Is there some kinda silly virus that makes your computer dial up to internet every few minutes once you start up the computer? My computer started doing that recently and it is vexing trying to figure out if it is a virus or something wrong with my settings.

Not released! I meant REALISED!

Oh man. I should really type slower and think faster.
Incidentally, the game i am playing on yahoo called typer shark (silly typing game) indicates that my typing speed is 74wpm.

Ya right.
If only i can think at that speed too.

Passed by Lasalle on the bus yesterday and released i got my spelling wrong again. It is LasAlle not La-selle. Anyway too lazy to freaking change the mistakes in the previous post.

I am signing up for another round of oil painting classes. Only this time it is at NAFA instead of La-selle. Was planning to sign up for the intermediate oil painting class this semester (gosh, i talk like a teacher/student) at La-selle but the class was cancelled due to not having enough participants. I was quite disappointed actually. Anyway, his friend (another teacher who was attending the metal casting classes with him last semester) wanted to try oil painting as well and told us about the course at NAFA and gave me the email for the adminstrator there. At first, the guy sent me info about the basic oil painting course which i have already completed at La-selle. So when i asked him for something more indepth, he recommended this other class that they have called "Techniques in oil painting landscapes". The only thing is, the class will be conducted in Mandarin. The course outline itself is quite interesting as they will be going through how to do landscape painting outside (not sure will be going out or not) and talk about specific techniques. Exactly what i am looking for because i want to refine and practise my basic skills in oil painting, except i wasn't very prepared about doing it in Mandarin. Actually, it doesn't really matter since my grasp of Mandarin isn't that bad. Well, actually, i shouldn't have problem with it at all. But i guess i have never attended a class conducted in Mandarin before (well, except second-language classes in school) and the notion actually is quite intriging. Hopefully i won't make a fool of myself especially i suspect most participants would be quite "powerful" in Mandarin. *chuckles*

Realization no. 54:

I hate having to go back to my posts and edit them for grammatical or spelling mistakes.

Maybe i should talk about something i know nuts about.

Last saturday, i accompanied him to a workshop/forum/talk (i really can't decide which it is) at PKW where he was one of the panelists speaking in the morning. The topic for the day (there were 3 sessions in all) was Art and Technology (or something like that). Some interesting points were brought up, for example, how there is a evolution of technology within art history itself from the most primitive (e.g. stoneage man curving on his roof with a rock) to the cyberart of today (e.g. computer animations), going in tandem with mankind's evolution. I guess i have never thought of painting as a form of "technology" and the typical layman view would be (at least for me): painting evokes a sense of tradition or historical or even old, while technology usually mean new, digital, electronic etc. Simplistic view of course and i'm glad that this forum has made me think alittle harder on this subject.

[I think i can articulate better talking or discussing such issues with people than typing it out. Somehow, words is not flowing as much. Perhaps because this is not really something i know much about. Ok, to get back to the real topic i am writing about today...]

Something that struck me that day was that it is always inevitable when you put a group of artists in the same room talking about whatever issues there are about art, one thing will always come up, or perhaps one question: that is, what is art? Seems like this is the perpetual question waiting to be solved and perhaps if an answer could be found, the world would be saved. More the 3/4 of the time were spent debating this issue. What is art? What is creativity? Everyone has their view. Some felt strongly about it or are more articulate (perhaps voice was also louder) while others (like myself) were contented to just listen and observe. A few times, i was on a verge of commenting (its an open floor discussion) on some points or the other but the artists just moved way too fast for me. I wonder if it was only me. I felt that the thoughts of those people around me seems to flow very fluidly from one question to another. And before i even knew what was the point being made or make my comments, some other points were brought up or issue raised while my brain was still processing what had just been said. It is actually quite stimulating, keeping the brain on its toes but after a while, you either get frustrated at the pace or what was said or just have a splitting headache.

Anyway, i can't remember much about what I wanted to say except it was something about communication. I think someone mentioned that the art itself is communicative but i didn't really agree because in my line of work, communication always means two-way (i.e. a "linkage" between 1 & 1, you cant communicate with a rock though you can talk to it. Though of course, communication do not mean just speech or verbalizations). Yes, the artist can communicate to the audience with his art and the audience can respond back. But the art piece itself is still basically an object. Without the artist, the audience can only speculate what was being "communicated", and that to me isn't communication since who would the audience communicate to in reciprocal?. Perhaps i am not understanding the point the speaker is making but these thoughts did cross my mind in that juncture, only to be lost quite rapidly as someone else suddenly talked about language and teaching. Well, at least i get to articulate it out on my blog here.

