Hate Love.

Have u ever been in love?
Horrible isn’t it?
It makes u so vulnerable.

It opens ur chest and it opens up ur heart
and it means that someone can get inside u and mess u up.
You build up all these defenses, u build up a whole suit of armor,
so that nth can hurt u.

Then one stupid person, no different from any other stupid person,
wanders into ur stupid life..
You give them a piece of u. They didnt ask for it.
They did something dumb one day, like kiss u or smile at u,
and then ur life isnt ur own anymore.

Love takes hostages.
It gets inside u. It eats u out and leaves u crying in the darkness,
so simple a phrase like ‘maybe we should just be friends’
turns into a glass splinter working its way into ur heart.
It hurts.

Not just in the imagination. Not just in the mind.
It’s a soul-hurt, a real gets-inside-u-and-rips-u-apart pain.
I hate love.

-Neil Gaiman

Ouch. I felt the pain that counts as one but feels like a thousand times.

Silvery Moon

This was earlier before I end up at One Rochester, on a Friday night last week with less than 1/2 of the Nobles.

Situated at a quiet corner of Pasir Ris Park, this small chill out place proves to be a hidden gem in the serene nature of Pasir Ris Park. The beach, which is about approximately 3 minutes walk from this place, was rather near to my surprise. But we didn’t head there because of rather heavy downpour that night while heading there.

Anyways, grabbing our umbrellas, the four of us safely end up at the restaurant with a warm welcome by their staff. What ambience it was. With shadowy structures of their unique lamps with a overall blue and purplish background light, it’s no wonder it makes you feel calm and cool. Accompanied with their comfortable looking seats and sofa (which is really comfortable), it was no wonder there are people still patronising this place even on a wet and rainy day.

We took a look at their menu and they offer a extensive variety of main courses, finger food and drinks. Their wine list is not too bad as well, though I don’t drink, at least it offers quite a bundle of names there. Not too bad as their steaks are actually less than $20.

So we ordered Nuggets, Fries, Buffalo Wings and Topshells to top it off. My drink was just a Cranberry juice whereas the Muq and Colin had Ice Latte and Xueli with her Camomile Tea (I think.)

Fries were alright, commendable enough. Buffalo Wings were good as well. The sauce was rather thick, but it’s better than a thinly-nourished sauce right. Well done to the wings. Then came the Spicy Topshells. Frankly speaking, I don’t really know what Topshells are. The word shells spell seafood and prolly sluggish meat. But then I didn’t know what I was eating, but it felt like eating chewy abalone mushrooms. With the spiciness, one can’t help but wonder why is this so darn good. Haha.

Overall, ambience was fantastic, service was commendable, and finger food turn out alright still. Will be back to try their main course someday, when it isn’t raining. =)

RATINGS (Out of 10 Stars)

Customer Service – 9
Ambience – 9
Food (Outlook) – 7
Food (Taste) – 8
Cost – 7

One Rochester

Went there last night with Muq and Colin. Though it was only the 3 of us, it’s always the usual 3 that things will go all fine except that the staff gave my umbrella up for other customers to take it away. But they gave me their house umbrella – like asking for a housepour but free. On a brighter note, they gave me an umbrella bigger than my previous one, so I ain’t complaining.

Decided to pop by that place under a thunderstorm night, knowing that even the rain won’t keep us away from conquering Singapore. There’s more to go, so if you are reading this, don’t be sad Geoks and Lili. We help to scout.

So we sat down at a comfy outdoor furniture style that resembles so much like a wedding shed, but we didn’t only come here for the ambience but also the desserts and drinks… and the usual fries.

We ordered the chunky fries, which was quite filling because it’s really chunky. Then both of them had ice latte while I decided on a Guava Soda. Hardly seen Guava Soda on menus, but was quite surprised that they have it. Exotic enough to make me wanna try. And of course, my choices and instinct haven’t failed me. =)

Then the thought of having desserts is just like a habitual fact. This time it didn’t fail us. The Fine Apple that we ordered was the finest pie till date. Let me describe it to you – the outside is made generally like a pie (something like a chicken pie texture on the outside) with sugar icing that makes it taste like Kellogg’s Frosties once you chew on it. Chewing on it is really the crunchy and beautifully tasting part.

