Only because I was too lazy and anyway nothing's to be made of it. But nonetheless, still kinda bummed. And elated, at the same time.
If this doesn't make any sense to you don't worry, it shouldn't. If it does, then you know tonight's the night.
------------------------------
The PGP-2 students had their convocation today and have all graduated. From tomorrow onwards, most of them would be off to other states, to begin work or visit home.
So their convocation was earlier, then we had a very nice and elaborate dinner party set-up. The only problem: It was all vegetarian.
Incidentally, Prof. Ang Peng Hwa was here in person and we ate dinner together. He's one of the head honchos of this school so he came for the graduation. And he sat with us and made conversation and we had a nice time with other friends coming along and all. No need to walk around and all that. Just sit, eat, laugh and talk.
Nice evenings. Splendid times.
We have dinner with him tomorrow. I am a little hesitant because there are some unresolved issues that linger over our heads and need to be discussed tomorrow. Wish me luck.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Sunday, March 30, 2008
As I Was Saying
I was waiting in my room for the technician to return with a laptop to test the connection, but 30 mins (or so) later I still see no sign and have deduced only that which one would be able to after staying in India. That his promise is null and that he's going to be doing something else.
So I go look for the technician and he's in the computer room and I find him in a state of utter cellphone bliss, multi-tasking on the computer with some flash game.
I knock the glass door and give him a look, the one meant to convey "I-Knew-This-Would-Happen" as succinctly to his addled brain. He sees me, does a double
take and begins that arduous process of Pretend Work.
Pretend Work is a concept in which a skiving employee adopts the dramatic persona of Man Hard At Work. It's a game we play here, someone pretends to be doing work, and you pretend like you don't know they're not actually doing any real work. They haven't been doing any work. Had they been doing anything constructive whatsoever, if they were that connected and resourceful, we wouldn't even need to watch them play Pretend Work, the meeting won't even happen. It's a fun game, one that we often engage in, and we're the catchers.
After that he continues this act and decides to bring me to his manager, whom he makes his assessment to, albeit 40 minutes after promising to return with a laptop, but a good pretend workflow nonetheless, and they converse while Nuria and I stand outside.
I get bored with the shit and then we go for lunch. We return later and the manager says that a technician will be over at 3 pm. It was about 1.25 pm.
I wait patiently in my room, returning for lunch just before 3 to be able to catch the tech as he arrives. I was hoping that they'd call someone from outside to come and fix the situation, but at 3.25 pm I was sorely disappointed. It was the same guy.
He had an IBM ThinkPad with him. He plugs his DSL cable into my room port and begins testing. He sits there trying for a few minutes, decides to try the other port in the room, then goes to Leigh's room to do the same thing. I've already explained to him the entire situation, that the LAN and the wireless were both down, and that there's something wrong with the ENTIRE Silveroak system. I couldn't wrap my head around the amount of trouble it took me to convey to him that simple fact. He spends about 40 minutes doing his testing thing and tells me exactly the same thing.
"The entire network is down."
Really? Oh my gosh, I really wanted it to be just screwing up in my room, you know I love a good dose of Internet deficiency.
"When can you get it fixed by?"
"Eh, today? Today is Sunday, only me, I'm alone."
"Are you sure today it'll be fixed?"
"Maybe tomorrow, tomorrow the others will be here, we come and fix."
This essentially means that we'll be Internet-less for about a week.
-------------------------------
Some things one should note in order to fully enjoy reading this blog (for those of you not obsessively reading my blog thinking that hey maybe Erwin is making fun of me and I should be so totally devasted if he isn't and shall endeavour to spite him to get his attention):
(1) I am actually enjoying myself here.
I know this one is rather tough, I mean come on, you're griping all the time about this and that and India this and lecturers that, and you're -you- are actually saying you're enjoying it?
The simple answer is yes. Yes, I am enjoying myself here, the quiet time, the sheer invincibility of being an exchange student (whole dimension here in itself), the walks, the constant reevaluation of who you are, what defines you, all that. I'm enjoying my experiences, the way I've enjoyed all the things I've done thus far in my life. Not a moment I (really) regret. The travelling, and the constant self-discovery, these are two things I enjoy most here.
(2) I am actually learning a lot here.
Maybe not in terms of actual academia, but in terms of learning more about myself, about the people around me, about human relationships, about my resistance to air-conditioning or heat, about computers, about India (of course), about the people, etc.
And of course I have learnt to believe some of the things my dad believes about India. He works here you see, and in his emails he sometimes says things that might come across to us as unbelievable, but seriously, seriously, some things are pretty messed up.
But I'm learning alot, as I've said.
(3) I write only to gripe. That's mostly why I write. If all I've got to contribute is fluffy little anecdotes about how sweet a place the world is, how amazing this is and how wonderful that place is, you wouldn't be reading my words. Because secretly you know that I'm only griping to get rid of the experience, to put it into words so I don't have to keep it to myself. But I like my experiences, and I'm actually a happy person (if you can just give me a little trust on this that'll be great), beneath the scowling expression and declarations of contempt for that idiotic attention-deficient-give-me-the-love-I-never-had-seeking people, I really am enjoying myself.
But of course, if you're going to fight me on my own words, and claim that I'm as thick-headed and pathetic as the likes of you, well, then obviously you're not a friend and are merely seeking the thrill of being Detested by Me. Which is fine by me either way, because you'll just dream up said disgust and imagine it being projected from me, when in essence I don't even give two fucks (maybe half) about you. Because it's all about me. Really. Who else am I supposed to be thinking, I'm not telepathic nor empathetic (to idiots), just stuck in this one body here.
But enough of that, just a little bored here in the school library. Nuria is reading magazines far to my right, and just behind her Leigh is charging her laptop and chatting with people on MSN. I'm listening to my iTunes, rocking my new cheap (and fading after one wash) Che t-shirt, and wondering why there are flies in here.
Don't know when I'll be able to blog again, so in that time, do whatever it is you do, blog-surfing person who probably didn't read half the things I've just written.
Just a sidenote: The people are graduating tomorrow and the other younger batch has already flown the coup and are going for their internships. We'll be here doing CCC modules with 11 other students. So many fun days ahead.
For those who I can't wait to see back home in Singapore, I'll be returning hopefully on the 15th or 16th of June. If it's not too much trouble, could there be a waiting crowd with banners proclaiming "WELCOME HOME TEAM BUNCH OF CYNICAL BASTARDS (SG)!" That would rock our world.
Later.
So I go look for the technician and he's in the computer room and I find him in a state of utter cellphone bliss, multi-tasking on the computer with some flash game.
I knock the glass door and give him a look, the one meant to convey "I-Knew-This-Would-Happen" as succinctly to his addled brain. He sees me, does a double
take and begins that arduous process of Pretend Work.
Pretend Work is a concept in which a skiving employee adopts the dramatic persona of Man Hard At Work. It's a game we play here, someone pretends to be doing work, and you pretend like you don't know they're not actually doing any real work. They haven't been doing any work. Had they been doing anything constructive whatsoever, if they were that connected and resourceful, we wouldn't even need to watch them play Pretend Work, the meeting won't even happen. It's a fun game, one that we often engage in, and we're the catchers.
