you're such a BOLONGY!

Miniature

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

in retrospect, at 4:08 PM

Hey friends, to whoever's going to be shopping around at indie streets, I'm looking for a toy / model. I want it preferably palm-sized (note: not hand-sized), preferably rattan or some more-durable clothy material, and it must be able to stand up. Not a soft-toy which lazily sags down every time you put it down on the ground. Okay so that's a few unreasonable requests put together, and let me explain: before I start out on my honing-photography-skills expedition, I want a mini toy like that. I mean, something I could use at a subject of my photographs in RICH, LUSTROUS NATURE. Something which in a thin, far-fetched way symbolizes a part of me. Or maybe just something cute and random. I really would prefer it in a bit of a more clothy-but-durable material. I'd like it to see it get from white to dirty yellow. I'd like it to be able to age. Not like a shiny plastic durable donkey.

Yeah? So get me something indie okay! Take it as my birthday present... last year! I'd still really be expecting something this year. Thanks. Kidding.

I must be working way too hard.

Monday, February 21, 2011

in retrospect, at 10:26 PM

So, being "casual labour" at Outdoors doesn't seem so casual cause my boss is desperate of people and he's always begging me to work on more days. I just sent my boss an SMS that I'm unable to work this Sat and Sun, and then it's becoming so difficult to arrange my schedule I feel like quitting altogether. I'm working 6 days a week, twice on 2 days, and I'm definitely shagged. Went to Sentosa to play volleyball on Sunday, despite me ending work at 4am on Saturday and sleeping at 5am. Stupidest idea of the week. Last week's stupidest idea was climbing on top of the bronze bull in front of some building after CityAlive. I don't recall what building it was, I think it might have been a bank's. But anyway, if that charging bull was for fengshui, I think I might have caused a a few stock points to drop, climbing all over the bull and all. But yeah, stupid because I forgot that no one has probably climbed up the bull in years, so the dust collected over the past few years stained my jeans, my shirt, my arms, my palms and even my face. P.S. the bull's actually quite high up, say at least 2 metres. It was actually scary to even raise my hands up on the bull. But I did it for kicks anyway. Yeah, look at the photo: black arms, black palms. Stupid. Stupid.

So I over-stretched my body's physical abilities and I fell sick after 2 hours playing. Oh, fucking horrid feeling I tell you. Everything's boggling my mind now, I fell over-committed, I can't live life normally, and even though I'm only carrying a mild fever now, I've spent the entire day on bed - looking up at my long list of to-dos that I could manage on a free day like this, but not gathering enough motivation to do anything. I have bad appetite and occasionally I feel like puking.

Fragility of life much, huh?

Thursday, February 17, 2011

in retrospect, at 12:52 AM

Just awesome huh, I think a lot of my "feeling touched" was a result of the nature + music. Music really changes the mood I guess. But woah the entire Amazon's so much magic, like the kind of exploration-magic you get watching Avatar for the first time. It makes you wonder - do they know about us? Civilization? So fucking interesting. You could go on and watch the other related videos if you're interested.

I hope my life begins to pick up pace soon. These couple of days, other than working and meeting up with friends (hardly ever), I feel like I lost the meaning in what I'm pursuing in life. What am I pursuing actually? I've this list of long-term and short-term to-do list - which Yuting and Sandra had a good tear-jerking laugh from, just cause I wrote it in an embarrassing way... just cause I wrote in without the intention of it being read by others, which I'd say is a pretty difficult thing to do actually. We're all so afraid of being judged, so image-conscious, how many of us can write a diary without still having to censor some thoughts, afraid of others getting their hands on them? How many people are 100% themselves when they are in public? I guess people change, so it's not that they are not themselves, but they've grown and matured and such, but still, what is the real you?

Oh, fuck the philosophical ramblings, but anyway I was going to say: I'm not finding motivation in my life. Maybe instead, I gotta down-pace my life. I need to enjoy the moment. I need to have more me-time. I think? Honestly, I'm just feeling unaccomplished, but it's the kind of time when you can't pinpoint what exactly is wrong with your life. What is it? A loss of goal in life since the A'levels? Oh, that's pathetic. Recently it's just been work-computer-sleep-work and it bores me to death.