Accompanied with the warm apple slices that are placed nicely in it, it melts so beautifully in your mouth that I felt that the 20 minutes wait was totally worth it. The vanilla ice cream that came as a side was gorgeously tasty as well. This is a dessert that you won’t wanna miss.

Alright, some pictures on the food, the ambience, the place, and us of course. =)

Ambience area from the outside.

Guava Soda.

Finishing the fries.

Onwards to the 2nd level.

That wicked dessert. =D

Anyways, the fries is $14 and same goes for this dessert you are seeing above. Things there are not cheap but it’s also one of the cheapest things compared to the other restaurants and chill out bars located along Rochester Park itself. But this is just a dessert try out, not really a review, but then again, it’s a good place to go – with a girl to say the least. In fact, I see many couples holding solemnization sessions over there. A wonderful place indeed.

RATINGS (Out of 10 Stars)

Customer Service – 9
Ambience – 9
Food (Outlook) – 9
Food (Taste) – 9
Cost – 9

Mind BLASTING. LOL.

Got this off Bert and Alex after the did this test, which I think its damn true about myself. Oh well. Don’t think so much can already.

Here’s the web ———-> http://mindmedia.com/braintest

Your Brain Usage Profile:

Auditory : 50%
Visual : 50%
Left : 70%
Right : 29%

No matter which side of your brain is dominant,
M i n d W a r e
can strengthen your emotional brain power by helping you understand how
you feel about yourself.

Summary

Marcus, you are somewhat left-hemisphere dominant with a balanced preference for auditory and visual inputs. Because of your “centrist” tendencies, the distinctions between various types of brain usage are somewhat blurred.

Your tendency to be organized and logical and attend to details is reasonably well-established which should afford you success regardless of your chosen field of endeavor, unless it requires total spontaneity and ability to improvise, your weaker traits. However, you are far from rigid or overcontrolled. You possess a degree of individuality, perceptiveness, and trust in your intuition to function at much more sophisticated levels than most.

Having given sufficient attention to detail, you can readily perceive the larger aspects and implications of a situation or of learning. You are functional and practical, but can blend abstraction and theory into your framework readily.

The equivalence of your auditory and visual learning orientation gives you two equally effective sensory input systems, each with distinctive features. You can process both unidimensionally and multidimensionally with equal facility. When needed, you sequence material while at other times you “intake it all” and store it for processing later.

Your natural ability to use your senses is also synthesized in your way of learning. You can be reflective in your approach, absorbing material in a non-aggressive manner, and at other times voracious in seeking out stimulation and experience.

Overall you tend to be somewhat more critical of yourself than is necessary and avoid enjoying life too much because of a sense of duty. You feel somewhat constrained and tend to sometimes restrict your expressiveness. In any given situation, you will opt for the rational, and learning of almost any type should be easy for you. You might need certain ideas explained to you in order to fit them into your scheme of things, but you’re at least open to that!

A Normal Story

Today, I woke up to find that I made myself breakfast. 2 soft boiled eggs accompanied with white bread and a cup of tea. I was happy yet I was filled with that sense of achievement.

I took my dad’s car and drove it to work. Knowing that my beloved yellow one went through the knife to be better, I had to take my dad’s car. Filled with power, but yet it’s a different feel to what it used to be like with the other. Clutch was easy on me, gear changing couldn’t be much easier, but driving a bigger car isn’t my style.

Whereas in my beloved yellow, I’m contended that I have that ample space in the back of my car, ample space to put my CDs and sunglasses. I’m happy that my beloved yellow didn’t give me much problems, and I’m also glad that my driving habits have improved to keep the car going as far with the best amount of petrol consumption achieved.

