In order to satisfy my lust for flesh (read: hunger…haha) last night before L cell, I went to KFC to have a quick-fix dinner. Digression:Something I learned from one of my CS lecturer is that headlines concerning money, sex or death will definitely grab anybody’s attention. Gotcha! Point proven! Well, back to more of my carnal indulgence: I used to patronize them at least twice a week, but began to have second thoughts lately when I felt their standards have dipped. What initially seemed like a disastrous choice of meal turned out to be absolutely satisfying… I ordered a two-piece meal and asked for chicken breasts specifically. (Boy, you should be there to see how I ordered, “Can I have breasts please? Original one, thanks.”) Much to my dismay, I got two really small size pieces that naturally caused me to feel I got cheated. However, as soon as I tucked in, I was literally made to swallow my own words - and the remarkably yummy chicken. Maybe it is because I have not visited KFC for more than a month and was rather hungry at the point of time, but I had a great time wolfing down the aromatic, succulent and meaty chunks of sin. (Bet you’re salivating now ya?) The meal was surprisingly filling and I am no longer complaining. Thumbs up for the finger licking good chicken that made my day! Guess I have to start curbing the urge to visit KFC once more! (Stomach is growling again...)
"Great song, emo to the max, fantastic video, awesome band! ‘nuff said." - VJ Titanium
The Used – All That I’ve Got
Busy at IA company as I am tasked to do more projects Enjoyable night out at Kbox with NTU MSE folks on Monday Empowering night of L cell on Tuesday Great time of fellowship after friend's birthday celebration on Wednesday Got the latest version of PS2 Winning Eleven 10! Some relief for GIP subject matching, praise God!!!
Expect more sleaze from this stumbling, ahem blog (no pun intended)? Just joking!
Laid to Rest at 11:40 PM;
Monday, September 25, 2006
For an optometrist, this is a colour blindness question. For the average cooking enthusiast, it might be the colour of the bean soup he/she prepared. For the adventurous, it might be the colour of their underwear today. But for many commuters like me, it is simply the traffic lights that we encounter day and night, rain or shine.
Nowadays, people like to glorify their predicaments and plights, often putting messy affairs in the spotlight and claiming the whole world is against them – or even worse, God for that matter. This is particularly evident in countless number of songs, poems, art, TV shows, movies and blogs (Hey, please wipe that guilty blush off your face, thx!). As if there is a shortage of negativity on Earth, the multitude can only moan, whine and complain even more! Let me share a helpful way to view adversity, which may not be foolproof, but it will definitely give you some hope.
Ever felt that God is on your side when you are just in time for the green man to cross that road to work? Ever realized that the stars seemed to align for you when your car or bus seemed to glide effortlessly when you rush for school? Or did you begin to curse and swear even at that forty-five seconds (yes, I took note of it) red light which appears to be eternity when you are late for a meeting or lecture?
To me, life is like crossing the road, or traveling if you own a vehicle. Green lights are like moments when you feel things are going your way. Events like good results, financial incentives or a social relationship that blossomed are always the positives that we delight in. People, by and large, will hardly brood at those great occasions or wish they end soon.
However, like yin and yang, the negative stuff or what I simply call – shit, happens too! I reckon things like disease, death, failures, unforeseen circumstances and broken dreams as the red lights placed on our road of life. They seem to only serve one purpose: to put us down, to halt or to even paralyze us. People have the propensity to view it as an end. What many do not realize is they take such stops in a bad light (ahem, no pun intended).They seem to voluntarily shut down and accept fate as it is. In fact, it is their reaction, not their situation that decided their fate!
On hindsight, it is time for us to reexamine ourselves, whether it is our studies, career or even ministry! The red light may be a timely break to pace ourselves on our trek, or to check if our tires have gone flat? I just wonder how many times I have managed to tie my shoe laces, or zip that once-in–a blue-moon open fly! The bottom line is that red lights are temporal; it is just how we choose to view it. If I were to dwell on my past setbacks, lament about them and not progress, I would not be who I am and where I am today.
For those who can’t seem to wait for the red to end, be still and wait. Bear in mind, someone else is more needy to cross that road or get to their destination than you are. The pedestrians’ pleasure is often the drivers’ pain or vice versa.
