan@softbank.ne.jp

Feel free to drop me an email!

Walk

2008-09-20T14:06:00.003+08:00

My morning travelling journey in words:

20 minute scenic walk from Urayasu Dormitary to Shin Urayasu Train station.

as I get closer to the station, I get a sudden rush to up my walking pace to match all those around me.

Use tekiken (unlimited train rides between Shin Urayasu to Tokyo for 6840 Yen) and slot in, like how SMRT used to be like before EZ link card.

Squeeze into express train heading to Tokyo, which skips 2 stations and takes about 20 minutes.

Rush to the first escalator to bring me up one level, and rush again to Exit A/B to go up one more to the main level.

The challenge truly starts here where I have to navigate the random madness of Tokyo human traffic to walk another 10-15 minutes to Maruochi North Exit. Knowing which exit to come out off is critical as each exit will bring you to an entirely different place.

From Maruochi North Exit, I can either go down to another longer underground path way or go out and take a shorter, open-air, city-view walk to Ootemachi Station which is on the Tokyo Metro Tozai Line. This takes another 10 minute or 5 minute depending on which route I decide to take, which in turn depends on the weather.

The Shin Urayasu-Tokyo journey is on the Keiyo Line on the JR. JR and Tokyo Metro are operated by two different train companies and do not connect. Hence, I must exit JR Tokyo Station to Tokyo Metro Ootemachi Station. My tekiken pass is only for the JR line between Shin Urayasu and Tokyo, hence, I have to pay for ANOTHER ticket (160Yen) to travel from Ootemachi Station to Waseda Station.

So by the time I reach Ootemachi Station, 1 hour has already lapsed. From Ootemachi, I take to Waseda where I have to walk to the other end to take the Exit 3b, the nearest one to the part of Waseda University that I have to frequent. Then I have walk another 10-15 minutes to Building 22 or 19 at the north most part of the Nishi-Waseda campus.

So by the time I reach my destination, I would have taken about 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, all hot and sweaty in the cold autumn, ready to contend with Japanese students who hoard the computer terminals.

And when Im done, I just reverse the entire steps to get back to my dorm. Which conveniently takes another 1 hour 15 minute to 1 hour 30 minutes.

Japan's transport system is indeed very convenient, and the train system gets you to anywhere you want to go. There are many maps and road signs to get you to where you want to go. So for those coming to Japan, the challenge lies in:
1.) knowing which stations to board and alight.
2.) knowing which stations belong to which line.
3.) checking how much you have to pay (although, if you do under or over pay, there are adjusting machines to correct your fare)
4.) knowing which exact exit to go out of and how to get to that ext/
5.) the thousands of people who zig zag in varying paces from the fast pulling of their travelling suitcases (which many do bring to work everyday) to the even faster running of OLs and salarymen.

I also suggest a good map and a fortified pair of walking shoes. Cos in Tokyo, you walk ALOT.

Oh I miss living on campus grounds in NUS... Ha...

Postcards from Japan

2008-09-19T15:31:00.089+08:00

Hey peepz!

Im finally putting up some photos here! It has taken me 1 hour 30 minutes to travel from the dorm to Waseda in order to put up these photos in 1 hour 30 minutes. I cant use the dorm's computer because the management has a 1 hour per day per user limit.

So enjoy these photos with their short commentaries as usual. Hopefully you all get to see Japan through my lens. =)

So Im off to Japan! Thank you PQ, Mel and Alexander for sending me off at the ungodly hour of 7am in the morning! And of course to my family and my cousin, Linus.

Goodbye Singapore! Take care of yourself while I'm gone!

How blue the sky is, dotted with white clouds.

Hello Japan!

My Japanese bro, Aoko Yoshitaka and Ms Ochi, my guardian in Japan came to pick me up at Narita airport. It was a heartwarming w3elcome. Especially since I have not seen Yoshi for 8 long years.

So this is my room! Big, spacious and windy. But it gets very dusty too often. So I have to clean the room just as often.

The view from my room. A nice suburbia. Very much like Desperate housewives.

The sea view from the other side of the building.

The downtown of Urayasu a few kilometres away from my dorm.

Japan is famous for its whale meat. Much to the chagrin of environmentalists and whale lovers.

