Wednesday, November 29, 2006
So after attending a psychology lecture on Love and Attraction, and participating in a psychology experiment to obtain research credit, (where they showed us pictures/profiles of various people and asked how much we would want to be friends with, date, have sex with, and be in a relationship with them) I've discovered one thing:
That physical attractiveness is the ONLY factor in your chances of finding a mate, getting a second date, and getting laid. Forget your star sign, your hobbies and interests, or your favourite ice cream flavour. Your looks are the only thing that's gonna get you anywhere.
A finding I refused to believe up till now.
Ugh. I'm getting more and more cynical every day.
he rocked the party at 10:30 PM |
Monday, November 27, 2006
I know that im destined to be an economics major when I get excited about things like these, (seen on Sunday's edition of the Star-Ledger):
"Imagine, for example, a cake with thick icing around the edges and sprinkles clustered at one end. Cutting it down the middle wont be the best solution if one person prefers sprinkles and the other prefers extra icing.
Now, a group of scholars has discovered a better way to cut the cake."
"In their new paper, titled 'Better Ways to Cut a Cake,' Jones, Brams and Christian Kamler, an economist at the University of Graz in Austria, tackle head-on the problem of dividing something composed of parts that are valued differently.
By using a process they call 'surplus procedure', a cake... can be cut in such a way that each person is guaranteed at least half of what he or she wants most, plus an additional piece."
"Imagine a rectangular sheet cake. Jones said two people dividing the cake would be required to mark the cake vertically. If they value the whole cake equally, they each draw a line that divides the cake in half.
If they value one part of the cake more than another, they zero in on the area they desire most and draw the line in a way that divides that area in half. In this way, each person will get 50 percent of what he or she most wants.
The area between the two marks is called the surplus, which is then divided so that each person gets a little something extra.
It's not always so simple, of course, and Jones and the other authors have come up with a set of mathematical equations that will quantify exactly how much each person values the cake and precisely where and how the surplus will be divided.
But each person should be equally satisfied in the end, the paper argues.
Now that mathematicians have dispensed with cake-cutting, they are moving on to another mouth-watering subject - pies"
I just love how economics makes everyday life so complicated, yet in an absolutely logical manner. :)
he rocked the party at 10:25 PM |
Saturday, November 25, 2006
You know how I'm always on the lookout for nice, obscure r&b songs which could turn out to be potentially great hiphop items.
"If i wanted i could take you from your man
with my eyes closed i could have you eatin outta the palm of my hand
and all your little girlfriends too"
Stop looking at me like that. It has nothing to do with my previous post. Its a song, for cryin' out loud.
On a totally unrelated note: I saw the musical Hairspray at NYC broadway today, it surpassed my expectations and turned out to be absolutely breathtaking. I love broadway shows that always have 5 different things going on at any one time on stage, so you never know where to look. The singing and dancing is mindblowingly good too. Was kinda expensive and felt bad that my uncle paid for me, but heck, it was worth every penny. Resolve to catch as many broadway productions as I can from now on (if my poor overtaxed wallet can handle it)
Anyone up for Drowsy Chaperone or Chorus Line next?
he rocked the party at 6:07 PM |
Friday, November 24, 2006
Right now, there's nothing I'd like more than to curl up with you on a squishy armchair, watching 3 full episodes of the Lord of the Rings (the extended version).
And corny and cliched as it seems, there's nothing I can do to make you mine.
Alas, the attraction of a carefree, ambition filled, flirtatious lifestyle would overshadow even you. As perfect as you are, you could never be given the love that you deserve.
But I know, deep down inside, that everything seems meaningless without you.
he rocked the party at 8:17 PM |
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
If you are a big, big fan of accents, as I am, (those at Penn: watch me do a honky, an indian and a gongfu accent at the CSA cultural show this Jan!) you will LOVE this clip:
And just so you know, its not a crime to talk in different accents to different people you meet. Its just a matter of good communication. Try coming here and speaking Singlish to these people, they'd think you were speaking Cantonese.
he rocked the party at 9:48 PM |
I have shifted my ideals of "what I want my future house to be like" to the more intangible "how I want to live in the future" concept.
