quando quando quando

Serious addiction to the Michael Buble version! The arrangers did a fantastic job with it though unfortunately, the original singer somehow always sounds better than those who do the cover versions. No wonder our parents and grandparents say all the time that we listen to thrash. I can't imagine in 20 years how people my generation will take to contemporary pop!! *guffaws* I mean now some of us can't even stand stickychewybubblegummy dolly girl groups like Twins and S.H.E and mindlessly annoying boybands like 5566 (what kind of a name is that anyway???) and Energy (thought boy band members are supposed to be cute???), next time how?? Let's not even go into the fako hip-hop that some Taiwanese artistes are into.. *guffaws*

Anyways, I love having the SCV set top box in my room!! It is the most divine thing that's happened this year cos I can now watch TV till I doze off, even if the show is crappy. It is just very comfortable lying there and taking in (or just staring blankly at) what's going on on TV, don't have to use your brain, move any muscle, just relax and clear the mind. Ahh.. the simple pleasures in life.. :)

one, two, three, four..

Hi-5!

There are actually 22-year-olds out there who like this Australian group! (not me hor)Really amazing.. I had a great time watching 5-year-olds and and adults dancing together to the tv show!! Quite surreal.

Anyway the other day, YZ taught me a new phrase: Pay peanuts and you get monkeys.
Quite apt really.

So after a particularly stressful evening in the office, I was complaining to a fellow intern, saying "Since they pay me peanuts, I shall give them monkey work."

He said: "That's the attitude man! Be an angsty rebel."

???

Me? Angsty? *guffaws*

We are mostly meek conformers I say.

quizzie

You are a Mermaid, who sits on a rock in
the sea, looking and watching all humanity with
curiosity in your eyes. You have a two-sided
personality! On one hand, you revel in your
freedom and often prefer to live in your own
private dreams.

On the other hand, humanity
intrigues you and you love watching on. You are
actually very kind at heart, hating to see
people hurt and despise injustice! You probably
have one or two special friends, who mean the
world to you!

Also; you are probably quite
political, wanting to see justice done in the
world.

You are quite the dreamer, needing
freedom and personal space to dream your little
dreams. You love to escape into a book or some
good music and just drift away.

Some of your
good points are that you are sensitive,
compassionate and a freethinker. Your bad
points are that you may come across as cool and
aloof to others and probably have a tendency to
depression!

You are the ultimate dreamer with
a kind, but troubled heart!

Are you a Princess, Enchantress, Faerie, Mermaid or Toad? (with pictures!)
brought to you by

Wahaha not totally accurate though I like what it says about me. =)

wheeeee

Was discussing FYP plans with YZ today and we really really really want to do a feature story that will let us travel to HK!!!!! (details not to be divulged here of course though I'll say it's going to be so fun!! and frivolous *guffaws*)

*dreamy look*

But of course it's only a proposal.. we'll have to see what the supervisor thinks. Ahhh.. looking forward to go back to school =)

i whine...n whine.. n whine n whine n whine

I am a 24-hour whiner!

no money, long hours, perpetually tired, sleepy, waking up too early and sleeping too late, no time for a proper social life, meeting irksome people... etc etc etc

I don't think I ever used to be like that! I need a remedy. Maybe a week-long trip to the Maldives can help.

Fat chance of that happening.

late night craving

I so want deep fried chicken wings. I really really really want them. *drool*

pondering

Finally the off days are here again but feeling a little jittery, worrying about Tuesday when I have to update the bosses of my two stories. Wonder if they will be displeased with my progress or lack thereof.

I have learnt a ton of things from this internship though it is not exactly a playground for me. It sucks having to worry about this and that all the time. Debrief sessions are the worst when you see the expression on the editor's face rise/fall when you update them on your findings.

I was briefly cheered up when Renee announced a few days ago that there are only 9 weeks left to the internship. We've actually survived 17 weeks! Quite a feat really.

If you think that I don't like what I'm doing now, you're quite right.

Seeing my name in the papers, I realise, doesn't give me as much satisfaction as I imagined. I mean so what? One week later, the articles you write can well be wrapping somebody's salted fish without them being read.

My interests lie elsewhere and I know what they are but I also realise it takes courage to go after the things you love and forgo the cushy life that another job can provide you, not to mention having to keep your parents happy at the same time.

Too many times, we get distracted by the material things and don't realise that all the bling blings are not going to make you very happy really. (I do that quite a lot.)

So how? Beats me.

Anyway on a lighter note, Elvia's birthday is coming! She's going to be three on Wednesday and her parents are going to get the Mac's people to go down to her class to celebrate for her. Can imagine how much fun she's going to have! Does everyone remember how birthday celebrations at fastfood restaurants are like? The party hats, the super-hyper restaurant staff, the silly games, the colourful Ronald erasers, Colonel Sanders pencils...... *guffaws*

Now I have to think about what present I want to get her, a task I will never complain about.