Different grades of seaweed.

Jinja. A temple

an opening ritual is to pick up a bamboo ladel and wash your left hand, wash your mouth and then wash your right hand in order to cleanse yourself.

Believers to their wishes here, written on a small wooden board or in the pieces of paper.

Kids from a neighbouring kindergarten play in the temple grounds.

The main temple.

Cycled to disneyland, which is not too far from where i stay. Of course, I could only cycle around Disneyland and not in it. Here are a few pics.

The splendour of a Disney hotel.

In all its fantastical facade and good looks.

Not too far away is the Sports Park. A huge land of area dedicated to sports. There is also a mega huge indoor swimming pool and gymnasium and courts, and also 3 baseball fields and lawnbowling and football and others.

Sculptures in the park.

My first chocolates!

A bus stop.

With the exact timings of the arrival of teh bus. And the buses do come on the dot. As do the trains.

The train station at Shin Uraysu, where I take the morning train everyday to school.

Shinjuku

Where politicians and people speak their mind on top of vans, blasting through huge speakers.

A mammoth Takashimaya.

Notice the queue? Japan is a unique place where people run to the escalators to queue up only to stand on the steps as they get transported.

Met up with Teddy for dinner and Kabuki-cho.

Travelled 1 hour and 30 minutes to Tachikawa to see Yoshi in action in his first ever triathlon! It was going to take place in a park!

The park has beautiful lavanders.

Got to know Hiroshi who speaks pretty decent english with an American slang!

Its a pretty big event, considering it costs about SGD200 to participate. Even this grandmother came to support her son/daughter!

The intersting thing was that the swimming portion was actually held in a swimming pool! More like a swimming playground that had a circular lane! Ready!

Get set!

Go!

And off Yoshi swam!

Triathletes in action. For the sport, for the fun, for the kids, for the challenge.

And of course, for that sense of achievement.

Cool pose of Hirshi-san and a dragonfly.

One way of eating in Japan, is to buy your order through a vending machine and giving your order tab to the waiter. Then you wait for your food to be served.

Itadakimasu!

Guess what I found in Japan!

Yoshi takes me out to go shopping for electronics in Shinjuku! In a mega electronics shop called Yodabshi. 8 floors of electronics of an astonishing range. And there were three buildings of that.

Just one wall of ear phones. The whole floor was ear and head phones, and sound systems. only.

Had some authentic Thai food in Shinjuku station. Japan is a consumerist country and a shopping paradise. Shops line both the inside and outside of train stations.

The first day of Orientation. The first game was to have everyone choose a cream puff. In one of them was a dallop of mustard. Upon eating, the audience was to guess who had the mustard cream puff based on their reactions.

After the first day, I tagged along with four ladies upon their shopping quest/frenzy. Sammy from Australia, Claire from Taipei, Vicky from Canada and Winnie from Singapore.

The facade of the Japanese Association of Nurses, which looks like Wheelock Place.

Vicky led the first Quest of a Million Footsteps in search of beauty products.

This was a great store filled with innovative design products! Melvin and all them design people will find heaven in this art paradise.

Dior and Chanel.

Crystal chandeliers hang over the reception of this Omote Sando Hills shopping complex

In cramp Tokyo, shopping complexes take up the most space, in the most exaggerated and fashionable way possible.

Shibuya.

Second home to Japan's Apple's store. The first is in Ginza.

Sammi led the second Quest of a Million Footsteps to hunt down Apple headphones.

GAP

Zara. Notice each brand takes up one entire building on its own.

Met up with the other Singaporeans finally on the second day. Headed out in search of CHEAP food. so Yoshinoya it was. Siyun from SMU's information systems.

Aik Heng from NUS. Butasaketeishoku!

Noelia from Spain. Hablo Japones, Catalanya, Espanol, Ingles y Frances. Multilingual gal. Derrick from the US. Lydia from NUS and Winnie from NTU.

Yup yup! and this entry took another one hour cos the computer decided to stall everytime i type something. Probably because I decided to load all the photos at once first before I proceeded with the commentaries.

So in sum, that was a pictorial overview of my first week in Japan! I believe more is to come!

Mata Ne!

School Starts

2008-09-18T16:26:00.002+08:00

Hey peepz!

