Photo: In the limelight

I can't be serious these days, and I'm busy - busy seeing off the last gloomy days of gloomy 2006. Can't think of any more "tản văn". Perhaps dealing with all crappy stuff in life is too much, or perhaps I've been so addicted to Flickr that refreshing Flickr pages has been my pastime :-|. Long story short, when I concentrate on work, it's work that matters, and when I have spare time, Flickr it is! See, my life is simple: my humble camera is my boyfriend, and Flickr is the back-up :)).

This photo is the first to receive that many good comments. "Nghệ thuật là ánh trăng lừa dối", the flower wasn't as good as it may seem, and what surrounded it was... Well, you may not want to know :-|. I took great efforts to shoot this despite the heavy rain, so whatever it is, I love it together with all the comments. Anyway, a close Flickr friend says it's so typical of me, so of my style. I might try to figure out what is considered as a not-my-style thing and pursue it, you know, for a change.

Rainy days will soon be over, and I shall take a shot of a rainbow...

What's in it for me?

It's just nothing at all - New Year, Christmas tree, all the rush, all the sparkling ornament... They ain't shine in my eyes. What's in it for me? It's freaking hot here and never is there a sign of a snowy winter like that in Walt Disney's cartoons. In fact, the festive sparkle belongs to us, not vice versa. It's thus so not right to say that we're happy 'cos someone cries out loud, "Yeah baby, it's Christmas time!", or because of the series of cheerful Christmas songs played repeatedly in every shop. Every holiday is just an occasion to be happy for happy people. It appears ordinary to the rest.

People look forward to having some days off, gathering in homecoming parties, drinking, and getting themselves voluntarily in heaps of crowds on the street to share some fun. Oh boy, I simply yearn for silence, and look forward to another holiday, the one that still remains shrouded in mystery. I wish I knew when it'll come. This is like a scene where everything is cloaked by the mist in the early morning. Just one damn fact is that it isn't early morning anymore. Pissed off.

Photo: Just me

I'm so gonna hike
If that's what it takes
To reach the light...

Wait

Waiting too long spoils almost everything.



It makes every day longer and meaningless. "Have a nice day!" is a bye-bye thing which is on the tip of one's tongue, yet you can't believe it anymore when what you're waiting for hasn't shown up. Yesterday wasn't nice, neither is today, nah, it's a no-no. It is exhausting and you just don't even bother anything or anyone around you. At all.



It makes you think. Yeah, you're getting more miserable merely because you think too much. When will it come? When? When? When? This goes on and on, and even it intrudes into your dreams. "Damn it! I can't have even a minute of peace in a day," you mumble when waking up in the middle of the night.



It makes you feel lost. Right, you don't know where you're going and how your life is gonna be. It is too big a challenge that not only once have you thought that you can't handle it. You're overwhelmed, and on your toes, you wonder about in the dark, with your hands reachin' out to find a door. You don't know, do you? Lost and alone, you think you failed. Yet that never helps you out, subsequently you stand up and continue. Till now, you haven't found the way out, you know for sure you have to on your own, though you're still often feeling down.



If waiting is that unpleasant, why waiting? Well, when waiting you have a hope. Though a hope might forever be a hope, you're probably on track. A belief might mislead you, but a hope keeps you alive.

Never are you a VIP

Now life is ever changing in your eyes.

You've been indulging yourself dreadfully until "Bamm!" - you find yourself in the middle of nowhere. While people around you move on and on, you stay in put and keep wondering which way to go. Not until the moment you feel like a fish out of water do you realize you gotta lift your finger and do something, which means quitting all the goddamn thinking processes. You leave your cloud-cuckoo-land, where you used to live with confidence in your qualities, and your eyes now get fixed on the only line in black and white: you must chase.

Yet it isn’t just in a blink of an eye that you could find your way out and prove yourself. Various disguised obstacles hinder your steps, and you subsequently feel as though a cloud was hangin’ over you. You listen to many more melancholic melodies, and you, “beyond all expectations”, become an insipid old bore. Fortunately, you haven’t totally lost your energy. You persevere with efforts to appear and stay cool in any situation as you know you have to – you think you're able to keep your life in balance by having yourself involved in a lot of different things. Day in, day out you have a finger in every pie, and you suppose that your life is going on just fine. "Nice try," you might think sometimes.

