Oh my, no longer will it be 2009!

In a blink of an eye, 2009 will be over, and it'll be 2010, a decade since the millennium. People always find it fast that time really flies year after year, but somehow we find time hard to pass in just a day.

Looking back to the things that I've done for this year, it was rather stagnant, with a few major events that happened.

Here are the few things that happened this year without chronological order:

PATERNAL GRANDMOTHER

My beloved grandmother fell sick this year due to a tumour, and she got every single one of us shocked because she was always so healthy. She was diagnosed with cancer, but thankfully the cancerous tumour was removed, and now she's going for chemotherapy weekly. Nai Nai, I love you and you must be strong okay!

FIRST TIME PARTICIPATING IN A SINGING COMPETITION

My first time joining Singapore Idol. Didn't get in though!

SCUBA DIVING

Organised a scuba diving trip to Tioman, Malaysia again, but this time round it was much harder because there were a lot of hiccups going on, and there were more people going.

Took my ADVANCED SCUBA DIVER COURSE. We passed!

We saw plenty of fishes, including the ever curious batfish!

GARDEN OF HOPE

Did my project p6, with my main theme surrounding ex-convicts and giving them a second chance. Been taking photos with flowers mainly.

MY BIRTHDAY!

It was definitely one of the most memorable birthday celebrations ever! And I'm finally 20!

ATTACHMENT

It's pretty well-known that I hated the stuff that I did in my internship company. I grumbled, lamented and hated it. Perhaps the fault lies with me, I just cannot accept the fact that I need to wash the toilet (only one in the cohort), clean the corridor, go back home late, and ideas kept being rejected.

I complained to the school, and lecturers came with listening ears and motivational messages to come and look for me.

I know, the right mentality is to accept it and take it as a stepping stone but at that point of time, I wasn't adjusting well to the whole thing, and perhaps this whole thing is just my fault.

Sorry Fabian and Ken.

People have been telling me I've changed, probably based on clothes that I've been wearing lately. I pretty much admit that I've changed in terms of dressing, as I'm kinda influenced by british fashion.

Then, in the facial looks department, I'm considered a failure, so I figured out I need decent dressing to compensate, right?

But beneath the facade lies the same old James except slightly more materialistic;

Funny, witty, lame, self-righteous, opinionated and whatever adjectives you can use on me.

So I would end this post, and would like to wish everyone here a very happy 2010, and hope everyone stays healthy and safe!

Oh well..

Does anyone knows anything about those bed bugs/bed fleas that can enlighten me? How do I stop these blood-sucking leechers?

Ah, and no my house isn't infested with these bugs. It's just that one of my relatives was infected, so she wants to know how to get rid of em.

On the other note, I've been addicted to the song Halo again, and I simply love the musical arrangement. It's really awesome!

And also, I haven't been singing much, and somehow I lost control of my upper register of my voice. Sigh, I better start practising.

Merry Christmas to all!

2 weeks of holidays have started, and I'm working every single day, all the way till 4th of January. I've been working part-time since October, and it's been a really tiring road for me.

Studying on weekdays and working on weekends, these few months have been terrible for me.

For the sake of money, and due to my family's financial problems, I've got to work for my school work (printing) and other stuff.

Come to think of it, I've been feeling fiery-tempered inwardly and childish as well. Why do I blame the world for my problems? It doesn't owe me anything anyway.

Anyway, Shi Li, Eekeng and the gang went to Kyushu, Japan and finally came back with some stuff!

Colourful packaging..

Brought all the packaging stuff..

In this newsletter, they just simply put: The theme is WORK.

Isn't that too direct?

And I wanna thank sweet Eekeng for bringing me donuts from Japan! Ahh, and not forgetting Shirley, with those awesome sweets!

Big thank you!! Love yall..

Anyway, I had my photoshoot taken on that day in school as well, before rushing to work. Pretty good, I must say. Except that taking photographs while squatting never do fat people justice.

The set-up..

This is the nicest among all of them.

Sweating, and Mire-ene had to wipe it off for me and adjust my hairstyle again..

Pardon that thing. I'm just lazy to crop it off.

With Erika! She forbidded me to put this on Facebook, so I put it here hahaha!

Special thanks to my beloved Becky, who came specially to style my hair and came to take her photoshoot on the same day as well. Thanks love, I appreciate it!

Anyway, I can't believe that I'm working on Christmas Eve and Christmas as well. Celebrations for Christmas has always been boring and stagnant for the past few years. But this year was filled with so much joy!

First, I had my secondary school cliques playing some random games in which the loser team will wear the funny outfit (Lord knows what it is) and walk around Marina Barrage. That's gonna be so fun!

Secondly, I had my long-time friend Brendan, inviting me to come over to his house for some true blue Christmas dinner. Would love catching up with his family and have some great turkey and wine!

Thirdly, I had Shirley/Eekeng who invited me to Eekeng's house for Christmas countdown! With a buffet somemore!

Sigh, but I must say that despite having all the hype this year, I'm afraid I'm going to reject everyone because Imma probably staying at home after work.

Sorry friends, I have been neglecting most of you for the past few months, but I hope you guys understand because of some finanical problems in my family. All is going to end by end of this year.

