Postcard from afar

A better photograph from Venice Beach, California.
-Kenough

Frivolous conjectures of why I haven't updated the blog in a long time

It has been quite some time since my last entry, way too long indeed. I apologize for the protracted hiatus. I've been wondering why I didn't update the blog, and I think I came up with some reasons. Individually, they are not sufficient reasons, but taken together, I think they account for my omission to update the blog in the longest time.

Firstly, I have been really busy with school work. This has been the most trying semester for me in terms of workload, with an unprecedented avalanche of 5 projects and 4 research papers. My semester also included the Conflicts of Laws module which is the most mentally challenging module that I've been confronted with thus far. But somehow, through divine intervention or otherwise or a combination of both, I did well, better than expected actually. If anything, I've one more thing to be thankful for at christmas service on fri. Perhaps I may even encounter God this christmas. This has by far been the longest break I've taken from church, and if absence makes the heart grow stronger, and if God exists and He has a heart, then perhaps he will reveal Himself to me this christmas. Haha.

Secondly, some turmoil in my personal life has obstructed my motivations to talk cock on the blog. I was feeling troubled, disappointed, irritated, and frustrated for a good one month. It was a very unsettling experience for me, but nevertheless a very interesting one. I was oftentimes distracted, sleep and appetite were both affected to some extent at times. I discovered aspects of my emotional side that I never thought existed, and I realized that in certain respects, I am not as much a master of myself as I want to be. I need to change that. It was a staggering and humbling experience that I want to remember and learn from.

Thirdly, there are four reasons why I update the blog. Firstly, I've something havoc to post. Secondly, I've an announcement to make. Thirdly, I'm updating on significant event(s) in my life. Fourthly, just to say stuff that I feel like sharing with all of you on the blog, some thoughts that are just nice to be written with some thought. Perhaps because of the first two reasons why I haven't updated the blog, the four reasons to update the blog just never really arose.

In conclusion, 2009 has been a hell of a ride, and I look forward to christmas, the christmas party at Amigo Luke's, new year's eve, havocking the rest of the year, and 2010, which I guarantee will be an ultra time blast. Martini and Ducati Liang, all the best with graduation and job-hunting. Kendaman, all the best with Part B; I believe it won't belong before you earn the moniker 'King of Sub Courts'. As for Luqman and myself, the rollercoaster of school and holidays is gonna keep on a rollin, and we're gonna continue to take in the sights and the rush of adrenalin. All the best for the new year, Amigos, and may 2010 bring you abundant happiness and satisfaction.

My China Trip by Kendamainmanfromdamainland

After enduring a wearisome week of back to back exams, I jetted off to China for a reprieve from all that academic madness. Owing to my laziness and intolerance of the inclement weather, I hardly ventured from Nanjing, where the bulk of my trip was spent. The only anomalies were trips to Shanghai and Suzhou. This holiday, however, was unlike most of my previous travels which were exploration oriented. Instead, Gaiatri and I indulged in la dolce vita which was made possible with the luxury of time as well as affordable commodities.

I, in my opinion, think that a significant part of living the sweet life is being a couch potato. Having missed every possible drama series in the past 24 years of my life, I watched season 1 of The O.C . and found it rather enjoyable. It was turbocharged with drama which revealed certain truths on the human condition and showcased lavish lifestyles we could only vicariously experience. Once The O.C ended, we went on to watch various havoc comedies which aided the regular sustenance of our laughter quota. Looking back, I find it kind of sad not being able to take watching shows at a stretch for granted in light of my impending legal career which lurks around the corner.

Next, our stellar experience thus far was supplemented with much delectable food. Beginning with the Chinese cuisine, we devoured numerous portions of peking duck, xiao long bao, tang bao (jumbo xiao long bao infused with extra broth), beef noodles and fried rice without any weight/health related inhibitions. Drinks wise, both of us chilled at the Shanghai Tang Bar on a random evening. We also had traditionally served Chinese Tea in an old skool house in Suzhou that doubled up as an art gallery.

We took no prisoners as our culinary quest extended to the European frontiers. These cravings were mainly satiated at Shanghai, a metropolitan city pervaded with western culture and starbucks cafes strewn all over. Notably, we had splendid prime rib, wagyu steak with truffle fries, heavily truffled lobster and pigeon with ravioli, foie gras as well as an exceptional Sunday brunch. On a random note, I was reminded that having a long breakfast would soon become a luxury once worklife begins.

Not to forget, I had my virgin scoop of ice cream at Coldstone Creamery. Unlike your run of the mill ice cream parlour, Coldstones unique style encompasses mashing toppings such as kit kat and brownies into the slightly gooey ice cream on a stone cold surface. In retrospect, I find it rather peculiar to have learnt of this American based franchise in China despite having traveled to USA before.

Oh yeah.. as a testament to the vast array of cuisines in China, we whacked butter chicken, chiken tika, naan etc in a spontaneous and unexpected visit to an indian restaurant in Nanjing.

Anyway, I must say taht I really enjoyed myself in China with Gaiatri. To top it off I downed 5 flutes of champagne filled to the brim and saw a shooting star from my window on the flight home to Singapore.
-kendamainmanfromdamainland

Imagine

Imagine the whole of Singapore losing power for a week. I strongly suspect that the hours of the night would bring looting, rioting and waves of other crime. I suspect also, that the situation would be significantly worse if it happened in most other nations. It is ridiculous that street lamps are all that stand between civility and chaos.

-Luke

the lacklustre entry (and i suspect i've used this title before)

Dear Amigos

Many a time, I have been impelled to pen an entry to document the recent events in my life .Yet, as you can see, this hasn't translated into anything so far. My reluctance usually creeps up the moment before writing. This is because I wouldn't want to waste your time by compelling you to read a series of entries that revolve around the same theme: utter boredom. and nothingness. Instead, I shall use this as an opportunity to encapsulate the ennui which has plagued my past few weeks. In a sentence (that's all i really need), they have been interspersed with lazing around aimlessly and studying.