After that he continues this act and decides to bring me to his manager, whom he makes his assessment to, albeit 40 minutes after promising to return with a laptop, but a good pretend workflow nonetheless, and they converse while Nuria and I stand outside.
I get bored with the shit and then we go for lunch. We return later and the manager says that a technician will be over at 3 pm. It was about 1.25 pm.
I wait patiently in my room, returning for lunch just before 3 to be able to catch the tech as he arrives. I was hoping that they'd call someone from outside to come and fix the situation, but at 3.25 pm I was sorely disappointed. It was the same guy.
He had an IBM ThinkPad with him. He plugs his DSL cable into my room port and begins testing. He sits there trying for a few minutes, decides to try the other port in the room, then goes to Leigh's room to do the same thing. I've already explained to him the entire situation, that the LAN and the wireless were both down, and that there's something wrong with the ENTIRE Silveroak system. I couldn't wrap my head around the amount of trouble it took me to convey to him that simple fact. He spends about 40 minutes doing his testing thing and tells me exactly the same thing.
"The entire network is down."
Really? Oh my gosh, I really wanted it to be just screwing up in my room, you know I love a good dose of Internet deficiency.
"When can you get it fixed by?"
"Eh, today? Today is Sunday, only me, I'm alone."
"Are you sure today it'll be fixed?"
"Maybe tomorrow, tomorrow the others will be here, we come and fix."
This essentially means that we'll be Internet-less for about a week.
-------------------------------
Some things one should note in order to fully enjoy reading this blog (for those of you not obsessively reading my blog thinking that hey maybe Erwin is making fun of me and I should be so totally devasted if he isn't and shall endeavour to spite him to get his attention):
(1) I am actually enjoying myself here.
I know this one is rather tough, I mean come on, you're griping all the time about this and that and India this and lecturers that, and you're -you- are actually saying you're enjoying it?
The simple answer is yes. Yes, I am enjoying myself here, the quiet time, the sheer invincibility of being an exchange student (whole dimension here in itself), the walks, the constant reevaluation of who you are, what defines you, all that. I'm enjoying my experiences, the way I've enjoyed all the things I've done thus far in my life. Not a moment I (really) regret. The travelling, and the constant self-discovery, these are two things I enjoy most here.
(2) I am actually learning a lot here.
Maybe not in terms of actual academia, but in terms of learning more about myself, about the people around me, about human relationships, about my resistance to air-conditioning or heat, about computers, about India (of course), about the people, etc.
And of course I have learnt to believe some of the things my dad believes about India. He works here you see, and in his emails he sometimes says things that might come across to us as unbelievable, but seriously, seriously, some things are pretty messed up.
But I'm learning alot, as I've said.
(3) I write only to gripe. That's mostly why I write. If all I've got to contribute is fluffy little anecdotes about how sweet a place the world is, how amazing this is and how wonderful that place is, you wouldn't be reading my words. Because secretly you know that I'm only griping to get rid of the experience, to put it into words so I don't have to keep it to myself. But I like my experiences, and I'm actually a happy person (if you can just give me a little trust on this that'll be great), beneath the scowling expression and declarations of contempt for that idiotic attention-deficient-give-me-the-love-I-never-had-seeking people, I really am enjoying myself.
But of course, if you're going to fight me on my own words, and claim that I'm as thick-headed and pathetic as the likes of you, well, then obviously you're not a friend and are merely seeking the thrill of being Detested by Me. Which is fine by me either way, because you'll just dream up said disgust and imagine it being projected from me, when in essence I don't even give two fucks (maybe half) about you. Because it's all about me. Really. Who else am I supposed to be thinking, I'm not telepathic nor empathetic (to idiots), just stuck in this one body here.
But enough of that, just a little bored here in the school library. Nuria is reading magazines far to my right, and just behind her Leigh is charging her laptop and chatting with people on MSN. I'm listening to my iTunes, rocking my new cheap (and fading after one wash) Che t-shirt, and wondering why there are flies in here.
Don't know when I'll be able to blog again, so in that time, do whatever it is you do, blog-surfing person who probably didn't read half the things I've just written.
Just a sidenote: The people are graduating tomorrow and the other younger batch has already flown the coup and are going for their internships. We'll be here doing CCC modules with 11 other students. So many fun days ahead.
For those who I can't wait to see back home in Singapore, I'll be returning hopefully on the 15th or 16th of June. If it's not too much trouble, could there be a waiting crowd with banners proclaiming "WELCOME HOME TEAM BUNCH OF CYNICAL BASTARDS (SG)!" That would rock our world.
Later.
INTERNET IS DOWN.
Blogging from the cafe, where the rest of the school's Internet is working. Only Silveroak is down. Sought help from technicians who didn't know what to do, then sought to insult my intelligence by telling me... ah crap. Got to go.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Friday, March 28, 2008
Moleskine Friday: Art & Goa
The Goa Section
Kissed Fingers, a poem written on one of the beaches.
The earlier mentioned sketch of Nuria and Kash. The Kash one isn't so accurate. I like the Nuria one.
Kah Shin
Nuria
This is a sketch of the new couple's hands. One was attempting to massage the other's.
This is the note I wrote on the side of it.
The page on the other side reads: A page dedicated to Loneliness, thank you.
This is the "Let It Be" by The Beatles page. It was made by Nuria, as the song was the theme for most of our evenings there. And other moments of humour we had on the new couple's expense.
This is an instruction page on how to kill oneself after witnessing disgustingly sweet public displays of affection.
This is Nuria's humour.
This is my Warped Face Nuria drawn on one of the beaches when we were bored waiting for Kash to return from wandering around and Berleigh to come in back from the sea.
If you can't tell, it's coconut water, lime soda and pencil case (left to right).
We did a lot of sketching in Goa, see Nuria's blog.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Another One Bites the Dust
Nuria and I just returned to our rooms after seeing Bertie off just outside Silveroak.
Leigh went with him and the MICA driver to the International airport. She'll be back around 0500 hours. Nuria and I spoke to Mario for a bit after seeing Bertie off, then we went on talking outside my room.
Another friend has left the coop. Soon, all the students will convocate and leave the school and we'll be all that's left on campus (besides the RCM and CCC students).
Tomorrow is another day of "Copywriting". Class is a farce, and in the emails our liaison seems to be accusing us of skipping class. This is, as Cartman would say, bullcrap.
But that's not the topic at hand. The topic is the leaving of another friend. Oh, by the way Romain, if you're reading this, I'm damn lazy to write emails, so I'll just say that you're missed here in India, and that yes, I've gotten your emails. Although Leigh seems to have be left out. I've added you on MSN, but I don't go there too often these days.
Well then, recommended listing for farewells
1. My Sundown by Jimmy Eat World
2. Make This Go On Forever by Snow Patrol
Ah I feel so sad for Leigh.
