my random muses

Final Note

2008-01-03T10:31:00.000+08:00

Just to say that this blog is officially closed. Thanks all who have been with me for this journey, whether you are just a stranger, an acquaintance, a chum or even a foe. It's been great, but it will be no more.

So, Happy 2008. To more fantastic journeys and fresh beginnings.

Love
Bmuse

much more than nothing

2007-09-19T10:00:00.000+08:00

When a certain sports brand came up with the slogan 'Impossible is nothing', I was pretty taken with it. Three words that capture the essence of the never-say-never attitude for sportsmen and women, professional, amateur or leisure. Thumbing your nose at the seemingly unattainable goals - oh so nonchalently cool.

But as I pushed through long runs and trainings, I took a different take from it.

Impossible is not nothing. It's sweat, blood and even tears. Not forgetting lots and lots of mental strength and self-discipline.

So, nope, it's not nothing, it can't be written off just like that. To achieve the impossible, it's way more than that.

But that immense satisfaction that you earn with going for it with all you've got? All so worth it.

gift from the gang

2007-09-17T23:51:00.000+08:00

My new gym gunny, all comfy soft and roomy, to lug all my stuff to work on gym days.
Belated it may be, but I still love it. Thanks guys! :)

listening comprehension

2007-09-12T23:29:00.000+08:00

After a long day at work, all factors were conducive to hop into yoga at the gym tonight - location, timing, I even lugged all my gear.

Yet.

The body was really craving for a good long run. Which I did. Heaved the heavy gym bag back home, then went for a mind-emptying jog at the park.

The bliss from listening to that lil voice of truth is simply incomparable. Not forgetting the immense satisfaction of fulfillment too. Too often, it's so easy to ignore that nagging small voice of logic and truth, drowned out by the lazy drawl whispering all manners of temptations and paths of least resistance into your ears, playing into your every weakness that who else but yourself would know best. I suppose that's why the inner devil is the hardest to fight.

But I'm slowly learning, listening more carefully to that quiet murmur. And as I learn to refocus my attentions, it gets a lil more firm, a lil more clear. And I'm reminded, of how we can be our worst enemies, but our best friends too. :)

dream came true

2007-09-11T17:11:00.000+08:00

except that it wasn't a good dream. :p

On Sunday morning, I woke up at 7.15am. Early it may be, but still way too late, considering that flag0ff for Shape Run was 7.30am!?!

*silent scream*

I was strangely calm though, perhaps cos it was really too late to do anything about it, and also cos while I was a tinge disappointed that I missed it, it's not life and death. But yes, it's always been a fear that I will oversleep and miss a race, and it's finally come true. Gaah.

Well, seeing that I crashed back into sleep after weighing all options, to awaken only after noon, I reckon that the body must really have been too tired, and I would not have performed well anyways. So best to listen to the voice of reason and rest up.

Just need to note that this doesn't happen come December. Or I guess I will really scream. =P

thank you

2007-08-29T18:22:00.000+08:00

Just thanking some individuals who have been motivating me, knowingly and unknowingly, in my fitness journey.

To you..
Your resilience and all-out enthusiasm has been infectious. That, coupled with your encouraging messages, have saved me from a number of times when the resolve weakened and temptation beckons to jus head home rather than fulfill the workout plan. Not to mention a fantastic wheely-date kaki. Thanks to you, I'm slowly rebuilding that much-needed momentum, and enjoying it too!

To you..
I used to admire your fitness levels and how you're just naturally more inclined towards sports than I am. I used to be that lazybones whom you could never get to play badminton with, and it's amazing how much we have evolved. You may not be as strong or active as you once were, but you never lost that love and passion for sports. I'm just glad that we share that now. I love running and swimming with you cos we have similar pacing, and it's quality time too during and after that. I also tell myself that with enough work, I might just have those trim slim legs of yours too. Heehee.

And last but definitely not least..
To you..
It's incredible how we uncannily find ourselves in the same situations more than once. I'm so glad that we have grown out of envying each other for what we can never have, and having that slight sour note in our voices even when we really want the best for each other. I'm loving the sms-es we have been sending frequently and spontaneously to report progress and give that needed nudge. It feels so much better knowing we are working hard towards a common goal, genuinely wanting the other to fulfil her goal too.

You know who you are. Thank you. :)

watered

2007-08-16T09:46:00.000+08:00

Everytime I go for a swim, I would feel wonderfully refreshed and promise myself that I should do it regularly. And almost unfailingly, I end up staying on dry land for weeks, sometimes months, before I repeat the same experience.
:p

So last night was another nice sesh at the pool. Compared to the previous hassled experience I had, it was sweet relief to be able to swim in peace, focusing on cutting cleanly through the water, just the kicks, the strokes and the breathing. Managed to accomplish the 20 laps I set out to complete, almost non-stop, safe for slight pauses to adjust the goggles.

All happily watered, the evening was then rounded up with comfy company over light bites nearby. It's cool to have chums working close by I say! Sharing fitness plans and progress is a great way to provide more motivation, methinks. :)

I should really do this watering routine more frequently. *crosses fingers*

On another note, while strolling over to the complex after work, bumped into my cousin who was on his way back after a swim. Glad to see him looking somewhat more relaxed, though his eyes are still sad. It's consolation to know that he's carrying on with life, picking up the pieces rather than sinking into depression. I just hope that's a true reflection of what's on the inside as well.

somber

2007-08-13T14:25:00.000+08:00

As the nation celebrated its 42nd birthday last week, a tinge of grey enfolded the family with the passing of a kin.

A phonecall from an aunt brought the dismal news - that my cousin-in-law had succumbed to the dreaded year-old battle with final stage cancer which she was diagnosed with last year.

Quietly, most of the family turned up at the wake to offer our condolences. The uncles, aunts, cousins, nieces and nephews. This is a rare time that the entire extended family gathered. And while it gave us the chance to update one another on our lives, the reason behind it was one never welcomed.

The cousin was one of my favourites, this tall, lanky kor kor who doted on lil me whenever I visited or stayed over during primary school times. However, while I used to play with the cousins quite frequently in kiddy years, we have grown quite apart as they all get married and started their own families.

I had to think hard to recall the cousin-in-law's looks, but the sight of the photograph immediately unleashed a flood of memories - of how we used to marvel at the resemblence between husband and wife, that gentle soft-spoken lady I saw during Chinese New Year and other festivities.

My eyes stung as my uncle related her final days, of how her condition had improved immensely, only to take an abrupt turn for the worse as her body rejected the chemotherapy she was subjected to. I heard the pain in his voice, the grief at the loss of a daughter-in-law who, in the midst of immense discomfort, still struggled to greet him whenever he visited.

My heart broke when I saw my cousin, valiantly holding himself together during the funeral proceedings, his sad smile of appreciation at our attendance, softly announcing our presence to his departed wife as we made our offerings at the altar. I ached when I saw his sunken cheeks, his haggard body, that haunting look in his eyes.

As I paid my final respects to this cousin-in-law I never got to know better, I offered a heartfelt, fervent prayer. May the departed find peace, and the survived find strength. The sole responsibility of bringing up their two young children will now weigh heavily on him, and it will be a rough journey ahead. So strength, loads of it, he will need.

on the wagon

2007-08-08T13:27:00.000+08:00

Joining what seems like almost the whole world, I finally pottered over the weekend.

Thanks to dear bf for the gift. :)

It was a gripping read, engaging enough for me to lose myself in it, eyes flying over the words as I devoured the final tale in the series.

I like the ending, and I enjoyed the writing - that's all I shall say about it. No spoilers or giveaways, cos my own experience was kinda marred by a huge one that I chanced upon. :p

Now I shall endeavour to re-read the entire series, just to clear up all those hazy spots over which I racked my brains to recall!

and the sotong struck again

2007-08-06T09:23:00.000+08:00

Merrily strut into office this morning, looking forward to two days of 'tiger-less mountains', as most of the senior management will be at their annual retreat.

Only to stare in horror as I breezed into my cubi.. Left my PC on over the weekend!!

*smacks forehead*

Yes, one of 'em classic sotong moments of mine. Though I distinctly remember pressing the off button before zooming off into the sunset last Fri. Really!!

So dear friends, if you happened to be surprised at the sight of yours truly being online over the weekend, only to be peeved at no replies when you IM me, now you know ya...

This is just so typical lah. Bleahhh. :p

july updates

2007-07-31T14:08:00.000+08:00

Yes, I've been MIA pretty much the entire month of July from this space. :p

The culprit, other than the inspiration going on a vacation, was a schedule plagued with work commitments that seemed to drain the mind each day, such that at the end of weekdays, I stare at the screen blankly, and on weekends, I was just happily doing everything else away from the comp. Could only bring myself to read up on other's posts, thirstily lapping up the words of others, and updating myself on other people's ongoings.

So, here I am, guiltily posting on the final day of the month, slowly warming up the blogging engine again. :))

Yes, just a shoutout that I'm still well and alive, and the inspiration seems on the return too. We shall see. Hee.

And here are some randoms on the month:
Passion Run - I had a blast, and gave myself a pat on the back for a timing that I was happy with (1:11 for 10km, not fantastic, but not too bad). Best part was that this was the first 10km run I completed non-stop. Hee.

Eh, don't ask me why I'm raving about finishing a 10km non-stop when I've completed 21.1km non-stop already.

Daddy-dearest birthday - The father turned 56 this year, and we bought him a new Samsung mobile to replace his cranky current one. It pleases us to see him beaming and playing with the new toy once he got his hands on it. My funny dad, who lovingly wakes me up each morning, and spoils us with all sorts of small treats and snacks whenever he can. It's nice to return the favour, and spend some quality family time..

Lovely union - The roomie tied the knot! My dear buddy whom I've known since Sec 1, one of my closest mates, successfully sold herself off (quoting the bride!) on 14 July. And the fact that I knew the groom as well - my pri sch classmate, who's incidentally a good friend too - only made it feel all the more sweeter. Congrats again to the lovebirds, so very happy for you!

More madness in view - While I'm still undecided about this and this, have signed up for the Half Marathon at the end of the year. For those interested, do sign up while it's still Early Bird registration! :p

Crazy skies - The climate's gone all haywired all around the globe. And over here, it's been strangely cool, grey and wet this month, when I seem to recall the unbearable sweltering heat same time last yr. Well, I prefer cool to warm, only damper being stuck indoors most of the time. But no matter, just learn to skip and dash out during intermittent clearness. Hee.

Potter craze - Everyone seemed to have been caught up in the Harry Potter craze, on screen and for the final book in print. Somehow I've yet to catch either, but shall be doing that soon, I foresee. Have always been one to avoid the mad initial rush and wait for it to cool off a bit first. After all, it's not critical for me to be one of the first ones, for the price of long queues and jacked up prices - some things I just don't have patience for!

out of my mind

2007-07-06T17:38:00.000+08:00

What is your definition of madness?

