Rainie Day @ Bishan Junction 8
Friday, December 30, 2005
In a nutshell, the movie is about the Stone family uniting on Christmas with the favorite son (called Everett) bringing home his girlfriend (called Meredith). The Stone family is quite hostile to the gal and the latter broke down. Feeling overwhelmed, she begs her sister (called Julie) to join her at this family and this triggers a series of complications...
The gay issue was mentioned in the movie and I thought the movie is at one of its emotional pinnacle when the mother tells the gay son something like "being gay doesn't suggest that he is abnormal and she will love him just like she does to the other sons". 
Zhiwei left for home after the movie shortly while Yingkit and I waited till 7 pm for Rainie's autography session. We arrived at the open plaza at 6.30 and was in the middle of the crowd. At around 6.45, the security suddenly open the queue gate and I told Yingkit to rush for the gate. By this act, he was actually placed quite at the front of the autography queue. He even beat some who started queuing at 4+ pm. Around me, there were some interesting people.
There were two ladies with video cams that swivel and tilts (above: first row third photo). So, even though I can't really see the stage with my eye, the view from the screen is very good. Just three meters away, there were the photographers with the at-least-400mm-$10000+ canon lens. Super pro... These photographers were standing on an elevated platform and were blocking the views of those behind them. Before the session started, they were shouted down from their position and I think the photos taken wouldn't have turned out very well after that. The instant Rainie made her appearance, hundreds of cameras just snap and snap her pictures (above: second row second photo). Just look at the picture; did I capture the spirit of that moment? 
Rainie sang 爱昧 and 理想情人, following which the autography session began. The queue stretched all the way from the open plaza to Seiyu (inside Bugis Junction); there must have been at least 500 people crowding the whole place. Photographers were looking at the pictures taken while Rainie was signing autograph (above: first row second photo) and security guards were watching attentatively to maintain crowd control. Of course, Yingkit was exceptionally pleased (center photo) after getting the autograph.
Well, this is the first time I attempt photo-journalism and I will improve from here. Very fast pace, very exciting and lots of challenges during this session. I love this feeling of taking photographs.
posted byWilliam at 12:18 AM 0 comments
CG15/00: Gross, Gore and Romance
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
1. He knows where to bring a gal to a scenic and romatic sunset/sunrise.
2. He is willing to fight for his love.
3. He knows how to make a gal laugh by acting silly.
4. The rest, I forgot... hehe...
Candy was very analytical: she asked why would the T-rex go for a human when it just ate a giant iguana. She says:"The human would be like a toothpick for the T-rex only mah!" Yeah, it really make no sense when T-rex wants to challenge King Kong for a toothpick.
The gang went to TCC at Circular Road for a coffee after the movie. Too bad, photography not allowed since there are some art pieces on exhibition at that time. The decor is very very cozy: bean bags, cushions and low tables only. For those who don't know my class; Siew Fung is a doctor; Corde is a pharmacist; Sook, Candy and Ant are life scientists while I am the chemist. This created a very potent mixture: our topic went from cute, sweet gals to "jump from at least a 10-storey building to die" (Siew Fung: the chance of dying from jumping increases by 10% with every storey increase). The topics were really literally revolving around how to die and what happens when someone dies traumatically. Of course there are some moments of silliness from me: can we use a cobra to stage a robbery? Say: I will make the cobra bite you if you don't give me the money. And there are questions which are really illuminating: call the zoo if you bitten by a snake for the anti-venom. Well, the first thing I thought would to be call the ambulance. But Siew Fung said that only the zoo can identify the snake and only then would the effective anti-venom be administrated by the hospital. Make sense. Chatting with CG15/00 is never boring and I always learn something new :)
Outing ended with a dinner @ 2245 @ Lau Pat Sat.
posted byWilliam at 12:40 AM 1 comments
Spicy Hot Pot with Yingkit & Raymond
Monday, December 26, 2005
What a crowd @ Liang Seah Street! The three of us walked around the area before settling on 川一品. The restaurant opened last week and I haven't been walking around Bugis very much so didn't know it exist. The cheapest hot pot jacked up the price from $10 to $12; looks like it is making big money. The ingredients are ok but more like another spin-off of steamboat from Marina Bay. 川一品 is more restaurant-like and with a ala-cart menu. Price is of course much higher at $17.90+++. Once again, we over-estimated the volume of our stomach and ordered too much. In the end, Yingkit suggested adding more broth to the pot so that when the pot is 深不可测, we throw our left-overs into the fiery-red furnance. I think I got high on the steamboat and became very corny and cheesy at the conversations in the end. Reminiscene of the secondary school days was really funny when it comes to Marc and Dr Tan Hong Ling. All the bickering and arguments between a student and a teacher are interesting to recall but I hope I wouldn't bump into such an argumentative student like Marc next time.
Dinner ended up much cheaper than expected. $17.90+++ and a 2 cans of soft drink would have easily cost $25. We ended up paying less that $20 per person. Lucky? I hope I don't have to pay back in some other ways for "cheating" the restaurant.
