30
Oct
09

the annoying bits.

By yin Leave a Comment
Categories: encounters of the DS kind
Tags: , ,

What’s annoying is just when I think I have a chance at winning, the AI decides to screw me over by all the sudden mine-drops and red-power-sucking-combos that leaves me defenceless and powerless.

Wah, thanks ah.

I’m playing PuzzleQuest Galactrix on the DS and I swear, the developers must have rigged it such that unless you’re a level 20plus or some bullshit, you’ll never be able to defeat this cheating level 18. Ok fine, I was level 13 when I attempted to crush the fella like a cockroach (and failed, after 4 tries).

Now I have to go and level up with random bullshit encounters and find better weapons that’ll kick this fella’s sorry ass.

Ohhhh indeed thou art currently the bane of my existence!

30
Oct
09

attack of the running nose.

By yin Leave a Comment
Categories: normalcy
Tags: , ,

Recently I’ve been waking up with a blocked nose. A rather itchy blocked nose. I doubt it’s sinus, more like allergic rhinitis. I don’t recall this having happened to me weeks before. Just, recently.

Allergic rhinitis

When an allergen such as pollen or dust is inhaled by an individual with a sensitized immune system, it triggers antibody production. These antibodies mostly bind to mast cells, which contain histamine. When the mast cells are stimulated by pollen and dust, histamine (and other chemicals) are released. This causes itching, swelling, and mucus production. Symptoms vary in severity between individuals. Very sensitive individuals can experience hives or other rashes. Particulate matter in polluted air and chemicals such as chlorine and detergents, which can normally be tolerated, can greatly aggravate the condition.

Allergies are common. Heredity and environmental exposures may contribute to a predisposition to allergies. It is roughly estimated that one in three people have an active allergy at any given time and at least three in four people develop an allergic reaction at least once in their lives. The two categories of allergic rhinitis include:

* Seasonal – occurs particularly during pollen seasons. Seasonal allergic rhinitis does not usually develop until after 6 years of age.
* Perennial – occurs throughout the year. This type of allergic rhinitis is commonly seen in younger children.

Allergy testing may reveal the specific allergens an individual is sensitive to. Skin testing is the most common method of allergy testing. This may include intradermal, scratch, patch, or other tests. Less commonly, the suspected allergen is dissolved and dropped onto the lower eyelid as a means of testing for allergies. (This test should only be done by a physician, never the patient, since it can be harmful if done improperly). In some individuals who cannot undergo skin testing (as determined by the doctor), the RAST blood test may be helpful in determining specific allergen sensitivity.

More hereditary than seasonal. My dad’s allergic to tonnes of things – seafood, dust. I know I’m simply allergic to dust. Drives my nose insane and my eyes start to water. Piriton and Claritin aren’t really doing their job. I’ve run out of Telfast and please, spare me the advice of taking Decolgen because I used to take the extra strength ones and it did nothing. The stupidly expensive doctor near my house prescribed me that and I was WTF! And it’s not because I’ve been taking Decolgen that I’ve grown immune to it. I had only taken it once or twice and both times I had to fall back on Piriton because there was no effect, no relief from the annoyance of runny noses and what-nots.

17
Oct
09

i wish i could slap you with a trout, but i can’t.

By yin Leave a Comment
Categories: rant
Tags:

The thing is that, some days you just feel like crap. No matter what compliment of sort you may get from others. Appearance. Accomplishments. It makes you question your self-worth, your value. It’s really easy to say that it’s nothing more than a state of the mind. The truth and reality is far from that. I wish I could be all heck-care bochup (which I really want to but seem to have difficulty with), but I can’t. So I’m gonna be throwing my lil’ mini hissy fits and tantrums and scowl and be a bitch and all that. Because till I find a better way of dealing with it, mental viciousness doesn’t quite cut it.

Not when the target of your utmost hatred (maybe not hatred, but the sheer bimbo-ness they display just makes you want to grab them by their hair and bang their head on the table. repeatedly) decides to be cocky/haughty and you’re forced to put up a smile because really, there are better things to do than to feed the ego of the undeserved.

16
Oct
09

a saki moment.

By yin Leave a Comment
Categories: normalcy
Tags: , , ,

Wish I could have recorded the whole moment.

