Butter Factory

Oh man, that was one exhilarating night. Of grooving and pumping and wild whacking at times with the occasional clowning from me as well.. LOL.

Weirdest thing is some guy actually came up to me and loudly screamed I'm cool and demanded to take a picture with me.. I was just totally bewildered and damn I didn't even take a look at the picture I took with him. Just hope he doesn't use it for some mass defaming joke. Hmm.. he seemed pretty sincere about the photo-taking thing so I'll just give him the benefit of doubt.

Well.. to be honest. I guessed our group pretty much scared everyone else off the dance floor with our crazy antics and high energy moves. Hmm.. ironically I would be much happier if the dance floor had more people. I just get the feeling they seemed much happier watching us 'perform' because there were the occasional battles between Peter and myself. That man - is an alien. Sharpness, hyper energy and speed. If you think Rene [Hamtaro] has plenty of energy wait till you see Peter in battling. I think I can only win him with my chest isolation. That's about it - the sad pathetic truth. Argh.

Congrats to the three 'musketeerettes' [lady version of musketeers i guess] who seemed to attract lots of attention as well with their continous grooving and waving of bodies. *Nose Bleed several times* though I was pretty shocked by their initial 'happiness' especially Valerie. LOL. Yes mi lady, I almost got drunk by chatting with you and absorbing your liquorous breath. Perhaps it's just me who have gotten pretty sensitive to the smell of liquor after not touching it for such a long time. Your loud laughter was another conviction you seemed to be enjoying yourself. No worries about the lack of glamour - its part and parcel of letting your hair down.

Should do that more often.

Another surprise for me was the ability of me rushing for 3 interviews today though the first interview was a total disaster. When I received the message from the lady yesterday my information given was venue Fujitsu Towers and look for unit #06-05 Orlando Go. My next two questions were "confirmed venue is Fujitsu Towers?" and "Company name is Orlando Go? Thats a weird name for a Company" which received answers "Yes" for both.

Great. I arrived at Fuji Xerox which the cab driver told me that's the nearest named building. 6th storey - Prudential!! Surprise!! Initial curiosity turned into horror as i realised this couldn't be the company i applied for the postition of Management Executive. So this is their new method of recruiting financial planners? Management Executive? Anyway I started calling the number that was received via caller ID and no one picked up. For 60 freaking minutes while I was floundering around continously asking for directions on the building called Fujitsu Towers and calling SingTel Yellow Pages in the process as while.

Second interview was excellent. AppleOrchard will be the outlet where I will be receiving my training should I be selected for the job. And I would like to forsee myself playing an active role in Apple products especially for Customer Service. A friend of mine advised me against it though because sometimes it's not about working in an MNC that will bring color to your resume but more importantly what jobscope had been that make you a much more valuable worker when you apply for a better paid job. She suggested that I take up Recruit Express offer for Business Development Corporate Executive. Sounds pretty big shot huh. Her explanation giving that I might actually learn more at Recruit Express given the highly stressed environment and the fast-paced working speed. I do hope I haven't disappointed her with my replies though. Gotta admit I didn't answer most of her answers directly because I never make any assumptions for any matter.

Ah well, I just hope that Apple can match the offer I'm asking for the starting basic pay. If that really happends I would not have to bother with Recruit Express or even Prudential for any further matters.

Cross my heart and clasp my hands. Heaven help me.



Happy Val and Shell-shocked me. LOL Kiddin Val. Love the company you've brought to me so far. Honest and bare truth.

Un-Regenerated

Well hurray, I'm officially down with a serious bout of flu and sore throat and dry cough [the extent of coughing though threatens to pulverise my lungs and squeeze the last breath out] not being helped with the fact that my Mum has been nagging non-stop for me to go see the doctor. Not me to exactly believe in medications for cough and flu, I stubbornly refused.

Tuesday was a pretty eventful day for me actually. Woke up in the morning feeling kinda of dizzy and weak - the symptoms of falling sick for sure but still logged on to send out some email resumes. Cross my heart and clasp my hands. I hope they receive replies soon.

Peter has dropped the bomb on my surprise of the day. He has started playing Maple Story! tHaT is indeed something I would have never expected in my whole life. I mean, half the time he is running around rushing to dance practises. Hiphop.. Jazz.. Ballet.. Chinese Dance.. And yes, his infamous nick of "The One who never sleeps" reinforces the fact that 18 hours a day he is involved in some dance practise or another. While others admire his passion for dance and his resolute iron will in pushing himself for continous improvement both technically and versatilly, at times I would just express a show of concern for his health for there is so much a human body can achieve within a period of time. As a direct translation from a chinese proverb - The Rest serves to walk a longer distance.

