tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77748552024-03-07T16:33:08.174+08:00The Human Conditionthe heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick; who can understand it?Shaunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08547206607886309189noreply@blogger.comBlogger855125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7774855.post-22103123293046566642010-05-06T15:49:00.003+08:002010-05-06T15:50:33.931+08:00MoveI'm considering moving to <a href="http://paintedworld.tumblr.com/">http://paintedworld.tumblr.com/</a> but there's so much accumulated shit here .. oh wait, that's a good reason to move. And it's much easier to post on tumblr, so there might be more updates - might.Shaunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08547206607886309189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7774855.post-89917574503045192382010-04-27T15:42:00.001+08:002010-04-27T15:42:44.914+08:00Isn't it ironicIt seems only natural that when faced with tight academic related deadlines, I blog. Exams coming and I had barely started studying; blog. The million and one things to do can wait.<br /><br />I find myself now in a similar situation where I need to finish a first draft of a 10 or 25 page business case by this Friday. It's not graded, but late submission will penalized. How that works, is of course a mystery.<br /><br />Perhaps tomorrow I will attempt to locate the requirements document. I'm sure it's somewhere in my email account, but if I can't find it I'll just ask a friend for a copy.<br /><br />It has always been this way - relying on Weeli in secondary school to tell me what subject is being tested on that very day, counting on a whole bunch of friends in polytechnic to keep me in the academic loop, and on Japheth in college to keep me up to speed with deadlines and important dates.<br /><br />It's somewhat ironic that the same person who's nonchalant at best about matters most find important is now working his ass off to secure a job in a foreign land 8000miles away from his support network.<br /><br />Sloth, not unlike hedonism, is a habit awfully hard to break. To counter Sloth, I draw from Pride. To refute hedonism, I look to Love.Shaunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08547206607886309189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7774855.post-10866755214875227792010-04-27T15:01:00.004+08:002010-04-30T08:24:59.350+08:00paper crane<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjmDyRW8Yq4NlqSQa41tcO0rrn_uTcxYBZCP6Okdd7gteopx7oJSGolFPPKFW7fKvluZ_8vXZb88BV8YjoQ9LbShN6OzeCZ3UOObplAXXUwUtx5c7gwNdHUnEb-QwsZ2sAESkrZQ/s1600/jan+2010+024.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 243px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjmDyRW8Yq4NlqSQa41tcO0rrn_uTcxYBZCP6Okdd7gteopx7oJSGolFPPKFW7fKvluZ_8vXZb88BV8YjoQ9LbShN6OzeCZ3UOObplAXXUwUtx5c7gwNdHUnEb-QwsZ2sAESkrZQ/s320/jan+2010+024.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464719101961631266" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">"Are the frivolous</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">strangers to pain</span>;<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">or the whore possess</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">not one ounce of pride</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Does the truth forever elude</span><span style="font-style: italic;"></span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"></span><span style="font-style: italic;">the factitious;</span><span style="font-style: italic;"></span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"></span><span style="font-style: italic;">can love, not take root</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Do their words ring ever hollow</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">their heart, a shallow pan</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">But a moment, extrapolated in time</span>"<br /></div>Shaunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08547206607886309189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7774855.post-74252365689314756612010-04-19T05:05:00.006+08:002010-04-19T05:19:18.182+08:00For the Love of CowI seem to always end up being the one preparing and grilling steaks at cook-outs - if, I think the meat's of good quality. It just pains me to see gorgeous meat adulterated with half-ass marinates or treated with a lack of respect for the deceased cow; like cutting a beautiful one inch thick New York steak into half length-wise and turning it into western food stall grub.<br /><br />Someone did just that at the NUSEA + Singapore Connect picnic yesterday, and it was all I could do to keep a smile plastered on my face as Aunties expounded on the merits of a thinner steak while the culprit was slicing my poor steaks into half.