Jealousy

Where can I find me one of those? I'm totally voting for Pedro here.

Here's what I've been up to: Idling

When I tell people that I'm not employed inevitably the question "What do you do with your time?" creeps into the conversation. It's a hard question since it's one that I cannot answer immediately. What do I do with my time, anyway? Must I have something to do with my idle time?It has been five weeks since I've been back and I'm sitting at the computer as I did on the first day of my break, unemployed, lazy and unmotivated. I suppose I've been keeping myself busy with a few job applications, going to the gym, exploring different parts of KL, helping my parents with chores around the house, blogging, spending an inordinate amount of time on the internet and taking more than a few naps. Sometimes, I lie on my bed quite content to be underutilised and thinking I could live like this for a long time.

More US Bashing

Since 2003, the United States has received only 800 refugees from Iraq. This is in contrast to the 18,000 Sweden has accepted and the 30,000 per month Syria receives. Wow. 800 refugees compared to the scores killed by military intervention? Surely the US can do better than that for a country that's declining into civil war not to mention the US's role in starting the war in the first place.

Queer Malaysia

Here's some gay news from Malaysia to spice things up. I don't really know what to make of the level of acceptance of LGBT people here since on one hand, we're seeing very real homophobia from political leaders but on the other hand, the media is quite tolerant about LGBT issues (last week, they ran an op-ed piece by a M to F transgendered person).

Shear Fickleness

Scratch what I said about cheap and fast haircuts. Moderately priced haircuts where you're served tea while getting your new 'do by a hairstylist named Fei who wears Elvis Costello glasses and hipster jeans are probably the best thing to do on a hot, lazy Thursday afternoon.

A pictoral review of my time in Singapore

The Aeroline "Executive" bus - a double decker bus with big comfy seats and a lounge - that brought us from KL to Singapore

The interior of the bus. The top floor contains passenger seating and the entire bottom deck is used as a lounge with big comfy couches.
This is Little India on a Sunday afternoon, possibly at its liveliest.

These two photos are of Orchard Road, the main shopping avenue in Singapore.
I sojourned back to my old high school and snapped this shot. There used to be a back gate just below this building where we could sneak out of school.
This is the public library where I used to study after school. I always wound up reading magazines instead of doing my homework.


These are pictures of public housing flats. About 80-90% of Singapore lives in public housing. I suppose this is what most tourists in Singapore don't see, a rather depressing -- functional but unaesthetic -- view of a country where everyone lives in flats the size of shoeboxes and in buildings completely devoid of character.

This is the hawker center close to my old high school. Food at hawker centers is cheap and the ambience is decidedly more laid back. This is probably the largest eatery I've seen in Singapore.

Not THAT Down Under

Well, I'm off to Singapore tomorrow for a few days and I'll resume posting once I return (hopefully with pictures). Toodles!