The year two thousand and eight anno domini.

My feet hurt from walking too much but hey, that's not the point this 'ere post.

The year two thousand and eight anno domini is coming to a close. I'm not really sure what to say, but '08 has been one awesome year. The cramming for PMB, the insane insanity, the crazy jokes, the piles of homework, the interviews, the test papers, and all that Singapore stuff.

So now I would like to wish everyone in existence 

a happy two thousand and nine anno domini

and

a purely awesome future ahead

whether they like it or not. 

I sure hope '09 is going to rock. But at the rate time is going, it'll probably be almost two-oh-one-oh before I come to accept '09 is here. 

Life has been a long, wacky ride so far. I don't want it to stop any time sooner, thank you very much.

I've got a great view of the Singapore Flyer from my hotel room. There are supposed to be fireworks there tonight, so I guess I've got my new year celebrations covered. 

Tomorrow, I start a new phase of my life. One living in a different country without my family (who leave S'pore tomorrow), going to a different school with different teachers and students and loads of work, staying at a hostel and eating hostel food.

Good luck everybody.

Martabak Sangat Panas Sebab Baru Siap -Insan

I can't believe I'm still updating this blog, after moving country (migration!) and all 'at jazz.

If I were still in MS, I'd now be anticipating our return to school with a huge pile of hideously purple (j/k) books and a huge feeling of dread of all-too-familiar discipline teachers. 

But no, things are way different from what I'd expected this time last year. I thought I'd be happy, free from PMB and well, looking forward to a government exam-free year.

Apparently the students here at NUS High are never free from tests, quizzes and exams, and even when EOY is over, they still have projects to do.

That's why, upon hearing that at the bank (where we waited and waited and waited to set up our bank accounts and had nothing better to do), Kevin, Faiz, Insan and I decided to watch a movie before our freedom was taken up by a thing called "study time" in two days.

But due to reasons unforeseen (by me), I couldn't go. Sorry guys.

Anyway, I'm now ripping songs from my iPod to iTunes via Music Rescue. I'm going to have to download songs from my iMac via Limewire at home, or buy songs here and transfer between the two computers using Migration. 

*sigh* This strict piracy thing. I signed a policy stating I do understand the rules and regulations of internet and IT use at school.

Maybe I'll show you a pic of what my uniform looks like here. Maybe. But for now I have to go and read other people's blogs and find out what I've been missing over the net.

Adieu.

MacBook!

Hello everybody.

I'm sitting in a hotel room, typing this here post from my new MacBook, eating crisps from Marks & Spencer. I've got forms to read, fill in, sign and acknowledge, bags to unpack and stuff to go and buy. 

I've seen my hostel room, and it's awfully meh.

I went to Sentosa this morning, and Underwater World was awesome.

My MacBook kicks ass. Seriously. All the super cool features, the slick design, the keyboard, the software, the whole package deal. I guess the whole Singapore thing isn't going to be so bad after all. 

I haven't stayed at the hostel yet; my parents are still here, along with my super annoying brother, who won't even let me finish this post.

I'll be back.  Muahahaha ha ha.

When internet connection is gay.

I still haven't finished packing, because I can't find my iPod nano and I have to find it. That doesn't explain why I'm here blogging though. 

I've got to attend baby Alyssa's one month old dinner tonight (I do seem to attend a lot of dinners, don't I?) and if I don't finish packing by then, I'm doomed and will definitely be late for my eight-in-the-morning flight to Singapore. 

I understand that it should be understandable if I don't blog for a while 'cause I doubt I'd instantly acquire internet connection there. I hope you guys won't miss my nonsense too much *cough cough*. 

Also, to all you guys out there, it doesn't matter if I'm not in Brunei because there's still the internet and it's awfully reliable (except when the connection is gay. Hahah. I love that phrase.) for us to keep in touch. Just don't forget me completely and I'll be fine. 

My next post will be from S'pore (I don't know when that'll be, but I can safely say "eventually") from a different computer and possibly faster internet connection. 

Adieu (for real, this time).

P.S. I sure used a lot of brackets this time, didn't I?

