Product placement which I’m not paid for:

KrazyKris aka DJ Sorenson gave me a Tempur pillow. He got it for free after buying the Tempur mattress, which he later returned cos he didn’t like it. They didn’t take the pillow back.
It’s bloody the best pillow in the world! I have struggled with my pillows at home, always needing at least 2, always needing to fluff them up and adjust my head various times. But the moment my head hits the Tempur pillow, it seems to fit just right. ‘Tis strange, cos the pillow is firm as hell and you’d think it’s as comfy as a rock; but it’s the best thing in the world.

Spending good money on great bedding is a rare luxury I see myself investing in. I used to wonder why people would spend a lot on money on stuff like sheets. After I slept on the most comfortable bed in the world at the Four Seasons, I knew why.

Masacra-wearing Rock Star + Magician = Fucking Sexy!

Criss Angel is my latest distraction. I hadn’t heard of him till my brother-in-law & his wife went to watch him live and emailed us pix of them with him. I have been YouTubing too many of his clips while not studying since.

He reminds me of Tommy Lee (who is also incredibly hot…you must watch Tommy Lee goes to College if you can; it’s bloody hilarious). Criss Angel does pretty much the same kinda tricks you see magicians do…but it’s all the more entertaining because he’s got such a great personality…and is so fucking hot.

Unlike that idiot called David Blaine. Why does he still exist?

I was googling about automated kitty litter boxes and stumbled into this site and seriously thought it was a joke like this is.

And then I google searched it and it’s true! Oh my god…it’d be a dream come true. Only that Fat Cat’s ass is probably so heavy he would fall over the moment he tries it.

Fuckin’ hilarious.

Ohhh man…has it been another year already??It’s the annual SF Bay to Breakers race again! We walked it in 2004. Gosh, I never felt time fly so quickly.

Some hilarious shots from SFgate.

Why do they even bother? Because they can! Oh, San Francisco!

My father-in-law gives me these powerful words for the CFA:

I create the possibility of BRILLIANCE and great memory for the CFA! The test is EASY for me because I have brilliant recall, insight and analytical ability!

It’s called “creating a context”, i.e. creating a new reality you step into.

I like that.

We have this calendar that my mom-in-law gave us for 2 years in a row. We read it everyday. We write notes to friends on it. We give it to friends as li’ll gifts. It says things like “I am unlimited in my own ability to create good in my life”. It sounds cheese-dick, but when you create these new contexts for yourself – not just saying it, but internalize it and use it as the fundamental upon which you work/love/live & taking full responsibility & control of your feelings and of your life – you’d be amazed at how joyful & powerful you become.

The countdown begins. Almost 2 weeks till the CFA. Whoohoo! I don’t dread the exam, I simply can’t wait to take it and get it over and done with.

The hours of preparation have been fruitful. In the last stretch, I am simply gonna try to do as many practice questions as possible and alternate between panic and glee at how much I have forgetten and remembered and hope that the latter dominates in the 6 hours on June 4th.

I am thoroughly exhausted by the way. Between work that has intensified of late, and studying, and having 4 guests (Pat’s sister & friend will be with us for the next 4 months and 2 more SF friends for the weekend) at home, I haven’t had time for peaceful quiet of the mind. It’s all good, however. Chansidine Love Nest always welcomes guests. And I have never felt more productive. And I have never loved my Buddy (Bluebud) and Kitty (Zion) more. They are fabulous study buddies. Buddy sleeps at my feet and Kitty sleeps on my notes. Occassionally, they pounce on each other. They make me laugh. And feeling them purr is the ultimate stress reliever.

Only 2 more weeks, and then I need to start thinking about this event called a Wedding.

Back from Tioman…again! This time, PADI-certified open water divers! Whoohoo!

All that hype about how wonderful it is to dive is true. It was an amazing feeling, not only being 18m underwater, but being aware of the technicalities of your body (breathing, buoyancy, etc) underwater. It’s well worth the car-sickness (on the drive up to Mersing) and the sea-sickness (on my 3rd dive & last dive of the course, it hit me hard…note to self: get tons of motion-sickness medication next time). My head was still swimming after the last dive and I literally thought our chalet was collapsing on us in the shower after. And taking a bloody exam on all our readings while my head is still thinking I’m underwater ain’t easy! But it was all worth it, worth it. I can’t wait to go back.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…Tioman is wonderful. I love love that place. Everything about it. Well, maybe I should qualify that statement: the major resort-y parts of Tioman I’m not too fond of…I haven’t explored much of the rest of the island, but made quick stops at the more popular areas (Salang, Genting); those places just doesn’t seem all that appealing to me. But Bamboo Hills has got something special about it that I just feel so at home in. We’ve met so many wonderful people there (locals, travelers and travelers that become locals), great conversations, great food, and this time, great dives.

