佛牙寺 - one nite at chinatown

I got an invitation from the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum (known as BTRTM) sometime earlier to go down for the lighting ceremony for my 守护神. So i went down with my girlfriend on saturday afternoon for the ceremony.



As you can see, its a hot day. The air con inside the temple is very welcoming indeed. We managed to get ourselves registered for the 1pm+ session after i pondered on my chinese birthday and time of birth. My mum never bothered to tell me, neither was i interested. We then paid $20 for some items (i was not convinced to pay $38 more for the seven precious stones) which you can see below.


Consist (for one pax) one mini mooncake, one lamp, one wishing card, one handphone accessory carrying the symbol of each 守护神and finally one odd shaped paper with a lot of words i cannot understand on it.

Waited for about 10min and its our turn for the ceremony. Plenty of standing, chanting by the monks and ended with a short march to the end of the temple. Took about 15min although the standing and holding the items must have make it felt longer.

Then come sunday and my mum wanted to go down too. I thought it might be a good chance for me to take some nite photography and i went too. Here is one where the exact ceremony take place.



You can see many wishing cards, i kapo and read some. Its not surprising that some wrote Toto, 4D and passing driving test as their wishes.



Then something not related. I saw this on the road while trying to get a bus home. Its very near to where the temple is, i wonder what they are there for.

SBS - it can read ur mind

Our very own public bus service, namely SBS, has always been one of my favourite topic, not for its efficiency, but rather its lack of it.

You see, ever since i had to readily depend on SBS for my trips to and from uni, waiting time and travelling time were ripped from my life by slow drivers, poor coordinators and profits-driven company owners. I list them in the order of my memory below.

1) bus service 156 which i take to clementi has always been poor in its route itself. Always single deck, it will be crowded by the time it reaches my stop making it un-boardable. And the people crowded it will alight 2 stops later, so the bus will be empty. I guess the un-eveness of the distribution of the passengers make a super-bus not feasible, but then why can't they change the fucking route?

2) I noticed that AIR-CON buses almost always feel bloody cold during cold weather and warm during hot weather. If the air-con serve to remind me of the weather outside, pls stop calling ur buses AIR-CON bus.

3) Try taking feeder bus from my house in the morning. I think i complained about this before since i do not think i should be waiting more than 15min for one. Damn, the whole bus route is not even more than 10 stops!!!

4) SBS has the most amazing ability to know when you want ur bus to come most, and not giving you it. One very good example, sunday late morning 11+am, i am very hungry and waiting for bus 162 to come and bring me home for brunch. And guess wat, i waited almost 20min for one.

5) Having SBS to operate the bus and NEL at the same time jus defeat the whole meaning of competition. I simply cannot comprehend what exactly is our dearest Transport ministar is up to that time. Well, singaporeans are the wonderfully simple people to not complain and jus suck whatever trash throw to them. Another thing is the physically and mentally impossible barriers to operate another bus service to compete against SBS. Well, i guess its all linked.

Damn.

Fumina Hara IS getting married!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111

I dunnoe what to say or feel. All i know is her husband-to-be is a 37yr old ex-J league soccer player, now a soccer commentator. They have announced their wedding couple of months ago and the wedding is due later this year.
She has been my favourite gravue / actress since dunnoe when (pls discount Matsu Takako). Lucky guy to be marrying her and I wish her all the best. Well, she DOES look blissful in the picture.

Sianz. I feel so unwell now.

Hair Loss counter-measures

In one of my previous post, one of the things that is constantly bothering me in my seeming thinning hair. I tot i should start doing something before its too late. So i read up on the internet, forum threads about people who are facing similar problems. Decided about 1 month+ back to try this topical solution called Minoxi5.
This solution (Minoxidil 5%) was originally used to treat high blood pressure but hair growth was an unexpected side effect. So now this drug is being commonly used for hair growth but not taken orally. One bottle is quite hard on the wallet too, $60+ for 80ml. Cheapest i can find oreadi.