If all else fails, never jaywalk or beat the red light – take matters into your own hands that is! Because it will most probably end up awry or the happiness is going to be short-lived. Ask our friendly neighbourhood repairman, Jesus Christ our Lord. He may not be able to change all the lights green, but he is able to make sure that the lights are in working condition!!
The above is written in the blogger's point of view, and is in no way endorsing any credit or body. Reader discretion is advised.
For those who are suffering from a terrible weekend hangover or a monstrous monday, VJ Titanium highly recommends this awesome track by my favourite American metallers, Trivium once again! Raise your fists and stomp your feet!! Let it all out!!!
Trivium - Dying in Your Arms
Great soccer match with guys from Infineon, final score: 3-3! This season's Singapore Idol is a big fat joke!! Looking forward to night out with NTU MSE gang!!! GIP subject matching dilemma... Still pondering on Saturday's sermon...
If you don’t aspire, you will definitely expire!
Laid to Rest at 1:16 PM;
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Finally got down to blog again... Boy, was it helluva ride in the past week! After having my faith edified (read: previous post), I will have to start by giving my utmost, heartfelt thanks to God for the 10 weeks of Industrial Attachment so far!! Not only has He blessed me with great buddies, helpful colleagues and a wonderful supervisor, I have managed to learn many valuable lessons not available in the lecture theatre near you! Praying for another rockin' 12 weeks!!!
That, my friend, is just the appetizer. Now, for the main course... Still reeling with a tinge of disappointment after learning I was not selected for INSTEP (INternational Student Exchange Programme), I was contemplating whether to try for the 2nd round in October over the weekend. If God is a magician, He sure is a super fine one!! Because, out of the blue, what seemed like a normal email on mundane monday turned out to sweep my off my seat. Although the subject title was about GIP (Global Immersion Programme), I was too tired to even anticipate with bated breath or even pray. Whilst opening the email, the words were a blur until "Congratulations" sunk into my mind - I got selected to study at Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, USA for one semester!!! Despite the euphoria, I was transported back to the real world when I started to think about leaving behind my family, friends, commitments and ultimately a comfort zone! Thank God, fears were allayed as I trust my God-given siblings to take care of my parents, friends who knew about it encouraged me and this is in fact a once in a lifetime opportunity! Stay tune for more updates as I prepare for the trip...
VJ Titanium will bring on this interesting emo song from a relatively unknown band, Senses Fail. Despite being an emo tune, take note of the morbid lyrics and the retro video! This song got stuck in my head for weeks...
Senses Fail - Buried a Lie
Food glorious food! Superb stringray at Fengshan Blk85, nice jap cusine at Kuriya(courtesy of Weiji!), Pizza Hut... Fat glorious fat?? I hope not... Parents went away on vacation across Causeway, so I took care of the house and did the housework today! A lot of preparation work for GIP...
What happened on Tuesday and Wednesday? I was abducted by sexy blonde aliens!! Nah... hehe
Laid to Rest at 8:40 PM;
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Received an SOS from Cat to replace dna for celebration host duty, so had to leave home earlier than scheduled. Lo and behold, as I was in the toilet (doing u-noe-wat), claps of thunder soon reverberated and the afternoon sky morphed into an evening one at the blink of an eye! Then... Thought going through my head: Oh no! Gonna be a super heavy rain man! Thought going through my spirit: Ok, pray for rain to hold till I reached church... Wanted to pray, but then... Thought going through my head: Stupid lar, sure rain one, why pray and then get disappointed! Thought going through my spirit: I shall practice my audacious fervour! (For the uninitiated, it is to have the boldness to pray for the impossible) Ironically, we shared abt audacious fervour in cell the day before... Prayed, Amen-ed. (Still in toilet) Heart wanted to see good weather, but eyes are indicating otherwise. My mum even asked me to take a cab, I told her that the rain hasn't started so I better make a move. I decided not to worry and left in the shroud of nature's black blanket as well as the frightening barrage of thunder.
Amazingly, when I reached Adam Road, there was no rain!! And found out that it actually stopped before I arrived from the fresh puddles of water. In engineering terms, I only exercised nano-scale faith, yet the result was beyond any scientific explanation!
