it's a COLOURFUL life i'm living.

Monday, November 24, 2008 Y 1:39 AM

I love this song (:
Since Shiying let me hear it at the competition it's been playing in my head. Actually, Guojun sent it to us to sing it at Miss Chia's farewell about 2 years ago. I thought it was a beautiful song but I never bothered to find the lyrics or the song.

For all the friends who've made a difference in my life.

For Good - Wicked
GLINDA:I've heard it said
that people come into our lives
for a reason
Bringing something we must learn
and we are lead to those
who help us most to grow
if we let them and we help them in return
Well i dont know if i believe that's true
But i know i'm who i am today
because i knew you.
Like a comet pulled from orbit as it passes a sun
Like a stream that meets a boulder
halfway through the wood.
Who can say if i've been changed for the better
but, because i knew you
I have been changed for good.
ELPHABA:It well may be
that we will never meet again in this lifetime
so let me say before we part
so much of me is made from what i learned from you
You'll be with me
like a hand print on my heart
Now whatever way our stories end
I know you have rewritten mine
by being my friend
Like a ship blown from it's mooring
by a wind off the sealike a seed dropped by a sky bird
in a distant wood
Who can say if i've been changed for the better?
But because i knew you
GLINDA:because i knew you
BOTH:I have been changed for good
ELPHABA:And just to clear the air i ask forgiveness
for the things i've done you blame me for
GLINDA:But then i guess we know there's blame to share
BOTH:And none of it seems to matter any more
GLINDA:Like a comet pulled from orbit(like a ship blown from its mooring)
As it passes a sun(By a wind off the sea)
Like a stream that meets a boulder(Like a seed dropped by a bird)
Halfway through the wood(in a wood)
BOTH:Who can say if i've been changed for the better?
I do believe i have been changed for the better
GLINDA:And because i knew you
ELPHABA:because i knew you
BOTH:because i knew you,I have been changed...for... good

Sunday, November 23, 2008 Y 9:12 PM

Okay I just puked a whole lot of orangey-red stuff into the toilet bowl. My digestive system is going on strike. Damn, how ungrateful can it get I feed it with so much good stuff. Feel slightly better I guess. Must have been the hokkien mee >:(
Then again hokkien mee isn't orangey-red. What then? Okay I shall stop fretting over minor problems like my wonky digestive system and solve Vicky's farewell party woes.

Friday, November 21, 2008 Y 12:02 AM

Quotes from SPH Competition

Esther: We have no pictures for the damn... lovely sweet advertisement!

Lilian: I pledge my allegiance to Esther ( because of chocolate)

Lilian (after we just interviewed this guy): Hey can you tell me what that guy who grunted a lot in our faces said?

Lilian (on looking through Karen's iPod playlists): What's the difference between "Japanese less than three" and "Japanese songs?"

Lilian: Dear lovely Karen, I less than three you and I would pledge my allegience to you if Esther didn't have it already.

Esther: We should be intimidated ny RI's word count
Karen: Screw RI! *pause* On second thoughts, don't screw RI.

Miranda: There was a guy that kept growling
Karen/Esther: So Edward! <3

Karen: Watch me work my magic!

Lilian: Wherefore art thou, Milo?

Shiying: I need to pee. Badly.
Lilian: So do I. What a coincidence.

Miranda: SHE JUST SLAPPED HERSELF. SOMEBODY BIND HER!

Karen: It's so dark and brown and gross and yuck! (it's our layout. what were you thinking?)

Miranda: Who do you think is going to get married the first among us?
Lilian: WHAT?! That is such a weird question! Are you very bored? THIS IS NOT A SLEEPOVER!

Esther: I'll never get out of this alive. (she did)

Lilian: Save me!
Miranda: Batman's here to save the day
Lilian: Go away Batman.
Miranda: Or is it Superman?
Lilian: After "Dark Knight" everyone prefers Batman
Miranda: Or is it Powerpuff girls?

Shiying: KAREN! Your ad doesn't have the words "YOUTH OLYMPIC GAMES"! (guess what we're advertising)

I/C: It was said that at 12 midnight, Cinderella's carriage turned into a bunch of donuts.
All: CHEER!