The only difference is that lately, I have decided to accompany my studying with a few cans of ultra-chilled beer to the extent that the booze is partially frozen. For some inexplicable reason, I feel like I'm able to read at a much faster pace and retain such knowledge with less effort. More importantly, I don't get the feeling that studying is a chore. To complete the experience, I blast my speakers with hard pumping rap and rock in an attempt to recreate a clubbing environment. Hopefully, this would do me more good than bad when I take my exams next week. I don't want to end up remembering all the lyrics of Akon and Nickelback in place of company/land/criminal law and the likes.

Anyway, to all you amigos who are intensely preparing for any upcoming exams, hang in there and don't ever lose heart for I can hear the christmas bells ringing already. I cannot wait to get high and enter into a world of crazy glittery colours and all things only imaginable with the aid of alcohol.
-Kendaman

Long Time Coming

Hey guys.. Sorry, I know this post has been a long time coming.. Finally took some pics of my place for you guys to see.. Here it is..

Door..

 

Kitchen..

 

Living area..

 

My room..


Defeating Blanka in style..


My toilet


Ok.. I am not sure what this is.. It just dropped from my bed one day.. I hope it's not an essential part..


My new stethoscope.. If you look carefully, you can see I got my name engraved..

 

Meaning

Some people try to find meaning in the things that happen in their lives. Very often they find this through choosing to believe in religion.

For example, if one failed an exam, one might choose to believe that one failed because a higher power intended the failure as a necessary lesson which would lead to future success.

However, if one chooses to believe that the events in life are predetermined by a higher power, the meaning and significance of one's actions are automatically undermined. This includes the action to choose to believe in the religion in the first place, leading to a bit of a reductio ad absurdum.

Anyway, thats all from me for the night.. It's pretty late and I should get some sleep. I have a weekend of glorious studying ahead.

-Luke

WC2010

Although FC2009 is definitely off the table due to a lack of participants, WC2010 is still on track to take place. I was reminded of this at changi, when I saw a FIFA shop past the check in area. They had a countdown to the start of the world cup and it only had 200+ days left on it.. The 3+ years since the last world cup have passed quickly.

I can remember those late nights sleeping on the couches downstairs and rushing to adam road / newton for a late night feast before the second match of the night started.

Let's hope this world cup is as fun. And that Italy doesn't win.

Vierundfünfzig , Vierundsiebzig, Neunzig, Zweitausendzehn!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gosJRIPbw7k

-Luke

Random Post

Hey Guys,

I am leaving tonight. Will see you guys again in October.

Justin, take a look at this.. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32954867/ns/health-heart_health/

Serves us right for ever doubting the wisdom of Shan.

Peace out.

-Luke

Flight Club

If you look carefully, you can see El from hell and Kendaman copiloting this Mig 35.
Russian style.




-Luke

A quick entry

Hey guys,

Just thought I would make a quick entry about nothing in particular.

I just got up.. It's 12pm.. I have lost the will to go to school.. I didnt go at all yesterday and think I will just go for an hour today. I hate this fucking system where you are expected to be proactive in order to learn the things you are supposed to learn. I am not fucking paying AUD30K to have to be proactive. I should be fed with notes and lectures. I have practically no lectures anymore by the way. It is really completely self directed learning.

Anyway, I hope to be coming back on the 16th to get a break from all of this. The things I have planned for my return so far are

1) Get high with you guys
2) Eat spicy chicken wings
3) Go for chatterbox chicken rice
4) Go back to angus steakhouse, along with Justin as well this time


Btw in case any of you are affected by it, GMail is currently down. It is actually supposed to be back up but I still cannot access my account even though Google claims to have fixed the problems.

Ok.. gotta go shower and head to school now.. ttys guys.

-Luke

Down Memory Lane (Part II)

Ep 1: The Character Mysteries...

It all started here at The House.....

Looking at the way this fella is sitting, you may think he's The Boss....

You may also suspect that the fella in that ridiculous bandana, yellow tee and track pants is The Henchman.... Or.. could he actually be the Boss?

Episode 2: Characters Rewealed

But little do we know that this is The B.O.S.S. (Bachelor Of Social Services). Check out that charismatic grin he's flashing as he languishes on the sofa.

That's me, flashing a 'V' for Vendetta sign with The B.O.S.S.

As was later discovered, turns out that The Henchman is just a gay dude with an understandable penchant for bandanas (observe the loving manner in which he's checking me out)...

And, this fella is actually a schizo. Here, he pretends to be El Mariachi (judging from that killer stare, not just any mariachi but El Mariachi). In case you're wondering, El Mariachi and El from Hell are not related by blood.

In another instance, he pretends to be a disney magician.

And he has also been spotted posing as a macho rugger who's also a crab connoisseur (mmm... what a manly way to conclude a meal).

Summer of ‘09

Reveling in the present, living for the future – to me, that’s what the summer holidays are all about. The summer holidays are, to me, a time to experience things that I will most likely never get to experience - well, at least not at such scale and duration. They are also a time for me to make piecemeal but imperative preparations for the longest phase in my life – the inevitable decades of working life. These may ostensibly seem like two irreconcilable ways to spend a summer, but I am blessed that they unfolded seamlessly throughout the four months which, I can gladly say, were a blast.