For bemusedtots, what constitutes craziness changes and shifts according to situation, mood and other random factors.

At the moment, it is perhaps.. looking forward to a 10km run this weekend, AND getting all excited about the increased distance offered at another run I was planning to sign up for.

Just realised that the venue for this 2nd one would not be at Sentosa, but would still have the killer sandy part.

Almost died running on the sandy parts last year. And I'm actually seriously tempted to attempt the longer distance offered this year. It's exciting and scary at the same time!

Well, since registration has not started yet, I have a while more to decide just how much I wanna challenge thyself.

:p

missing routine

2007-07-02T12:39:00.000+08:00

While I'm not exactly a sms-fanatic, I use it quite often, more for the convenience it offers than anything.

Not surprisingly, the bf is the most frequent recipient I text throughout the day, mostly of the most random stuff. It's become a daily habit to send my first sms of the day to him on the way to work, and before I turn in at night. In between interspersed others too, mostly of mundane stuff like confirmation of plans and such.

I've gotten so used to it that it's become very much auto-pilot, something I do without much thought.

So with his mobile misplaced yesterday morning, I found myself feeling a bit lost at times, not being able to text him whenever I want. Even if it's for things of little importance.

I'm amused at the irony - how the presence is often overlooked, and only missed when it's gone. I hardly had to think much about it when I went about texting usually, and yet when I no longer do it, the absence shouts out like a glaring blob.

A good reminder it is, to cherish what we have while it's there. That shall be my food for thought today, as I miss the routine a little, and miss him a little more. :p

道别

2007-06-30T03:09:00.000+08:00

曾几何时，已习惯从各媒体见到你，得知你的最新境况。

你的成就与执著，大家有目共睹。

每当同学会上提起你时，都有种莫名的自豪。

今天，你又上报了。但不如往常的是，我多希望那不是你。

无论到底是什么让你如此绝望，但愿你已真正得到解脱。

也许我们从不是深交，但我仍记得你那阳光笑容，与在舞台上无人能挡的灿烂魅力。

耀眼的流星 - 朋友，再见了。

skippity-dippity-do

2007-06-27T12:15:00.000+08:00

Getting bored with my usual fitness routines of run/swim/blade, I mused to blame-less that I was toying with the idea of getting a skipping rope. Something different for our cardio. Good for her too, seeing that the poor girl is off running and most exercise, nursing a badly-broken toenail.

And interestingly enough, just days after, I got one with the July issue of Shape! A cute hot pink, it even comes with a counter - how cool!

The sis and I had eagerly attempted to relive the joy of this childhood favourite. However, we soon found out that it didn't seem as easy-peasy as it used to be! Just a few minutes had us huffing and puffing, cheeks all flushed. I couldn't imagine how I managed to skip and skip and skip, trying all kinds of 'pattern' (criss-cross, single foot, alternate leg, both legs, double, triple, blah blah), without nary a pant.

We feel.. old. :p

But it's still fun! I marvel at how quickly 100 rounds can be - impressive figure it may be, but not as hard as it sounds!

It shall be our couch-potato workout during advertisements. :)

[pleased]

tongue-in-cheek, or not?

2007-06-26T00:57:00.000+08:00

In the midst of an eventful week, I had the privilege of experiencing some platinum customer service experience..

Imagine..

Your credit card company calls to offer you a complimentary account upgrade, with five times the amount of rewards earned, and five times the validity period. In addition, your current points, about to expire, would be carried forward and granted the same extended validity.

You gladly accepted, not knowing what you were in for.

For the next four months, you find yourself having to make numerous calls to enquire on the status of this upgrade, receiving not a squeak after that, save for two additional calls from different persons with the exact same offer.

Your card finally arrives. Your points, which expired, were not brought over.

No longer trusting the 24-hour phone banking service, you wrote in to request for reinstatement of the points as promised, explaining the entire sequence of events in an extremely civil tone.

Three days after your message was sent, you receive a reply saying that the points were reinstated, with the request to redeem them 'as soon as possible'.

Six days after, you receive a reminder to redeem these reinstated points within the next seven days, or they will expire. The same points that expired due to their inefficiency, which you were promised an extension to five-year validity.

You only see these two messages a day before the supposed expiry date. Throughout, there was not a single direct call to placate or update you.

Sounds ridiculous?

With sillybank, it's not that hard to imagine.

:p

Meow.

[catty]

speechless

2007-06-25T14:16:00.001+08:00

It was madness at work last week, and for more than half of today.

Four days of trying to manage two camps with 100 kiddies in total, with a variety of challenges and patience-stretching.

And another huge news story that kept everyone on their toes, scrambling to get all the clippings done first thing in the morning, attending meetings, and other mandatory duties.

The entire slew of events have rendered me speechless. I stare at the screen, wanting to blog about what happened, and share some musings and thoughts. But the mind is in overdrive.

It feels like I've exhausted my word quota, and the brain refuses to churn out any more for anything else. For now at least.

Bahhh.

Maybe later...

[blank]

(up)date

2007-06-11T16:08:00.000+08:00

Early-week date with buddy enirrac last week was a blast.

Into the late hours, we cruised up and down half of ECP.

The weather was threatening to pour, but thankfully held up.

We leisurely wheeled about, savouring the cool balmy breeze.

We roamed from topic to topic, updating each other about ongoings and musings.

We regaled each other with whimsical tales, from work to friends to the men in our lives.

We chattered, ranted, giggled, laughed.

It was fun fun fun.

that embarrassing lil person

2007-06-08T23:58:00.000+08:00

"Dododododooo... 青春123... lalalalalaaa... 青春123!"

Chanced upon this very familiar theme song from a TV drama serial from my childhood days, and I couldn't stop smiling.

This was the show that made me afraid of eating anything for quite a while! My dear mum was bewildered and very bemused to see this ickle bemusedtots, barely even in primary school, refuse food for fear of becoming like this *cough* plus-sized character on the show! Yes, I was vain even from that tender age. :p

I was also a crazy kid who could sing all the theme songs from the TV shows then. Yes, even at that age, I could remember entire songs by heart! The most embarrassing thing was that this dreamy kid, not really aware of the rest of the world, also loved to sing when the whim hits her. Anytime, anywhere. I must have unwittingly provided some free entertainment to many a unfortunate stranger who happened to be near. Gawd. I feel pai seh for my mum whenever I think about it now, haha.

Well, those were still fond fond memories that I look back on and grin, albeit with a tinge of sheepishness. :p I can't remember anything from the show, but this song is somehow etched into my memory of those silly kiddy days!

青春123 - 颜黎明

我将年少的日子谱上美丽的旋律

在悠悠的琴声里流过款款的笑语

我将青春的日记写成浪漫的诗集

让盈盈的泪水洗尽忧伤的字迹

我也曾经来编织属于梦幻的彩褛

但我将会珍惜所有真实的回忆

我也曾经任性地挥霍亮丽的光阴

但我从来不曾忘记踏出向前的步履

让我永远拥有永远地拥有纯真的心灵

在我平凡的生命里不断创造奇迹

让我永远拥有永远地拥有阳光的笑意

在我成长的雨季里耐心等待天晴

crossed over

2007-06-07T23:33:00.000+08:00

Today, I officially step over that midpoint between 20s and 30s.

I shan't call it the 'wrong side of 25', cos I don't dread it, this shortened distance to the big three-O. Not really. I'd prefer to think that I've grown and matured in my own time, and the future promises so much in store. It's exciting, and kind of thrilling too.

Today, I smiled at the well wishes that flooded my inbox at the struck of midnight and throughout the day.

Some I have known for years, and I'm glad that we're still part of each other's lives and thoughts. Some I have just gotten to know, and I'm thankful for the budding friendships forged. These are the things that really matter, not whether lines and wrinkles are appearing, or work that drains or jades one's spirits.

Today, I spent the day with my love, simply but happily.

There was no need for any grand plans to please me. Just the reminder that I'm so deeply loved, by spoiling me with that extra bit of patience. I love all the pressies, and the most precious is your company, that priceless quality time.

Today, I crossed over that invisible line, with contentment and bliss. :)

the year I turned legal

2007-06-02T23:48:00.000+08:00

tagged by imp, I flipped through the musty pages of my mental diary, reminiscing on some of the classic moments in that year. Am afraid these 5 songs are very pop, very commercial. But they still hold their weight in my heart, and I still happily hum and sing along whenever they come on the radio. And yup, they are still on my iTunes, and make me smile at the memories. :p

18 in the vintage of bemusedtots is when she::
studied at one college, but was seen more often at another. had her first serious relationship. scrambled at the last minute over the dreaded A levels, after close to 2 years of slacking. taught chinese for three months to pre-schoolers. passed her Grade 8 in plonking keys. got accepted into her dream course in uni. worked 15-hour days at a temp job. went on her first tour to HK with two other gal pals.

And here are the songs on my list. Don't laugh. :p

1. Flying without Wings by Westlife
What would the 90's be without Boy Bands?? While I wasn't one of those who went crazy over them, I think I liked Westlife the most (for their songs - I can hardly tell them apart!), and this song from their debut was my favourite. Loved the lyrics.

2. How Do I Live by Leann Rimes
Yes, the Love Song of my time, I think. Overplayed it may be, but never fails to turn everyone all sappy and singing along.

3. Crash and Burn by Savage Garden
I realise I'm really into all these 'love yourself, have faith in yourself' songs. Trivia: oh, I remember a certain radio personality got herself into hot soup for playing this song right after reporting on a plane crash tragedy. *snigger*

4. Someday by Sugar Ray
A perfect song to listen to while bumming on the beach. It's just has this lazy breezy feel that I heart.

5. Angel by Sarah McLachlan
This was my personal favourite by her. While I do agree with Imp that she can border on whiny, thought she sounded good in this, the way she effortlessly hits the high high notes. Power.

The Rules

1. Go to www.popculturemadness.com

2. Select the year you turned 18

3. Get all nostalgic over the songs of the year

4. Write about it

5. Pass this tag onto 5 others

And this tag goes out to: yuling, aokisan, enirrac, winnie-t, blame-less. :)

scabby

2007-06-01T16:53:00.000+08:00

I am so proud of myself - for not picking at the scab on my knee, results from the clumsy ankle twist weeks ago. It's almost entirely healed now - something that struck me when I was examining it the other day.

And that's rare, an undisturbed recovery for a wound of mine.

As a kid, I was the little miss klutzy, always knocking into things and falling. Thus, my legs were perpetually smattered with 'five-cents' and 'ten-cents' bruises and scabs. And being the itchy-fingers I am, could never resist picking at them. My mum's incessant well-meaning naggings 'Girl, don't scratch!' just falls on deaf ears, much to her consternation. I would be fixated, fascinated, and kept at it till the wounds eventually heal, but leaving a darkened mark behind.

