Old School Stuff

This is so old school.  I heart this!  I'm so trapped in the wrong decade... 

Web Discoveries

I think I was still living in Singapore when America's Next Top Model first aired, or maybe I was home on a summer break.  I really have no idea.  I have been living abroad for approximately 5 years or there about.  Anyway, back to the thing about America's Next Top Model, I was really fond of one of the contestant (every one else was a total bitch), I think she won 2nd place in the show: Elyse Sewell.  She was a pre-med student then and I am oh-so-fond of the intellectual sort so it was no surprise that I rooted for her to win.  

Too much random web surfing allowed me to stumble upon her blog.  Elyse is hilarious and is currently modelling in China / HK.  *sobs*  She didn't become the doctor she said she wanted to be!

Fortunately she has not evolved into some total airhead and here is her clip on Shanghai:

The exercising things really remind me of Singapore's HDB parks.  Cheap gym, unlike the overpriced gyms in Manhattan which I don't have moola for.  So I'm oh so unhealthy and flabby... Boohoo.  Très tragique!

Moving on, I found this clip on Singapore's teenage motherhood on Stomp.  Yikes, I really don't like the oh-so-self-righteous Stomp; I don't even want to be known as someone who knows Stomp exists.  Darn irritating site.  It's a good place to go if you want to become appalled by how self-righteous people are.  

This video is quite interesting though, not the typical self-righteous nonsense on Stomp.  I live in New York, filled with surprisingly few self-righteous folks except those Scientology, Christian and Obama preaching folks.  Peace!

Cutest Ever

Anti Fresh Direct

The lazy me buys most of my groceries from Fresh Direct. But I really dislike giving money to Fresh Direct. One of the most irritating companies EVER! It is overpriced, the seafood is crappy and the most irritating thing: The prices RANDOMLY INCREASED!!!! My canned mushrooms went from $1.99 to $2.19 (10% increase!!). Same for frozen corn ($1.99 to $2.29, 15% increase!!!). I'm too lazy to go check the prices of my other produce. This is not the stock market, why are my food prices fluctuating... Anyway, if it is anything like the stock market, my food should be CHEAPER!!

Is it my fault that I have a good memory and I can remember the prices of food! Stop conning people who have bad memories!!! I still remember the price of Apple Juice when I bought them in Dominion in Toronto ($1.99). Why is Fresh Direct increasing food prices at whim!!! Inflation is not 10%!!!

The only reason I am still buying from horrid Fresh Direct is because I have some credits from them (from giving me smashed eggs) and I found free delivery with the coupon code "ENJOYFRESH".

ARGH! ARGH! ARGH! Overpriced!! Overpriced!! Overpriced!! + Random price increases!! Hello Fresh Direct, I noticed the price increases!! Stop trying to make more $ from such evil scheming methods!! I am a poor starving student!!

Contradiction

I find this hilarious and oh-so-familiar...  I can't believe I understand the Hokkien.  (some parts at least)

Love love love Vicky Christina Barcelona!!! (trailer below)  And I so miss Europe...  I totally need another holiday.  I heart Cinque Terre!

Anyway, it seems that only dysfunctional people love this show.  Normal (Doug-like) people don't.   Watch the show to find out whether you are normal.  

Cookie Monster and Friends

Cookie monster cupcake - $4.50?
Purin goes "Hmm..."
Pokes pokes!My friend...

I want the cookie!

Ouch!

Glue back!

Scary...

Alive and well... again

Almost gone...

Of karma: And so this is New York...

It was a relatively cold night (but not freezing cold) and I was out with an Italian friend, N.  We starting walking from Union Square to Times Square as we attempted to burn off dinner and get some exercise.  

At 32nd Street, we chanced upon a blind lady who was asking a young man for directions to the bus stop.  She was yelling "Do not point! Tell me where!"  (The young man wasn't pointing; she just thought he was...)  The young man told her she was at the bus stop and left rather abruptly. 

The lady was standing quite a distance from the bus stop (near the inner edge of the pavement, instead of the outer edge, next to the street).  N and I stopped and hesitated for a moment before N started approaching the lady to offer help.  I stood and watched.  (I really don't fancy approaching people, anyone.)

At this time, some people started gathering as they wished to help. (She has a very obvious walking stick.)  N asked the lady which bus she wanted to take and the blind lady retorted that she wanted someone who spoke English.  (My friend is White, Italian and has a slight Italian-English accent.  We finally decided to call it a 'foreign accent'.)

An African-American lady then asked the blind lady what she needed and she said that she didn't ask for help and knew where the bus stop was.  She pointed at N, and said she did not need people of that kind to help and did not ask for her (N's) help.  (My friend extra approached her to help.)  Upon hearing that, the African-American lady decided that she could be of no help and I also started pulling my friend away.  I was rather pissed and did not want to help that kind of people.  

