It's a big jump.

I've been wanting for a soccer boot for the past 2 years or so but I just did not find a good enough reason to buy them. I mean HOW frequent do I play on a grass pitch or even a turf pitch?

Well, Flag Football gave me a reason. (And my Sunday football matches in SA.)

At $59, it's pretty decent comparing that it is a multiground boot which means that it can play on grass and turf pitches. Booyah. I think it's a model 2 generations back but I just need something to wear on a pitch. :)

I asked for a 4 buck discount, hoping that I could buy myself a congratulatory drink for FINALLY getting a pair of boots. But nah, the economy is soooo bad that a man can't get his thanks. SIGH.

Today was kinda yuck. Let me give a flash back. I joined this Co-Corricular Activity called LEO Club or Leadership thru Experience and Opportinuties. OR we can just call it a volunteering club. Since the club is event based, the first that came knocking on my door was Pledge of Silence organized by the Action For Aids. It describes how people with AIDS are discriminated and have to live with this stigma of being in a negative community. Mainly due to this, AIDS victims refuse to 'go out' to the outside world and live in the dark. Some even refuse medication and are even suicidal.

AFA decided to organize PoS with feeling to be silent about your disease to feel their sacrifices and their concerns. With PoS, we hope that more awareness are brought upon and that this could initiate a paradigm shift on how we view people that are less fortunate.

If you'd ask me, it's really weird and fascinating how the human being is always leaning on one side. It's rare to find a community that shares openly and judges accordingly and does not lean on any side. Honestly, I wasn't really enthusiastic about this event. In fact, I thought that it was just a one-off event like flag day or something. But when I received the email that I was chosen to be in an interview for the committee team of this particular event, I was shocked but grateful that someone has realized the possibilities working with me. :P

At any rate, this event will be carried out nation wide on 30th October with ITEs and other Poly's. So, you would think I have a long time to go? Think again. My project manager is part of the AFA PoS committee team and she's like all over the place to keep this event floating. Lol?

SO going back to today's meeting, it seems that I always take things to light EVERY TIME. But do know yeah? I have this horrible disadvantage that I am egoistic due to my unaltered mindset of leadership (Blame on History's Communism here) and my laziness. I'm just not good. HOWEVER, if I ever fall, I'll pick myself out and shout, I'M NOT PERFECT YO!

We can't really help it. People judge people continuously. That's why Communism sounds so ideal at first. Everyone just need to face the front, and no where else. But as we limit creativity this way, we are also limiting the evolution of the human mind. 3 years back, I'll make sure you judge me good. But now, judge me as I am for that is what I am. Which one is correct?

Man, that feels great to let that cat out of my bag.

A Cool New Way

WHOA.

How long has it been since my last posting? A month or so? Haha, I hope you guys still visit my blog else I'll just be clogging the internet tubes. ZEESH. The reason for my lack of blog postings is largely due to my school. Unlike secondary school, everything is planned out. You wake up at 6am, be in school at 730am and end school at 2pm. No more, no less. But here in 'tertiary' life, everything is unexpected. I can end school at 5 just to realize that my CCA needs me throughout the night. HOWEVER, if you say that life of a 1st year is busy, you'd better pull up your socks as when the second year comes around that bend, it will be disastrous. But it's fun like a roller coaster ride. :)

The solution? Do what is needed and then do it well. One thing I can see in students is that they are easily distracted. (Or is it just me?) On my half that is, I'm constantly talking about the opposites with my guys, gossiping about the latest scandal. Is this really what it feels to be in a mixed school? Or is this just one of the false impressions? It's really different. In SA that is, we do talk about the opposites but I can imagine the number of times a female teacher would come into mind. I guess we were just confined in a small box. A really small one. GISHH! Stop it already!