Leigh went with him and the MICA driver to the International airport. She'll be back around 0500 hours. Nuria and I spoke to Mario for a bit after seeing Bertie off, then we went on talking outside my room.
Another friend has left the coop. Soon, all the students will convocate and leave the school and we'll be all that's left on campus (besides the RCM and CCC students).
Tomorrow is another day of "Copywriting". Class is a farce, and in the emails our liaison seems to be accusing us of skipping class. This is, as Cartman would say, bullcrap.
But that's not the topic at hand. The topic is the leaving of another friend. Oh, by the way Romain, if you're reading this, I'm damn lazy to write emails, so I'll just say that you're missed here in India, and that yes, I've gotten your emails. Although Leigh seems to have be left out. I've added you on MSN, but I don't go there too often these days.
Well then, recommended listing for farewells
1. My Sundown by Jimmy Eat World
2. Make This Go On Forever by Snow Patrol
Ah I feel so sad for Leigh.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Gone to Goa And Back.
Good Evening Boys and Girls,
It's your favourite Goscip Guy here to bring you the latest dirt on the latest happenings here in the city of Ahmedabad, where everything sleeps because everyone's bored out of their minds. And what news I have for you goscip fans. The latest in downtown MICAn couture fused with the headiness of the excitement of having gone to Goa! What am I going on about? Read on dear readers, read on and weep, because the Loveliest Thing went on The Holiday and has now been snapped up! Who's the lucky guy? Well, that's a secret I'm about to tell...
This is one of the beaches of Goa, India.
This is Bertrand (Bertie).
This is Leigh.
This is a red suitcase of Leigh's luggage. Those are happy people in the background. Like H-A-P-P-Y.
Oh lookee here! It's actually Leigh Khoo, I didn't know we were staying in the same hotel here in Goa!
Wow, this is a nice hotel eh?
Check out the Strawberry Fields Forever motif on their beds.
Nuria and I are thrilled. Yes, we really are. Like cereally.
What's this? Yes, this is the Supreme Plan For Singapore To Dominate The World: One Frenchman At A Time!
I give you, the emergence of the Berleigh.
I have tons more of delightfully sweet photographs of the newly-paired sweethearts, but cereally, I don't think I can take anymore after being exposed to all those happy-berleigh rays, it was a little too much happy in the air.
So anyway, Leigh and Bertie returned today and I got the go-ahead (okay, I just said I was going to break the news) to put up the photos. Nuria and I have been a little too smug for the past 2 days smiling constantly to ourselves with the knowledge of the strengthening of the France-Singapore alliance, and what it would do to certain parts of the local population. I apologise if you might not understand some of the lingo in this post, I'm writing with plenty of South Park in-jokes, Kah Shin, Nuria and I spent plenty of days watching South Part episodes at night in our hotel rooms.
A few more for the road. These are the other things that were happening in Goa.
Nuria spent most of our meals engrossed with my larger black sketchbook, drawing everything that came into her line of sight. Here she is practicing her now-perfect Fake Smile whilst reading some message I've written in my smaller notebook.
Probably "Gladly gotten greedy groping in Goa", atop a sketch of Kah Shin writing in her notebook and beside a page with a sketch of Nuria herself.
Unit 0.5 of Berleigh.
View from the restaurant. This should be on Colva beach.
One of the many times Nuria went nuts in Goa, often proclaiming how she wants to go home to Singapore. But seriously, we did enjoy some of our trip there. We have all come to the consensus that there was something seriously off about Goa. And it's not the Berleigh, nor the lack of proper roads, it's just something was off.
Maybe the fact that we had to return to MICA.
This is one of the shops at the Anjuna Flea Market. It was pretty cool albeit filled with ang mohs, and completely overpriced, but there were some nice treasures here and there.
That's all I have for you now.
Okay, how about one more for the road?
OMG. The Sweetness. The Sweetness.
XOXO,
Goscip Guy
Probably "Gladly gotten greedy groping in Goa", atop a sketch of Kah Shin writing in her notebook and beside a page with a sketch of Nuria herself.
Unit 0.5 of Berleigh.
View from the restaurant. This should be on Colva beach.
One of the many times Nuria went nuts in Goa, often proclaiming how she wants to go home to Singapore. But seriously, we did enjoy some of our trip there. We have all come to the consensus that there was something seriously off about Goa. And it's not the Berleigh, nor the lack of proper roads, it's just something was off.
Maybe the fact that we had to return to MICA.
This is one of the shops at the Anjuna Flea Market. It was pretty cool albeit filled with ang mohs, and completely overpriced, but there were some nice treasures here and there.
That's all I have for you now.
Okay, how about one more for the road?
OMG. The Sweetness. The Sweetness.
XOXO,
Goscip Guy
Sunday, March 23, 2008
The Frenchies Have Departed
I actually managed to complete a 45-minute short film detailing some of the things that we get up to here in MICA. As it is 3 gig in size, I don't think I'll be able to upload it onto YouTube. For anyone even remotely interested in what we've been getting up to here in MICA, I guess unless I decide to export it as a smaller version you'll have to wait till I get back to Singapore to witness the horror that is HandyCam shooting.
Track Listing for this entry:
1. Goodbye by The Coral
2. Where'd You Go by Fort Minor
And I'm back in Ahmedabad, suffering from some kind of throat infection and heat-stroke or somewhat.
The 24-hour bus ride was survivable, only in the middle did I have an odd panic attack and ate my dwindling number of motion sickness pills. I'm down now to 3. We slept/tried to sleep most of the way, and in the end we managed to overcome the bitter cold of the air-conditioned bus at night, the frequent stops along the way to pick people up, the bastard coughing his infection behind us, the horrid horrid Hindi comedy that lasted 3 hours and wasn't in the least bit funny to the two of us (although in my dream-state I think I caught Nuria laughing once), but the rest of the bus was laughing with fervor. The entire thing was a mish-mash of copied scenes from Hollywood films, there was one from Johnny English, and the entire plot seems to be lifted from Rat Race.
But we survived, and got back here, to a dusty room, A/Cs with lizards camping within and hot showers. YES! Hot showers, but not so nice unless you're in Goa with no hot showers and cold weather.
Reminders to self:
1. Rs. 74 to the Dhoby Man
2. Rs. 25 from Nuria
3. Pay MICAfe
I returned to my room with a pleasant surprise under my door - a farewell letter from Romain. This was nice in itself, and an entirely tragic thing, because as the others have probably already mentioned, us Singaporeans and the Frenchies have managed to bond over several things here in MICA. There are so many things I'll miss doing with the Frenchies, and I hope, hope, hope that the movie "Go To Goa" captured enough of our lives here in MICA for the memories to be relived and savoured.
Bye bye Romain, je ne sais pas sure when we'll meet again, but thank you so very much for being just the way you are and being there for us here in MICA. We wouldn't have survived this far without you. And your cynical humour.