But I did remember feeling conscious about them in high school years, and berating myself for not listening to mother's wise words. I remembered fearing that these scars would stay for the rest of my life, leaving me with no choice but to wear long pants all the time. Well, thankfully, those scars/blemishes have faded over the years, so no real damage done.

And fortunately, I'm *cough* less of a klutz now, and more of a vainpot too. So that should hopefully be something I never have to fret about anymore.

It's a lesson that can be applied to other things in life: Thou shalt not pick at wounds or scabs - for the simple reason that re-opening these injuries do more harm than good, and makes for a tedious, long-suffering recovery, with marks that could brand you for life.

And I pray that one day should the need arise, I can remember this simple logic and practise it diligently, conscientiously.

satisfaction

2007-05-28T21:55:00.000+08:00

is waltzing out of the salon after a much-needed haircut, all pampered, primped and coiffed. :)

pooling thoughts

2007-05-26T16:47:00.000+08:00

Warning: rambling post alert.

With an ankle rendered wobbly thanks to a clumsy twist last weekend, bemusedtots finds herself more inclined than usual towards aquatics for her choice of exertions these days. No matter, since swimming is actually her favourite sport, just that she runs more often for the convenience and accessibility it offers.

One thing about swimming, though, especially if one only has access to public pools, is that you need to exercise extreme wisdom in selecting the time and location to fully enjoy a peaceful session of aqua therapy. It is of utmost importance to choose the optimal time when the pool is least occupied to reap maximum utility. When that happens, you get to build up a momentum, focusing on just the strokes and breathing, in that space where it's just you and yourself in the world. Bliss.

Well, that definitely did not happen last night, when bemusedtots happily trotted down to a public pool near her place in the evening, all eager for a nice long swim. However, after merely 30 minutes, and 20 lengths to and fro the competitive pool, she decided to call it a night.

While that was far from her target 50 lengths, she consoled herself that she probably burnt the same amount of energy from dodging the juniors permeating the entire pool at their lessons.

They seemed a focused lot, a pity that they have yet to realise that when wearing goggles, you really need not shut your eyes in the water.

She certainly hopes they grasp that soon, else they might just end up like the other swimmers causing her to swim in zig-zags - adults who use goggles and open their eyes, but somehow just can't seem to see other swimmers around.

That said, at least they are utilising the pool for the use it was intended for. Which makes them somewhat better than the pair of ***-nationals sitting on the edge in the middle of one end. Oblivious to the world, the two males were happily enjoying a deep, meaningful conversation the entire time bemusedtots was there, while dangling their feet in the water, while swimmers all around them barely have the space to turn at the end of laps.

As she hauled herself in resignation out of the water, tired more from the impossible navigation rather than the actual swimming, they were still deep in the throes of intellectual discourse.

The interesting sights at a public pool on Friday night. Highly entertaining, if you don't let it get to you.

I'm sticking to the pool near my office from now.

[utterly bemused]

knuckled

2007-05-21T18:21:00.000+08:00

Fri night dinner was birthday celebrations for one of the bf's buddies from high school days - thoughtfully organised by his utterly delightful babe of a girlfriend. The sweet gal sneakily called his pals and coordinated this get-together with the respective partners invited as well.

Dinner was German fare at Brotzeit, Vivocity. I say she made a good choice, as it seemed just the perfect place for the group. While it was more of a bar than restaurant, with noisy music and chatter, having to raise your voices to be heard across the table, the boys were all too happy to not have to bother about getting too boisterous or rowdy, haha.

I arrived late, when most have placed their dinner orders. And the moment I sat down, the bf breezily informed me that he's ordered dinner to share, rattling off various items smoothly in German. All I had to do was order a lager, and wait for the food to come. This I was too pleased with, seeing the mindboggling names on the menu that rendered me lost. The bf, on the other hand, was well-acquainted with the food and language, having spent a semester there on exchange.

He ordered schäuferla, which was surprisingly not listed on the menu, took just over an hour to prepare. It was well worth the wait though - roasted to a delicious crisp brown, the meat was tender, the skin crunchy, and the fats melt-in-your-mouth. Accompanied with tangy sauerkraut and mash on the sides, it was satiating and not cloying. For that evening, I abandoned my calorie-phobia at the door and dug in to enjoy the meal, guilt oblivious. :p

The gang of them are close pals who meet up at least once every weekend, for intellectual stimulation (read: mahjong), sports (soccer) and entertainment (EPL and drinking sessions). While I usually have not much common topics with them, seeing that I don't play mj, and am pretty clueless at soccer (though I at least know what off-side means, I think), am usually happy to sit there in silent observance of their unpretentious men talk and goofy banter - this group who have witnessed one another at his best and worst, know all the embarrassing moments and naughty escapades.

It also helps that, coming from the same high school, they have the typical mannerisms that this bemusedtots is not unfamiliar with, and thus were on a wavelength and frequency that I could easily attune to.

Such nights, I like. It envelopes me, this certain quiet pleasure from included in other parts of his life, even on the sidelines, and seeing other sides of this love of mine.

[pleased]

it wasn't how I remembered

2007-05-17T12:28:00.000+08:00

It was one of those shows that really gripped me and left an impression. So when I chanced upon it at the video shop, couldn't resist grabbing it off the shelf, all eagerness to re-visit the story that fascinated me, and chow on the reflected thoughts.

My memory surprised me at how much I remember of the show, which I had caught only once in the theatre years ago - but the curious thing was that while I seem to have perfect recollection for most of the scenes, one or two of them, as well as lines uttered by the characters were totally unfamiliar. It was as if I was watching them for the first time. A disconcerting experience for sure.

And the mystery compounded at the end of the show, where I went 'HUH?!?!?!?' at the ending - totally different from what I remembered. I might have faulty memory, but I could not have conjured an entirely different ending in my mind right?? Especially not when the ending was a huge reason the film was so memorable in the first place.

The sis, watching the film with me, was terribly amused at my bewilderment.

So I googled, and found, to my relief, that my memory works fine. Turns out that as suspected, there were actually two different endings - ironic thing was that the 2nd one I watched on disc was the original director's version. The one I saw first was the edited Hollywood version. Ha.

No matter, I liked both. Can't say which is better, they were just different, and nice in their own way. Would still recommend this as a good one to catch, though you might wanna consider the DVD which might have both endings, for comparison.

Was just glad that it wasn't my mind playing tricks on me - especially just after watching a movie about memory alteration. :p

about: blank

2007-05-15T16:19:00.000+08:00

The 7-step cursed cycle

Step 1: Sit in front of computer, fingers poised over keyboard.

Step 2: Rack brain for entry topic, searching for inspiration.

Step 3: Haltingly chain characters into words into sentences into paragraphs.

Step 4: Reword. Edit. Embellish. Rephrase. Reangle. Summarise.

Step 5: Scrutinise entry. Frown.

Step 6: Erase everything.

Step 7: Repeat.

End result? What you are reading now: Essentially, a post that says why this post says nothing at all.

:p

[uninspired]

push factor

2007-05-08T12:12:00.000+08:00

Event details here.

I figured I need some motivation to resume my running. While there's no shortage of running events around, I'm not really keen to turn into a race fanatic, so one or two every quarter should be comfortable for me.

The route looks good, and having enjoyed the last run at ECP, am relishing the prospect of that wonderful combi of warm sunshine with cool sea breezes.

Closing date's next Sun (20/5), so those interested do sign up soon!

Oh, there's a fun 5km run too. :)

悦

2007-05-04T14:00:00.000+08:00

薰衣草的清香
弥漫空中

可爱的周末
调皮招手

简单的小幸福
涨满胸口

愉快的心情
逗出笑容

：）

ezy-entertainment

2007-05-03T12:10:00.000+08:00

boredom + whims = impulsive video rentals

A listless bemusedtots went video-browsing on May Day, partly due to the current titles been screened all failing to rouse any interest. Also, it's a cost-efficient way to enjoy certain shows that need not be watched in the cinemas in the comfort of sweet home. Not to mention the current rainy season being highly incentive to hole up at home with books and films to prevent death by boredom.

I gleefully breezed out of the shop with a membership and five titles to enjoy for the week. Wasn't very difficult to choose the shows, as there turned out to be quite a number I intended to watch but never got round to. So it was pretty much 'spot n grab'. Wisely stopped at five cos I knew if I continued browsing I'll get stuck on choosing.

The loot:
1. Thank You for Smoking
2. Lost in Translation
3. Shutter (request by blame-less)
4. The Butterfly Effect
5. Just Like Heaven

And the couch beckons..

[lazy]

fantasy-struck

2007-04-30T12:40:00.000+08:00

Having only recently ventured into the fantasy genre in my reading, thus far bemusedtots had been lacking in much zeal in it. Perhaps due to a poor choice/luck in the books that I've been picking up - often it takes triple the amount of time to go from cover to cover. Should this bookworm chance upon another read midway through, the odds are high that this other diversion would be completed earlier.

But this latest foray into that make-belief world was an absolute delight.. Such that I hardly even felt inclined to read the other books on my bedside! Even the sheer volume did naught to put me off, though it gave the sister a shock to see it laying on the bed, almost the same thickness of my bolster it was, no kidding.

As I ploughed diligently through the volume the past few days, I'm starting to appreciate the appeal it has to fans.. I could seriously like this stuff, getting captivated and happily lost in the whimsical stories.

Did I mention the fact that I got it at a steal of $5 at some book sale? Definitely value for money - whether you're talking about volume, or satisfaction delivered. :p

I shall probably seek the advice of experts for subsequent reads as interesting as this. Hee.

[fascinated]

whine

2007-04-29T21:55:00.000+08:00

it's not even Monday, and already I'm counting down to the end of the day.

thank god for May Day hol this week - a sure consolation..
Now if only we can fast forward Mon and go straight to Tues! Ha.

[blue]

half a heart

2007-04-25T10:42:00.000+08:00

bemusedtots has this habit of letting the things in her cubi pile and pile.. Until one fine day when it finally gets to her. Then she would embark on a flurry of housekeeping. At the end of it, a spic n' span clear workspace is oh so refreshing, that she would resolve to maintain it.

But of course, that's merely wishful thinking. :p

Last week was one of those phases. But as of now, it's what I would call a half-hearted attempt - cos while half the cubi - the space I'm facing - is therapeutic clear, the other half behind my back, could best be themed.. organised chaos.

Oops.

I shall endeavour to recollect some of those enthusiasm and just finish it up within this week.

Such is the falling of a short attention span. Bleah..

Focus! Focus! Focus!!