Then there comes another “Bamm!” One evening, while you’re alone in the dark, you rethink your days and finally realize: you've got none in hand. You are not balanced, and all your strides haven't yet led to any result - it feels like you’re being whipped with merely facts which are hard to accept. Why are others there while I'm here? It would be presumptuous of you to comment on them, so you blame yourself and the so-called fate instead. You’ve reached the point where your thinking habit is being a real pain and you’re freaking exhausted being ensnared in thoughts at all times. You’d thought too much before you did something… You see, you gotta learn the phrase “Just do it!”

You are just a teeny weeny little person, no VIP, not even an IP, and you should learn to be a bigger self than yesterday’s. Forget about all smug guys who think the sky is beneath their limits. Forget about social standards. It is way too corny to say this, yet it’s undeniable: every trial is a worthwhile lesson - you face and defeat your own self first, and try not to coax yourself into avoiding toughies, ever.

About cats, again

Today I went to a pet shop to ask if they wanted to take in and sell the cats later; however, they said those cats were local while customers preferred Persian cats with flat faces and long hair. Ah huh, so they prefer "branded cats" which look ugly and dump pretty local cats! In addition, I was assured that SPCA will really put the cats down to sleep. They sure will have no trip to SPCA - I can't just let it be.  Ultimately, what I'm trying to do is keep them alive, not put them in the situation of being dumped, well, once more in their life. Thanks to some friends, I've now found a way which is supposedly better for them.



For the past 3 days, I've been feeding and playing a lot with the cats, and somebody seems to be laughing at it. I'm not free to be around them for ... like 2-3 hrs per day... if those hrs are useless. I said all these were tiring, yet I will still do it. What does it have to do with me being a mom who complains about taking care of her babies? Just absolute nonsense, esp. of a single male person. If one hasn't felt the urge to get up earlier to see the cats, isn't startled and worried whenever (s)he hears a loud "meow" (like yesterday when someone trapped a kitten in a dry riser), doesn't feed them, and doesn't wonder even in dreams at night what to do to keep them safe, (s)he doesn't know what I'm going through. In general, when we don't care enough to know what's going on in others' life and their feelings, we'd better not judge. Simply, each has a personal system of values which needs to be respected -- this is the first time I've felt some joy since I moved into this house, thanks to the cats =).



Here are new photos of the cats with a new "nest" which I found downstairs for them.



Hangin' on a small chair and having dinner:













"Stay put, so that I can take a photo of you!"









Can't find a place to sit in:









The new "nest"...









... with someone keeping swirling around out of excitement:









"This is Bear :|"









And a while later... Mother cat's sleeping soundly, so are the kittens:

Abandoned cats outside my door

Today's Kids are homeless cats.



Well, it just started yesterday night when someone who hasn't since shown a sign of remorse abandoned 6 little cats a few steps away from my door. A skinny mother and five 2-week-old cuties of different personalities, as observed.



Despite the situation, they look peaceful:













Beautiful mother cat:









Mother cat is always away from their new shelter, which is under a unused set of table and benches for human kids, therefore the teeny weeny "boys and girls" have to stay all by themselves most of the time.











(This little girl is always the one who occupies the comfortable "ball" bed)

















And when mom's home, it's time for a pleasant milk-sucking session:









Obviously I don't know what to do with 6 of them. It's EM and all their funny rules ::shrug::. I called SPCA and they agreed to pick 'em up, yet there'll be no guarantee - these cats will either be kept for a while or "put down to sleep" (you sure know what the SPCA officers mean!). I never liked cats, yet it's painful to bear with the fact that I can do none to help 'em.



It all boils down to a matter of values. What is the value of whoever did this stuff? And what is it of these innocent cats? It's kinda funny when you come to think about it.

Photo: Poised [new shot]

Who knows?!