Bye bye Marine, I will miss your laughter most of all, and all the times we've managed to have "face-to-face" "group discussions". And also watching you and Leigh gossip on the Silveroak staircase.
Bye bye Bertrand, but of course you'll be headed to Singapore and probably the one I'll most likely meet again sometime this year. And also I'll be seeing you in about 2 days, so we'll save the goodbye for then.
Bye bye Melanie, you will be missed and although it was a shame we didn't get to speak more, I will miss your presence as you catch me walking half-naked to the washroom and subsequent wolf-whistles.
Thanks for all the times spent at MICAfe, Chhorta or the mess, thanks for all the conversations and the material for "Go To Goa", it was a pleasure working with you guys, it was an honour to have made your acquaintance, and to be able to call you guys friends.
Adieu, adieu.
Friday, March 21, 2008
Happy People Make Me Sick (I'm in Goa looking at Old Ang Mohs Melting In the Sun)
It's another Internet Cafe, in another part of India, and I'm already bored with the beach and shopping. Only because the I've been lying on the beach for more than 5 days now, and shopping on streets in which one has to constantly watch one's toes and back and wallet and bag is just not my cup of tea. All the horning, all the almost-knocking you down vehicles, all the dust and dirt that wafts up as they pass, the hello-konichiwa-where-you-from-China/Korea/Japan? Where from? Where from? Hello, look-see-no-charge.
I liked yesterday the most though. We spent most of the morning (Kah Shin, Nuria and I) wandering around the place looking for a nice breakfast spot. After a while, we just decided to head to Baga Beach for brunch.
We ended up spending most of the day at SWALLY'S. It's a quiet beach shack (just one of many, many, many beach shacks in this place) and we had lunch there. We sat on the deckchairs after that and each one of us had a massage. The lady who gave us the massage was EXCELLENT. This was the first massage that Nuria and I (normally massage-hating people) actually enjoyed. Maybe it's cause we're on holiday, maybe because it was Rs. 400 (approximately $16) for an hour.
Then Leigh and Bertie joined us. Bertie is the only French guy who came with us this time. Marine is off travelling the rest of India with her Father, and our favourite friend Romain is now safely back in France, where he should no longer be feeling depressed. Nor cynical (you hear me!?).
At night we all had dinner at TITO'S, which is supposedly one of India's best clubs/bar/restaurant. I have to agree with the food being great, I wouldn't know about the clubs though (it owns another one down the same road called MAMBO - it's something like a Zouk-Phuture kinda thing) cause we're all not clubbers (or they aren't, maybe me and Bertie). But the food was the best I've had since coming to Goa, because I didn't bother experimenting and face the subsequent disappointment, but went straight for the STEAK. Which came with MASHED POTATOES, which I've been hoping to have for the longest time here but haven't been able to find.
It's also been like a CALAMARI-experiment here, Nuria and I just keep eating calamari at most of the restaurants we sit at. It's like a strange thing I have to do while on holiday. I did it once in Thailand with the Spaghetti Bolognese, going from place to place eating the same dish.
After we had coffee at BARISTA'S. It's their version of Coffee Bean (a less successful Starbucks, the Starbucks equivalent in India is Cafe Coffee Day). Then it was back to the hotel rooms for all of us.
This morning we had breakfast then bid goodbye to Kash. She's taking a flight back to Ahmedabad in order to celebrate Holi with the MICAns. We had breakfast at a German Bakery. I don't know the fascination with German Bakeries, but I can tell you that none of them are German in anyway nor very nice.
There's something strange about the HASH BROWNS in this country as well, all of them are cooked in a similar fashion to Sweet-and-Sour pork. And they're neither sweet nor very sour. Just salty. And tangy.
And then Kash left. And Leigh and Bertie left for the city to buy furniture, Nuria went to walk on her own, and after walking the entire place several times, I find myself heading back to the hotel, to NUA. But not before checking my email and wondering what to do about the homework I'm supposed to hand in.
Nuria and I will be leaving here tomorrow morning, taking a 24-hour bus-ride back to Ahmedabad. Bertie and Leigh will be taking a flight back 2 days later.
We've seen PALOLEM, COLVA, ANJUNA and now BAGA. I'm going back to my room now to play with the PSP and read a book. And a long long long dump. If you need to contact me, wait till I'm back in Ahmedabad, the phones don't work so well here.
p.s. I have lots of photos.
I liked yesterday the most though. We spent most of the morning (Kah Shin, Nuria and I) wandering around the place looking for a nice breakfast spot. After a while, we just decided to head to Baga Beach for brunch.
We ended up spending most of the day at SWALLY'S. It's a quiet beach shack (just one of many, many, many beach shacks in this place) and we had lunch there. We sat on the deckchairs after that and each one of us had a massage. The lady who gave us the massage was EXCELLENT. This was the first massage that Nuria and I (normally massage-hating people) actually enjoyed. Maybe it's cause we're on holiday, maybe because it was Rs. 400 (approximately $16) for an hour.
Then Leigh and Bertie joined us. Bertie is the only French guy who came with us this time. Marine is off travelling the rest of India with her Father, and our favourite friend Romain is now safely back in France, where he should no longer be feeling depressed. Nor cynical (you hear me!?).
At night we all had dinner at TITO'S, which is supposedly one of India's best clubs/bar/restaurant. I have to agree with the food being great, I wouldn't know about the clubs though (it owns another one down the same road called MAMBO - it's something like a Zouk-Phuture kinda thing) cause we're all not clubbers (or they aren't, maybe me and Bertie). But the food was the best I've had since coming to Goa, because I didn't bother experimenting and face the subsequent disappointment, but went straight for the STEAK. Which came with MASHED POTATOES, which I've been hoping to have for the longest time here but haven't been able to find.
It's also been like a CALAMARI-experiment here, Nuria and I just keep eating calamari at most of the restaurants we sit at. It's like a strange thing I have to do while on holiday. I did it once in Thailand with the Spaghetti Bolognese, going from place to place eating the same dish.
After we had coffee at BARISTA'S. It's their version of Coffee Bean (a less successful Starbucks, the Starbucks equivalent in India is Cafe Coffee Day). Then it was back to the hotel rooms for all of us.
This morning we had breakfast then bid goodbye to Kash. She's taking a flight back to Ahmedabad in order to celebrate Holi with the MICAns. We had breakfast at a German Bakery. I don't know the fascination with German Bakeries, but I can tell you that none of them are German in anyway nor very nice.
There's something strange about the HASH BROWNS in this country as well, all of them are cooked in a similar fashion to Sweet-and-Sour pork. And they're neither sweet nor very sour. Just salty. And tangy.
And then Kash left. And Leigh and Bertie left for the city to buy furniture, Nuria went to walk on her own, and after walking the entire place several times, I find myself heading back to the hotel, to NUA. But not before checking my email and wondering what to do about the homework I'm supposed to hand in.
Nuria and I will be leaving here tomorrow morning, taking a 24-hour bus-ride back to Ahmedabad. Bertie and Leigh will be taking a flight back 2 days later.