I started off interning at the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) with a handful of my classmates. Indeed, it was very much of an eye-opener for a law student, like myself, to experience the public realm of the legal sphere, firsthand. This was achieved through the very thoughtfully and professionally-structured inaugural internship programme that the AGC internship committee had assembled for us. We were pleasantly struck by the generous hospitality of the various divisions (International Affairs, Civil, Legislation and Law Reform, and Criminal), as well as individuals of AGC, who not only filled our minds with knowledge of what being a state counsel entails, but also our stomachs. A few of us walked away with serious contemplations of hopping onto the legal service bandwagon upon graduation.

After AGC, a combination of shoveling through hard-earned savings, as well as largesse from my kind parents, made a backpacking trip to Europe possible. This time, the conquest spanned across Spain, France, Belgium, Czech, Hungary, Austria and England. It was a mind-blowing (and pocket-burning) experience that was etched with unforgettable sights, great food, and cultural baptisms. The hits weren’t everything, of course – the misses, such as getting lost for an hour with our backpacks outside a cluster of tiny Provençal villages that are off even the French Lonely Planet grid, facing some trouble with North Africans punks in Nice, almost being pick-pocketed twice in Brussels, getting ripped off in Prague, waking up late and having 15 min to pack and bolt to the train station with our backpacks to catch the train to London, definitely completed the unique thrill of this rollercoaster ride.

The last segment of the holidays was spent interning at Rajah & Tann LLP (R&T). I spent two weeks at the Commercial Litigation department and the next two at the Banking, Finance and Insolvency department. Although one month isn’t a long time, it was nevertheless a worthy experience to observe and engage in the machinery of one of the best and most reputable law firms in Singapore. Having done two previous internships in local law firms, I believe that each individual experience is highly subjective and sui generis. What I will venture saying is that I gained much from my internship and have picked up skills, seen things and made connections that one can barely glean from law school alone.

‘Twas a memorable summer, and I’m glad that there is the swansong of 2010 to anticipate.

Cheerios, amigos!

The pictures

Guys,

Although it is undoubtedly premature, I have started thinking about Christmas and New Year ever since June left us. Seeing Amigo Ken's kegstand entry only made me think about it even more and I decided to look through some photos of last year's festivities. I came across some photos I particularly like and thought I would post them up to allow the rest of you to reminsce on the awesome moments we had and look forward to those to come. The last photo in particular, captured the moment so perfectly that it looks like a scene straight out from a movie. I intentionally selected some blurred photos as they seem to intrinsically represent the hazy and high feelings that pervaded the night. I recommend clicking on the photos to view the large versions. Enjoy!

The Keg Stand.

Dear Amigos,

Every year I take it upon myself to do something havoc during the Christmas festivities. Think spontaneously singing 'cotton fields' in front of a crowd and pouncing onto a swimming pool float with all my clothes on. The list does not just stop here.

This year, I have decided to do a keg stand. For the uninitiated, this feat would require you guys to invert me while beer is jetted down (more accurately 'up') my throat. As americano college tradition has proven, this ensures that one gets high more quickly since the alcohol reaches the brain more quickly.

I guarantee you all one helluva big time and ultra style Christmas man.
-Kendaman

I've Gotta Sweet Tooth.

The summary

Ola Amigos,
This entry was initially typed up on microsoft notepad and when it appears on the blog, it means that i have finally gotten an internet connection somehow, although my actual internet service is only being activated on the 29th.

At the time of writing, i am still staying in andrews apartment as my furniture has not been moved into my own apartment yet.i hopfully will be able to move into my own place on the 24th. I am sleeping on an inflatable mattress that has managed to deflate itself THRICE in two nights. i think i may have found the source of the problem, so hopefully I dont wake up on the floor again tomorrow morning.
Anyway, just thought I would give you guys a summary of the last few days, so lets start from changi.

Amigo justonian came to see me off. We had a pleasant dinner together with my family and Widya, but as Justin mentioned during dinner, the inevitable moment arrived and I had to leave once more.

Going past the point after you scan you fingerprint is almost like going to another world. There is no turning back.

The flight was as pleasant as it could be under the circumstances. the food was good and I watched a reasonably good movie on board.

Upon arrival at australia, fortunately, the airport was quite empty and I managed to get through customs in a matter of minutes, and was soon boarding a taxi to head to Andrews house. As it was the first time i was going to Andrews place, I wasnt quite sure of where it was and the taxi driver didnt either. By the time I noticed we were on the correct street, he had almost driven to the next block. It was too inconvenient to get him to u turn twice, so I had to just take my stuff and drag them uphill back to Andrews apartment in the cold.

After unpacking, I showered and chatted with Andrew for a while before taking a 2 hour nap and heading to school. The train ride there is cocked up. I will attach a few pictures of the scenery I pass to reach the hospital soon.
on the upside, my hospital is the newest of the hospitals affliated to melbourne university and is really nice and bright.

I attended my first hospital tutorial and it turned out to be a specfuckingtacular waste of time. Attendance wasnt even taken, and it is not gonna be taken for the rest of this week.

Tuesday went further downhill. the first lecture scheduled for the day was 'introduction to medical imaging' and looked fairly useful. I got up at 7 am to get to the hospital in time for this lecture only to have it replaced by the most absurd of lectures, given by a semester 10 student ( I am in semester 8) on how to deal with life.

WHAT THE FUCK. I DONT PAY $60000 AUD A YEAR TO GET LIFE LESSONS FROM RANDOM SEMESTER 10 STUDENTS.

The rest of the day was an equally bad waste of time, culminating in a 'tutorial' titled 'Introduction to Radiology' which was actually a FUCKING GUIDED TOUR OF THE RADIOLOGY DEPARTMENT.

I spent 10 hours in the hospital that day and did nothing.

On wednesday, I decided to forget about school and sleep in. it was the best decision i have made the entire week.

Its now wednesday night/ thursday morning and the usual routine of melbourne uni med life has returned. As i type this, both my temporary housemates are studying, as they have been for the last few hours, and I as usual, am left with nothing to do.