Decided to see my GP 1 week back to seek more advice. She prescribed a drug called Propecia, which seems to be the only drug available for people like me. Supposed to see some effect of hair growth and decreased loss in 6 months or so. Another very expensive option since 28 pills (one a day) cost $95. But its the side effects that will worry most men though. These are decreased libido, erectile dysfunction, deceased volume of ejaculation, breast enlargement and tenderness (OMG!!!) and testicular pain.
I decided to give this drug a shot, since i don't think i plan to be a father anytime soon. So far so good.

Last thing i am trying now is to wash my hair with a special shampoo my GP prescribed and using cold water everytime. The shampoo is only twice a week but i am using cold water everytime i wash my hair, so that the pores will contract and less oil get secreted. This is horrible since mornings nowadays are getting cold. Having cold water all over me is the last thing i want.

33.3% of my readers suggested i take a picture one of these days as a "Before" photo so that i can compare if these counter-measures are really working. Maybe i will do so and post the photo up here. Haha...

Getting obsessed with boobs in SOS

Ironman trailer

Ironman was a not-as-popular-as-spidey marvel creation some time back in my era. The on screen version is set to come some time next year. Here is the trailer for u to decide if u wanna catch this. Looks pretty nice to me.

Best ancient weapon vs modern machinery

Katana vs pistols

Feline breeds

Was into the idea of keeping a dog next time when i have my own house. Can't do so now becos my mum is mentally allergic to anything with fur.
I don't like small dogs (ie chihuahua, silky terrier). Feel that small dogs do not fulfill my impressions of dogs as guardians. Although some small dogs can and will feel protective of their owners in times of danger, i would prefer a german Shepard protecting me instead of a jack russel terrier.
The breed i had in mind was a Chow Chow. Its a snobbish dog, more cat-like in attitude than a dog. But i realised that Chow Chow is considered as a medium size dog and therefore not allowed to be kept legally in HDB. Damn fucking stupid rules. Now as if some private condominiums are any bigger than HDBs.
Not that some people i see care though. I seen Labradors, huskies around in HDB more often than i see chihuahuas.

I given up on dogs, turning my attention to felines instead. Now for the less informed, cats are not allowed to be kept as pets too in HDB. I don't know how this another damn stupid regulation was derived and couldn't care less. I plan to keep one next time.

Having read up something about cat breeds for the past few days, i learned something.
1) Cats are not that solitary, they do need occasional cuddling and showers of love/concern from their owners.
2) Some cats are not to be let outdoors, as they are too docile to even make a feeble attempt to protect themselves.
3) Adults cats sleep 16hours a day. Try beating that.
4) Some cats can live for more than 15 years, depending on the breed and living conditions.

So as i read on, i narrow down according to my (future) situations and preferences. Ended up with a breed known as "Ragdoll". Take some time to follow the link, its interesting to know this breed better, for 66.6% of my readers will get to see one in the future.

Keeping a cat isn't cheap. In fact, it can be darn rite expensive depending on how pampered the cat the owner wants it to be. Some of the must-buy items include:
1) litter tray w litter
2) food and water bowl (water fountain for the more techie inclined)
3) scratching post
4) toys
5) bed
6) carrier bag
7) toiletries
8) food

and there is so much to be learned about cat food from the ingredients to the producing companies relationships with other food companies.

Enuff for today, there is just so much on cats that i can regurgitate from the net.