We've seen PALOLEM, COLVA, ANJUNA and now BAGA. I'm going back to my room now to play with the PSP and read a book. And a long long long dump. If you need to contact me, wait till I'm back in Ahmedabad, the phones don't work so well here.
p.s. I have lots of photos.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Guest blogger: Bertrand Autin
haha,
here we are....Mican's of course, the greatest race in the world..I mean the greatest boring one, what else could it be?
Being a Mican for life is supposed to bring us everything that we need in life when we are in bad mood...And that is the case!!Mica makes you stronger, you become a Spartan of the 21st century. You face the time, the food, the monkeys, the mi-animal, mi human creature. You become so strong that nothing in the world could be worst!!!! If you feel bad , just think that you experienced the worst and nothing else can happen.
Hopefully, this provided us some good points, such as...euh....let me think....dammit....I still can't find....Ahhhaahhha it s horrible I think too much!!!!.......I got it I got it=> Go to Goa!!! Was the key learning of the cynical bastards that we are, and finally we're going!!!!!
What the hell are you doing here???? I don't know will say my ex buddy jumper......So.....So.....So.....So.....I mean.....It's not like that....I disagree....(unfortunately you can understand that I can't do the typical movements related to those sentences, I m sure you'll forgive me)
Whatever, I don't have so much to say after 6 months...In fact I think I became a boring person...Let me finish by this definition: MICA, Master In Cynical Art.
Berty, the chicken cheese Frenchy
here we are....Mican's of course, the greatest race in the world..I mean the greatest boring one, what else could it be?
Being a Mican for life is supposed to bring us everything that we need in life when we are in bad mood...And that is the case!!Mica makes you stronger, you become a Spartan of the 21st century. You face the time, the food, the monkeys, the mi-animal, mi human creature. You become so strong that nothing in the world could be worst!!!! If you feel bad , just think that you experienced the worst and nothing else can happen.
Hopefully, this provided us some good points, such as...euh....let me think....dammit....I still can't find....Ahhhaahhha it s horrible I think too much!!!!.......I got it I got it=> Go to Goa!!! Was the key learning of the cynical bastards that we are, and finally we're going!!!!!
What the hell are you doing here???? I don't know will say my ex buddy jumper......So.....So.....So.....So.....I mean.....It's not like that....I disagree....(unfortunately you can understand that I can't do the typical movements related to those sentences, I m sure you'll forgive me)
Whatever, I don't have so much to say after 6 months...In fact I think I became a boring person...Let me finish by this definition: MICA, Master In Cynical Art.
Berty, the chicken cheese Frenchy
Guest Blogger: Romain des Courieres
Hi you lucky fools !
At least you are not spending your lifetime sipping "eck chai" and attending non-sense classes and spending your lifetime to solve some stupid problems in the administration ("ooook oook, one minute, take a sit").
Anyway... "I'm telling you", India is a nice country - except for the pollution / crowd / noise / beggars - but hey still, come to visit us and you'll see the most amazing marble temples, the most luxuriant gardens, the most colorful garments, the most beautiful smiles on children's faces...
"Serrrriously", India is a country full of contrast. Ugly / beautiful, clever but somehow stupid... 6 months are not enough to discover it, tha'ts for sure.
But the part I'll miss the most is when we hung around with our Singap' crew, SYP (small yellow people... pleaaaase pleaaase don't be upset), laughing about MICA but also having serious discussions.
"Ooook oook", tonight was maybe the last night we spent together. Aaah, so sad. I won't enjoy last holidays with them because I don't "GO TO GOA"
This is not an Adieu... it's a Goodbye. Cheers guys.
Romain
At least you are not spending your lifetime sipping "eck chai" and attending non-sense classes and spending your lifetime to solve some stupid problems in the administration ("ooook oook, one minute, take a sit").
Anyway... "I'm telling you", India is a nice country - except for the pollution / crowd / noise / beggars - but hey still, come to visit us and you'll see the most amazing marble temples, the most luxuriant gardens, the most colorful garments, the most beautiful smiles on children's faces...
"Serrrriously", India is a country full of contrast. Ugly / beautiful, clever but somehow stupid... 6 months are not enough to discover it, tha'ts for sure.
But the part I'll miss the most is when we hung around with our Singap' crew, SYP (small yellow people... pleaaaase pleaaase don't be upset), laughing about MICA but also having serious discussions.
"Ooook oook", tonight was maybe the last night we spent together. Aaah, so sad. I won't enjoy last holidays with them because I don't "GO TO GOA"
This is not an Adieu... it's a Goodbye. Cheers guys.
Romain
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Maybe If I Tossed My Hands Up
I could somehow, win. Not these paltry victories of silence, but an overtly, celebratorable win. Like hadee-ha-ha kind of triumph, I know the intention isn't all that pure, but I'd like to think it's noble enough for the truth I am attempting to commit.
Monday, March 10, 2008
The Edicts of Emperor Nah of the Singapoori Empire
I'm sitting in a class now where a very intelligent man is rambling on about Indian Cinema. He is not boring mind you, I'm just not paying attention because I'm oddly spaced out. I had to traverse the hot landscape today looking for a DVD, then I had to go look for a computer that can play the DVD, then I spent about 2 hours plus stoning in my room with my PSP because I couldn't do any work whatsoever (lack of equipment to do the work).
Here's an update of the last few days:
Two days ago, I had a CCC class with one of India's eminent design consultants with the National Institute of Design (India). He discovered that we're from Singapore and directed questions at us. At one point he asked me why I came to India and I didn't know what to say. After that he asked me something regarding the strength of Singapore or something and I was kind of lost, because Singapore (rocks and has so many things that are wonderful) just has so many things.
And the guy went into this whole barrage of sentences beginning with "The Power of India is..." and this ended (torturously) only after 2 minutes. During this time, I had to look him in the eye and pretend like I was interested only because I'm Chinese and the issue of mian zi is essential to our functioning.
After this I was cued in to the horror that lay ahead, but couldn't escape the lesson. He continued the second session of the day with something even worse. It started off as a PowerPoint presentation that seemed to want to discuss graphic design, but eventually devolved into something somewhat strange and absolutely irksome.
I have complained before about the occasional individual I meet here who is self-obsessed and nationalistic. This took an entirely new level with this lecturer (he was nice enough to want to end the class early for us to leave for a dinner appointment, but nonetheless), as he displayed a slide of two photos, one had leaves hanging on the doorframe, and the other I can't recall, but it says on the side of one of the photos: Agents of Communication.
He then carries on to say how Indians are very adaptable people, and how their beliefs, culture, and everything in-between will enable them to take over the world. Like dominate. As in to emerge-on-top-because-intrinsically-they-are-better. I have chosen "they" because that's what he meant, and I can't perceive in anyway to state otherwise.
And he said that he made this comment at a conference somewhere and a foreigner deigned it essential to correct him. He then said to him/her that he only needs a month to fully convince him/her.
And another: "We are so diverse, with so many states and languages, which means that if you design a communication here, and it reaches out to such a diverse group of cultures, then it will work for the rest of the world."