Tomorrow looks to be a useful day from the time table, but the proof will be in the pudding.

This is some fucked up stuff. Wish me luck.

Luke

Summer is yet to be over, yet proven, it has, to be an absolutely interesting, meaningful, sometimes unpleasant, indeed a truly unforgettable one. I have seen, smelt, tasted, heard, even touched, and experienced. I have grown in ways and learnt in respects. Things have changed, things will change; like the fate of empires, things rise and fall. Things that fall sometimes rise. As the Fates commune, time and tide wait for no man.

The Postcard from Budva, Montenegro.

The sea is as clear as water ought to be.
-Kenneth Wong

Live!

This blog entry is coming to you live from my new laptop. It's a Lenovo W500.

2.5Ghz, 250Gb HD, 4Gb Ram, ATI V5700 512MB Graphics card and a Windows Vista Experience Score of 5.2, and a ridiculously long battery life of 5 hours at maximum performance.

This is the most solid feeling laptop I have ever used. One cool feature is that if it detects that it is being dropped, it automatically moves the hard disk reading arm away from the plates so that they don't get damaged. They also have thoughtfully added a light to illuminate the keyboard when used at night.

I have spent quite a few hours getting the software I want onto it, and have quite a few more to go tomorrow. It looks to be a good day. Hope you guys are all having a good time as well.

Btw Malik, where are you? HAHAHA. I thought you were gonna contact me once you get a prepaid card. I'm getting worried that you are being held captive by Aishwariya Rai for your thundercock.

Ciao!

-Luke

Goodbye, Old Friend

This is likely the last blog post that I will pen using my Acer Aspire laptop. It has lasted me three good years but its legs can take it no further. I have developed an attachment to it over these years and must say that I felt a bit sad when I realized that its time was up. Its strange how people are able to develop feelings for inanimate objects. I also have a particular affinity for my graphic calculator that I don't allow anyone else to use.

I hope to somehow recycle the parts of this laptop and build something new, but whether or not it will materialize is quite iffy.

Anyway, goodbye old friend, you have served me well.

Luke

The Last Few Days in Bristol

Howdy Amigos, my time in Bristol is coming to a close in a heartbeat. I have less than a day remaining in this city until I embark on my travels. Unlike the previous two years, I initially felt jaded about traveling because it can get tiring and unpleasant, especially since I usually have little to spend. However, my friends changed my mind about this and right now I'll be holidaying along the Adriatic Coast. More specifically, I'll be going to Bosnia and Hercegovina, Montenegro and Croatia. I forsee an excellent trip ahead.
-Kenneth Wong

Fickle, the Mind of the World

Last weekend, I caught the finals of the French Open on tv. Federer won the title, defeating a previously relatively unknown player. He is suddenly being regarded widely by the media as the best player in the history of tennis, having now tied Pete Sampras' record of grand slams. This strikes me as quite absurd.

Firstly, there is the obvious irony that he is being given these accolades after having already ceded the top spot on the rankings to Nadal.

Secondly, and more importantly, no one would be saying he is comparable to Sampras, had Nadal, unhindered by his current knee injury, made it to the finals and defeated Federer for the FOURTH consecutive time. Yet, if this had happened, Federer would not have been any more or less of a player than he currently is. One can easily imagine how the media would have slanted the view of the very same player as being over the hill and not quite comparable to the greats of the game.

It is quite strange that a struggling Federer, who has had to go to five sets to defeat many players seeded out of the top 10, is being paraded as the best thing since sliced bread,when he would have cast these players aside in three easy sets just two years ago.

Anyway, Wimbledon is starting in two weeks. I will call it 5 years before the media dares to. Nadal is the best player in the history of tennis. Go Rafa!

Luke

Hot on the stones..

Hey guys! Hope you're all chilling and relaxing to the summer heat! :)

It's been a really goddamn long time since I penned an entry here so, here's one for the team! I've been damn panicky cus my deadline for my report is fast approaching and I haven't gotten any good experimental results to analyse (and besides, I have no idea how to analyse the results even if I had them).. so I'm pretty much dead..

By the way, I just got back from the Cannes Film Festival and the Monaco Grand Prix weekend. It was really crowded, but nonetheless, the babes here in France are ever gorgeous. Cheers to that.

Anyways, the layout for the blog is really neat!

Ok, it's really crunch time for me now so I'd better continue with work.

Chat up with you guys on MSN or something yea? :)


-Elvin

Done

Thesis done. Time to chill.

Luke

The Thesis

The deadline for my thesis (May 22nd) is fast approaching. Things are getting extremely hectic now and I am often working into the early hours of the morning to get it done on time. That is on top of going to work at 10am and leaving at 7pm. Its not nearly finished at the moment, but hopefully it will be in time.

I cannot wait until I seal it in a FedEx box and send it off to Australia.

After that, I have two months to relax, and courtesy of my frequent flier miles, may take weekend trip somewhere with Amigo Kendaman.

Although the 2 weeks leading up to the deadline have been and will continue to be tiring, I am thoroughly grateful for the past 2 semesters of research work.

It has been the most relaxing year of my life since primary school began and the concept of studying without the pressure of exams is truly a welcome one. It has allowed me to enjoy the days during term almost as throughly as days during vacation.

Furthermore, it has given me the time we so often don't have enough of, to spend with friends and family.

In the coming weeks, I see relaxation and leisure aplenty and only have one goal.

Blackbelt.

Let's hope I get it.

Cheers!

P.S. Amigo Justonian, I hope your trip is off to a great start. Amigo Kendaman, best of luck for your trust exam. Amigo Martini, best of luck on the 27th and may the best man win (Anwar).

