Anyone over the age of 35 should read this, as I copied this from a friends status ...

Looks like us (zodiac) horses are given the green light to indulge in good food this CNY!

May 2012 be much much much more awesome!

Bill Vaughan

An optimist stays up until midnight to see the New Year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves.

Joey Adams

May all your troubles last as long as your New Year’s resolutions!

Anais Nin

I made no resolutions for the New Year. The habit of making plans, of criticizing, sanctioning and molding my life, is too much of a daily event for me.

Oprah Winfrey

Cheers to a New Year and another chance for us to get it right.

How true. But well, let’s all make the best out of it.

2012, LET’S GO!

Ah oh, caught. Now how do I block this weirdo..

I was assigned to be in charge of sand art – not the pour-sand-and-stick-on-paper kind, but pour-sand-into-small-ornamental-glass-bottles.

It didn’t occur to me that i’d done something like that before (I kept thinking it as a pretty new experience) until many hours later – today. Sorry, blame it on my memory.

I recall going to my lower primary classmate’s house with another classmate. Let’s name them Min and Ling. I was not close with them at all so I wonder how we ended up at Min’s house. Min taught us how to do sand art, or should I say, salt art. She got out a packet of fine salt and a pack of chalks. We coloured the salt with our favorite colours and filled up little empty bottles that Min had. We even tasted the coloured salt. I don’t think I brought back any bottles with me after we were done.

So that was a small piece from my childhood. Primary school. Young and impressionable. Hmm, impressionable still. But not so of the former.

Anyways, I have deviated much from what I have intended to type about. Let’s start all over again.

I helped out at a Children’s Day event for a friend last night and I was in charge of sand art.

It was rather fun monitoring the kids. Well, minus whoever who added additional tables and chairs and causing me to scramble around all four corners to dispense the instructions, glass bottles and all. Luckily I had help.

Some kids were really cute. Nothing like those terrible ones we encountered at another private event. Not apologising about that cos’ they were really terrible. Like uncultured and lack of proper parental guidance I must say. Of course, it was just a handful of them, four, five, six, or was it ten? Anyway, back to my story, the kids at yesterday’s event was pretty much alright. Didn’t encounter any stuck-up parents (you know, those type who would demand their child to be given the priority and all).

However, there was this one kid who stood out, both physically and psychologically I felt. She appeared sad and sat staring at her glass bottle many times. My helper said across the table to me that the kid was probably thinking of what colour to use next. Perhaps.

Showed her how to make pretty patterns with the satay stick and she was delighted. I went off to help and monitor other kids. She managed to finish the bottle on her own afterwards and came to find me. “See, I finished,” she said, shoving her bottle at me.

I took it from her and examined. Was proud to see that she had followed my instructions. I passed the bottle back to her and congratulated her for completing it successfully and beautifully.

“You can show it to your daddy and mommy now,” I smiled at her.

I noticed then that her eyes seemed teary and that was when I realised they have been so since the beginning. I was concerned.

I asked, “Hey, are you crying? Don’t cry…”

She looked at me with a hint of irritability and said forcefully, “I am not crying. When I was born, I was already like this,” before running off to the other side of the hall with her little glass bottle.

Stunned and speechless, I let her go.

- -

May all children around the world be happy always because once they step out into the “real world,” as educators frequently use, true happiness are hard to come by.

Everyone can only be innocent, carefree once. Everyone can only be a child once. Even for those adults who claim to be a child within, others will most probably not view them as such, but what they see of them as a physical person in real life.

Parents, do grant them the happiness they deserve.

Here’s a little something that I have created last night.

Happy Children’s Day 2011!

They know that it’s controversial and they still do it. That’s what I like about the creative people behind BK ads. Even if I don’t exactly feel comfortable looking at it. Hmm.

Let’s see.. Step one, get a Tumblr.

“Behold ladies and gentleman, boys and girls!
Your coloured patterned textile has arrived
at my humble forested candyland castle
(where your sweetest dreams come alive!)

Let us all celebrate this joyous occasion
as we unveil the inner joy of receiving.

To claim your awaited parcel,
you may decide on harnessing on technology
or preferring the physical connection
to trade your goods with monetary form.

Thy shalt squeeze those remaining math juices
and with the aid of the magical numerical device
to calculate the exact amount.

I hereby thank you.”

At least she didn’t send us a poem.

Went for my first Arts Camp recently (didn’t attend during my freshman year) as a councillor and was appointed my orientation group’s (OG) social media reporter (you wouldn’t believe how many times I charged my phone’s battery).