[sheepish]

snooze n run

2007-04-18T12:26:00.000+08:00

For hopeless snooze fans (yours truly included): an alarm clock that runs away and hide so you have to get up to find it!

Chanced upon this gadget online.. Too cute, I say! And ingenious too, says this snooze addict who has been guilty of oversleeping thanks to my 'just 5 minutes more..*hits button*' habit. :p

It even comes with a name: Clocky! Haha.

[amused]

the real fake cough

2007-04-17T13:45:00.000+08:00

Always thought that dry coughs sound fake, compared to.. eh, the phlegm-plagued ones. Maybe cos it's also used by people who don't really have a cough to make a point sometimes.

And so an itchy throat for the past two days, which I failed to soothe even with gallons of h2o and lozenges, made me feel like laughing when coughing sometimes, at how fake it sounds.. especially since it's mild bouts so far. But I was really coughing! Bleahh.

Well, dry cough or wet cough, i hate them all. Always been prone to all these respiratory illnesses, and they are never fun. Argh. Go away virus.. Shoo.

of quality and familiarity

2007-04-16T14:19:00.000+08:00

gatherings with the Gang are always great - the place and cuisine of choice may vary in terms of satiation factor, but the company always, always makes the best of it.

yesterday was one of those where we attempt to venture somewhere different for lunch, in honour of The Dude (so-called cos he's the only guy in our group of seven. Hee), belated celebration for his bday, and also to catch up before he flies off far far away for the next 4-6 months.

Thanks to recommendation by nottozlady, we enjoyed some yummy German fare at Werner's Oven in Siglap. A perfect place for some reasonably-priced bangers & mash, crispy pork knuckles, meatloaf, and of course beer, savoured on a quiet Sunday arvo - discounting the chatters and laughter from us, that is. :p Oh, and it comes with an attached bakery too that sells delightful bread and pastries. :)

Twas nice to see everyone looking great, and the hours just flew past without us knowing. As we parted ways, I know the next one will prob take place in a couple of months, something to look forward to already. The group size may shrink or stretch, but I know we will meet.

As always, the meeting was good, cos these familiar chums make the success factor. Not the place, not the food - though those would definitely be more than welcome. :)

running on sunshine

2007-04-08T15:58:00.000+08:00

After close to two years, my trusty bright-red reeboks - which have accompanied me through my various firsts in my running experiences - have finally decided to give way. The poor soles were falling off, so much as I was sad to part with this pair which brought me through my first 10km, multi-terrain, half-marathon competitive runs, not to mention late-night runs on campus in uni, and tamer treadmill trysts, I had to concede that it was time for them to retire.

And so, I trudged down to Queensway one evening to shop for a new pair of running mates. Took a while, but after browsing and trying a number of pairs, I made away gleefully clutching a pair of pretty adidas trackies.

It's not a very fun process to shop for a pair of running shoes for me, to find one that is easy on the pocket, comfy, AND good-looking too. Maybe it's me, but it was tough to find designs that I like - the prettiest ones are from a brand which I didn't wanna get, knowing that they are overpriced and lack durability, while the reliable ones just seldom have looks that catch my fancy.

And so, was uber pleased to chance upon this new pair which satisfied all my criteria - twas love at first sight, had my size, and felt comfy and light. So there you have it: my sunny-looking spanking new trackies, that came at a rather good bargain too! :)

Happy is me, even more so as we get more acquainted. The cheery colour just perks me up as I lace up before the sessions, while the lightweight and cushioning makes for comfy sprinting, comparable to my retired reds. So even though nothing can replace those vibrant red that have been bode farewell, these sunshine yellows are doing good too. :)

Hopefully, this new love could inspire more diligence in clocking up some decent running too. :p

[pleased]

my mother's daughter

2007-04-05T12:35:00.000+08:00

Time and again, blame-less and I would marvel at the magic of genetics, having fun pointing out some trait or quirk we inherited from mummy dearest.

Just to name a few..

The inability to stay put at home for prolonged periods.
Not that we dislike staying home, in fact some days we can just stone/laze entire days away doing absolutely nothing constructive. But as my dad wryly retorted when mum was grumbling one day that the girls in our family never seem to be home, always having this meeting or that program, 'Just like you what.'

She opened her mouth all ready to rebute with indignation.
Then closed it in realisation.

Brains.. here, there, everywhere..
Each time she walks into the living room/kitchen/somewhere in the house, stop short, brows furrowed, trying to recall what she was gonna do, we grin at each other. So that's why we're like that sometimes!

The creative path of logic
It is not uncommon to see some of our closest pals shake their head in bafflement when talking to us, unable to understand how we can veer off the strangest tangents from utterly mundane, normal subjects. An offhand remark gets turned around, flipped about, and developed into some bizarre 'what-if' tale as we venture merrily down a path of wacky reasoning and imaginings.

Think my dear roomie had it worse, having the privilege of staying in such close proximity to your truly. Now, I chuckle when hearing my sis' room-mate suffering the same fate. Poor girl.

Yes, close ones who are used to this shake their heads in resignation. The uninitiated just gape at how a moment ago, the conversation was still perfectly norm.

The amazing world of genetics - that we have to thank for these funny bits that have bonded us and brought much mirth and spice. Heehee.

I wouldn't trade it for the world. :)

simple joys

2007-04-03T17:42:00.000+08:00

after a long day at work, all it takes are lil things to lift the corners of my lips..

taking a slow, drowsy bus ride, alone with my thoughts, a book, my ipod..

arranging a date without an inkling of the timing, and having everything fall into place..

having dinner at a kopitiam chanced upon in an area we seldom go to, bantering over bat kut teh and drinks..

strolling to the bus stop after dinner, laughing over silly jokes, our fingers interlocked..

and another long bus ride home, but this time not alone..

that's all it takes, really. :)

the difference

2007-03-31T03:41:00.000+08:00

The best way to overcome a fear or obstacle is to square 'em shoulders and face it off straight in the eye.

Most likely, one might just find that the problem might not be the intimidating monster you thought it was in the first place. That the problem was more in your mind than anything.

And sometimes, increase in experience and learning helps equip skills and tactics that combat and desensitize - you learn to numb your senses, rise above it and not get affected.

So, bemusedtots had the chance to gain experience with more of it, a week packed with them last week, and four more this week.

While things are getting better, I'm not so sure that it's me though. More and more, I'm convinced that how the sessions turn out are dependent on the kids.

It's nothing to do with group size, age, or intelligence, I discovered - sometimes an entire school hall of these ickle ones can be so quietly attentive and then endearingly responsive, that the presentation was not only painless, but very much enjoyed. I leave with a sense of having accomplished something, that they might really have learnt something meaningful out of it.

Other times, I just breathe deeply and tell myself that if anything, it's good training for my patience and composure. :p

As I rounded up this week with a double-session today, the experience could very well be the best I've had.

The children in both sessions were perfect - best behaviour, best responses, clearest demonstration of the knowledge of how to care and help the people around them. Most of all, a genuine desire to do good. They nudged the most bashful ones up to answer questions, showed support with warm, exuberant applause as the timid ones trudged up, shouted encouragement when their friends stumble over the answers, and whooped and clapped when as the smiling buddies walked back clutching the simple reward - a sheet of stickers.

So what if they were deemed to be slower - they knew much more than their mainstream counterparts on how to care and share. If you ask me, they are indeed in a different world, a more genuine one. Where you care more about encouraging your friends with applause. Not boo-ing them when they make mistakes, so that you feel better or more superior, or hope that their answers do not get accepted, just so you might have a go at it. They even pointed to their friends, asking you to choose them so that these shy ones can have a chance.

And they say 'thank you' with sincere warmth, where you can feel that they really mean it. Not a hastily mumbled one cos it's decreed by their teachers, as if 'the right thing to do even though I'm entitled to it anyway'.

They were a joy to teach, and I felt sharp tugs in my heart as I interacted with them, lil' bittersweet aches for them, this wonderful bunch.

If I might say so, they didn't need a lesson in 'care and share'. They are probably more than qualified to teach it.

Perhaps that's one reason why they are not the main target group. Hmm.

typically strange

2007-03-28T09:33:00.000+08:00

Tagged by Imp, this list turned out to be harder to conjure than I thought - not cos I'm too normal, but more because these quirks are so much a part of me that I had trouble identifying those that would be perceived as 'weird'! Haha. :p

Ok here goes..

1. I am anal about tags.
I just cannot stand having the price tags on my things - especially on my stationery and books! I would painstakingly remove the tag the soonest I can, after making the purchase. Seeing them there just feels.. not right.

2. I'm obsessive when peeling prawns and eating shellfish
When devouring my favourite seafood, I would take pains to peel the entire prawn so as to keep it as intact as possible - even the tips of the tail that are hardest to get. In fact, especially that! Same with shellfish - I would carefully scrape the entire piece off the shell, leaving the entire thing clean, with not a single remnant left.

And for this reason, I'm usually happy to peel my own prawns. Haha.

3. I suffer from reading infidelity.
At any one time, I'm usually reading at least two, or three books. They are usually of different genres (think chick lit and fantasy, or romance and serious fiction), appealing to different sides of yours truly. Somehow, I seldom find myself just reading one book at a time - and I attribute this to my Gemini nature of the tendency to be easily bored or distracted.

4. I have a pretty good memory - for the most unconstructive things!
I have a knack for amazing others with my memory of details like what happened at gatherings or events, who said what, entire storylines and conversations in books read, song lyrics! So much so that I used to be a walking 'lyrics dictionary' to my friends in school last time (Chinese pop only though).

And this started when I was an ickle pre-schooler, memorising entire story books meant for primary sch kiddies that my mum read to me. According to her, I marched into bookstores, picked out the exact books and read them aloud from cover to cover, impressing the aunties in there! My showing off must have been quite embarrassing. :p

5. I have conversations with toys and imaginary beings.
The sis and I are convinced that there is an elf residing in our room, who loves stealing our stuff then putting them back in the wrong places - which is why our things often mysteriously disappear, only to be found in a place that we swear we never put there in the first place.

And we have entire conversations with our stuffed toys as well - the mini zoo on our bed, comprising a monkey, a dog, a cow, a kangaroo and a bodyless turtle.

6. I clear my plate item by item.
This is perhaps the most boring of the lot - I have to finish the different food items on my plate one. by. one. Eg. I have to finish all the salad/vege, before I eat the chicken, then the fries.

And I save my favourites for the last.

And I tag jyaisu, nottozlady, winnie-t, YL, blame-less and itzjuzme! :)

smiling..

2007-03-23T01:00:00.000+08:00

cos it's the end of the week, and the weekend is a day away..

cos I feel glad, and share the joy of various peeps moving on, into new stages of life..

cos I know it will not be the last I see of those who leave, that they are kept, not lost..

cos of the endorphins coursing through my veins from a good run at the gym..

cos it takes less effort to smile than frown, and it really helps to perk me up..

cos I feel like it.