A Prudential insurance agent tricked us into a "psycho-you-to-buy" session using some lucky draw gimmick. Haha, just their luck to bump into a William that is on high. I think the session didn't go as she wished with me around. Try to psycho us into Prucash. I was interested in this policy about three years back but after doing some research, it wasn't the best option for me and I think for most of us. The money would be stuck in the policy for two years before getting cash-backs. I have been dwelling in unit trusts since then. The agent couldn't handle us, the three of us were just too causual and corny to get into the buy-insurance mood. The session ended up rather fruitlessly for the agent except for the information from the survey forms she asked us to fill.
posted byWilliam at 10:51 PM 0 comments
Just a Recap Before I Forget
Thursday, December 22, 2005
Haven't been writing much cause I'm too lazy. Nah, just that I have been indulging myself in the TV for the past few nights. The Channel 8 9pm show (恋爱掌门人) is so funny; enjoy it tremendously.
Yingkit came over to watch the Superstar Concert VCD; watching VCD with a friend is so much more enjoyable than watching it alone. Can gossip, can ask each other what's the thing you miss... Then went to Muthu Curry @ Little India for dinner. The fish head curry was OK. The gravy turned fishy bitter and watery as the dish went cold. So if you want to eat fish head curry, eat it fast!
The past week has been eventful. I covered Xiaoling's birthday party @ Aranda Country Club as the photographer, armed with my Canon S2 IS with a slave manual flash with homemade bounce device. Went as professsionally as possible in posing the group. I have learnt to been assertive as a photographer. How many times have we ruined a great group portrait by not posing the group? As least I have. By letting the group pose itself, I have actually failed to capture a good portrait. I was shy and thought that people would think I am so "acting pro". Well, I have learnt not to think it this way. Come to think of it: who cares about how you pose them? As long as I'm not too demanding and the photo comes out great, who will remember how "act pro" you are? If anyone is having an event and wants someone to take group portrait, I will be willing to help as long as I am free. FOC but hope that you will give me a free meal at your event. Thanks :) Here's a sample of a group portrait at the party. Click to go to Flickr to see enlargement. Note the even skin tone and almost zero hot spots on the face (no manipulation).
Went KTV with Zigui and Shihui on last Thursday @ Kbox Marina. Always feel like a bulb when I'm with them.
Results were out. Did ok (actually better than projected). Still in the second upper range, but bordering the 4.0 mark. As long as I maintain an average of B+ in my fourth year, I would have scrape through Uni with the minimal effort yet enjoying it. Yeah!
posted byWilliam at 9:32 AM 4 comments
Leadership Challenge
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
posted byWilliam at 10:43 PM 0 comments
Sweden-Bound Student Outing
Saturday, December 10, 2005
Had an outing with fellow students going to Sweden next semester. Our Yahoo! Groups included students from NUS, NTU and SMU; going on exchange or NOC. I became the IC of this outing unconciously when I suggested the meeting place and time. Like what Danwei did during our VV2003 outing, I took attendance. This was especially important in this outing since we don't want to leave anyone behind.
The group decided on something cheap; so we went to Raffles City Food Junction. Everyone was excited talking about our travelling plans, the parties in Sweden, a proposed gathering in Sweden... Jerald (NUS Yr 3 PS) gave us a tutorial on electrical plugs in Sweden and the most cost-effective methods of transferring money there. Junde (moderator of Yahoo! Group) suggested posting lecture notes in the Files section. Leng Lee became the secretary of the Group when she pulled out a typed contact list for everyone to counter-check their contact details. Seems like many wants to watch the World Cup in Germany, but the exorbitant ticket price and more importantly the sold-out situation made this wish very expensive and almost impossible to fulfil.
Will be on the same flight with Alec (NUS Yr 3 SDE). Flying 10 Jan 0100 (Singapore time) and will reach Copenhagen 10 Jan 0730. The flying time is ~13 h but since Denmark is 7 hours behind us so it seems like the flight took 6 hours if we look at our watch. Will be staying at a hostel for one night and also tour around Copenhagen for a day. Jerald will arrive on 11 Jan 0630 (Meeting him for breakfast) and Sharmaine 11 Jan 1000 so the four of us will most prob. proceed from Copenhagen to Lund together.
posted byWilliam at 11:54 PM 0 comments
K-Lunch @ Marina
Monday, December 05, 2005
Went to K-Lunch with Anita and Zhaoyue today.
posted byWilliam at 10:10 PM 0 comments
Day @ the Zoo with Zigui & Shihui
Sunday, December 04, 2005
Zigui was at the zoo as a volunteer ranger. Shihui's duty was cancelled at the last minute. We met at AMK MRT and took bus 138 to the Zoo. Proceeded to the dining area for our lunch. Luckily, Zigui was there on work; or we would have to pay $7.90 for the Chicken and Nann set. Staff discount was 25% but the cashier obviously miscalculated. We paid $8.90 for three sets: less than $3 per set.
So while Zigui was on duty, Shihui brought me around. Remember the lemurs from the movie Madagascar? Shihui and I managed to touch one in the Fragile Forest. It sounded like a baby and it was so docile.
So Zigui was at Wild Africa where he presented some facts about animals on the African savannah. There were rhino and hippo hides; skulls of big cats; furs of antelope; furs of the mother and kid lion. It was really interactive at Zigui's station.
How could we leave the zoo without Ben and Jerry's? I had a cup of BNJ smoothies before leaving the zoo at 4.30 for the Broadway musical Rent @ Kallang theatre.
posted byWilliam at 9:01 PM 0 comments