I have more insight than all my teachers,
for I meditate on your statutes.
I have more understanding than the elders,
for I obey your precepts.

My birthday wish, I suppose, is not one of a material nature. I yearn for wisdom - not knowledge, but a deeper understanding and maturity in thought.

I'm really blessed to have good friends in my life - albeit a small pool, but numbers don't matter in these sort of things.

10 April, 10.23pm. The light in my room was turned off - something which I hadn't done before I left for the shower. Sigh, "those two people next door."; the folks in the adjacent bunk had once came into my room to turn off the light while I was out. Nothing significantly wrong with that, though I'd prefer if they did not trespass in such a manner. I opened the door, and I saw 2 back-lit figures in the room, one sitting on my bed, the other standing behind it - the effect of it was not unlike that of the photographical term contre-jour, but I digress. That bothered me, and my mind spurned such thoughts: what the hell are the two of you doing in my room; not only do you turn off my light, now you're trying to scare me? As I inched towards the light switch, a deep voice boomed behind me. It was familiar, yet I couldn't see how that should happen. It was S from my previous section. Flick. And I was surprised. S, CL, JX, Sgt P and PS YK were all in the room, and a small yellow (unmistakably cake-containing) box sat on a chair in the middle of the room.

Thanks for the surprise, it really made my day (which was otherwise a boring one).

12 April, night. Kilo (it's atmosphere and food) was great, but the company was greater.

I've found a carbonara that's better than Canale's, but it's double the price. Reading reviews online, and given it's price point, I had placed quite high hopes on the Carbonara at La Strada - and it was definitely not a disappointment. It's taste was remarkably nuanced and dare I say light, especially for a Carbonara - I believe La Strada's recipe followed the Italian version of the dish, rather than the more common American version. What I loved about La Strada's dish was that the pasta was handmade (or at least I think it is) - it wasn't all entirely regular in shape, and it was just al dente - perfectly cooked. The chewey bacon tossed inbetween the pasta along with the crispy slices of ham/bacon complemented the cheese (which wasn't overpowering) and truffle butter very nicely. The only pity: the portion was a tad small - just a small measure more would have been better, alternatively, I should have ordered it with a set lunch (starter and dessert). I'll most definitely treat myself to this whenever I have a carbonara craving, now that I've tasted and tried it.

It's better than Canale's - but then again, they are both under Les Amis.

"Kinfolk is a growing community of artists with a shared interest in small gatherings. We recognize that there is something about a table shared by friends, not just a wedding or once-a-year holiday extravaganza, that anchors our relationships and energizes us."

In a world where convenience is placed above all other endeavours, where efficiency is of paramount importance, it's beautiful to see that there are people out there who truly care about the intricacies of life, caring enough to slow down and celebrate it with family and loved ones.

The online magazine is really nicely done up as well, which is another plus.

A mid-day nap is common in many warm countries, where post-lunch drowsiness is aggravated by the searing afternoon heat. While the term is Spanish in origin, the phenomenon can be observed worldwide, from Greece to Japan, where it is more commonly referred to as a "power nap"

The question then is, given the benefits of an afternoon nap (greater alertness, increased mental capacity etc.), why do Singaporean establishments still remain adamant in the adoption of such a measure? Is it the pursuit of productivity? That argument however falls flat, given the benefits of a power nap, which, when employed correctly, should produce even better results.

I don't quite know, but I remain hopeful that Singapore will one day shift away from its soulless pragmatism and be a bit more empathetic of the needs of the human spirit.

Does this rant even make any sense?

Image Credit: Hotel Distrito Capital

Image Credit: Muji

Très adorable! I want them all!

This is quite random but I want this Topman grey herringbone scarf. I love all/most things herringbone.

Image Credit: Coralie Bickford-Smith via The Dieline

Such a pretty collection of books. I'd love to have them on my bookshelf (whether I read them or not). I really love the art-deco styled patterns that adorn each book; I am a fan of the decadence of art deco.

Image Credit: GQ.com

Le Grand Salon, Le Royal Monceau Hotel, Paris | Image Credit: Le Royal Monceau

I love the clean lines of art deco, and I find it really interesting to note that monsieur Philippe Starck managed to mix his normally very pop-art style with the elegance of that era very well (well mostly). More photos can be seen at the hotel’s website, but that being said, I love this one the most.

I would love to stay there for the experience.

