This one date back all the way to 24th 'Oct (yar..yar...THAT long ago)
We got $300 worth of Centrepoint vouchers that can be spent at the various Centrepoint Shopping Centres and I specially select Causeway Point simply because that place is big & it's easy to get stuff all under 1 roof.

Btw. my 14 yr-old cousin Fatimah drop by the night before & stayed over...

...so she ended up joining us for this shopping trip.

I admit that I'm such a lazy person esp. now that it's the fasting month & the destination is sooo far away...

So I leave it to my dear bro to do the driving. Not that he mind, anyway. I'm glad he drove cos' reachin North, it began raining cats&dogs. So heavy was the rain, that visibility must be down by almost 50%!

Not surprisingly, there was a 'mini-jam' leading to... guess where? The carpark of Causeway Point! Har! But as I thank my lucky stars that the car in front was the lastest Merc C-Class. I was ogling at it until a van rudely squeezed in & park right there & then. Drats! Everyone jam-braked. Atrocious! Here we are, patiently following the CORRECT line into the CP(unlike others who try to cheat by squeezing in near the front) & this stupid van just parked there. My bro, being my bro, spewed expletives(regardless of the fact that my parents are in the car) and blast the car horn at the van. Euuugh!!! I hate car horns!!!

Luckily the shopping was fun. Got a b-dae gift for me collegue, bought my cousin her Hari Raya shoes, my bro stock-up on his surfer clothes, I dunno what dad bought but I know mum bought cushions & kitchen utensils (again!!) With the voucher, she took the chance to purchase the more high-end ones. I bet they are silverware...


I'm not a big shopping fan so while the others find their stuff, my cousin & I went....on a mini photo shoot! Hee... Now that's fun.

Grab any clothes that we took a liking to and snap pics while posing with them. Well, till' my dad had to call my handphone asking our location. Frankly, we dunno. Wandered too far, I guess. Ha ha!

There was a Mitsubishi roadshow below and my bro+myself got into the Colt to get the feel. Then I quickly nudged him. "Last time I did this at this exact place, our family ended up buying a car. Scary..." I told him. He just laughed it off. He can do that cos' he wasn't there, then. But it's the truth. It was the KIA roadshow then and my mum & I was so interested at the Rio H/B model that the salesperson approached us. The rest, as they say, is history...

We bought stuff for buka at the bazaar next door. Lotsa' stuff, man. Almost bought the Arsenal jersey & polo tee there. I was interested in the blue one. I'm SO glad I didn't purchase that 'un cos' that very night, Arsenal lost to Man U wearing THAT same jersey...

Niwae, we sent my cousin home before heading back. What a day it's been. Both my bro & I managed to catch some 40winks before break-fast....


After all that fun, I still wasn't too keen on shopping...

Well..well...what can I say? Saturday night turn out to be a pretty good one, I'd say. Heheh... That Portsmouth vs. Man U match brought on a great sense of 'Deja Vu' to me, somehow.
Final score? Pompey 2-Man U nil/zilch/null
First goal-penalty. Still dun' gettit? Rewind back 6 days. Ahhhh..Now gettit?


David Unsworth scores from the penalty spot


Alan Smith (left) jumps for the ball with Dejan Stefanovic

Reading The New Paper on Sunday, there's one article that caught my eyes. With lines that goes, "..must have been plain retribution when Rio Ferdinand conceded a penalty, when Portsmouth proceeded to deal out the same result that Manchester United so gleefully handed to Arsenal..."

Or like these, "..the man who sent them crashing back to earth was Harry Redknapp's 1 million 'bargain buy' Aiyegbeni Yakubu, who scored a precocious goal which even Ferguson's 20m investment on Wayne Rooney seemed a waste of time yesterday.."

Or what about these, "..it was a nightmarish afternoon which Ferdinand would rather forget for a show of inconsistency within six days of being declared the Man of the Match at Old Trafford.Yesterday, he was the villain in a defeat that United probably didn't quite foresee after last Sunday's joy..."

Oh man, I could not agree more. For a full read on this article... Go to Electric New Paper

Since that match was shown simultaneously with the Arsenal showdown, I of course tune in to the Gunners but I can help shrieking in delight when the update at the bottom of the screen update everyone about the goal by Portsmouth as they come.

Woo hoo! Way to go, Pompey!

During the Gunners vs. Southampton match at the 85th minute, I already have an idea as to what the title of my next blog will be, "Attack Of The Killer Headers."

Sounds appropriate, considering the fact that both goals conceeded by Southampton is by some great headings. One with a ball from the corner - both by a guy called Rory Delap. Nice headers, though.

The fact that Henry missed a penalty was such a downer.Even though he proceed to score at the 67th min, those headers happened in the final 10 mins & I was already biting my nails.


Thierry Henry (left) is congratulated by his team-mates

So nervous was I that I did not notice Van Persie replacing Ljungberg in the very last few mins. Turns out Wenger(the genius he was) made a great move on that 'un. For that young fella' actually save Arsenal from another defeat!

Oh that shot..It felt like watching an NBA match where the team with the ball attemps a great risk at wasting time and shooting the ball thru' the hoop at the last min, with that silly organ music in the background.

I screamed "GOALLLLL!!!!" so hard that my throat still hurt. Doesn't help that I ate some mangoes at my gramma's yeasterday....


