Trapped

Rods of steel surrounding

An ominous darkness approaching

Immobilised, it stood

In loneliness,

In pain.

Questions asked

But never answered

Helpless, it was...

Beyond redemption.

This webbie will be inactive because its owner is going mad looking at bloody equations and words 24/7. Activity will resume every three weeks or so.

Bleah.

Home is where the heart is

Today may seem like any other day, but it isn't. It's National Day.

39 years ago Singapore was separated from Malaysia because of economic clashes and communal tension that arose from merger. (S.S helps sometimes) We were finally independent.

Then 16 years ago, I was born.

Without Singapore, My Dad wouldn't have met my Mum. And I wouldn't be here. I'd probably be floating around somewhere, or be in a sty 'cos maybe I was reincarnated into a pig.

In my 16 years of living, I'm really glad to say that Singapore has been a perfect home to me.

Look at Iraq. Look at Cambodia. Even so, look at New York.

Do these countries enjoy the peace and calm that we enjoy? No.

We have a good education system, a stable government, and lots of shopping centres. (Yippee) Of course, these come from the taxpayers, but would you rather not pay tax and live in fear of bombs and an unstable government?

Oh! And how often does a country have NDPs every year, with stunning songs and performances to leave the spectators speechless?

I can walk downstairs without worrying that some bomb will land flat on my face; I can eat claypot laska from Bukit Merah without the fear that cockroaches will appear beneath the food.

Tell me, what else beats that?!

Maybe you'll think that since young I have been 'brainwashed' to think this way. But I don't really mind.

'Cos I think I am the most fortunate person on earth to be living in Singapore.

Happy Birthday, dear Singapore!

Look what I found!!




Was searching around in the MOE webbie when I came across this picture. So nice!! ;)

Okay, back to mugging.

Time is slipping past my fingers. Quickly, but surely.














OHMYGAWDMYGAWDMYGAWDOHMYGAWD!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Doyouhaveanyideahowmanydaysareleftbeforethebloodyprelims
andlikeihaveahundredchapterslefttorevisesohowtheheck
amigonnagetintothatdreamjcforthefirstthreemonths?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*pant*

I read this quote somewhere: There is no such thing as stress in the world, only people having stressful thoughts.

I am not stressed. I am not stressed. I am NoT stressed. Ya la! I not stressed what... lalala...

~state of self-denial~

Meeting an old friend

Woke up this morning with my hair looking like I just came out from a lion's den. I had to get my butt off my beloved bed at 8am; it was Happy Nurses' Day today, and Mum had 4 free tix to the Singapore Zoo, courtesy of the National Health Group (NHG).

"Can I not go??? Please la... I need to do work..." I grumbled and grumbled and grumbled a few days before. The whole world was mugging away, and I had to go to the zoo??? The zoo?? To watch nurses display their nursing gowns with a hoard of elephants shitting around??

Super Dad glared at me. So did Mum.

"Relax la...It's just a few hours!!! Family Day, my dear."

Okay okay fine. I did not want to be reduced to a heap of dust, anyway.

So I went, grudgingly.

"What's in your bag?" I asked Weirdo sis when we were in the taxi heading to the Mandai area.

"Hah? Oh, I brought insect repellent. There are lots of insects in the zoo leh. "

Man, I told you she was weird.

So we emerged out of the blue taxi after 10 minutes and whoosh!! The Singapore Zoological Gardens greeted me. It's been a loooooong time, I thought. The last time I came here was eons ago!! During my primary school days, the zoo was my favourite place to go on a school trip. I remembered Auntie Mary, that siao zookeeper who made the whole lot of us laugh non-stop during those educational talks.

Then I heard the sound of tribal drums.

I turned. Could it be... ??

Chey. A boyboy was playing with the colourful drums attached to the many pillars. With his fair skin and Hawaiian shirt, he looked like he was trying to summon rain but a snow fell instead. But he was so adorable, I forgave him for creating such a ruckus. ;)

Whilst my Mum waved hello to all her collegues, I gaped at how much the Zoo had changed. Even the smell was different!! Instead of shit, I smelled flowers. It was refreshing, no doubt.