Then, my next worry came, our weekly church soccer match on Sunday afternoon will be either dampened by a wet pitch or even postponed due to the impending downpour! Again, I clinged onto the prayer and the rest is history! Miraculously, there was no rain the next morning, and though the sky is still dark grey with howling winds, there wasn't even a drop of rain till the match ended!!! And the sky is still holding all the water like a camel as I am typing this!! God gave good weather for more than 24 hours just by a 30 seconds prayer!!!
This is my testimony of having audacious fervour, and though it may be considered trivial by many detractors out there, I want to guarantee my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ (esp. Trinintarians) to take step of faith and be swept off your feet by the works of God!
Going against the tradition of showing hard rock/ heavy metal vids, VJ Titanium will be sharing this AMAZING video from an indie rock group, Ok Go. Their brand of groovy and dance-able rock will definitely be easy on your ears. This breathtaking clip is filmed in one take without any special effects, and more amazingly they did it live at the recent VMA Awards 2006 show! Watch it! And be blown away...
Ok Go - On Treadmills
The word amazing appeared 3 times on this entry... :s Lost our soccer match 2-3 to a bunch of veterans, and I was the villian for missing a hat-trick of chances! :( Hoping that Arsenal will triumph! :)
Laid to Rest at 9:35 PM;
Our senior pastor once again exceeded my expectations with another impactful sermon this weekend, I was deeply administered by his preaching and God's Word was effectively delivered.
For those who attended church service on saturday will definitely notice our senior pastor's new outfit - black suit/shirt with an ostentatious red tie. He said it in jest that it was to follow the new colour code in line with the "We are Trinitarians" month. Betcha' don't know where he got his fashion inspiration from! Watch the video for the answer! Uncanny resemblence even in its setting?? You bet!!! VJ Titanium wishes to add that this a great band with a kick-butt song!! This rock video actually won an MTV award for Best Choreography!! A definite must-see..
My Chemical Romance - Helena
"The most pathetic person in the world is someone who has sight but has no vision." - Helen Keller Helen Adams Keller (June 27, 1880 – June 1, 1968) was a deafblind American author, activist and lecturer!
Laid to Rest at 12:11 PM;
Friday, September 15, 2006
Relax, and hold your horses, gals! Ok, ok, so girls do not want to be likened to a handphone ya? Fret not, as I counter what I wrote with another list I generated during my boredom. There are actually more reasons why girls are not like handphones!!! For your reading pleasure… hehe (*sly grinz)
Why are girlfriends NOT like handphones? 1. For handphones, you talk through the receiver. For girlfriends, they talk and you are the receiver. 2. They do not have SILENT mode; even if they do, it seldom works. 3. Worst case scenario: Some go on LOUDSPEAKER mode automatically! 4. There is always a newer, nicer, better handphone out there. But the similarity ends there; you then begin to wish girlfriends are like handphones! 5. There is no such thing as trade-in!! Although some may resort to terminating their contracts ever so often. 6. Handphones do not worry how they look when they are with you. 7. Handphones do not expect or demand you to shower them with new casings, accessories, or even that pouch they long to be in. 8. Handphones never have PMS. 9. Handphones contain an INBOX but never checks them. Girlfriends never contain an INBOX, but checks yours every time! 10. Handphones do not mind you looking at other handphones, or even try them. 11. No emotional torment or squabbles when you change a new handphone. 12. You would rather lose a handphone than a girlfriend, although some may wish for the opposite. 13. You could leave your handphone at your buddy’s house, but not your girlfriend!! 14. You would like your handphone to AUTOROAM, but not your girlfriend!!! 15. You can always switch off your handphone!
VJ Titanium, on the other hand wishes to get into the good books of all the ladies out there; that's why he will be presenting a trippin' song from my first of many favourite female-fronted bands, GARBAGE! Don’t be fooled by their name, for their music is delectable! Haha, just like their singer, Shirley Manson.
Garbage - I Think I'm Paranoid
*Disclaimer* The analogies are created out of pure entertainment and are in no means to degrade anybody. Any similarity is purely coincidental! Copyrighted by yours truly, Rayzor'06... Hence, quotations must be properly cited!