Robin van Persie is mobbed after his late leveller

Hey, check out excerpts from this match report, "..The delight was doubled when news of Manchester United’s defeat Portsmouth was read out over the tannoy system on the final whistle..."

After that final score... I decide to rename the headlines to, "Saved by the Dutch."

Hey the last leg of 2004 Motor GP happened yesterday at Valencia, Spain.

Daniel Pedrosa won at his home country. Not surprising, huh. I'd say that he'll get to 500cc as soon as he win another championship next year. He can do it, for sure. He won the 250cc championship just a year after clinching the world 125cc title.


Pedrosa with his trophy.

Did you see how Rossi cuts everyone during the first few laps of the 500cc race to get in front and lead the others all the way..? Superb fella'. One helluva' racer. He sure knows how to create a great finisher for the racing year of 2004.


Rossi with his trophy.


Having fun. C'mon it's the last leg for this year!

His arch rival, Sete Gibernau, unlike his fellow countryman, Pedrosa, trailed at a close 4th after Australian Bayliss. The way he race... so slacked. You'll know what I mean if you see how he was neck-to-neck with Rossi in Australia.

Personally, I think he dun' wanna be on the podium with Rossi.


I told you Pedrosa is small. See how he stood beside Rossi. Like a hobbit! Hee... He's about my height. Shucks! I take back that hobbit thingy.


Individual category champs on their bikes. Cool pic!

Sigh...Now for a brand new year.....Happy holiday, guys!!!!

Boy, am I still pissed. Why, oh why...Of all teams to break Arsenal's record, it has to be Man U? At Ol' Trafford, even. Before that match, I was trying to be fair, ok... Hoping for a mere draw. As long as Arsenal maintain their unbeaten streak (esp. the fact that it will be their 50th.)

List of what may lead to the disastrous loss when contending Man U.
1) Match is held at Ol' Trafford. Homeground advantage. Those blardee fans sure have really strong throats. The noise they make througout the match, (esp. the BOOS)... Whoa, amazing!
2) Man U desperately need the 3 points. Heck, did you see their last 2 games? And their position on the table?
3) They were traditional rivals. Since Wenger took over on '96, the Premiership Cup goes between only these 2 teams. An ego-booster will be nice.
4) Lastly, wouldn't it be nice to be THE team to break Arsenal's 49 unbeaten matches record? Hmmpf!


Ruud van Nistelrooy celebrates his penalty goal


Cristiano Ronaldo (r) tussles with Ashley Cole

For more info on the match, go to the Premiership website.

Oh, hell hath no fury like the fan of a team lost.
I'm a mild-tempered person but only sports can do this to me. Both racing & soccer. I'm like Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde. That's why, my soccer watching should only happen at home. Should I be fated to watch a match outside(esp. any Man U or Arsenal match) man-am I an embarrassment to my parents or what??!

Doesn't help that other fellow Arsenal fans are too pre-occupied. My dad slept even BEFORE the game. Another one slept 1/2way thru' the game. Another has no cable TV. So I practically have to update these ppl.

When I wake up for 'sahur' I did not even mention the match to my dad (I think he forgot). Then my bro (who by the way is a Man U fan) cheekily told my dad, "How come sis never tell you bout' yesterday's match?"
Oh, you should see my face then. I can just stomp on his foot there & then. My dad was so convinced, the Arsenal fan that he was, "Of course Arsenal won, rite?" he said, looking at me. Suddenly the food is more interesting that this silly conversation. Grrr...Everytime my bro talk bout' the match, I have something sinister to reply with, "It's a penalty...Oh do you know that this refree gave 8 penalties to the 8 matches he had with Man U???" (which, by the way, is true)

Finally, to appease myself... After this win, Man U went up to 5th position on the table, a whole 8 points behind leader Arsenal. Peace-for now.

Watched the Australian motor GP just now... Very intense, I tell ya. It's the final round so today's the day when they announce the world champion for 2004(even though it's obvious who the winners are...)

250cc World champion is this 19 yr-old Spanish boy....'Boy'-because he's only 19, 'boy'-because he's all of 158cm and only 43kg...'Boy'-because he still looks like one!!

He's going to be world champion as long as he got 2 pathetic points..So he kept it cool and became comfortable at 3rd position almost throughout the race, until the final 3 laps when he fell to 4th placing. Who cares??! He's the World Champion anyway... His 1st for 250cc.


What did I tell you..? Very boyish, isn't he???


But, when the race starts, you can forget about him being a 'boy'. He's the 2004 250cc World Champion! Well...Until he took off his helmet, that is.

Then it's the super, super intense battle between World Champion Valentino Rossi and the runner-up, Sete Gibernau in the 500cc race. Apparently both of them decide to make it personal. Rossi has vented his frustration at the Moivistar team during the Sepang press conference in regard to his accident at Qatar. Gibernau got so frustrated and managed only a 4th position in that Sepang race.

Rossi, despite being confirmed the World Champion, insist on making it to the 1st position knowing that Gibernau will aim for it. Gibernau meanwhile, is bent on giving Rossi a hard time. And boy, what a race it's been.

They were head to head all the while and the last 7 laps was so intense, I almost forgot I was fasting. By the last round I was screaming at Gibernau to maintain his 1st position. What the heck, Rossi beat him to the finishing line, anyway. Not that I don't like Rossi, but I think he has won enough...


Valentino Rossi...Until now, I still tell myself that he looked scary. Do you see why???


