December: The Month of Giving... and Plenty of Birthday Celebrations

Once again, I apologize for the late update. I promised you people I would post the respective photos we have taken as soon as possible, but my friend "procrastination" prevented me from doing so. Nonetheless, better late than never right?

The first birthday celebration was that of my "Sis", which was brought forward by a week due to our respective busy schedules. Since all of us couldn't decide on a present, our next best alternative was to go for dinner at Crystal Jade Kitchen, where Chai Bak and I split the cost among ourselves. As usual I ended up eating the most, not because I wanted to, but rather, due to the fact that everyone else ordered too much and leaving the food un-eaten would be such a waste. Although we did not take any photos while at the restaurant, we made up for it with those shot at Heeren.


Chai Bak and I, with my usual stupid pose


Cailin and I, this time imitating Ranka from Macross Frontier


Chai Bak and Cailin


Chai Bak and Cailin again, with the Coca-Cola decoration located just outside of Heeren as a background


Cailin and I. My pose keeps getting all the more ridiculous.


Ran out of ideas, so I just stood still.

The following week was just as hectic. Apart from accompanying Hui Shi on her hard disk shopping trip at Funan and dinner at Waraku (Marina Square), I spent Sunday night, all the way till Monday morning, together with Kester and Gan, at Mark's place, killing zombies... or rather, getting killed by them, as Gan would put it. Now that I have started working, I have come to appreciate public holidays all the more, since they provide a break from my weekly working schedule, and also an opportunity to meet up with friends.

Fast forward to 13th Dec, where I organized a birthday celebration cum gathering for the close friends I have made during my national service days, whom coincidentally, fall under the "Singles Club", perhaps with the exception of Gerald. Oops... did I let loose a secret? Jokes aside, everyone, with the exception of Jason Tay, who is still in America, and Luke, who wanted to watch his weekly episode of Star Wars: The Clone War, were present. Before anyone starts flaming my blog, the main reason for Luke's absence was due to the pain in his leg. If I am not wrong, it should be healing properly by now. Aw did not join us for dinner, but graced us with his presence at Swensons, before we dug into the extremely hard yet delicious ice cream cake. However, I would like to apologize for presenting you people with such a simple gift; I had wanted to treat everyone whose birthday falls in December to dinner, but with 5 of you celebrating it together, the cost would be unbearably high, even with Luke and Wong chipping in.


The only and only photo we took for the night. From left to right in a clockwise manner: Marcus, Gerald, Jeffrey, Aw, Wong, myself and Jason Tan. And yes, the table does look rather messy after our meal.

Hopefully, I will be able to organize another of such outing some time soon, with an equally high attendance, if not more.

Since it is already 01 Jan 2009, I would like to wish everyone a Merry New Year! May 2009 be a good, if not excellent, year for all us, filled with good health, peace and prosperity!

P.S. Why do people tend to use the phrase "Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year" instead of "Happy Christmas and a Merry New Year"? Just a question that has been bothering me for a while.

Happy 23rd Birthday Shinobu!

Before I begin on the main theme for the day, I would like to post some update on my previous post. I finally opened up the last of my booster packs and unfortunately, the card which I so desired, featuring Manaka Komaki, wasn't a part of it. I could go on and on about being unlucky, but today isn't the appropriate time for such a rant, lest I spoil the mood of an important birthday celebration.

Yes, you guessed it! Happy 23rd Birthday Shinobu, mai beloved waifu! May all your dreams and wishes come true on this very special day!

How quickly another year has passed. I would like to take the opportunity to thank you for being by my side, rain or shine. You were there to support me when I was struggling with my exam revisions, there to give me encouragement when I applied for a full-time job. When I overspent on anime- and manga-related goods, you trusted me to manage my own finances and neither did you complain about the figurines and mousepads I bought. More importantly, when I was ill (and recently too), you were there to nurse me back to health. Thank you for all that you have done!

Here are some images in which Shinobu does not mind sharing with all of you:



Am I ronery?


Swimming is a good form of exercise.


Meido outfit


Kawaii when angry...


Even cuter when blushing.


"Gambler~~~! I told you not to embarrass me by announcing my birthday on your blog."