Oh yeah sure what cause the entire world is the same and even if you don't leave the country you can know exactly what is going on somewhere else through a "PPT" (as they refer to it here). We don't need to travel to understand someone else viewpoint, we just have to watch movies and read books to know about the people and situation elsewhere. As if everything is so clearcut divisable and determinable.
His criteria for WORLD DOMINATION by the people of India (besides the inherent goodness within the Indian -loosely used here- culture, beliefs and attitudes)?
"We have solved all our problems."
This is the exact statement he made, but of course goes on to refute by saying a few sentences later, that the education system is messed up cause people study things that they'll not use in life later. But they've solved all their problems. Okay, if this is solving communal riots, an inherent desperation for sex that leads to different cases of rape, an even worse legal system in whom the people have absolutely no faith in, a wealth divide that is so great that pervasive that no state in this subcontinent has been able to manage it, etc, etc.
If this is the criteria for WORLD DOMINATION, I am proud to inform the citizens of Singapore that we will soon become the Supreme Leaders of The New World Order. Why, you ask? Because we, like this lecturer's warped view of India, have come closest to eradicating all our problems. Never you mind that we're not even close to being a fraction of the size of India, never mind the fact that we've got a population the size of a tiny town here in India, never mind the fact that we've got no natural resources, no, think only of the worth of our entire nation, the fact that we've boast a low crime rate, we're the fourth largest foreign exchange in the world after New York, London and Tokyo, we have a (relatively) highly educated population, we have a transparent, clean and just government, our economy is booming, we've SORTED OUT ALL OUR PROBLEMS!
WE CAN DOMINATE THE WORLD NOW! WOOT!
Here's an update of the last few days:
Two days ago, I had a CCC class with one of India's eminent design consultants with the National Institute of Design (India). He discovered that we're from Singapore and directed questions at us. At one point he asked me why I came to India and I didn't know what to say. After that he asked me something regarding the strength of Singapore or something and I was kind of lost, because Singapore (rocks and has so many things that are wonderful) just has so many things.
And the guy went into this whole barrage of sentences beginning with "The Power of India is..." and this ended (torturously) only after 2 minutes. During this time, I had to look him in the eye and pretend like I was interested only because I'm Chinese and the issue of mian zi is essential to our functioning.
After this I was cued in to the horror that lay ahead, but couldn't escape the lesson. He continued the second session of the day with something even worse. It started off as a PowerPoint presentation that seemed to want to discuss graphic design, but eventually devolved into something somewhat strange and absolutely irksome.
I have complained before about the occasional individual I meet here who is self-obsessed and nationalistic. This took an entirely new level with this lecturer (he was nice enough to want to end the class early for us to leave for a dinner appointment, but nonetheless), as he displayed a slide of two photos, one had leaves hanging on the doorframe, and the other I can't recall, but it says on the side of one of the photos: Agents of Communication.
He then carries on to say how Indians are very adaptable people, and how their beliefs, culture, and everything in-between will enable them to take over the world. Like dominate. As in to emerge-on-top-because-intrinsically-they-are-better. I have chosen "they" because that's what he meant, and I can't perceive in anyway to state otherwise.
And he said that he made this comment at a conference somewhere and a foreigner deigned it essential to correct him. He then said to him/her that he only needs a month to fully convince him/her.
And another: "We are so diverse, with so many states and languages, which means that if you design a communication here, and it reaches out to such a diverse group of cultures, then it will work for the rest of the world."
Oh yeah sure what cause the entire world is the same and even if you don't leave the country you can know exactly what is going on somewhere else through a "PPT" (as they refer to it here). We don't need to travel to understand someone else viewpoint, we just have to watch movies and read books to know about the people and situation elsewhere. As if everything is so clearcut divisable and determinable.
His criteria for WORLD DOMINATION by the people of India (besides the inherent goodness within the Indian -loosely used here- culture, beliefs and attitudes)?
"We have solved all our problems."
This is the exact statement he made, but of course goes on to refute by saying a few sentences later, that the education system is messed up cause people study things that they'll not use in life later. But they've solved all their problems. Okay, if this is solving communal riots, an inherent desperation for sex that leads to different cases of rape, an even worse legal system in whom the people have absolutely no faith in, a wealth divide that is so great that pervasive that no state in this subcontinent has been able to manage it, etc, etc.
If this is the criteria for WORLD DOMINATION, I am proud to inform the citizens of Singapore that we will soon become the Supreme Leaders of The New World Order. Why, you ask? Because we, like this lecturer's warped view of India, have come closest to eradicating all our problems. Never you mind that we're not even close to being a fraction of the size of India, never mind the fact that we've got a population the size of a tiny town here in India, never mind the fact that we've got no natural resources, no, think only of the worth of our entire nation, the fact that we've boast a low crime rate, we're the fourth largest foreign exchange in the world after New York, London and Tokyo, we have a (relatively) highly educated population, we have a transparent, clean and just government, our economy is booming, we've SORTED OUT ALL OUR PROBLEMS!
WE CAN DOMINATE THE WORLD NOW! WOOT!
Friday, March 7, 2008
Conceptual Art From Class
I made this wallpaper for MacBooks, inspiration is from a conversation I was having with Jessie earlier this morning, and is a result of both of us missing the suites. It's not intended only for people on exchange, mind you, but for whomever wants it to meant something to them. If someone is running up to you to tell you that I made this to spite someone, or hurt someone or leave countless dead in the wake of my design genius, I would humbly request that you deny them their manipulative strategies and say you want to have it as your wallpaper too. That would show them you're not a mindless toy with no real independent thought now would it? And of course now someone will think that I'm writing this with the intention of hurting someone, and there's no defence against such stupidity is there? And as such, if you think so, then let me only say at this point in time that no such silliness is embedded here and it is only meant to bring about love and peace and joy. I'm not being sarcastic, I know you think I'm incapable of thinking such nice pure happy thoughts, but then again, only friends would be able to know such things.
As much money as humanly possible should be made within the shortest amount of time, and barring any weird Acts of God, traverse the entirety of this planet and see what the hype is all about. And be happy, some of that too, of course.
Happiness comes in a 5kg package from Singapore, packed to the brim with all kinds of stuff. Thanks to lovely family (aunts and all included of course). And Dad, I'm sorry I haven't picked up your calls, got too used to not carrying my phone with me.
I discovered in conversation also that there are rumours about me in school being a twat (in a variety of capacities, none flattering of course, but differ only in terms of crimes), and it seems that most of the people actually in the know about such rumours have never spoken to me before. Like ever. Which makes it even more fascinating to me, because it sheds light on an entirely new level of ignorance. And I shall endeavour to make only the effort I've carried on thus far, of merely talking to one person at a time. I can't win the world, and you can't win me over.
