calling

I remember calling windows xp to re-register after I got a new hard drive. The customer service agent told me that I had a really nice voice. It was flattering but I am still a bit stunned because I always hate my voice and it's one of the things that I would change about myself if I had the choice.

RicO

What is this new vibe to this blog that you immediately feel upon entering? What is extra flair that you sense? Well X's blog has just gotten spiced up a notch with added photos to previous entries! Check 'em out!

Montreal Christmas: edited from email.

Christmas is drawing near so fast. What is christmas like in Australia? Germany? France? China? Korea? Malaysia? Mauritius?

My favourite place to have Christmas is Montreal. In Montreal it's usually always snowy. The streets look like they are made out of white marble due to the untainted snow. Walking along the sidewalk of street of Sherbrook (the main street that marks the end of McGill campus and the begining of downtown), you feel like you are walking in a tunnel with a dome roof- as the snow sticks to the intertwining branches of the trees above your head. Everything in the world seems to glow with the bright downtown street lights, car lights, christmas lights and beam lights from the sky scrapers. Each step in front of you multi-coloured sparkles dance in the snow. It's rush hour, but the busy scene of last minute shoppers with their huge bags crossing the streets, the cars in the traffic congestion trying to get out of town, the sound of bells from the salvation army volunteer dressed like santa and asking for money, are all masked by the giant feathers floating down from the sky. The ear muff on my ears, the crunchiness of snow under my boots and the soft pettals falling on my eyelashes, nose and hair always gives me a sense of detachement from the world. The rush and busy-ness always seems at a distance and in slow motion. In this kind of calming setting you never feel like there is a rush to go anywhere.

Most of the bare trees along these busy and familiar streets are usually dressed with vibrant and festive lights, dying the virgin slow around them the same vivid colours. The colours are echoed and exaggerated by the whiteness all around. It's the night that the city comes alive and sheds its gray and colourless dismal shell. I love the whisps of coffee scented aromas and christmas music that embrace me as I walk past streetside shops as customers are exiting.

It's not the reds and greens, the fake santas, florescent pink sky or even the snow that makes christmas back home so special. It's something in the air- something that both singapore and san jose lacks. So you smell christmas in the air?

Here are some more pictures of ma ville, my neighborhood.

The first one is the old port montreal with the frozen waters in the foreground and the second one is McGill College st. It leads directly to the main gates of McGill (as seen in the very end of the street.

Here in north america people go to all lengths to decorate their houses with christmas lights, trees and garlands. It really makes the neighborhood look like disney land.

Wo ist die toilette?

Today has been fuzzy and blurry. I guess I just feel so out of touch with so many people I care about. Nevertheless, after re-reading some of the past emails of a good friends I feel much better.

It's one of those bittersweet feelings of finding out that someone important to you cares about you, is thinking about you and is missing. You are so glad that you hold a place in their hearts, yet at the same time you miss them so much and realize that you might never see them again. You realize that even if you do your relationship will never be the same again due the the distance, your divergent experiences and the natural process of maturing. In a way I guess it's really magical how we can share a piece of someone's life. We are all a part of their lives' puzzle and it's not complete without our side of the story. On the other hand our lives are too made up of so many other people that we've shared our joys, love, sadness with.

To all of the friends that I've recently said bye to and might not see again in a long long time:

Colin: I miss having someone to make funny faces at. Your such a cartoon and can always make me laugh.

Gary: I miss your boytarded pervertedness- it can always make me laugh, especially your daily sentences in chinese containing the word "ru3 tou2"

Sheri: You have such a beautiful voice. I love how your so animated. Why watch movie when you can watch sheri???

Christian: I love your sarcasm. Although it always makes me roll my eyes, but it always makes me laugh. I'm glad you took so many pictures of the singaporean life when I wasn't paying attention. you were always better at enjying life than me.

Tobias: I admire how strong your values are despite of the lax world around us. I admire your religiousness, not many people can keep that us. I really like your humour as well ;)

Seung: I like how you can just laugh things off and it seems that you never get offended. I love your random comments that just pop outa nowhere. and lastly tus ojos son como las estrellas en el cielo!

Francois: I must say, the way that I met you was one of the most interesting and unique ways that you can meet someone. Just for that I don't think I'll ever forget you. You are a great dancer and I'll miss dancing to your "rock and roll" to salsa music, rnb, hip hop, pop, and whatnot! I really wish we have met earlier.

Bryan: I have so much fun when I'm with you. I like how you seem always so enthusiastic about things. I will always remember those prata nights, those family guy nights and those dirty dancing singaporean nights!

Natalia: We never said a proper goodbye. I really wish we did more things together. You are a beautiful person and I have a good time every time I'm around you :)

Alex: I have to say you have taught me many (useful) things in german. and many (grammatical) positions as well! It's going to be very hard to find another person who is as calm and chill as you. Although your gone, your flirtiness and perverted vibes will stay with those that you've met.

Needless to say, I miss all you people very much and I won't forget you!

As for Steve-o, winson, Steven, Dexter, Birget and MerRyan- I'll see you next semester!

would you like some ice with that?

Toshiba laptops are the worst, they always shut down because they overheat. These incidents only increase in frequency as the years go by. So what does my brilliant familly do to alleviate this problem? We put the laptop on those cooler gel type ice packs... as weird as it sounds, it actually works. I thot that's the funniest thing.

Atlantic Salmon

Today I was at Costco with my mom and they had everyone sample atlantic salmon. They made it seem like it was special and purchase-worthy just because it's because it's from the Atlantic. Now I am at San Jose right now and it's a city in the bay area by the pacific ocean. I recall when I was in Montreal (east coast) they sold "pacific" salmon at premium prices. I guess we are just never satisfied with what we have. Kinda funny if you ask me.

singa pura, paused

it was pouring when I left. The heavy singapore storm crashed onto the ground lounder than the engines of a 747. The monstrous waterfall made it impossible to see beyone one meter ahead. The thunder rang with such force that it made your chest tighten everytime it crashed, even when you where expecting it. Unlike other storms that go away after a while, this one started in the evening and never seemed to stop.

we where in the sheares hall lobby. Like usual we were laughing, singing and talking... doing nothing really but still having the best time ever. I was with Sheri, Gary, Steve-o, steven, winson, alex and christian. To the timide and conservative singaporean we were just the bunch of foreign kids singing, laughing without any regard for us losing face. but it was our last minutes together, probably for the rest of our lives. We bonded very easily from living together and travelling together. Who would know from seeing us they we where saying goodbye? That was it... my cab finally came... we hugged and kissed each other again and they all walked outside with me dispite of the rain to the cab. The we kissed and hugged goodbye again.

I will miss them to much. Including bryan, seung, Natalia and francois... whom I never really got a chance to say a proper goodbye. They are great people and I'll miss them so much. I've been saying goodbye to people all my life... and it still hurts.

But I am ready for the next page of my life. I am looking forward to seeing allmy friends here. Without these up and down in life it would be so much more boring. I like how when I look back in life its like a story. I am contented with the fact that I know that I have friend in all parts of the world now.... Melborn, Sydney, beijing, hong kong, munich, paris, montreal, toronto, vancouver, bay area, singapore, malaysia, berlin, vienna, mexico, bogota, texus, LA, seoul