Luke

The Eurotrip Itinerary

Hey amigos, I'm posting this in case any of you decide that you wanna rendezvous in Europe with yours truly. Otherwise, see you in July!

12 May
Madrid, Spain
13 May
Madrid, Spain
14 May
Madrid, Spain
15 May
Madrid, Spain
16 May
Segovia, Spain
17 May
Segovia, Spain
18 May
Toledo, Spain
19 May
Toledo, Spain
20 May
Seville, Spain
21 May
Seville, Spain
22 May
Seville, Spain
23 May
Granada, Spain
24 May
Granada, Spain
25 May
Barcelona, Spain
26 May
Barcelona, Spain
27 May
Barcelona, Spain
28 May
Barcelona, Spain
29 May
Barcelona, Spain
30 May
Nice, Cote d’Azur, France
31 May
Nice, Cote d’Azur, France
1 June
Nice, Cote d’Azur, France
2 June
Nice, Cote d’Azur, France
3 June
Nice, Cote d’Azur, France
4 June
Nice, Cote d’Azur, France
5 June
Arles, France
6 June
Avignon, Provence, France
7 June
Avignon, Provence, France
8 June
Avignon, Provence, France
9 June
Marseille, Provence, France
10 June
Marseille, Provence, France
11 June
Marseille, Provence, France
12 June
Blois, Loire Valley, France
13 June
Blois, Loire Valley, France
14 June
Paris, France
Eiffel Tower
Étoile & Champs Élysées
15 June
Paris, France
Montmartre & Pigalle
16 June
Paris, France
Louvre & Les Halles
Marais
17 June
Paris, France
Day trip to Versailles
18 June
Paris, France
Latin Quarter
Chinatown
Bastille
19 June
Bruges, Belgium
20 June
Bruges, Belgium
21 June
Brussels, Belgium
22 June
Brussels, Belgium
23 June
Prague, Czech Republic
24 June
Prague, Czech Republic
25 June
Prague, Czech Republic
26 June
Prague, Czech Republic
27 June
Budapest-Eger, Hungary
28 June
Eger, Hungary
29 June
Budapest, Hungary
30 June
Budapest, Hungary
1 July
Budapest, Hungary
2 July
Budapest, Hungary
3 July
Budapest, Hungary
4 July
Vienna, Austria
5 July
Vienna, Austria
6 July
Vienna, Austria
7 July
Vienna, Austria
8 July
Vienna, Austria
9 July
Bath, England
10 July
London, England
Westminster
11 July
London, England
12 July
London, England
13 July
London, England
14 July
London, England
15 July
London, England

Bored at 8.45am

Hallo amigos,

I'm kinda bored right now cos work at AGC starts at 8.30, but we don't really have anyone coming to give us our new legal challenge for the day until the clock ticks closer to 9. Hence, I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay... wastin' tah-ah-ahme. Btw, that's a line from Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay by Otis Redding which was featured in Forest Gump.
Anyway, things have all somehow just turned out right during this post-exam/holiday period. The AGC internship has been great so far (btw, I won best speaker for the moots, ha ha), my results turned out well enough for me to sneak my way back to the Dean's List, and my ultra-style eurotrip is going to materialise after all despite the initital scare of swine flu.
Alright, the dude is here to brief us on our programme for the day.

Ciao Ciao

It's Not the Light at the End that Matters

Hola amigos,

It's been some time since I shared my thoughts on this blog. Some random thoughts follow...
In light of my crisis of faith and the fact that some friends are going out/have gone out into the working world, lately, I've been thinking about life. Of course, if there ain't no crisis of faith and God is revealing his marvelous plans for my life to me, these questions would not have been popping up.

But the problem is, I don't really know what I'm living my life for. I would love to believe that there is a purpose in my life, no matter what that purpose is. Purpose is so important because without it, life becomes aimless, purposeless (duh), and meaningless. I'm guessing that many deviants and terrorists do what they do because they need a purpose (or two) in their lives. I think that reasonable people need a purpose in life. Now, I don't mean any of the trivial purposes that pop up along the grid of our lives such as completing pri, sec, JC and uni so that we can find a good job etc, or finishing NS so that we can enter uni and carry on with our lives, or even just studying hard so that we can get good grades. The purpose of our lives cannot be just getting good grades for a good job to earn good money - so what when the money starts rolling in? Yeah I guess I won't be saying this if I'm finally in the driver's seat of a beta version 3.0 of the Lambo Murcielago that Luke and I spied on at Holland V. But I fear the time when I'm either stuck in a job that barters my life for money or when the Murcielago no longer offers the marginal utility that makes up its purpose. I don't know, perhaps I'll try going sky-diving then.

What I'm talking about here is a larger purpose in life which is the pacemaker that subtly but faithfully propels our lives in a certain direction and fashion. Is there such a purpose? If there is, it can be a pre-conceived purpose that God or destiny has already decided or it can be a purpose that takes its shape along the way as one fashions it through the interaction of his consciousness and the vicissitudes of life. I don't know and I hope to find the answer.

Anyway, on a slightly different but related strain, I realize that the light at the end of the tunnel that I've hitherto been envisioning is not what I should be looking towards and focusing on. Even if I can't find the answers I'm looking for, the gift of mortal life is something that I am very grateful for. Life is like a day-pass to an amusement park that I've won from a lucky draw. Well, when I'm using a day-pass at the amusement park, I often tend to focus on taking all the rides possible and chalking up an impressive record of rides. But I guess it's the experience of each and every ride that counts, even for the rides that suck. Even if the end of the day means going home and nothing was really accomplished, perhaps I would be happy if I did seize the day and made every ride experience count. Perhaps it's the shafts of light that escape into tunnel along the way that matters and not the light at the end. Why enjoy the light at the end for that fleeting, glaring moment when we can appreciate and bask in the rays of light that permeate the entire tunnel as we make our inevitable crawl to the end?