Not when he's in full gear, all action packed. Heck, you wouldn't even know it's him!

All the screaming while I'm fasting... Boy, my throat is soooo sore..!

The royal couple on a pair of gilded seat, no less...

I finally got to watch a full length documentary of the recent royal wedding of the crown prince of Brunei...Very O.T.T, I tell ya. It's interesting to see how ppl with lotsa' lotsa' money use the dough for such occasions.
A wedding celebration that last a long, long time(must have been the longest ever!) The patriotism showed by the Bruneians, standing in the rain to see the newly-wed couple in their full glory (the gilded Rolls Royce, included) despite the heavy downpour.... Amazing.
Ceremonies after ceremonies, one 'costume' after another. Hundreds of VIPs (I manage to spot S'pore's own LKY!!) and ooohhh....you should have seen the gift of jewelleries given to the bride. Real gems, no less. Not to mention that huge rock of a diamond on her finger! At least 10carats, I'd say....

Oh, ya...Before I forget...


May this holy month of Ramadhan bring much blessing to all and do make use of this opprtunity to bring ourselves closer to Allah s.w.t. May we be guided into the path of the followers... Insya-Allah.

Amin.

Went to J.B. last Saturday with...who else..? My 2 paternal cousins-without whom life will be less fun.. Rite..? Rite???

Breakfast at Coffee Bean (finally, we did it!!) Footwear shopping..(you gals should check out Padini & Mixit @ City Square Shopping Ctr.) Then shopping stuff for my bro at Angsana shopping Centre. Lunch @ Kenny Rogers (which sux to the max..) and more shopping. Sigh..Great day isn't it?? Not forgetting our favourite past-time...People spotting. There's much to see in the ppl across the Causeway, I'd say...

Remember the customs officer at Woodlands checkpoint?? Haa haar..Funniest one that day... Took some pics in bus 160 to Jurong East. Also had pics dated a couple of weeks back... J.B. Happy (click here)
Here's a sneak peek.


3 of us, few weeks back after a certain wedding at Taman Jurong...


My 2 cousins. So tired, still can smile..


Trying to get my face into the shot despite my hand being the one doing the clicking... In SBS bus no. 160 ...
Crazy gals...

Eversince I got this new phone, I led myself into some photo-taking frenzy. My clicking-happy fingers set to work almost immediately. My first target?? The Office + The Balcony Garden (click here).
Here's a sneak peek...


One view of the balcony garden.


This orchid's vibrant colour makes it a clean favourite..


I love this Reception/Waiting Area. Gives the office a homely look.

Wanna see more?? Go to the link yourself.

I finally load pics of what happen on the week of my b day. Sorry it kinda took so long.. Birthday Week (click here)

Went out with Shyba on the night of 1st Oct. She gave me this really cutesy bottle with a very mysterious shade of blue. Really nice...


Nice, rite???

The next day Caca treat me to luch at Swensens. We head for the most convenient un' in town, PS. Then it's coffee @ Starbucks Millenia. One of the greatest days, I must say. I also walked around Orchard Road with a 'certain something' that Caca gave me. I sure got the stares....Hee...


Cute, rite?? See how big it is. And it's the Children's Day weekend...Kids practically gaped at this thingy that was in a TRANSPARENT plastic bag...

What goes on during the b'dae dinner @ BREEKS! Amk...
My bro, acting as Mr Paparazzi took candid shots of us during dinner. Warning: The shots, being candid, carried really expressionless faces comparable to that of zombies in the movie 28 Days Later...
Gotta thank him thou, cos' these shots are also what will remind me of my 2* b'dae...

B'dae girl finishing the last bits of her seafood marinara..I know I looked silly..Hello??! Candid shot, remember??!

My mum's gonna freak out. She detests candid shots. Always said that they're a waste of film (personally I think she just wanna look good in fotos..)Now that we go digital...Wat will it be..? Waste of kilobytes..?


My dad reaching for some food across the table..

Bro came late. However all is forgiven when he gave me this.Eeeeek! Cute, rite??!!!

28th Sept`04
I kinda miss out something...Yeap..My 20++(bleep!..bleep!) Birthday. Dun even bother asking how old I am. I'm still THAT young.
Anyway, called my dad at the office to ask where we're goin later. He told me to decide. Shucks! Yar..yar..It's the bdae girl's choice, I know. But in case you dunno, I am sumone who finds decision-making a chore. Not surprisingly, I asked this when I reach home in the evening, "So, where are we goin?" (I had a very strong feeling my dad was pretty infuriated by now. It sure dun help tat my bro is now somewhere else..) I was so looking forward to them fetching me at work...And yet, I have to drive...Boo hoo!
Procrastintate..procrastinate...
My dad's pretty pissed that he may miss the grand-finals of the 'dangdut-idol' contest. We leave it to my mum who took the opportunity to say, "BREEKS! Ang Mo Kio branch." What the..??? AMK? My dad & I were grumbling bout' having to go so far. Heck, I dun even noe how to get there...
In the end, kinda' easy to find the place but reaching there is not. There was a major jam on the CTE...Yikes.!..I'm hungwee..
Reaching there, I wasted no time making the order. Grrr..More choices. Lost. The fact that Zingdo served Korean food is a dbl bonus. Mum & I ordered our fav. Unagi and stuffed squids (which are a meagre 3 pcs.) Hearing that the deserts are at 50% off, she ordered 2 brownies. My dad mentioned 'meat' so I recommended the sirloin steak. Myself..? Lost again.. Settled for Seafood Marinara.
Bro came when we're like 1/2way thru' our meal. Dad was pissed before that. "This should be a family thing." As always, when my bro arrived, he kept mum. I was pissed at him to but all was forgiven when he gave me...a MASHIMARO h/p pouch!!! And it's not the flimsy cloth type. It's the leathery one with a real strap. Not those strings. And it's blue! Yayyy!!!
He ordered a meagre Fish & Chips. The dish arrived. I chose to take back that word, 'meagre'. The fillet is super-huge! Like Gurame fish.
The brownies are topped with ice-cream with whipped cream on the side. Sinful, I know but it's not often, rite??