Laid to Rest at 12:47 PM;
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
NO! NO! NO! I am not charming enough to have a Korean supermodel gf, nor am I obsessed with the latest torrential wave of K-drama where Sam Soon seems to be everyone's favourite actress. My mind just managed to wonder into wittyland somehow, and this analogy of girlfriends & handphones (hence the lame combo title) is what I concocted at work - thru' experience as well as generalized hearsay... Guys, think about it and try to stifle your girly giggles! Gals, save your brickbats cos this is part one only!!
10 reasons why are girlfriends like handphones? 1. You will inevitably be proud to have one that is visually appealing and has all the basic features you need. 2. They come in all shapes and sizes. Of course, the price to pay varies! 3. The best ones are usually sold out or not within your means. 4. You envy others who have one when you don't have, and you envy others who don't have one when you have. 5. Like all new phones, they come with photographic (memory) capabilities. 6. They may seem affordable at first; wait till you see the bills! 7. They come with terms and conditions apply, not forgetting the rules and regulations. 8. Some are user-friendly; others frustrate you with their user interface. 9. Some are tough and durable; others break down at the slightest touch. 10. Some look attractive but seriously cannot make it; some may not raise eyebrows but will definitely be the best deal for you! Do not judge a book by its cover!
Meanwhile, VJ Titanium wishes to reinstate Girl Power with another offering of girl-powered rock, in today's context, metal to be exact! Fyi, this band has recently departed from their frontwoman. Awww... Nevertheless, indulge in the angelic belter from Tarja and Nightwish!!
Nightwish - Wish I Had An Angel
Strange obsession with angels perhaps?? (hint: read previous posts)
Laid to Rest at 10:21 PM;
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
As I get older, my brain cells seem eager to go into early retirement. In NTU, facts and figures are much harder to memorise than in my secondary school days. Things needed to be done always slipped my mind. Even with an organizer or notebook, I tend to forget what to note down!! Dear me, I... err... what did I want to blog ?? ... ... ...
Nevertheless, many people, especially students or busy people would wish to have photographic memory. Read on and think again… 1. People think you are a freak or secretly bought that Mega Memory product. 2. Your new nickname is Elephant. 3. You wish you could erase that disturbing or pornographic image you saw. 4. You will remember who or what happened that hurts you. 5. “Forgive” and “Forget” are mutually exclusive. 6. You memorized the correct set of facts for the wrong exams. 7. Your memory is useless without your trusted pair of spectacles/contact lens. 8. You thought you saw a ghost, or did you remember seeing it? 9. You still call your new partner your ex’s name! 10. You will bear this list in mind. Till you die!! Haha...
Curse or blessing? Yeah, at least I remembered the topic for my blog!
Continuing with the Girl Power Week, it is further testament that girls can punk rock too! Most notably will be Gwen Stefani of No Doubt fame, but today VJ Titanium will introduce less commercialized but even more edgy tracks from hardcore pioneers The Distillers, as well as all-girl pop-punk band, The Donnas!!
The Distillers - The City of Angels
The Donnas - Take It Off
Ability to blog is sign of idleness!!!
Laid to Rest at 8:38 PM;
Sunday, September 10, 2006
Haha, found an interesting site (www.says-it.com) off one of my friend's blog... So I decided to live out my fantasy online... Rock on!
My band, Demise of Damsel in Distress (DODID), will be the world famous heavy metal band! Conquer the world!!! (Going berserk soon...)
Followed by an exclusive 365-day world tour; before repenting and leading a normal life again, not to mention squandering the millions we made... so typical ya? What is to become of the self-proclaimed enigmatic frontman, Raymond? Watch this space!!
This week, VJ Titanium will be declaring a Girl Power Week!! No, no, don't assume it's gonna be Spice Girls or S.H.E. populating my video section, but I'm sure many may have heard of Evanescence or Avril Lavigne or some lame-ass rock chick/girl band wannabes. But here on my blog, it's the real kick-ass women who will occupy the coveted throne the next 7 days or so. Tonight, Lacuna Coil will raise the curtains with this awesome track, (tho' some might be offended by the title, I first thought it was called "Heaven's Alive!" Err...) Neverthless, they are superb and metal never looked this good!! Grrrl!!!!