So in the early morning I spent slightly more than an hour to help Peter familiarise with certain key controls of the game and helped him to achieve Level 8 at a faster rate as well. My apologies to Loretta for forgetting to reply her earlier though. After the reminder SMS beeped did I realise, sent out an immediate apology.

As I went out of the house, I realised my body was indeed not taking kindly to all the additional stress that I am heaping upon. The running nose would not stop, the cough would not cease and the dizziness would not fade. Took me an effort just to select the cake and purchase it. Just for clarification - I was on my way to NYP and there was a selected celebration for two StageArts [SA] seniors named Sherry and Jianghao who were going to enjoy their birthdays on both 21st and 22nd respectively.

As I reached NYP, I deposited the cake with Rene's Dad [her father owns a drinks stall in one of the NYP Canteens] before proceeding to locate the DC people so that I can watch their performance titled "Reach" for today. When I entered the dance studio they were already dressed in their costumes [obviously since they already had a morning performance] with Loretta, Priscilla and Evon and.. was her name Shiping? huddled in a group taking group pictures. Soon I was included in the photo-taking session as well. Hmmm. Overheard someone asking where I am from and the reply was "StageArts" LOL. Guess I am really becoming identified with StageArts more and more now.

Pondered back to my ex-SIM Dance Club President's sms which requested me to go back to dance for the student week orientation item. Should I continue to perform for them? Despite knowing that most of them are simply not caring two-hoots about how the club would progress? There were a few really committed and passionate memebers who were the main reasons why I continued during that time to push most of my time in helping them. Both as a committee member and as one of core performing teams. Granted our performance team alone was bonded but I have to admit the committee is absolutely horrendous when it comes to maintaining members' follow up and liaison protocols. You just don't recruit members and then expect them to stay with you when you don't attempt any distinct forms of bonding with them. To me, the dance club was more like a profit-based organisation then an actual dance group with a distinct culture. I wondered how many of the performance members they managed to call back this time - haven't asked the rest of my team members yet.

Despite some protests from Yeeshan and Bathildes, I continued to take the juniors for class today. My first announcement to them is I am very sick today and if I can match or even exceed their energy level in dance be prepared to be shamed. Could see their looks of stress surface immediately. LOL. At least they showed lots of fighting spirit today and even managed to finish a short chereo on the spot. Yeeshan and Firdaus came up with a spontaneous decision of doing "battling" where there was teasing, baby freezes and lots of cheering. I practically collasped on the dance studio floor the moment the class ended breathing so heavily that Rene and another gal whom I could not remember came over to ask if I was ok. All fuzzy and giddy and no distinct ability at recognising for a while.

Booked a cab, reached home. Ran out of flu medicine, took some cough syrup and washed up. Concussed on the sofa for a few hours before dragging my absolute dead-tired body unto my bed at 3am plus.

A picture paints a thousand words
A face that launches a thousand ships

Doest thou ever wonder
A picture can paint the lives
of a thousand lifetimes
Over and Over again

Like a tapestry weaving in the loom
Needling the shuttlers
Picking out the cockleburs
To complete a life story

Doest the picture we paint
depicts the tapestry complete
Doest Un-Regenerated characteristics
break the walls of solidarity

If we are the weavings on the loom
and life is like a tapestry
Let not stray strands split ends
and end in a split

Rest and Re-Creation

And so the new journey begins - the end of my 4 year journey which was earmarked by endless hours of mugging for exams, working a full-time day job, struggling to drag my feet for night lessons, stretching and dancing, jogging and swimming.

That doesn't mean I'll stop all these activities just because my UOL degree course of study has ended. From PSB Academy to Stansfield College to Singapore Institute of Management [SIM] it seems I have virtually toured almost every major institution in Singapore that offers this external degree programme.

I wondered how I survived this 4 year oredeal of excruciating tolerance for the tight time management. Got a congratulatory pat from Peter on my achievement. Well it didn't come easy. I took up this degree course shortly after the break-up with my ex-girlfriend whom.. I do not wish to invoke too much memories of her. It took me almost 2 years just to gather the courage to clear my room of all associated memories. And of course a further one year just to realise I should move on and perhaps find a new partner.

