the juniors I have in choir…

they can’t stop teasing me, can they? Nothing beats going home on the bus, a 45 minute ride mind you, with juniors who tease me in whatever way possible. Culprit No. 1: John See. Guilty of teasing me with obvious pleasure while we were walking out of school and that short ride he had with us enroute to the mrt station. Culprit No. 2: Mervyn. Guilty of being direct and blatantly suanning me whenever he has the chance to. Culprit No. 3: Wan Feng. Well, actually he’s not a culprit, cause he didnt say anything haha.

Interesting conversations we had, brainstorming on my biology practical. Run an electric current in a frog and see if that changes its rate of respiration. Can’t get better than that. LOL Strangely merv and I realised that our brothers are in the same secondary school, the same cca and used to be in the same class – until my brother got transferred to the ’smarter’ class. Oh and apparently they were best friends. Singapore is a small, small world.

in the holiday mood…

I find myself humming lean on me over and over again. and thinking of doing something fun and something that does not include TOK, EE, WL and IA. something like shopping. (:

yayyy holiday! (who am I kidding) this holiday season, its a mad rush to…

finish work. so as not to drown when the next wave comes in. sure, the list doesnt seem that long, but its the time it takes to actually finish them. Also, to prepare myself for the tests coming up in the next few weeks – knowing fully that I will definitely not have enough time later on to study.

yesterday was an um…interesting day. the horror of horrors – performing for the school’s chinese new year concert. Though I must admit those 2 year 1 classes had it worse off than us. poor things. the utter embarassment of standing there clapping along to this horrendous karaoke arrangement of the most famous chinese new year song, with the screen showing some weird karaoke video. thank goodness many did not notice the choir standing behind the year 1s, they thought we exited already. I quote Ian Long: where were you guys? hahahaha. and thankfully we got to wear our school uniforms instead.

On a happier note we were dismissed right then and there, so it was off to Alyssha’s house to hang around for a while. The joys of multi-tasking: polishing off 3 bags of chips, a bottle of soda, whilst watching a movie and playing bridge -  all under 2 hours. Now that’s the life. And,  ‘How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days’ is really funny…especially when you’re watching it with guys. to be continued at Jeanette’s on friday! (: we love Jeanette!

Eryn’s mom kindly dropped me off at bishan, and thereafter I headed to orchard for a while. A little shopping doesn’t hurt…haha. Heading back to bishan I bumped into Albert – hope he gets posted back here! we need more people in choir! Dinner with Marilyn afterwards, Huijie couldn’t join us. (who told you to join chinese drama hmmm?) had a great time talking to her…can’t believe a whole year has already passed! I am totally amazed at how she can survive in cj…hat’s off to her! top econs next time, k? ;p

now to make the most out of this week. I wonder what will happen next week? sneaky Jacqueline has something up her sleeve…

I’m supposed to be doing TOK but…

this is just too hilarious. If you’ve lived in the Philippines, this is a MUST-read.

When I travel, people often ask me why I live in the Philippines? Well here it is….. It is the only place on earth where……