Then bad news went to worse when my brake fluid’s leaking, my dry shaft is wearing out, my brake is gone etc. Sigh. If only I could be a better person to drive that car. Felt so worthless at one point. Then again, I’m determine to be a better driver. Of course, I don’t want to let my beloved yellow one die on me.

I have countless times that I felt that the sentimental value is building up on this car, and I couldn’t help but why the sense of urgency to know about it’s condition is more than just what it’s suppose to be. Everyone might think – yea, it’s just car, get over it. – But I will ask one question: “What if you have your own car and all these happens to it?” It’s like your wife or your child getting struck with pneumonia, or fever, or if worse, any terminal illness. Won’t you feel even worried about it?

I’m willing to do anything for that car. Ok, not to the point that I lose my job and go crazy just because of a car, but at least make these 2 years a worthwhile for me to spend time with my car. This is the problem in Singapore, you buy a car, with a 10 year COE, which means you are liable to use your car for 10 years. It’s like having someone for 10 years and losing it to god’s will. What can I do about it? In fact, having a car in Singapore is a liability, and after putting so much to maintain your car for 10 years, only to see it go, it’s a sad thing for sure.

All I wanted was to make this car my worthwhile transport. My reliable mode of movement. Isn’t something simple that hard to ask for?

Anyways, the morale of the story is – Don’t start cherishing something/someone when it’s gone.

Take time to think who has been the best to you, be it your family, your friends, etc. And start loving them more than ever. Because you will never know when they part away from you.

*gone*

Muq Turns 24! With Full Strength!

First time out of dunno how long… that the Noble Nine got ALL together.. in Full Strength. And here we are!

More pictures on Facebook! =)

The world will forever still be unfair.

Paranormal Activity

The plot – A young couple suspects that their house is haunted by a malevolent entity. They set up video surveillance to capture evidence of what happens at night as they sleep.

Scary? I would say not for the weak hearted. People are jumping around me when I was watching this show yesterday.

But I would also say that the whole movie isn’t as scary as what I thought. Yea, a few scare moments, and it’s totally fiction. If it was a true story, probably I would have goosebumps right now. But apparently, No.

The flaw was that when the so called “demon” was suppose to make it’s entrance, there’s this low mellowing tone that took away the silence of the couple. And usually when the room is quiet, you can usually feel the silence and if it was that low mellowing tone, it wouldn’t be that loud like what we are hearing directly in front of the camera. Of course, every human being would say that you cannot judge the power of the demon, but I would say that the demon’s mellowing is probably still judged by nature – which is the speed of sound.

Anyways, on the good note, effects to make motions in the middle of the night is something that is quite well done. No frills, no spills, no bloopers. Wasn’t a bad storyline, but with a freaky ending. And I heard there’s a movie ending and an online ending. Suffice to say, you don’t wanna watch it alone. The audience around you plays a big part. And prolly because of this, you might just want to watch it in the cinema and that’s it. DON’T EVER BRING THIS MOVIE TO YOUR HOME. TRUST ME.

Overal – enjoying the movie was an hard to believe, but to be so damn bored about the movie is also an understatement. I didn’t got scared out of my wits though. But demonic possession is rather freaky. For people who are afraid of such stuff, it’s better to believe than you don’t. Once you don’t believe it, things will start appearing in front of you. Haha.

P.S – I couldn’t even retrieve the poster from the net. Sorry, but I feel I shouldn’t do it also.

Ratings – 3 and a half out of 5 Stars

I think…

It’s a complicated story. So complicated that probably even the smartest person in the world might not be able to solve it.

Love story. So deep in meaning yet so shallow on the surface.

I guess it’s nothing at all. After all.

Feeble

After driving home from work, I walked towards the lift landing at the bottom of my flat. An old man greeted my sight. He seems like a Malay to me due to the darkness of the skin. With his white hair all grown and his skin all wrinkled, I figured out that he was someone probably at the age of 80?

So the lift door opened after it arrived on the ground level. I took my step into the lift first, pressing the “door open” button for the old man to walk in. The size of the steps he walked weren’t big. Probably a young kid could walk a bigger step than he does in normal pace. Apparently it’s normal if you slow down as you age in time. As he stopped and looked for his number, I kindly asked which level is he staying so that I could assist him in pressing the button.

