Tennis Royalty Turns 16

Tennis Royalty, Roger Federer clinched his fourth Australian Grand Slam title this evening. His achievement has risen to a grand total of 16 Grand Slam wins under his belt! During the past tournament, Federer also took time to raise money for Haiti. He is an incredible role model to millions around the globe! And definitely one of the special few on my list of "People To Meet" before I die! Tick Tock Tick Tock!!!

We Are A Mix, Let's Ace!

If you thought you had dined in every way possible, think again! Pick one card and you don't know when to stop. I had been hearing good reviews about this restaurant, Ace at Chijmes so last night we went down for dinner.

Here's their selling point: You decide on your drink of choice on the menu, and they lay out before you a deck of cards. You pick a card from the deck and the price you pay for your drink is determined by the card! Yes, so if you take an Ace then it's free or a 2 or 10 then it's $2 or $10. However if it's a King, Queen or Jack then you pay the bar price and what's good is that there's nothing for you to lose. This game can get quite addictive though which would make you want to try again and again. Debs and Mel were pretty lucky that night!

Now let's talk about the drama that went down last night. There was table of Caucasians at the restaurant just beside Ace and Cor got curious about if they were straight or gay! No surprise there. But of course he wasn't going to go up to them himself so the girls took action. Yeah, they formulated a plan and worked together with the waiters at our restaurant and waiters from the other restaurant. Mel and Debs ended up writing a note to their table asking the question and the waiter kindly passed it on. And in a short while, the table replied back "It depends on who's asking, we have a mix". Cor got damn excited I remember he practically jumped out of his seat. This note exchange flirting went on for a while longer and the waiters were happy helping both tables. That's what I call going the extra mile for good service!

Besides all that drama, we had some good laughs playing a new game. It's simple, it only involves the words "penis" or vagina" and movie titles. So simply put it, if it's your turn you apply either word into a movie title. For e.g. "He's Just Not That Into Your Penis". If you pass 3 seconds or if the phrase is lame then the player either takes a shot or decided on a "truth or dare"!

If you haven't been to Ace, I would recommend this restaurant which offers delicious Indian cuisine. And to our dearest Cassie, we have your grandma in our prayers! Take care!

I'll let you decide on the caption! lol

The cards are laid, now taking our pick!


The Boys!

Now the Girls turn!

You Can Do It!

Something I had perceived as going to be boring ended up to be so refreshing to my mind. I'm talking about a Social Media sharing/ conference I attended this evening, organized by my Poly.

The sharing was given by business entrepreneurs like Mr Brown, the NuffNang team and 3 others. What really hit me was hearing about their passion in life and how they accomplished it. Some also shared about how the first attempt at their online businesses failed but they learned from the experiences and tried again. And today they are successful people living their dream because of that.

This got me thinking about so many people in the real world and how everyone living their dream now didn't have it easy in the beginning. The drive for what they believed they could be made it possible. And later through much endeavour, fighting to reach the unltimate goal, it somehow became a reality for them. "It's just that easy and it's just that hard". As these thoughts ran through my mind, it is no wonder the history of No Doubt begam swimming in my mind.

No Doubt released their debut album in 1992 from their label, Interscope. However, the album didn't perform well on the radio or charts. Because of this, the label lost the attention of the band which led No Doubt to release an independent album "The Beacon Street Collection" which received more attention and was selling out quickly in their home town.

This prompted Interscope to give the band another shot. Although the band began facing many challenges and obstacles, I remember Gwen saying "they were so passionate about the record that they just MADE IT WORK" and they released "Tragic Kingdom" in 1995. Their breakthrough record in the entertainment industry and have since then come very far!

If you want something, if you have the passion for it, then it's up to you to make it work!

The Resistance

The countdown begins. Only 10 days to the Big Night Out. Their new single "Resistance" is out and I saw the video on YouTube a while back. It's an awesome track. Do check it out if you haven't!

I've not been this excited since partying it out with No Doubt at F1 Rocks! I'm certain Muse would be able to deliver the same energy but in a different style.

On a side note, I found the setlist on Wikipedia that Muse would be doing. The songs in bold are those I'm really psyched for! However, I'm quite disappointed that "Unintended" is not on there. I hope they perform it still!

Main set:

1. "Uprising"
2. "Resistance"
3. "New Born"
4. "Map of the Problematique"
5. "Supermassive Black Hole"
6. "MK Ultra"
7. "Interlude"+"Hysteria"
8. "Nishe"
9. "United States of Eurasia"
10. "Cave" or "Feeling Good"
11. "Guiding Light"
12. "Helsinki Jam"
13. "Undisclosed Desires"
14. "Starlight"
15. "Plug In Baby"
16. "Time Is Running Out"
17. "Unnatural Selection"
18. "Exogenesis: Symphony Part 1 (Overture)"
    
19. "Stockholm Syndrome"
20. "Knights of Cydonia"

Keep On Surviving!