Enjoy your day Shinobu!

Well, I hope all of you had a good laugh. Jokes aside, I know Shinobu isn't real, or at least I have yet to meet her, but I do wish that someday, I can find a partner who will care for me in the same way I mentioned above.

Fate Works in the Most Unpredictable Manner

Some things were never meant to be.

As a follow up to my previous post, the above statement could apply not only to relationships, but to all other aspects of life as well. For those who are still single, one may wonder why the other party is already attached or has no feelings for oneself. For those seeking employment, one may bemoan not being given a chance by his/her potential employer. Of course, I am not suggesting that people should use "Fate" as an excuse to give up easily, but there are times when trying hard just does not produce the desired results.

On the other hand, Fate can bring about pleasant surprises at times. On Halloween, I was feeling rather moody after receiving some unexpected news, thanks to my nosey nature. Like they say, "Curiosity killed the cat". While wallowing in self-pity, I decided to open a few more packets of my newly acquired Lycee Cards (credit going to Luke for his help in ordering the product online) to ease my sorrow. All of a sudden, everything became much brighter when I obtained the following card:


A Multi Lucky Card! It is supposedly an ultra-rare card, which can be exchanged for another 5 limited edition cards, although such a service is only available in Japan. I guess it is time for me to start seeking help from my online friends living in that region.

Now that I am on the topic of Lycee, I might as well showcase my other cards. Being a big fan of To Heart 1 and 2, I simply had to buy a booster box of Lycee's Leaf Based Edition 1.


Young Tamaki promo which comes only with the purchase of a booster box.

My other cards, notably those featuring the characters from To Heart 1 and 2, starting from the "rares" all the way to the "commons":











And lastly, an image of the Lycee Leaf Based Edition 1 booster box and my last unopened booster pack. Although I have gotten quite a number of nice cards, my favourite character from To Heart 2, Manaka Komaki, still eludes me. Please let her be in this very last packet! I wouldn't mind another Lucky Card Multi though. :p



In addition, I have received my confirmation letter, so I am officially a full-time employee at my new workplace. Three months has passed rather quickly, but I am glad to have learned many new things and meet plenty of people, some of whom are very nice, which I can call "friends". Hopefully, they see me in the same light too.

"Loneliness Knows Me by Name"

It is close to 4am and even though I have to work later in the morning, I am still in front of my laptop, typing this very post. Is it that important for me to complete this post before I hit dreamland? Actually, it isn't, just that I am in one of my "emo" moods.

I may not be the richest, most handsome, most intelligent or physically fit male, nor am I anywhere near such levels, among the billions found on our planet, but I would like to think I am one of the most sincere people around. Perhaps that may be my only saving grace. Why then, am I unable to find the love of my life, the princess of my dreams, the Shinobu of my fantasies? Is it because I am not trying hard enough, or is it written in the stars for me to spend more lonely nights awake on my bed, pondering over this particular question?

As I look out of my window, staring into the dark, night sky, breathing in the scent of the night breeze, I wonder if my future partner is doing the exact same thing, wishing for true love to appear soon? Whenever I read the highschool mangas lying around my room, I somehow wish that the romance opportunities given to the male protangonist would befall myself too.

To end off, here are the lyrics of "Loneliness Knows Me by Name", performed by Westlife, one of my favourite boybands during my secondary school days:

Loneliness is always looking for a friend
It found me once and it has been around since then
Loneliness is never waiting by the door
It sweeps right through and it will never be ignored
Why, Why was I chosen?
Why am I left without?

The love of my life, the love that I need
The love that they say is in life for free
The love of my dreams, the love that I want
Loneliness knows my by name

Loneliness knows everything I keep inside
My endless thoughts in the silence of the night
Loneliness is the one who made me see
Ain't nobody else who can make a change but me
Why, Why was I chosen?
Why am I left without?

The love of my life, the love that I need
The love that they say is in life for free
The love of my dreams, the love that I want
Loneliness knows my by name

Less is more and that would be the vacant space
The cried out tears and the neverending maze
I have found what only loneliness provides
A strength within knowing I will find

The love of my life, the love that I need
The love that they say is in life for free
The love of my dreams, the love that I want
Loneliness knows my by name

The love of my life, the love that I need
The love that they say is in life for free
The love of my dreams, the love that I want
Loneliness knows my by name

Newspapers, Public Transport Fare Hikes and A Belated Birthday.