Lilian: Hi donut! I'm gonna eat you!

Lilian: Shiying? The jiggling of your knees up and down is kinda strange.
*five minutes pass*
OH MY GOD STOP JIGGLING UP AND DOWN!

Lilian: We aim to provoke thoughts.

Miranda：我们为什么要讲华语？
Lilian: 因为华语酷！

Esther: I think cat nudity is pretty much standard.

Shiying: The computer feels ignored!

Karen: I realise we forgot an important quote: 'call adam's friend!"
Miranda: Eh eh want to call him now?!
Esther: ARE YOU CRAZY? It's bloody 2 am!

I/C: we have some tidbits for you to enjoy
Shiying: Do you see hello panda? I see hello panda! I LOVE HELLO PANDA! I WANT HELLO PANDA!
Lilian: THEY ARE ENDANGERED.
*later on*
Shiying: There are only 10 packets of hello panda!
Lilian: See, I told you they're endangered

Miranda: I want the yam sweet!
Karen: They're Impact blackcurrant mints!

I/C: At midnight, it's donut time
SJI guy: DONUTS!!!!!!!!!

Thursday, November 20, 2008 Y 3:39 PM

National Schools Newspaper Competition

Just for the sake of honouring the competition, I'll justify all the text :D

What about it? I think it was a really great experience, to put it simply. We got to attend a mock press conference with Mr Teo Ser Luck, interview a youth table tennis star Isabelle Li, conduct a (tedious) poll of 42 youths, write a photo story of the police training academy. And survive 24 hours of squinting at glaring computer screens, each other, Lilian, Lilian + Esther (don't even ask), caffeine, milo + coffee powder, interviews by Razor TV guy Daryl, trying to stick to an over-optimistic but slightly realistic timeline. I didn't survive it. WE survived it, as a team. And I think that's what matters when it comes to the crunch. It doesn't even matter if we don't win anything. To quote an overplayed, overused, increasingly annoying song that Lilian was at one point humming incessantly, we're all in this together. Did I just do that? Okay anyway yes.

I think it really opened my eyes to the world of journalism. A small fraction of it, but a fraction nonetheless. It also open my eyes to the wonderful brains of my team mates. Shiying and I had an argument over whose brain was getting married to Lilian's brain. I'm serious, the girl is a walking thesaurus cum dictionary cum novellist cum journalist. And then we have our wonderful Magic-maker, Karen. That girl has a way with the computers. To quote Karen, "Watch me work my magic!" And we have the awe-inspiring Shiying who managed to survive ALL 24 HOURS. Time for kowtowing. Then we have THE Esther. Who kindly brought along an entire box of Toblerone chocolates, much to the delight of Shiying and Lilian (who pledged her allegiance to Esther and later on renounced it). I had a great team :D WHO ALSO SABOED ME INTO TALKING A LOT IN THE INTERVIEWS BY RAZOR TV AND MADE ME GET INTERVIEWED BY THAT STRAITS TIMES JOURNALIST. Oh well.

Some photos

Oh dear I do hope I won't get sued for this. It's Mr Teo Ser Luck (with all due respect, sir) adjusting his pants at the mock press conference. It's taken by Lilian and she absolutely ADORES this photo.

Time for some repairs, SSS?

Table tennis star Isabelle Li

Row of flags at SSS.

I'll be back with outrageous quotes :D

Monday, November 17, 2008 Y 3:58 PM

THIS POST IS TWO DAYS LATE MAINLY BECAUSE I JUST RECOVERED FROM POST-STRAITS TIMES NEWSPAPER COMPETITION SYNDROME. MORE ABOUT THAT LATER.

BACK FROM HONGKONG :D

Since I'm in a relatively high mood, I'm gonna blog in lots of COLOURS :D

AND CENTRALISE EVERYTHING

This will be a looooong PHOTO POST

DAY 1

Taking off

IN THE AIR

The super cool MTR thing that tells you which station is next and which you're at (the ONLY thing I like about the hk MTR system)

Times Square near our hotel.