I'm glad all went well. Thanks mum for the suggestion. The AMK branch was not only spacious, it's bright enough, convenient parking location and the food's food. I guess mum knows best, huh?

Moi nu fone.

Didn't use it much except that I've been goiing crazy bout' the camera & mp3s. Not to mention the polyphonic ringtones. But...heh..all rock songs, lah. Except for one Justin T's Cry Me A River. I didn't even use the video function. Yet to read the user manual. I dunno if it's a case of pure laziness or just lazy...Wait, it's the same. Sheesh.
Switching from the humble 8310 to the uber-chic 6230 is a super-big jump for me such that I'm struggling with the directories 1/2 the time. Takes time and looootsa' patience.

Now.. Breathe innn... Breathe ouuut.....

It's them....Them who caused that war...Oh ye people...They caused the death of great warriors Achilles and Prince Hector...Yet, they lived...

Ironic..that's the first word that comes to mind after I finished watching the Troy DVD. I know, I know..it's super late to catch up on such a good movie...
Why "ironic"? Well, let's see. Throughout the whole movie I was rooting for the city of Troy (and whoever associated with it...)
1-Paris stole the Queen of Sparta & made her Helen of Troy. Because of that, 50, ooo men came after them. Darn those invited guests!!!! How dare they invade Troy!
Hello..??! Who stole the queen in the first place????
2-Paris(again) stood his ground about winning Helen fair & square by challenging the King of Sparta. When he is on the losing end, what did he do? He crawled(shamelessly) to his dear brother, Hector. Coward. Yet, I still wanna Paris to win. What did Hector do? Stab the King of Sparta, thus killing him. Rejoice!
Hector wasn't even part of the challenge. The killing is super-unfair!!!
3-Hector ordered the Trojan soldiers to attack the Greeks who camped by the beach in the dead of the night, thus taking them by surprise. Easy victory-for that moment. Rejoice again!
That's dirty play!
4-Hector killed Achilles cousin, thinking his opponent to be Achilles. Achilles seek revenge & kill Hector. I was furious at Achilles.
So what if it's by accident? Achilles deserve that revenge. There's no such thind as 'accidental death' in a warrior's vocabulary.
5-The Great Horse. Troy was eventually brought down & burnt. I was horrified.
Now do they deserve that? All because of Helen??? The face that launched a thousand ships...

Whoever wrote the story & Wolfgang Petersen himself must have done this on purpose. To twist the audience's mindset on visualising Troy as protaginist and the Greeks at antagonists. As a whole - yeah, Greek had the right to launch the attack despite the King's greed..But the Trojans are potrayed as being more human. Close family bonding..Unity..Intelligence and down-to-earth..Yet they are the ones who are shrewed. While the Greeks are potrayed as more barbaric and cold. . .

Right..? Right..? So much for the phrase, "All's Fair In Love & War.."

Whooo!!!!!!!!!! Finally did this! G-MAX Reverse Bungy at Clarke Quay.

The best part??! It wasn't even planned. Just a spur-of-the-moment decision. Now, that's what makes most plans work...Hmmmm...
My collegue was pretty reluctant but we drag her along anyway. We believe it to be a once-a-lifetime thingy (after all, it will only feel different/less challenging the next time round).
I wore a long skirt. Shucks. Was pretty worried about that while waiting for my turn. But then, the lady before me wore a Marilyn Monroe-style dress and she did ok. The safety belt kinda' go in between the legs...
People got the jitters when waiting for their turn. My collegue's mate(who wore a tudung) and myself, we were more worried bout how we will appear. After all, there's a camera attached. Gotta look ok, baby. Image...Image!
The whole thing was ok, I guess. The only G-Force (the thing that ppl fear) was felt only at the split-second when we were at the first (and highest) jump and we start going down....Whoo! After that it start to boink up and down..Oh, did I mention that it rotates too? That's what makes it soo cool.
What's not cool is that there's suddenly a large crowd below. Why? Here's what I assume.
1) We are an all girl team. Malays, even.
2) There's someone who wears a tudung. Ppl always assume tudung-wearing girls to be pretty conservative. So they're curious.
3)This may be during the jump itself..Cos' we screamed the LOUDEST!!! AAArgh!!!

Heh..Just for fun. It cool! Gotta try, guys!

Good tip: It's best if there's a student amongst you(who has a student pass). Discounted from $30 to $25 and the vcd, $10 instead of $15.

This is an early birthday treat for myself. Last few days as a 21-year old. *sob...*sob...Uwahhh!

Watched this on DVD days back. Pardon my failure to catch up..Now I know why some ppl go crazy about Mini Coopers during the time this movie is being screened..Hmmm...(I know...i know..some of you must be screaming.."slowwww!!!")