=)

30 minutes is enough..

2007-03-14T15:21:00.000+08:00

for me to look at all my teaching friends with newfound respect.

I could not even handle half the number they usually had to deal with at one time, for a fraction of the duration of a lesson.

Spent all of half an hour in the same room with a bunch of just over 20 ickle ones, aged 6-10. With most of them having the attention span of butterflies, and ants in their pants, rendering them unable to sit still for any duration exceeding 5 seconds, it was a ~~nightmare~~ challenge trying to teach them how to 'care and share'.

It was only the bribe of some cutesy notebooks that shut them up for a grand 10 minutes so I could finish my presentation.

As I left the centre feeling like I've aged ten years, I emphatically thanked the teacher who helped to control them.

'What a bunch of lively kids you have there.'

She could only manage a weary smile at me. :p

sometimes

2007-03-08T16:59:00.000+08:00

sometimes, he drives me up the wall with his offhand tendencies to pick on the littlest details.

sometimes, he reduces me to tears in exasperation with our too-constant bickering.

sometimes, he makes me want to throttle him when he stubbornly digs his heels in and refuse to concede to logic.

yet.

sometimes, he warms my heart with the smallest gesture that gives away how much he really cares.

sometimes, he awes me with how quickly he catches on, and the extent of his intellect.

sometimes, he makes me just wanna hide in his arms, away from the world.

he flings me high up, though he crashes me down hard.

this man, I heart.

shaken

2007-03-06T12:26:00.000+08:00

moments ago, my entire office shook.

it was a surreal experience that lasted mere seconds, but freaky it was!

Our admin colleagues alerted told us that they only received calls from our floor though - the top floor of the building.

most likely brought about by a quake from our neighbours, it's a chilling thought to think of the actual shaking at ground 0.

=/

Update from ST Interactive: tremors were felt at various parts of Singapore, including town area. And it coincides with a quake reported off the coast of Indonesia, magnitude 6.3 on Richter.

sama sama

2007-03-05T17:52:00.000+08:00

Was browsing through the pics taken with blame-less recently, and I can't help but chuckle with amusement.

Having discovered our 'good angle', we were quick to put the knowledge to good use. As a result, they are starting to take on a clone-like property.. So boring! :p

*yawns* Time to start exploring different expressions or poses! Heehee.

better than chocs

2007-03-05T14:02:00.000+08:00

[super-backdated entry]

so despite what I had predicted (oh, Imp too!), there was no chocs at the gathering. Uber surprising considering the number of choc-monsters in the group, including moi as well.

But no matter. Dessert, the lovely cheesecake, made lovingly by the Babe, was yumm.. all creamy goodness heaped with generous toppings of berries. We lapped it all up, even health-conscious nottozlady (heh, thanks to *ahem* sharp-eyed bemusedtots who 'sabo-ed' her by pointing out the heap of cheese left on her plate).

Twas a perfect ending to the sukiyaki dinner filled with laughter and chatter, as we nibbled through the night amidst all the catching up. At the end of the night, the tummies and the hearts all made off feeling warm, satiated and filled. :)

oishii..

2007-03-05T11:09:00.000+08:00

the new spokesperson for Biotherm Homme.

Mmmm.

新年：快樂！

2007-02-23T10:19:00.000+08:00

Happy piggy year to all!! :D

Yeah, I know it's already the sixth day, but since there are 15 days in CNY, guess I'm not too late still. :p

It's been a happy happy new year holiday for this bemusedtots! Granted that like many have already mused, the excitement and happiness have diluted very much, compared to childhood days when we were all ickle ones. I remember those days of getting all psyched shopping for new clothes, fighting to stay awake on new year's eve night, and the endless feasting of soft drinks and candies without getting nagged at! As with most things that can strike so much wonder in young, easily-impressed minds, these feelings have faded slowly and surely over the years. I may still stick to the tradition of getting new clothes to wear for the new year, and I still feel joy in the festivities, but it just ain't the same anymore. Coming of age indeed.

That said, I still love CNY for the two-day-minimum break, also a reason to meet up with close chums, as well as catch up with relatives that seldom meet, except maybe at wedding dinners. They may be ones that I used to be close to, or have never been described as anywhere near that, but I still treasure these blood ties. After all, that's what you call family.

As usual, the well-meaning aunts and uncles love doing the usual routine to the likes of 'so where's your bf?? *wink*' or 'so when will I receive the 紅色炸彈 from you??' or the direct 'hey got bf already or not???' Yeah it can get a bit wearing handling these, but truth be told, I guess that's their way of showing concern, so I can't really hold it against them either. :)

Other than that, these past days, since last fri, have been filled with various fun fun fun.. munching on new yr goodies, yakking away and gathering with the Gang, visiting, going on mad errand trips with the Babe, and of cos squeezing in time with Dar as well.. Even managed to do a lil healthy bit of running for two days, so I'm really quite proud of meself. Heehee.

Yeap, so tis a random rambling post, but while the air is still thick with the festive spirit, here's wishing all a fantastic new year ahead, filled with abundance of blessings, love and fortune!

together again

2007-02-16T12:53:00.000+08:00

She's back!! =D

And with that, tonight marks the reunion of The Gang - comprising 6 babes and a dude, who've come a long way since the nerdy sec-sch days.

The bonds have slowly and steadily strengthened over the years, and am just so glad that we're still going on strong. :)

These are the ppl who've seen me through numerous stages in life, and together, we've been part of one another's memories for birthdays, new years, christmases and more. My precious buddies who know me well, with whom I can just let down my hair and be my goofy self.

Over the years, studies and work, here and overseas, have made it near-impossible to have everyone present when the Gang gathers. And after close to two years, the Gang will be whole again tonight!

grins* *grins* *grins*

Our very own reunion dinner, after too long. I can't wait!! :)))

[excited]

that heady feeling called lurrrve

2007-02-15T16:08:00.000+08:00

Was intrigued by this on the menu last night, listed as intermezzo. My first time trying this, and what an experience.

Boy was it potent - each mouthful sent icy shots of alcohol into my system. I could almost feel it rushing into my blood. Not unlike sipping very nicely chilled bubbly.. A nice idea I must say.

A nice touch to our first Vday celebration.

Yeah, commercialised it was, and ripped off we were, but the company made it more than worth the while, by miles and yards.. :) Though credit has to be granted to the venue, who interspersed surprises throughout the night - from complimentary wine, to roses, perfume, polaroids, and to top it off, a pair of movie tix. It helped that the food was pretty good too - highlights were fresh sashimi, foie gras and some pretty decent ice-cream. Mmm.

At the end of the day, the food, the service, the ambience didn't really matter. Our gifts to each other were more practical than frivolous, but methinks tis a kind of sweetness that comes from knowing each other's needs. That undescribeable feeling of growing in love, as rough edges of two starkly contrasting personalities smoothen and fit into place. It's been a tumultuous ride, but that only made the smoothening out all the sweeter.

And I shall endeavour to bear all these in mind the next time we fight. :p

Happy Valentine's, dear.. Ü

thoughts

2007-02-09T17:35:00.000+08:00

4 women.
from 4 different divisions.
from 4 different levels.
having 4 different food.

4 women.
at the same table.
sharing the same thoughts.
under the same roof.

As reluctant steps trudged, back to sighs shoved aside, at least for the hour, I looked back. On the dreams, the memories, the muses shared.

A lil smile danced, thankful for such company, and the peeking of ties forging. Therapy it is, and more of it please..

TGIF. :)

one down

2007-02-07T16:05:00.000+08:00

caught this last night: item one from my list! :)

It was one of those films that's like a soothing cuppa - a simple plot that eases gently down the throat, leaving a trace of fragrance to reflect and linger over. No impressive special effects, no rich vivid colours, no awesome cinematography. Just clean cut editing and takes that allows the thoughts and emotions to seep into the viewer's consciousness, against a background of crisp piano notes playing.

I like.

Immersed myself in the storytelling, and really felt the pain and fears the lead was grappling with. The emo-monster had me in its grip, and the tears flowed constantly from halfway through, much to the bemusement of the man.

So, if you're looking for a fantastical commercial blockbuster, or an avante garde artistic creative edgy production, I say give it a miss. I can see why it would not work for some, but it did for me. :)

classic acid

2007-02-07T14:22:00.000+08:00

Mrs. Allen was one of that numerous class of females,
whose society can raise no other emotion than surprise at there being any men in
the world who could like them well enough, to marry them. She had neither
beauty, genious, accomplishment, nor manner. The air of a gentlewoman, a great
deal of quiet, inactive good temper, and a trifling turn of mind were all that
could account for her being the choice of a sensible, intelligent man, like Mr.
Allen.

from Northanger Abbey, Jane Austen

I couldn't help but smile at this - pure, eloquent sarcasm, delivered in typical Austen style.

turtle at the safari

2007-02-06T14:45:00.000+08:00

Yup, the mountain tortoise (read: me) finally got to visit this famous tourist spot last Tues night.

Twas fun fun fun.. exploring the enclosures, squinting hard to spot the animals we were supposed to see, getting entertained by the antics of the performing ones, cruising through the park on the tram, with a nice chilly breeze.

The guide on the tram helped loads in getting us to spot the animals we past, and her low, melodious voice was very easy on the ears - I can't help but think it must be a requirement for her job, else the poor animals would probably be jarred by some high-pitched voice yakking away whenever the trams past by. :p

Didn't have enough time to explore the entire place, though I did see the the likes of some huge cats, bats, giant flying squirrels, otters, hyenas, a giant python and sugar gliders (cute!!). Nope, I didn't manage to see them bushbabies, despite looking very hard for them. *sulk*

Perhaps the only gripe I have is the ridiculously-priced food there - we ate at the Bongo Bongo Burger Bar, which was so not worth it, and not even satisfying at all, both in portions and in taste. Luckily there was trusty B&J for redemption. A double-scoop cone and a single scoop cup for just $3.50, thanks to some discount coupons, put a huge smile on our face. =)

But I really really appreciate the effort that went into making this date possible..
Another one next time, to see the rest of the animals, yes?? =)

common sense

2007-01-31T15:31:00.000+08:00

Heehee.

early-week outing

2007-01-30T17:55:00.000+08:00

While I simply heart weekends, the time when I get to catch my breath from an entire week of working n rushing about to various commitments, sometimes a lil' escapade during the week can do wonders too.

Like tonight - am rushing off soon for a date in the wild, a first time for me! *yes, I is mountain tortoise*

Felt like a lil girly the entire day, trying very hard not to mention it at all, though I was brimming over with excitement. Simply cos I have the tendency to jinx the weather whenever I mention any outdoor plans. Superstitions or not, am now staring at the clear blue skies outside with glee. Teehee.