I hope the crew at Outdoors / Alleybar gets better soon, or maybe I'll just hope the two Indians aren't working on the days I'm working. I'm not being racist, I swear. It's just that we don't clique, alright? They speak tamil in front of me and I can swear to God they've talked bad about me at least one. Cause my attitude to them isn't so good anyway. Yeah, not racist, so stop giving me those judging eyes! Maybe my manager (desperate for workers) got someone to compel me (lol, vampire diaries), but recently I've been feeling like I'll be missing out if I quit on that job. Then again, you can't expect me to do admin work forever, I'll end up having a huge urge to look for another job. And no, I can't pangseh my tuition teacher like that.

My threadless design is out!

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

in retrospect, at 9:35 PM

Animal Frenzy - Threadless T-shirts, Nude No More

Here's what you can do:
Click on the link above, login to Threadless with your Facebook account, and then go rate it a 5, and then select the option "i'll buy it as a tee". And yeah, all you bots on the tagboard can try doing that as well.

Honestly, I can't thank you enough!

So Hello, World.

in retrospect, at 12:35 PM

So I realised I haven't been posting for a goddamned long time. I think I'll attribute that to my lack of life the past week, other than hanging out during CNY with friends / family, I think the only other time I've been out was CityAlive. Which was a bad party anyway, don't try going there next year.

So minor updates: I've been working admin at my tuition teacher's for the past week, so date me out for dinner manz I'm finally free. And uhm, I'm working weekends at the bar. K I know it sounds crazy like I'm a total workaholic but no I'm still having 1 day off a week and I have time to spare. Fine, not the most convincing argument, but I'm only hangin' on to the bar job cause I'm scared I'll be bored to death doing admin everyday, and cause of the nice customers. Bad thing's that the bar's getting filled up with the new Indian staffs [not in a racist way, damnit] and all my colleagues (whom I talk to) and dropping out one by one. So yeah I'll be quitting anytime soon though.

Chinese New Year.

Friday, February 04, 2011

in retrospect, at 4:18 AM

My CNY day1's pretty bland because of all the family politics on my grandfather's side - which was a lot of his siblings cheating his money, and then trying to sue my mum and my uncles after he passed away, so they could snatch up more shares of my grandfather's company. I mean, it's not even such a big company. But well, money always make things like this. So yeah, grandma's house had people you could count with your fingers and toes, which was heartwarming but at the same time it lacked a certain atmosphere which is tied in to CNY - a crowded house, relatives you don't know how to address, and lots of noisy chattering, which is really both good and bad. Crazy thing - my stomach's never been less than 70% full the entire day. We had snacks before having lunch, then it was a full steamboat lunch, then snacks after that, then dinner, then snacks after that. I swear I never stopped eating for more than 10 minutes.

Anyway, I don't know what I'm doing awake right now at 4:16AM, but I think I'm too used to my sleep cycle at 4 or 5AM, waking up at 1 or 2PM and continuing life like that. I'm quitting my job soon though. It sucks cause everytime you think you've had enough of something, you bring in the idea of quitting it altogether and then you feel like you miss bits and pieces of it and you wanna get back. So I haven't yet told my supervisor / manager that I'm quitting, but I think I'm going to continue working a few Fridays / Saturdays till this day where they piss me off. I dunno if it's going to be the same without Suwen / Xiao Hui though. I think I will have to sustain on my cool customers.

P.S. I gotta get an English name. Say, Thom, or something. Tell me what name suits my face! Cause it's been the 10th time I've heard an Indonesian friend giving me weird looks when I introduce myself. If you don't know yet, Bolong means 'hole' in Indonesian (Malay) which is un-fucking-glamorous. And on Tuesday two customers asked me for my name. Just for fun. TWO! See, I've made an impression! Anyway, yeah, I gotta get an English name. But on the bright side, in a way then, Bolongy means holy. I guess. Fuck it's 5.52AM

6:34AM: okay I need to go and sleep now.

