The Science of Selling Yourself Short

Timbre Music Fest on Campus

Was awesome.

Had a good workout with my new 18-200 lens. Some actually turned out quite nicely!

And the music was better than expected. I should go to Timbre more often. I liked the Soulfellas rendition of "Let's Groove Tonight" and 53A's rocking cover of "Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)". Kept walking around to take pictures though. But with a big lens and a big camera somehow everyone thinks you're professional. LMAO.

Touched.

Well I wasn't expecting this much accord on my birthday. Looks like people are more thoughtful than I thought.

A big shout out to all the homies that wished me happy birthday. I'm sincerely touched.

And especially to the barista's at Starbucks Tanglin Mall. To Niq who gave me a free up-size for my coffee frappucino, and who masterminded the free cake. Guys, I know im a regular, but this was beyond the call of duty. I really appreciate it.

And to top it all up, I'm like more or less done attempting the tutorials for tomorrow! No midnight oil burning for me ya... Get some nice beauty sleep and carpool tomorrow, 6.30am.

It was a good day. :)

Pretty in Pink

Daddy's flown across the ocean
Leaving just a memory
Snapshot in the family album
Daddy what else did you leave for me?
Daddy, what'd'ja leave behind for me?!?
All in all it was just a brick in the wall.
All in all it was all just bricks in the wall.

When we grew up and went to school
There were certain teachers who would
Hurt the children in any way they could

By pouring their derision
Upon anything we did
And exposing every weakness
However carefully hidden by the kids
But in the town, it was well known
When they got home at night, their fat and
Psychopathic wives would thrash them
Within inches of their lives.

We don't need no education
We dont need no thought control
No dark sarcasm in the classroom
Teachers leave them kids alone
Hey! Teachers! Leave them kids alone!
All in all it's just another brick in the wall.
All in all you're just another brick in the wall.

We don't need no education
We dont need no thought control
No dark sarcasm in the classroom
Teachers leave them kids alone
Hey! Teachers! Leave them kids alone!
All in all it's just another brick in the wall.
All in all you're just another brick in the wall.

Split Personality.

The good thing about campus is that youtube loads so quickly.

Tainted Love

Sometimes I feel I've got to
Run away I've got to
Get away
From the pain that you drive into the heart of me
The love we share
Seems to go nowhere
And I've lost my light
For I toss and turn I can't sleep at night

(chorus)
Once I ran to you (I ran)
Now I'll run from you
This tainted love you've given
I give you all a boy could give you
Take my tears and that's not nearly all
Oh...tainted love
Tainted love

Now I know I've got to
Run away I've got to
Get away
You don't really want IT any more from me
To make things right
You need someone to hold you tight
And you'LL think love is to pray
But I'm sorry I don't pray that way

(chorus...)

Don't touch me please
I cannot stand the way you tease
I love you though you hurt me so
Now I'm going to pack my things and go
Tainted love, tainted love (x2)
Touch me baby, tainted love (x2)
Tainted love (x3)

Fire Water Burn

The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire,
The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire,
The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire,
We don't need no water let the motherfucker burn,
Burn motherfucker burn.

Ah Ma, please wake up.

Last night my grandmother passed away peacefully at around 10pm.

It's a mercy really. She was bedridden for the past 10 years, and struck with both stroke and alzheimers in her later years of life.

She could barely talk, barely move, and had to be helped in everything she had to do.

Godspeed Ah Ma, into the light.

My mom commented - It's the seventh month, and when the gates of hell are open, perhaps my grandfather came back and told my grandmother - "stop suffering. Come with me and be free from the pain and suffering."

Poetic, really. He has been waiting for her for more than 20 years.

The sad part is watching my aunties and uncles, her children cope with the loss.
It's really terrible to see them breakdown, and let it all out.
But therapeutic I guess?
People cope with loss in different ways.

The wake is on from today until friday. If you guys cant seem to contact me, i'll be busy cementing the solidarity of a family united in grief.

Plus its a nice and quiet time to sit and read some stuff.

And a good time to take notes. Someday, I might have to do this for my parents. Hopefully that day is far far into the future.

I must be like the most depressing person to talk to these few days lah. Haha.

A Categorical Imperative

I always wanted to read Immanuel Kant's work.

"Act only according to that maxim whereby you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law."

I found that statement to be eminently impressive, in both scope and application.

Of course a more popular restatement of the sentence would be exemplified in the Golden Rule:

"Do unto others as you want others to do unto you"

And suprisingly, it's in the Bible!

"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." Luke 6:31

Coincidence? I think not.

In my life, I have always found it beneficial to apply this rule as an universal maxim of human behaviour. Be nice to others, others will be nice to me. Childish, perhaps, but still true. Being pleasant and engaging never hurt anyone.

And of course, the world is round. What goes around comes around.

Perhaps Kant got it right the first time around.

2745.

Pressure forward.

Revelations

I wonder how it feels like to watch the "Ringu" video.

You know its nasty, but sometimes you have to see it through to the end.

What starts off as something simple and mild warps to a nightmare dragged from the deepest recesses of your imagination.

Genesis to Revelations, it's all part and parcel of life.

I really can't help but look. Each time it hardens me a little bit more.

Amazing grace. How sweet the sound. That saved a wretch like me. I once was lost. But now am found. Was blind but now I see.

Friends will be friends. I should listen to mine more.

Chapter closed. Life moves on.

Still searching. One false lead down, but the hunt moves on.

Am I fine?

Does it matter? :)

23/45.

Pressure forward.

Purchasing Power Parity

An A4 size print in Singapore costs abt $10.

An A4 size print in Bangkok costs abt $0.50.

This is soooooo fucked up.