eC's Chillout Lounge

Friday passed swiftly and evening was here before I knew it.

I thought of changing job and had been sending out resumes the whole day. Response hasn't been too good, though. Have to keep it going.

I'm looking for more photography related job. There is a second interview coming up next week for a junior photographer, keeping my fingers crossed!

A friend of mine is planning to head to the UK. She is a financial planner and she is going to give up 2 years of her time to try out something new. When I asked her why she want to do it, she replied,



"I want to get out of the rat race."

Another friend got an interesting analogy. He shared with me that in a rat race, even if you win, you are still a rat.

How simple and true.

This is why I'm in Sydney now. Life is not a bed of roses here, but it's far more interesting to be in a sheltered environement of 699.4 km². You get humbled and stretched, you realise the world is so big, and yet small in a cosmopolitan city such as this.



We had (another) balcony barbie with a view of sunset with another group of friends.

We are so good and doing this now, man. Refer to instructions at Eliss's blog.

The food was so palatable, especially with additional bulgogi that was being served for the first time here. Today was alchohol free, too!



One of the interesting comparisons that we did was the difference of a student between a top secondary and neighbourhood secondary school.

What I'm going to say may sound kinda stereotypical, so just take it like a pinch of salt.

Top School

1) Students don't usually hang out with Ah Beng and Ah Lian (teenage troublemakers)

Students are typically quite obedient and don't have much trouble in school. And there are fewer Ah Beng and Lian in there too.

2) Student have parents that make them do many ECA (extra curriculum activities)

The parents often send their kids to multiple tuition sessions, coupled with music lessons (piano, violin are the most popular).

Most of the students are overachievers, having Grade 8 in piano or being trained professionally in ping pong by national player. All these despite all the pressure on them.

3) Student have parents that are very concern for their studies

The parents will take time to nurture (or torture) their kids in mastering the foundation of their studies. Be it giving spelling tests, or memorising the time tables, parents will not hesitate to "encourage" their kids to learn with canes in their hands.

Dictatorship in its most loving way.

Neighbourhood School

1) Students mostly know, and hang out with some Ah Beng or Ah Lian

Playing truant and public caning are common affair. Smoking in toilet and gambling in class seems to be a more common sight as well.

2) Students have many ECAs and their parents are in the dark

Well, I can't print too much info here. You know what I mean.

3) Student have parents that don't give so much pressure on the them

Since the students are not in prestigious school, parents tend not to compare them to other relatives as much, as opposed to a student in a top school. Snob factor.

In light of this, students are usually punished by parents for other factors, like playing too much computer games or sports.

Eat more meat during Chinese New Year



Why? Because the supply of vegetables from flood-hit Johor for CNY is under threat, said Pasir Panjang Wholesale Market Association.

It seems that 60%-70% of what they sell now have to be flown in from China, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam.

A kilogramme of kangkong, which normally costs S$1, will now costs S$3.

However, the government seems to be able to source for alternatives and maintain their prices.

NTUC FairPrice says it will continue to hold prices for as long as it can. By the way, this is not the first time they "helped".

In 2003, Singapore was hit by SARS and Pasir Panjang Wholesale Centre was closed for 15 days. Vegetable supply was severely disrupted.

FairPrice imported vegetables directly and help maintain supply. They did not increase the price.

In 2004, during the bird flu outbreak, they were the also first to bring in 120,000 eggs from Australia when the import ban was imposed on Malaysian poultry and eggs.

When the import ban was lifted and supply returned to normal, prices of eggs remained high. They were the first to reduce the price of eggs from $2.10 to $1.50 for 10 eggs.

Talk about adding fuel to the flame. Those small independant players better think of something smart. And fast.

How about selling meat instead? Start a Eat Meat campaign or something.

You have D&G Motorolla, I have Prada LG!



The Prada Phone will start selling next month for $US780 at mobile phone dealers and Prada stores in Britain, France, Germany and Italy. Asia will get it in March.

I reckon the touch-sensitive screen looks pretty much like the Apple iPhone, eh?

So which company actually come out with the design first?



How will you feel if the new colleague sitting beside you is getting 500 times more pay than you? And you guys do pretty much the same thing, except that he is David Beckham.

LA Galaxy's players have apparantly showed a lot of resentment, which I think is normal, lar.

I mean, Beckham is paid like £128m for the 5 year contract, for goodness sake. Who won't turn into a green eye monster?