I had all Pungs (3 of a kind) in hand and was waiting for my final tile. I could have gamed earlier on but didn’t. Why not just try my luck? For the first time ever I wasn’t that short of change in the box and if I had decided to take that winning tile (a sequence which would have ruined my family of 3 of a kinds), I would have only won 40 cents.

I managed to get 4 of a kind which meant I’d need to draw from the dead wall. I drew my own flower, another tile to be taken from the dead wall and the final tile I drew was my winning tile.

2 of my own flowers, all Pungs and in Saki’s terminology – Tsumo after a Kong.

Maximum. $6.40 from everyone. Happiest moment of my life. Not for winning but the fact that I Kong, draw my own flower and then Tsumo (which means I win by drawing my winning tile by myself and not by a tile discarded by another player).

😀

15
Oct
09

retweet addicts.

By yin 4 Comments
Categories: thoserandomthoughts
Tags:

“i give up. i can’t follow someone who keeps retweeting.”

It didn’t matter if the individual was famous, on the list of all em’ hotshot local Tweeple. The fact was that the said individual RT (or retweeted) one too many times. If the RTs were informative, quirky and IN MODERATION, I wouldn’t mind. I’d consider it some garnish to the usual fanfare on the microblogging plate. But there comes a time when 95% of the tweets are RTs and the replies even include the RTs which makes 1. not simply no sense but 2. fuckin’ frustrating as hell.

I don’t need to subject my twitter feed to such abuse so I’m sorry, but I’m cutting you out.

I followed you on Twitter, thinking and truly believing of the interesting bits and quips of your life in 140 characters. But I forgot to do my research and found my timeline flooded with senseless drivel that works better on a self-absorbed blog where you regurgitate nothing of your own and only parrot others.

09
Oct
09

quick notes.

By yin Leave a Comment
Categories: Uncategorized

Just a couple of quick things. Need to review the list of courses over at SMU and SIM and see which has the post-grad courses I’m gearing at. Also, I gotta buff up and train before my PPT (that’s Physical Proficiency Test yo!) in the next 2 weeks. Damn it’s been awhile since I did anything that remotely resembles exercise (apparently, walking briskly from store to store during a sale and in peak hour doesn’t quite constitute as exercise. sadfase).

Taking another breather from the rat race. I am not quite geared nor inclined towards corporate culture. Stifling and suffocating. Also, am thinking twice about venturing further into the commercial aspect and realm of social media. As a passion, food for thought and uhh… other things, it’s all fun and dandy. It’s the technicalities, the snobbery and uppitish attitude of some on the scene (omahgawd, from one hotpot to another) rings mega-decibel alarms in my head.

Also, I have found a new game interest of sorts – gin rummy. The pinch is a heck lot more painful when you lose as opposed to mahjong.

24
Sep
09

thank you uncle.

By yin 2 Comments
Categories: normalcy and thoserandomthoughts
Tags: , , , ,

This event took place a long time back but after reading this post on A Singapore Taxi Driver’s Story, I was suddenly reminded of it.

I can’t quite remember why I was, I think heading back from supper. I had virtually no cash on hand, thinking that I could swing by an ATM to draw some cash for the cab back or else, pay by NETS. Unfortunately, the first cab I flagged didn’t have one of em’ newfangled NETS machine installed and so I hunted about for an ATM.

Just my luck then that I saw both a UOB and DBS automated machines. Heng ah, can draw money go home.

Unfortunately, Murphy’s Law decided to play a prank on me. I’m not too sure of what reason but both tellers refused to accept my card. Only earlier I had withdrew money via DBS for supper and other assorted things and I was able to deposit cash into my UOB account. Ok fine. So I’ll wait around for another cab, hopefully one that allows for NETS.

No one came by. But I did see the same cab I had flagged earlier. Felt a lil’ fishy for me so I decided to walk down a wee bit more. Confirm main road got more cabs. None. Murphy’s Law again.

This time the same cab from before slowed by and stopped. The driver, who was a Malay man in his mid-thirties, wound down the window and told me to just get in. Alarm bells started ringing but he assured me quite fervently that no harm would come my way. He had a daughter who was a lil’ younger than I was and told me that as a father, he would never let his daughter walk around, alone, late at night. I hope he didn’t think my dad just let me wander aimlessly (truth be told, the parents were asleep and I headed out coz I was stark raving famished).