Felt so matronly throughout the five-day camp, taking care of the freshies and all even though most of the guys were of my age. Was quite an experience and my first time staying out for a camp for more than 3D2N too!

Don’t judge me.

[Above video edited together by yours truly. Please ignore the audio blooper at 1:05.]

Lots of things have happened so far. Now, you must be smirking and thinking this as you read the previous statement: “Doesn’t it always?” Well, I apologize for being rather inconsistent with my blogging these days. Gasp! I’ve blogged less than ten times so far this year! Friends would call it a miracle.

Anyways, yes, back to what I was saying before my thoughts interrupted my typing. Cough. Lots of things have taken place during the period between the previous post and this current one. There were emotionally draining ones, happy ones, fear ladened ones, anxiety… You name it. However, as I am unfortunately or fortunately very well aware that this is a ‘private but not private at all’ blog, I have decided to leave out the emotionally draining stories. Can’t have this precious blog turning all emo on its readers.

Anyway, yes, for the third time, bless my poor fingers, lots of things have happened. I have completed the second semester of my varsity education at NUS FASS and am waiting for the results which will be out end May. Oh how much do I dread it! Bahasa Indonesia, please grant me a decent grade!

Aside from school, school and school, which I know have been the topic for god knows how many of my previous entries, I have been meeting up and/or reconnecting with quite a handful of my primary, secondary and polytechnic mates and educators. Oh boy do I miss those times!

Ah, a random side note… I have started work again today at the same organization I was with two holidays ago.

Oh shucks, my eyes are killing me again so I’ll end this post short.

We are all growing old fast. No longer as innocent. No longer shielded and protected under the wings of the adults. The world can be one big depressing, lonely space at times.

(Oh dear, forgive me, I have done exactly what I said I would not do earlier… Typing emotionally draining stuff blah!)

P.S. Pardon me if there are any serious grammatical mistakes anywhere too. Time to rest my poor eyes!

Two of my secondary school pals and I posing with our then English Language teacher. I finally visited the school after four years plus. Nostalgic.

P.S.S. (2nd blog update) This is probably hilarious to you.. I just went to view this blog post in the normal (not the mobile) view and oh my, this is one bloody long post!

And what a time to do so too.

The first of my final exams is in six days!
Tell me I’m dreaming.

- sent from iPhone

A quick updates on school:
This term sees me having more awesome tutors. A great improvement from the previous semester. No, you know I cannot go into more details regarding the past ones.
By awesome, I meant one’s articulation, clarity and consistency in speeches. Other important markers that I based my judgments from: Ability to keep us engaged, hooked onto their words, fairness (equal and fair amount of chances for every student to speak and make an impression).

… on social life (outside of school):
Well… from the start of the second semester till now…

I’d be lying if I say I have one. *chuckles*

It happened when a huffy-looking young Malay lady (who was in the same cabin of the train headed towards Marina Bay) called out, with descriptions of a boy (‘dark blue pants’, ‘white uniform’), to an SMRT staff who was stationed at the Jurong East platform, asking if s/he (my position didn’t allow me to see the employee) had seen the boy boarding the same train.

I only managed to catch the later part of their conversation and the train doors closed few moments later. My first thoughts were “Oh dear, did her son managed to get on this train? He is sure going to get hell from his Mummy when he reaches home”. Nothing happened much except that the lady continued looking annoyed. I returned to my book.

A short while later, the SAME Chinese secondary school boy whom I saw during my earlier train ride from Clementi to Jurong East walked by and slapped the SAME secondary school boy who was standing beside me as though they were brothers before walking off.

I thought to myself then, “Hey, didn’t he greeted him earlier? Can’t he accompany him (the boy beside me) all the way instead of walking off for the second time?”

Note that during both times, Boy-beside-me did not reciprocate the greetings and simply looked (downcast, I thought) at Boy-who-kept-walking-pass before looking back down at the ground (starting head position).

“Oh poor boy”, I thought. I pitied Boy-beside-me.

As I was about to revert to my reading, something caught my attention again.

Boy-who-kept-walking-pass has stopped in front of a Malay elderly woman who was seated at the priority seat. He smiled and wave a greeting to her. She responded with a friendly smile. He walked off. He moved on to a lady who was having a conversation with someone else. He tried to wave and catch her attention. Woman stared. And yes, I realized something was amiss then.

When he walked past me and Boy-beside-me again (without stopping this time), I noticed the young Malay lady from earlier, this time conversing audibly with a middle-age Chinese man about Boy-who-kept-walking pass and how the latter kept ‘pushing people’ and ‘walking around’.