Fav

 

Call it my fav in this summer.

 

 

 

Perception of importance [talking crap]

It seems that everyone's blogging about their earliest childhood memories. Such a bore to read or even think about the same topic everytime I look at the list of updates on the home page.

There's much more out there than just nostalgia. Someone's worrying about jobs, another's thinking about the seemingly continuous rise of the gold price which affects more than just their money. I don't know which one is more important (or maybe everything is equally important since each person has his own value system), but at this moment I (implying a subjective thought) am just so bored with all kinds of memories. The present is harsh enough, and thinking about what happened in the past doesn't help.

Where are those who are talking non-stop about something that, to me, is a luxury? Not even for me to think about. Of course, when you've landed a job, you have a shelter, and you have the ones you love, you sit there and you reminisce. All I'm thinking about is just nothing like that. Simply how to deal with the present.

What the heck have I become?! Ultimately, no VIP, not even an IP. Just a lonely little P, and getting to know where I am.

Freedom [talking crap]

Look at her, floating in the air comfortably. Well, she looks a bit weird, but who cares, at least I could feel as if I'd escaped from too many worries and thoughts in life just lookin' at her.





What's it like leading a free-wheeling life? I don't have the answer, yet let's just see how it is not to have to care much about others' judgments on you, about what-ifs and mays. Just too tired of all that. The convocation is over. Officially graduated, and officially begin the rest of my life.





Enough blabbing, I'm outa here.

All that someone :)

Someone says I'm not ready, and advices me to fly home. Yet hearing that makes me feel different.



I've always done what I want, not what others expect of me. I ain't quite sure as to what I really want now, but I know how it feels when something goes on the right track. No floating anymore, back to reality. Pinched myself for a real feeling. Ouch, I know I'm here. Luck plays a part, but my own self plays a major one. Nothing comes on its own. Someone says it must take guts, and I believe so.



I don't like slogans and have never ever made one for me. Lived as I would, and now living as I will. Today someone called a photo I took as his favorite, which unexpectedly brightened my day. Well, a simple thing can be simple yet valuable happiness. Not floating, I'm trying to keep balance and be gutsy to receive anything. I guess I'm ready, pal =).

Something Singaporean

Many would say they're bored with Singapore's blandness.

Singapore is bland, you may tell me. Isn't it so?

No and no... If you spend a little time each day exploring things around you. Singapore has its hidden value. Not somethin' about the way girls dress. Not somethin' about the way people speak English. Not somethin' about queueing and all kinds of cards.

Do you recognize these flowers? Do you remember how fragrant they are? If you don't, just take a stroll along paths one evening, feel a cool breeze from the sea and the fragrance of Vietnamese "hoa quy`nh".

I call these flowers Singaporean "hoa quy`nh".

Photo: In the sky

Half-world Sunset
From the plane window, 28/01/06

A Saturday

The first day of recording after weeks of disappearance.



The tone of the background music had been deemed to be high before, but when I put on the damn big headphones which had terrific sound quality, and stood in front of the pro-looking microphone, the high notes were totally reachable. God knows why, but believe me, when you feel those things are just for you to sing, you'd just wanna try your best.



Not satisfied with the record though I'd been trying for like more than 10 times. Anyway, the more I sung, the more I understood what I was singing. It's always good that you could feel something from the song you're singing. Not a bad day after all :-).



Lud's blog for the day: http://6gentledrive.blogspot.com/2006/06/trang-mi-ba-chuyn-c-vit-tip.html

Lights and night

  Reflection   NUS - UCC

Do some thinkin'...

Today someone complains about her job.

Today someone tells me he's got his new job, which I guess would bring him more satisfaction. I'm happy for him.

Today I walk to the construction site and see faces covered with sweat of workers in the middle of many happy faces - of hassle-free students, mothers coming home after work, husbands coming back to wives. The workers work days and nights, looking sad and exhausted, yet they don't blurt out a complaint. I search for info about their average salaries and am astonished by the fact.

Who leaves his gloves?
NUS - Faculty of Engineering

Someone says their jobs are ZEROES. I say they are all HEROES.