Oh yeah, and by the way, skooooooool's out for summer!

Cheerios amigos

I 'need' money

Some say that the line dividing necessity and desire is more often that not, blurry. How true that is. Last time, I would never consider staying in any hotel below the Hilton standard. But more recently, I've somehow managed to put myself through the ordeal of staying in hostels when I travel. The same, right now, goes for flying economy class, which I'd normally not consider taking. As a matter of fact, I've just endured a harrowing 12 hour journey on economy to London. You might say I should be grateful for the opportunity to fly, but this is impossible when I fly for free, and am upgradable to first. As Darwin says, adaptation is the key to survival. This brings me to my point.. there are certain things which I would rather not adapt to, even though I can.

To do the things I want to do, I need money man. Alot of money. This means my lazy self needs to adapt to various cockup things like waking up at 7am everyday and slogging away in a cubicle. Effectively, I'm bartering my lack of choices/material comforts for a hardcore life. Well, it might be worth it since the light at the end of the tunnel is bright. Think nobu, l'atelier, french laundry, marriot hotel (which I can enter without gatecrashing), belvedere mykonos, $30 salads, etc.

Before that, I need to stop thinking of all the kool places to visit and big style restaurants to dine at. Instead, I am going to end this entry here and continue writing my essay. Cocked up and Fucked up. That's all I've to ramble in this short break here. I've taken 5 (perhaps 7) and goodbye.
-Kendaman

Sway

i've always been a dreamer

i've had my head among the clouds

now that i'm coming down

would you be my solid ground?

-'Sway', performed by The Perishers

Do not mistake me for being superstitious. I know I listened to this song on repeat while writing a satisfactory essay but that is not the reason why I'm doing so now. Although it is rather depressing, I have no idea why I like this song so much. You have no idea how much I like it; I have been listening to it throughout the night, and it was not an mp3 on repeat, but a clip on youtube. Do not ask me why I like it alot as I cannot put a finger to any reason. Maybe it's the parastic melody, perhaps it's because I can identify with parts of it, especially those lines above. Whatever it is, the reason why I made this post is because I want someone to send me the mp3. My laptop krashed in big style and I lost all my songs. Moreoever, my ipod battery died and it cannot be rekindled. Also, I cannot install any download programs on this computer since it belongs to my dad.

This is an official 'save my index finger from callouses' campaign.

-Kendaman

I'm Having Trouble Sleeping..

As this title suggests, I haven't been able to sleep for more than 3 hours since returning from a very scrumptious dinner. This is not to forget that I've only slept for 4 hours the day before. This has got nothing to do with jet lag or the cold i'm suffering from. Instead, I am engrossed with my work, and this has stood between myself and my slumber. Understandably, in light of my apathetic and half hearted attempts at this discipline, I don't think you'd even entertain the possibility of a change of heart.

However, in case you all are not aware, this negative attitude has radically changed. In addition to avoiding a 2nd lower grade, I have been very motivated to atone for the academic futility of my past 2.5 years. Recently, this desire has been translated into 2 weeks of sheer hard work as I endeavoured to craft my final year project. Fuelled by nothing but the will to survive, I have slept for few hours per day and did not eat until I was done with my work, which was usually around 2am. Although this was scary, it was nevertheless necessary to attain my objectives since I was pressed for time. I needed a first class to save my degree, of which I had no idea how to do that. All I knew was that I'd to find a way, somehow. As such, I constantly ruminated on my material and hoped that a flash of brilliance would save me. All I really wanted was to be back in the game.

My glimmer of hope arrived when I received my 2 other results. The fact that they weren't horrible uplifted my spirits and made me even more determined to attain outstanding academic excellence. At that time, I knew I had no choice but to craft the essays of my lifetime. This entailed trawling through and perusing multiple academic sources, not because I was crazy, but only because I wanted to select the best evidence to help my case. Furthermore, my heart would never be at ease until I became satisfied with my arguments. This is because I hate and scorn mediocre arguments. In essence, my brain would never stop thinking until a good argument arrives. This explains why I have not been able to sleep so far. I have been totally, completely immersed in the law and my work, and I don't see this trait ceasing until all my exams are over. As I have experienced, giving it my all requires so much more effort than making empty promises.

This time, believe me when I say I shall make it. I do not know what the law means to you (if you're studying this course) but it surely means something to me. To live and breathe the law is something I've never felt before, but today, it is hypnotically captivating. I even feel very privileged to have my essays marked and read by established academics like my professors at school. Hence, at least someone in an esteemed position will consider my views. This is unlike legal practice, where the judiciary and executive are understandably more resistant to new ideas, especially when they are voiced by junior lawyers. Worse still, one may not even have the appropriate opportunity to speak. Therefore, I am very thankful to be in this position right now, even though I am merely a law student. I fear saying this but I want to be a somebody someday, and i am going to be assisted with this black suit, tie and white piece of paper.

-Kendaman

"I gotta get paid," Well hey, well that's the way it is

No matter what it may take, no matter how uncertain the world may be, somehow, I shall find a way to get what I want. More importantly, I shall get what I want.
-Kenda'motivated'man

Some thoughts..

Dear Amigos
I am in the middle of my final year project on private equity. Now that I have corrected some structural defects, my essay seems to be back on track. In this intermission I intend to share some of my thoughts on this topic with you guys.

Well to start the current private equity regime is fraught with various problems. This has raised concerns for various stakeholders such as investors in private equity firms as well as society. Therefore these motherfuckers essentially campaign for this framework to be regulated. These regulations essentially require disclosure of financial information, data collection methods, investment tactics, corporate structure details, etc. At the moment there are no regulations but should there be?

