New Year Blues.

Most Chinese New Year celebrations would go something along the lines of ang paus, new clothes, happiness, feel-good times, gorging oneself with copious amounts of alcohol and great food and then post-CNY bitching about weight gain. But I don't feel like going over every single detail of my Chinese New Year celebration. Yes, there's the great food and ang paus (although steadily declining) and all the other things which make the new year such a cliche.

But I think as I get older, Chinese New Year is just not as fun any more. A recent conversation with Damien made me realize that I'm not the only one feeling bored during the festivities. Don't get me wrong, I love Chinese New Year, at least the concept and tradition of it. But when the day finally arrives, I find myself hating everything from the weather, the damn traffic, the hiked up prices of goods and the all-round chaotic atmosphere.

I think what I really like most about Chinese New Year ironically, is the time before Chinese New Year. That time when I start to get into the CNY mood, when I start to go shopping, when I start the preparations and cleaning and planning for the big day.

This is not a typical Chinese New Year post, and if you think I'm getting you down by being a little blase, please go on and surf over to a few other blogs which elaborate to you how great their celebrations were and how they all say "OMG, I'm going to gain weight from all the food!"

I hate to be a kill joy.


Stay tuned for better times.

Snapshot: Penang

- Hean Chooi Temple
off Jelutong Expressway, Penang Island.

I love how the sunlight enters through openings near the roof to cast a stream of light and how it catches the smoke rising from the joss-sticks.


Stay tuned for more.

I Woke Up in the Wrong House

I woke up in the wrong house. That was the first thing that came into my mind as I opened my eyes. My room was usually dark even during daylight but this one was much brighter. The colour was wrong, smell was new and everything seemed different.

As I sat right up on a queen-sized mattress, I was immediately confronted by a swash of the colour green. Even without my glasses on I could see sunlight piercing through the ruffles of an olive green curtain.

I looked left, right and all around and then...it all came back to me.

I was in a little place called home.




Happy Chinese New Year to everybody. I hope this is the time for you to chill, enjoy and just be yourself.

Stay tuned for more.

Returning

Tomorrow will be the day where I make my pilgrimage back to Penang where I will spend a week there for Chinese New Year. I will be leaving early in the morning to hopefully avoid all traffic jams as I am getting a day's head start. I'll update once I get back home.

And for now, I gotta get some shut eye.


Stay tuned for more.

I say, No, No, No

Songs are a part of my everyday life. They can influence my lifestyle and have a significant impact on my mood and behavior. It's definitely an auditory stimulus to be reckoned with. But the thing is, do the types of songs I listen to tell a lot about me? Do they describe my personality? Do they reveal my emotions?

I think so...

Here are My Top Ten Most Played Songs for the year ending 2008:

10.
Song: Do It
Artist: Nelly Furtado featuring Missy Elliot
Play Count: 138 times

9.
Song: Boston
Artist: Augustana
Play Count: 139 times

8.
Song: The Story
Artist: Norah Jones
Play Count: 141 times

7.
Song: Hot N' Cold
Artist: Katy Perry
Play Count: 143 times

6.
Song: 4 in the Morning
Artist: Gwen Stefani
Play Count: 144 times

5.
Song: Clumsy
Artist: Fergie
Play Count: 152 times

4.
Song: Don't Know Why
Artist: Norah Jones
Play Count: 156 times

3.
Song: Read My Mind
Artist: The Killers
Play Count: 163 times

2.
Song: Here I Am
Artist: David Morales with Tamra Keenan
Play Count: 174 times

1.
Song: Rehab
Artist: Amy Winehouse
Play Count: 224 times


Okay...I seriously hope my choice of songs DOES NOT depict my future.


Stay tuned for more.

Flashy or Fugly: Drop Crotch Pants

It's just one of those days where I'm feeling slightly detached from my normal self. Having just been to the mall earlier in the afternoon, I've encountered many many people wearing anything from mundane to outrageous (It's KL after all).

So as I sit here in front of my computer, staring at drop crotch pants, all I can think of is "Is it just me or are these starting to look kinda good?"

I just can't quite put my finger on it. I haven't exactly seen anyone wearing drop crotch pants in person. These are pants with a lengthy rise, thus dropping the 'crotch' and hence the name. And believe you me, I'll actually remember when I see someone wearing one of these.

I'm very indecisive on the look. On one hand, "OMFG, what the hell is this? Diapers for adults?"
On the other, "Hey, that actually kinda works!"
But I feel mostly "Wow....just....erm....yeah, wow. It's kinda intriguing."








So yeah, you gotta help me out here...

poll by twiigs.com

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Type 2

There are only TWO types of people in this world. Ones who are nice. And ones who are plain DEVILiciously evil, nastily-obnoxious, domineering types who constantly spew sarcastic and outrageously insulting remarks at innocent victims AND have either frowns or cynical smirks plastered on their faces.

Good lord, why did I get the latter?



Stay tuned for more rants.

Snapshot: Penang

- Shih Chung Branch School,
Northam road,
Georgetown, Penang.


- vegetation taking over the building.


- the dilapidated interior.


- the upper floor.


- window.

“It is again no question of expediency or feeling whether we shall preserve the buildings of past times or not. We have no right whatever to touch them. They are not ours. They belong partly to those who built them and partly to all the generations of mankind who are to follow us.”

Ruskin, John “The Lamp of Memory” from “The Seven Lamps of Architecture” (London, 1849) ch.6 section 20.


Stay tuned for more.