Pebble Eraser by Megawing | Available at Emmo Home

Sperry Top-Sider Bahamas in Navy Wool

Image Credit: Adidas SLVR

They look pretty interesting. I wonder how much will they cost in Singapore? Adidas SLVR is available at FrontRow, Raffles Arcade.

Two thirds of the year has passed, pretty fast might I add. More significant than that is the fact that it passed so quickly. God-speed. Well metaphorically speaking of course. Though that phrase itself is rather ironic in terms of usage. I mean God was said to have created the world in 7 (God) days, but the earth is around 4.5 billion (man) years old.

I digress.

Many changes have happened thus far. Firstly, and most obviously, is how time seems to be flying away from me. The same 24 hours that just a few months ago seemed sufficient suddenly make me feel as if I have been shortchanged. So many things are jostling for the same few hours that I have apart from the time spent in school – homework, exams, council, church… Well actually its just those few. I’m sad to admit it (especially for church), but what you see above is pretty much how I have prioritised things in my life at this point. I have been missing my Friday cell for quite a while already, given how busy council has been these few weeks/months. I’m not too sure about the latter, but it seems so at least.

Days turn to weeks, weeks to months. I’m losing track of time.

Days pass, I follow. Days pass, I forget.

What day is it?

That being said, while council is rather time consuming at this particular period, I would not say that it is an awful time. Rather, its enjoyable, but extremely draining and equally time consuming. Well that’s what I get for deciding to give a leadership CCA a try. I wonder what if I had joined something a little less demanding, say Art Society or something along that line. And in case you are wondering, yes, thoughts of quitting council have been surfacing in my head lately. Not because I hate it (I don’t). But more so because of how it feels like its pulling me in too many directions. Well they say what doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger. It has yet to do so. Besides, I am certain that God put me in this CCA for a reason, that no one is here by chance. I’m glad that the challenges that council provides help me to turn to God, even if I’m missing cell, even if I’m feeling down, even if I’m feeling tired… I still have Him. Anyway council has been quite interesting lately, Grad Night publicity, Open House 1, Teacher’s Day dance item etc. Yes it is a hell lot of work, but I’m not (okay I am) complaining.

In this span of months, I’ve been through 3 exams, 2 minor, one major. Okay, the last bit of that sentence sounds a little musical. Which leads me to digress for a brief moment. I’ve stopped music classes for a long while, for a good two thirds of the year. Simply put, I’ve been unable to find the time to practice, so I suppose any lessons would be somewhat pointless. I really hate to leave this dangling like that, considering how I’ve sacrificed a good many years learning to play the piano (I started when I was 6). And I’m unable to go any further, stuck at a 6.5 grade, nothing more. Oh well. I sincerely hope that I can try resuming piano classes after council stops for a study break in about a week or so.

Back to the point of exams. JC exams. Wow they really are different from those at the Os. The different weightage of subjects leads you to prioritise the importance of the subject. Like, I try really hard at my H2 subjects: Economics, Mathematics and Literature, while I’m mostly sidelining my H1 subjects, with the exception of GP. Another killer thing about JC exams is how close they are to each other. Just barely a few weeks after my first JC paper – MSA 1, I have my first major examinations – Common Tests. And no more than 4 weeks after that, I had my MSA 2. For some subjects, it seemed as if the teacher had just went through the previous exam script before we sat for the next one. This is probably one of the most straining aspects of JC life. Its little wonder why 2 people in my class have already dropped out for Poly.

I better stop for a minute. Yes I am listening to Keane now.

Oh and there is Project Work, and the multitude of acronyms that come with it. PI, EoM, AE, EE, ME, I&R,  WR. Gosh, there are a hell lot of them. More confusing is how to score at this subject. It may be a H1 subject, but it is one that is coursework-based, i.e. Our grades are based on a cumulation of grades of separate work. See, JC students know what you guys are going through in Poly.

I’m pretty sure that just by reading this whole post, you should be convinced that most of my life now revolves around school and its associated pandemonium (irony much?)

I should get some rest. That’s something that I also lack…

You can tell by my dark eye rings,
my eye bags and the
lately red eyes that I have.

I wish for sleep

I wish for rest

I wish for respite

I wish for [God’s] help

I wish for solace.

Image Credit: Massimo Dutti

Herringbone tweed, brown leather straps. Tres chic.

I’ve been hunting for a new bag for a while…

I wonder how much this will cost…

Image Credit: Louis Vuitton | 00o00

Someday, I’ll return