Few seconds later, two SMRT staffs (one before the other) cornered Boy-who-kept-walking-pass and started talking to him. Of course, during the entire train ride, everyone kept staring at them. They alighted at my station and I happened to stand a step to the left of the worried-looking boy on the escalator, with the two SMRT staffs standing in front and behind of him. They went towards the control station to settle the matter. Of course I didn’t stay to watch!

Anyway, apparently the boy was a ‘regular’ and APPARENTLY, the young Malay lady was the one who reported him.

* * *

Just a year ago, I remembered a similar incident. Only that it was a Caucasian couple walking around and greeting commuters during the train ride. Some looked confused. Others stared. I, along with a friend and many of the other commuters, greeted them warmly.

Compare that with today’s episode (as well as what you have observed so far in your day-to-day journeys). Do we not notice an obvious discrepancy towards how Singaporeans react and view those who do not conform to the norms? Unfortunately, I myself is guilty of it as do many people.

Guys (those of you who majors in Sociology), maybe you would be interested to expand on this topic for your honours thesis in three years time.

Results after first round of balloting…

Latest timetable planned for Round 2 of balloting (that is, if I managed to get my ‘first choice’ tutorial slots. yes, the slots left are really that sucky that I’m doomed with at most three looooong breaks)-

This makes my last semester’s timetable look so darn perfect.

Makes me wish for a driving license so that I can save up on traveling time and public transport fares.

Ah, a car license…
a car license and a car…
a boyfriend with a car license and a car.
a boyfriend with a car license and a Jeep.
a University grad boyfriend with a car license and a Jeep.
a cute and witty University grad boyfriend with a car license and a black Jeep.
a cute, witty and gentlemanly University grad boyfriend who owns a car license & a black Jeep/family car who works in an established, high-profile and stable organisation.

Okay, I think I am asking for too much. ><

CNBlue! Come back to Singapore!!!
Let me have a chance to wear this!

Was one of the ten student producers for an OKTO children live programme, oktoLIVE! season 2, as part of my 6-month internship. Got my very first own set of name cards heh. Was co-in charge of the ok-to-LEARN segment with Jov (check out one of the eps’ oktoLEARN segment below).Work scope was wide but the most memorable roles were the meet up with potential performers, scripting of three episodes, and being a floor manager for several episodes

On top of the celebrity guests that I had met during oktoLIVE! season 1 and 2 productions (i.e. Daren Tan, Heikel and wife, Mark Lee, etc), I was honored to be able to catch Royston Tan after one of our live shows heh. Click here for more past photos taken with MediaCorp’s artistes.

One of the seven student co-directors for a course promo video for SP Open House 2010

Gamely attended (as a blogger) and participated in events such as Yahoo! Youreka Challenge, SHINE! Youth Festival 2010 launch, etc.

Graduated from Singapore Polytechnic’s Diploma in Media and Communication (with merit) cum Specialist Diploma in Digital Film and Television courses

Worked on Singapore Garden Festival 2010 at National Parks Board alongside my Polytechnic part-time lecturer, Sam, for around five months

Attended my first paid concert – Listen to CNBLUE – at NUS University Cultural Center with my primary school pal, Andrew. Bought all the merchandise except for the poorly designed tumbler. The experience was not as awesome as I had expected though but I got to breathe the same air as Yonghwa heh!

Voluntarily signed up for counseling sessions at school. Couldn’t bloody cope since day one but after a few sessions, I was declared normal by my counselor as apparently it was normal…

Dad gave my dearest terrapin, Ah Gui, away. Below is a little MV that I edited last night. The quality and resolutions are quite poor as the clips were taken using my previous awful mobile phone camera.

In terms of my love life. Finally ended the ridiculous one-sided relationship during the last day of 2009. Found someone I really really like in March (you could call it first love, heh) but somehow everything turned out weird and had left me in a depressed state during mid-2010. It’s sad when you do not know what happened exactly and couldn’t right whatever wrong there was. Heh. This must be my first time revealing these private information in public.

With regard to 2011, I hope to master the basics of Bahasa Indonesia which I will be taking as one of my Unrestricted Modules for semester two, as well as do well in my other Major and Exposure modules.

Hopefully, by the time I graduate from University, I will be able to drive as well as learn how to roller blade.

Material things wise, I hope to be able to earn enough during my next few holidays and get a digi/video camera, data plan, inline skates, and a trip to Korea. ;P

May 2011 be more kind to me.