Then we shopped at this bazaar near causeway bay and bought lots of cheap and really cute stuff. I bought this THING for nan and I think she will like it. I bought another THING for marge and I hope she'll like it. I also bought SOMETHING for eenette and I know she won't like it. But I bought it anyway :D

LOOK AT IT :D It's my favourite thing in the world right now. And it even gets to store my iPod. Lucky (cute) little thing.

We walked

And walked

And walked some more

Then we finally reached Tsim Sha Tsui

Where we once again, walked. But shopped at the same time.

I bought a pair of black boots :D which I proceeded to wear the next day when we went out of Hongkong into China, Shenzhen.

Day 2

We took a long (referring also to all the walking at the interchanges) MTR ride to Shenzhen, on which, Mel got so bored and sleepy she conked out on my lap.

We bought a billion cheap Kipling bags and purses, Le Sports Sac pouches, Agnes B stuff etc. All imitation, of course. But they look pretty good and the material is seriously almost the same. They even managed to make the sports sac zips like the real one! Every tooth on the zip a different colour. I got fooled for a minute.

We didn't dare take any photos cos we heard horror stories about thieves snatching cameras and bags and kidnappers who hang around waiting for a chance to pounce on unsuspecting kids (AND TEENS) and make them handicapped child beggars.

On the way back to Hongkong, we were all SO SLEEPY AND TIRED. Above is a pictorial representation of our tired selves. One of us, anyway. But we profited. I got ANOTHER pair of boots. Hey they were cheap. And brown. And pretty. CANNOT RESIST. And Mel got this pair of really cute boots. I don't know how to describe it but they look very her-age. haha.

DAY 3

We had a great lunch at one of those small restauranty places along the road. This doesn't look that appetising, I know, but it tastes GOOD.

MINIBUS TO STANLEY MARKET

I heard it was a great place for shopping but unfortunately, i didn't manage to find much stuff I liked. Well except for this pair of lovely black jeans. Oh my sis profited so much. 5 pairs of new jeans. And a fridge magnet.

At the seaside, we took a few family photos with the help of friendly tourists (just like us). There was this really friendly guy who was just "waitin' for mah wife. She gon' take a looong time yeh. S'okay I'll take a pic fer ya!". Okay bad imitation aside, you get the idea.

Next destination: Mongkok

Ladies' market wasn't that great a shopping spot. It seriously reminded me of Chinatown. And the shopkeepers there are so desperate for you to buy stuff that you can easily bargain something that originally costs $20 down to $8.

Except I didn't see that much stuff I wanted to bargain for.

There were a lot of what I might call professional beggars around D: They really go all out. My heart goes out to them, but it was pretty scary. To see the desperation that made them willing to exchange all the remnants of their self-esteem and self-worth for a little bit of charity from complete strangers.

Bad advertising much? I don't know about you but I don't think I would like a potato-shaped haircut.

DAY 4

Avenue of Stars
It was a really great place for phototaking with the back drop of the Hongkong skyline against the water. And all those hand prints of Hongkong celebs and big shot directors :D

I have exactly the same sized hands as Lin Ching Hsia :D

And then, to the AIRPORT

This photo was taken on the shuttle bus to the airport. Love it. I was lucky enough to be able to catch the sunset.

In the plane on the way back. I managed to take videos of the plane taking off and landing both to and from Hongkong. Will make a family video when I'm free :D

And that sums up Hongkong for me. It was not exactly a getaway from the city cos it's one of the busiest cities in SEA. But it satisfied the shopaholic in me though it's MTR system didn't do justice to my feet. The scenery was pretty too, and I realised Hongkong is rather hilly. It's my second visit to Hongkong and I'm actually glad we had more time to experience the Hongkong flavour aside from the tourism hotspots Ocean Park and Disneyland. I crown Hongkong, Her Royal Highness Paradise of Shopping. I'll miss you, HRH!

Friday, November 14, 2008 Y 9:16 AM

HELLO WORLD
I AM IN HONG KONG.
AND LOVING IT.

Arrived around 10am yesterday and we found our way (through MTR) to our hotel ( Express by Holiday Inn). It's a tad small but it's comfy and it has good service. OH TAKING THE MTR IS LIKE EXERCISING. Just simply walking to the TRAIN PLATFORM is SUCH A LONG WALK! Compared to MRT, walking to the escalator is like totally NO BIGGIE. They have like travellators in most mrt stations IMAGINE THAT.