As we walked away, the African-American lady apologized to N for the blind lady's behavior.  She reassured N that her English was fine and that the blind lady's comments were unwarranted.  She related to us that she was across the street when she heard the blind lady's "excuse me" and rerouted to help.  She said that after this incident, we all (me included) are blessed for the whole of 2009.  She made both N and I say out loud that we would have a blessed 2009.

N was somewhat shattered to hear that 'she-did-not-speak-English'.  Well, English was not her first language but she spoke perfectly fluent English, French, and, of course, Italian.  N, being the paranoid, guiltier sort, was worried that the blind lady could not get her bus.  The African-American lady and I told her that the lady would be fine and we went on our way after more well wishes.  

I just found this incident extremely ironic.  If the blind lady (Caucasian) could see, she would notice that my friend is of European descent. (She is white as white can be, with a sharp ang moh nose that made me ask her whether her nose was real.  Yes, the totally politically-incorrect-me actually asked that question.)  On the other hand, the blind lady was open to accepting help from the African-American lady as she has the typical American accent.  Well, for once, discrimination was not due to skin color but due to accents.  

I really do not know how I should feel about this incident.  I feel bad for the blind lady (she is blind, duh).  She reminds me of the bitter old man (Al Pacino) in Scent of a Woman.  But being blind does not give her to right to be a bigot.  Well, it is her life, her choice.

Oh. And this was not the first time I was 'rescued' by African-American women in NYC...  For another blog entry.

Domo

The fallacy of sharp noses

In one of my $300 per hour class where I was supposed to be learning about leadership and all that sort of wonderful stuff, I noticed that the 2 male ang moh* classmates sitting across the desk have noses like this:

Granted, guy 1 is pretty good looking. But on close examination, the side view of his nose looks like this:

You can see the nostrils from the side!!!! Urgh! The nostrils are super tapered at the tip, I wonder how they dig their noses. With a hair pin perhaps!

The typical Asian nose looks like this:Here is a side by side comparison. Notice that the Asian nose is flat and wide. The ang moh nose is sharp and pointy. But I ALWAYS THOUGHT NOSTRILS WERE ROUND! No one told me that ang mohs have such funny rain drop shaped nostrils! Go look!

The Asian nose does not look very attractive in my drawings (snout-like). I think the nostrils are too circular!

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Anyway, it means that if you have a sharp nose, you probably have ugly weird shaped nostrils. If you have a flat nose, maybe you have slightly better looking nostrils. Then again, the attractiveness of nostrils is purely subjective. Maybe people like weird triangle shaped nostrils instead of circular nostrils!
.

Side note: For those who are wondering why I can see people's nostrils. My torso is SHORT. When I sit at a table with a bunch of people who are the same height as me, I become the shortest. Short body. Boohoo! At least it makes it seems like I have longer legs. Or maybe I do! Hmmms... So the short-body-me is always looking up people's nostrils. I ALWAYS know when OF has nose hair sticking out. He can't see it because his nose blocks the nose hair from his sight. Argh!
.

Anyway, I have the nicest nostrils. They are heart shaped!! They look like this:See, they are so nice. My nostrils are pink (not black).

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And when I wrinkle my nose, my nostrils look like 2 symmetrical hearts! Like this:

Totally irrelevant post. But do check out the ang mohs' nostrils. Darn fascinating. Or maybe I am easily amused.

* ang moh: Singlish, Caucasian

Of Maps

My latest fascination: Worldmapper

The geek in me has discovered worldmapper!

Singapore is doing pretty well in chemical exports and cargo shipping. The government must be proud! Look how big Singapore is. Normally, it is near impossible to locate Singapore on a world map.

Chemicals Exports:

Cargo Shipping:

Charlotte, NC

I'm in Charlotte, NC. It is like a warmer Calgary, AB.

If Only...

Purin is almost famous! Someone please make Purin famous!

Purin is so darn cute... He doesn't like the kitty swiping at his face!

Mr Purin President

My Type of Guy

I think Anderson Cooper is really really cute. He is totally my type of guy. The boyish, nice guy, intellectual look. Swoons.

I'm a news junkie but I find him kind of boring. But he is so so attractive. Those blue eyes! Plus he is from a rich and famous family and reportedly earns $4m a year.

And he is funny too. Mr Cooper wrote: "Going gray is like ejaculation. You know it can happen prematurely, but when it actually does, it's a total shock." Read more here.

How can you not like a guy like that!!!

He is cute even when he is biting his fingers!!!

Look at him pointing at his hair. Argh!!!! Too attractive!