Like all things, the getting of things to work here is quite an impossibility. I apologise sincerely for the griping, but it's late and I get cranky when I have been doing work and not playing Jeanne D'Arc on my PSP (courtesy of Joan dearest).
goodnight for now. I bid goodnight to my dearest love, as she lays in the arms of another, and I tell myself nice lies to make a once-love work for my dreams again in a sequence of endless wishful nights.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
NURI IS SCARING ME aka Everyone Is Out To Impress
Once upon a time, I would write angsty poems about my pain, and how I'm suffering in this shell of mortality, how the world is absolutely unfair to my existence, how someone is this and that, and how I'm not, I would pine for a girl whom I've yet to know, worry myself to death about what this person thinks or what they do not think about me, and get all "dark and twisty" inside over silly things that don't matter. See my old blog entries.
And I'm not here to tell you how I've come so far (together, our common destiny) from that and learnt that the great truth about it all is that it boils down to pretending. In life, one either pretends to be something, or one discovers others who feel comfortable enough not to pretend with. That is all. Everything else is just fluff. Made up to make that person feel intrinsically unique and provide a sense of a valued existence.
Which means absolutely nothing when you think about it. No, seriously read this line again. It doesn't mean what it usually does. It means nothing.
And I'm not here to tell you how I've come so far (together, our common destiny) from that and learnt that the great truth about it all is that it boils down to pretending. In life, one either pretends to be something, or one discovers others who feel comfortable enough not to pretend with. That is all. Everything else is just fluff. Made up to make that person feel intrinsically unique and provide a sense of a valued existence.
Which means absolutely nothing when you think about it. No, seriously read this line again. It doesn't mean what it usually does. It means nothing.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
We've Been Colonised By the French
We're seated in a row from left to right: Romain, Me, Leigh and Nuria. The other Frenchies aren't here, and Kash is seated in a different row. So the teach is wondering why everyone doesn't seem to know the names of the Indian films he's throwing out, and he says, looking straight in our direction "I can forgive the French if they don't know these films, but..." And I wonder if Singapore's become a colony of France.
Chinese Hegemony Accusations and I'm-Too-Cool-For-This-Shit
Being here in India, I've actually discovered many things about myself, and I shall share them with you right now. This will be as honest a post as I can make it without offending nor being entirely objective (for the sake of learning one must understand another's experience).
I wake up in the morning/afternoon, wake Leigh up (or am awoken by her), knock on Nuria's door, and we all head to breakfast before class. We will consider knocking on Kah Shin's door at the staircase, but someone will provide the information that she's not in her room.
We then head to the Mess where I grunt some form of acknowledgment to any CCC guys who might be there. The Frenchies have different classes most days. Or we will meet them in the mess and we'll sit at my favourite long table (in my favoured chair) and have our breakfast.
We (as a bunch) will then walk to class with whomever may have joined our table. We have conversations with the CCC people as they come and go from the table. We rarely seek them out for anything during the day, unless someone has borrowed a hard-disk or if someone needs help with something. Chances are we're holed up in our rooms doing our work.
We know a few people here and there from the PGP course. Some we've met from classes, some we've met along the way. We do not seek them out either. We make acquaintances when they happen and we treasure these meetings. The next time we see them, we do small things like make conversation, give chocolate biscuits or have tea.
I know several students here. I do not know them well, but I recognise them and they recognise me. I am not a very outgoing person who will seek out people for company and make small talk. I find it exceptionally dreary to speak to someone out of necessity and desire for company, especially if I find that person incompatible with my personality. I am naturally suspicious of people, because I have been proven right about people on several occasions and when I've chosen to ignore my instincts, I get proven right later on.
This is how I function. I will make conversation with someone when I need something from them. This is self-interest, everyone does it, it's only if they want to acknowledge it, and it depends on how much they need from that someone else.
I would speak to you if I thought that your company was nice and enriching. I would talk to you if I've known you for awhile and don't find you irritating, stupid or weird. Yes, I have a low threshold for stupidity. I have an even greater abhorrence for rude people. This sounds too arrogant for you? Well, it's cause I'm being honest here. No one makes conversation with someone else for nothing. Even wanting to know more about that person has a motive there. One just needs to see it.
On a daily basis, we hang out with one another (French and Singaporean alike) because we enjoy one another's company. We like to think we're friends. And we are. We are in a way that isn't totally self-serving, there is no us against them, there is no my gang of exchange students versus the local students. We merely have more in common, having lived in the same place for awhile now, and the similar context of being on exchange.
This is an argument that people have made to me:
If you're not keen on making friends with the local students, then what is the point of going on exchange?
Here is my take:
1) I've come on exchange without any conception of what I'm going to do here and with no lofty aims of anything, but so far I've had my mind blown by the various experiences I've had.
2) If anything, I consciously, and let me repeat this, consciously decided to come on exchange because I wanted to challenge myself. I didn't set out to make tons of friends, those of you who know me know that I'm not the trusting, needy sort. And what the hell is a 'friend' anyway? My definition isn't people whom you just constantly try and associate with because one thinks they're cool and that this "coolness" would rub off on one.
3) Going on exchange and making friends is not the aim. At least not for me. I'm not going to say, I've come to India and because I don't have an extended Facebook count of People-I-Know, my experience is diminished.
4) I would be glad and happy to know that I've made a few pals here, and gotten to know those friends around me better, than to perceive that I'm loved because I walk up to more acquaintances and am uber-friendly.
5) I came here to learn more about myself and about the world around me. I've learned plenty so far, but if not making "friends" is an issue, then oh-I'm-so-sorry-mom for wasting your money. Because I thought an exchange was meant for one to do what one wants to do and be as happy as possible.
6) And I'm elated at my current situation (except for the exams, the essays and the constant staring).
7) I suppose when one feels content with the situation and people around, that's when one feels no need to constantly be on the prowl for affection.
Remember.
I wake up in the morning/afternoon, wake Leigh up (or am awoken by her), knock on Nuria's door, and we all head to breakfast before class. We will consider knocking on Kah Shin's door at the staircase, but someone will provide the information that she's not in her room.
We then head to the Mess where I grunt some form of acknowledgment to any CCC guys who might be there. The Frenchies have different classes most days. Or we will meet them in the mess and we'll sit at my favourite long table (in my favoured chair) and have our breakfast.
We (as a bunch) will then walk to class with whomever may have joined our table. We have conversations with the CCC people as they come and go from the table. We rarely seek them out for anything during the day, unless someone has borrowed a hard-disk or if someone needs help with something. Chances are we're holed up in our rooms doing our work.
We know a few people here and there from the PGP course. Some we've met from classes, some we've met along the way. We do not seek them out either. We make acquaintances when they happen and we treasure these meetings. The next time we see them, we do small things like make conversation, give chocolate biscuits or have tea.
I know several students here. I do not know them well, but I recognise them and they recognise me. I am not a very outgoing person who will seek out people for company and make small talk. I find it exceptionally dreary to speak to someone out of necessity and desire for company, especially if I find that person incompatible with my personality. I am naturally suspicious of people, because I have been proven right about people on several occasions and when I've chosen to ignore my instincts, I get proven right later on.