When I left SA, I always thought that girls NEVER (or rather realistically speaking, RARELY) speak about such a taboo; Sex. But take my mighty Action For Aids committee team for example, in the company of 3 ladies, we are talking about what I see as a sin to a gentleman. GOSH. In SA, it's just different. Everyone feels like home as we grow out of this hard shell that protects us from harm. As we grow, our body begs for room, our minds begin to wonder off to a state of no return and our hearts change. Like melons growing in a glass bottles (link), we take shape to whatever we conform to when young only to realize that life is alive as well.

OK. A little info about me. I'm in ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING at NGEE ANN POLYTECHNIC. It's about AN HOUR'S bus ride from my house. The reason I chose NP is that I'm still in that 'glass bottle'. I'm chipping away as much as I can, breaking free from this confinement. Will someone be there to help me out and hold my hand? Oh how I wish there were strings on me.

Beats me too. : /

So that's why I updated my FB saying that when you walk today, treat each step and breath as your last. This is more than survival. It's a new way of living. :)

The Fear

It's started. So I can 'officially' say that I've moved on. And I'm really busy, REALLY busy. What's worst, I'm running out of constructive blog ideas that would not be a bore for you, my lovely readers. I'm home daily at 5, but it seems much easier each day. Only touched 3 modules, or rather subjects, each day. Pretty sweet huh?

There's is still P.E. but it's called sports and wellness. We get to choose what sport we play in the 1st week for the next 12 weeks. Yeap.

Gosh. I'm lame. Gotta go!

Scared

I'll be leaving for a 3D2N camp in NP. It's an orientation camp. So which means I'll see new things, feel new company, hear new voices and maybe love new things. But there's no denying it. There's something that has been bothering me for quite some time. I don't think of this camp as I did before. I mean a sense of uneasiness blankets me. I used to look forward to camps but this camp is a marker. A mark that says that I must leave my old behind. Leave it forever. Gosh, it's kinda hard. The old me felt so comfortable, so relaxed, so easy. I tried rationalising myself that an OC will break the ice much quicker. So it's a sacrifice for the better. New friends and new adventures await. Can't hardly wait! But a part of me wants to stay.

Here's how I see it. I do not want to regret my life just because I got my heart broken and due to that, I'm forgoing new bonds that will pull me out of this quicksand. It's time to throw my childish ways behind.

Well, I guess you can insert faith here.

Taxtation On My Belly!

A couple years ago, my dad would ride his motorcycle to Johor Bahru and buy our groceries there. It was well before Malaysia decided to pull up a goods limit to every tourist. Many would suggest a normal trip to the NTUC or the little neighbourhood market to get your needs but if you really do the math, plus the currency conversions, it was really cheaper to get it in Malaysia. After all, it's all in half price.

I don't really understand. Why must there be a huge difference in prices of similar goods? It gave my brain a stir when I came across this article at CNET Asia. In the article, they did us a favour by comparing 2 identical notebooks of US & SG and highlight the price difference. Even after a S$230 shipping cost [o.0] the notebook is still cheaper than the Singapore model, BY S$800!

CNET Asia even asked Sony Singapore about this discrepancy and what they replied was still vague too me.

Pricing policy is different for different region, subject to market size and demand. In this context, the US is a large market for Sony.WHAT? Even after the many years of diplomatic setting and the sacrifice of lives for equality, you're saying that we (Singaporeans) can't get the same price as our US conterparts?

Taxation issues. The pricing you see on the US Web site does not include taxes, while the Sony Singapore pricing does.Too vague. The only tax I know of is Singapore's GST. And that's only 7%. What tax rakes up so much that there is a S$800 price diff?

The US pricing does not include shipping insurance versus when one buys from a Singapore store, there is a 1-year warranty included. S$800 can buy you 3 years of Macbook Pro Applecare. DIG THAT.

Hey Sony, you know why your Vaios are not popular here? IT'S EXPENSIVE! Don't get me wrong, Sony does have quality goods but I don't think paying S$800 bucks more is a wise choice. Especially when you have Vista installed. Yuck.