<br /><br />Yes, I'm a bigot. And I never cook steaks past medium-rare .. intentionally :D<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8bxaXmqeY6pVNM6Jo-iJPk62FTO4CJE-SbpMfhCzrne51tXBOGqtkZ391proigW5bmJXo_Btwa6tbIhEZjcA5AihsqeUoP4izo-A-EFwp3sPU5uBv1qu-6vJQvNMvvDkuxTQb5A/s1600/26743_418008946277_572316277_5638667_341743_n.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8bxaXmqeY6pVNM6Jo-iJPk62FTO4CJE-SbpMfhCzrne51tXBOGqtkZ391proigW5bmJXo_Btwa6tbIhEZjcA5AihsqeUoP4izo-A-EFwp3sPU5uBv1qu-6vJQvNMvvDkuxTQb5A/s320/26743_418008946277_572316277_5638667_341743_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461589808188047122" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg49v57-4gOM2k-2yZpL2pc9BWGnG6Jift6zbiu96gQ8UmkXoc2YWs8G4wck0xjkGncHXaXNA6vegx1W9FFnAquAqCpzM409NNv-dDKUKPutxioUftWJjpy-UQehHOcuPlvafSTfg/s1600/26743_418008981277_572316277_5638673_2030661_n.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg49v57-4gOM2k-2yZpL2pc9BWGnG6Jift6zbiu96gQ8UmkXoc2YWs8G4wck0xjkGncHXaXNA6vegx1W9FFnAquAqCpzM409NNv-dDKUKPutxioUftWJjpy-UQehHOcuPlvafSTfg/s320/26743_418008981277_572316277_5638673_2030661_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461589919604809154" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8bxaXmqeY6pVNM6Jo-iJPk62FTO4CJE-SbpMfhCzrne51tXBOGqtkZ391proigW5bmJXo_Btwa6tbIhEZjcA5AihsqeUoP4izo-A-EFwp3sPU5uBv1qu-6vJQvNMvvDkuxTQb5A/s1600/26743_418008946277_572316277_5638667_341743_n.jpg"><br /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnnMUNUkLeipixJu1no0CZwqIyLUUK_mdsVa5Petg_O1jUAWj-4QC2v_1nKiRPUCf5ObAhCYC932p9RcuDIDM_tXlfyUt6IP3NXyGPiq3Ho4IFAT0fRqUoHUDYZketoUYip1qruQ/s1600/26743_418008946277_572316277_5638667_341743_s.jpg"><br /></a>Shaunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08547206607886309189noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7774855.post-3642449355288909782010-04-12T09:59:00.002+08:002010-04-12T10:05:48.181+08:00Shut up.Quit bickering. If you must, do it privately and not talk to the Press, you idiots.<br /><br />CSJ and CST, for the love of God, have kopi together, keep smiles plastered on your faces and get people to take pictures of you. Same goes for you guys, KJ and NTS. If you need motivation, pick up some old secondary school Chinese textbook and read about the one chopstick vs 10 chopsticks story.<br /><br />And for every point you bitch about, offer a solution.<br /><br />You clowns don't need a 25 year old bum to teach you how to contest an election, do you?Shaunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08547206607886309189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7774855.post-58125129061553023982010-03-26T11:22:00.000+08:002010-03-26T11:23:20.657+08:00Into a million pieces[8:07:28 PM] GL: can you please look after your physical appearance while you are there?<br />[8:07:35 PM] Shaun Lim Jin: :(<br />[8:07:37 PM] GL: being an IT geek doesnt mean looking like one<br />[8:07:37 PM] Shaun Lim Jin: i look like crap?<br />[8:07:44 PM] GL: you don't look as nice?<br />[8:07:53 PM] GL: i won't say crap la<br />[8:08:02 PM] GL: just that you are letting yourself go alittle<br />[8:08:08 PM] GL: a littlllleeeeeeee bitShaunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08547206607886309189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7774855.post-25267763510117847222010-02-09T14:50:00.004+08:002010-02-10T08:34:04.394+08:00Hypocritical?Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Same Same but Different? But of course, we should bear in mind that Lighthouse bases its teachings on very tangible manifestations of the spiritual - healing and such.<br /><br /><br />Chant. Tongues. Chant. Tongues. Same Same but Different, one can argue. And I might not know much about Buddhism, but Fuck la, that dude knows jackshit as well. If posting some racist comments on blog/facebook can result in one being charged .. what should happen to this Pastor Rony? Is this another manifestation of God's divine protection?<br /><br />Help.<br /><br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ryTe7HAWaL4&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ryTe7HAWaL4&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object><br /><p><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/fYJ07V_YxX8&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/fYJ07V_YxX8&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object></p><p>Update: <a href="http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1036451/1/.html">http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1036451/1/.html</a></p>Shaunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08547206607886309189noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7774855.post-35225543384217002532010-02-03T16:53:00.004+08:002010-02-03T17:01:32.107+08:00ifif(self.skillSet() == softwareEngineer.brilliant())<br />{<br /> self.setEmployer("Google");<br />} else {<br /> while(success.rating != OBSCENE) {<br /> self.fightSloth();<br /> self.figureSomeShitOut();<br /> }<br />}<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVMQVRIM2y3TG4qc2p-4tfSB215EO7yH16M9Xc45jT5ukfPFoE4uR42yfq3pPTIAiSMl4mSzun0yP25gunrdQdt85M40126nRR16186Z0oL0LJfPGrarfMnRey-21065slmEhzyg/s1600-h/DSC05744.