Something about A Kite

Spent a quiet sunday reading "Kite Runner" instead of the usual kids read session. Felt guilty as i absent myself for the first time, but felt i could use a quiet day reading to myself instead.

"Kite Runner" din start out a book i will read just looking at its cover and synopsis. Here's how the book looked like:

It din quite look the usual book i will borrow from the library let alone part my cash by purchasing it along with Freakonomics. But then again, what they say about "Not judging a book by its cover"?. So, having finally finished the bulk of the book today, i thought i should do it justice by promoting it, sharing it. Yup, it's for loan. First on the list- von.w

As quoted " An epic tale of fathers and sons, of friendship and betrayal that takes us from the final days of Afghanistan's monarchy to the atrocities of the present."

This .. is one of those rare books that covers politics *which i aint much interested*, complex emotions and friendships, add in a peronal touch from first person p.o.v * which i am very interested*, and on top of it all, twisted sequences and events * which i TOTALLY dint expect and catch me gasping as i stared widely at the words, wondering how it could happen*.

You know how u see drama serials, read books, or watch movies and somehow knowing what's gonna to happen next. How you see it so predictable, applaud yourself for being so smart, thinking like the script writer, or perhaps scorning them for their lack of creativity at coming up with a plot that fails to match that of "Sixth Sense"?

This Book. Wow, just as i thought.. "okay mister, no more surprises from you. You got me there alright on this event" and then Khaled Hosseini pulls another stunner and yet another as the story unfolds, witnessing the falls and pits in my mental activity as i relate to the character.

Should i crap more about this, and whet the appetite of people who are keen in finding out for themselves? Having read qi's comments about my post on Lake House, I kinda kicked myself for blabbering so soon the moment it was screened. Din want to ruin it for people who want to enjoy the suspense and uncertainty.

So Warning: Skip this part and below if you want to experience the whole package. HOoey will take no responsibility if you din find it living up to your expectations. Ah... that's the phrase. I din want to paint a beautiful picture and spot you disappointed.

hmm.. side track a little cos i was reminded of a scene that i just caught on tv. Picture yourself handicapped, and you are given a chance to live life without it becos of an operation, but this operation does not guarantee a 100% recovery and you might end up being handicapped again... & it might be a matter of time. Qn: will you still go for it? Knowing you retrieved and yet face the risk of losing it again? WIll you be up for the disappointment that greets you if it din work out? Or will you rather lived without the disappointment and be contented with what you have, or rather have- not?

Now, that i've perhaps reluctantly drew a solmenn picture in your heads, i myself cant quite finish what i orginally started : the post review of the book. So darn my ever drifting mind. I'll leave this post as it is. Hoping all of you have food for thought, feeding for soul and a good week ahead.

P/s: Stop just reading and NOT blogging!!!!! You know how, there's no free lunch? ???? Blog more, you free-riders. Hiaks.

Stadium for the last time

It's another saturday evening, and i'm starting to note the trend of how my siblings aint around at this time to hog the comp. Alot can be attributed to the fact that they arent at home.

Anyway, had a lovely lovely time with von and her family at the ndp preview. Last time it will beheld at this National Stadium. Very blessed indeed.So, less crap and just more pictures i snapped. Rem, u saw it first at hooeyphooey.
Geez, i cant believe i'm using that tag line.

Took video of the fireworks too. Well, get it from me if you wanna see it. Too lazy to bother figuring how to load it on.

Ah yes, dont be shocked or ask questions that's obvious....like "hey you put on braces???" Yes, that's me in braces. Figured it's a matter of time you people see this, or bumped into me on the street. Put this up becos i adore the temporary tattoo we donned on. So very feeling the national day spirit. The last time i watched the NDP live, i was a tad 8 years old, when singapore celebrated her 25th Birthday.. which, sadly i'm reaching that.

Enjoy Singapore!Nights!

Some hooey moments

Altivo's sunset

Timbre's lychee martini

Watching Lake House

Back from watching "The Lake House" @ the new cathay Cineplex.