So barely 7 hours after I arrived at my uncle's place in suburban New Jersey, I have been absolutely blown away by the sheer "fullness" of their house. It has everything! And no, by saying "everything" I dont mean that its got an in-house cinema, gold plated taps or a pool table. Everything is as suburban as it can be, yet it seems to be absolutely complete: Anything you could ever wish for in a stable, convenient, charming environment as it can get.
It has fully carpeted floors. It looks like something out of an Ikea showroom. It has a little plate full of cookies and Skittles on the living room table, surrounded by squashy white armchairs and facing a TV. There is a DDR(!) mat in the basement lounge. There are little wicker baskets hanging from the ceiling for that homey country look. There is a (unused) fireplace complete with a full set of glittery fire tending rods. The kitchen's cupboards are overflowing with cereal, chips, ice cream and yoghurt. There's a fridge in the garage because the one in the kitchen's too full. There is a piano. The master bedroom has TWO walk in closets. There is a bathtub with little jars of flowers surrounding it. There are 2 washing machines in the laundry room (there's a LAUNDRY room!) Everything's bathed in cosy, yellow light. There is bottled water scattered in strategic areas around the ground floor. The bathroom floor is covered by 4-5 pink fluffy carpet rugs that I could stand on forever. All it needs is a golden retriever puppy taking a nap at your feet and it'll be complete.
Get the picture? It seems that you dont need pure luxury to convey a rich life. Hollywood set me the impression that I need floor to ceiling glass windows overlooking the pool and plush red armchairs to truly live like im rich. But my uncle's house is normal, yet complete in its conformity.
And after years of getting used to living in the bare minimum (you know how its like in the army and college: you get by with one bedsheet a month, and wash your underwear with cheap detergent. Oh, and my fridge in college has one lonely orange in it) To recline in a squishy armchair, munching on cookies with your laptop infront of you, is in my point of view, pure, unadulterated luxury.
he rocked the party at 9:12 PM |
Monday, November 20, 2006
One of the shitty things about living on campus is that you dont have an excuse to take a break, especially if you have 2 frickin midterms on monday. Last week was exceptionally crazy, spent every free moment plunging head first into my mountain of BBB psyc notes, getting frustrated over (seemingly) simple econ old exams, and plowing the Net for information of KFC's sinofication in China.
I ordered takeouts from the dining halls just so I could eat in my room and study, totally neglected the gym, and you know those people who study in the library on saturday night, always the objects of ridicule of people coming back drunk? Well, I became one of them. (The library people, not the drunk ones)
And you know you're losing it when you start prancing around to Backstreet Boys songs in the Class of 1938 lounge, with the sole purpose of distracting people studying in the library, who, through the glass windows, can see you and your Alaskan friend doing the Macerena in full, painful glory. Oh yeah.
Which is why I vowed not to touch a single bit of work this entire week, just in time for Thanksgiving break too! Headed to Jersey to join my uncle's family for the festivities. Turkey, cranberry sauce, and Black Friday shopping (where the shops stay open till the wee hours and offer amazing discounts). Mmmmmmmmmm.
he rocked the party at 11:07 PM |
Sunday, November 19, 2006
Like what I always tell my friends, 4am is the new midnight here at Penn. People here DONT SLEEP. Its horrible. I thought it would be pretty cool to have 5am to 1045am sleeping schedules, (my first class is at 11) until fugly pugly pimples began to pop out on my once presentable face, making me look like a testosterone charged lovesick teenage schoolboy. (Some people would say thats a very accurate description of me, but I beg to differ.)
So after reading an article in the Daily Pennsylvanian that an average college student needs at least 9 hours of sleep everyday, I tried changing my sleeping schedule from 12 to 9, but it just. does. not. work. Aragh. I swear, I keep telling myself that i'll just do a quick check on my email and facebook accounts before I sleep, and I end up spending 2 hours watching dance videos on YouTube. (YouTube is my new alcohol. Im addicted to it. Hurrah to Time's best invention of 2006!)
So its 4.32am now, on a Saturday night, and I need to wake up at 9 to study for my 2 midterms on Monday. Die la.
he rocked the party at 1:33 AM |
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
And so they danced, lost in their embrace and the music of mellow voices, oblivious to the camera flashes and the laughter around them. They waltzed in a small circle, as if the dance floor was made of thin air. They whispered mundane topics, not really caring what was said, simply savouring the intimacy.