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVMQVRIM2y3TG4qc2p-4tfSB215EO7yH16M9Xc45jT5ukfPFoE4uR42yfq3pPTIAiSMl4mSzun0yP25gunrdQdt85M40126nRR16186Z0oL0LJfPGrarfMnRey-21065slmEhzyg/s320/DSC05744.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433939710934066706" border="0" /></a>Shaunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08547206607886309189noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7774855.post-6559463687012680562010-02-02T16:53:00.001+08:002010-02-02T16:53:52.415+08:00Dream<span style="font-style: italic;">"If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them."</span><br /> - <a href="http://www.giga-usa.com/quotes/authors/henry_david_thoreau_a001.htm">Henry David Thoreau</a>Shaunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08547206607886309189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7774855.post-60590110146419811792010-01-30T18:12:00.002+08:002010-01-30T18:21:08.150+08:00FatigueI'm so tired. Now, don't go saying "There's no rest for the Wicked"; I've been good. I've just been so swamped with work and school that I hardly have time to breathe.<br /><br />Climbing has unfortunately taken a backseat. Dinner is usually horrible Shaun-cooked food, save for the occasional steak that I pick out at the supermarket to treat myself.<br /><br />The Rockstar mentality of start-up culture has rubbed off on me. I actually look to do things outside and beyond my job scopes. Yes, scopes, plural. The fact that I'm an intern, and a lowly paid one at that, doesn't seem to stop me from doing so. Perhaps that's a good thing. I came here to shake out the perpetual sloth that has been bogging me down, and so far it seems to be working.<br /><br />I'm just .. tired, man. I'm gonna crash. Good Night, folks.<br /><br />Here's a totally unrelated picture to show that yes I'm alive and it's actually pretty nice out here.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwazzYBQC-mQhEx9AzbsWTyd0wwNiCqYGPwkf10ytNYg1HuU1QzajF02GMCFMsXrmlEvAhszUr4q_1ST45b7urLpTbqDLb7dW29zkjtfhvxWSaoraa4AovONwm7g9dofA76Ca3BA/s1600-h/P1066032.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwazzYBQC-mQhEx9AzbsWTyd0wwNiCqYGPwkf10ytNYg1HuU1QzajF02GMCFMsXrmlEvAhszUr4q_1ST45b7urLpTbqDLb7dW29zkjtfhvxWSaoraa4AovONwm7g9dofA76Ca3BA/s320/P1066032.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432475855756172946" border="0" /></a>Shaunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08547206607886309189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7774855.post-1031883391383811372009-12-31T04:44:00.001+08:002009-12-31T04:45:16.956+08:00Disjointed Verbal Diarrhea<span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 18px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family:'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:13px;">I postulate that at the basest level, a male harbors desires to gain carnal knowledge of any attractive female he encounters. In every other species, the male's success pretty much boils down to how strong he is in relation to the female or his other male counterparts. Our kind however, is bound by other factors much more intricate than mere strength.<br /><br />Coercion, is naturally (or perhaps unnaturally) frowned upon in most societies and there are explicit laws dealing with that. It's boring for the most part unless you consider the mock rape that so excites some of us.Moving on.<br /><br />An attractive girl should banish all hopes of purely platonic friendships with males of our species. In fact, given that attractiveness is relative, it is plausible that every single woman has around her males who whether consciously, subconsciously but never unconsciously, want to sleep with her.<br /><br />Of course, such lustful thoughts might, ironically, facilitate friendships between the sexes - a guy harboring even a remote thought of somehow bedding a girl will be a lot more accommodating to any idiosyncrasies she might have. For example, a hot girl can throw a hissy fit, and the guys around her might smile indulgently or at least find it somewhat acceptable relative to how attractive they find the girl. Let a whale or equivalent do the same, and you'll observe very different results. Of course there will be whale-lovers or equivalent around these girls who'll display similar accommodating behavior because hey, Lust is for everyone.