Finally gotten the chance to use the school terminal here. Im currently in a 24 hour computer lab in Building 19. This place resembles the YIH study room during the exam period, where students careless and selfishly or perhaps just being kiasu, place their belongings at computer terminals to 'chop' the seat, leaving newcomers to wander around the lab, frantically looking for a terminal to use. The reason? There is no time limit to how long one can use the terminal. Hence, there are cases when students stay overnight in the lab. Either because they are rushing assignments, or they simply missed the last train home.

Anyway, yesterday marked the first day of orientation. Met the whole cohort of exchange students. They come from all over the world really. There is even an African lady who seems to comprehend completely and speak fluently, Japanese. There are about 2700 foreign students in total in Waseda.

Yet, I always find it quite ironic, that while the school prides on being a 'glocal' university, our buildings seem to be at the fringes of the entire university campus... Herm.

We had a placement test today for Japanese. 7 pages of Japanese fill in the blanks in ascending order of difficulty. For the reason of placing us in our respective levels of competence in our future Japanese class. I really take my hats off Seowhan who did level 6, and Olivia who did not need to take Japanese classes at all. Because I could not get beyond the second page. -_-''' This of course is explained by a years worth of Japanese study.

My other times yesterday and today were filled with shopping! Went to Omote-sando Hills with four other ladies, from Canada, Australia, Taiwan, and Singapore respectively. Omote-sando Hills is Singapore's Takashimaya blown out into a full street. (Japan's Takashimaya in Shinjuku is probably equivalent to two times Vivocity in length, and five times vivocity in height, with an extra wing) So Omote-sando Hills is the high class, branded street for the young, rich and trendy. There, brand names don't take up one vending shop in a shopping mall. Here, brand names take up 2 or 3 level buildings BY THEMSELVES. (Will put up pictures as soon as I can.)

And Sammi, the Australian lady said, that this is for the young rich. Ginza, is for the old rich. and is probably the Houte Couture of the filthy rich of Japan. (How much wealth is there exactly in recession-struck Japan?!) Anyway, we walked far and wide in our holy search for, herm. nail polish, make up remover, pillows, plugs and apple headphones. Oh Apple headphones were in Shibuya, which requires another train ride to the NEXT station, which cost 160 Yen, which is about SGD 2.30, which is probably from Boon Lay to Simei. Yes, everything here is exaggerated to gigantic proportions. From fashion to transport prices.

Oh, and also, the snobbish manners of high class aunties covered head to toe in branded gear and who take the subway. Oh, and I have never seen so many LV handbags in single street before.

Today, we went to look for cell phones. There are three main providers: the famous Docomo, the rival AU and the up and coming Softbank (previously Vodaphone). There are also rental phone services. Each with their own pros and cons. Each with very irritating marketing strategies. A double edged sword, services like mails, messages and calls from say, an AU phone to another AU phone is ridicously cheaper than from an AU phone to a softbank phone. You get the picture. Of course, its a business strategy. But now, I have to start counting how many of my soon-to-be bestest friends are of which providers. Ha...

Oh, the phones are are expensive, but they are very pretty and definitely high-tech. Most of them can watch television on their phones because they are on an internet connection. One phone sports a swivelling screen from portrait to landscape so you can watch your programs on your miniature 'wide-screen' television on jam packed commuter trains, that arrive ever so often but people choose to run for them anyway, especially the Office Ladies (OLs) in high heels. Speaking of which, I have never seen so many high-heeled ladies sprint so fast in one station in my entire life. If there were to be a high heeled 100 metre race in the olympics, the finalists should all be Japanese OLs. Ha..

If you think thats all the gripe I have so far. I have one more. Because I live so near to Disneyland, I should be able to see their fireworks everynight. But because this one tall hotel decided to construct itself right in the path of my view of Disneyland, all I can see is the glowing peripherals of the sky around the hotel. And of course, hear the fireworks quite clearly. Thats pretty duh.

oh, and of course, the administration is a pain in the ass. I shant go into too much details.