He had never felt so special for almost a year now.
He wanted to prolong the moment, to make the night go on forever. But superficiality and pragmatism prevented him, and she, well, she had to go.
He had trouble sleeping that night.
When he awoke the next day, the old, lonely, ambitious self had taken over once again.
he rocked the party at 10:26 PM |
Thursday, November 09, 2006
I just booked my tickets for our upcoming sunny trip to Mexico/Guatemala/Cancun this winter break. Will be backpacking through dangerous cities, weaving our way through ruins, scaling mysterious caves and best of all, relaxing under lovely, skin cancer-inducing sun with Nadia and Faith. But we dont care. Anything to escape from this miserable cold, with the stupid sun setting at 4pm over here.
Advice/Recommendations about where to stay/visit from anyone who's been there are most welcome. Three blur Singaporeans weighed down by backpackfuls of bare essentials and who dont speak a word of spanish, lost in a foreign land... not a good idea. But ever so exciting!
Viva La Mexico! (i dont even know if thats in an actual language, but what the heck, it sounds cool)
he rocked the party at 1:17 AM |
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Had an in-depth discussion about the costs/benefits of the Wh@r+on school with my dad last night, and I have decided not to succumb to the seductive lure of shiny Hun+sman Hall, powersuit-wearing, laptop punching, networking-forming, power-hungry Wh@rt0nites.
Its strange coincidence that right after registering for Spring 2007 courses - which are as un-business like as possible, btw - I chanced upon my dad's email in reply to my thoughts of doing a pure liberal arts degree:
"Its never too late to learn technical skills when you need it in a career. No
point learning them when you're not likely to use them but a broad view of life
culled from the liberal arts disclipline and reflections will shape your life
forever. You're right, this sort of training will make one stand out from the
thousands of 'technicians' in (Company X) or any where else."
And suddenly, it all falls into place! Doing a college degree would give me the option to finish in 3 years, perhaps moving onto a postgraduate degree (which is every bit as useful, if not more useful, that a business deg). And also give me the opportunity to fulfill the said goals (refer 6 posts back) of picking up a new language, studying abroad, volunteering/interning abroad, and being involved in community service/dance. Plus, nothing's stopping me from taking as many finance, accounting, bpub and opim courses as I like. AND i dont have to take management 100! (Nyah nyah ni poo poo all you stressed Wh@r+onites)
Now, I just have to stop myself from thinking so much about the prestige and the paper chase, cause it just doesnt matter at this moment in time. Will not, will NOT transform into a faceless, ethics-lacking, power-hungry, Wall Street investment banker, rich or not!
he rocked the party at 11:30 PM |
Saturday, November 04, 2006
The first thing that struck me about Funk City, Strictly Funk's Fall 2006 concert, was just how freakin good they look. Yes, needless to say, I went to the concert with extremely high expectations, and they were largely met after 2 hours of solid hip-hop and jazz.
They've got a relatively small cast: 24 people who performed no less than 22 items and transitions. Not to mention that they were involved in the production as well, from making videos to selling tickets on the Walk this week. I. am. freaking. impressed.
Loved how they strung every item together to make one long story, and it wasnt one of those lame-ass story tie-ins ala THAT dance concert at a certain university. No doubt, their style's a whole lot different from that in Singapore, but I have to say again, it looks oh-so-good.
As how I always am after these things, inspired to improve my technique and try out again for Spring auditions, which happen in... i dunno. 2-3 months time? Sigh. Such a long way more. Have to start being serious and not miss anymore Overflow rehearsals because I was drunk/hungover/trying to look for my phone. (all 3 which, well, happened this morning)
Shall press on then. Here's to more random hiphop moves in the middle of Locust Walk!
PS: To my beloved (and sorely missed) dancers: Check out what I found on the SAJC website!
he rocked the party at 11:39 PM |
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Its amazing how one little problem (okay, one BIG problem) can bring your entire mood from pleasantly crusing to down in the dumps.
Fuck the bureaucracies of all these large organizations and governments, whose policies make absolutely no sense and are totally immovable to the plight of the common man.
I hope I can resolve this soon, even a minor thorn in my side leaves me constantly mildly irritated, making me antisocial and snappish. Why, oh why does shit like this happen to me on one of my good days?
he rocked the party at 1:49 PM |
