It's here! It's here! WOOT. Actually I have no idea what is this Kandi Bar, but they make it as though it's some super popular thing in the west... Media influenced DJCK falls for EVERYTHING!  

dum dum dum

I'm actually thankful that this year, we are the first batch that had MCQs for finals, especially Physiology.

"We're not here to fail you, we just want to check whether you read up or not"

As a matter of fact, they are not here to fail you. Technically speaking, it is IMPOSSIBLE to fail in NUS - assuming if you DID study for your examinations. All of my modules/subjects have in-course assessments (CAs we like to call 'em) which comes up to about 30-40 % of our entire final mark. In fact, my Singapore Film module is 50%!!!

So the only other problem would be, how well they pass you. You see, my course is a relatively... erm... smart class. Not to say that I am one, mind you. I happen to meet the minimum criteria.

NEWSFLASH: I'm one of the 10% discretionery students who got into the course! Which means I'm stupider than most of the cohort by proof of academic records.

anyway, tomorrow is the last paper for Pharmacy! PPDA!!! And guess what - it's held in the hall, of my HALL! (I love saying that - hall's hall). The better part is that my floor is the floor of the hall, so I can just walk out of my room... and go for my exams! WOOSH!

after that, my next paper is ages away, and I need to start enjoying life again.

things to do:

1. Buy adidas stuff coz i got a 20% discount coupon
2. Go train for Sunday's marathon, which is like pointless to train already
3. Reiterate - buy adidas stuff to wear for marathon so at least can look cool while embarassing self behind the crowd
4. Watch the film titles again
5. Revert my biological clock back to Singapore-KL timezone, currently living in new york timezone
6. Clean my room, it's been ages.

SS19 - Truly Subang

Ok. I really have no time to say anything, so i'll just copy and paste things for you all to read muahahaha.... This article is about the place I live, Subang Jaya, or more specifically Section SS19 Subang Jaya!

NO THANKS to the legendary traffic jams that plague the area, the Subang Jaya neighbourhood has oft been viewed in a negative light by many.

While it is true that traffic can be a bane to the general population there, residents of SS19 are spared some of the highway malediction, and is – contrary to what many would imagine – a rather quiet neighbourhood.

“The traffic jam is not too bad, at least not within SS19, and not since the NPE (New Pantai Expressway) interchange at Jalan Tujuan was opened,” said Jansen Yap, a resident of SS19 for the last 17 years. Yap is also a member of the Subang Jaya Zone 1 (covers SS12 to SS19) Residents Committee (JKP).

Strategically located at the very fringe of Subang Jaya, and next to the Federal Highway, SS19 has been in existence for some 20 years, and was the last area to be developed before development of the first USJ neighbourhood commenced.

There is a general homogeneity about Subang Jaya, but many residents will point out that SS19 possesses a few features that distinguish it from neighbouring residential sections, such as a reasonable cost of living, proximity to the highway and shopping complexes (Subang Parade and Carrefour), as well as convenience of the amenities within.

“We have a sizeable commercial area compared to the other parts of Subang, with just about everything we need - pet shops, 7-Eleven, food outlets, banks, and even a small industrial area with ample tyre, car accessories and service outlets,” said Yap.

“The area is inhabited by quite an even mix of races, and is a mixed development with bungalows, compact houses, single- and double-storey terrace houses, semi-Ds and apartment units.” [DJCK: I live in a double-storey terrace house OK!]

Like every ideal neighbourhood, SS19 has many playgrounds and pocket parks equipped with facilities. Families and children can be seen spending time or playing in the parks in the evenings.

Business in the area is generally good.

“It's convenient for residents to patronise our businesses and we even get customers from outside SS19 because the industrial and commercial area is visible from the main entrance into Subang Jaya,” said Stanley Tan, who has been operating a tyre and car care service centre in SS19 for the last 10 years.

“It's gotten a little competitive since the local authority specified an industrial zone for tyre, car accessories and service outlets because we are all located in the same place now.”

Food is abundant with McDonald's, Chinese, Malay and mamak food outlets within walking distance. Parents can rest assured that there are three primary schools within the area – SRJK (C) Lick Hung [DJCK: My primary school!], SRK SS17 and SRK SS19.

Ironically, however, SS19 suffered a lukewarm response in its early years.

“Previously, this was a rubber and oil palm estate. The area was considered ulu, the only way in was via a road located near the railway tracks near the Subang airport and back then people were averse to living under the flight path of planes using the airport.

“I remember Goodyear (the developer) was giving away kitchen cabinets and furniture to attract people to buy homes here,” Yap recalled. [DJCK: We got 'em free kitchen cabinets, visit my house and they're still there.]

Today, according to statistics cited by Subang Jaya assemblyman Datuk Lee Hwa Beng, SS19 boasts a population of at least 5,000.