Indian food.

I've given up on trying to upload anything because somehow it lags big time. 

I'd like to wish you guys out there, to those who celebrate it or not (I don't), a 

Merry Christmas, and a happy new year.

I wonder what I'll need for school. And I wonder what school will be like.

It would be easier if I just stayed at MS, but I dunno.

I've got a dinner to go to tonight. I love Indian food. I don't know why, but there's just something about it. Tandoor.com is my fave Indian restaurant. Don't ask why it sounds like a website. As long as it serves good food, that's okay with me. 

And I'm going to be late for said dinner. My mum is nagging at me and I have to go shower just so I don't turn up dirty and unhygienic. 

Adieu.

Charmander, Squirtle, or Bulbasaur?

I've got Christmas carols stuck in my head, and they're not going away any time sooner because Christmas is just around the corner/coming soon/tomorrow/in less than a day.

One thing I like more about CNY is that it lasts longer than Christmas. Fifteen days to one. You get to do more things, collect more money (or presents, in this case) and eat more food.

But Christmas is such a sweet little holiday. If only there wasn't commercialism. 

For the people in Brunei, school reopens in less than two weeks. In Singapore, school reopens on the second. Workaholic arses.

I've started packing, but only a little. I don't know what to bring. The essentials, I know, but I'm not sure whether I should bring an extra pair of earphones for my iPod, or which dictionary to bring. It's all very confusing and indecisive.

Should I or should I not upload a Christmas song for tomorrow? 

Hmm.

Don't say a word.

There are some things some people wrote I said, but be aware that I DID NOT SAY SOME OF THOSE THINGS REPORTED.

It makes me sound dumb and lame, and a total idiot. That's why I honestly don't like newspapers. Them and their stupid inaccuracy. Whatever happened to real journalism? 

I went over to Nate's house to present them with Christmas presents, but Isaac was sleeping and Nathan was having a bath. So we left the presents there, complete with the mess I made of Isaac's present. I figured he's just a baby and will therefore just tear his present paper apart if he can manage to do it himself. But he's such a little angel. I doubt he'd have any tendency to be destructive. 

I wanted to upload a picture of the mangled wrapped present, but internet, as usual, lags.

And finally, in closing this post, I would like to add that I really dislike our local newspapers and that pirated games suck big time. 

Thank you.

Interviews.

Who would've known the view from the seventh floor of the (relatively) new building of the Ministry of Education would've been so epic?

I got interviewed by people from RTB, the Borneo Bulletin and the Brunei Times. Can you believe it? Nobody said anything about any interviews. 

My RTB interview went like this:

RTB woman: Can I borrow you for a while, we need to ask some questions. 

Me: *thinking, say what? Borrow me? What questions?*  Um... Okay...

RTB woman: *drags me aside into a room* What have been your preparations for blah blah blah blah something blah really long question blah?

Me: What?

RTB woman: To put it simple, blah blah blah?

Cameraman: Rolling.

Me: Wait. What??

Meh. 

I'm not very fond of public speaking. It makes me all nervous and shaky. I'm such a loser. (Quote: "Who is this loser?")

But anywayyy, by the time I publish this post, it'll be too late to watch it on RTB. Muahaha. I am very evil, I agree with myself. 

Peace out, people.

Oh, by the way, they sell Magic 8 Balls at Hua Ho Tanjong Bunut. I is wanting one.

Little dough ball day.

I went out with my dad this evening to buy satay for dinner, and I think I saw my bus driver. There is no way I could've mistaken his janggut yang sangat-sangat besarrr dan berwarna-warni.

I never thought I'd see him again.

So, the 3R party. 

A lot happened that day, and the day after that, so I didn't have the chance to write about it. 

Anyway, the party. It was filled with stupid party games, pink fizzy drinks and corny music. A few people won a few prizes and I pretty much had a great time. I would upload pictures, but meh, the internet lags enough now. Maybe later. Or tomorrow.

Baoxin just asked me if I knew what day today is. "Little dough ball day?" I said. 

To which she replied, "Ah?"