There's something about this show that makes me thump. That makes me ponder about it as i walked back home from the train station. Something about it makes me want to just filter the rest of the world's sounds as i plug into my own player looking up into the night sky, supposedly spotting the two moons which will surface tonight (27 Jul) but, of cos i saw nothing.

Fine, it's been a long time since i gush over a romantic show. Most of you, will have known me as a mega "you've got mail" fan. When it comes to movie book, "Message in a bottle" is first on my list. And yes, looking at these movies, it's not hard to figure what makes hooey ticks.

Mail. Message. Mailbox. Be it old fashioned keanu reeves' lakehouse- style mailbox, be it a bottle drifting out in the ocean, longing for someone to reveal its contents or be it the common email finding its way to New York Shopgirl. Something about a message waiting to be picked up and read simply fascinates me. Of cos, replying and communicating, the post-act of reading is what hooks me on.

And to top it all, two of my favourite stars are in it. Beautiful, charming sandra bullocks and the ever mysterious keanu reeves. The icing on the cake? What will you say to a glass house with a maple tree planted right in the middle of it? Standing in the middle of the lake with a bridge and a faithful dog for companion as you watched the sunset and its reflection from the lake.

X-factor element? I love the work of fate and destiny. I adore, perhaps more correctly said: jealous that some mysterious force actually helped these people along the way. Magic old rusty mailbox. I was in half the mind to put a note into my own mailbox when i got home. The other half was more keen in sending my thoughts out via this wide web.

2 years apart. "How do you hold on to someone you never met?"
and yet, what they share is so much more real than they touch in their everyday life.

This movie explores the theme of family, solitude, relationship, ownership and freedom and of course.. waiting.

Yes Yes, daydreaming, it's fiction. Earth to hooey. Snap out and get back to reality. But.. what if?

Just let me indulge in my own little world of fantasy. Just let me be.Hiaks.

Saturday's night mood

It's a quiet Saturday night as i blogged, with my room mates aka sibling out. Read a blog which a friend told me about and kinda find myself in a thoughtful mood.

Skip this entry if you're feeling well-defined in your life. Skip this entry if you want to be convinced your current lifestyle is right for you and you need no more questions to confuse your otherwise contented mind.

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The small word which many could hardly grasp it in its right proportions. Some feel it's overestimated, some underestimated its powers (if i'm permitted to use that). Yup, you probably guess it: LOVE

Why this word could churn out millions of songs and words of abuse, billions of tears and smiles, spot couples down the aisle and just as many ending up in law firms.

Why this word could invoke butterflies in your stomach, fuzzy warmth in your heart and yet, shatters it with hatred and jealousy.

Why many crave for it, why some play it like a whiz and why some never find it happening in their lifetime?

I've seen how many define it, how many shun it, have personally tried defining, finding myself compromising for it in order to best enjoy the goodness of it. And end of it all, i find i still dont quite know it as well as i thought i should.

At the end of it, i find myself wondering if it's love that's hard to define or Perhaps me myself that's ever changing and so never finding myself aligned with love and happiness in the same path.

Wait, does love always warrant happiness? Or maybe compromising has always been part of the package to attain long-term happiness which nobody (especially those blissful living happily ever after) reveals?

They say, you should be comfortable with yourself in a relationship and should never need to change yourself to suit the other because that will just be superficial and tiring in the long run as you're never yourself. AND YET, they also say (of cos this "they" being different from the first "they"), also mentioned that love comes in the form of giving in to each other, not being calculative about who's in it more than the others. Sometimes, one just gotta give in and relent and hence allowing the other to cherish you for what you've done, despite your wishes.

So .... ultimately, who is correct?

Could this be again, one of those many questions where there is not straight-cut direct answer (monosyllabic) ?

Could this be one of those subjected to individual values, perspectives and behaviour?Open ended answer with no right or wrong?

Well, LOVE (pun intended) to continue and just rattle more questions to those who stuck it to the end of this entry, but i'm supposed to head out double o soon and there goes my hope of having a nice quiet night to myself.