The story, fwahh...Cool. All these stories bout' heists (a.k.a. well planned robberies) never failed to fascinate me. Not to mention high speed car chases..(what's more the cars look soooo cuuuteeee!!!)
There's Mark Wahlberg as Charlie Crocker a.k.a the mastermind
Charlize Theron(a beauty) as Stella Bridger a.k.a the safecracker
Edward Norton (Mr Funny Voice) as Steve Frezelli a.k.a. the thief/murderer
And many others who make up the team of good guys i.e: the explosives expert, the hacker & the driver.

I give it....
8/10 Mark Wahlberg, despite being named the lead had minimal character exposure. He may appear on screen but u can hardly feel his presence amongst the other guys who create the funny antics & remarks and more action. Charlize's 'cool' demeanor wowed me over. Her posture, speech...Ice princess(her character) at her best.

What did the critics say at Rotten Tomatoes ???
"Not only is this new Job a generally better movie than the 1969 caper, it moves through the paces with a light, confident grace very much its own."
--Robert Koehler, Variety.com

Trivia: Do you know that before the movie, the cast have to go thru' advanced driving lessons in preparation for their roles? Guess who came out as best student?
It's Charlize, baby. She surprised even the instructors. Mark Wahlberg??? He puked the first time the intense driving is done, no thanks to a heavy meal, I guess.

This concert rocksss!!!

Channel 5 is superb to be playing great concerts very Friday nights. So what if I can't go out??! These concerts are to-die-for.

First it's Linkin Park Live in Texas. Just now was RHCP Live at Slane Castle. New week it's Black Eye Peas Live in Cologne. Whoo!
RHCP is such a splendid band. Maybe it's because they have lotsa' experience, but their live performance is fantastic! Anthony Kiedes's voice remains the same over the years, in the album & live. Flea was even 'melodic' with the bass. Jack Irons was in rythm as the drummer and John Frusciante...Oh, what can I say bout' that guy?? He's so-damn-good!!! Gawd, he played with such passion you can swear he looks like he's making love to that guitar of his. Lucky thing! (the guitar, i mean)
Another thing that totally rocked their concert is their stamina. They totally freak me out with their energy as the pranced around the stage ('they' meaning everyone except the drummer). And Anthony Kiedes still sing on w/o being out of breath! Amazing! I discovered this new song of theirs which is so damn good I'm surprised it's not released as a single. The guitar solo (I totally dig guitar solos) is power, man!

My all-time favs are the 2 singles from their album, BLOODSUGARSEXMAGIC - Give It Away & Under The Bridge. Giverrrraaaawayy!!!

I dunno if it's because it's been a loooong time since I last read a 'real' book but I'm going goo-gaga over this 'un.

Leaving Eden by Ann D. LeClaire

It's a very simple story, really..ala Judy Blume's pre-pubscent tween girls kinda' books but there's more to it than meets the eye. This is the kinda' book that makes me want to analyse each and every line, like how literature students had been forced to do back in seconday school.

Set in the picturesque suburbs back in the late 80s/early 90s, the storyline is set simply yet will subtly reveal surprises that are so pleasing, they come no more like a gentle breeze on the cheeks. The twists, you hardly realize them as they blend into every happenings in the story. Every moment is like a slight touch..similar to that of butterfly kisses (oh gosh, I swear it's not me but a reincarnate of the author in me typing... Yikes!)....

There's so much I learnt in this book. Trust, beliefs, dreams, friendship, mother-daughter relationships, growing up, being independent, love and most importantly, life itself. Maybe it helps that the lead character took notes of things that can help her remember her mom which eventually turned the book into a guidebook somewhat of she could have learnt (but never had) from her late mom about what she will go thru' eventually in life (like in the songs, Que Sera Sera/Buses & Trains).