He drove me back to my house and accepted no form of cash, compensation or reward whatsoever. I did take his cab number down but I lost that phone and couldn’t call the cab company to thank nor reward him for such a kind gesture.

These days the cabbies I’ve been in and taken slam their doors on me, drive like maniacs on the road or just flat-out refuse me in favour of cabby-bait.

I thank the cab driver, the selfless nice man, for his kind gesture and hope that plenty good karma and fortune goes his way.

For me, lesson learnt, next time I either drive out to get my foodie-fix or call Macs.

22
Sep
09

the new kids of social media.

By yin Leave a Comment
Categories: social media goodness and thoserandomthoughts
Tags: , ,

You gotta admit, social media, is the in thing.

Everyone is ranting and raving about it.

People fresh off the bat want to get their fingers all wet and sticky with it.

Me?

I thought so too till I realised that social cannot just be something on its own. At least not in Singapore’s market. The big agency boys have got their claws into big names with the money to spare for these campaigns. The smaller ones are still reserved, cautious to take a bite out of their pie because the budget’s either already stretched too thin or the management holding on to the purse strings still believe fervently in traditional mediums of advertising.

Seriously, it’s true! Some of these companies believe that microsites and online marketing (think nasty invasive and interruptive web banners or pop-ups and the like) are about as newfangled as new media can get.

Sigh.

So what should social media be, really?

Personally and even professionally, I believe that it is a complementary element to an online marketing campaign. The sole purpose isn’t to sell (sad, disturbing, how the hell do I explain it to my client?! but true) but rather to inform, to create that bond between brand and consumer. To establish loyalty and familiarity. Give your consumers the right, or rather, the option to be part of the brand. In the way it is being marketed or advertised, in terms of product improvement and development. When you get them involved, you get them to keep you at the top of their mind. When they think of your competitors, they will measure these competitors up to you not just in terms of price, but in the benefits that these competitors can never offer but which you give to them freely.

What do you think? Should social media be a standalone strategy you’d pitch to clients or part of a dynamic online (and maybe even offline) marketing plan?

21
Sep
09

selamat hari raya aidilfitri!

By yin 1 Comment
Categories: Uncategorized

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri!

Tonnes of things to say but I haven’t had the time to settle my fragmented thoughts and piece them together. In the meantime, it’s a four-day work week! I can smell the weekend. Can you?

07
Sep
09

nerdic elements

By yin Leave a Comment
Categories: Uncategorized
Tags: , , ,

There really isn’t such a thing as a nerdic element. Or the word nerdic, to begin with. Just that I thought it sounded pretty cool and a rather nerdy thing happened to me this morning.

I’m on leave (HURRAH!) because my parents are leaving for the holy land and I’ll smack myself silly if I don’t spend the rest of the day with them and send them down to the airport later on. Now before they leave, there’s this whole clean-the-house rubbish routine/tradition/etc so that they’d feel that they left everything in order.

It’s a lil’ sensitive and semi-complicated thing which I’ll try to explain in the near future. Or, depending on how often I come back to writing here. Have I mentioned that my job sucks up most of my time? Heheheh.

So I was cleaning up my room and picking up stuff to dunk into the trashbag and for some strange reason, my brain was saying ‘delete. delete. delete’. Instead of ‘throw away’, I was thinking of ‘delete’ and then ’empty trashcan’.

It just goes to show you how often I am on the computer (Mac or PC) and that isn’t a good thing.

A final thing before I return to cleaning up the house, check out my Dove Go Fresh vid. I had such grand plans initially, like trying to do a Christiano Ronaldo (playing with the bottle like what he did with the Clear shampoo bottle) but me and balance don’t really go well together. And then I thought, hey why not create a jingle for Dove Go Fresh and I spent a little too much time trying to get the chords right as opposed to actually composing the song.

I try. I do. I’m just not really that good at it and I have to admit.

Wah heng. My Mac died, just flickering on and off and then I decided screw it I’ll force-boot-it, and I did. Fortunately, ScribeFire saved my entry just before everything saw the inky darkness of meh.

Check out the vid and take part in the challenge!

The Go Fresh Challenge

Also, check out the Dove Go Fresh Facebook Page!

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