The introduction of dance to me was something that I didn't plan at all. The initial phase of introduction was extremely embarrassing and somewhat painful because I still remembered my first dance class was a hiphop class which was all girls - teacher included of course. All eyes riveted on me as I entered the class and a following 6 more months of feeling isolated until an obvious improvement instigated some friendly conversations with a few of the students asking me how did I practise. The rest is history with a central figurine of role modelling in my dance years - Mr Peter Teo. Much would never have been accomplished without him. He has always been someone whom I can definitely label as a mentor in terms of dance knowledge and trainer.

So I stand today a new crossroad in my life. A goal to reach - but the end does not seem in sight yet. How many more years can I afford? The finishing line just does not seem to be a calculable option which would have aided greatly in making me feel secure in my whatever decisions.

It's been a hectic week of events indeed. From the previous sunday till tuesday night I've been mugging for the final two exam papers and definitely insufficient sleep due to late nights and disturbed state of mind. Then the mayhem starts on wednesday night till last night where almost every night I'm out with friends and staying up chatting till wee hours of the morning. The BBQ for Josh's birthday was the last straw and today I'm awakened with a bad dry cough and sore throat. Ironically, I hardly touched the BBQ food last night.

Confusion reels in and hardened walls break down
The sudden continous acting of a clown
To capture the attention? To create good impressions?
Or to simply drown oneself like a Fool of Ignorance?

They say ignorance is bliss
And Purity of Soul Happiness
But the heart is clouded in a mist
despite the truth realized and continously quizzed

So tell me now why thoust the beat
that lie within thine chest
so closely entwined with the pounding
that resonates within my ears

Put forth thy hand and accept this kiss
Sweetly softly implanted upon thy tender hands
Is it any wonder that the sage
chooses to act the clown because of thus?



- To this new group of friends. Cheers.

Ponder and Wonder

A weekend of pumping last minute revision for Management Mathematics filled me with hopes. Felt confident that I must have understood the essence of the questions that I had been cracking my brains over the past few days. With the addition of help from a friend to enhance my understanding of past year questions, wherest thou grounds for doubt in failure?

Alas, hopes were meant to be dashed. Thus reinforcing the clarity of proof that revision can never be enough. Or rather never trust pride, especially on your weakest subject. A glance at the paper in the examination hall raised the initial hopes for the topics which I studied came out as predicted in 60% of the paper, a hope which fuelled my desire to score. As the reading continued into further details, glooms of despair clouded my being of conciousness and I slipped slowly into the sinking depths of oblivion. Deeper and Deeper, resisting an impulse to tear the paper and loudly declaring I have never appeared in the examination hall at all.

Furrowing of brows as I stroved to decipher the ambiguous meanings that eluded my sense of comprehension, silently muttering a prayer that I would swear off all future symptoms of undevoted efforts to doing the right priorities. Chanting after chanting of self-encouragement. "I will not fail, I will not be defeated by these questions. I have not come so far just to be defeated by this one single paper."

Slowly but steadily the brain registered the strong pulsing of the heart and drove itself ever further to boost additional intelligence, despite having exhausted itself from a full 16-hour ordeal of revising and revising past year questions. The slight throbbing increased in volume and the breathing came in slight but short breaths. The grip on the pen intensified whilst the lips went dry. Slowly but steadily the pupils strained itself to scan the questions over and over again, to decipher the greek codes and to attempt the question - step by step. Slowly and steadily the writings appeared on the answer sheet, increasing the confidence of the examinee in seat no. 399 of the Expo Gateway Hall 7.

The announcement came, the flurry of examiners descended upon the multiple rows of students. Some were tying their answer sheets, some were simply sitting back into their seats staring into blank spaces. If the eyes are the windows to the soul then they must have been attacked by a vampire. The glazed look, the pale skin and the absolute stillness of their frame. Drained. Defeated. Devoid of life.

As I paced my footsteps outside the examination, my mind was screeching a thousand "what ifs" and waves after waves of self-reproach was heaped upon my conscience. Like the deadly tsunami that claimed so many lives in 2004, this tidal terror of bereavement. As the song of Corrine May's "Fly Away" sprung into tune inside my head, the height of the tide rose to impending heights threatening to drown my conscience in a everlasting world of underwater twilight.

Ponder and Wonder. Shuffle and Shrug. Not knowing where to go.

Encouragement, came in an SMS which left me wondering if there must be an angel watching over me. "One last paper, all is not lost. All the best to your final wednesday paper!" Perhaps, the timing could not be more perfect. Or rather, it could be just a coincidental SMS from a classmate who wants to encourage everyone in her contact list. For now, I shall indulge in a small bout of self-delusion and spur my tired spirit for one last lap.