Here are some points to help you go by:
*A person's as big as her dreams
*It takes more than an accident of blood to make one a family
*Wanting is a powerful thing
*Take care not to let others push their dreams on you
*Everyone has a need to feel needed
*It's the things that we're denied that we want the most
*It's hard to figure out what will kill you & what will will cure you & how to know the difference
*Like most things in life, driving isn't hard once you get the knack of it. Getting the knack is the hard part.
*Why are we given a thing so beautiful that it can make you ache and then take it away?
*Why can't it be that things that were so perfect & true stayed that way? Why couldn't the good ever stay?
*Always say goodbye when you have the chance. Regret is a pitiful thing.
*Being around death makes you hunger for life
*Magical things rise out of unlikely beginnings
*Losing your head causes bad problems to get worse
*It is a mighty & terrible possiblity that a person can do great harm with the least intention
*Sometimes forgiveness doesn't have to be earned
*A person's job in life is to find & follow her own dreams

~~~And the story ends with this last line...~~~

*The Queen if Cures is Love

Tell you what. Why dun' you select you favourite line(s) and put them in the comments & give your remarks as to why that is your favourite(s). I'm curious...
Similarly, if you can't figure out what a certain line(s) means, I'll be glad to be of help... *Ciao!

Check out the 'Spider-boys' in Yamakasi...

Yar..Yar...I know. First it's A Cinderella Story.. Now it's Dodgeball... What's next? Seriously, I dunno. Maybe I'll finally get back to my old movie self when the foreign film festival comes again to Singapore...Or when Cathay decides to bring in more watch-worthy art-house films (whenever all that is).

Which reminds me that I forgot to watch one of the most popular, yet decent French film ever! Les Choiristes...Aaargh! How can I forget..? And it got such rave reviews...Ish!

Oh..And The Great Challenge(Fils du vent, Les). Another great action film. Those who caught Luc Besson's Yamakasi gotta catch this 'un. Like some kinda' sequel, I think. For this, you can forget about plot, dramas or dialogues. Even the director claimed that the ratio of action to dialogues is like...A wholesome 5:1..!

Trivia: Do you know that Yamakasi is actually inspired by true happenings about innovative street kids from the poorer suburbs of Paris who actually climb buildings as a supposedly unique form of entertainment..? Cool, isn't it..?

But don't you ever dare of doing the same in Singapore (despite us having lotsa' climb-worthy buildings) lest you wanna risk spending time behind bars...

Watched Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story just now. Heee...

Ben Stiller was so...awsomely funny! Successfully irritating as the super egoistic, jerk-ass, chauvinistic and a fitness freak of a 'small' guy. And dun' forget the ugly moustach and awfully permed hair. He walked around in tights practically the whole time and he luurved purple. Can it get any worse..? Wait till' you see the part when he 'pumped' up his 'crotch' in order to attract that pretty lawyer(who, by the way is his real-life wifey, Christine Taylor)...UUUgh!

And the bunch of misfits that make up 'The Average Joes'..? They garnered the most laughs from me..Check out their practice sessions. Hilariousss!!! Oh..oh..And their 'uniform' for their first game in the tournament..Whoo...! Vince Vaughn is pretty convincing as the super-slacker yet cheeky-in-his-own way yet motivational boss. Gosh, I'm still snickering now...

8.5/10 If I were to judge this as a comedy...yeah..It's helluva funny. Dun' forget to look out for the cameos from various guest stars... I personally think David Hasselhoff's appearance is the funniest.
4.5/10 If I were to judge it as a movie by itself. Too cheesy. Characters too corny..Plot too shallow. Dialogues a bit.....nevermind. Who cares, anyway..? What's important is that it's entertaining!

Check out reviews at Rotten Tomatoes
"Ben Stiller plays a pumped-up fitness guru in a consistently funny sports spoof that unapologetically roots for the uber-nerds."
-- Stephen Holden, THE NEW YORK TIMES.

In case you're wondering why in the world do I choose to watch this crack-ass movie... I brought my 2 nieces along and I can't possibly watch 'Wicker Park', can't I??? Heeez...

I actually watched the Linkin Park-Live in Texas on Ch 5 yesterday (I bet my bro must be snickering away rite' now..)

I actually sorta 'swore-off' their music when they released the 'Reanimation' album. Big disappointment, I'd say.

I actually tolerated the turn-table riff-raffs in the first album cos' I tot their music is different..their lyrics, powerful. I'm one of those who joined their fan club online..Logging on everyday to keep myself updated in the message boards...Gang up with fellow S.E. Asian fans to bug them to come down to our region...Became ecstatic when I got LP merchandise on my b'dae.... And my bro supported me in my idolising them cos' it's the first band that I like independently i.e. I'm finally liking a band that he dun' really fancy.

And then they released THAT album.

I went down to HMV to sample the music (since they make such a big hoo-hah of it online..not to mention the various collaborations...) and I was like.."what the #@%$ ???" It was so hip-hoppy and turn-table riff-raffs...is of the major kind! Eeuuurgh! It sounded sooo....Zouk! So X-ecutioners..BIG TIME!
Coming to their latest Meteora album, my interesed has totally waned off (dun' even mention THAT song, Breaking The Habit)... I even gave their concert at The Padang a miss.
Yet, when the concert on tv came on yesterday, I actually sang to every one of their songs..Yep..including those from the Meteora album. First time I heard Chester sang life, he actually suck (from Ozzfest '99, I think). Now, he's good. Maybe practice make perfect, that's why.
Almost nostalgic, hearing back the songs from the Hybrid Theory album..Sigh...

In fact, the CD is on while I'm typing this...

Just what is the date that Chinese New Year falls on next year??? Planning for holidays is always a hassle, esp. when it's either u or no one else. I'm never an 'organising' sorta person, aniwae...