<br /><br />With that, we come to the intricate factors that stop a male from carrying out his desires - be it sleeping with a friend, cheating on a partner or randomly copulating with consensual females.<br /><br />That'll be material for another post, another time, provided I don't get lynched for this.</span>Shaunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08547206607886309189noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7774855.post-47869586333175748722009-12-28T16:50:00.002+08:002009-12-28T17:07:32.059+08:00DecisionsI make bad decisions.<br /><br />First, I procrastinate far too much. As usual, laundry time's when I'm down to the last pair of boxers - the one I'm wearing - and no fresh bath towels. And of course I had to wait till 11pm before reluctantly dragging my ass to the laundry room. It would have been an hour and a half affair though, if not for the washer deciding to break down on me and not finish the rinse/spin cycle.<br /><br />This happened to me a couple of times back in Sheares but then laundry was free there and here it's $1.50 per load. A smart thing would be to run clothes through another wash cycle in a different machine, but this time, as I did in Sheares, I chose to dump the whole lot in the dryer instead.<br /><br />There're two problems here:<br /><br />1) The clothes are dripping wet and would never dry with the normal dry cycle.<br /><br />2) The rinse cycle didn't complete so the clothes are still soapy.<br /><br />Where does this leave me? Waiting for soapy wet clothes to dry in the dryer. Bah.<br /><br />Similarly tragic decision making accompanies my car. The first was to drive over 400 miles to San Diego instead of flying. The second is to allow the fuel to run low, and the next to rely on the GPS to locate the nearest gas station. What followed was 15 miles driving South, North, then South again on the I-5 highway before eventually running flat out of gas and rolling to the road shoulder 40 miles from Kerry's place in San Diego. Fuck the GPS, and fuck my life.<br /><br />I spent the next hour keeping a wary eye on the side mirror as I saw gazillion-ton trucks wheeze past me at over 70 miles/hour and feel the road rumble every time they past. Kerry eventually came with a galleon container of gas, I started the car, drove 8 miles and lo and behold, a gas station. If I had ignored the damn GPS and just driven on, I would have hit that, and save myself the other headaches to come.<br /><br />Car Education 101 - old cars have gunk lying on the bottom of the fuel tank that minds its own business mostly, but let the tank run dry, and the fuel pump sucks up said gunk and totally fucks up the fuel line. That resulted in a $400 fuel pump and filter change, but not before I brought it to another workshop where they misdiagnosed the fuel line problem but found a problem with the brakes instead. That was $400.<br /><br />$800 in repairs later on my 18 year old Miata, I decided to sell it. Posted an ad, got a response, but blew it off cause well, it was running along just fine after the repairs and I love my car too much to let it go.<br /><br />Took it for a 100mile each way drive to Pebble Beach. Many beautiful pictures later, my clutch's now loose. No idea what the problem is but a couple of google searches seems to indicate either a master or slave cylinder problem. Bah. Taking it to the workshop tomorrow.<br /><br />Take a look at this picture though, and empathize please with my love for the Miata.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJiv63jKl48jn5D966bGLMnX3ovomUxKKccLKmJir59mW_OAhJy26mL3iMQMcTWMDrofLHSWT3EZRnobzC9JgOeVBBG48bJDgkD32A200D4xt7KjX94UcQiYvTXsntmQ0jh4T6eA/s1600-h/17+mile+drive+057.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 183px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJiv63jKl48jn5D966bGLMnX3ovomUxKKccLKmJir59mW_OAhJy26mL3iMQMcTWMDrofLHSWT3EZRnobzC9JgOeVBBG48bJDgkD32A200D4xt7KjX94UcQiYvTXsntmQ0jh4T6eA/s320/17+mile+drive+057.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420211087597178626" border="0" /></a>Shaunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08547206607886309189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7774855.post-4321132046881561592009-10-27T16:09:00.001+08:002009-10-27T16:10:43.772+08:00Sunset<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhopzldM_6vQOLbc_hmSGdpfuLhs1jok4dT6geeKc5pYgV2lv7t9IvwosAxJeo_-gBwXIqZQmnk83xSJeGFIvPzIWgqgO9a_EnkDCPclRgmu_sB9WRLPo4V2xoeTqaehFMROISOdw/s1600-h/miatasunset.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 238px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhopzldM_6vQOLbc_hmSGdpfuLhs1jok4dT6geeKc5pYgV2lv7t9IvwosAxJeo_-gBwXIqZQmnk83xSJeGFIvPzIWgqgO9a_EnkDCPclRgmu_sB9WRLPo4V2xoeTqaehFMROISOdw/s320/miatasunset.