Lacuna Coil - Heaven's a Lie
Storm Large out of Rockstar Supernova competition *sobz* Arsenal never got their 3 pts *sobz* *sobz* Rockstar fantasy is as far as i can get *sobz* *sobz* *sobz* Almost half way thru' my IA *yeah* Reminded of God's plan, promise and purpose for me *yeah**yeah* Don't need to see your face!! *sobz* or *yeah* depends...
The quickest way to end a war is to lose it! George Orwell
Laid to Rest at 10:06 PM;
Thursday, September 07, 2006
At the stroke of midnight, Pauline and I celebrated my mum's birthday right on the dot! It's a family tradition to celebrate at that ungodly hour, cos the timing makes the celebration all the more special!! Here's mummy with her birthday cake. She might have received many presents from me in the past, this year included. I decided to top it with a poem I made at work! And guess what, she was not touched, but very touched!!!
Dedication to the dedicated Musician I am not, a psalm for her it may not be. Artful and witty I am, thank God for creative poetry. If maternal care is an art, she would make Picasso look lame. If parenting is a science, she would put Einstein to shame.
What a pity, homemaking was never bestowed its full credit, Or else, my mum would never make a fuss out of it. Granted, if being a mother is liken to a professorship, Certainly, she would have won the Nobel Prize for her deeds.
She may not be my first in everything, But in most aspects she is second to none, except God that is! She may not be able to work wonders like God, But she is definitely one of the wonders God worked out.
Austere but forgiving, she rules with an iron fist. Tender and loving, no doubt a cherub without wings. Even as she meets the most stubborn atheist, The encounter will convince them that angels exist!
She might not be able to boast the world’s riches, But she certainly invested richly into many others. Why look back at history, when we can expect the best is yet to be. For the greatest mother, teacher and friend she always is!
Written by the one willing to be buried alive by your love!
3 interesting facts about my mum, aka Aunty Joyce: 1. Despite being a homemaker, she seldom cooks. She likes her home to be squeaky clean; hence I have been eating hawker food since I have teeth. But, she can whip up some fantastic soups.
2. Her hobby is reading. Bring on the horror, suspense thrillers anytime! She used to be a huge fan of Stephen King, Dean Koontz and Patricia Cornwell. She unwinds at the end of a hard day’s work by reading the newspapers and more recently - Christian books.
3. My daily onslaught of heavy metal anthems irritates her when she is doing her chores. But occasionally, she grooves to the thumping tunes on my stereo! Though she persists it’s 100% mindless, angry, evil noise!
Being the rockin' mother she is, VJ Titanium has dedicated this wonderful piece of energetic and romantic emo-core song for my mum!! Finch - Letters To You
The latest Iron Maiden CD rules! Go get it, & prepare to be blown away! Thanks to Pauline, who bought me the Little Britain DVD!!! Thanks to Weiji for the Sakae Sushi treat! Thanks to Angelia for the buying the gifts! Thanks to that taxi uncle who nearly sent me on the highway to hell...
RAYmond is very much like the now infamous stingRAY, touch me(piss me off/provoke) at YOUR own risk!!!
Laid to Rest at 10:02 PM;
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Haha, one of my all-time favourite lines, taking into account the assortment of versions, to be delivered in movies – horror genre in particular. The above mentioned is the classic scenario found in the black & white zombie films to the instantly recognizable Hong Kong vampire movies. Growing up, I had my fair share of horror movies as my staple diet. I don't just watch mindless screamfests or slasheramas, but go for films that are more deep than just the superficial suspense or gore. Just look at Hitchcock's and Romero's works and I might just convince you. I don't just go for the thrills and spills alone, but I like to toy with the idea of "What if it really happens?" All in all, it offers me a form of rather morbid escapism!!
If great horror movies are hard to come by, fantastic horror music videos are even more difficult to find. Today, this clip is worthy of a short fim already. The band, Lordi, despite their grotesque make-up, produce very nice rock songs. Guess what, they represented Finland in the recent Eurovision2006 song contest (aka a continental version of American Idol that attracts all budding artistes regardless of their genre of music). Celine Dion, (eww...I actually mention her in my blog?! Yucks) won the contest before her step to stardom! Lordi's other repertoire of songs include titles like "The Devil is a loser" and "Hard Rock Hallelujah" - the latter was their contest winning song!!! Flying the Finnish and rock/metal flag high! Grab your puny pillows and get ready for a fright!