The time to digest or process such issues is usually done after the forum, with him or some of his other friends. To voice out to another person, wait for feedback, digest the information and respond. Perhaps an open floor "discussion" doesn't quite work for me. I find it difficult to "discuss" anything effectively in a big setting. Group of 4-5, yes. Group of 10-20? Not really. To me, anything greater than that didn't mean discussion, it just meant that someone get to voice out their views (if they have a chance) and for others to listen.

Well, it was an interesting forum nonetheless.

I realized that most of my posts for the last year or so has been centred on you.
I am not sure i am too pleased with that.
Seems that i am losing perspective.

What a coincidence!
Just as i was writing about letting my cat on a diet because he is overweight, an article came out today talking about overweight pets. It seems that cat in particular, tends to become overweight quickly, and at a younger age too. Looks like Ruskie has plenty of company in the diet campaign.

After the vet recommended that my cat should go on a diet, i have stopped feeding him twice a day (once before i go to work and once after i reach home at night) to just feeding him once in the morning. I don't think he is taking to that very well because he kept meowing at me the whole night and looking at his empty bowl so piteously yesterday. It seemed that he was not just taking 2 meals a day but even three because my maid would feed him sometimes in the afternoon when she noticed that his bowl is empty (or perhaps she too suffered from his "i'm-so-pitiful" look). So you can imagine what a big difference it made when suddenly he could only get a bowl of food a day. In the end, i relented a little and gave him a few bits just to calm him down. I guess it would have to be a gradual cold turkey for him or else it may seriously dement the poor fellow.

Well, as much as it pains me to "starve" the poor thing, i guess it is for his own good. Hopefully he will get used to it soon.

Finally able to relax during the one week holidays.

Spent last saturday with the girls and our respective boyfriends at one of their houses to celebrate Mid-autumn festival. Quite a relaxing evening drinking wine, watching dvds, eating moon cakes and walking around with our little paper lanterns and sparklers. I guess the highlight of the evening was when three of them got tossed into the swimming pool.

Too much of fiddling perhaps?
But at least everything looks okie now.
Just need to tweak the profile a little.

Something strange...
how is it that only the latest post is posted by Aury and the rest revert back to Alice?

Added some links to blogs i read.
There are more of course, but can't remember off hand what their url are, as this is not my home computer.
And then there are those i know would prefer me not to add their links on here.

Its school holidays, hence the time to type long posts. *heh heh*

Mom and dad are back from china. Both are looking healthy and happy. Heard that they have been climbing hills and swimming for exercise. After a rather stressful week with the car, i am very glad my dad is back to help me with it now. Somehow dad is always the one to... what i call "shou1 shi4 can2 ju2" (i.e. clear up the wreakage) most of the time. Actually, throughout the year without them, i am slowly learning all the skills to do such things on my own. For example, knowing what is wrong with the house and getting people to fix the aircon, door, house alarm system and the various things that will break down etc. Or even knowing what is wrong with the car from the radiator to the fan belt to the engine fuel tank. The latest new knowledge i have picked up about "what can go wrong with a car" is something called a regulator. Most of the time i fare pretty okie on my own with what little i know and by trying to solve the various little problems, i am accumlating useful knowledge that will come in handy when i have a family of my own. But still, there are days when i cannot help but wish that my dad will be around to tell me what to do.

Somehow, it always feel like there is nothing too great to tackle when dad is around. I think i will probably continue to feel that when i am 37 or 47 because dad will be indefinitely wiser and more experienced than i am. And i appreciate whatever that he has imparted to us throughout my life. When i was young, i used to think that my dad is the smartest man on earth. Even though i don't quite think the same now, i still feel that he is wiser than alot of people i know. He has a wealth of experience and knowledge, while not necessary of the "academic" kind but is exactly the kind that will distinguish you in everyday life. In other words, my dad is particularly shrew and street-savvy. Sure, he didn't exactly do very well in school (he always maintained that it was due to him working and studying part time), but he always said jokingly that he would have scored a distinction if he was tested in "she4 hui4 da xue2" (i.e. "society's university" - real world) and i agree wholeheartedly.

From the day that i was born till now, my dad has lived through many trials and tribulations to reach where he is now, a successful businessman and husband and father. He left his hometown in Muar to Singapore when he was very young and work to support himself through A-levels. He was a clerk in an antique import/export company and later on became a successful interior furnishing businessman. In fact so successful that he even refurnished the sultan's palace in JB. He knew plenty of big shots and made his mark in his early 30s. As he was proud and successful, he too suffered from the bane or temptation of most businessmen, women. But ultimately love for the children and family prevailed and from that experience, he became a better husband. He has always been a good and loving father, and it was from that experience i realized that we, his children, has always come first in his heart.