"AWWWW AWWWW OOOOO AWWW OOOOOOOOOO!!!!!"

Huh??!!! What the..??? WAS AN ELEPHANT IN LABOUR????

Weirdo sis and I practically ran toward the sound. The board I was headed to showed a monkey.

AN ELEPHANT MATING WITH A MONKEY?????

Oh.

It was just a bunch of attention-seeking siamangs, a type of monkey who have inflatable throat sacs to amplify their calls. Cool, eh? They swung from tree to tree like it was the easiest thing to do. How I envied them. Even monkey bars were an obstacle for me.

"Mummmeeeeee... So smelly... uhhh......."

Just another one of those attention seekers. This time it was a little girl with pigtails. Bleah.

We continued walking until there was this huge shelter with a signboard that showed Happy Nurses' Day.

"Now.. Let's welcome Ah Meng!!!" The emcee announced.



Ah Meng


Ah Meng??! I time-travelled to years ago, and saw my young self about to pee in her pants when Ah Meng the Orang Utan put its arms around her shoulder and Mum took a picture. I remembered his distinct smell. Probably too much armpit hair.

I wondered if she remembered me, the little girl who was fascinated but horrified at the sight of an Orang Utan sitting so darned close.

She looked old and haggard, but wise. She was a grandmother! The mass of hair was still intact, by the way.

Did you know that she was confiscated back in 1970 from a Chinese family, and later found her home at the Singapore Zoo? Unbelievable.

"Hiya, old friend." I mumbled, even though she was metres away from me.

Okay okay enough of mushy stuff. Together with Weirdo sis we went to the primate section and saw a bunch of orang utans. My eyes fell upon an orang utan, who was doing some sort of Taiji. It swung its arms backward and forward, and stretched them against two suspending ropes.

"Why its head so small ah?" I asked Weirdo sis.

"That's its arse. The head is on the other side."

Oh.

I had the sudden urge to sing out loud, "Monkey!! Gorilla chimpanzeeee!!!! Monkey!!!! Gorilla chimpanzeee!!!"

Please do not feed or tease the monkeys.

Fine.

Moving on, Super Dad led us to a sealion enclosure. I saw an animal which looked like a cross between a pig and a mermaid. I think the name's Manates or something.

And jackass penguins!! Did you know that 21,000 of them were threatened by an oil spill in the coasts of South America some time ago, and the zoo sent 2 staff to help?

Kinda stingy, but anyway, the people over there sprayed light vegetable oil to loosen the heavy fuel oil that stuck onto the poor penguins' bodies, and rinsed them with soapy water. After they recovered, they were freed. About 90% of them were saved!

It's ironic how these animals were threatened by humans, but saved by humans as well.

Mum saw her pals again, and she sat down to yak with them. Super Dad was not in sight; I suppose he wandered off to see the reptiles.

Later we went to the reptile enclosure; I saw king cobras who looked as if they haven't slept for a million years.

I also found out that these cobras were actually deaf. They sway on tv when the snake charmer plays music, not according to the rhythm of the music, but according to the movement of the snake charmer's musical instrument.

Interesting.

Porcupines which looked really bored, crocs looking half-dead, racoons looking so darned cute.... etc. It was an eyeful!!

Then I saw flamingoes with their slender pink legs. If Angela were here, she'd salivate, I thought.

So anyway.

It was almost noon and I met up with Asian elephants Komali, Jati, Sara and Raja!! Huge but adorable. Esp. Koomali, who grabbed a pillow and laid on the ground like a toddler. =D

Reunited with Super Dad, and after lunching at Forest Fare , we headed home with smiles on our faces.

Well, at least it wasn't a wasted trip. I learnt some things that were beyond those idiotic textbooks! Plus after seeing almost every visitor having a digicam, my Mum's very tempted to have one.

*evil grin* I'm off to check out the latest models on the Net. Ciao!