Today's the day in the Chinese calendar where everyone turns a year older (sorta like officially, says my grandma) and they eat these little dough balls in syrupy stuff in accordance to their age (for example, I have to eat fifteen because I'm fifteen, and so on. Imagine if you're 99 years old..). Actually I don't know how to eat these things 'cause they're like chewing gum and you have to swallow 'em whole.

I know the Chinese have weird customs. CNY rocks, though. (If you're wondering, I'll be back for CNY so I can ask people for money.)

Anyway, Maz and Effie were on television Friday night. RTB interviewed them because they were very pandai and hardworking. 8A people. Hahah. 

Maz, I'm awfully proud of you.

Effie, you're going to be even more famous now, famous person. Don't deny it. Stella agrees with me.

P.S. Tira, I now have four badges, and my only two of my Pokémon are above level 30. =) I'm so lazy to train, I know.

Rain: snow Brunei style.

It rained early (it was almost ten when I woke up) this morning and over breakfast (pancakes, yum) I said out loud, "Rain: snow Brunei style!"

Christmas is coming. I went out with my dad yesterday to play with the toys on sale at Hua Ho Tanjong Bunut. Then we decided to buy some for my brother and my cousins for Christmas. I won't say what they are, in case someone tells Nate or Isaac and ruins the surprise. 

There was this Elmo toy thing on sale that said "Elmo loves you, really. Mwah, mwah." I think it freaks little kids out. Super life-like toys should be illegal. Seriously.

R class party is later. At somewhere. At sometime. =)

Dress code: White, black or red.

That's pretty interesting. 

I love Eddsworld. Zanta Claws II is here. Ah, Christmas specials. 

I'm downloading software for my iPod Touch now. It says "7 hours remaining". Internet here lags. Real bad.

But you know, it's better than nothing, I s'pose.

What?

Have to wake up early tomorrow, do some stuff, learn some things. Meh. 

I don't know why I have to go to a high school "of Mathematics and Science". Number one, I don't like Maths. Number two, I'm probably going to be the laziest person studying there. Number three, I don't like Maths. Number four, it's too much work. Number five, I don't like Maths.

What I do know is that the solutions to my problems are simple: I have to learn how to be hardworking and studious and try to brainwash myself into loving Math. 

I love Maths. 

Maybe I'll go to hell for saying such a big lie. Maybe I'll try again.

I really like Maths when it's easy, and when equations can be solved in a blink of an eye. I like Maths when it makes you seem cool, and when you get loads of As for it. I like Maths because when you understand and when you do it right, people think you're smart. I like Maths because it's a huge step forward for mankind. *cough*

Oh, Handy Manny is like, the next generation Bob the Builder. 

I believe Bob eloped with Wendy and migrated to Spain and changed their names. Then they had a son called Handy uh...Manny and then suddenly died of a mysterious disease. 

It's a strange theory, I know.

I mean, first talking cement mixers and now talking screwdrivers? 

It has to be related somehow.

Power cut.

I had lunch at Excapade with my cousin yesterday, and conned him into feeding my brother. Ah, the sweet power of manipulation.

So I went home, went online, and went to congratulate Stella repeatedly for scoring (however kalok she claims it to be; it still counts) 8A1s. We started talking about nose-picking (a continuation from yesterday) and decided to add Effie to our convo for greater effect. 

Our conversation progressed from "thou shalt insert thy gloved finger into thy heavenly nostrils" to whacking people on the butt with sticks and weird emoticons. 

And then, out of the blue, all of a sudden, there was a crash boom and I found myself staring at a blank computer screen. 

I assessed my situation: Computer switched off, air conditioner no longer working, lack of flashing lights from my modem, et cetera. 

Familiar situation, that was. Then I realised we had a power cut. 

The people working on the construction site opposite my house apparently broke/snapped/snagged/did something bad to a power line with a truck/crane/big vehicle used for construction. 

We went without power for three hours. A three hours in which mosquitoes decided I tasted very nice indeed. I still itch from them. I don't hate mosquitoes though. Even if they give you dengue fever or malaria. It's not exactly their fault.