Unwell

All day
Staring at the ceiling
Making friends with shadows on my wall
All night
Hearing voices telling me
That I should get some sleep
Because tomorrow might be good for something
Hold on
I'm feeling like I'm headed for a
Breakdown
I don't know why
I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell
I know, right now you can't tell
But stay awhile and maybe then you'll see
A different side of me
I'm not crazy, I'm just a little impaired
I know, right now you don't care
But soon enough you're gonna think of me
And how I used to be
Me
Talking to myself in public
Dodging glances on the train
I know
I know they've all been talking 'bout me
I can hear them whisper
And it makes me think there must be something wrong
With me
Out of all the hours thinking
Somehow
I've lost my mind
I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell
I know, right now you can't tell
But stay awhile and maybe then you'll see
A different side of me
I'm not crazy, I'm just a little impaired
I know right now you don't care
But soon enough you're gonna think of me
And how I used to be
I been talking in my sleep
Pretty soon they'll come to get me
Yeah, they're taking me away
I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell
I know, right now you can't tell
But stay awhile and maybe then you'll see
A different side of me
I'm not crazy I'm just a little impaired
I know, right now you don't care
But soon enough you're gonna think of me
And how I used to be
Hey, how I used to be
How I used to be, yeah
Well I'm just a little unwell
How I used to be
How I used to be

Silent protest

Nothing much, jus something i saw at yahoo news. Glad to know that many are dis-pleased with gahmen's tactics.

Show your part here at here.

$4 Gachapon

Was at the Jurong East entertainment center one day when i saw those Gachapon machine with Suzumiya Haruhi trading figures. The price was a bit on the high side at $4 but with 3 out of 7 designs are Haruhi in the bunny suits, i tot why not?
Damn. This is wat i got.

So when i saw another one similar machine at IMM, i start to gian again. I went through quite a bit of trouble since that stupid coin changing machine dun accept the new $2 plastic notes. Finally i get to turn the knob to get exactly the same thing.

Fuck.

Very down

Was feeling ultra downhearted for the past 5 days or so. Can't put to words or pen what its all about, but i guess it a combination of the following reasons.

1. Work is getting frustrating. So much so that i am looking forward to the tea-breaks and lunchtime to escape. Escape from my boss perhaps. Starting to get on my nerves when i feel that he is making use of every opportunity to make me feel incompetent. Maybe he doesn't meant to make it feel tat way, but i am jus pissed.

2. I am only late 20s and oreadi having hair loss problem. Its probably hereditary since I am on a pretty healthy diet. This is the only way I cannot shift blame onto anyone or anything (I cannot blame my dad for this rite?) While there is no bare patch (yet), i can't cheer myself up when i am seeing thinning hair and more and more glimpses of my scalp. I have been using this topical solution Minoxi5 for like 1 month but all i see is more hair on my hands whenever i wash my hair. I am pretty desperate now, maybe a visit to a GP will ease some of my worries.

3. I failed my IPPT sometime ago and i am due for RT. I am never a fitness person, preferring to laze around and enjoy my weekly dose of basketball court soccer than jogging. But now, i dread having to go for RT because i will find it hard to explain to my boss i need to leave earlier for RT. He had the impression i am a super fit person (because of my vocation in NS) so i guess he is going to be unpleasantly surprised. Maybe i should jus leave on the dot at 5:30 and take a cab down, hopefully won't be late and still escaping all those funny looks i am going to be receiving.
Jus booked my RT session to begin on the 9th Sep.

4. I have been trying to study into trading with options for the past 5 years or more. Its not the most interesting subject i would have chosen but given that i am in this depressing nation, i need to find alternate means for extra income. My discipline has let me down, i am nowhere near to that goal of mine as i was 3 years ago. I have stepped up my efforts to read more relevant books lately but its hard doing all these alone. At least for the start. Or am i finding an excuse?

5. I very much wanted a home of my own. My current pad is a small corner of a room which I shared with my dad. I hide here behind my computer hoping to escape from reality. Reality is, I won’t be getting any more comfortable if I should ever get a new home with my current girlfriend. We cannot even agree on where to stay, so I can only predict more problems ahead of us. She expects me to give in to her, but there is only so much i can bulge.

I am sure any one of the above reasons when alone will not cause me to suffer from this mild depression. They jus happen to come all together, while the past ones would not disappear. I am vaguely clear of what I have to do, but it going to take some time, some very long time ahead.

Oh, I got back my SLR-wannabe. Its time for some overdue photo taking with some of my stuff.