And now, this bemusedtots shall skip with gaily steps to her excursion, and hope to see a flying squirrel or two, even a bushbaby while I'm at it!

Laters! =)

watch list

2007-01-30T12:04:00.000+08:00

On my to-watch list:

Now showing

Happy Birthday

Coming soon

The Pursuit of Happyness

Caught the trailer last week when watching One Last Dance (utter waste of $$), and looks intriguing. Yeah I'm one of em suckers for trailers, hah.

Protege (opening 15 Feb)

High eye-candy factor! :p

Spiderman 3 (opening 3 May)

I liked the first two, so hopefully this one won't disappoint either.

And not forgetting:

Pirates of the Carribean: At World's End
Still waiting for the release date, haven't seen anything online yet.. *cranes neck*

Now to see how many on this list I actually get round to watching. =P

end of drought

2007-01-29T16:21:00.000+08:00

Granted that I'm already guilty of sporadic postings more often than not, it seems that I have really gone silent for too long these past weeks.

The reasons range from blogger's block, plus a huge cloud of uncertainty in many areas of this bemusedlife, rendering this soul pretty much stumped for words. Some things I just can't articulate, while other thoughts are too chaotic, or too raw for comfort.

Well, am glad to say that much of the murkiness have all but cleared, so hopefully this spells the return, and perhaps more, of bemused ramblings. So here's a quick shoutout to all who may be concerned: I'm back. :D

Till the next one, have a non-blue Monday yeah.. *smiles*

[cheers]

27 days!

2007-01-17T11:53:00.000+08:00

Counting down to that day.. when she comes back to singgieland, after just too long..

when we can finally do this, and this, and anything and nothing together.

days, hours, minutes, seconds.. I can't wait.

first for the year

2007-01-11T14:56:00.000+08:00

It's time to get the engines moving, or the legs running, for that matter.

Just signed up for this. Gonna be a short one, but it'll be something to look forward to, and to get ~~off my butt~~ re-focused!

There are other activities too, like ultimate frisbee, and combat laser. Plus it's for a good cause. Go check it out! :)

slowness

2007-01-09T09:32:00.000+08:00

Yes, I am well aware I've been super s.l.o.w in posting this 'looking back on 06, and new aspirations for 07' entry. :p

Well, better late than never, no?

Reflecting on the year that past, 2006 has been full of ups and downs, twists and turns.

Of the lowlights, I gave thanks that they have helped shaped, tested and strengthened me, such that I emerge a better, stronger person (I hope!).
And as for the highlights, I rejoiced over the achievements and progress I have made, the blessings I have received. For newly forged friendships, and the ones that stayed close, I am deeply thankful.

After all, to me life's never been about calculating the profits and loss, but enjoying the journey. Yes, both the rainbows and the storms.

The year ended on a shaky rocky note, and the new one is full of uncertainty as well. But it will certainly be anything but boring, so I'm just gonna take a deep breath, brace myself for the roller-coaster.

The safety bar's securely in place, so bring it on! I'm ready. :)

Wishing all a blessed new year ahead!

the soul

2007-01-08T14:07:00.000+08:00

What Your Soul Really Looks Like

You are a warm hearted and open minded person. It's easy for you to forgive and forget.

You are not a very grounded person. You prefer dreams to reality. For you, it's all about possibilities.

You see yourself with pretty objective eyes. How you view yourself is almost exactly how other people view you.

Your near future is still unknown, and a little scary. You'll get through wild times - and you'll textually enjoy it.

For you, love is all about caring and comfort. You couldn't fall in love with someone you didn't trust.

Inside the Room of Your Soul

anticipation

2006-12-22T14:29:00.000+08:00

It's confirmed. The final one of the series - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

I can't wait!!

rojak

2006-12-19T10:14:00.000+08:00

Once again, it's time to look back on the year past, do some stock-take on my resolutions, failings and of course achievements.

looking back on 2006, I feel a jumbled mix of emotions. I'll need some time to slowly reflect, chow on my thoughts and sort things out.

But not right now. No time for that.

So for now, bemusedtots shall be rojaktots for the day.

....

rainy lazin'

2006-12-07T16:02:00.000+08:00

pictorial evidence of how a bookworm self-entertains when confined at home on a rainy afternoon with a tender jaw.

devour literary munchies that range from whimsical revisitation of days long gone through childhood faves, or continuing on novels abandoned halfway through, diverted by new distractions.

either way, this bookworm is nicely satisfied, comfortably tucking in, armed with a hot cuppa choc.

I could get used to this. Heehee.

fool again

2006-12-05T11:13:00.000+08:00

yes, after my wonderful wisdom made its presence felt - specifically on my lower left jaw - only to be removed without much appreciation.

it was an ordeal alright. left this bemusedtots in much pain, a hole in the pocket, and none the wiser.

this humongous piece of wisdom came with tripod, deep, curved roots, which only meant it was firmly lodged in the gum. so not fun to remove, as you can imagine.

the kindly dentist had to administer anesthesia multiple times throughout the 1.5hr op to ease my immense pain. so much so that even though I've never been needle-phobic, I would cringe at the sight of another injection syringe, at least in the short run.

the pain was excruciating for all of two hours plus after the op, but thankfully abated, probably thanks to the candy-coated happy pills prescribed to alleviate this horrid aftermath. Had the pain gone on any longer, I probably would have gone mad or something.

at its peak, I forced myself to stop moaning and panicking, instead focusing on taking deep breaths and visualising the wounds closing and healing. amazingly, it helped. never underestimate the power of the mind, once again I'm reminded. and miraculously, I actually managed to fall asleep. pain-fighting must have taken a lot of energy, for me to be able to slumber with the misery. woke up to find that the pain had more or less subsided, much to my relief.

unfortunately, the same could not be said for the swelling, which would probably only be gone in the next few days. And till then, I just have to live with half a hamster face. without the pain, it looked pretty amusing actually, I even took pics to compare the two sides of my face, but something wrong with the pic-uploading function, so maybe later. It was really quite funny to see my face, half squarish and half round. Funny cos the squarish part is the swollen half, as I have a round face! Haha.

So for the rest of the week, I shall be cooped up at home, on a one-week mc. Poor poor me, am gonna miss working and being in the office, wasting away at home instead... Heehee. :p

But one heartfelt thought: just thankful that this came after my run, and at a time of the year where there are no big events or projects at work.

I just pray I don't have to go through it again. Foolish I shall remain, no more wisdom please!

Edit:: spot the difference!
(please excuse the unkempt hair and blemished complexion, not really in the mood to glam up for the cam. Just focus on the jawline which is the main point. Heh.)

the right side

the wrong side :p

pride..

2006-12-04T16:38:00.000+08:00

at finishing the final, and furthest race I've signed up for this year. My first half-marathon too.

non-stop. *beams*

The weather was perfect (rainy but without the rain kinda cool, cloudy skies).
The route was friendly (very little slopes, mostly near-flat terrain).
And I was in good form. :)

Went for it slow, and maintained a comfortable pacing throughout. I was surprised that I actually could run throughout, given past experiences where the fatigue and mental started barely 2km into the race. But this time round, it was just comfortable and really fun. The nano was blasting a single track throughout - my workout theme song - which blocked out the world and motivated me to keep going. And going. And going.

Perhaps it helped that I started late, thus not so easily influenced by other runners, and thus it was entirely me with myself all the way.

The stitches came and went, slight nausea also hit from time to time, and the feet were burning on and off. But all these did naught to make me even feel the inclination to stop.

The crunch time was really in the last 2km, when I could really feel the strain, and it was a long stretch uphill going onto the esplanade bridge, but I just refused to stop and walk even for a while. Not after I had run 19km non-stop! So this bemusedtots drew on some of them inner strength, ignored the whiney protests in the head, and even upped the speed to finish with a near sprint. Even managed a smile for the cam as I passed the finishing line - a lil something I resolved to do - really look like I enjoyed the race. Which I did, immensely.

Along the way, there were runners that were an inspiration, such as some old men who look like they're in their late 70's or 80's, steadily running along, putting the panting young men walking to shame. :p And I saw a runner pushing his baby in a pram in front of him!

It was also interesting to read the tags on the back of some runners stating their reason for joining the race, or encouragement for fellow runners. Had an 'awww' moment when I past this couple jogging side by side, with the guy wearing the tag 'cos I love my wife!' and the girl's 'cos I love my hubbie!!'

I offered a few smiles and 'keep going!' when passing by some weary looking runner who's walking, and all just have this same reaction of a startled look, followed by a wary smile. Oh well, I tried. :p

Looking back, I've certainly come a long way this year, picking up this interest which had been more of an occasional sport I do on and off in the past. And it's been a great journey preparing for it, pushing your own limits and meeting all these targets and achievements. I have definitely gotten to know myself a bit more, and must say I am a stronger person now.

So it was definitely a good end to the year. My final race, the furthest I've gone, with a timing I'm proud of too. Finished 2:30:57. And the best thing is that I enjoyed every moment (and almost every km) of it.

Mighty pleased am I. =)

moonlighting

2006-11-29T09:40:00.000+08:00

You are The Moon

Hope, expectation, Bright promises.

The Moon is a card of magic and mystery - when prominent you know that nothing is as it seems, particularly when it concerns relationships. All logic is thrown out the window.

The Moon is all about visions and illusions, madness, genius and poetry. This is a card that has to do with sleep, and so with both dreams and nightmares. It is a scary card in that it warns that there might be hidden enemies, tricks and falsehoods. But it should also be remembered that this is a card of great creativity, of powerful magic, primal feelings and intuition. You may be going through a time of emotional and mental trial; if you have any past mental problems, you must be vigilant in taking your medication but avoid drugs or alcohol, as abuse of either will cause them irreparable damage. This time however, can also result in great creativity, psychic powers, visions and insight. You can and should trust your intuition.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

cutesy!

2006-11-21T09:29:00.000+08:00

This pre-event mailer for the upcoming fairytale-themed company D&D made me smile. So cute!

And the grin widened just a lil' with the knowledge of how this came about - a crisis containment strategy it is. Heehee.

pick-nic

2006-11-20T14:05:00.000+08:00

A whim had me surfing here, looking for something to engage my senses, and get into the mood for the season.

It's been a while since I last indulged my penchance for such stuff, and looking at the calendar offerings, I realised with a pang, just how deprived I've been, and how much I missed it.. It's high time to treat my poor neglected senses, who are badly in need of some pampering.

Now to decide which one(s) to pick. But there're just too many I wanna go, too little time (and budget)!

BEST start to the weekend

2006-11-17T11:55:00.000+08:00

is yakking away for over an hour with bestie in AuzzieLand, first thing in the morning.