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397189211970495762" border="0" /></a>Shaunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08547206607886309189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7774855.post-47645046711964103052009-10-26T16:08:00.002+08:002009-10-26T16:09:51.032+08:00Still Alive<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEX7NCnGmryAWu647w2E5kvOMju3lR2-DRJGqn8UrDb_cwFZSLncgD2GLooZTqerFdLyZIqgzUBUk99A1sEV3TM73mzGwyJkm0iNT5M1ysBkY3_AUxANwmESAcH9reATluCNI_AA/s1600-h/DSC05102.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEX7NCnGmryAWu647w2E5kvOMju3lR2-DRJGqn8UrDb_cwFZSLncgD2GLooZTqerFdLyZIqgzUBUk99A1sEV3TM73mzGwyJkm0iNT5M1ysBkY3_AUxANwmESAcH9reATluCNI_AA/s320/DSC05102.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396817626952920578" border="0" /></a><br />Will post again when I find something meaningful to write about. Or if I get bored shitless.Shaunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08547206607886309189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7774855.post-17380626089760389822009-10-05T13:20:00.004+08:002009-10-05T13:25:26.970+08:00Stupidity PersonifiedCashier: ID please.<br />Me: -offers Singapore driving license-<br />Cashier: We can't take this.<br />Me: Why? Because we're not a country? -trying to convey both irony and incredulity-<br />Cashier: Yeah ..<br />Me: -Realizes that the cashier's seriously dumb.- ..It is a country.<br />Cashier: Where is it?<br />Me: Asia.<br />Cashier: Nope, sorry, no can do.<br /><br />-Back again with passport-<br />Cashier: Nope sorry, company policy.Shaunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08547206607886309189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7774855.post-56837581465139115402009-09-21T05:21:00.004+08:002009-09-21T06:08:09.140+08:00HannahI got drunk last night, woke up at 9:34am this morning, and drove 20 miles to church.<br /><br />The pastor was apparently in the middle of a character study series and today's was on Hannah, Samuel's mother. I vaguely remember hearing that story a long time ago in some church or another but the message this morning was exceptionally good. It was about suffering, and finding peace before being delivered from that suffering. Let me try to reproduce as much of its content as I can. Forgive any inaccuracies - I sat through the sermon in a state of very recent inebriation.<br /><br />Hannah was barren. This was in a time when a family's economic prosperity depended a great deal on how many children you have as having more children meant more free labor to work on the farm. A woman's role in those days is mainly that of a mother and a nurturer; she would be almost useless if she was unable to conceive.<br /><br />Her husband loved and doted on her, giving her double portions of food, etc, but she was still miserable. The provocations of a rival(that was the translation on the slide, I was too lazy to fish out my iphone) didn't help, and when she was praying in the temple, Eli the priest thought she was drunk and reprimanded her. Priest fail.<br /><br />To sum it up, she was depressed to the point where she stopped eating and spent a great deal of time wailing. One day she decided enough was enough, walked to the temple, and prayed to God asking him to open her womb and bless her with a son, saying that if he does so, she would dedicate her son to the temple and no razor shall ever touch his head. The first thought that came to my mind was that she was simply bargaining with God, like what a lot of Christians do these days - Give me a promotion and I'll double my tithes. Grant me economic success if I give liberally to my church so my pastor can play polo and own half of east coast park.<br /><br />The pastor went on to say just that - that some of us might think that she was bargaining with God, but the difference is that when people bargain with God, they do it mainly out of self-interest, whereas Hannah promised to give her son entirely to God. The pastor explained that sending one's son to the temple was almost like sending him to Jedi Academy; you essentially lose a son. I might argue that she still retains a certain measure of self-interest, that her rival would finally shut the f up, and that her pride would be somewhat restored. But I shall let that pass.<br /><br />The key here is that immediately after praying, she was at peace. She went to eat, and her face was no longer downcast. That's the message I guess, that we not find peace after God delivers us from our suffering, but at the moment you commit the issue to God's hands.<br /><br />Obviously, God answered her prayer, she bore a son, named him Samuel, sent him to the temple where he was witness to another episode of Eli's Priest-Fail, and became a great prophet for the Lord.