But, the bustling neighbourhood is not without its share of problems. Residents are wondering about an empty piece of land in the middle of the SS19 commercial area.

“It was zoned for a market 10 years ago, but the project was abandoned due to residents' objections. Following that were plans to upgrade the area into a hawker centre, but some residents raised objections to the idea as well. There are no plans or ideas on what to do with it yet,” said Lee. [DJCK: Honestly, it's now a shanty area of illegal malay food stalls, the few minimal lightings and sleezy look give me the creeps. I do wonder how people still go there for their meals]

Activities that bring residents together are also few and far between as everyone minds their own business. [DJCK: Yeah We're so caught up with ourselves LOL]

“With the exception of those in SS19/6, residents are not very close-knit and only get together whenever there are problems such as crime, which is why I have encouraged them to form residents' associations and hold more activities to foster neighbourliness,” said Lee, adding that there are currently five informal RAs in SS19. [DJCK: My dad used to be in the patrol, and he drove the SS19/1 Kancil or something]

The nights are noticeably quiet in SS19 with only the food outlets in the commercial area being the life of the neighbourhood. [Mamak Restaurants like Sri Melur and Syed, Chinese cookeries like Parkway, Hock Hin, New Subang Glory, Tong Le and former Winman, Macs, the illegal-malay stalls, the roadside ramly stalls, condom buyers@711]

Perhaps it is this tranquillity that makes living in SS19 ideal after all.

C.T. Chan, who spent most of his growing-up years in SS19, summed it up perfectly: “People mind their own business. The traffic is not too terrible, and the crime rate is not so high. I like the peace here.”

[DJCK: I spent almost my entire life living in SS19. And I'm loving it. Most of my friends are from SS19, and we've remained friends since/still keep in contact/know where we stay. Although some have moved out to better neighbourhoods like Kota Kemuning, this place in undoubtly my favourite place in Subang Jaya, Truly Malaysia]

Edited 25/11/2006: There are really interesting playgrounds in SS19. My neighbourhood used to have very antique style of playgrounds, the swings are and slides are high and made of wood, fireman-like poles and cement tunnels. There was a playground called 'The Ghostbuster' because it resembled the Ghostbuster's headquarter station in the animated series. Until the recent takeover by MPSJ, they have 'upgraded' all the playgrounds and made them homogenous to what is found in the MPSJ vicinity. I feel that the current playgrounds have lost its touch and fun. The wooden swings and slides are replaced by colourful, mini, metallic ones, while the 'Ghostbuster' playground has been torn down due to bad maintanence. Perhaps it's the nostalgic me trying to remember the old times I had fun in my neighbourhood playground. But it's too bad that the children will not be able to enjoy what I enjoyed during my time (I sound very old saying this LOL).

this is me.. then lol 

Rantings

My biological clock is fucking screwed.

Ever since I came to Singapore, I became a 24/7. I can be jogging as early as 2.00 am, having supper at 3.00 am, doing my work at the benches outside the uni library at 4 am, and watching podcasts at 6.00 am! All this and I have a 8 am lecture the next day!

I don't remember ever getting up from bed feeling 'Ahh that was a good sleep, I feel so awake'. Instead, all that is in my head is:

'CCBKNS-stupid-clock-don't-wanna-go-lecture-but-fuck-want-my-5.0cap-TNS'

Britts say I'm superpower. So active everywhere. Now that I think about it, yeah I am actually

.CRAZY.

Course: Pharmacy
University: National University of Singapore
Name of Hostel: Kampung Sheares
Commitments Involved: Radiopulze (Radio NUS), NUS Pharmaceutical Society, Sheares Production (Sets), Photography Committee, Archives Committee, Sheares Hall Amateur Radio, Sheares Exposure Camp Committee, Sheares Rag Engineer...

I don't know what I am trying to say in this entry, but I'll just write whatever I want

The consequence of having late night sleeps/no sleep at all nights has reached to the point where my health is not right.

Last week, I decided to sleep at 12.00 am, wake up at 7.00 am, have a proper 3 meal per day routine, and go running every alternate day.

That worked for three nights. Because at the forth night, I had a test the next day and I couldn't sleep without doing my usual last minute flippings. And on the fifth night I was so fucking hungry I begged jon to follow me to Prata/Mamak. And on the sixth night Chun Leen stayed over = we had Prata/Mamak, alcohol@tiang's and catching up (bitching and rantings with majority coming from one party).

And I was so determined to study@orchard in the morning till evening with Jon.

Oh yes we left for orchard at 9 after a 3-hour-sleep

I came back in the evening feeling so fucking sick. My nose couldn't stop running, I kept sneezing, my dead body activated by two dose of caffeine...

So I slept at 8 pm on a beautiful, cooling Saturday night, after consuming the flu pill.

*GREAT! 12 hours sleep wake up@8 the next day, then everything will be alright.*

It's now 12.18 am. I woke up at 11.30 pm. I slept for only 3 and a half hours. I feel fucking awake.