Before I even said finish, I saw him raise his feeble arm, all shaky and weak, pressing the level 4 button, and nodding his head in thanks for the gesture and favour. At that point I smiled, and his smile was a mere fragile one. Probably he has been smiling all his life. But from that point, it struck me to thinking that if I was this old, what will I do next? I mean – usually the old people will either find something to do, or wait for their death beds to arrive no?

But then the feeble motion of the old man just made me look at him in pity and at the same time, asking myself the same question – what if I’m like this when I’m old? What do I look forward to?

By the way, when he reached his level, he walked out saying thank you, but this time, his paced increased. Perhaps he read my mind and decided to do something for himself in the future before his passing. Take care old man.

Can you?

Can you read my mind?

Can you understand what I’m going through?

Can you anticipate my next move?

Can you predict what is to come for me?

Can you?

Numb.

I’m tired of being what you want me to be
Feeling so faithless lost under the surface
Don’t know what you’re expecting of me
Put under the pressure of walking in your shoes
(Caught in the undertow, just caught in the undertow)
Every step that I take is another mistake to you
(Caught in the undertow, just caught in the undertow)

I’ve become so numb I can’t feel you there
I’ve become so tired so much more aware
I’m becoming this all I want to do
Is be more like me and be less like you

Can’t you see that you’re smothering me
Holding too tightly afraid to lose control
Cause everything that you thought I would be
Has fallen apart right in front of you
(Caught in the undertow just caught in the undertow)
Every step that I take is another mistake to you
(Caught in the undertow just caught in the undertow)
And every second I waste is more than I can take

I’ve become so numb I can’t feel you there
I’ve become so tired so much more aware
I’m becoming this all I want to do
Is be more like me and be less like you

And I know I may end up failing too
But I know You were just like me
With someone disappointed in you

I’ve become so numb I can’t feel you there
I’ve become so tired so much more aware
I’m becoming this all I want to do
Is be more like me and be less like you

I’ve become so numb I can’t feel you there
Tired of being what you want me to be
I’ve become so numb I can’t feel you there
Tired of being what you want me to be

Reminiscing with this song that has brought up many things in life that I want to tackle and sort things out and things that I have always wanted to solve with my own will power. It’s times like these that I have always feel that I really need to wake up my fucking idea because no one will help me out of my misery apart from myself. But eventually I will ask myself that damn simple question.

- What can I do about it? -

Go figure.

Who knows?

Eventually, the society’s females will end up being stronger than the males here, forcing all guys to be reserved with their feelings. And women – being women – will eventually want an answer no matter how busy and patient they can be because they never like beating around the bush. Or probably like to beat around the guy’s bush.

Then eventually every female will start to be the one woo-ing guys because the guys here simply give up on the female mind games that they have been using it for trickery for so long.

And probably that’s what I’m feeling, because I gave up already.

I don’t want to guess anymore.

Take it or leave it. I’m always here for the taking. My patience rather ran out and I’m giving myself a time limit for all these suffering to end.

I HATE playing guessing games.

Give me more time at Ben & Jerrys. It’s time like these that make me wanna sit down and cry.

Life….

Life is when you get to emo at Dempsey’s Ben and Jerry’s swinging bench, digging into the Merlionster with good ol’ friends.

That’s life.

=)

Adelaide through the fisheye. and a little motivation.

I guess I said what I have to say in my previous few posts right?

Pictures pictures pictures. =)

Glenelg.

Marion.

Toy Factory.

Saltram Vineyard.

Hahndorf.

Mount Lofty Summit.

Cleland Wildlife Park

9

Lost in Brisbane.

Cape Jurvis.

Remarkable Rocks.

Feels like the moon to me.

 

———————————————————————————————————————————–

I recently attended a one day motivational course which was rather useful. It kinda helps you make your workplace a better one and changes your thinking on always being a complaint.