Above: My mom and Elvia in Nov last year. Don't they look alike?

a little nagging doesn't hurt

Just found out today that yet another young man died in a bike accident a few days ago. He was a junior from my secondary school, only 20 and probably had a nice future waiting for him. I also want to add that my bf already had two friends perish in bike accidents within these three years. The rate at which such accidents are happening, especially to people around you, is frightening.
So everyone please be careful on the roads and although it's a personal choice, I would still recommend staying away from bikes unless necessary. You don't know how you'll upset everyone when you're gone.

darlings

A couple more pix of my nieces.. *sorry to those who can't stand kids!* hehe

These 2 sisters really are getting more alike..



By the way, these are their "scary/ugly" expressions.. Just tell them "scary face" or "ugly face" and they'll scrunch up their features like that! *guffaws*

cheers
a proud aunt

just a bit nervous

I should have known I could not have gotten off so easily on a Saturday. At 7 just as I msged my editor asking if I could leave, she walked over to my desk. Sianz.. kena arrow again. Luckily this time it's a dud but still... I could have gotten home 1 hour earlier haha ok I think I'm complaining way too much cos they're probably still at the newsroom now but for the amount of money I'm getting, I don't have to be such a model employee.

Anyway smelt my first dead body this evening. *Bleah*

Feeling a bit nervous about the publication tomorrow. Expecting some hate mail. Sighs.

Oh well, can't please everyone, can I?

a relaxing saturday for a change

Alright, so it is not thAt relaxing cos I still had to wake up at 7am for work today but I have finished all my assignments for now. I am safe as long as there are no last minute double-murders or industrial explosions or chemical spills... You catch my drift.

Went to watch Budak last night. It's been eons since we last went there. Saw a few familiar faces. It was a shame we did not reach early enough to get a table. We had to sit among the last few rows which was really not conducive for enjoying a concert because it was too noisy and the people in front of us were so damn tall.

But Budak was hilarious as usual. Their attempt at rock had me cracking up when they tried to screech and growl at the same time during the chorus *guffaws*. And who can forget their birthday song sang to the tune of the Star Spangled Banner? They never fail to amaze everyone when they mimick the sound of fireworks. And probably no one else can do a Mexican accent as comically as can Michael Wong *grin*. Next time must go earlier to chope a table.

Anyway here's Budak's blog site for those who are interested.

Really glad to have gotten over this week's assignment. It was stressful but yet pleasantly memorable now (weird I know). Why was it pleasant? One incident made all the difference. I was interviewing this old school mate (whom I didn't know back then.. he's a friend's friend) and after the interview he said, "Do you know why I helped you? Cos you're from RV."

*smile*

Probably only those from RV can truly understand what that meant to me. It was sweet and made me feel warm to know that after so many years, there are a few people who still miss the good old times and will not think twice about lending a hand to a person who studied in just a few classrooms away from theirs even if in the past they have never spoken more than a sentence to each other. :)

relieved

I thank my lucky stars that I no longer have to play parapazzi! I need to thank so many people for their kind help. And I need to thank certain people for trusting me enough to bare their secrets to me even though I am a stranger. I thank you all.
Lucky me! :)

i can't think

omg.. i hate stress.. hate it to the core...

I should probably kick myself in the butt for pitching such a gossipy story to the editor and now after a tweaking of angles by a certain powerful figure, I now have to interview the 2 protagonists and all other involved persons in this romantic-turned-tragic fiasco.

So what's the problem here? The girl refuses to be interviewed and the guy... he's such a recluse no one seems to know who he is! How to find him when the deadline is so near? *Sweat*
And now the sweet professor seems to be feeling guilty for all the "trauma" he caused the girl.. poor guy. My heart goes out to him.

I really need to thank all my friends (and even aquaintances) who have been helping me since I started this internship. You really see who your true friends are in times of need. (though i'm really pushing my luck sometimes!) I thank those who never tire of my calls and requests and who never fail to try their darndest to suss out information for this pesky reporter friend. I am eternally grateful, really, and I'd be more than happy to return the favour in kind anytime for these kind souls.

In the meantime, take care everyone. I am counting down the days till I can reclaim my social life.

dilemma

What happens if an editor has a vision of a story that conflicts with yours and what she does to your story will make your sources pissed off (with you)?

If there is to be any clashes of work ethics, Tekwani suggested that we should ask to be taken off the assignment and be given some other work.

Feasible? I think not. I'm just a lowly intern after all.

Dammit, this job kind of sucks at times (many times).