Lordi - Blood Red Sandman
Heartfelt compliment from the least expected person!!! *blush* Secretly blogging ideas at work *grinz* CDs buying tips #1: If your CDs are too expensive at HMV, try Borders for a pleasant surprise!
Look b4 u leap, think b4 u speak!!
Laid to Rest at 9:29 PM;
Monday, September 04, 2006
Work vs Prison
In prison… you spend the majority of your time in an 8x10 cell and wonder when is it your last night. At work… you spend the majority of your time in a 6x8 cubicle and wonder if you can make it for cell tonight.
In prison… a few minutes seem like a few hours. At work… an hour seems like a few minutes.
In prison… not everybody gets death sentences. At work… everybody gets deadlines.
In prison… people address you by you number not your name. At work… people address you by your name, but they kept on calling your number.
In prison… if you obey orders, you practically do nothing. At work… if you follow instructions, you practically do everything.
In prison… you get three meals a day and you don’t pay a single cent. At work… you only get a break for one meal and you have to pay for it.
In prison… for bad behaviour, you get a longer sentence. At work… for bad behaviour, end of sentence.
In prison… you get time off for good behaviour. At work… you get more work for good behaviour.
In prison… the guard locks and unlocks all the doors for you. At work… you must carry around a security card and open all the doors for yourself. And if you forget, you still get scolded by the guard.
In prison… you can watch TV and play games. At work… you get fired for watching TV and playing games.
In prison… you get your own toilet – sans the porcelain seat. At work… you have to share with some idiot who pees on the seat.
In prison… they allow your family and friends to visit. At work… you can’t even speak to your family.
In prison… No work required as all the expenses are paid by the taxpayers. At work… you pay all the expenses with your hard-earned salary, which is also deducted for taxes to pay for prisoners.
In prison… you spend most of your life inside bars wanting to get out. At work… you spend most of your time wanting to get out and go to bars.
In prison… you must deal with aggressive inmates and sadistic wardens. At work… here, they are called colleagues and managers.
So, why is it, again, that we work? Maybe, just like in prison, we can never escape!
Some abstracts courtesy of CareerCentral - The Laugh Page (Issue #18 August 2006) Edited, improvised and added by yours truly, Rayzor’06.
Now, to set the week ablaze with excitement, VJ Titanium will bring the house down with this explosive anthem by one of our generation's most groundbreaking acts - Rage Against The Machine. Yeah, that's rite, it's one of those bands that blew my mind at first listen!! Some of you might spot me in their T-shirt as well!
Rage Against the Machine - Guerilla Radio
Anticipating my NTU tutor's visit to Infineon this week :s Waiting for Arsenal's first 3 pts this weekend :P Finished Freakonomics! Freaking fantastic :) Should I share some fat jokes? :( Pauline is jealous, but she does not know I envy her... :O R.I.P. Steve Irwin aka The Crocodile Hunter
Disclaimer: My workplace is not a prison!
Laid to Rest at 9:40 PM;
ABOUT ICH
Psycho faraday.gonzo blogger.fanatic metalhead.gig goer.follower of Jesus.bhb church team striker.wld strip for Arsenal FC.
dean of sch of lameness.materialistic engineer.plays tennis/pool/snooker/bowling for fun.goes gym for vanity.
winning eleven addict.disillusioned guitar/air guitar hero.surfs the web but not savvy.self-proclaimed heterosexual fashionista.
avid reader of best-sellers & heavy metal magazines but no textbks.movie-chrondraic.TV/Youtube couch potato.habitual liar?!
At the stroke of midnight, Pauline and I celebrated my mum's birthday right on the dot! It's a family tradition to celebrate at that ungodly hour, cos the timing makes the celebration all the more special!! Here's mummy with her birthday cake. She might have received many presents from me in the past, this year included. I decided to top it with a poem I made at work! And guess what, she was not touched, but very touched!!!