Photo: Black / White

NUS - Under Central Library


A picture is not complete without a frame.
One is not identified without a name.

Arts, however, can still be absolutely fine with just black and white. Light works wonders.

So can life. Some say life is perfect with things seen in light and dealt with in black and white, but is it always so? At times one is bewitched by something blurred and difficult to understand. Some beauty just can't be explained...

Rain

This entry is to remind me that it was the n-th time in 4 years it'd rained when I planned to go to the supermarket, hmm hmm... What was wrong with the decision to go buy and stock some food while it was next to nothing inside the fridge? In some way or another, it managed to rain in the morning, which lowered the temperature and made me find nothing better to do than to go back and sleep ... Of course I overslept... Perhaps the end of the story doesn't have to be told =(



I love the rain, but why the hell can it not be a dry day for just once when I plan to go to the supermarket??? The myth remains :-s

Photo: Irresistible pink

Hoa gì đấy ở Faculty of Engineering...

Đội mưa chụp ảnh cũng thích :-)

Happy b'day

Happy birthday to you!!!!!!!

First

... The first time my trip to a place had been broken down into so many short trips...

... The first time I'd seen and stayed in such a humble place which was proudly called a hotel :D...

... The first time I'd felt as if I'd been at home while overseas...

... The first time I'd seen such a simple yet novel beauty of a big old ship...

... The first time I'd seen guys take care so much of their skin in the sunshine :))...

... The first time I'd walked thru the border between 2 countries in the middle of the night...

... The first time I'd entered a closed shopping center at 4am...

... The first time I'd been homeless for a day and night and waited for the sun to rise on Orchard Road...



... And the first time I'd liked a trip with all of its miseries :).

Vẽ - 3

http://artpad.art.com/?ixrxtun64js

It's a period of crazy deadlines...

...



I really need a new alarm clock

I really need a new alarm clock

I really need a new alarm clock

I really need a new alarm clock

I really need a new alarm clock

I really need a new alarm clock

I really need a new alarm clock



7 times. I'd really like to say that I need 7 new alarm clocks!

8-}

Oh my good god, what a stupid mistake...

Absolutely embarrassed 8-}

Blog? :)

Blog của tôi trông ngày càng ảm đạm, tôi nhận thấy thế và vài người cũng nhận thấy thế. Cũng không có ý định gì khác, tôi chỉ muốn nói về blogs và mọi người…

Thực sự tôi dành không ít thời gian để đọc các blogs khác nhau của nhiều kiểu người. Có ý kiến cho rằng thường thì những người đơn giản thể hiện cũng đơn giản – blogs của họ phần lớn là màu mè, nhiều tranh ảnh kiểu "bắng nhắng", những dòng chữ chỉ là những câu khen ngợi hay than vãn nông cạn. Tôi luôn cố gắng hiểu xem thế giới quan của mỗi con người đằng sau từng trang blog thế nào và nhận ra rằng thật khó để đánh giá. Có người viết rất nhiều, nhiều lắm, nhưng khi đọc xong người khác chỉ có thể phẩy tay: “Tầm phào mà…” Cũng một khối lượng như thế, có khi ta như chợt tỉnh với nhiều kiến thức và suy ngẫm sau khi đọc vài bài. Người khác viết ít, có khi chỉ đặt một bức ảnh và không chấm thêm nét nào khác nữa, nhưng khi nhìn vào người đọc tin rằng mình hiểu được phần nào họ đang nghĩ gì. Có những người thậm chí đặt một màu nền thật tối và khó hiểu, nhưng nội dung sặc sỡ vô cùng, và ta hiểu cái nền đen kia cũng chỉ là chiếc khẩu trang tạm thời. Với một số, blog là một chỗ để bấu víu khi họ không cảm thấy mình gắn kết với thế giới xung quanh, hay là tấm áo khoác ngoài tránh bụi, che giấu một tâm hồn, một hệ suy nghĩ khác hẳn.