1. Every street has a basketball court.

2. Even doctors, lawyers and engineers are unemployed.

3. Doctors study to become nurses for employment abroad.

4. Students pay more money than they will earn afterwards.

5. School is considered the second home and the mall considered the third.

6. Call-center employees earn more money than teachers and nurses.

7. Everyone has his personal ghost story and superstition.

8. Mountains like Makiling and Banahaw are considered holy places.

9. Everything can be forged.

10. All kinds of animals are edible.

11. Starbucks coffee is more expensive than gas.

12. Driving 4 kms can take as much as four hours.

13. Flyovers bring you from the freeway to the side streets.

14. Crossing the street involves running for your dear life.

15. The personal computer is mainly used for games and Friendster.

16. Where colonial mentality is dishonestly denied!

17. Where 4 a.m. is not even considered bedtime yet.

18. People can pay to defy the law.

19. Everything and everyone is spoofed.

20. Where even the poverty-stricken get to wear Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger (peke)!

21. The honking of car horns is a way of life.

22. Being called a bum is never offensive.

23. Floodwaters take up more than 90 percent of the streets during the rainy season.

24. Where everyone has a relative abroad who keeps them alive.

25. Where wearing your national colors make you baduy.

26. Where even the poverty-stricken have the latest cell phones. (GSM-galing sa magnanakaw)

27. Where insurance does not work..

28. Where water can only be classified as tap and dirty.

29. Clean water is for sale (35 pesos per gallon).

30. Where the government makes the people pray for miracles. (Amen to that!)

31. Where University of the Philippines where all the weird people go.

32. Ateneo is where all the nerds go.

33. La Salle is where all the Chinese go.

34. College of Saint Benilde is where all the stupid Chinese go and;

35. University of Asia and the Pacific is where all the irrelevantly rich people go.

36. Fast food is a diet meal.

37. Traffic signs are merely suggestions, not regulations.

38. Where being mugged is normal and It happens to everyone.

39. Rodents are normal house pets..

40. The definition of traffic is the ‘non-movement’ of vehicles.

41. Where the fighter planes of the 1940s are used for military engagements and;

42. The new fighter planes are displayed in museums.

43. Where cigarettes and alcohol are a necessity, and where the lottery is a commodity.

44. Where soap operas tell the realities of life and where the news provides the drama.

45. Where actors make the rules and where politicians provide the entertainment.

46. People can get away with stealing trillions of pesos but not a thousand.

47. Where being an hour late is still considered punctual (Grabe talaga ‘to!)

48. Where the squatters have more to complain (even if they do not pay their tax) – than those employed and have their tax automatically deducted from their salaries.

49. And where everyone wants to leave the country!
FILIPINO SIGNS OF WIT:
1. The sign in a flower shop in Diliman called Petal Attraction.

2. Anita Bakery

3. A 24-hour restaurant called Doris Day & Night

4. Barber shop called Felix The Cut;

5. A bakery named Bread Pitt

6. Fast-food place selling ‘maruya’ (banana fritters) called Maruya Carey.

7. Then, there are Christopher Plumbing

8. A boutique called The Way We Wear

9. A video rental shop called Leon King Video Rental

10. A restaurant in Cainta district of Rizal called Caintacky Fried Chicken

11. A local burger restaurant called Mang Donald’s

12. A doughnut shop called MacDonuts

13. A shop selling ‘lumpia’ (egg roll) in Makati called Wrap and Roll

14. And two butcher shops called Meating Place and Meatropolis.

Smart travelers can decipher what may look like baffling signs to unaccustomed foreigners by simply sounding out the ‘Taglish’ (The Philippine version of English words spelled and pronounced with a heavy Filipino such as:

15. At a restaurant menu in Cebu “We hab sopdrink in can an in batol” [translation: We have soft drinks in can and in bottle].

16. Then, there is a sewing accessories shop called Bids And Pises – [translation: Beads and Pieces --or-- Bits and Pieces]

There are also many signs with either badly chosen or misspelled words but they are usually so entertaining that it would be a mistake to ‘correct’ them like…….

17. In a restaurant in Baguio City, the ’summer capital’ of the Philippines: ” Wanted: Boy Waitress”

18. On a highway in Pampanga: “We Make Modern Antique Furniture”

19. On the window of a photography shop in Cabanatuan: “We Shoot You While You Wait”

20. And on the glass front of a cafe in Panay Avenue in Manila: “Wanted: Waiter, Cashier, Washier”..

Some of the notices can even give a wrong impression such as:

21. A shoe store in Pangasinan which has a sign saying: “We Sell Imported Robber Shoes” (these could be the ’sneakiest’ sneakers);

22. A rental property sign in Jaro reads: “House For Rent, Fully Furnaced” (it must really be hot inside)!

23. Occasionally, one could come across signs that are truly unique – if not altogether odd. City in southern Philippines which said: “Adults: 1 peso; Child: 50 centavos; Cadavers: fare subject to negotiation”.

24. European tourists may also be intrigued to discover two competing shops selling hopia (a Chinese pastry) called Holland Hopia and Poland Hopia – which are owned and operated by two local Chinese entrepreneurs, Mr. Ho and Mr. Po respectively – (believe it or not)!

25. Some folks also ‘creatively’ redesign English to be more efficient. “The creative confusion between language and culture leads to more than just simple unintentional errors in syntax, but in the adoption of new words, “says reader Robert Goodfellow who came across a sign …..House Fersallarend’ (house for sale or rent). Why use five words when two will do?

26. According to Manila businessman, Tonyboy Ongsiako, there is so much wit in the Philippines because  ”We are a country where a good sense of humor is needed to survive”. We have a 24-hour comedy show here called the government and a huge reserve of comedians made up mostly of politicians and bad actors.

Now I ask you where else in the world would one want to live?

HAHAHA! If you need explanations, do feel free to ask…

never ending

Sing with me, sing for the year

Sing for the laughter, sing for the tear

Sing with me, just for today

Maybe tomorrow, the good Lord will take you away

I can’t get this song out of my head