Whats nice that I have experienced so far? The people are (if you would look over the whole tatemae/honne [what they say/what they feel] skepticism) really nice and friendly. All with a bow, and a smile. Even between strangers. The sales services are of no exception. And the high class shops will still wrap your merchandise in beautiful packages that killed a tree. But still, girls, if you like shopping and you have the money, you'd swear you would have died and arrived in shopping heaven. Oh, actually that applies to guys too. Cos Im telling you the guys (found in Otome-sando) are without a doubt, metrosexual. I feel out of place with my gorgeous A&F shirt. Ha... So for beautiful, friendly and nice people, come to Japan!

I do hope I will get down to enjoying school life once all the administrative procedures are done. And I do hope to start putting up pictures too! So stay tuned!

Miss you guys back at home!

First Post in Japan

2008-09-14T11:41:00.002+08:00

Hey peepz!

Am finally here in Japan! Had a very busy first few days settling in and all.

Thank you to Ochi-san and Yoshitaka-san for welcoming me at the airport and making me feel comfortable!

I had to do my alien's foreigners registration and national health insurance.

Am tying to make some conversation with the adminstration staff here, especially with Fukuda-san and Isawa-san. They are very nice people.

I got to rent the bicycles for 4 hours and take cycling tours around the Urayasu City. It has been very scenic and fun thus far! I even cycled around Disney land because its very close to where I live. I dunno I can see their fireworks from where I stay though.

I met Teddy Yong, who is here on a working project in Tokyo where he is a contact engineer. We went to Shinjuku and he was very excited to visit some 'interesting' parts of Kabukicho. Herm. But we just roamed around the place soaking in the sights and sounds. Would love to take a 'deeper' tour in the area. Heh.

All right, I have to go now. I am using the dormitary's internet which has a one hour per day per user limit. So I have to make my entries short.

Here's to my family: I miss all of you very much!!!

Ciao!

Last Post before I Fly

2008-09-09T02:31:00.029+08:00

Hey peepz!

Yet another quick pictorial overview of a week in the life of yours truly. Again in no particular order.

JC classmates, Michelle in Saatchi and Saatchi and Liza in NTUC Corp Comms.

Collin and Ng Lawyer PQ, Mitsu-man Ben, MOF Lady JW, Shooklin and Bok Lawyer Valerie and Citibank sweettalker Mark.

Chemist Alan.

Runli and my sister gave me a present! Pleasantly shocked.

Its a buff! I've decided to call my buff, Polar Bear.

My travel guide, Wilson Loo, who has given me so much guidance and assistance towards this trip.

Ms Wen and a durian feast! Thanks for bringing me there! The durian was great. The company was better!

Wenting! I've always enjoyed our intellectual conversations. She's going to travel Europe all by herself! She's going to have so much fun! Do take care!

Filipino pharmacist and dance-extraordinare, Roman, who wants to go to Rome to do what Romans do.

Rendy, Rendy Rendy! She's going to open her own photo studio. Wait and See.

Again, Mel and PQ, us wallowing in the throes of life and love. Okay. Them, wallowing in the troes of life and love.

Lin Hui was so generous as to lend me his winter coat for my coming winter!

So happy to meet up with Mr. Always Last Minute Then Ask Me Out, Kanghao and Zhuoyan at Coffee Club where we saw the beginning of the lion dance competition at Ngee Ann City.

One half of my favourite two-headed love monster, Jul, at Ikea having meatballs!

Jul painted a photo frame with nail varnish! Simple and sweet. =)

Four generations of JCCI scholars gather around a table to talk about Japan. Junxiang, Olivia and Seowhan (Clockwise)

Paid Jaedo-san a visit at her place!

Met Gracie to fulfill our one year's worth of voluntary service at the library. "support animal.co.uk!"

Met the gang at Dian Xiao Er! Thanks Bingjia for organizing! Thanks Don, Alex and Jon for turning up.

Titus braved the storm to come say bye.

DBoaters, GM, PQ and Keen at NYDC, Heerens.

Met Benson Ang who came back from Australia! Had a great time catching up and intellecutalizing issues.

Lastly, we had our family dinner at Soup Restaurant at Suntec.

The younger generation

The whole family!=)

Our family portrait. Not that I don't cherish my family, just that now that I'm going away for some time, I appreciate them all even more.

This will be my last post before I fly. Will update whenever I have the chance!

Everyone do take care! And see you soon!

HUGZ!