Just for entry sake:
1. Woke up to uncle's greeting rather .. exclaim that i'm still asleep when it's lunch. Mum cooked prawns and crabs.
2. Another cousin came over to my house and we spent time looking at my old photos. convo pictures. DARN it's been one year, people!!!!!
3. Went swimming with mum and bro at aunt's condo. Nice private pool.
4. Chicken chops for dinner outside and blog. Gosh, that all i've been up to till now.

Only in Hollywood

Hey, i chanced upon this interesting article while waiting for the page to load. Thought i do a cut-and-paste for all to read. Cant help but confess i fall prey to this. All these years.
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"Only In Hollywood"
It’s time for the envelopes, please. Tango hands out the Oscars for Most Dangerous Romantic Movie Myths
My friend Michelle and her on-again-off-again were off. Again. She complained that he just wasn’t going to the right lengths to win her back. “I need a big gesture,” she said. “I need roses. I need tears. I need Lloyd Dobler on the front lawn with a boom box raised over his head.”

Another friend, Laura, had not met anyone even halfway decent in months, and was starting to wonder if her best friend, Tiny Tony -- a sweetheart who is unfortunately short, bald, and bulbous -- might be the guy for her after all. “I’ve never been attracted to him or anything,” she said. “But maybe it’s a When Harry Met Sally situation. Maybe we’re meant to be and I just haven’t noticed.”

After almost 15 years as a faithful fan of romantic comedies, I’ve come to a painful conclusion: The movies we watch to supplement our love lives are actually sabotaging them. They make us wonder why our ex hasn’t appeared in our yard playing “In Your Eyes” at midnight even though, if he did so, we’d file for a restraining order, not a marriage license. They lead us to believe that an older, more sophisticated man who criticizes the way we look/talk/ dress will fall madly in love with our made-over selves -- if it was good enough for Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady, it’s good enough for us.

A lot of lip service has been paid to the idea that violence in films causes men to be violent in real life. Why isn’t anyone calling for warning labels for movies that cause otherwise reasonable women to act like emotional psychopaths? Hollywood’s take on love leaves us dissatisfied with the relationships we have, and hungry for the sort of romance that simply never occurs in nature.

I’d like to tell you that this realization has caused me to throw out all my old videotapes. Into the trash with you, Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks. You’ve set me up for failure, Rock Hudson. It’s documentaries and presidential biopics from here on in. But a girl’s gotta dream.

Still, it’s helpful to at least try to separate fact from fiction. In that spirit, I’ve identified some of the most common romantic-movie traps. If you feel yourself slipping back into fantasyland, get thee to a Blockbuster and rent Annie Hall -- the only romantic movie I can think of that’s both satisfying and honest.

The Sleepless in Seattle Trap
Like Bill Pullman in the movie, your current boyfriend or fiancé may have committed some unforgivable crimes, such as having lots of allergies but no nickname. Then you hear a voice on the radio, or see a face across a crowded room. Suddenly, you know this stranger is the love of your life. OK, you already have a partner who’s perfectly stable and lovely, but I’m afraid you will have to end that relationship. After all, in the 30 seconds you’ve spent with the new man, you’ve learned everything there is to know about him. And. It. Is. Good. You use Google, gossip, mutual acquaintances, and expensive private investigators to track him down and ask him out to dinner.
See also: Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, A Walk in the Clouds.

The Real Ending: Over dinner, you realize he has bad breath, a wife, and absolutely nothing whatsoever in common with you.

The As Good As It Gets Trap
You’ve found a guy who has that certain something -- as well as a bad attitude, a fear of commitment, or just a nonspecific nasty streak. Other than that, though, what a catch. Minor personality flaws won’t stand in the way of your fate. You decide that your love can change him, because that’s what true love does.
See also: Jerry Maguire, Reality Bites.

The Real Ending: You go to great lengths to show him that you’re worth loving before ultimately deciding that he’s never going to change -- and that he’s the last thing you’d want to complete you, anyway.

The An Affair to Remember Trap
You meet the perfect man and make elaborate, romantic plans for the future right away. He takes your number (no need for you to take his) and promises to call the next day. When the phone doesn’t ring, you don’t worry -- he’s your soul mate after all, there’s just been some misunderstanding. Two days later, you start to grow concerned that something has happened to him. Is he under a bus somewhere? Has he been taken hostage? You go from concerned to all-out panicked. Despite the gentle protestations of your friends that perhaps he’s just not that into you, you remain convinced that he was hit by a cab and rendered a cripple, and is too proud to leave his apartment.
See also: The Notebook.