=)

Another of our sporadic-but-essential update sessions. And it's uncanny that her first call (which I missed) was about the same time I was thinking of sms-ing or calling her to catch up too. Ha, love this connection that still amazes me sometimes.

I did all that while going about my usual work duties of course. The art of multi-tasking. Heehee.

I feel so loved~

It's a fabulous Friday. :D

are you happy now?

2006-11-15T17:53:00.000+08:00

Something to share, which I found meaningful. :)

Happiness is a Journey, not a Destination - by Crystal Boyd

We convince ourselves that life will be better after we get married, have a baby, then another.
Then we are frustrated that the kids aren't old enough and we'll be more content when they are.
After that, we're still frustrated that we have teenagers to deal with.
We will certainly be happy when they are out of that stage.

We tell ourselves that our life will be complete when our spouse gets his or her act together,
when we get a nicer car,
when we are able to go on a nice vacation,
or when we retire.

The truth is there's no better time to be happy than right now.
If not now, when?
Your life will always be filled with challenges.

Decide to be happy anyway.

Treasure every moment that you have and remember that time waits for no one.

So, stop waiting...

Until your car or home is paid off
Until you get a new car or home
Until your kids leave the house
Until you go back to school
Until you finish school
Until you lose 10 lbs.
Until you gain 10 lbs.
Until you get married
Until you get a divorce
Until you have kids
Until you retire
Until summer
Until spring
Until fall
Until winter...
Until you die.

There is no better time than right now to be happy.

Happiness is a journey, not a destination.

jitters

2006-11-15T11:51:00.000+08:00

is when bemusedtots looked at the calendar, and realised that it is a mere three weeks to that run.

Yup. The one where she ~~in a moment of insanity~~ ambitiously signed up for the 21.1km.

Looking at the route map, it's definitely gonna to be more of a challenge than intended, especially since I haven't been exactly diligent in my preparations. :p

*Gulp* Not. looking. good.

It's time to lace up 'em running shoes, and get the lazy arse on some proper running.

No more excuses, no more spontaneous exhaustion, no more procrastination, and other creative reasons to put off or shorten running plans..

Underestimate not the imagination of a lazy bemusedmind. *shakes head*

Stop it!

on the right course

2006-11-14T15:21:00.000+08:00

being in an organisation who's big on staff training has its pros and cons.

When one is buried and nearly breathless with work, it can feel like such a chore, or white elephant even.

But once in a while, everything can fall into place - the content (relevant and light), the trainer (engaging, credible and humourous), the timing (at a time when the work pile is more of a hill than a mountain).

At times like this, it can be a delight.

And bemusedtots being bemusedtots, I'm not complaining about two days of learning about various character profiles, and taking psychology/personality tests. This something that always fascinates me.

It feels like play. Well, almost.

fuzzy

2006-11-10T17:36:00.000+08:00

It's nice to feel receive validation for work done. Double nice when you least expect it.

For a commitment that has taken much of my time, and plenty of my effort, the satisfaction is just from seeing that all the effort has paid off. But so much sweetened with just a word of thanks, or vouch of confidence.

Appreciation - something that's not hard to give, yet reaps so much in return. Cos it says, simply, "I don't take you for granted."

=)

serve me right

2006-11-08T13:47:00.000+08:00

Late one night, after an extremely long day, I squeezed my weary self onto a packed feeder bus on my way back to sweet abode.

The peculiar thing about the feeder service that plys the short distance between the train station and my place is that it seems to be packed all the time. Even at unearthly off-peak hours past 10pm at night. What's more, this stretch of road that leads to my place is also perpetually jammed with traffic. Ditto the typical Singaporean commuter behaviour (shoving and jostling to get onto the bus, where upon one then refuses to budge once boarded).

Hence, the combo of all three culminates, unsurprisingly, in drivers who are usually grouchy, frustrated and sour-faced. And I don't blame them, really. Though many a times, they added to my pain with their irate cursing and rough driving.

But once in a long long while, one encounters a gem of a driver, whom, after all the long suffering ones I've been used to, is a godsend.

And that night I met one of these.

When boarding, he very politely but firmly requested the passengers on the bus to move further in so that more people could get on.

Then, he took care to ensure that the last passenger nearest to the entrance was safely standing before closing the doors.

He drove carefully and handled the bus steadily (no jamming of brakes or sudden wide swerves) at a reasonable (read: safe but not turtle-like) speed.

The most amazing thing? As the bus approaches each stop, he announces the location of the stop (yes! like on MRTs!!), for the benefit of passengers wedged in the sardine-pack who might not be able to see where the bus is headed.

And at the stops, he makes sure that all who wanted to alight gets off, consulting the multi-view CCTV-like screen at the driver's seat (yes they have those now) and even asking if there's anyone else who's alighting before leaving the stop.

All these with a cheerful disposition and remarkable patience, unfazed by rude impatient drivers who cut into his lane without signals, or irate passengers who tsk at being asked to move in.

In such situations when tempers can easily flare, and patience runs thin, I'm immensely impressed.

Such is excellent service. And kudos to him for taking such pride in his job. If more could have his mindset, we would have so much less dissatisfied passengers, and the drivers would derive more satisfaction from their jobs. Everyone's lives could be better off.

As usual, it's a matter of perspectives. Unfortunately, not everyone has the propensity to look beyond their own frustrations to see the light.

So, I shall just content with feeling comforted that such wisdom, albeit rare, does exist.

There is still hope yet.

candy for you, miss?

2006-11-04T17:50:00.000+08:00

-bimbo post alert-

Daniel Henney - my eye-candy from My Lovely SamSoon. :)

Much much much preferred over the leading man - granted he's cute too, but THIS guy wins hands down! His character in the show appealed infinitely more to me as well. What to say, I'm a sucker for these look-suave-but-actually-tendersweet-&-heartmeltingly-charming type, as opposed to the exasperatingly-irritating-but-oh-so-sweet-in-crucial-moments kind.

*stares*

*drools*

*melts*

:p

best served chilled

2006-11-04T17:42:00.000+08:00

four days. 96 hours.

of exhilarating jet-skis, fun rides on the winds, pampering at the spa, jacuzzi and cold dips.

of late-night ventures, frivolous cable entertainment, daily sumptuous brekkies.

good food, good fun, good company.

chilled out, laughed aloud, played hard.

O merry holiday, contented me. :)

getaway

2006-10-31T11:33:00.000+08:00

in less than 12 hours I will be there.

Away from the haze, for 4 days of indulging in what I like best - bum. Tis a short break where the only agenda is no agenda. Me likey~

=)

Had a lil taste of Seminyak when I was there for work in 2004. In between a mad rush to get things settled for an event, my experience was very much from a local's pov, given that my then-boss had some kindly local friends who showed us around. The people were friendly, the place was beautiful, and the food yummylicious, and the nightspots interesting. *heehee*

This time round, it will be a vastly different trip, though I'm sure I'll relish every sec of it anyway. :D

nite escapade

2006-10-26T16:45:00.000+08:00

in more ways than one.

Having been seriously deprived of my jogs due to the prolonged haze, tis bemusedtots was elated to see the air clear for once last night, thanks to the long awaited downpour. Proceeded to go for a nice long run in the night from via the Siglap Park Connector to ECP, all eagerness to fulfill that jogging crave.

There's just a therapeutic sense of freedom that comes with pounding the gravel as the cool night breeze tingles on the skin, while songs and chatter from late night radio serves as white noise and company. I so missed that.

It was perfect - almost.

Was all prepared to run as far as I could go, yet the last stretch of route at the beach was just too deserted and ominous, where the only occasional cyclist(s) or passer-bys were of the 'foreign talent' ethnic. The imagination started to act up, and images of Crime Watch footage started flashing in my mind. The look in the eyes of some of those 'dark ones' whom I run past did not reassure either. I could feel myself starting to freak out, and made the quick decision not to be foolhardy. With that, I made a sharp turn off the track and sprinted to the main road to cab home.

It was a heart pounding experience indeed. But NOT of the good kind.

So there, I'm left wanting more. But concluded that playing safe is infinitely more important than challenging one's physical limits. There are some comfort levels that are just not meant to be pushed. And it's times like these that I wish I was a guy. Sigh.

It was a good run nonetheless, and there will come a better time. For now, the gym shall continue to be my best workout option. Boring it may be, but brightly lit and safe it is, and the peace of mind from that is unbeatable.

in the spirit of democracy

2006-10-26T12:43:00.000+08:00

To show that everyone's opinion matters, all staff were given the right to vote - for the name tag of their choice.

Impressive huh? Guess that's the consolation given that you don't get to choose whether you wanna wear a tag in the first place. :p

Me? I just like the look of these displays. Brings back lotsa fond childhood memories. Heehee.

ohm-plified

2006-10-19T14:35:00.000+08:00

after thinking about it for goodness-noes-how-long, I finally got round to yoga session in the gym last night.

It was gooood.

Really felt the stretch in the muscles, and had difficulty keeping my balance, but it felt superbly rejuvenating.

That one hour certainly worked its magic - felt none of my usual morning-after aches, despite a hard gym workout last nite.

I see myself becoming a regular. :)

[peace]

inspiration

2006-10-18T15:09:00.000+08:00

A wise man once said:

You can have anything you want - if you want it badly enough. You can be anything you want to be, do anything you set out to accomplish if you hold to that desire with singleness of purpose.

- Abraham Lincoln -

cool crave

2006-10-17T11:39:00.000+08:00

Quite some time back, on a day when the office was super deserted, Pammcake & I had these for our afternoon munchies.

Washed in icy freezy water, these crimson baubles were perfect for the hot afternoon. Cool, sweet and crunchy fresh. Simple but nice.

I'm so craving for that now.
But the grapes in season these days don't speak to me at all.

Sulks.

fellowship of the nerds

2006-10-16T13:44:00.000+08:00

Went for the 50th Anniversary dinner of my sec sch over the weekend, over at Suntec.

Given that my skool was known for geeky nerdy students, no thanks to the strict rules, (long tent-like skirts that extended waaay past the knees *cringe*) I guess you can say it was a gathering of young and old nerds. Except that (thankfully) most of us have improved by leaps and bounds in terms of appearance since graduation. Then again, I guess that's natural, since it's hard to get any geekier than that.

It was great fun indeed. :)

Our table of nine comprised a varied mix of peeps from different cliques of the mugging days - some of whom have never seen one another for close to a decade. But throughout the night, conversation flowed easily, as we updated one another on how life's been, shared uproarious laughter over ~~painful~~ funny memories, and had fun craning our necks to try and spot fellow schoolmates from the same batch, or teachers whom we had held utmost respect for (heehee).