Note: I wrote this post a few days ago, but I didn't post it because I was busy watching television. =) 

I just woke up, and had to send a few emails so I decided to post this out-of-date post. I'm waiting for my mum to pick us up to go to my uncle's house. Family gathering thing.

I'll try to post another post later on. 

Adieu.

Right.

I'm such an arsehole.

I think most people know this already, but what the hell: results are out. 

Congratulations to everybody who got 8As, or were at least satisfied with their results. 

I passed my BM. As long as I didn't flunk. Just. 

The waiting is over, people. Now we strive forward, to see what the future brings us, whether we get straight As or not...

Work hard, work smart, work your ass off for the future. Because it's all worthwhile.

Remember, O-levels are next.

I'm so evil. I know.

Memories.

My room is a bigger mess than ever. Great time to start unpacking after moving in six years ago.

Honestly, I don't mind, because we found this nursery report from when I was three. 

We went to the KFC at Giant today to take away some food for lunch at my cousin's house.

Apparently they were out of both wedges and chips, so Chun Wee and I had to look after my brother (aka the hyperactive monster) while my mum went to buy chips from Jollibee.

How on earth can a fast food restaurant be out of wedges or chips? That's seriously outrageous. It's like they're just throwing away their business. Tsk tsk. 

DQ is almost always out of chocolate. I'd have given up ordering chocolate-dipped cones, but it never hurts to try.

Once they even ran out of ice cream, and I had to wait for them to make some more. I mean, how on earth could they "run out of ice cream"? It's like going to a seafood restaurant and being told they'd run out of fish, prawns, crabs and other animals that live in water we consume.

Reminder: If the results do come out tomorrow, please do NOT let me know/inform me/tell me what I got. I prefer to live in ignorance because I'm a coward. =)

Emo iTunes.

I got this one from Zall, because I was bored. 

RULES:
1. Put Your itunes, windows media player etc on Shuffle
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS
4. Put any comments in brackets after the song name
5. Tag 6 people.
****

Are you male or female?
- No One Like You -Scorpions  (What?)

Describe yourself!
- Rockstar - Nickelback  (Cool.)

What do people feel when they're around you?
- Dance Dance - Fall Out Boy  (I'm not sure if that makes any sense whatsoever, but...)

Describe your current relationship.
- It's Not Over - Daughtry  (Riiiight.)

Where would you like to be now?
- Say (All I Need) - OneRepublic  (And that, ladies and gentlemen, is a place.)

How do you feel about love?
- Misery Business - Paramore  (Hahah.)

What's your life like?
- In The End - Linkin Park  (I'm not emo.)

What would you ask for if you had only one wish?
- Message In A Bottle - The Police  (Now why would I ask for that?)

Say something wise.
- Can't Live Without You - Scorpions  (This makes no sense whatsoever.)

If someone says "is this okay?" you say,
- Hey There Delilah - Plain White T's  (Excellent. Pure randomness.)

How would you describe yourself?
- Boulevard of Broken Dreams - Green Day  (My iTunes really wants me to sound emo).

What do you like in a guy/girl?
- Sweet Child o' Mine - Guns N' Roses  (Say what?)

How do you feel today?
- The Hardest Button To Button - The White Stripes 

What is your life's purpose?
- Disenchanted - My Chemical Romance  (Okay...)

What is your motto?
- Mr Sensitive - David Cook 

What do your friends think of you?
- Hotel California - Eagles  (I must have very strange friends.)

What do you think of your parents?
- All Along The Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix

What do you think about very often?
- The Diary Of Jane - Breaking Benjamin  (No I don't.)

What is 2 + 2?
- Yellow - Coldplay  (Back to kindergarten. FAILED.)

What do you think of your best friend?
- Heaven - Bryan Adams  (Aww. How...uh...sweet.)

What do you think of the person you like?
- When Will I See Your Face Again - Jamie Scott & The Town  (Oh whatever.)

What is your life story?
- Still Loving You - Scorpions  (It's official, my iTunes is emo.)