Miniature

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

in retrospect, at 4:08 PM

I must be working way too hard.

Monday, February 21, 2011

in retrospect, at 10:26 PM

Fragility of life much, huh?

Thursday, February 17, 2011

in retrospect, at 12:52 AM

My threadless design is out!

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

in retrospect, at 9:35 PM

So Hello, World.

in retrospect, at 12:35 PM

Chinese New Year.

Friday, February 04, 2011

in retrospect, at 4:18 AM

More About Me

Chew Bolong, Singaporean. Would have to emphasize on that point at times cause you're not exactly the first one thinking that my name's PRC. Oh, yes, my name's a Mandarin translation. Get on with life already. I graduated from Dunman High School, then Victoria Junior College and I'm currently spending the next year and a half of my life (brainless), in National Service. I have interests in designing and art [note: interest doesn't mean ability], (indie rock / folk) music, nature, long walks at night and making friends - sounds like a weird combination to say but those are things I associate myself to. I'm an ENTP but at times an introvert. I love deep conversations with people. I'm always in a dilemma deciding whether or not to change this description about myself, so I've decided that additional details shall be listed under.

27 Random Facts you HAVE to know about me

1. I used to suffer from insomnia cause annoying tunes would be stuck in my head or I tend to think through every event that's happened in the day, so I wouldn't be able to fall asleep. But in NS that doesn't apply anymore, cause I'm always tired. Don't think that's a good thing.
2. I like long walks alone at night, because it gives me a good opportunity to reflect, let my mind wander into deep stuff and just immerse in nature and the surroundings. That's provided the place I'm at is quiet and green. Yeah that's parks, garden, and most of Serangoon. Unfortunately, since NS, my mind's been pretty empty most of the time.
3. I told myself that by 37 years old I must have a (big) house complete with a billard table, a home-theatre system, a cosy round table and 4 armchairs in a corner of my (huge) living room, a secret hideout with natural lighting to chill and read books, a tiny bartender corner, a walk-in wardrobe and a useable kitchen amongst all other things. But my definition of future success only encompasses one thing - happiness. Yeah, it's a cliche but there must be a reason why it's a cliche right?
4. I enjoy people-watching. Behavioral science. You can actually tell a lot from that.
5. A part of my body I hate the most? My calves for sure. If you're a consistent reader of my blog I'm sure you would have heard of it already. But yeah, I'm standing at merely 165+ but I'd rather have thinner calves than be taller.
6. I (secretly) detest the Secondary 1, 2 me cause I was way too childish and immature. Not that secretive anymore, but I could have better spent that 2 years doing something else rather than doing lame things and attracting attention. I don't exactly like to mention this cause it's unglamorous, so lucky you.
7. I'm extremely afraid of cats. Like as if you don't know that already.
8. I can't take plain white bread. Nor powder formulated (warm) milk. They really make me wanna puke, cause they've that gooey feeling and they get stuck between or under your teeth. Which is disgusting. That's probably one of the reasons why I'm so short. I didn't know fresh milk existed when I was young, so I didn't drink milk for around a decade.
9. I find people who have good fashion sense and natural leadership emanating from them incredibly sexy.
10. I like girls with slightly reddish long hair and colourful sun dresses.
11. I have an inevitably heavy breathing, and it always gets worse when I start to notice it. Instead, I just reminded myself of it and am having a hard time trying to regulate my breathing right now. Plus I only breathe through my mouth. Although I've a big nose, my nostrils are probably small cause I have a blocked nose 24/7. BUT somehow when I fall asleep my body will force myself to breathe through my nose. Which is the reason why I snore in lectures. It's not even a snore actually - just heavy breathing sounds. I know I sound defensive right now. But no. True story.
12. I think the first gush of air from the air-conditioning system of a car is extremely addictive and pleasant. I'm pretty surprised some of my friends thought so too.
13. Crocs look ugly, but they smell really awesome to me. That fresh smell of sweet rubber. Everytime I walk past a Crocs outlet my heart melts a bit. No one seems to agree with me on this though.