In the recession of '85, he went bankrupted and lost his business and money. At that time, we had just moved to singapore and for 3 years, we were constantly in debt and was literally living from hand to mouth. To skip a long and tedious story of my childhood, it took my parents almost 5 years to finally reach a stage where we can be comfortable and stop worrying about money altogether. That is not to say that as kids, my brothers and I had a difficult time. Sure, at times we didn't have any pocket money for a long time or any toys or even material comforts that we used to take for granted while living it up as little princess and princes. But we had enough to eat and had lots of fun playing with friends around the neighbourhood. We lived through a period of initial embarrassment of knocking on strangers' doors to advertise my mom's home-catering services and became deliveryboys for a while. My brothers and I had been involved in one way of the other in "illicit smuggling operations" across the causeway while our family were trying to make ends meet. It was a fun-filled and exciting childhood all in all and one thing we had learnt was how my parents never gave up. My dad, though depressed for a while about losing everything, picked himself up and with the help of my mom provided for us whatever they could. Whether rich or poor, up or down, our family had always moved on and my dad has been the captain and my mom, his first mate. It never fail to amaze me how capable my dad is each step of the way and how supportive my mom is (no matter how i joke about her being "childish').

And as i grow older, i value his insights and advice even more once i had to tackle some of life's issues. He taught me about looking into my finances (which i still fare poorly), how to sort out all the little administrative procedures which plagued our daily lives (e.g. CPF, citizenship stuff, passport, lawyers), how to maintain and upkeep a household and car(ranging from maid employment to household appliances and "what exactly is wrong with the car" 101). My dad is a neat and meticulous man who keeps files of all the necessary documents. By the time we reached 18, he has photocopied all my siblings and mine various personal documents (e.g. IC, passports of family, birth cert, reports from school, piano certs) put into each personal folders to be maintained by us. I could only wished that i am half as organize as him but i know he is what i aspire to be in terms of managing my life. Though there are some life values which sometimes we differ in (e.g. i am too "idealistic" and he is too "pragmatic") but he has always given me the choice to do what i want and supported me mentally and financially.

I didn't realize that i have typed so much about my dad. But then there are so much more i could have written about him. He is kind and helpful though some people will find him too pragmatic or materialistic to a certain extend. But he is a good father and role model to me and my brothers, and sometimes the only thing i worry about is not making him proud. Everytime he comes home, he would lament half-smilingly that the pay i take home will never be enough to support myself and try to persuade me to work for him in china. Each time he knows i would declined but that certainly did not stop him from trying. Yet, it was he who gave me money to further my studies when i told him i wanted to be a psychologist and he who still reassure me that money will not be an issue if i wanted to do my phd. Though i know he wanted me to join him in china, he has never asked me to quit my job and always tell his friends that he is glad that his child can go out and do charity work without worrying about money. At times he would be the one to persuade my mom to stop worrying about me and let me do the work that i want to do. And he is the person i will turn to help keep mom off my back as she is the worrywart (i.e. nagging one) in the family.

My dad is 55 this year. He is not looking forward to retirement because he prefers to keep working and keep his mind active. He also said that it is because he doesn't want my mom and him to be a burden for us kids when he is old, when it is actually the other way around because even if he is to stop working now, he could still be capable enough to take care of the rest of the family. He had planned it that way.

Such a long post but really, nothing can be said enough about how much i love or appreciate my dad and my mom. I am really really really lucky to have them and though i know i irritate my mom periodically, i never stopped thanking my lucky star that they are my parents. I only hope they would never ever regret having me as their daughter and that i hope i will never fail them in anyway.

Weighing at 6.85kg, Ruskie definite needs more exercise to lose some weight. Vet said that he should weight less than 5kg. I am not sure how fat is fat but then Ruskie just looks big to me. Oh well, looks like i got to look for some diet food for him from now on.

The vet said that my cat is fat.
He needs to go on a diet and that is that.

After losing my pendant last thursday, my weekend went surprisingly well, spending it with friends and him doing various things we enjoyed which include a midnight picnic and watching a silly movie.

Can't say much about last night though. Seems my luck went into the pits again. Shall not write too much but suffice to say, it involved a tow truck and an erractic house alarm system, and the end result of it all is a splitting headache and humongous eye bags.

Right now, i'm feeling like the most unfortunate person on earth which logic tells me, is impossible that i am. Hence i shall just wire my mouth shut and calm my frantic fingers from typing more which i'm sure i would be grateful that i did because in retrospect, i would eventually look back upon this day and LAUGH.