I am not particularly fond of regulations because they contradict the very basis of privacy. Certainly this concept is inextricably linked with the term 'private equity' itself. Secrecy is the very reason why this investment vehicle can operate in the first place and any breaches will impinge on the efficacy of this arrangement. Apart from the obvious consequences (i.e profit loss) on private equity firms, there is a wider problem which undermines a fundamental tenet of my beliefs. This has to deal with the spirit of entrepreneurship.

Every motherfucker on this planet wants to have a shot at success. Think about the aspiring rapper roaming the streets of the bronx and the struggling student sweating over his A Levels. Such ordinary people are the ones who have devised this investment strategy to help them hop from rags to riches. These people epitomize innovation so why stifle them? Instead we should celebrate and honor their efforts.

Yet this is not the case because people are selfish. While this is not a fundamentally immoral concept it is what drives the movement for regulations. Investors in private equity firms simply want more data to assess their chances and limit any potential consequences involved. Society is no better. Most arguments base their strengths on the 'profound' effects on the vox populi. It is true that in life nobody wants to suffer and will do whatever it takes to avoid that. However this view is extremely biased. I'm pretty sure that if one of these plebians strike it rich as a private equity entrepreneur they would keep their mouths shut.

Well yeah what i mean to say is that the world can sometimes be unkind to the pursuits of mankind. I do not like that. Even though such goals are inherently self centered, at least they are worthy of intellectual admiration. The private equity framework is simply a brilliant and stunning product of the human race. I hope that we can emulate such heros and demolish the ever bolstering stronghold of wealth protectionism in this age. Let us do what it takes, within moral limits, to achieve that goal amigos.

On a totally unrelated note... i thought that my topic was havoc since it analyzes the impact of these investments on football... but i've thought of something even more havoc... the implications of such investments in the porn industry on society. hahaha
-kendaman

Feast Your Eyes

Whats up homies. Take a look at what i'm really hoping will be my next laptop but most probably will never be. http://www.electronista.com/articles/09/03/03/asus.vx5.with.1tb.ssd/

Luke

Listen What I Say Oh

Hey Guys,

Hope you are all having a great start to the weekend. Decided to make a quick entry because I'm really bored. Was supposed to go out and meet Amigo Justonian and Kell from hell but unfortunately wasn't really feeling like going out and made a last minute cancellation. Sorry dude, I will make some time to come to your hood on the east side next week.Feeling a bit moody. Good thing Amigo Malik is keeping me company on msn. Anyway, on my schedule for the rest of my night is practicing taekwondo, showering, playing PS3, emailing my research supervisor and sleeping. Perhaps a little reading too. A night to myself might do me some good anyway. It's been some time since I have dedicated a whole night to doing nothing and I think it will be good to not only have a break but perhaps think about what I plan to do for the rest of the weekend and next week. What I do know I am definitely going to do sometime this weekend is eat either waffles or crepes. Anyway, I'm gonna sign off now.. Have a good one guys. Ciao! One more thing. Kentheman come home. We have some temporary tattoos and damn expensive chicken rice that need our attention. HAHAHAH.

Luke

Snow (Hey Oh)!

Bristol, among most parts of the United Kingdom, is whitewashed with snow. The second I step out of my house, the roads, trees and buildings are all white. A few days ago I saw some havoc drunkards hurling snowballs at one another for fun. Today I saw a hideous but huge snowman outside the gym which I couldn't enter since it unexpectedly closed early. Anyway for the past few years I've only experienced cold and gloomy winters so this change is definitely welcome. The snow reminds me of Christmas and how delightful it has always been. How I wish it were that time of the year right now.

Anyway the sleet on the ground makes it insanely difficult to walk around. It is so slippery that you can slide down Park Street (a hill) without any skis or a snowboard. Even the more level grounds provide traction of a slippery nipple. For that reason I need 2 pairs of shoes to go to the gym: my goretex hardcore trekking pair to get there and back, and my running shoes for general workout. I hope this update gives you some insight into my final year at Bristol. As my essay is due soon, I shan't allow anymore time to slip through my hands and get crackin'.
-Kenough

IA IA

I have to start by apologizing for failing to make any entry for such a long period of time. The main reason, as you guys would have guessed, is plain laziness.

I am now on the 5th week of my 22 week industrial attachment, and so far it has been rather slack. Initially, I did have some problems with my supervisor as she was not pleased with my powerpoint slides. Yes, I make powerpoint slides for my attachment. Anyway, I have settled this with her by making better slides and now it is all rosy again. During my free time, I read random articles online and play with the instruments at my disposal. During my not free time, which does happen once in a while, I read up on my supervisor’s presentation materials and make powerpoint slides.

If you guys do not know yet, I work in Rhode and Schwarz at change business park beside expo MRT. The company specializes in making instruments to test mobile phones and wireless technologies. The MRT journey in the morning is a bitch, and I am not even talking about the 1 hour journey. I hate it mostly because of the people. Everyone stands near the door, and therefore even though the train has not reached its capacity yet, no one can enter it due to morons blocking it at the entrance. I have to take a train at Bukit Batok to Jurong east and then a train to Tanah Merah and later another train to expo. Nowadays, I have somewhat managed to solve the problem of irritating people standing at the door by taking a slightly earlier train. This also enables me to always get a seat by the time I reach Buona Vista. My trick is to stand just in front of a person sitting down, and the moment he gets up, I have a seat. Alot of people stand at the entrances, and hence it’s relatively easy for me to get a space to stand nearer to the seats, which proves my earlier point that they are morons.