So what is the problem here? Why is the price difference so different when there is a geographical challenge for companies? Shipping shouldn't hurt much. The article is right about that 8kg load that costs S$230. Check here. This leaves us with S$570 to rational about.

I'm just shooting blindly here. Maybe it's the currencey exchange? Maybe it's the cost of customer satisfaction when buying in Singapore? Maybe it's the assurance of an avaialable product? Maybe it's the cost of a freaking brand name or maybe, just maybe, Sony decided to charge more to earn profits. Well, screw you Sony.

I don't mind paying more for a quality good. But Sony is kinda walking in Apple's footsteps. They want to project their products as a Veblen good. They figure that if they rake up their prices, they will accelerate their output. But no Sony, Apple ain't playing Veblen. They are playing Giffen goods. They see themselves as the only one in the business, in the business of creative people that is. In my opinion, Apple wants to be unique. They don't want to take over the world. Kudos to you Apple!

Price difference is inevitable. But sometimes, this might spur small start ups in local Singapore to innovate more. Thus, more products for us, consumers. Sometimes, I love economics.

Bleagh The Food!!!

Today was much about walking. My parents and I decided to make our way down to Singapore Expo for the Halal 2009 expo. I thought to myself, "Why not? Building closer and stronger rapport for my community!" Anyway, I knew getting a parking space would be a disaster but my Dad displayed faith. Geez.

Of course, his faith was that he parked at a bend. Which is illegal at any case. I kinda showed him the "C'mon Dad" face but hey, there's another car in front doing the same thing. In the same boat we are!

Wouldn't it be a surprise if most of the demographic that attended was the Malay community. But they were some Chinese who came by. Either the organizers devised an aggressive marketting campaign or the prime weakness of Singaporeans where the sight of a huge crowd is the presence of a bargain. Hey, anything to ease the tough economy.

Outside, a group of cars lined up to please the eyes. A white SUV caught my eye. At first glance, I thought it was another imitation but OMG, it was a Hummer. MAN, that's rare! I didn't get the chance to snap a picture. But it kinda look like this:

NIce? YEAH.

The expo, summed up in a sentence, is like an indoor pasar malam. Rows of food booths cover the pathways. The smells adore me as we jostle our way through. It seems there's a celebration at the back. Wedding decorators, antiques, education and even ear candling booths! And I thought the Halal 2009 expo was only about food! I guess it's my prejudice of the Malay community that seems to like food a lot. That's evidenced by the high percentage of obesed malays. Yuck. [I'm not a black sheep. I'm fat too. Haha.] There are quite a number of booths here set up by our neighbours across the highwat. There was one selling pau and another selling ice cream. Another piece of evidence from my community's love for food.

Donut Empire, a donut shop, set up a booth there. The 'new' Pastamania that had recently been given the Halal status. Yay! And one antique shop that featured goods from Africa. In fact, the booth owners ARE from Africa! Haha! Guess it's not all Malay here! I was certainly eyeing at the antique booths. My slums need a boost of 'foreign taste' to complete its transformation. Well, it's only a sixth in. Haha.

The expo, which ran its last day today, was graced by many familiar Suria stars. (Sorry guys. No Jennette Aw or Britney Spears here.) Though, I didn't know all their names. Bleagh. I can't belief I don't support local Malay arts. But anyway, it was kinda nice to see an expo about the Malay community. I think they need more overseas products like the ice cream and pau from Malaysia. Their marketting too has to expand to attract not only Malays but other communities as well. They should market it as a gateway to increasing understanding between different communities. Haha. Do I sound political to you? On a serious note, the expo seems like a launching pad for new food businesses like Pastamania to introduce themselves their Halal certification and open up a new area of foods available for the Muslim community. Dang, we need more French food!

At the end of the day, it's cool. : )

Sleepy Head by Passion Pit

This is stop motion at its best.