This is how I function. I will make conversation with someone when I need something from them. This is self-interest, everyone does it, it's only if they want to acknowledge it, and it depends on how much they need from that someone else.
I would speak to you if I thought that your company was nice and enriching. I would talk to you if I've known you for awhile and don't find you irritating, stupid or weird. Yes, I have a low threshold for stupidity. I have an even greater abhorrence for rude people. This sounds too arrogant for you? Well, it's cause I'm being honest here. No one makes conversation with someone else for nothing. Even wanting to know more about that person has a motive there. One just needs to see it.
On a daily basis, we hang out with one another (French and Singaporean alike) because we enjoy one another's company. We like to think we're friends. And we are. We are in a way that isn't totally self-serving, there is no us against them, there is no my gang of exchange students versus the local students. We merely have more in common, having lived in the same place for awhile now, and the similar context of being on exchange.
This is an argument that people have made to me:
If you're not keen on making friends with the local students, then what is the point of going on exchange?
Here is my take:
1) I've come on exchange without any conception of what I'm going to do here and with no lofty aims of anything, but so far I've had my mind blown by the various experiences I've had.
2) If anything, I consciously, and let me repeat this, consciously decided to come on exchange because I wanted to challenge myself. I didn't set out to make tons of friends, those of you who know me know that I'm not the trusting, needy sort. And what the hell is a 'friend' anyway? My definition isn't people whom you just constantly try and associate with because one thinks they're cool and that this "coolness" would rub off on one.
3) Going on exchange and making friends is not the aim. At least not for me. I'm not going to say, I've come to India and because I don't have an extended Facebook count of People-I-Know, my experience is diminished.
4) I would be glad and happy to know that I've made a few pals here, and gotten to know those friends around me better, than to perceive that I'm loved because I walk up to more acquaintances and am uber-friendly.
5) I came here to learn more about myself and about the world around me. I've learned plenty so far, but if not making "friends" is an issue, then oh-I'm-so-sorry-mom for wasting your money. Because I thought an exchange was meant for one to do what one wants to do and be as happy as possible.
6) And I'm elated at my current situation (except for the exams, the essays and the constant staring).
7) I suppose when one feels content with the situation and people around, that's when one feels no need to constantly be on the prowl for affection.
Remember.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
"For a start, it is likely that Mas Selamat's escape will be painted and hailed by other members of the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) as an act of divine intervention: The "narrative" of how Mas Selamat, with the odds stacked against him, was able to miraculously beat Singapore's security system with spiritual assistance. "
- from Channel Newsasia
Nuria is telling me about this maid who wanted to seduce some cousin with the help of a bomoh (practitioner of magic). Before this she told me that her mother's pal has a theory that the Mas escaped with Black Magic. I think CNA is trying to tell us the same thing as well. So this guy sacrificed his leg to some demon to allow him to leave the place undetected and be invisible for a few days. This is my expansion on the theory.
The same lady (I believe that there's no mom's pal really, just Nuria herself) suggested that they get a bomoh from Indonesia to track Mas down. I am of the same opinion, get a bunch of mystics together, form an elite team of Mystical Hunters and get Mas! For Singapore! FTW!
- from Channel Newsasia
Nuria is telling me about this maid who wanted to seduce some cousin with the help of a bomoh (practitioner of magic). Before this she told me that her mother's pal has a theory that the Mas escaped with Black Magic. I think CNA is trying to tell us the same thing as well. So this guy sacrificed his leg to some demon to allow him to leave the place undetected and be invisible for a few days. This is my expansion on the theory.
The same lady (I believe that there's no mom's pal really, just Nuria herself) suggested that they get a bomoh from Indonesia to track Mas down. I am of the same opinion, get a bunch of mystics together, form an elite team of Mystical Hunters and get Mas! For Singapore! FTW!
Monday, March 3, 2008
More Than Just Eck Cocks And Ass.
Today in Indian cinema class we watched the film, "Son Frere". Or My Brother. It is a French film set in Paris, and the first soundtrack piece comes in only right about now, at the 1 hour plus mark. And it's an English song. There's a weird magic realist scene all of a sudden. Whihch makes absolutely no sense.
Just like the countless number of moments where private parts are shown, people are getting naked and gay sex is refused. I mean, I don't mind edgy films or films that don't make sense, but it gets a bit repetitive if one scene jumps to another, then cocks are in the scene, and then some ass here and there, two cheeks for the price of one, thrown in for good measure.
The cinematography is fine, but honestly. What is the reasoning behind it? If it is meant to evoke some sense of his vulnerability or the intimacy between two people I get some of it, but it's EVERYWHERE in this film.
And now the projector died. And me along with it.
Note: Oh goody! Now he's going into the water naked! We watch his ass as he walks in...
Just like the countless number of moments where private parts are shown, people are getting naked and gay sex is refused. I mean, I don't mind edgy films or films that don't make sense, but it gets a bit repetitive if one scene jumps to another, then cocks are in the scene, and then some ass here and there, two cheeks for the price of one, thrown in for good measure.
The cinematography is fine, but honestly. What is the reasoning behind it? If it is meant to evoke some sense of his vulnerability or the intimacy between two people I get some of it, but it's EVERYWHERE in this film.
And now the projector died. And me along with it.
Note: Oh goody! Now he's going into the water naked! We watch his ass as he walks in...
I Remember Now Why I Loved The Holiday
We had to do this for Transcreativity the other day, a few weeks back. We had to colour the different zodiac signs. I don't think I've put this up yet, but I coloured this I-don't-remember-what-star-sign (Gemini?) and made the tag. The original tag's typeface and colours were off, so I made an update for posterity on this blog.
They still haven't found the dude yet.
And why should they? He's only got a limp and yet (and yet) he's an escape artist.
Oh my. I do so hope they catch him soon though, I can't take anymore speculation as how he did it or why they released him. All those Crimewatch episodes showing how efficient our Force is and it's all come to naught.
GO SPF!
They still haven't found the dude yet.
And why should they? He's only got a limp and yet (and yet) he's an escape artist.
Oh my. I do so hope they catch him soon though, I can't take anymore speculation as how he did it or why they released him. All those Crimewatch episodes showing how efficient our Force is and it's all come to naught.
GO SPF!
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Yeah I, Tell You Something
I am doing an essay on Prince Caspian now for Metaphors and Narratives. I am very very sleepy. I don't have anything to say at the moment, only because I think I'm trying to reserve all my writing ability for my essay. Talk to you later.
I love you guys. Says Eric Cartman.
Someone placed Across the Universe on the servers! Woot!
I love you guys. Says Eric Cartman.
Someone placed Across the Universe on the servers! Woot!
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Not-So-Old Secondary School Teachers
The title is nothing to do with the post, but you already know I do that don't you?
This is for Nuria's mom, who requested that one of the portraits be made into a transexual. Here you are auntie, it's the least I can do for your fantastically-great-company daughter (who holes up in her room all the time and refuses to come out to play). Enjoy. It's the best I could do in the short notice.
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