Am loving the food now! There's this deep fried yong tau foo thing near the hotel and it's ADDICTIVE. It's like one of the main reasons I want to come back to hongkong haha.

Went shopping at Tsim Sha Tsui yesterday. Feet are dying. I mean, they died. To think we're just getting started.

We're going to take a train to Shenzhen (mainland China) now and I heard the crime rate is like super high. Some roadside stall auntie warned us to be careful of pickpockets. We're trying to dress more like locals so we won't look like targets HEHE. I just bought boots so it's the PERFECT excuse to wear them. This morning we were going into the restaurant for breakfast then the waiter was so confused HAHA. He didnt know whether to speak to us in cantonese, mandrin or english. He started speaking in Cantonese to me (cos of my boots I look like a hongkong teen) then looked at my parents (dressed like tourists, apparently) and talked in English then looked at my sis (who refused to take off the hairband that TOTALLY does not match her clothes) and spoke in Mandarin.

Off to Shenzhen!

Wednesday, November 12, 2008 Y 12:25 AM

Nadia came over today. WE MADE PANCAKES :D

(and went mad, as usual)

SOME PHOTOS OF OUR FIRST ATTEMPT AT MAKING PANCAKES.

My yummy honeycoated perfect pancakes fresh out of the wok (: (time for the applause c'mon)

Nadia's AHEM intricately decorated pancakes. Apparently it tastes pretty good with nutella too :D

And then we had quite a lot of batter left. We were lazy. We were also creative. So we came up with a brilliant idea! We decided to make a GIANT PANCAKE.

What we didn't expect was that the pancakes was proportionately as thick as it was wide. And thus very VERY hard to flip.

THE RESULT

Sad, I know, BUT EDIBLE.

My mum (after coming back from the market): SO, where are the pancakes? How was it?

Me and Nadia : *sheepish sheepish* hee hee hee hee IT WAS NICE.

Mum: where let me taste!

Us: (we ate all the nice ones left only the gross scrambled pancake) UHH. THERE... *points at weird pile of yellow solid substance*

Mum: ?!?!?!?!?!

WE ARE The Most Ridiculous (or retarded) Things That Roam The Earth. We are.

ISN'T THIS SO FUN :D

too bad I'm too old heh.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008 Y 12:30 AM

exhausted.

sigh.

Well done, Tribune, for getting into "The Straits Times National Schools Newspaper Competition" (The Competition)!

Okay our great team of five arrived at SPH today for the competition training in a state of general euphoria. The talk proved to be pretty dry after a while and Lilian started dozing off (haha). I was leaning on the back of the chair staring at the screen then my world gradually went black. I was thinking to myself: Ohhh... how comfortable....sighhhh WHEN it suddenly dawned on me that I fell asleep. So, I jolted up and listened like a good little (sleepy) girl. During break time, we decided to keep our minds awake and our bodies thawed by drinking some hot tea. WHAT HAPPENED WAS, we also, in the process, gained (perhaps a bit too much) CAFFEINE and SUGAR. Which probably resulted in us BECOMING INSANE :

Okay we just were on a super caffeine/sugar high and generally did dumb stuff and made a lot of noise (eg. laughing). THEN THINGS BECAME INTERESTING. Publisher is cool okay. IT IS.

SOME PHOTOS TO ILLUSTRATE

(omg blogger hurry up and load the darn photos)

(still waiting)

OH NO. NO NO NO NO. YOU ARE NOT DOING THIS TO ME!!!!!!!

I DO NOT GIVE UP SO EASILY

(AHH FINALLY)

Crazy article headlines. Last two provided by other groups haha.

Told you. Caffeine high.

It's a great thing that the presenter didn't decide to go around inspecting our dummy articles. Nor did he attempt finding out where the creepy laughing came from. (shh it's NOT US)

INSIDE JOKE. HAHA.

We visited the SPH media resource office (something like that). It's really cool. LOOK AT THAT. Hard at work indeed.

I love this photo :D DON'T YOU KAREN?