The Real Ending: Three months later you see him dancing in a club with some chick in a tube top.


The When Harry Met Sally Trap
You’ve never been attracted to your male best friend, but recently things in the romance department have been less than enthralling. So you start to wonder -- maybe, just maybe, The One has been staring you in the face all along. Who cares if he still lives in his mom’s basement? This is destiny, damn it.

The Real Ending: Prepare for an awkward, tequila-induced make-out session that definitely requires an “I don’t know what I was thinking” email the next day.

The Titanic Trap
You just made partner and need to focus on work, but you can’t get this new guy off your mind. His name is Bo, he never went to college, and he works at the burrito place where you sometimes grab lunch between clients. Your friends ask what exactly you hope to gain from this relationship, but luckily you’re not a snob like them, and you know that a person’s job isn’t what defines him.
See also: Sabrina, Pretty Woman, Sweet Home Alabama.

The Real Ending: At a company dinner, your boss asks Bo what he does and he replies, “I work the grill, but I’m hoping to be put on the register soon.” Face it: If Leo had made it to dry land, that relationship would never have survived.

The Stepmom Trap
None of your romantic fantasies ended with Prince Charming leaving you for his secretary. Nor did they include falling for an otherwise great man with two sizable and unavoidable flaws (i.e., his children). Don’t panic. Contrary to what you might think, this divorce stuff is a piece of cake. Your step kids hate you? All it’s going to take to turn that around are some good old fashioned sex tips from you (to make the brats more popular, duh) and the untimely death of their mother. Your ex couldn’t seem to tie his own shoelaces when you were together? Rest assured that once you’ve signed the divorce papers, he will clean up his act and become the kind of guy you meant to marry.

See also: The Philadelphia Story, High Society, The Parent Trap, Mrs. Doubtfire.

The Real Ending: You continue to hate the bastard for years to come, despite the fact that your shrink says rage won’t help you heal. And whatever side of the joint custody battle you might fall on -- be it mom or stepmom -- the kids aren’t going to make the situation any easier. If you’re a stepmom, get ready for the cry of “You can’t tell me what to do! You’re not my mother!” to take up permanent residence in your psyche. If you’re the real mom, the line will be “When we’re at Dad’s house, Bambi never makes us do our homework/eat our vegetables/stop playing with knives.”

The Pretty in Pink Trap
Your next-door neighbor just happens to be a Calvin Klein underwear model. Lucky you. You’ve brought him countless jars of jam that need loosening, and even gotten locked out of your place in your cutest dress. Yet he hasn’t asked you out. In the words of Journey, “Don’t stop believin’.”
See also: Notting Hill, Love Actually.

The Real Ending: There’s a fine line between healthy optimism and insanity. There’s also a reason the quarterback in high school always dated the head cheerleader -- their kind is biologically predetermined to go forth and make other popular kids for everyone else to envy. It might be smarter to set your sights on the guy in 2B with the sweet smile and the receding hairline.

J. Courtney Sullivan’s first book, Dating Up: The Ultimate Guide to Finding the Man You Deserve is due out from Warner Books in February 2007.
Copyright ©2006 Tango Publishing Corp

Sometimes, I find myself so mean that I don’t seem to know myself anymore.

Sometimes, I wonder if the mean streak’s an act of internal struggle among my multiple selves.

At times like this, I spot myself in a selective and exclusive mood, where I just want to spend time with me, myself and I.

Cos only when I do that, I get to explore the possibilities, indulging in the freedom and those fleeting moments in my mind. As i allow the selves to fight it out, hopefully figuring out what is it i truely want.

Laughter, cheers and sabotage!