It's amazing how everyone has changed, but yet are still the same, depending on how you look at it. We may be all grown up now, but when the principal and VIPs are making their speeches onstage, we still fidgeted, whispered and made faces at one another.

While we were never close as a group, the memories of those two years have bound us together, and these links were felt that night.

Not willing to let that magical feeling go after dinner, we adjourned for drinks and more chatter, yakking way past midnight, before separating, but not without promising to meet up again soon.

I may not be close to each and every one of them, but these are people whom I grew up with. And friendships forged during those years somehow just seem more real than acquaintances made now. With these people, it felt natural to let down my guard and just be myself.

It's a strange feeling. But not a bad one at all. :)

So that was the main point of the dinner, which I will remember most fondly - not the standard 7-course dinner, not the discipline master who was the star of the night. Not even the prestiged GOH who addressed us wrongly as another in his speech, and referenced our 2nd principal as the 1st.

precious me

2006-10-16T00:22:00.000+08:00

You scored as Ruby. Ruby, resembling love, wealth, wisdom and purity. Ruby-types tend to think with their heart and not their heads, sometimes resulting in wild decisions, but constantly following love and romance. Ruby-types also tend to have a fair judgement and sweet and good feelings for many things.

See All Results/Comment

Ruby

83%

Athemyst

80%

Aquamarine

80%

Emerald

77%

Peridot

77%

Celestite

73%

Topaz

70%

Garnet

57%

Which Mystic Gem Stone Relates To You?
created with QuizFarm.com

balancing post..

2006-10-13T14:17:00.000+08:00

to balance the negativity in the previous ones. :p

On such a weekend-mood Friday afternoon, a sweeet surprise from AneB brought a big smile to my face. Back from lunch at Holland V, she thoughtfully bought each of us our fav bread and pastries from Provence - our fav bakery that produces yummy yummy treats.

A lovely walnut flower bun now sits on my desk, a perfect afternoon munchy. :)))

A gesture that shows she kept us in mind, and the reminder that we noe each others preference well enuff to be able to spring a surprise that she noes we like.

I feel all fuzzy n warm inside. :)

more on smoke n' fumes

2006-10-13T13:11:00.000+08:00

On a different kinda 'smoke' - fumigation in the neighbourhood

The Good
Knowing that the authorities are doing something to help kill some of those irksome roaches and mozzies, giving us a cleaner and safer living envo.

The Bad
Feeling like one of the pests when ya entire house is engulfed in those fumes. Or the coughing and spluttering induced by being caught unaware and walking into a mist in the neighbourhood.

The Ugly
Seeing the evidence and results of the fumigation: the carcasses of poisoned roaches strewn all over the void deck, in various stages of their life cycle.

So this bemusedtots was skipping her way to the bus stop this morn - not cos it's Friday, but more to gingerly avoid stepping on any of those eeky brown corpses.

so. not. bemused.

hazy logic

2006-10-13T07:56:00.000+08:00

Reading this in the papers yesterday confirmed my suspicions - the fumes has a detrimental effect on one's power of logic and rationality:

ST: Oct 12, 2006
Be grateful forests provide oxygen: Jakarta minister

SINGAPOREANS and Malaysians who complain about the haze caused by fires in Indonesia should be fair, said Indonesia's Forestry Minister.

They ought to reflect on how they have never thanked their neighbour for the oxygen produced by its forests, he said.

Describing the complaints as 'natural', Mr M.S. Kaban was quoted in Tuesday's evening daily Sinar Harapan as saying: 'Our forests produce oxygen which makes the air cool for them, but they have never been grateful.

'Now that there is haze, they complain. There should be a balance.'

It was not the first such sentiment expressed by an Indonesian politician.

In July, South Sumatra's regional paper Sriwijaya Post reported a legislator making identical remarks during a working visit to the region responsible for a large number of hot spots.

Commenting on pressure on Indonesia to ratify a regional anti-haze agreement, Mr Nazarudin Kiemas had said that the world owed Indonesia for the oxygen the country produces.

A member of the parliamentary commission on the environment which is leading deliberations on ratifying the pact, he added: 'But we are not calculative, as we believe in being good neighbours. And we hope for the same from others.'

The commission has also publicly stated that ratification could be used as a tool by Indonesia to negotiate environment-related concessions from other Asean countries, such as stopping Malaysian companies from buying illegally logged timber from Indonesia.

Apparently we are ungrateful, unappreciative neighbours. And go easier on them cos' we have them to thank for fresh air from their forests. Hmm. What ingrates we are! Tsk tsk..

So going by this line of reasoning: If a person saves someone's life today, should he take the life of another, we should also 'strike a balance' when judging him?

Hmm. Interesting logic indeed.

gramp

2006-10-05T13:22:00.000+08:00

Chanced upon this a few nights ago on Channel 5. The final story of the series, this was a story describing how the relationship between a boy and his grandpa developed when they were forced to live together. The grandson, a chubby bespectacled pampered brat, had never met his grandpa till then, and the old man's world of a run-down apartment with worn furniture, old-fashioned tv, and a living made out of collecting old items to sell at flea markets was utterly alien to him. He hated the situation, and looked upon the grand dad with disdain, and had no qualms of expressing his sentiments. "Why you so stupid?!" was his pet phrase to the hapless old man, who tried ways and means to win him over.

Of course, the story eventually went that the boy finally learnt to appreciate his grandfather's love for him, and the ending was the typical 'aww, he learnt his lesson' type. It was a simple plot, with not much twists and turns that were much of a surprise. But scenes from this story had me tearing at several points - it was heart-wrenching seeing how hard the grandfather tries, with the little savings he had, and what meagre possessions he had, to buy things just to make his granson happy, or like him. Only to be met with repulsion, and the blatant display that the child was ashamed of him. Ouch.

While it reminded me of this other film which I wanted to but never got round to catching, it made me think of my own gramps as well. Frankly I had very hazy memories of him, as he had passed away when I was still a slip of a kid. Yet, I still feel warm and fuzzy inside, remembering what little I can of times with him. Me the lil midget who stuck to him, lil feet tottering after him all day long when my parents went to work - the one who taught me how to speak teo chew (which was all forgotten after he was gone, due to lack of practice), and roared with laughter at my guileless comments.

Strange that memories may fade, but the fondness remains. I remembered bawling my eyes out at his funeral, much to the amazement of my aunts and uncles, that despite my age, I could grasp the fact that he was gone forever. Even I surprise myself, that I can still feel that immense sense of loss to this date.

And till now, I still miss him.

adults-only ringtones

2006-09-27T11:36:00.000+08:00

Remember the recent craze about those high-frequency ringtones that only kids can hear? Now there're actually ones that they can't hear!

Heh, this is funny. Anyone who's been a kid will know. And I can imagine some parent smirking at their teenybopper asking, 'soooo, can you hear this? *raise eyebrows*'

type A woman's definition of a crush?

2006-09-22T16:10:00.000+08:00

spotted on a print ad:

"Ice is like a man's ego. Fun to crush."

Haha. :p

dreamy musings, not

2006-09-22T13:32:00.000+08:00

The previous weekend seemed to be a dream-themed one.

Caught Singapore Dreaming as my movie date with enirrac - a film that was not too bad, though not as engaging as expected. Still, it touched on many issues and aspirations of the typical Singaporean. Not too thought-provoking, though it did make buddy and moi re-consider our dreams of being a housewife. Haha.

The following night found myself at ECP having a leisurely catchup with seacool n comixS. Random chatter and musings over korean drama craze, relationships and plans for the future. It's nice to have such buddies, chummy enough to be able to share different perspectives without invoking defensive or resentful feelings.

At some point, I realised with a jolt, how much my dreams have evolved. What seemed like simple bliss in the not-too-distant past seemed to have lost its significance and appeal. I no longer yearn for those same things that I thought were all I needed to be happy.

Tis perhaps the outcome of various factors like events, people who have came and/or left, entering a different phase in life, responsibilities, commitments and that's but a figment of the myriad.

Some call this growing up. Methinks it's growing out. Cos bemusedtots doubts whether fluffy dreams and ideals giving way to hard rationalism and logic makes a better option.

Hmm.

[contemplative]

bugs away!

2006-09-15T17:24:00.000+08:00

Tis rainy, drowsy weather is snooze-inducing.

Am plagued by gazillions of those lazy bugs that come out to play, tempting me to laze rather than hit the gym.

Shoo! Away you shall go - no spoiling of my date with adrenaline dear.

*yawns*

thanking our scissorhand

2006-09-12T15:23:00.000+08:00

A fren sent me this, which I just had to share.

=P

For your bemused viewing pleasure. Heehee.

Warning: It's a teeny bit lengthy, so watch only when you have the minutes to spare!

s.l.o.w

2006-09-11T11:48:00.000+08:00

The rare monday where there is no paper duty - which would usually mean a mad long scramble of paper-flipping, headline-scanning, summarising and frantic typing all the way till lunchtime. When there is no time for lethargy, and by the time you catch your breath, half the day is gone anyway - not a bad thing sometimes.

Nonetheless, there's a list of tasks to complete. So tis bemusedtots is slowly lumbering along, regaining momentum after a weekend break from work.

A peek outside the window shows a cloud-laden sky - seems that everything just moves at half-speed on this s.l.o.w start to the week. Even the clock.. Huuuuhhhhh. :p

*lazy stretch*

And back to work it is...

Is it any wonder, that the countdown to the weekend has already began?

[listless]

mad doc

2006-09-08T10:41:00.000+08:00

This is outrageous.

Completely unprofessional, and unwarranted too - I'm surprised she did not reveal more details like where he's practicing.

Can you believe the nerve of this man?!

freaky

2006-09-07T14:32:00.000+08:00

is being subjected to pickup attempt by the same creepy guy twice - in the space of eight months.

This time in a bookstore.

Same guy, same creepy gaze, just a change in location.

*shudders*

What is so hard to comprehend about the simple logic that in cases like this, prior experience does NOT increase one's success rate for subsequent attempts?! *sputters*

And for the thousandth time, what is it with creepy guys and bookstores, CD shops and supermarts?!?!

Argh.

[irritated]

The Devil Wears Prada

2006-09-04T13:40:00.000+08:00

An intoxicating deluge of stylish fashion, together with a charismatic Meryl Streep and the gorgeous wide-eyed Anna Hathaway- it was some visual eye-candy indeed.

For a print-to-screen production, methinks it was a job well done. I like that it did not try too hard to follow too closely to the novel actually, cos it seems that films which try to do that tend to fall flat, simply cos the characteristic of print and film are so so different that there's really no point in one trying to achieve what the other does.

For this show, I felt that it was a nice adaptation of the book - different enough to not make audience compelled to compare, and yet preserving the critical scenes where I went 'oh yah!' and chuckled, remembering when I read it in the book.

Light, entertaining, smooth and funny. I like. :)