But rumours say he is gay. =(

Someone tell me he is not!!

Images from my phone: So this is New York

Thanks to my trusty Sony Ericsson Z610i (best phone ever!), I have some 2.0 mega pixels of NYC and NJ.

So here is my life in camera phone pictures: Donna Karan warehouse in NJ. There are lots and lots of clothes I cannot afford. There is a clothing library at the back. The librarian has (one of) the world's coolest (and slackest) job. And then, there is the story of the Donna Karan inspirer. Life is so totally not fair. Hmph! My work is real work. Sort of, anyway.

Organismic sandwich (When Harry Met Sally, see video below) from Katz's Delicatessen. Overpriced but good. But it is not good enough to justify going back and paying $14.95 for it. Hate the pickles though. One would think $14.95 pickles would be good too.

A Bengal tiger at New Jersey's 6 Flags.

A donated poster from a colleague who was laid off.

My whale has the gift of sight! It is so so happy!

Crazy traffic in NYC when there is no traffic police. Cars everywhere. No rules. Pure mess.

Overpriced decorative glass turtle. I saw this is in a shop window when I was wandering around aimlessly in NYC.

Real turtle with an aim. All his other turtle and frog pals seem rather resigned to their fate. This was seen in a newly renovated Chinatown supermarket. I feel so bad for the turtle. He is trying so hard so save himself from his sad situation. I could have saved him, but I didn't. He is probably not around any more. Sobs. Guilt. Peace to this turtle. I hope he is happy in Turtle Heaven.

Best Grapes

I cannot believe that NO ONE, absolutely no one, told me that grapes could be eaten this way. I have wasted 22 good years of my life eating grapes in a less than satisfactory way. Yes, I am one of those anal I-must-peel-the-grape-skin people. I don't like the slight biting taste of grape skin. Hmph!

I found out about THIS when I googled for ways to wash grapes (use toothpaste).

Learn from the pro:

1. Buy those tiny seedless grapes. Unless you like big un-mutated, un-GM grapes with gigantic seeds and a thick thick skin.

2. Wash the grapes. Throw out the squishy grapes. You won't know they are squishy and gross when they are frozen!!

3. Stick the grapes in the freezer. You can see my freezer is stock piled with frozen food and a gigantic bag of shrimp.

4. Wait till grapes are 150% frozen!! You don't want partially soggy grapes.

5. Wash/soak frozen grape/s in water for a few seconds. Pinch the skin off!! It is oh-so-easy to get rid of the grape skin!! Skinless grape is EXTREMELY slippery. Beware, it WILL TRY to roll away. Pop into mouth asap!

7. Taha!! Best Grapes! Yum! Taste like sweet healthy ice pops!

Another picture with flash!

Tips from QHA: Good stuff to know about the choices you make

Intrinsic motivations: personal growth, meaningful relationships, community contributions
These goals are regarded as being ends in themselves and they foster the intrinsic motives of competence, autonomy and relatedness.

Extrinsic motivations: pursuit of financial success, fame, and physical attractiveness
These goals are largely instrumental means toward other ends and they embody external controls on one's actions (e.g. needing to do jobs for others to gain money).

The more emphasis people placed on wanting to be rich, famous, and physically attractive, the less well off they were in terms of anxiety, depression, social functioning, vitality, self-actualization, and other measures. In contrast, placing emphasis on the intrinsic aspirations such as growth and meaningful relationships was positively linked to good adjustment and well-being.
- From Kasser and Ryan (1993, 1996) and a big fat Social Psychology book.

Now I know where my anxiety, depression, poor social functioning, low vitality and lack of self-actualization come from. More knowledge, higher anxiety, deeper depression.
- From the Queen of High Anxiety

My Gaming Style

LSROQI

Loud self-righteousness over quiet integrity. (click on comic to enlarge)

I've always been particularly irritated by self-righteous people, the-holier-than-thou nimwits. Read The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins if you need further justification to be dismissive of the self-righteous.

Maturity

Maturity is when you notice other's immaturity.

Darn it. I've always embraced, or should I say, accepted, being childish, irrelevant and immature. Being child-like is nothing negative. This is probably influenced by some incidents concerning BAs which I might further elaborate on another day.

But now, after being subjected to constant chatter of immaturity. I really do want to tell people to suck it up, grow up and move on. Darn darn! What is happening to me? Or do people simply morph /regress into infantile state when around me?

I have been doing a lot of polite nodding and uhlalala-ing (pacifying). I'm sick of giving that knowing smile (somewhere between a grimace and a close lip smile), the sympathetic oh-feel-so-bad-for-you look and an agreeable reply.

Life. Aging. Maturity? Hell, I need money for SK II.