I’m hooked. I can’t wait for the next time to go down again.

I voted today! For the first time in my life!

I gotta admit, I have not been following the local media too much because I just get pissed off when I do so. I wish I could have had more time researching about what I was voting for or against. *bad citizen* *spank* *bad citizen* *spank*.

Standing up there and making that big “X” felt pretty darn empowering. I didn’t think I’d feel it so much, but it was.

We shook former PM Goh Chok Tong’s hand yesterday while eating at Toa Payoh hawker center. I was disappointed that he didn’t bother to talk much other than “oh, big family dinner”. Pat was asked where he was from. Goh told him “oh, you know, in Singapore now, we are having the elections…” Like Pat didn’t know. He’s been reading the news about the elections avidly for the past month.

I feel a tide turning in our country. We will have a dominant party for some time yet because in recent history, they have undoubtedly done a great job bringing our country way past subsistence issues in very difficult times. But when tummies are fed and bodies are well-rested in our comfortable homes, 2 things can happen: people want passive status quo, or people want more in terms voice, choice and rights. Only with the latter can we evolve into a more sophisticated nation. And the evolution can occur safely, peacefully, without revolution, with continued (or even more) economic wealth, only when we have sound institutions to check absolute power. As they say, absolute power corrupts…even if not now, eventually.

Watching the scuba-diving video and reading the theoretical bits, Pat and I couldn’t help but snigger (very childishly I admit) everytime they refer to the Submersible Pressure Gauge or SPG*. “The SPG is mandatory equipment”; “All SPGs come in different shapes and sizes”; “The SPG is a passive instrument. You need to know how to use it.” It didn’t help that the whole book has loads of sexual innuendos like manually adjusted knobs, valves, hoses, pistons and so on.

Speaking of SPG references, was just on the US embassy website about green card applications and it says:

THE APPLICATION PROCESS

NOTE: Those individuals who have been notified of appointments, or who have their case number (beginning with the letters SPG and followed by 10 numbers) may check the consular section’s current monthly appointment schedule. It is available at this link: Schedule for Immigration Visa Interviews

But, if you click on the schedule, the case numbers start with SGP instead (which makes more sense as I assume that means SinGaPore).

A Freudian slip maybe?

* common abbreviation for Sarong Party Girl: (OMG, it’s been wikipeded!)

I think Tioman is my favorite place on earth. I just got so happy when I saw it. It’s just so lush. And Bamboo Hills Chalet is just such a lovely lovely place. It’s rustic, simple but so clean and beautiful.

Didn’t bother with pictures cos they were already taken last year, and everything pretty much looked the same. This time, we did simple snorkeling nearby and on the 2nd day, commenced the theory part of our SCUBA DIVING COURSE (my birthday present from Pat!)! Whoohoo!! Since we only had that day left, we’ll be heading back next weekend to finish up the other 3 days, along with Pat’s sister who will be spending the next 4 months with us. WHOOHOO!!

We always seem to meet wonderful people at Tioman (re: The Vikings, here). This time was a couple of diving instructors who left America and we had a good time discussing why we aren’t in America now and happy being so.

Unlike the previous time, the boat ride there and home was smooth, no 6-hour rides due to engine failure this time (re: Monday, here). Other than the 2 annoying Singaporeans who managed to keep their voice level way above the roar of the engines the entire 60 minutes back. When I asked them (in what I thought was a nice tone) to maybe keep it down a little (honestly, no one else on the boat was talking except them…most were nodding away or looking out at the beautiful view…you’d like some nice meditative time for the ride, methinks), my next CB of the Year contender said, after an embarrassed pause,
“Well, it’s a public place what!”

KNNCCB!

He may have all the right in the world to speak as loud as he wants in a public place…just as I may have the right to fart in his face…doesn’t mean we should. It was just the situation where everyone in the boat was silent , enjoying the ride/view and the rather meditative constant grind of the engines, and you have this incessant yakking (it really didn’t help that he had an incredibly annoying whiny voice either). I understand sometimes we are unaware of speaking a little too loudly for example, but if someone pointed it out to me, I’d be apologizing profusely.
I understand I may sound a little picky about this, but there is just a way we can carry ourselves in public without making our presence known. Just like loud annoying Americans (which is the common stereotype), there are some of those in other cultures…and not to be racist about it, it mostly comes from us Chinese. Why do you need to play with your handphone on a bus? Why do you need to yell in your handphone so that everyone can hear you while in the train? Why do you need to speak so loudly when all you are talking to is the person next to you. Why do you need to stand at the exit of the bus when clearly, you are holding up the front such that people cannot get on? It’s the complete lack of consciousness of others around you that I’m yapping about.

I completely digress. I love Tioman! I can’t wait to go back next week!