What do you want to be when you grow up?
- Long Gone - Bryan Adams  (Wow. That actually made sense.)

What do you think of when you see the person you like?
- Trouble - Coldplay  (Hahaha... XD)

What will you dance to at your wedding?
- Thnks Fr Th Mmrs - Fall Out Boy

What will they play at your funeral?
- One Last Breath - Creed  (Right you are, iTunes my friend.)

What is your hobby/interest?
- That's Life - Michael Bublé  (So it is.)

What is your biggest fear?
- Leave Out All the Rest - Linkin Park 

What is your biggest secret?
- Someone To Save Me - OneRepublic  (Who?)

What do you think of your friends?
- Call Me Irresponsible - Michael Bublé  ( =) )

What will you post this as?
- How Far We've Come - Matchbox Twenty

Insane overweight hamster.

My study's a huge mess, my nail's need cutting and my brother is playing with my metronome (which I hardly ever use, hence my terrible timing). 

But it takes more than half-opened boxes, scattered toys on the floor which you have to pick your way though, long fingernails and a constant "tick-tock tick-tock" to stop me from writing this post. 

I went out with Shar and Manda to watch 'Bolt' yesterday. Amanda and I thought it was good, but I bet Shar could've died of boredom in there. She was right though, it was a tad too predictable. Girl loses dog, dog makes big epic  journey to get back to girl, gets back to girl, happy reunion, the end. 

But you know, it was sweet and Bolt is very cute. 

After the movie we went to a place called 'Snowhouse'. Initially, we were seriously sakai but we got over that and ordered some snow ice. 

Shar and I spent ages wondering how they made ice seem as soft as ice cream and how it just didn't seem like ice, apart from the fact that it was cold. Some things just have to remain a mystery. The technique is probably patented anyway. The company's logo is a penguin-chicken hybrid thing with shoes. Just wanted to say that there.

Anyway, my grandmother is yelling at me from downstairs to go down and have lunch. Which means I seriously have to go right now. But give me five seconds to breathe and collect myself after looking at the mess my brother just made.

Five.

Four.

Three.

Two.

One.

All right, ciao.

Spelling.

I want to watch Bolt. 

I've got...let's see... less than three weeks before I board a plane to S'pore. And I'm completely unprepared. 

I'm just way too lazy to start packing now. Maybe tomorrow. Or the day after that. Or the day after that. Or the day after that, or the day after that, or the day after that. You get the drift. 

I wonder what life would be like without spellcheck in our computers. It'd be a major typo disaster. Those poor people without spellcheck type like this: 

"U knoe wat? I went out fro launch today. My dad wantd to eat indian food so we went to an Indian restourant. D food wans't realy delicuous, but I eit it anyway becos I was hungry. You bet I won't be giong there any tiem sooner."

Spellcheck is awesome. If only I had it while writing compositions. Then I wouldn't have to worry about my appalling spelling. 

Honestly, I can't spell.

Pikachu.

Zimah, I still can't read your blog.

It's not that I'm illiterate though, if that's what you're thinking. 'Cause if I were, I wouldn't be able to blog or write or speak nonsense. But that's another story.

Note: I just broke a few rules in Ms Anne's grammar book. I used the words "because" and "but" to begin a sentence. Which is supposed to be a big no-no. Although professional writers are sorta allowed to use it. Life is so unfair sometimes.

Aren't the holidays dull? Unless you can afford (time and transport-wise) to go out all the time. Makes me wish I could drive. That way, I could go anywhere I want any time I want. Unless I have to babysit. Which here means watching stupid, pointless videos on YouTube with my brother until I go crazy. 

Why can kids watch the same thing over and over again and still find it funny? It's amazing, honestly. It's either they have the memory of goldfish, or just have a great sense of humour.

Oh, by the way, I started playing Pokémon again. Just shows how jobless I am. 

Sigh.

Subject to copyright.

Hello, dear people. I'm just here to resuscitate my dying blog.

I was at the doctor's this morning, trying to complete a medical check I so unfortunately had to go through.

There I was, half-listening to my mum talk to another guy's dad about flight reservations when one of the RIPAS staff called out my name. 