Ah, I have yet to have a list drawn out but some of what I hope to achieve this year are the same as the year before and before… GET GOOD GRADES!

School. It’s getting real tough and the bell curve’s bloody annoying ugh.
Other than that, I hope I will be able to get through all the dreaded projects, tutorials and exams, and experience lots of HAPPY events!

* * *

27 December 2010-
Secret Santa cum dinner gathering with DMC friends at Vivo’s Most Original Burger (MOB). Had a fun time preparing the gifts for Jov. And thanks Vera for the gigantic CNBLUE poster too! I can barely see my wall now. Heh.

[awesome photos and design credit to Yam/n lydotcom.blogspot.com]

* * *

31 December 2010-
Secret Santa gathering with Rentai/Rakuza (Uni’s FOC mates) at Kai Ling’s place. Yummy pizzas and sinful brownies. Thanks Pei Hsin for the Stitch bolster. Didn’t watch Lilo & Stitch before but hey, it’s in cnBLUE.

STAY HAPPY EVERYONE! HAPPY 2011!

With much love,
Aileen

How about you? Received any awesome presents lately?

While waiting for a reply then, you have read through a website with contradictory information. Naturally, you want to clarify. And hence, after receiving the first unsatisfactory but valid response from the opposite party, you decide to pen another email to inquire about new piece of information that is related but not similar to the question posed in your first email.

And you get this for a reply -

“I already answered your question.”

First, it is bloody demeaning to the receiver, who was unfortunately the nice dear me.

Second, aside from having a proper punctuation this time, (congratulations on that), the statement is structurally incorrect.

Third, I could barely believe those were the replies I got from an official, credible and highly recognized institution. So what if my position is not as high. In the first place, it is my role to ask questions and for you to provide the answers. As short and nearly non-existent those replies were, they were freaking offensive and absolutely unexpected of this certain institution which I shan’t name over here.

See, I’m nice.

But every nice person has a limit.

Get that?

I miss school, I miss childhood, I miss being rebellious, I miss laughing like no tomorrow, I miss being wasted, I miss how it is okay to make mistakes, I miss my lecturers, I miss my lecture hall, I miss afternoon nuggets session, I miss barley, I miss exams, I miss studying, I miss dover station, I miss the walkway, I miss our tutorial rooms, I miss having no image, I miss rushing reports till late night, I miss listening to my favourite music on the way to school, I miss internship, I miss being assistant class rep although it is crappy – I miss it’s crappiness, I miss oktolive, I miss being forgiven, I miss going to jurong point to have pizza hut although jurong point is never near to my home before – I miss how far it is, I miss having pizzas there and haggling for discounts because we know we will get it, I miss morning mr bean soya milk, I miss morning soya ice cream, I miss walking so fast to the lecture hall till my thighs go sore because I am late, I miss wearing flip flops as if they are suitable for any situation, I miss studio 19, I miss the printer at studio 19, I miss highlighting my lecture notes as if everything is important, I miss taking things for granted, I miss being poor when school vacations are near, I miss job hunting for part time jobs with my friends, I miss kranji ez-link stations and munch house, I miss being treated as precious students no matter what we do, I miss spec dip class, I miss the toilet in school, I miss all the foodcourts, I miss wearing crappy clothes and carrying crappy backpacks, I miss bringing the heavy laptop, I miss doing what I like, I miss the smell of stupid socks in the library, I miss subway cookies, I miss catching the last train after hectic project schedules, I miss doing crazy things and requesting for class participation marks, I miss so many things everyday that I cant just put them into words now.

Polytechnic years have been the best times of my life. Even though every semester seemed really long and grueling then, the education is no doubt top-notch and prepares one well for a solid future. Dedicated lecturers, awesome friends.

Miss you, SP. Miss you, DMC.

[credit to: jolly-hood]

This post is a little late but if I am not wrong, the movie opens in cinemas either today or tomorrow. Just a little note here, this post is NOT a review so you won’t get a glimpse of the storyline here. Catch it in cinemas if you are interested to find out! =)

Anyways, it was a surprising neat high school comedy. Not a regular slapstick one, mind you. The storyline’s still alright. I would rate it as 3.5 out of 5. What caught my attention from the beginning was how the entire film was pieced together into a diary format. Initially, I thought I would be bored with it as I thought the diary style was adopted solely for the trailer. Hey, I’m not one who likes windy, long, beat-around-the-bush stories.