The trainer quoted that SM Goh Chok Tong once said that Singaporeans are a bunch of people that only love to complain. But what the trainer taught us is that – We can complain till the cows come home, but the question is – what can we do about it? Prolly not many people ask themselves about it, but in fact, I feel that we all should ask ourselves about what we can do about it.

Many at times we complain and complain and complain. And the fact that only a minority finds a solution to the complains are those that are smart enough to move on. I mean – if we don’t adapt, we die no? It’s all about accepting the change and putting a smile on your face, knowing that a better tomorrow can be achieved if your perspective in life weren’t that full of negativity.

It was a real refresher. I came out thinking differently. And I came out thinking that if I don’t move on with an eye of ambition, I will not achieve what I want and what I deserve. Hard work pays most of the time. So it’s either I sit there and sulk, hoping that miracles will fall from the sky, or I can go out there, in the scariest of all jungles, and make my way out of here to a better place of paradisaical feel.

So are you still sitting there in your underwear watching tv? Get up! Do something about your life. Don’t frown and fret over the smallest things that our weak hearts couldn’t take. Because the only medicine to your weakness is your positivity to NOT let your heart feel that way.

And remember to smile, because a Smile is a curve that sets everything straight. =)

Adelaide Day 7 – Wildlife, Rocking Horses, Vineyards and Hahndorf

Day 7 was a thrill for me because I get to go to their Wildlife park. I mean – it’s like a zoo just that it belongs to all of Australia’s animals itself. Things like the Tasmanian Devil, the Wombat, the Emu, the Koala etc. I have not seen these animals in my life before and I got the chance to see it. How cool is that?

Anyways, we went to 4 places to make it exact. First up was Mount Lofty Summit, the highest point of Adelaide. Of course, needless to say, that it is 10 times more beautiful than being up at Mount Faber. Literally you can see the whole Adelaide from that summit itself. It is a real beauty to behold.

Then we headed to Cleland Wildlife park, where kangaroos, ducks, geese, emus, pelicans etc all roam freely around the park. Insane but true. But it was a good experience nonetheless. Things like the Koala, Wombat, Tasmanian Devil etc are all caged up for sure. Too wild and rabid I believe. Not the koala because it’s too…. tamed. Haha.

Then we head off to Hahndorf, the oldest German Settlement in Australia. Hahndorf by the way is “village” in German. It’s a relatively quiet and yet peaceful village that we really enjoy. Their German Sausages at the Hahndorf Inn were fantastic by the way. And their desserts. OH SO LOVELY. The taste of the Blueberry Crumble Cheesecake will always be in my tastebuds. Because it’s SO DAMN NICE that I think Singapore’s desserts couldn’t be compared. It is the BEST cheesecake + crumblepie together. Oh my. Feels like falling in love again. Too bad it’s not human.

The village itself is an abundance of blooming flowers and beautiful “botak” trees. Even their trees look beautiful. Damn..

Then we headed off to the Toy Factory, where they built the LARGEST ROCKING HORSE IN THE WORLD. Seriously it is really huge. I mean, which human in the world can rock that shit. But the wildlife park they have is interesting. Sheeps, Alpacas, Ducks, Chickens, Peacocks etc flock to you for food. And it’s not like I’m carrying anything. But it’s really fun to see these animals getting close up to you even when you know they might attack you anytime, yet they mean no harm.

Then it was Barossa Valley. There wasn’t much things I could do there besides taking pictures because I don’t drink. We were at Saltram Vineyard and yes, Louis drank more than what we deserved. I think he was the only one of out the whole group of 19 who had the most drinks. Haha. Nonetheless, it was a good place to look around. And it is also a good place for a wedding from how I see it.

Now, pictures then. =D

Adelaide.

Still at Mount Lofty.

Cleland Wildlife Park.

See what I mean.

Fat Wombat.

THAT particular Blueberry Crumble Cheesecake.

World’s Largest Rocking Horse.

At Saltram.

Lovely eh. That summed up many things in Adelaide. Hope to go back there one day again. =DD