I am usually the second person to arrive at work at about 845am. Work is supposed to start at 830, but somehow everyone assumes its 9 and many stroll in at 915. When I reach my office, the first thing I do is switch on the computer, and then I use the coffee brewer to make myself coffee. I enjoy the coffee with my sandwich. Talking about sandwich, this is all I eat at work. I bring 2 sandwiches everyday, and I have one in the morning and the other for lunch. The main reason for doing this is not the motivation of saving money so I can blow it all on a euro attachment. It is because the food at my workplace is unhealthy, expensive and not nice enough to justify the first 2 reasons.

I am making an entry after a long time, and therefore I shall keep this one nice. My next one shall include detailed information about my direct supervisor, who is from PRC, and her boss, who is… yea I should try to end it here

Malik

The ipod Miracle

For some inexplicable reason, my ipod has just revived itself. Lets hope it stays this way for long. To spread the cheer I've decided to dedicate Evanescence's 'Bring me back to life' to all you people whose electronics have died. Hopefully this miracle will materialize soon.
-Kendaman

Why Chinese New Year Fails to Take Off.

There is really more to Chinese New year than bark kwa, pineapple tarts and the fucked up salmon dish man. It would be damn havoc if fire crackers and other pyrotechnics were legal. My dad used to make rockets and blast them off back in the day man. I probably would do the same but mine would be much bigger for sure.
In the event this unlikely situation materializes, I'm sure non-chinese would gladly indulge in such festivities.
-Kendaman

A Tribute to Pasta

Dear Amigos

I have decided to take 5 from my essay and ramble about one of my favorite dishes of all time: pasta. Among the many variations, I love spaghetti most since it is desirably thick and can be easily twirled. This is something I've eaten since I was a kid and it has become a staple in my diet from that moment. Last time I used to prepare my pasta with pre-made sauces but more recently I've been inspired to make it from scratch. An example is creamy spinach sauce.

Also spaghetti is something I can eat despite being on a diet. The only difference is that I have it with a dash of olive oil instead of carbonara/4 cheeses sauce. Currently, I eat spaghetti with grilled chicken breast/salmon and roasted vegetables since I'm endeavoring to lose 10kg. This should provide me with enough energy for my regular workouts. Nevertheless, I am thankful I can enjoy this dish and lose weight concurrently.
Hopefully this public display of affection will inspire you guys to indulge in this dish more often! Btw I vote carbonara as my top pasta sauce... what's yours?
-Kendahungryman

Inspiration

Every now and then, you feel inspired to do some thing or some things in your life that you feel you haven't done well enough or sufficiently enough before.

Just sometimes, maybe once every few years, that inspiration will be strong enough to lead to tangible and sustained change in yourself, while most of the time, it results in a flurry of extreme and immediate change, followed by a quick and sharp descent back into normality.

I'm sure all of us would be able to identify with the latter, as it is usually evident in resolutions to study more or to be more organized at work or something else along those lines.

Being utterly bored for the past few days has given me time with myself to think and reassess my life and I think I'm going to make some changes.

I think there is no point in telling you guys what changes, because if they do not work out, then telling you would have been for nothing and if they do work out, then it is likely that you will be able to observe them anyway.

Here's to change.

Cheers!

-Luke

Entry from Oz

Hey guys,

Whats up. Just an entry I decided to pen down in my state of boredom in australia. I really wish the Australian Open would just start now. Unfortunately, I think its starting on the day that I am leaving. By the way, in case you guys are wondering, the most probable time of my touch down is 20th, 10pm.

Anyway, I have noticed that with time the number of blog entries added has been decreasing. There is one main and probable (ha ha) culprit of this.

Malik.

You bastard, do you think you are too cool to post entries already? Your last entry was in July.

We are all dying to know the dirty details of your life so please add something. Random musings will do fine if there aren't any dirty details although I am sure there are some involving mysterious IRC girls.

Have you created your own secret blog el from hell style and refused to add anything to ours anymore?

Anyway, I have decided to make it a point to take more pictures from now on. Kenthephotowhore style. The thing is, I have noticed that I always slip into the same pattern of buying a new digital camera, using it for a few weeks and then completely neglecting it excepting birthdays and special occasions. When I threw away my trusty canon ixus 400, I really got the feeling that I didnt use it nearly enough.

Actually a big problem is that its just too inconvenient to carry around. I wish man bags were more fashionable and less gay than they are. I would certainly carry one if they were. My wallet is fucking huge and barely fits into my pockets anymore. And along with handphone, mints, ipod and earphones, they make for a fairly sizeable mass that i really dont like occupying all my pockets and making it extremely uncomfortable to sit down. Forget my bose headphones. I dont even use them anymore for precisely this reason. In fact, if I did have a man bag, I wager I would buy an acer aspire one so that I could surf internet at starbucks etc. while waiting for some one to arrive. Sadly though, I haven't seen a single man bag that looks remotely manly. I may have to resort to a briefcase soon.

On a seperate note, I soon will be going back to work, and I am expecting a very different atmosphere as it dawns upon my supervisor that he is running out of time to use me for free labour. In other words, I doubt I will going into work at 11 and leaving at 3 anymore. Also, I will actually have to put out a 10000 word report somehow.. Which means that I will actually have to do some work, because at the moment, there is no way I could write anything nearing even 3000 words.

I'm really missing some singaporean food now even though I have only been away for a week. I have been subsisting on some weird kinda western food served by the college. Although I did cave in and get some pizza today. Some char kway teow would do nicely. Or nasi lemak.

Anyway.. I shan't continue idly rambling on, lest the entry becomes an essay. Take care you guys. I will see you all soon.

Oh btw.. Kendaman, sorry we never got to use the dinner voucher. I was really looking forward to it also but time wasn't on our sides. Next time you come back, lets pay Morton's a visit.

Cheers!

-Luke

Yr 3 Sem 2

Yr 3 Sem 2: The thing between me and summer. I'm gonna whack it.