And to all my family members, relatives, friends and acquaintances, see you all next year,

and have a WONDERFUL AND MEANINGFUL MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Some random pics.

Sometimes we're so bored in the studio, and while cracking our heads for inspirations and creativity, we tend to show our narcissistic sides.

Wei Qi said I had a pervertic face.

Come on!

On cloud nine..

With Wei Qi's specs..

Life's simple pleasures.

You know, I've always loved to talk to foreigners, because I haven't seen the world myself, and I always command a certain amount of respect for them because they came to Singapore to make a living, and this means perseverance and independence; the two important values which I've yet to learn.




And we know that there have been a massive influx of Chinese nationals from China coming in to Singapore. And some of them were my colleagues.



I've talked to them, and they have heard that Singapore is beautiful and vibrant country.











But one of them said; Singapore's society is moving extremely fast with its pace, so much so that we don't get to enjoy life's simple pleasures.



I can't agree more.


I mean, every single day we keep rushing to work and rushing to school, but did we ever stop by to appreciate the environment around us, the trees and the birds?

Every day to me is like a day spent doing work and more work. But I didn't find any or most of the days memorable.

We always say that life is unpredictable, and how we should live our lives to the fullest.

Now that's food for thought. Perhaps every day, we could take a little bit of our precious time appreciating something that's meaningful; be it your favourite pets, the river, or even potted plants.

Perhaps as urban people, doing this will make our lives more enriched, filled with zest and energy!

Hope we could find something interesting every day in our mundane life. :)

Could this be my break?

Some people keep trying to do their best, to get their efforts recognised and rewarded but still cannot get their break. I am one of them.

Within a few months, I'm going to graduate with a diploma in Visual Communications, but when I look back from the future, I somehow wish I could get some recognition for my efforts.

My current and final project involves a Scuba Diving Magazine, and a range of advertorial materials and marketing collaterals. I had my presentation a few days ago, and it went pretty smoothly.

And this is the first time I had two of the strictest lecturers coming up to me and giving me some really nice compliments, and even my mentor complimented!

It gave me the strength to spur me to go on. It felt wonderful and I wondered: Could this final project be my break?

I went to Bras Basah to search for some old magazines that was water-sports related, and I found some gems there, despite the heat and sweat. Proceeded towards Prologue and Borders which I scrutinised every scuba diving magazine, and surfing ones which took me the whole day.

And this particular magazine which I found is fantastic:

In the end, I ended up buying magazines which totalled to $60! Bittersweet if you ask me, but for the sake of schoolwork, I decided to buy them..

And here's my Scuba Diving masthead/logotype!

Scubazine!

It's an equation of Scuba Diving + Magazine, so it's Scubazine! Cheesy I know, but the name is fantastic!

I have other plenty of ideas for my final project, but I'm just worried about the execution part.

And I sincerely hope that this will give me the recognition and reward I need.

I pray that this will be my break, and everything will pay off.

Mundane..

I've been rather forgetful of late, and has been seeing things recently, but I figured out it was probably my imagination and my vision.

Air-conditioner in my parents' room kept switching on/off by itself for no apparent reason yesterday, plus the latest incidents of having a fiery mood, somehow something's controlling me. Maybe it's some paranormal activity or it's just emotions?

And I find it really really tiring to study on weekdays and work on weekends. It's taking a toll on me. Sigh, that's just life I guess. Whenever I look at those Christmas celebrations, or seeing people happily going out, I wished I was one of them.

Temptation. It takes a whole lot of discipline and willpower to overcome it.

Shut up please.

It irritates me whenever people (especially my parents and relatives) tell me that my skin condition is severe, because..

I DON'T DRINK ENOUGH WATER, OR I ALWAYS SCRATCH MY FACE, BLAH BLAH BLAH.

Seriously, stop blaming that I do this or do that which is the result of my face. I've tried DRINKING A LOT OF WATER.

Diet and habits can only help this much.

I'm already extremely pissed at the fact that my skin condition is getting worse by the day, and I simply have no money to even buy medicine.


Day by day, I see my face get more itchy, and red. CAN YOU IMAGINE THE HORROR OF LOOKING AT YOUR FACE EVERY SINGLE DAY?

WHAT THE FUCK HAVE I DONE TO DESERVE THIS?

Medical check-up.

Nation called, and isoon it's time that I'll be serving the country during my National Service next year. Went for my medical check-up today, and the whole process was pretty smooth.





Unfortunately, it took me from 10am all the way till 5pm.





Pretty much an eye-opener, especially those X-Rays etc. But I was rather perturbed by the fact that I was labelled as "cute" by some of the talkative officers there while extracting my blood and look like the following:

















The whole conversation started when they saw me and commented that I might be going for Physical Employment Standards (PES) BP, which means Obese Basic Military Training (BMT),
and further asking what was my weight.



Then all those "cute" thing started happening and I was rather uneasy.


And to be honest, I was really expecting myself to go to PES -BP, but guess what people!


My obesity is MILD.

And I AM IN PES - B!!

And that means I'm fit for most operational exercises!

WAHAHAHAHA I'm happy!!