August Update

2008-08-30T14:27:00.021+08:00

Hey peepz! Another pictorial update for the last month!

Toastmasters NUS had a Humour Speech Contest. And I participated! Supposed to give a speech that was supposed to make people laugh till their funny bones pop. Managed to squeeze a few giggles only. =_= Well, good enough for me. Managed a second placing. Well, good enough for me. =)

Met up with some of the RI guys who are slowly coming back from overseas. That's Mark Yong (lawyer), Jason Wong (Army), Chua Cheng Zhan (resident gossip queen/teacher) and Leon Yap (UK-based lawyer).

Met up with the relatives. Thats Linus Chen, a budding film producer, having studied in LA. He's working on one film now now! Haven't seen so much passion and enthUp and coming local artistic and film director! Dun play play! Watch out Jack, beware Roystan, cos Linus is in the house!

Uncle and Auntie

Engineer Lin Hui with his highly secretive if-i-tell-you-i-will-have-to-kill-you-and-then-harikiri-myself job at D*TA and the ever compassionate and cool Ivan who's a nurse.

Janice throw me a surprise with a survival pack for Japan! Its very nice of her to provide me with local delicacies, but actually, I dun have to cook. Cos there will be a cafeteria with cheap food... Maybe I will bring along for my expedition to Fuji-san...

Had some superb dessert at Airens in City Hall. Its vanilla bean ice cream on top of a huge piping hot apple pie with rhubarb.

Caught up with Keen Low who's choosy with his job options, MHA techie GM who seems to have no limit to how big he can grow (horizontally) and of course, a frequently cutie featured in my blog, PQ. =P

Jon, Dr Darren and Darren Pang bought me a stylish lap top bag! Its officially my second trendiest item. After a certain turquoise colored collared shirt and before some A&F tee shirts Dr. Aidan bought for me from the US.

Here's a quiz! Where can you find two pink Sony Vaios?

And chairs with ear pieces?

Why, its the set on Prime Time morning! I went for a CSC learning journy to MediaCorp!
And this has been Prime Time Morning. Thanks for tuning in, This is MC Tan signing off.

Its my last Japanese class at Bunka! Am a little sad. Cos I really like my Japanese classes! あんど先生!

And my classmates! 皆さんお大事に。またね。

Utada Hikaru

2008-08-29T01:10:00.002+08:00

Was chatting with Heng Yap and we got onto the topic of 宇多田ヒカル (Utada Hikaru)。 And we started discussing her songs. So inspired to run a list of my favourite songs from her first three albums! =)

These are the faster tracks that always gets me movin'!

Wait and See

Can You Keep a Secret

Moving on Without You

And these are the slower ones that get me nostalgic.

Final Distance

And prob her most famous song, First Love

Flight Details

2008-08-22T10:57:00.002+08:00

Hey peeps! Here are my flight details and my address in Japan:

10th Sept 2008, Terminal 1, JL 712 to Spore - Narita, Japan ETD 0820, ETA 1615

I will staying in a placed called the JAL Condominium. Its in Chiba, a separate prefecture from Tokyo, where I am studying. Here is the address.

〒279-0013

千葉県浦安市ヒノデ11　日本航空浦安寮　526号室

526 Nihon kouku Urayasu-ryo, 11 Hinode, Urayasu-shi, Chiba-ken, Japan
〒279-0013

Same Side of the Moon

2008-08-17T00:20:00.000+08:00

Same Side of the Moon by Corrine May

I'm looking out the window
Where we sat to watch the stars
There's a chill within the air
It makes my heart long for your touch
You may be miles away
But as I kneel to pray

I see the same side of the moon
That we'll be looking on when the world turns blue
And know that time and space can't come between me and you
We share the same side of the moon
And though you'll never see all the tears shine through
I know I can't be that far from you
If we're both looking on the same side of the moon

I picture you across the ocean
In your corner of the world
I pray the wind will blow my voice
And gently whisper in your ear
Your night may be my day
And though the seasons change

It's still the same side of the moon
That we'll be looking on when the world turns blue
And know that time and space can't come between me and you
We share the same side of the moon
And though you'll never see all the tears shine through
I know I can't be that far from you
If we're both looking on the same side of the moon
I know I can't be that far from you
If we're both looking on the same side of the moon