14. The standard pen I use is a Pilot G2 0.5 ballpoint, and I write with such force on paper that Mr Ken Leong once commented on my essay: "braille?". The problem's so severe I need to use a cardboard piece (or a stack of paper of at least 5 pieces) as padding whenever I'm writing on paper. I switched to Uniball 0.38s in JC2. I am now using the Uniball to sketch as well.
15. I'm fully equipped in the skills of martial arts: junior black belt in Taekwondo as well as 6 years of Wushu. But I haven't even so much as laid a punch or slap on anyone. Okay I think I've slapped my brother a couple of times but that doesn't count cause I don't use my full force on him. One day I'd really like to try and punch someone. See if he even feel it hurts.
16. I'm guilty of judging people by a first impression (or just a quick scan). Don't everyone do?
17. Though I do say that, I find that my first 'evaluation' of someone is always pretty accurate. If I don't like someone, after time others will find it the same too.
18. I really like to whine and complain. I've been trying to tone it down recently because I realised that I feel better after I let it all out, but yet it only spreads the gloominess to my friends. I'd hate it if my friends were always whiney too, so I'll tone it down. I'll try.
19. I don't know why but I'm much more expressive online. I spill out secrets more often. I blog about things I don't even tell my close friends. So yeah, do read more when you still have the chance to. :D I suppose I'll stop blogging once I'm off the "student" label. Once I enter the workforce, when things are really so much more political and shit.
20. I've a weird habit of munching off the circumference of my burgers before I savour the centre of it. Don't laugh.
21. I have slight lisps. I wouldn't exactly call it that really, cause I refuse to admit it as a flaw, but pronouncing things with "esses" usually results in my tongue sticking out between my teeth and what comes out really sounds more like a "th". Yes, you can mock me about it for all your eternity of a boring, insipid life because I've came to terms with it. Booyah.
22. I believe that if someone isn't vain, he/she probably doesn't look good either. So yeah, come join me in being vain.
23. I'm quite a perfectionist about my companion, love and relationships, so I don't date easily.
24. I'm a huge nature lover. I want to walk Singapore's city at night with my friends. I want to camp under the stars with my friends. I want to live in the mountains without civilization. With a close friend or alone. My future half would probably have to love nature as well. Not like hiking-nature or climbing-nature, but really just the nature all around you. Even in the city.
25. My friend once said that I like to "fix broken dolls" as a boyfriend. In some ways it sounds apt, cause I think that girls with... a bit of emotional damage are deep and... more exciting to be with. I sound like I've dated before, but no, I've always been single. Evergreen, if you play that 'traffic light' game in University. Don't be weirded-out by me please.
25(ii). So yeah, if you're someone (or you know someone) who likes nature, likes long walks at night, likes folk / indie music, slightly emo / reflective at times but friendly otherwise, call me.
26. I listen to folk, alternative rock and indie music. I hate it when the artists I like gets famous and extremely mainstream. And that's not just a childish thought. It's because I think there's this special bond shared between you and the artist (and his / her music), and when it gets mainstream, the bond you had gets shared with all the other millions of people in the world, and it's no longer special. Kinda like what you'd say with relationships.
27. Finally, I fancy a good laugh everyday. My friends have given me that, and that's why I love them so much.

Not your usual Bucket-list

Yes, in order of 'want'.
1. 1 month backpacking trip to Europe / cold climate areas with a close pal (or two). The less civilization the better.
2. Is wanting something illegal illegal in itself? Yes, drugs - at least once. LSD, to be exact.
3. Making (good) friends with someone insane. I mean, mental. But I don't want to make it sound derogatory. There's something strikingly beautiful about insanity, like experiencing another dimension of some sorts.
4. The Killers' concert.
5. A folk / acoustic concert - say Iron & Wine, Bombay Bicycle Club, Inch Chua or Zee Avi.
6. Camping under the stars in the city (Padang?) and listening to acoustic sounds.
7. Experience the Glastonbury / Lollapalooza / Woodstock / Coachella festivals.
8. Bungee-jumping.
9. Scuba-diving.
10. Going for a real Broadway production.

I know - I'm weird, right?