First things first...Where to go??? It's the blardee monsoon season during that period and I'm really running outta ideas as a possible location that can fit my criteria...

Here's the list..(Not in the order of any importance whatsoever, cos' I have not idea YET what to prioritise..)
~stick to my budget < SG$500
~beach area...islands, maybe??
~snorkelling..? at least some nice (and safe) sea sport...Preferably scuba diving available
~no backpackers hotels...maybe a cheap hotel but backpackers hotels can be quite a nightmare...oh.... and as close as possible to the sea.
~relaxing..last place I need to relax in is a bustling city area with heavy traffic, grimy streets and..*urgh...! noise
~shopping not important (or so I thought...we'll see later)
~easy journey to the specified destination
~let the place not be haunted (what the...?!)Last thing I need is a strange encounter to aid me in my relaxation
~no doubts bout' the food..safe & 'halal'

*Everybody, let's welcome....Every travel agents' nightmare...!*

Look, I may sound like some spoilt bitch here, trying to get a good bargain to go with all sorta' requirements but I currently have no idea whatsoever as to the actual holiday plans. This is just the 1st stage, ok???!

Been a long time since I surf the Net for real (gotta make my unlimited Broadband subscription worth it..)
I happened to stumble on this TV show on Channel i on Thursday 9 Sept 2004 while channel surfing during dinner (this occurs only when I come back late after work & had to eat alone..*Sigh...)
Aniwae, one of the topics in this supposed documentary is about blogging and they highlight 2 S'porean bloggers who have some of the most visited blogs. Both coming from diverse backgrounds; they discussed the outcomes of their various styles of blogging during the show.

Mr Brown is a very effervescent & whimsical blog and Mr Brown Town seemingly sees his surroundings in a light-hearted, almost comical manner. However, put aside the liveliness and you'll see that he's discussing current affairs, local issues. Interesting.
Check out his entry called, "London Tube announcements." It's hilarious!

Xiaxue, meanwhile has a more direct approach which may come as pretty blunt, even overboard to some. She took it all in her stride and continued with what she does best. Give honest/frank opinions of what she sees around her. From her words, I know she's a smart girl(that's how she can analyse her surroundings) and some of her entries are pretty comical. Read the entry dated on: Tuesday, September 07, 2004 - "Are the females in Singapore all ugly, or what?" Had a great laugh reading that 'un.

Oh, she has decided to give more of her intellectual self in her new blog, Xiaxue The Geek. Check out her book reviews of Animal Farm & 1984. Bombastical!

I keep changing fonts till' I feel like I'm the un' going bonkers. Maybe I should change the skin altogether but lazy, lah. I'd rather improvise on the current un' until there comes a day when I am so damn free (whenever that will be..)

Why is it that I'm so free now? Well...
one - my grandma has gone back to her home. Not that I mind her at my home but I kinda miss this comp. When I am free to use it, she's already asleep at my room..Dun' wanna disturb her...So, go figure.
two - I've taken the day off...Why?
three - Cos' I went shopping at J.B. with me bro! Heh.

Busted a few hundred but at least I'm satisfied..That has gotta do with the fact that it's a blardee weekday today and everywhere it's way far from being crowded. I can run from one end of the shopping centre to another w/o crashing into anyone. Frreeeeedoooommm! *I hate crowds*

Think I may do this more often. Maybe further north. K.L??? When everybody is rushing back and forth with their daily routine...There I am, breezing in from 1 shop to another, taking my own sweet time...pondering..deciding...pondering..(hey, I'm flicker-minded..) Then hop into another cab and proceed to the next shopping centre.

*Ark! This is the ultimate step to financial disaster!!! No crowd means more freedom, meaning that a happier me will wanna spend more. Noooo!!!! Ok, that's it. Scrap that plan. Scrap it!!!

Sheesh..To think that I'm finally planning something good for myself (or so I tot')...Hmmpf!

Jason Bourne & Marie(whose character lasted all of 10mins), before her untimely death. No wonder I never see her much in the trailers...

Watched Bourne Supremacy yesterday. Helluva' movie I'd say. Action at it's best. It was fun! Fun with a Capital "F". Based on the utmost favourite topic. Conspiracy. Whoo! Gimme more! Enthralling!

The story is more character-driven, amidst all the action. I almost couldn't recognise Joan Allen with that long hair(too much of Face/Off, where she sports short, curly hair). Julia Stiles appeared for less the 10mins, too. In fact, the only prominent female face is that of Joan Allen. Then there's Karl Urban(of LOTR fame) as Kirill, the Russian secret service agent/assasin. He is so hot & cool at the same time. Really mysterious yet...charming. Hmm...So much for irony. Just the way I like my guys. Har har..Can't believe this..Outrageous! Why is it that I always end up gushing after the baddie? The fact that I'm gushing..? Eeuwwww!!!

9/10 This movie is superb. The characters, the plot, the action, the twist, the ending..In fact, everything lah. I dunno if it's too late to say this but those who haven't seen it, should go!

Let's see what they say at Rotten Tomatoes
"With an intense tone, strong mystery and dedication to story over frivolous action, The Bourne Supremacy is one of the best movies of the year!"
-- Willie Waffle, WAFFLEMOVIES.COM

I agree with him totally. In fact, so do others. Both cinemas that I watched it in was full houses. And this movie is already into its second week.

Ermmm...In case you're wondering...Yep. I watched this movie TWICE yesterday. At different locations. And I still love it. Getting the DVD, actually. Heh...Believe me..It's THAT good!

How cheesy..."Cinderella" & "Prince Charming"... Dancing in a pavilion full of candles & flowers. Awww...

Watched A Cinderella story - 2350 show at Cineleisure on Friday nite'/Saturday morn. Yep, in the wee hours of Sept 11, I watched a romantic teen movie.
I can't believe I'm saying this, but that movie is entertaining. A diner, a vain stepmom, blur-block step-sisters(that never seem to be able to get along), a nerdy best pal, a diner manager with an attitude, a football jock(with brains to boot), handphones(think..SMS), computers(howwabout' chatrooms)..Voila! You got yourself the ultimate recipe for a modern-day Cinderella. Not bad...