<br /><br />I didn't stay around after church to mingle though; my head weighed a ton, my mouth tasted and must have smelled, of stale alcohol, and I was starving. I'll head back to the church again soon enough.Shaunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08547206607886309189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7774855.post-82100195166842062922009-09-11T14:06:00.003+08:002009-09-11T15:44:15.821+08:00The Birthday EntryI recently passed the quarter mark in life; assuming I live to be a hundred, which incidentally, I've no desire to do. Alright, maybe a better way of putting it would be - it has recently come to my attention that I've lived a quarter of a century, a suitable point to look behind my shoulder and admire the messy trail left in my wake.<br /><br />I paused a second to light a Parliament and collect my thoughts. Great brand of smokes, by the way, pity they don't carry them in Singapore. Yes, let's start there. I had my first smoke with people I regarded, and still do regard, as my closest friends. They've been my anchor and my toe-hold on sanity as I made my way through life. There for me when at 15 I called one up on the phone in the middle of the night in tears, heart-broken upon hearing that the only girl I thought I could ever love got together with another boy. There for me some years later when the people around me thought of me as little more than a superficial asshole.<br /><br />It's fortunate for me, that they're not alone. I've friends whom I treasure, whom I pray hold me as dear as I hold them. Without them I would be lost, and though right now I'm physically over 8000 miles away from them, I'm thankful that I can call them friends.<br /><br />Another break, while I walk back into the apartment to grab a Kirin and light another Parli. Beer and cigarettes. I get the impression that people generally regard me as frivolous and undependable; the go-to guy when one's looking for shits and giggles for sure, but not someone one can trust. I used to pride myself, in my younger days, on having what I thought was emotional maturity for my age, and on being a good listener. Today, I'm not so sure.<br /><br />A healthy dose of cynicism is now replaced by an almost utter lack of faith, in love, and in God. I used to believe unwaveringly in God, now I turn to Him only in dire straits - like when I'm caught in 1 inch/min traffic with a terribly upset stomach. I used to love, and love unreservedly. That mutated into the mantra "love, but express that love sparingly". Now the very notion of romantic love turns my stomach and empties the mind. I see success stories around me of course, and I don't discount them. I just don't see it happening to me.<br /><br />It might sound a tad melodramatic to say something like that, but I guess it's a series of poorly made decisions and episodes of barking up the wrong trees that got me where I am now. I started down the slippery slope after the girlfriend who cheated on me and, I assert, made me lose my marbles. Efforts at regaining a foothold have been complete failures, accelerating my descent each time it happens. I still cling on to a silver of hope, that I'll be able to approach whatever comes next with a little more De Profundis and a lot less Picture of Dorian Gray. We shall see how that works out.<br /><br />I've stumbled through life shackled to both sloth and nonchalance. I found within myself not a lack of ambition but the distinct abhorrence towards the work involved to get there. I've made rash and misguided trades in both the equities and currency exchange market and lost what to me is a princely sum. Together with friends, I've built elaborate castles in the air but failed to materialize any of them into concrete business ventures.<br /><br />Through sheer luck, divine blessings and short, inconsistent spurts of diligence, I find myself now an undergraduate in NUS having gone through an exchange program in Canada and now participating in one of the more prestigious programs the university offers - a year long internship in Silicon Valley. What I do from here is almost entirely in my hands; whether I skirt-chase, booze, blaze and bum my way through the year or turn my life into something I can be proud of.<br /><br />This seems like a pretty good note to end this post on. I've work tomorrow, and if I'm going to make something of it, I need to bring my A game. There are many things in my life I need to work on, and not skiving at work's a good start.<br /><br />Peace.Shaunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08547206607886309189noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7774855.post-25165912336764755022009-08-31T04:13:00.002+08:002009-08-31T04:14:53.897+08:00(Almost) Reckless Abandon<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPlZ_z0ffSXIjSSf5fYk0L3jTl32LI2ekdwQQR7kJxAau5bolFBORLiswqwW0H4IYKhIbit3kzrUtte9_cDxdIB2iN8QhLQIS5y13iTdZXc-6221OcUZ45sr-ueGkcIHW7q_CxGg/s1600-h/DSC00026.