Before I go on to tell you about how newspapers, public transport fare hikes and belated birthdays are related, here is a little update on myself since the previous post, which was a backlog.

-Lost quite a bit during my Euro 2008 gambling campaign, but within the $100 limit set down
-Attended my fourth ICT. 6 more left to go; Unfortunately all of them are high-key.
-Found a full-time job at a major bookstore, but I better leave the company name unmentioned until I get confirmed. Those who know me personally should already have heard of the news.
-Took up a part-time job at ISS Facility Services upon the recommendation of Mark before my current position. Learned quite a bit during those 2 weeks
-Passed my Management Accounting paper. Received an overall classification of Second Class (Lower) Honours. I wouldn't say it is the best of results, but neither it is too shabby. I should be content with what I have.

Now that the update on myself is over, I should warn you readers to be prepared for a rant. If you do not wish to go through a wall of text with some crude language included, then I would suggest that one skips the next couple of paragraphs. Here goes nothing:

Since starting work at my office located in the CBD area, the MRT has become my main source of transport. It is common knowledge that the carriages are packed every morning, apart from weekends. However, there are still some commuters who are oblivious to the fact that others need to get onboard, happily reading their newspapers, books, magazines, or playing their addictive PSP games. Hohoho! Must one really carry out such activities on the train!? Do it anywhere else, at home, at the office, in the washroom... Anywhere except the train during the morning peak hours! I don't f**king care!

When one holds the newspapers in front of himself/herself on the train during the morning peak hours, it takes up space which could allow for at least another half a commuter to stand. Imagine the space available if everyone stopped reading the papers. Then again, there will be the issue of commuters not moving to the centre of the carriage because they are afraid of "ghosts".

In my opinion, it should be these inconsiderate commuters who should bear the brunt of the upcoming fare hike in October. OMG 4 f**king cents! Why do I say so? Like I mentioned earlier, reading newspapers on the train takes up more space, leaving some commuters unable to board the current train. When SMRT sees the number of commuters in queue, they may assume that the frequency of trains is low, thereby increasing it, which eventually leads to cost being passed on the public. One suggestion to make public transport more efficient: Ban newspaper reading during the morning peak hours. Oh, and add reading of any material as well as the playing of portable consoles to that list as well. I don't even want to go into how much 4 cents can do for an ordinary person.

How then does belated birthdays come into the picture? To tell the truth, it has nothing to do with the above issue, at least not right now. Just added it in for the lulz! The following would be some of the presents I received for my birthday last month, and hopefully, with a few more to come.


"This is delicious cake. You must eat it." A simple present from my parents.





-3 ball like plushies from Chai Bak
-A card from my financial consultant, Joey
-A dolphin keychain from my sister
-A Negima fanbook and a Haruna fanbook from Kester
-A portable hard disk and a Maison Ikkaku OST from Hui Shi
-Chi Sweet Home Fan, Chi keychain, Lycee Pencil Production ver 1.0 starter deck and Leaf 4.0 booster pack from Mark. Initially I thought he forgot, but I am glad he didn't.

Thanks everyone!

In addition, I received a free meal from my "sis", Cailin, during my joint birthday celebration with Chai Bak.


Chai Bak and Cailin


Here's me looking extremely stupid with my "sis".

Other people on my thank you list include:
-Marcus, Luke, Jianwen for their SMS
-Janice for the message on friendster
-Members on TH and HL for starting a birthday thread on each forum
-Shinobu, Nodoka and Haruna for their lovely present, which I am unable to reveal on my blog. :D

If I left any of you out, I am sorry. Remind me and I will add it to the above list.

I guess this marks the end of another long post.