6.5/10 It's entertaining enough...I like her converse shoes. Other than the pink one.

Here's what critics gotta say at Rotten-Tomatoes
"The sort of entertainment that makes you happy to be grown up and able to avoid the current onslaught of trite, lazy, unimaginative films aimed at tween-agers."
-- Connie Ogle, MIAMI HERALD

Ermm...Not much good reviews..actually..But I like the next review.

"....Remarkably, Duff is not annoying."
-- Willie Waffle, WAFFLEMOVIES.COM

Ha ha. That's a good one!

Shucks, man. The sombre-looking pic of the late Brandon Lee as The Crow(my fave movie!!) can't be accessed! I think the webmaster blacklisted me cos' I use the pic w/o permission..but hey I dun see anything bout' copyright....Sigh, I lurve that pic.... Hmmpf!

Watched "Dia" on Suria yesterday. My cousin told me it's gonna be the last ep. just because the increased the showtime by 1/2 hour(supposedly a grand finale...). I even asked my bro to come back early to send me mum just so I can watch it all the way till' 11pm. Turns out there's more eps. to come. I know because the plot is now at its thickest (and the fact that my Indonesian cousin watched it before...) I actually grew lotsa' hatred for that crazy bitch Fifi.
Kudos to her(the actual actress), man. Her acting's so damn bloody convincing that I actually felt that way bout' her character. That white face with the ridiculously pink lipstick...With everytime she enlarged her eyes as she seethed with anger..Threatening the sickly Dwi and killing Ivan's mother...So blardee conniving. Hate her..hate her...

Looking at Lulu Tobing(Dia) I'm so envious of how she looked. In fact, I onli like Indonesian celebs who dun possess the Pan-Asian/Indian/Arab looks that is so worshipped by most. Adore the looks of Gunawan, Teuku Ryan, Lulu Tobing, Maudy Koesnadi..etc It's just sooo...wholesome...sooo..natural..Duh!

Watching the teeny-bopper movie,"The Cinderella Story" later(midnite' show) at Cathay.

Guess you'll be seeing a review of that movie tomorrow-that is, if I can find the time to update in between waking up and getting ready for another movie in the afternoon(after the midnite' movie, what makes you think I can wake up early??)...And another review of whatever movie I'm watching tomorrow, perhaps on Sunday. Perhaps.

Spent last weekend(as of 3pm last Sat) zipping around. After all, it's my part-time job...(part-time driver). I can tell you, my patience is at it's lowest that weekend.

Here's my very curious nature asking all those errant drivers who filter from lane to lane or overtake without even signalling.
~Is it that BLOODY difficult to just flick that blardee lever to signal???!
~And can you please not bloody overtake at bloody high speed when you are THAT damn close to other vehicles?
~Drivers who think they can't go faster thatn 70kph on the second lane, they better consider their options before filtering all the way there...(or maybe look into the rear-view mirror and see that they are actually hogging that bloody lane)
~Lorry/truck drivers who think that the commisions they earn per trip is more important than the fact that they are endangering other ppls' lives on the road as they sleep while driving...They can go to hell for all I know(I can tell you I've encountered such drivers on many occasions).
~Taxi drivers I know you are out to earn an income, but I please, please signal in advance(if you signal at all) when you are going to dash from the extreme right to extreme left just to pick up some passenger. But for more of your wrong-doings, refer to point 1 & 2. Thanks. However, after spending the whole weekend zipping around from one end of S'pore to the other, all I can say, kudos, to u guys for having the energy & patience. I'm seriously spent...

Watched this yest..Been a long time since I last watched a movie at Century..(do you know you can't access Century from that crappy Shaw website? Sheesh...)
Anyway, the movie...Kinda' freak me out. Lust like how Blair Witch Project touched our 'fear' nerve of being in an unknown place packed with hidden stories...Open Water works the same way. Except that this time it touches on our fear of being lost...in an open ocean. The presence of the sharks (yes, there's quite a number..) doesn't help, either. There are a few times when I squirm in my seat whenever a shark(or two) got near. How hapless they seem when all you see is nothing but sea gulls, the sky and the horizon.
Some funny moments, too. When they kinda' lost it and had an argument...Let's see..Pardon me if my quote isn't that accurate. "...I can't believe we are here. And you know what? We actually paid for this! .....We want a vacation with an ocean view. We sure got it!..." And towards the end of the argument..the wife add "...I actually want to go skiing..."

I give it 8/10 Cos' it manage to touch my inner fears..Hit a raw nerve, there. If you wanna drama, this film's not for you. As a fan of art house films, this film is pretty all right. The ending? A dismal for some but to me, it doesn't come as a surprise.

Reviews courtesy of Rotten Tomatoes. (again)
"In a less media-frenzied world, this small movie would find some admirers at art house theaters. As it is, Open Water nearly sinks beneath the hype that surrounds it. "
-- John Wirt, ADVOCATE (BATON ROUGE, LA)

After all this, give me ten reasons why I should even plan for my next diving trip...???

Watched this on DVD with my bro 2 nites ago...Great fun to watch, I'd say...It's kinda' unfair for me to judge cos' I'm such a great fan of Jennifer Garner...Anyway...
7.5/10 The storyline is pretty plain, really..A tad too good to be true..But great twist to the near end...However...
9/10 For Jennifer...Heh..She's such a good actress..Her crying...her excitement...So way off from Alias....She looks good in all the clothes..even down to that PJs, That missing 1/10? She walks a tad too manly and she runs funny.

Let's leave it to the experts...Here's a peek from Rotten Tomatoes.

"It turns out Garner is a natural comedian with real presence. And, ultimately, her convincing performance is what makes 13 Going on 30 watchable."--
Jeff Vice, DESERT NEWS, SALT LAKE CITY

That's my Jennifer...