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPlZ_z0ffSXIjSSf5fYk0L3jTl32LI2ekdwQQR7kJxAau5bolFBORLiswqwW0H4IYKhIbit3kzrUtte9_cDxdIB2iN8QhLQIS5y13iTdZXc-6221OcUZ45sr-ueGkcIHW7q_CxGg/s320/DSC00026.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375852811669562098" border="0" /></a>Shaunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08547206607886309189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7774855.post-4335760713265778492009-08-28T13:39:00.003+08:002009-08-28T14:17:10.454+08:00Symphony.Trying to keep oneself from feeling is like trying to contain a spider in a cup; the spider will relentlessly climb up the cup walls and you'll find yourself constantly rotating and flicking the cup to keep it in. Okay, perhaps that was a bad analogy. There's a reason why cliches become cliches - because they hold elements of truth.<br /><br />Let's try it again. Trying to keep oneself from feeling is like holding water in an unwaxed paper cup. Sooner or later the water soaks through, and the paper breaks.<br /><br />The bible talks about building a house on sand. When strong winds come, the house crashes. Foundation's important - build a house on solid rock and not on sand, says the Lord our God.<br /><br />I should stop trying to run marathons drunk. Or launch off floating driftwood in a swamp.<br /><br />Excuse me for now though, while I go retch in a canal.Shaunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08547206607886309189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7774855.post-33879701371036256502009-08-22T00:23:00.001+08:002009-08-22T00:24:45.373+08:00AdvertorialHere you go, Amy.<br /><br />Online shopping with a cute model <a href="www.elitecouturier.com">here</a>Shaunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08547206607886309189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7774855.post-51593463499556747892009-08-11T16:15:00.002+08:002009-08-11T16:31:43.703+08:00Such a lovely place, Such a lovely faceIt has been three weeks since I came to California. Predictably, I'm not done unpacking; there's still stuff in my luggage and scattered around my mattress on the floor. Apart from that I'm pretty much settled though. I've started work, got myself a car, got the car insured and registered, bought furniture, ensured a steady supply of beer at home and cooked a couple of times.<br /><br />I'm still waiting for the Bank of America to send me my debit card that they promised to send 5 working days from the day I applied - 27th July. Heck, even the social security administration's more efficient; I received my social security card in the mail today. This means my company can start putting me on their payroll, and that I can get a cell plan and a new phone. It ain't cheap though, and weighing the benefits of getting an iphone 3gs and the cost involved is giving me a headache.<br /><br />There's so much to say but I'm tired and I've work tomorrow. Ironically, although I'm the only one among my housemates who has a car, I leave home the earliest. Parking in Palo Alto is a bitch, and if I arrive too late at the Caltrain carpark, I don't get a lot and am condemned to shifting my car every two hours from zone to zone (there's a free parking limit of 2 hours per zone) until sometime after lunch when I can try my luck again at the Caltrain carpark.<br /><br />There's an awesome climbing gym less than 5 minutes from my place that offers fitness and yoga classes as well. I tried the "Abs and Core" program and will probably do yoga this week. The climbing facilities are fantastic and I've made a friend. I wish you guys were here though.<br /><br />When I sit at home and sip good beer, when I cook, and when I take in beautiful sights I wish the people back home could be with me, for life can only be truly enjoyed in the company of friends.<br /><br />Yes, I know this post isn't very well written. In fact, I find myself second guessing my tenses and grammar these days. I need to read, and write a hell lot more.<br /><br />Drop me a message every now and then, friends, life isn't the same without you.Shaunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08547206607886309189noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7774855.post-35664559568869125042009-08-02T10:08:00.004+08:002009-08-02T10:20:08.197+08:00Mine :)I went car shopping today. Of course by that I meant calling people up on craigslist and going down to see the cars, not waltzing into car show rooms like I've a fat bank account - which I don't.<br /><br />Saw a Mazda 626 first. The seller was this mexican guy who runs an auto shop. Pretty new, only 73k miles on it. Decided to continue searching.<br /><br />Went up to Daly City, saw this fun looking but impractical car.<br /><br />Continued viewing cars but couldn't get the impractical car outta my mind.