Sunday, August 13, 2006
The Bungalow On The Mountain
There is this bungalow I really like to go to, and it's situated atop this mountain. A very good friend of mine lives there, along with her wonderful family. Whenever there was nothing to do, or even when there was something else to do, we would decide to head there and take the arduous climb to the top, sweaty and breathless upon reaching the front gates. With a sense of achievement and relief, fun was the inevitable objective once we set our feet in.
There are a variety of things I love to do there. For example, there was music. We would make our own, or sometimes listen to our favourite artistes over the MP3 player or laptop. If I brought my own guitar, there'll be a mini jamming session, although I must admit, I suck at singing and lyrics. Her voice is way better than mine, and it sometimes feel like I'm from earth and she's from heaven. Heavenly voice. There used to be a piano there too, and she plays wonderful pieces too. I love piano songs, and she definitely played good one. There have been some recordings of ours and her other friends, and it feels good to hear them sometimes. Nostalgic.
There was also competition. We would challenge each other, or play doubles in a game of tennis. Our opponents are all in the top league of tennis, like Kim Clijsters, Serena Williams, Carlos Moya and Andy Roddick. Win some, lose some, but definitely fun. It's not easy to swing a racket with a controller, but we worked it out. She's definitely good at that too.
Somehow, there would always be this aura of relaxation whenever I stay there for a certain time. With the cool breeze of the air-conditioner, my eyes would grow heavier over time, putting me to a certain daze. I've dozed off a few times over there, but always woke up feeling superbly refreshed and ready. Maybe it's because of the high altitude and fresh air that I feel that way, but heck the science, it was just comfortable.
It wasn't all fun and no work. Sometimes, I would read picture books. One of the first few books I read was about shinigamis (death gods) and hollows, and how there was a battle between the two sides. It was one hell of a story, still ongoing and unfinished. I kept on reading until its latest chapter. Hours passed by quickly that day, but it was well spent. I could never have thanked her enough for such a nice story. I still read it now, every week whenever possible.
She has a wonderful family, and family tree. It makes me envious at times to think of it that way, but I'm absolutely happy for her and the life she's living now. I know that I can always count on her and her bungalow for a jolly good time, no matter how short or long the duration of stay was. It was fun, and it is still fun.
How I love the bungalow on the mountain. =)
7:10 PM
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
Hotcakes
I awoke with a dizzy spell today, my mind still stressed by my tired body telling me to get back to sleep after a distant run of fourteen-point-four kilometers yesterday. It was part of the conditioning for the upcoming Army Half Marathon on the twenty-seventh this month, and I needed this. I've been missing the training for the past three weeks, and that definitely ain't good. It was a turn-off to have to run in camp, whereby the dull scenery repeats itself in a seemingly endless nine rounds. Alas, the thought of getting the three days off for completing the run gave me some encouragement. (It must be below two hours and thrity minutes.) Welfare comes in such difficult trials nowadays.
The thought of McDonald's Hotcake Meal made me get out of bed with a certain ease, and with a little stomach growl. I've been doing it for the past few weekends, or any mornings I'm at home for that matter. I'm not sure if it's the honey, the melted butter on the hotcakes, or simply my empty stomach being pampered, but it makes me happy for most parts of the day everytime I do so. Maybe it's a psychological conditioning effect brought over from the past, from which I remembered Hotcakes being my childhood favourite meal, almost every morning. Times then were much happier, where all you had to do was say what you wanted, and depending on how reasonable your request was, you'd get it with no qualms or worries. How pampered we were, and how different a life we're living now as compared to that. Totally different. I feel a little old thinking about the past now, but I guess the solitude at home makes you travel back in time sometimes.
Speaking of time travel, it reminds me of Michael Crichton's 'Sphere'. A beautifully written book, although I know some may not appreciate the concepts of scientific facts being in it. I realise I liked his books because the scientific facts he states in his books stir a sense of wonder with every page I read. 'Jurassis Park', 'The Lost World', 'Timeline' and 'State Of Fear', all these books have a certain scientific theme to it. I give credit to his style of writing too. I think I'll go ahead with reading all his books, although I've been warned that some are not as good. A partial reason may be due to me being oblivious to other wonderful writers. I shall slowly discover them. By the way, read 'Sphere'. I highly encourage that. I'm reading 'Prey' by Michael Crichton now.
How time flies when your mind is at rest. Thought of a few things in the sub-conscious zone. Been having a few more dreams lately, and I'm not sure what they mean. There was one that made me happy though, but when I think about it, it's sad to think that the feeling of happiness can only be achieved through dreams. That would be a sad life, wouldn't it? A temporal drug that gives infinite possibilities, on both sides of good and bad. How scary.
'Life is a reminder to let us know that death is around the corner.'
8:27 PM
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Ants
I am a lover of ants. As a kid, I'd spent almost half an hour (maybe more if my mum is preoccupied at the market) gazing at the line of ants, busy with hunting and foraging in the sand and soil nearby. I admire them for their organised society, discipline and their hunting skills basically. I'd take a bug nearby and just lay it in their battlefield, observing the way every single one of the ants help out to bring down their prey. It is quite a slow process, but I guess that means I won't miss a single piece of the action. (It's a bonus if you're bored at the wet market with almost nothing to do but give way to rampaging aunties with bags or trolleys.) It's really nice to observe, although it may sound sadistic of me to sacrifice a bug's life for my own amusement. Ants are downright awesome.
Sadly, I hate to be in contact with them. Shit. Just came back from a 3D3N outfield training. (They call it the Advanced Section Proficiency Test. Basically, it's a platoon level operation, but if you feel that 15 people make a platoon, you're dead wrong. The original, or expected, strength to attend this course was 50 actually. Yeah, notice the big difference in numbers there, albeit the close similarity in pronounciation.) In any case, the point is, I've been bitten like nobody's business by the ants. Face, legs, arms, back and, crap, they didn't even spare the delicate part. I swear, it is the most irritating feeling to be bitten over and over from day to night, day one to day three. It is the jungle, so I had no choice there. It wasn't my home ground, and being on their turf, I guess I'm under their rules now. (At my house, the deciding factor for total war between me and them is pesticide. Heh. Deterrence.) It doesn't help that I have to prone/stand-to at locations where there are ant nests just under or beside me. Guys should understand what this means. Oh well, I'm home now. Nothing a few days of rest won't fix. Home is the best place to be!
Been engrossed in Michael Crichton's 'Sphere'. It's been an awesome book so far, and I although I've seen the movie before, the fact that I can't remember it well makes the book even more exciting. It is so good, that even the Regimental Police (RP) at the Ayer Rajah Camp took one glance at the book and just said "That's a great book man." All I could say was "You know it!". Heh. Won't be touching the computer for a few days I believe.
I'm getting that enlightened moment right now. Just want to get back on track with my guitar, computer and life. I just realised it's august. Haha. Time flies. I'm kind of excited to start over a new life, that of a free man. But I know I have to go through hell first before I get there. Oh well, perseverance comes into play.
Here's the MV of Mint Royale's 'Singing In The Rain'. I'm still addicted to it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrCjuJ3b1XgHere are other videos to look out for.
A rather cool Japanese prank:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfJP0aPnRxUSoccer clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaFm47lsL2gMedia cock-up:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCzaeeaHTi4Politics:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbeK-vstx7gPablo Francisco:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whGVaLoIvkwColdplay as The Nappies:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_1wDqgYObEThat'd be all for now.
10:34 PM