BUT. Yes, there’s always a ‘but’ somewhere. BUT, even though the entire film adopted that format, the dialogues and scenes were really well pieced together. Of course they have to fit, you must be thinking, but hey, such smooth edits aren’t easy to achieve, much less, planned. Those who dabbles with the back end of media would understand. For those who don’t, try imagining the pre-production scripting as well as the editing process as you go along with the flow when you catch it in cinemas!

Leaned back for a quick rest was totally gob-smacked. No wonder people always gawk at the obscenity of my notes.

Just the other day, when the news first broke out about a 19-year-old’s death caused by a bunch of gangsters, I told a friend that it would definitely not be the last. Indeed, many similar incidents have since emerged to my absolute disgust and pity.

Apparently these youths think that personal disputes, staring incidents, and whatever weird ‘contests’ they may have, can be solved by whipping out a parang/bread knife/chopper from a supermarket and getting some blood smeared on it.

It is fascinating to know that these wayward youths have the audacity to even ‘publicise’ their activities (settle their problems) out in the public these days even though some of their ex-’comrades’ have been arrested and issued heavy sentences for their acts.

It is commendable that they are helping to bring across the severity and graveness of their unlawful activities right up in the public’s faces although it would have been better if there weren’t any victims or bloodshed involved.

It is about time the government take notice of such unlawful activities some youths today are and have been engaging in. Deviant acts should be severely punished and origins of their wrongful socialization, investigated.

The Commander of Bedok Police Division said: “Police will continue with our enforcement actions against gangs. Youth offenders will not be treated lightly simply because of their age and there will be no leniency for those who disregard the law. All gang behaviour will be dealt with firmly and decisively by the Police.”

Awesome!

[Source: Channelnewsasia.com]

*broods internally and throws curses at the limitations of one’s privacy*

It is against my moral conscience to use that infamous four-letter word in public and so far I have maintained a clean record.

But a certain case is really getting at me. I cannot help but say, ‘SUGAR‘ it.

Well, it IS four letters. *fumes*

Edmund Chen with the 7 talented winners

Earlier today, the National Environment Agency (NEA) unveiled the seven winners of the “Design-A-Bin” Contest at the Clean and Green Singapore (CGS) 2011 Carnival.

The “Design-A-Bin” contest was part of NEA’s nationwide campaign to curb littering and underpins NEA’s targeted public outreach and education efforts to change the littering behaviour of youths.

The contest encouraged the youths to play an active role in taking ownership of the environment by expressing their creativity through the design of their own litter bins. In total, more than 2,500 entries were received and the winners were selected through public votes! And O.M.G. the GOLD prize winner, Tess Moh (her winning design was a black and white bin aimed to convey the message that an empty bin is as dull and mundane as black and white and it finds its usefulness only when it is filled with rubbish), got to walk away with, get this, AN APPLE iPAD AND ONE SONY NWZ-W252 MP3 WALKMAN PLAYER! *faint* Yes, I’m extremely envious.

Anyways, the creators of these seven winning designs were joined by MediaCorp artiste and Cleanliness Ambassador Edmund Chen at Sengkang Square, where they showcased their creative talents and the environmental messages that they wished to spread.

These are the winning designs! Real cute eh? The one on the second row (extreme left) is Edmund’s.

For additional details, check out the cute Little Munchers’ interactive website or add them on Facebook! Don’t you just love the name? *munch munch* How appropriate! ;P

(P.S. Tess, an art and design enthusiast, is actually a final year student majoring in English Language at NUS! Same faculty! ^^)

10:24PM Stranger: Ho
11:06PM Me: Who’s this
11:07PM Stranger: Guy here
11:07PM Stranger: You not interested
11:09PM Me: Name please.
11:09PM Stranger: Message wrongly
11:09PM Stranger: Andy

#1: How does one actually message wrongly?
#2: Am I supposed to be interested?
#3: This person has too many free outgoing smses to spare
#4: I’m no fan of name-chasing.
#4: The problem might be non-existent to some, but such simple things just get me irritated. Real irritated.

Another ridiculous text message:

“YOU ARE THE NEXT OF KIN TO INHERIT 150,000,000.00 GBP BY THE LATE JOHN TEMPLETON. SEND YOUR NAME AND MOBILE TO willemoffice@gmail.com. CALL +447024087834″
- (+61438513547)

#1: What is GBP?
#2: Kudos to getting our numbers but the spammer(s) seemed to think that everyone knows this late John Templeton, whoever that poor guy is.
#3: A wrong choice to target Singaporeans. +61 is the country code for Australia.