Beverages

Looking for two beverages, please do tell me if you know of any of the following:

COFFEE

1) Strong, but low-sugar/sweetener content

2) Decaf with as little chemicals as possible

GINGER DRINK/TEA

Spicy in the stomach but not on the palate

Update: Oh I just realised it is no longer "blogspot.com" but "blogspot.sg"

Update again... : I was thinking of trying out goat milk from Hay Dairies, but... DILEMMA! I either have to go down to Lim Chu Kang (it's somewhere along the SCS 28km NE march route so it's not exactly convenient) or order via its delivery service which requires a minimum 1.6L purchase. How??

16 July

The horizons appear much brighter when you have things to look forward to do. Even apparently mundane tasks like clearing out your desk and wardrobe, refiling your paperwork and throwing out the clutter. Which is what I am going to do later tonight and tomorrow onward, hopefully finishing next week and preparing for the return to academics. Clothes in good condition that haven't been worn for months are GOING (to the Salvation Army). Waste papers on the desk are GOING (to the karung guni). The miscellaneous trash is GOING (to be binned - what else?). My life is GOING (to be an uphill battle).

When it comes to education, I am not a savvy investor. I have once been included in a collective rebuke - labelled as 'having no sense of ownership' by an infuriated educator. Apparently a monthly school fee of about thirty dollars was insufficient to wake up my idea, such that the current situation asks for more than five thousand a semester to keep me awake to reality. I did not appreciate the high quality of education provided to me at a low cost of one dollar a day back then; now I have to pay a handsome sum for one that is unlikely to be in the better segment of Singapore's market. I am not comparing the dollar-for-dollar value of pre-university and university education, just that if I have done better in pre-university I will certainly be forking out lesser monies right now.

Keeping in mind that I am paying more for a tertiary education than most of my friends out there, while receiving one that is unlikely to be better than what they are receiving, AND considering the fact that I am signing myself up for a life that is meaningful but unprofitable, do you believe me now when I say I am not a savvy investor?

That is the economic part, which will probably follow me into my future rat race. It's time to straighten out my finances before it's too late; to make an attempt to break from the inevitable bread-and-butter forces that will push me toward the path that my parents have taken.

I started off the day on the wrong foot - my mind fraught with negativity. The day progressed slowly and was made worse by 'deaf' shoppers. Zero sales figures coupled with the team leader's unwillingness to help pushed me towards the verge of volcanic eruption. One customer walked in and asked where was tower two. I replied that I didn't know and she retorted "You work here and you don't know??" and walked off without a second word. Was boiling mad but I recalled the saying "把脾气拿出来是本能，把脾气压回去是本事" - interesting huh? But later on, *faith in Singaporeans restored!* a lady walked in to thank a guy who gave her directions. So I guess for every person who is "心理不平衡" there will be another who is perfectly normal and understanding. Next I saw parents who only use their mouths to control their kid, but physically fail to keep him in check (is this what they call 爱的教育 nowadays), then I witnessed a father sternly disciplining and physically stopping his young son from continuing a dangerous deed. Balance? Yep.

Looking forward to... something

This week must be food week? Mum mentioned a korean eating place near chomp chomp which has an awesome $10 lunch promotion. The meal comes with ten side dishes, all refillable. I suggested trooping down together this afternoon for me to widen my korean food horizons but due to unforeseen circumstances lunch became dinner at a more costly place at Kovan...

Excellent service came with
BBQ beef
- grilled to perfection by manga character-like guy who should be the manager

- not for the weak-hearted

Spicy pork ribs

- grilled nicely as above

- but still has lingering 'raw porky' taste

Pork kimchi pancake

- delightful crisp

- same lingering taste as above

Ginseng chicken stew

- average

Radish duck wrap

- dryness is balanced by wet, crunchy radish slices

- starting to like duck but the folks disliked the smoky taste

Spicy stir-fried rice cakes
- too tender

The folks were planning to go to sakura this coming friday, but I compelled them to cater to my whims because I was going to Qun Zhong Eating House for 锅贴...

So sakura next week...

Then some other buffet near Tuas...

It's not food week; it's gluttony month!

Questions > Answers

If we didn't expect something in return for a good deed done, then why do we feel indignant if someone we helped snubs us?

Why are so many people willing to spend their hard-earned cash on technology they can never fully appreciate?

Why can't HTC add a removable battery with a larger capacity and microSD support to their flagship products?

The funniest thing I've heard today

“在哪里跌倒，在哪里躺下。”

July draws near...

A failed birthday surprise? Got caught by the protagonist in the act of linking up with fellow perpetrator... Haha! You spoiled the surprise yourself!

So if school starts in July, I've got to prepare myself for things I have been avoiding... Got to be tough and have some self-discipline, and toss some of that awkwardness out of the window. Tighten my belt and pull up my socks, so to speak. Cheehow mentioned something about a part-time degree, but I shrugged that notion off. Too difficult for me. Then there will be a period whereby everyone is enjoying their orientation camps and looking forward to a new life, while I'll be worrying about starting off school on the wrong foot?

Been wanting to volunteer my remaining free weekdays away but that's not going to happen anytime soon because the volunteer schemes require me to be 'of age'. So October you'd better come soon then I will have better opportunities coming by.

Yup, just trying to get by. My life feels like a field camp - counting the days towards 'exercise cut', always running on 50% battery and getting by on mucky rations.