dental health

moby went for his regular biannual dental check-up that was 3 years overdue. he stepped into the clinic wearily, as nightmares of his childhood visits to the dentist slowly crept back into his mind. but even then, he wanted to make use of his company's yearly dental benefit of $250, so he voluntarily walked into yet another nightmare.

the dentist (who will be known as bmt from now onwards, short for "bespectacled masked torturer") slowly poked and prodded at moby's teeth with his instruments of mass pain-infliction..."tender right? muahaha".

moby winced and nodded his head in agreement, with tears welled up in his misty eyes.

"i knew it. see lah, now got cavities already. you grind your teeth too, don't you?! take this!" and with that, bmt drilled a hole into moby's left hind upper molar (or whatever you call that tooth).

moby's saliva slowly started dripping down the side of his face, even with the suction of the vacuum-thing-that-they-stick-down-your-throat...moby was in danger of drowning in his own spit!

repeat the above process for the left hind lower molar, the right hind upper molar, the left upper incisor, and the left lower incisor. one and a half hours later, moby comes out of the dental clinic with 5 new fillings and $305 poorer. what a day. =|



(no, this is not my tooth)

search skymobile - mitsubishi galant

i test drove a '00 mitsubishi galant today. it felt good...in fact, it felt really good. smooth, powerful, steptronic, blah blah blah...the list goes on...go and google the car if you wanna know the full specs.



(like the picture above, the one i test drove was silver...not ideal, but still ok. not red or yellow or green can already.)

but it's not worth paying $1k a month (the car was quoted at $38k) for the 3 years left on the coe...and some more the salesman damn ah beng one. i don't think he understood half of what i asked him...luckily my colleagues were on hand to translate my "what's the mileage ah?" into it's hokkien counterpart. haha. ok, i exaggerate, but seriously...please go and learn proper england before you start doing sales lah. and so the search for the skymobile continues...

anyway, it's not easy finding a car. i've been surfing sgcarmart.com for nearly two months, but i still haven't found what i'm looking for (i can hear bono singing in my head already)...or maybe i'm just picky...but it is a big investment after all...

any other suggestions for the skymobile? here's the criteria:

budget: maximum $40k (preferably in the $20k - $30k region)
colour: preferably black or white (but can always respray, so doesn't really matter)
coe: left at least 4-5 years
plate number: not too jia lat (no "4444" or "7474")
fuel economy: at least 10km/l
road tax / insurance: as low as possible
leather seats: preferred, but not a must
mileage: less than 20,000km per year of usage
engine: at least got some power one lah

actually i've already lowered my expectations already...it doesn't need to be a sports car (which kinda makes my previous post a little redundant now)...i'll sacrifice for my virgin used car. haha.

got good lobang, please let me know: hsutienchi@gmail.com

cheers. =)

car finalists

and the finalists are...in order of preference...

1. nissan silvia s14 (or s15)



this car is the stuff wet dreams are made of...silky smooth design with a rocket of an engine to top it off. 'enuff said. price: $40k+


2. 1992 honda prelude



the honda prelude was my favourite car of all time since i was like 12 years old...of course, that was before i met silvia. however, price-wise, this is the most affordable of the lot. price: $20k - $23k


3. toyota celica gt4 (the old ones)



celica was up there along with the prelude during my teenage wet dream era...but nowadays the design seems to get more and more stiff...i prefer the rounded edges, with the aerodynamic shape. having said that, i still wouldn't mind one if the price were right. price: $30k+


sigh. i want, i want, i want!!! anyone with good lobang for these cars, please email me...i would be most appreciative. cheers. =)

small world

it's such a small world.

i just had dinner with my customer from samsung...a korean guy...very generous (he bought me dinner and drinks, rather than the other way around) and sensible man. he's actually in singapore as an expat, sent from his seoul office to sort out some issues here...

anyway, i just found out that he has a cousin who used to be my dad's ex colleague in the states! his cousin has two kids...one guy and one girl...both of whom happened to be my friends in school at that time too!

how coincidental is that? it's such a small world...

(p.s. - btw, if you wanna buy samsung stuff, let me know...cuz you know why)

gambling season

'tis the season for gambling...

but this year, jason's in aussieland, and wayne's in engerland...which means...lack of mahjong kakis. =(

actually, i found a kaki in the form of a young (and soon to be ex) colleague, but the stakes she plays are comparable to those we played for when we were mere students in the hall. yeah...remember those day? $0.10 / $0.20...*stifles yawn*

not that we've upgraded much lah...it's now $0.30 / $0.50...which means an exponential maximum of $8.00 / $16.00 per round...quite affordable for a few hours of entertainment and companionship...which is kinda what the lunar new year is about right? besides, playing mahjong keeps you from going senile...helps to roll back the years...literally. haha.