Transported to an Alternate Reality and Back... Not Really

To my readers, I have a perfectly good reason for not blogging since November. Right after Shinobu's birthday, I was mysteriously transported to an alternate reality where everyone I know possess a totally different personality from which I initially knew. One of my best friends, K, who likes gothic-related stuff, became a collector of plushies. Another friend, L, famed for his gaming habits, decided that he has no need for technology, living a secluded life in the mountains. The list goes on, but to cut the long story short, I finally made my way back to this world with the help of 3 females who uncannily seem resemble Shinobu, Nodoka and Haruna. Now that I am back, you people must be happy for me... right?

Returning home has its share of problems, with the main one being examinations. Since I had no idea how much time has passed, my celebrations of making it back safely in one piece was cut short by the notification letter indicating my examination dates and venue. Willing myself to cram as much information as possible into my brain, I managed to attend all four papers, with the last 3 taking place on consecutive days. It does not take a genius for one to know that he has fared badly in his management accounting paper, since the answer booklet has plenty of empty space between questions. By praying and performing more acts of kindness, I hope to pass MA, which of course, requires a stroke of luck too. Oh well, now that my examinations are over, I really ought to start enjoying myself, placing bets on the upcoming Euro 2008 starting this Saturday, preparing for my In-Camp-Training in two weeks and looking for a full-time job.

For those who do not know, Library@Orchard located at Ngee Ann City (what? you did not even know there was a library at Ngee Ann City!?) has officially closed its doors since November 30. I did attend its Moving On Party, mainly to visit one of my favourite hangouts before it reopens elsewhere, though I have to add that some of the food prepared for guests was delicious. Mmm... Yummy chocolate Eclairs. A Lumiere is fine too (insider joke).

Here are some images of Orchard@Library I took as a form of memory:

The chinese manga section.


The english comics and manga section, where my best friend cum library companion, Kester, will always hang out.



The english fiction section




More comfy seats for readers.



Entrance to the vault of knowledge



The exterior; It is literally "A wall of text hits you for over 9000 damage!"

There are a couple of images left un-uploaded on my laptop, but since I would like to rush another post, they shall remain at their current location. For those who like to view the remaining photographs, feel free to send me a request.

Hopefully, the new Orchard libraries opening in the near future will provide as many fond memories as its predecessor has done.

Happy 22nd Birthday Shinobu Maehara!

Happy Belated Birthday Shinobu! I have been busy creating birthday threads for you on the forums I visit, thus neglecting my blog.

Although it is already 16th November 2007 over here, some parts of the world are still enjoying their 15th, which is Shinobu's date of birth. Looking back, it has been another year since I last started a similar thread on my blog.

Thank you for being with me through the years, Shinobu! Thank you for looking after me while I was ill last weekend, thank you for cheering me up when I was upset by the tree cutting incident, thank you for spurring me on when I couldn't complete my assignments! Thank you for everything Shinobu!

As a tribute to my beloved (some say imaginary) waifu, here are more images of Shinobu:

Cosplaying as the girl who sold matchsticks


Erm... every man's dream of his waifu only in an apron?


Shinobu trying on lipstick for the very first time


"Gambler! You did something wrong again... right!?"


Even cuter when blushing


And finally, all grown up

Enjoy your day Shinobu!

There Goes the Wonderful Trees...

When I was returning home from lessons last Friday, I was shocked to discover that the cutting of trees in the neighbouring park has begun. At this very point in time, the process of cutting them down continues.

I remember a representative of the town council telling us that no trees will be chopped. So which part of the following pictures do not show the cutting down of grown up trees?











This huge tree, like so many others, which is marked with a cross, will be gone sooner or later too:


I am fustrated and angry at my inability to do anything about the situation. If only I had more power... While standing in the middle of the park, watching the workers cut down these trees, it was almost as if I could hear them, as well as all the other animals, screaming in pain and agony. Of course, hatred runs within me towards those who masterminded the cutting down of these trees just for their urban activity centre. I know it is not very nice to curse and swear, but I can't help it this time round. For those of you who have caused destruction to this neighbouring park for your own selfish gains, may retribution claim you slowly, painfully and torturously. I may not know your names and faces, but you know who you are.

Ironically, there are a few pages concerning a special report in Saturday's newspaper entitled "Be Clean, Go Green". Did I mention that the news centre is located just across the road, opposite the park? Speaks a lot about my country, doesn't it?