<br /><br />So ..<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUfNfSZr8iOSKZp1ILbLraEFwXoFM5ih9VuCWvmEycitITikvcflyJwNYThDVLQgzY4DwP9shCU53_j0eyD2wO3qkdrPPonWFGW9BIjYTySb_sxxpAGyh3tyGL3_Nlnhwt-PDFRg/s1600-h/aug+09+009.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUfNfSZr8iOSKZp1ILbLraEFwXoFM5ih9VuCWvmEycitITikvcflyJwNYThDVLQgzY4DwP9shCU53_j0eyD2wO3qkdrPPonWFGW9BIjYTySb_sxxpAGyh3tyGL3_Nlnhwt-PDFRg/s320/aug+09+009.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365183232627800338" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfYHiPfPnI5L_z-TyH4t9HwRIds8h8ZEOfA84WgaNUQCHPCigDHLJeKl6jZSsAgS7QkR98nHYEJc0ivc25aUegwGcyx0ipq5i8VTEViHoqR3lMJsWNn6GugLJAcGuhKPvNyaJVVg/s1600-h/aug+09+008.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfYHiPfPnI5L_z-TyH4t9HwRIds8h8ZEOfA84WgaNUQCHPCigDHLJeKl6jZSsAgS7QkR98nHYEJc0ivc25aUegwGcyx0ipq5i8VTEViHoqR3lMJsWNn6GugLJAcGuhKPvNyaJVVg/s320/aug+09+008.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365183230478571154" border="0" /></a><br />Yep, I got it. a 1991 Mazda MX-5 Miata.Shaunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08547206607886309189noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7774855.post-86091410214652074092009-07-11T05:56:00.004+08:002009-07-11T06:03:09.160+08:00High SchoolI was going through the remarks made by my form teachers during secondary schools, and thought them pretty amusing. Let me reproduce them here verbatim:<br /><br />Secondary 1:<br /><br />Sem 1: Disappointing Results. Has performed poorly. Good work attitude but failed to achieve good grades. needs to work very hard to pass the final exam. (is she implying im hardworking but dumb?!)<br /><br />Sem 2: A capable pupil. Has potential (that's more like it.)<br /><br />Secondary 2:<br /><br />Sem 1: Shaun is capable of better performance (yawn)<br /><br />Sem 2: Shaun is capable of better performance if he is not so complacent. He must put in more effort in his Maths and Chinese. More time should be spent on his studies rather than the internet.<br /><br />Secondary 3:<br /><br />Sem 1: Does not respond well to advice and corrections by teachers and needs to show more interest in class (Note: she was boring as hell.)<br /><br />Sem 2: Disappointing results probably due to irregular attendeance. Hei s (sic) at times is late for school. Shaun needs self-discipline to pass his "O" levels next year. Essay Competition (3rd prize)<br /><br />Secondary 4:<br /><br />Sem 1: Shaun is under performing. He needs to be more focused and disciplined in his work attitude.<br /><br />Sem 2: An intelligent student who has the potential to do well if he puts his mind to it.<br /><br />And that, folks, sums up my secondary school years. Haha.Shaunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08547206607886309189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7774855.post-89246872594418303652009-07-10T15:45:00.002+08:002009-07-10T15:47:43.393+08:00Ouch"Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and <b><i>drunkenness</i></b>, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy." (Romans 13:13) <br /><br /> "But now I am writing you that <b><i>you must not associate with</i></b> anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, <b><i>a drunkard</i></b> or a swindler. <b><i>With such a man do not even eat</i></b>." (1 Corinthians 5:11) <br /><br /> "Do you not know that <b><i>the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God</i></b>? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy <b><i>nor drunkards</i></b> nor slanderers nor swindlers <b><i>will inherit the kingdom of God</i></b>." (1 Corinthians 6:9-10) <br /><br /> "<b><i>The acts of the sinful nature are obvious</i></b>: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; <b><i>drunkenness</i></b>, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that <b><i>those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God</i></b>." (Galatians 5:19-21)<br /><br />Damn harsh la. Whatever happened to grace, faith, and forgiveness. Jesus ate with tax collectors. I'm hurt.Shaunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08547206607886309189noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7774855.post-51027842680047159022009-07-08T23:37:00.002+08:002009-07-08T23:47:07.688+08:000.0001 YearsWhether it's prolonging sex before ejaculation, or waiting for marriage(or at least a sufficiently serious relationship), delayed gratification usually results in much greater joy.<br /><br />I realized I've wrote myself into a corner at the very first sentence; such that I can't continue without either admitting I'm awful in the sack or be seen as bragging. But I'm sure you people get my drift. I hope.Shaunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08547206607886309189noreply@blogger.com0