anyway, i'm looking around for some mahjong kakis...obviously people who aren't too good...in fact, the lousier the better (too bad steve, you don't have to apply...you're already one of the aforementioned...muahahaha)...and the richer the better! muahahaha. let me know if you're interested. hehe.

cheers. =)

happy new year (gin gin)

hey, how's it going? this is gingin on behalf of moby...he's too busy to blog cuz he's doing sit-ups after falling victim to the disease called "overeatingatreuniondinnerenza".

anyway, moby sauntered back on saturday afternoon...and started taking pictures of me. quite irritating i must say:



how's a cat supposed to sleep with this guy around???



the three of them (moby and parents) decided to go for a walk...and so i decided to join them. moby gets quite excited about the most mundane, everyday things in life...like this stupid catepillar which has been on our plant for the longest time already...



and this dumbass durian tree in our backyard...



it has a tendency to drop surprises on you when you least expect it. this one fell inches from my snout the other day while i was doing some business. *hiss*



here's the requisite picture that i helped moby and mom to take...



moby's mom returning the favour...



i love going on walks with the family...except for the hairy legs...which is why i prefer mommy dearest. hehe.



after taking their own sweet time with the walk, the family finally sat down to the dinner table, and thus, to their reunion dinner:



i, on the other hand, am a fussy eater, so i decided to just stick to my salmon and prawn mix. =)

after eating the sumptuous meal, everyone (myself included) burped a sigh of content, circled our beds a few times, and curled up to rest for yet another day...



happy new year! moby will be up and running soon...hopefully literally. hehe.

meow. =)

新年快乐！

新年快乐！

“猪”大家: 心想事成，笑口常开！

cheers. =)

new additions to the family

remember the twins from last year's indulgence? well say hello to the new additions to the family this chinese new year (btw, i came up with the names myself...it's not what they're actually called):

name: "albino roar"
brand: puma (usa factory outlet)








name: "chocolate cat"
brand: asics onitsuka tiger (usa flea market)








name: frank baum (go and google it if you don't know who he is)
brand: wizard of oz (singapore warehouse sale)







so what you think? i like. cheers. =)

ah, l'amour

this is freaking funny...found it on yahoo again.



cheers. =)

valentine's dinner date etiquette

i saw an interesting article today in yahoo...valentine's dinner date etiquette:

Ladies:

1. Don't ever order the most expensive thing on the menu. It may seem like the perfect time to see how lobster and steak taste together, but guys don't like to think they're being taken advantage of.

2. Please have a glass of wine or cocktail at dinner (or two, if you're saucy), but try to avoid the Maui Sunrise with the jumbo straw and glass the size of your head. A mildly tipsy woman is fun; a roaring drunk woman is one car ride away from being dropped off on her front lawn.

3. Please order a dessert, either to share or for yourself. Guys care a lot less about your whole calorie regimen than you think we do, plus we also like more time to talk, which a nice leisurely dessert pleasantly provides.

4. Don't mention ex-boyfriends. Not even if he was the lead singer of Pavement. We just don't want to know.

5. Feel free to ask to sample your date's dinner, just let him parcel out the portion. No guy likes to watch his steak disappear before his very eyes while he can do nothing about it.

6. Don't go overboard on your make-up, even if you have a blemish. A small, hardly noticeable spot on your chin is infinitely preferable to the kabuki mask you slather on in your efforts to hide that you are in fact a human being.

7. A great date involves balance in the conversation: don't talk too much or too little about yourself. Going overboard in either direction can paint you as too self-involved or too self-protective.

8. If he dressed nice (and here's hoping he did), let him know. Guys like a little ego boost now and again too.

9. Don't be afraid to laugh like an idiot. Decorum is for lunch with clients, not dinner with the boy you like.

10. Even if you asked him out, give him a chance to pick up the tab (even if you end up treating or splitting). I know we live in a world of equality and all, but some things make a guy feel good and picking up dinner is often one of them.


Men:

1. If you're choosing the restaurant, run it past three platonic girlfriends. You might love the local trattoria for its friendly waiters and free Limoncello, but it's the ladies who remember bad lighting, dingy bathrooms and day-old fruit garnishes.

2. Pick a date up for dinner, even if she lives next door; and if you're having drinks after work, swing by the office. Meeting at the restaurant simply reads as half-hearted. Women appreciate men who put their needs first, if just for the night.

3. For the love of button downs, don't you dare tuck in your shirt! Unless you're dining at the country club or a jacket-required establishment, you'll risk looking like your father en route to the 18th hole (and there's nothing hot about that).

4. Pay your date a very specific compliment that shows you're paying attention. Nice eyes? She's heard it. Cute dimples? Much better.

5. When looking over the menu, ask if she's a sharer. If she loves variety, suggest small dishes to split-or swap plates halfway through the meal if you feel at ease.