Câu kết luận nghe không có vẻ là một kết luận, nhưng thật khó phủ nhận: bạn hầu như không thể phán đoán một người qua blog. Người ngoài có thể nhận xét đơn giản, nhưng mỗi người đều không nghĩ rằng mình đơn giản. Có thể những gì tôi quan sát là sai hết thảy, nhưng bạn thấy không, một đôi mắt khác nhìn vào một vật đem lại một suy nghĩ khác, và cuộc sống chẳng đơn giản bao giờ. Blogs cũng thế…

Now that it rains...

I want to sleep, I want to sleep, I want to sleep, I want to sleep, I want to sleep, I want to sleep, I want to sleep...

Milk

Drinking milk as if milk was plain water. Well, during this time period when deadlines are like raindrops this afternoon, no kind of food tastes good, and fresh milk becomes a good substitute of mine. Have never ever liked milk the way I like it now :-&.

'06/03/31, Fri - ...

In the bustle of daily life...

Projects

That su khong hieu co' qua' nhieu thu de lo thi bi stressful hay la do khong co cai gi... An qua'ng qua`ng vi projects, khong dam' di dau vi projects, ngu trua hay ngu ban dem deu mo thay viet projects, ve~ graphs, presentations... Vai` cai' da qua roi van con` tiep tuc nam mo :-?.  The hoa' ra luc co' nhieu hay luc khong co' gi cung deu stressful ca. Chang hieu duoc. Thu sau' 3 cai deadlines :-|. Vai` loi truoc khi hy sinh...

Chien sy nho len duong ra tran,

Pro^ gie^'ch na`y la^.n dda^.n nao` xong?!

Hmm...

Hmm, don't want to write anything anymore... Bad mood, deadlines, lack of sleep... Just give myself a smile, saying that things will be alright :)

"You had a bad day

...

You work at a smile, and you go for a ride"

Matter of sleep, or sheep

I couldn't sleep, so I counted sheep.

One, two... One hundred, one hundred and one...

I couldn't sleep still after counting some hundred sheep, so decided to meet the shepherd. Unfortunately, he was busy recounting what I'd been counting - he was trying to get himself to sleep. Hence, I went back to the herd and continued...

Seven hundred seventy seven, seven hundred seventy eight...

Well, you are so particular about choosing a job when it comes to your career matter, but sometimes you realize that you are willing to accept and can concentrate very well on such a boring and unpaid job as counting sheep. Be... e... Interesting to know! 

For us all :D

At my neighbor's window :D...

It's sth good to remind the young generation [erm, in fact, not just the young generation, you know :)].

Also, it's sth different to look at when all blogs have been read & lecture notes appear too boring...

Happy mugging, pals :)!

Silence

There are times when even music doesn't help.

Silence is all we need. Look at things we've never noticed. Not listen to anything. We just realize everything has its own color which makes a perfect patch on our life carpet. Even an old rusty mailbox. Even a spiderweb.

Sometimes silence speaks loudest.

Smile

Today I realized that it is extremely easy to be unhappy, and I myself sometimes thought that happiness was almost nowhere to be found. It's always true when day by day complaints are considered part of every conversation, in lecture theaters, in libraries (of course!), in restaurants, in movie theaters, and even during the honeymoon... We think we need a very good reason to be happy; in fact, we don't. The restriction comes from our own minds, in other words, we are restricting ourselves. We've got bread and we wish to have high-quality bacon or cheese, but millions of people out there are having a hard time earning bread, mere bread, to survive. We'd better put a smile on our faces, to respect life and those who are not born to be as lucky as we are.

I'm trying to smile while swimming in the pool of 4 projs, 4 presentations, 2 essays, 3 tests and 1 final exam. There's a long long way to go till May; however, let us say "Cheeeeeessseeee..." :).

Pastime :))

Sth to play around with when projects & tests drive me crazy.

Never expected this trivial thing could ever make me feel better :)). Anyway, after 2 days, "Leaving on a jet plane" is now #27 on the chart, lol :))...

http://www.soundclick.com/vanduck

Bull-headed

Yeah...

Who wanna fight?