stolen colours

I tried out a new regime today, based on my observations about myself.

Observation points:
1. I am a morning person, i.e. I am very productive in the morning.
2. 2pm-3pm is a lull period for me.
3. I don’t really like eating lunch at NUS.
4. I feel … restless if I haven’t exercised for a few days. It makes me feel guilty and affects my mood such that my concentration span is shortened.

Components of today’s regime:

1. 0550h: wake up.
2. 0630h: leave home. Drop Sister and friend at ACJC on the way. This saves petrol as Mother doesn’t need to send her there; and saves Mother time. It just traumatises Sister and friend because I drive fast and my suspension sucks.
3. 0650h: enter NUS carpark.
4. 0700h: start studying at a bench of my choice.
5. 1130h: leave NUS for home.
6. 1200h: Lunch.
7. 1230-1440h: Read the papers, arrange notes and start studying while waiting for the two hours between eating and exercising to fly by.
8. 1400-1600h: Going to the gym, exercising, coming home, eating and showering. This erases the afternoon lull period, and increases my level of alertness after. Also, the gym is empty at this time, which means that I can use the machines in the order I prefer.
9. 1600h: start studying again. (ideally I should have studied till dinner, but I still had to take a 30minute nap. I attributed this to the lack of sleep the previous night at 5.5 hours, 30minutes short of 6 hours.)
10. 1800h: Dinner.
11. 1830: Played the piano.
12. 1900h: Started work again.
13. 2030h: Official end of studying period i.e. it’s okay if I want to go further than that; and I would feel transiently guilty if I stopped before that.
14. 2330h: Pack things for the next day, and sleep.

Not too bad. A rather indulgent schedule that can be maintained only during the study break. I might do this on alternate days.

This is an amazing handbell solo by Jason Tiller. He performs Joshua, arranged by Nancy Hascall. Incredibly inspiring, how he picks up and changes bells with such fluidity and speed.

[p.s. pause the radioblog!]

MX sent me this video at 1+am when I was on my laptop trying to find a solution to insomnia. Really cheered me up and made my night.

On to my fantasy house, where I’ll have a room set apart and equipped for bells and other instruments (say, my piano). I need…to make my money grow.

Solo ringing. Will make that my motto from now on.

I’m envious of how you won’t consider doing things if they don’t interest you.

I’m envious of how you’re good enough such that you don’t have to resort to kiasuism, doing things out of practicality even though you hate them.

I’m envious of how you’re confident enough to do things alone.

I’m envious of how you’re able to never over-analyse things or draw too many connections between them.

I’m envious of how clean and simple your world is: what you do is your own business, is not affected by the actions and feelings of others, and does not affect the actions and feelings of others.

While driving my sister and her friend to school, I amused myself by eavesdropping on their conversation.

let XXX = Sister’s secondary school
Friend: Hmm how does that particular XXX cheer go again?
Sister: Oh, like this “XXX gag on down”

I think she met “get on down”, and not “choke on feathers”. Ah well; a conversation on school cheers is an uncool conversation.

More little updates on my very boring life.
1. The 3-week study break has started.
2. I just had a spare pair of spectacles made.
3. I’m going to start playing the piano again; hoping to put in thirty minutes at least 3 days a week, heh. I figure I need my right brain to help me memorise stuff for exams.
4. Will be going to Tokyo with my family in June. No fun >.<

Side note: isn’t this gorgeous? Taken from here.
(Stop shaking your heads at me.)

I saw some stills from the upcoming movie, The Golden Compass here, and promptly went to reread the book. Sadly, I realised that I had TWO copies of The Amber Spyglass and none of Golden Compass. (Go ahead, rie. Laugh.)

Yesterday saw lunch at QY’s place with some friends. QY, her mother and aides are terrific hosts, so I never pass up an opportunity to go there if I can help it. *shameless*

That’s tossing yusheng with giant-sized chopsticks; tirasmiu, and green tea at the end.
Of course we had other things to eat, like laksa (mmm!), pig organs in abalone soup, Hakka yong tau foo, fried chicken, etc.

It was great catching up with them, especially Terence and WL. Somehow my OG has been too equally split into the three different rotations, such that meeting up is always almost impossible. Didn’t help once “spouses” came into the picture.

Today Penance and I, in a show of decadence, headed to Sushi Yoshida at Devonshire Road for lunch. We arrived, to see Chef Yoshida himself taking a smoking break outside the compound ^^; Ah well, but it seems that he doesn’t prepare the food for lunch.

We entered and were charmed by the quiet, relaxed setting and the friendly, attentive wait staff.

The appetizer was heavenly. A half-boiled egg, smooth and fluid, sitting in a little dish of some salty-sweet sauce, with a dash of wasabi. It was an excellent appetiser, whetting our appetites for more.

[that was the appetizer. more photos below.]
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Well, this new year has been quite fun. On the first day, we returned to Cafe Plaza for a buffet lunch. I’m getting quite tired of the place, and now that they’ve increased their price from $25++ to $35++, and no UOB discount to boot, it’s time to find another place for next year.

The main highlight was lunch at First Aunt’s Pasir Ris abode, where Cousin Y (the oldest cousin) prepared her char siew and roast pork. mmmmmm. She can really cook, but there’s often no time or occasion for her to do fancy stuff.

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It’s rare that we get a chance to eat lunch out with Father around, but today was a good opportunity since he’s not working on CNY eve for the first time ever. Headed to Ah Yat Seafood Restaurant at Turf City for dimsum. They have a 50% discount on dimsum from Mondays to Saturdays, and a 30% discount for Sundays and public holidays. (Which works out to a 28.6% discount on Mondays to Saturdays, if you count the Sunday price as a baseline.) I might put up photos later. I guess the dimsum is an acceptable standard for the price. (We spent $11 pax.)

Conversation in the car:

Mother: They used to have horse racing here, back then.
Father: I had to follow the horses in an ambulance just in case.
Sister: Pa, you can treat horses?
Everyone: … … … …
Me: The RIDERS lah.

After eating we went to Giant to get some groceries.

They sell pineapple tarts, for $15 a jar.

Someone took some pineapple tarts and hid the remainder in the tea shelf. Note that the catch of the jar was left open. Such ugly behaviour.

CNY eve dinner later will be at the country club. My parents saw the advertisement for the set dinner some months ago and decided that we’d eat out this year instead of having a steamboat at home. There are 2 shifts: 5.30-8pm, and 8pm-whenever. Being in the first group, we’ll be unceremoniously kicked out by 8pm. Ah well.

It’s been a crazy end to the week.

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After the Ortho test we went out for dinner at Banoo. The entire Robertson Quay/Mohamed Sultan stretch is packed with appealing restaurants, I foresee us going there regularly.

Banoo is a small Iranian restaurant at the end of Mohamed Sultan road just where it meets River Valley Road. It’s a small, family-run place set up by an Iranian lady, with carpets and fabrics decorating the surfaces. (I believe her husband is a carpet dealer.)

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