6. Save the "Notice me!" soliloquy for Mom and Dad-that is, until your date asks about you. Because she will, if you let her steer the chit-chat. One man's self-involved boast is another's self-aware banter. It just depends who's inquiring.

7. Slide one sensitive topic about yourself into conversation and ask your date's opinion about it. This moment will be more memorable than the pricey dim sum or your canned jokes, since it's laced with trust, sincerity and vulnerability.

8. Keep PDA on the DL. A hand on the leg is too forward for a first date, but snuggling close in the corner banquet, with a kiss on the forehead, is just right.

9. Suggest a decadent dessert, even if she hesitates or says she's full. Every woman wants to secretly sample the chocolate mousse torte, though society prefers she order sherbet. Lift the burden, and try not to stare when she eats more than half.

10. Pay the bill, already. She'll do the faux wallet-reach, but that doesn't mean she actually wants to reach inside. If this one's a keeper, she'll pick-up the nightcap.


have a great valentine's day...cheers. =)

videographsky - bangkok (ferris wheel)

i went to bangkok a few weeks ago...and the scariest thing happened while i was there...



call me chicken, but i ain't no cock...it was was really high!!! but you should try it some time. muahaha. >=)

cheers. =)

watching time

i wanna get a new watch.

any recommendations? no tag heuers (too common), no franck muellers (too expensive), and no citizens / rolex / omegas (too uncle)...

here's what i had in mind...


seiko perpetual calendar


seiko coutura


swiss army dive master 500m


seiko kinetic perpetual calendar

what do you think? i need to watch my time...hehe. cheers. =)

results out soon

here's a scenario...

let's say you have been in a school for the past 4 years. a pretty reputable school (to outsiders at least), but a very strict school that doesn't bend rules, has an extremely demanding principal and heads of department, but your teacher and your classmates are very nice and fun people to be around.

when you first joined this school, they started feeding you 100 apples a month...which was quite ok at first...given that you were a youngster learning the ropes and all. but somehow, progress at this school doesn't seem to be going anywhere for you. promotion, for one, has and still is a very subjective and intransparent ordeal that you just seem to get passed up for every time it comes around. in fact, you're still stuck in the first grade after 4 years...and you're actually tutoring second or third grade newbies who just joined the school! go figure.

extra credit for excelling in your homework is very dependent on your teacher, and on which subject(s) you are assigned. what's more, the scheme for this extra credit always seems to be changing...the carrot is always just too far ahead of your nose to reach.

also, you're getting sick of eating the same damn 100 apples...ok, make that 106 apples now after 4 years...in fact, the only thing that's keeping you at this school is cuz the school holidays are a bit longer than the other schools around...7 days more for that matter. not to mention the chics in this school are pretty alright too. hehe. but that's another matter altogether now.

anyway, imagine one fine day, some recruitment officer from another similarly reputable school calls you up. she offers you placement in that similarly reputable school which is slightly nearer to your house, has connections with many other "sister" schools all over the world, and best of all, offers you an additional 25 oranges to your 106 apples meal a month.

but before you make this important decision to switch over, you check with some friends that you have at the similarly reputable school. you find out that they too, have a very strict and demanding principal and heads of department (in fact, they appear to be even more aggressive towards attaining results), and they also complain that their school holidays are too short. but it seems like the extra credit scheme is very straightforward with no complications, and is on a get-as-much-as-you-do kind of basis.

you think to yourself..."hmmm. this should be an easy decision, but i'm a very loyal person. but then again, am i misplacing my loyalty? but then again, the similarly reputable school is offering me 25 more oranges! but then again, this school district is so very small in singapore...would i have a bad reputation? but then again, who cares? but then again, my current school did say that they're thinking of giving all of us more apples. but then again, they always talk with no visible results! but then again, my current school will definitely counteroffer. but then again, is it too little too late? but then again...sigh..."

have you ever been caught in such a scenario before? what did you do? i don't wanna jump from one shithole to another, and tarnish my white uniform in the process...

the "o" level results are being released this friday...likewise, my results will be coming out soon too. stay tuned.

cheers. =)

charitable food

the other day i had just finished cooking my meal of ntuc halibut fillet, and was about to bring it out to eat, when my handphone started to vibrate in my pocket. no, i didn't feel shiok, and yes, i dropped the fillet on the ground...piping hot some more.

i managed to salvage one small piece for my dinner, but the rest was kinda gross (not because of my cooking, mind you). so...instead of wasting one whole chunk of good ole halibut, i decided to go downstairs...





this one kept staring at me and wouldn't eat until i left. maybe he's not that into letting folks know he eats charitable food. pride. *thumps chest with clenched fist/paw*



the strays downstairs are so cute. maybe i should drop more food for them. hehe. cheers. =)