A lot has been happening in the past week. I've tried to update this site in the past week and managed to finally find time now.

Just some things I've been working on: Financial Planning, Banking Law, Independent Study Project - Social Media in Higher Education and the 67th Golden Globe Awards, the beginning of the awards season. I was excited to see the cast of Glee, Neil Patrick Harris and movies that I got to catch and were nominated. It all turned out well and found some photos of those I thought looked rather dashing at the event!

PS: Olivia Wilde will be auctioning the Gucci dress she wore to the Golden Globes (Picture below) in a benefit to help raise funds for relief in Haiti. I guess we cal all do our part to help in whatever way we can. Last but not least this coming week is going to be another whirlwind for me! Praying for the people in Haiti and myself may stay survivors!

Neil Patrick Harris, Olivia Wilde, Emily Blunt, John Krasinski, Halle Berry

Sofia Vergara, Cast of Avatar, Sandra Bullock, Maria Menounos

Sink Or Swim?

Is it possible to outgrow somebody you've known for almost all your life?

Could you be wrong and so naive to think so. Who takes responsibility for the blame in this case? It does take two hands to clap.

Was the friction so strong to the point wear and tear overpowered the smooth but at times rocky sailings of our little boat we built? However hard we worked at it, holes emerged everytime though we tried to cover them up.

Perhaps we just avoided it mostly. Sink or swim?

Hysteria takes over and doubts whisper in the air from side to side. Is this a risk I'm willing to take or a regret so big it's almost unforgivable.

Love and friendship is like an epiphany. You've never really known what you've got until it's gone.

Something Kinda Ooh!

Happy 20th Birthday, Caitlin Beins!

It came to a surprise that we never celebrated Debs birthday together in the past 3-4 years that we've known each other. To mark the first occasion, we made reservations at Timbre and had dinner together.

The band was awesome too. We thought we make it a tad more special and got the band to help. They announced the Birthday message we wrote to Debs and the waiters brought out the cake simultaneously as we sang her "Happy Birthday"!

It was depressing that we all either had work or school the next day, hence we called it a night by 11pm. It would have been a lot more fun if we stayed on having more drinks and perhaps gone dancing! Also, Universal Studios is opening soon!!! Something to look forward too.

Happy 20th Debs! Welcome to adulthood and wave those teenage years goodbye.. It's gonna be awesome!

Run Like The Wind

It's been such a whirlwind these past couple of days adjusting back to Poly life!

Anywho, upon graduation, the next phase of life in this country is to enlist in the army. Prerequisite to the national service is to complete the national physical fitness assessment (napfa) which I took yesterday. Not having taken this test in 3 whole years nor running 2.4Km in a year, I did not know what to expect but wonderfully, I succeeded! I even came in first position in the 2.4 run and attained a Silver medal for the overall test!

The run was exhausting which makes you really admire horses and their amazing speed. Like the horses above I think it reflects the entire cohort or herd that is us running too!

PS: 2010 resolution: Ride a horse!

There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.

Winston Churchill

Rebel In The New Year And Decade!

Post-New-Year celebrations was in order. First club and First party; For the year and for the decade!

Together with Corey and his cousins, we hit Rebel at Clarke Quay. Spent the night downing whiskey, dancing, tequila shots, dancing and more tequila!

After that awesome wild night, we went for McDonald's breakfast nearby, especially since some of us were craving for Hotcakes! Is there anything better for breakfast, seriously?!

Cheers before taking a tequila shot/ Nikki doing her best dance impersonation of Corey

Twist The Champagne

New Year's eve was spent with the family which is a rare phenomenon here! Whereas in The US, the family meet every weekend at least.

So it was Bowling in the afternoon with the cousins and thereafter I brought my nephews and niece back home and watched Alvin and the Chipmunks with them. Had dinner at my cousin's home afterwards and headed to a bar called Blue Moon for fine champagne and the countdown to 2010! It was a pretty sweet night and headed back home for more drinks... post-countdown style!

Let's get it twisted!

A Decade Of Love & Friendship

As a decade comes to an end and a new chapter opens, it is interesting to look back at the past 10 years. The people that we have met. The places we've been to. The events that have taken place. The things we've said and things we did not get to say. The risks we took or didn't take. The people we've found and those we lost. The growth and changes that has taken place in us.

Have we successfully crossed the ring of fire? Have we accomplished anything of worth in the last 10 years that we can proudly broadcast to the world? For me, the best moment of 2009 would be meeting Gwen Stefani and No Doubt for the second time. And of course all the effort Addison put through with me to make it possible! Finally to all my friends and family that had made 2009 and the past 10 years such a meaningful and pleasant period. For that I am truly grateful!

As we enter a new decade and a new year, I hope we take the leap and dance to greater boundaries in whatever we do. Why, because we are so young! Finally, It's not what people want of us, rather what we want for ourselves. It's 2010!