"Lim Ya Wiiin," she said, too loudly for my comfort. I winced. I hadn't heard anyone call me that since...the end of PMB, when we were discussing the shortcomings of our Commerce paper with 'cher Sofy. "Lim Ya Wiiin," the woman repeated. 

Shut up, I thought. Just shut up. Your completely wrong pronunciation of my name is humiliating. But no, she didn't shut up. A split second later it hit me: I was supposed to walk over to the counter to get her to stop.

I stared at one of the completely unnecessarily gigantic chandeliers hanging from the ceiling while the lady-who-couldn't-pronounce-my-name told us we were supposed to go to the clinic at Sengkurong to get my form signed. Like, what the hell? Why couldn't we just do it there? At the beeg eemportant hozpitahl where it would've been perfectly convenient to find a doctor to assure me and the gov't that I was utterly healthy.

Lady-who-couldn't-pronounce-my-name then muttered something about something not working/out of order. I frowned and suppressed a groan of complaint. Stupid incompetence. 

And that was how my mum and I ended up waiting at the Sengkurong clinic for at least an hour and a half. 

I learned that the sound of kids screaming from behind the door marked "Klinik Gigi Kanak-kanak" scares the pants off other little children waiting in line for the dentist. It's a scary thing.

Parents seem to like lying to their children. When I had my injection when I was two, I didn't even know what an "injection" was. Probably thought it was some kind of belated birthday present.

Only when the needle sank into my arm did it open my eyes to something: Parents don't always tell you the truth. 

...Because ignorance is bliss.

God forbid.

Every time someone asks me when the PMB results come out, I feel like tearing my hair out and yelling profanities at said person. 

But I don't, because that wouldn't be very polite. 

The safest answers would be, "Eventually," or "Some day." 

That way you couldn't ever go wrong, because unless the Ministry suddenly dumps all our results into the South China Sea or mysteriously decides we don't need to know how many Fs we got, the results will have to come out sometime sooner or later.

The best thing to do now, people, is to take my advice and keep your trap shut and just wait patiently. Occupy yourself with some useless task like separating three different kinds of grain from a large sack, sorting out paperclips or watching grass (or your nails, whichever to your preference) grow and accept the fact that nobody knows when the results will come out.

Having said that, this is the funniest video I've seen in ages.

Is it just me, or has the world gone into a Facebook craze?

I mean, I received a Facebook invite from my grand-uncle in Kuching a few weeks ago. That's just too weird for words.

But whatever. 

"Every chance that you get is a chance that you seize," -Coldplay

Questions, questions, questions. I've got a few on my mind right now, for example:

'What should I write for this post?'

'When are the PMB results coming out?'

'Will I be able to finish this post in time for The Simpsons?'

'What if the sky's "smiley face" last night foresees something?'

'Do aliens really exist?'

'Does the meaning of life really lie in "Bart Simpson's Guide to Life: A Wee Handbook for the Perplexed"?'

'If so, what is the meaning of life?'

and ultimately,

'What's for dinner?'

But life's mysteries aside, I haven't played CIV for two days due to a certain thing called books. Yes, it sounds familiar, doesn't it? Addictive little things, them.

Maybe I will return to ruling my fictional country, maybe I won't. 

We'll see.

Mondays.

Today's a Mondayyy.

Since I'm already stating the obvious... Today's the first day of December, which means that 2009 is thirty-one days away and PMB results will definitely have to come out soon.

Why do people hate Mondays? I think they're all right. I get to watch The Simpsons and taiwanese drama for at least five days running every evening. Then there's the weekends to look forward to all over again. 

Weekdays have more regularity, because people have to work/go to school and it keeps them occupied and tired. Holidays tend to be both boring and eventful at the same time. Unforeseen events tend to happen then, 'cause of the lack of routine. Regular routines are safe...er. 

I like short paragraphs because I find them easier to read. 

I love the weather right now. Cloudy days kick ass, man.

My brother is bugging me to show him my iTunes visualiser, which is super awesome. 

Yeah, I brag.