Happy birthday roomie!!=) i cant believe we din take any group pictures, despite me hogging the camera during dinner today! It was fun with sj and jg around today as the plot thickens when we played saboteur! Haha, dinner was @ Hanabi- this pretty nice jap restaurant and games were played at Tea Party recommended by JL and JG. Lovely time=)

Enjoy ur getaway roomie!=)

No title actually

I've got half the mind to change my blog. Dont worry if u have left comments. You guys will definitely be updated on my new link. Just half the mind to change it. Wont take effect as yet. Depends on how the other half struggles.

Side note: Thanks for all the comments. Another cure to monday purples. Friends that leave comments after reading.=) Tues' cool.

Song in my head: "Friday i'm in love" by the Cure

Received a lovely post card from yc two days back.I remembered watching the last world cup with him at boat quay.. hmm, the match was between brazil and china i think. And the best part? Both of us had our identity cards checked before we were allowed to order drinks. Haha.

In a flash, 4 years have passed. And this year that lucky friend of mine actually watched a WC match live in munich!!Hmm, that reminds me, gotta remind him if he's gotten any souvenir for me. YC, if you're reading this. please dont forget my souvenir. HAHAHA.

The cure to monday purples

Right, i finally got down to blogging a post. For the past few days or so, i found myself mentally making notes about what to jot down but the computer was never available. Yes, why not the laptop some might ask, let's say... i prefer newer, faster stuffs when it comes to IT.

Anyway, now that i have the comp and the room (rare sight), i'm actually feeling sleepy when it's barely 9pm. Been attending some training courses for the past week and i guess i'm feeling physically drained and mentally strained.

So, for the sake of my future reference, i'm going to just blabber whatever thoughts that come to mind before my eyelids start drooping, before my bed starts beckoning me to my deep slumber.

I had Monday purples today. Really bad kind. Today must have been one of those rare days u hardly hear hooey speak. No hype motions, no cheery face, just a weak smile when she spots a familiar face. More often than not, she chose to avoid having to make small talk. The moment there's a break, she shuttled off to her cubicle and drown her throat with water, so as to keep herself hydrated and at the same time, avoiding having to talk to others.

To add in the incentives to those monday purples, someone farted in the train on the way to work today. Of cos, the train was fantastically packed and the smell was chokingly painful coupled with the fact, one could not even bring up the papers to fan it away due to space constraint.

Endured she did, along with the many others around her who could only wish the smell is vacuumed away. Then of cos, she had to see the morning working crowd clobbering up the escalator (she's one of those as she din want to miss the shuttle). So yup, i was doubling my pace, zigzagging whenever the space allows, until the point i got on to the front of the escalator and saw the right side of the escalator being "CHOKED" by a lady in black who's much further up and simply oblivious to the entire queue behind her, who's also probably waiting in line to jump over her or something. I mean, the right's for those who's in a hurry, for those to overtake as we all know, and there she is standing right there in the middle of the escalator with ample space in front and yet she shows no sign of advancing while those at the back can only curse and swear as they rush to see that they have to end up waiting.

Yes, i knew i prob lost quite a few of u already, for those who dont take the subway to work, u prob dont face this kinda situation. And seriously, under normal circumstances, i'll prob just shrug and let dismiss it as "different people, different pace". But, not today, not when it's monday purple day.

And hey, what do ya know? All that complaining made me more awake as i recap what happened. So, did i catch the shuttle bus? Nope. Did the public bus come immediately? Nope. Did i arrive work late? Yes. Of cos. Did my boss see me walking in? Absolutely Yes. Life is fair, you dont get No's all the time. You wish.

Well, having released all the grumblings and stuffs. I' was glad my day took a better turn after work. Got the shuttle home? Yes. Had a nice relaxing talk with diane, this young lady who's becoming a close friend of mine @ my work place. When i reached my stop, all i wanted to do was to just listen to my music as i walked back home taking in those hustle and traffic scenes, people queueing up for their dinner. Kicked off my pumps, greeted daddy to find him cooked my favourite dishes. Ate my food in silence as i surfed the channels. Asked dad casually if there's hot water, cos i wanted to make tea. And before i finished my dinner, there's a cup of lipton tea made by my sweetest dad.

Awww.... my dad's the best. And a cup of lipton tea and home-cooked dinner the best cure to monday's purples.

Now, i've got a smile on my face as i prepare to go to bed.