And it's a saturday night, and my floor is empty on weekends, and it's a damn cold night, and I'm sick, and I'm hungry, and I'm lonely. I suddenly feel:

LOST

I was reading Kailin's blog a few minutes ago, of what happened to her during her college years in Singapore and how our dear friend is down.

I have a confession to make:
I cried during my JC years as well. I cried in front of my tutor saying I cannot make it. I cried by myself by the river after jogging because I thought everything was so not worth the effort, because I always don't get what I expected. I cried the first time I came home to Malaysia, and cried again when I left for Singapore. I cried in front of my mother.

But I am still in Singapore. Friends always ask me about Singapore, and I always contradict myself: I tell them I hate the way of life here, the people in general... everything (no offense to my close Singaporean friends), but after that I tell them my desire to study in NUS and how I love walking in the street at night. I guess what I was trying to say is life has its ups and downs. And Singapore is, hopefully, just a platform for me before I become something somewhere in the future (I don't mind Malaysia... how about the SJER =p). Besides, the government gave us scholarships in JC and accepted us in NUS/NTU/SMU. You might not know what they have in store for us (probably planned out our future in Singapore: when we will become a PR, when we will make it big, when will we marry). The government has faith in us, but we must have faith in ourselves first!

On a lighter noe, I believe my beloved country's government also has faith in us, just that they lack the technology and expertise to 'meramalkan' the future that is us.

I still don't know what I'm talking about.

We can do any holes now!

Anal and oral sex will no longer be a criminal offence in Singapore but this will only apply to consenting heterosexual adults while sexual acts between men will remain a crime, the government said on Wednesday.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said it has conducted a detailed review of sexual offences in the penal code. The review was first announced in November 2003 after a huge public outcry erupted over the injustice of convicting a police constable for consensual oral sex with a teenager who was thought to be of legal age until later.

A relic of British colonial rule, Section 377 - which criminalises sexual acts 'against the order of nature with any man, woman or animals' and provides for life imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment and a fine - will be repealed while Section 377A, which criminalises "gross indecency" between males whether in public or in private and prescribes up to two years' imprisonment, will be left as is.

Britain, Hong Kong and Australia have since repealed laws prohibiting sex between men in 1967, 1991 and 1997 (in the state of Tasmania, the last Australian state to do so) respectively.

An "explanatory note" issued by MHA to official newsrooms after office hours on Tuesday, which was obtained by Fridae, read: "The law on sexual offences deals with sexual relationships and embodies what society considers acceptable or unacceptable behaviour.

"When it comes to homosexual acts, the issue is whether Singaporeans are ready to change laws to bring them in line with heterosexual acts. Singapore remains, by and large, a conservative society. Many do not tolerate homosexuality, and consider such acts abhorrent and deviant. Many religious groups also do not condone homosexual acts. This is why the Government is neither encouraging nor endorsing a homosexual lifestyle and presenting it as part of the mainstream way of life."

The news has enraged the local gay community. Miak, who is an active member of several gay groups, said: "What is the argument for the decriminalising of non-vaginal sex between heterosexuals but not for homosexuals? Is it about how conservative Singapore society is, and how some people find homosexual sex deviant, offensive, repugnant? I think that the same people might also find non-vaginal - meaning oral/anal sex which will soon be legalised - deviant, offensive and repugnant too!"

"The law hasn't been used to prosecute in recent times - so what is the point of retaining it? To maintain a facade of moral standards?"

While welcoming the repeal of Section 377, gay and lesbian advocacy group People Like Us (PLU) said that the "assurance" that it "will not be proactive in enforcing the section against adult males engaging in consensual sex with each other in private" is inadequate as it cannot be relied upon legally.

In a statement issued on Wednesday to call on the government to repeal both Section 377 and 377A, PLU said: "The retention of s.377A, even if not enforced, will signal to many that homophobia is justifiable and acceptable and has the support of the State.

"If the government aims for an open, inclusive society, it should be doing all it can to overturn prejudice and discrimination, rather than give people reason to remain closed-minded through retaining s.377A for symbolic purposes."

Subhas Anandan, president of the Association of Criminal Lawyers in Singapore, questioned the rationale for not repealing Section 377A in a Channelnewsasia interview: "If you are a homosexual or a lesbian, I think you can get into trouble. We are talking about an inclusive society and being more broad-minded. Why do we want to keep these people away, out of the circle? I think we should be more broad-minded, more sympathetic and allow these people to be included in our society."

Other proposed amendments include new laws to combat child prostitution, sex tourism, strengthened prosecution of credit card fraud and the extension of several offences to the electronic media including the Internet as well as a clarification of the definition of an unlawful assembly. In total, the proposed changes would add 19 new ones, affect 19 existing offences, and review penalties, and will now be open to public feedback for a month via reach.gov.sg.