All is not lost, perhaps.


P.S. Special thanks to Sherry who accompanied me for a simple late lunch. Your company was the mitigating factor for the smile on my face.

Ballooney

I have 2 more papers to complete my entire examination period - and I cannot concentrate well for this whole day. I deserve to be shot.

Ah well, jus sharing some simply lovely pictures that I encountered on a forwarded email from a friend. E n j o y.











I am simply over-whelmed with laughter when I saw this particular. Miss P, this one's specially dedicated to you. LOL.

Alrite, back to books. Damn Matrices.

Celebrations

It's been a surprising weekend - at least for me.

Just some main details of the little activities that has happened for me over the weekend includes a movie treat of X-Men3 : The Last Stand from Daniel my best buddy. In fact the little irony is I was kinda feelin down and frustrated because of the crying from the baby inside my house. Long Story. Main gist is the baby's my 2nd elder brother's and she's been stayin in my house for as long as I can almost remember since she's born. Just in the daytime - kinda makes my house a child care centre I would admit. So I packed my bag and went down to Nanyang Polytechnic [NYP] Library to study instead. Found much better concentration there. Only drawback is I can only stay inside till 5pm before I scoot or risk being locked inside. I don't have the student pass [obvious right?]. And there you have it, his call came when I was about to finish my revision around 4plus pm. Basically he was insistent on 'celebrating' my birthday somehow like a dinner treat or something so I told him a movie treat would do just fine. I did want to catch Over The Hedge initially 'cause I wanted to catch X-Men 3 together with Huajing but there were no immediate showtimes available. Given a choice between Benchwarmers and X-Men 3 who would you choose?




I believe you have made your choice.

In short, a dinner meal at Ajisen Ramen [Junction 8] and a movie treat then I went straight to continue my studies for my upcomin papers. Sigh.

Saturday was a big surprise to me because Peter [a dancer whom I'm currently attending his classes for basic jazz and stretching techniques at NYP on thursdays] asked me if I can come down to NYP for formulating chereography on Chroma X [the Hiphop Dance Team which I'm currently with for competitions] for the upcoming Suntec Dance Competition so I agreed to spare some time since I figured it won't take long. Little did I know that when I was outside the dance studio Valerie came out an Oreo Cheesecake birthday cake and everyone from StageArts [doin 'volunteer work' with for helping with dance trainings] erupted into the singing of Happy Birthday to me. Man.. Initial Shock gave way to Happiness after a while and.. yeah that warm feeling in my heart was indescribable man. Tops.

After the little birthday celebration was over I know.. I should have gone straight home but I hung around NYP for a while and went with Priscilla and Loretta to Dance Company's [DC] clubroom and hmm.. kinda became a little hyper there. Not the usual me definitely. Poor Priscilla was at my receiving end of my antics. Had a lot of fun with Evon drawing on the whiteboard till we realised we used permanent marker and frantically used whiteboard markers to draw over and erase out drawings amidst shrieks and laughter.

Sunday. Hmm.. A KTV session with Synergy friends [Edwin, Fong Hong, Huipei, Huiyu, Dulcia] and Huajing @ Orchard Cineleisure's K-Box. We went because they had the K-Lunch Offer of 11-2pm for free KTV singing with just a lunch set purchase of $8+ per person. Not a bad deal at all I would say. The only sacrifice I can think of is you have to wake up pretty on Sunday mornings [this pun is intended to those who wake up later than 1pm on sundays!] heh. After the KTV session, walked to Far East Plaza's Subway where they sang my B-day song and shared this fruit cake [a small one because there're only 6 of us sharing]. Staff was not too friendly though. I'll take note. Had to leave early though because I was giving tuition at 7pm to a Primary 1 kid who stays at Serangoon area. His name is Bryan. Cute kid, have a feeling he's gonna be quite good-looking when he grows up.

End of the day activity - Met Huajing at my bus stop to return the jacket to her because she left it inside my bag after the KTV session so she came down from her house to meet me to collect back. We chatted for a while before I walked her to the bus stop and waited for her bus.



I didn't know why I feel this way
I didn't want to know why perhaps
You didn't manage to hide that tear when you walked in front of me
And I didn't know why I didn't hold you then
Perhaps
I just didn't want to know why


P.S. Miss P, thanks for your 'last birthday wish of the day' message. LOL.