joshi*toshi

Sunday, October 15

Paper Blog Rewind

8 months ago!
And no I did not steal any pen from Bismi. It's supposed to be funny.
And after i wrote "...underfed", Sana and Sarah did happen to pass by.
What a pleasant coincidence. They saved me from boredom that day...

AND THEN WE SHOPPED FOR EARRINGS

In my hopes to inspire your creativity in a cretive way,
I've added the new ARTicles section.
Art from around the world (including some of mine).
Here's the premiere.

And lastly,
if you're wondering where your tag went
and wondered what I last said
here's Flooble's last tags.

Friday, October 13

Dance, Reverse, Snap!

So...it was salsa class again last night, and the girl from Ecuador was there again. I partnered up with her a couple of times. She was pretty groovy.

And Kevin Loh gave me ADVICE ON HOW TO TALK TO GIRLS.

[x = me; y=kevin]

X: Anything you would like to advise me on?
Y: Well the girl from Ecuador did show you some moves. Hope you executed them well and not...step on her feet.
X: Anything else?
Y: Why did you say "OHH" then move on to someone else? Try to engage in a talk!
X: I was embarassed.
Y: You should share that with her. Or she'll have negative thoughts about you, like "Why are you avoiding me"
X: Oh...okay.
Y: But she'll probably say, "Oh and Bruneians must be great at foot-stepping".
X: HAHA.
Y: That's how I learn to avoid embarassment, by manipulating and twisting words to create jokes.
X: Oh really?
Y: Yes. You're a creative and multi-talented person. Good luck.

I can't say I didn't try what Kevin suggested. I did talk a little. She talked very little. Well that won't stop me from going to salsa class again!

For my engineering practical yesterday, we had reverse engineering as our 'hands on' investigation. Me and other 4 team members took apart an old Panasonic dot matrix printer. I didn't know Panasonic even made printers back in 1992! What's even more bizarre is that you can still buy some of these old printers and their parts online.

Here's some pictures.

Here's Ryan taking apart the control panel switchboard.

Justin putting all the screws found in the machine into a small tube. About 115 screws.

All the parts from the printer sorted out, which I did.

So after two hours of investigation and 'take-apart-like-Lego' fun, the professor suddenly said "Okay. Now put them back." Whan an advanced April Fool's joke.

Tomorrow night, I'll be playing my first ever post-wedding dinner reception gig. Wish me luck. I need it. I don't know what to play yet.

Perhaps I've gotten a little vain over the past month. What to do? Have camera, will take pictures of self. Here's a nice one.

I've also felt my creative side resurfacing again. More ideas for photographs, and even more ideas for jazzy chord progressions on the keyboard!

And lastly...

Saturday, October 7

Triple-header Weekend Post

GIRL FROM ECUADOR
It was my 2nd week attending salsa classes at the uni. The class was still relatively small. 7 girls and 4 guys (me included) and the instructor. "Anyone can dance the salsa!" he said with an optimistic vibe, to the two new guys who joined the class. "When I started out I thought I was hopeless. But now look at me. Teaching!" Haha! I thought he was silently quoting "Those who can't do, teach."

Throughout the class we learned some new moves and switched partners often so we'd get to know each other. Yeah the girl-to-boy ratio wasn't even. So there actually was a girl dancing with a girl.

So let's see...
At first I was dancing with Maggie. She's a nice real Chinese girl (real Chinese meaning she comes from THE REAL MAINLAND CHINA) with short straight hair, studying business. And then after a while I was dancing with AL (Anonymous Label). I didn't find it too enjoyable, cause her breath was drenched with the smell of alcohol. And there was this one move the dancers' bodies have to come reasonably close. IT WAS SO NOT SEXY.

And then after much dancing and learning how to execute the Dile que no (tell her "no") move perfectly, the class was over. Just before the class was over I partnered up with this quite quiet girl. She asked me where I was from. I said "Brunei." And she gave me the same confused look everyone else who asked me where I was from gave. So to make things clearer I just said "It's near Malaysia". And she went "Oh." Any Malaysian should be happy with me. I'm giving your country a boost eh! And I'm such a disgrace I probably know more about Malaysia than the Philippines.

We danced to a little merengue. Being the clueless dancer that I was I didn't know what move to make. So she was the one who showed me a couple of new moves. I tried some of them out but try after try I did them wrongly. Although I felt awkward + embarassed. I still managed to say a few words.

ME: Wow. You're good!
HER: Thank you.
ME: How do you know all these moves?
HER: I'm from Ecuador.

ME: OHHHH.

Then I went back to dancing with Maggie to hide my embarassment. Haha.

STRINGS ARE ALWAYS SEXIER
Have you ever wanted to hear what tracks by Alicia Keys, Mariah Carey, Coldplay, Fallout Boy and even Marliyn Manson sound like when they're played by a string quartet? Well I want to too. So far I've only heard Linkin Park and My Chemical Romance songs string style. Helena done orchestraichally sounds/feels so beautifully done, you really can imagine the dead girl from the video doing ballet to the song.

The String Quartet Tribute list of covered albums.

INNER CIRCLES
Jason's been telling me to stop quoting The Beatles. He says they're his band. Kevin Loh wants me to make my laptop start-up time at least 10 seconds. I don't get the point. Amir's been doing assignments. He's getting an Xbox 360. Mae replied me a short one. Maybe that's because I just sent her a "Hi. How're you. Got to go. I'm busy. Take care" email. John D and JasmineY have something in common. I'm not telling you. Jo San's in UK. Conan's hair is shockingly red! Teo's been in a spat with some horrible people. Shenny's moved to a new house. She wants me to meet her in Gadong later. I told her I'd be 24 hours late. Grace, where are you? And Amilyn hit me with her tuna fish 3 times the other day. Sana is on holidays now. Fel's mum was thinking of getting e-speed. Her computer crashed too and she's lost all her Photoshop brushes. Clinton left me a message when I woke up: "GOOD AFTEREVENING!"

And I thought these time-zones were not helping.

MEANWHILE!

Wednesday, October 4

Guess What Time It Is

LOST TIME!!!!

the season 3 premiere, starts in 10 minutes
being in canada is great
ah it's great to get back into the mystery
that is 4 8 15 16 23 42 and 'the others'
and kim yoon-jin

*fist pump*
and the thrill is back!
my wednesday nights are now fun.

salute to all the losties in the world!
a shout-out to my lost buddies lyn and mir.
and maybe to my mum. she watches it too (sort of)

besides that
i have a solar collector to DESIGN and CONSTRUCT
for my engineering class. it's due ONE AND A HALF months from now

i think i've gotten used to
the FOUR degree mornings
and MINUS ONE degree nights

will i be prepared for FOUR months of winter?
will i be prepared for MINUS THIRTY weather?

i'll be missing christmas with my loved ones
for FIVE years

i'll also be missing
FIVE YEARS of mum's birthday
FIVE YEARS of dad's birthday
FIVE YEARS of joel's birthday
FIVE YEARS of hannah's birthday

and FIVE YEARS of ang-pow-less CHINESE NEW YEAR
guess I'll be tong-tong-tong-chang-ing by myself

Wednesday, September 27

27 Questions (Now And Then)

I remixed a Friendster cut/paste post. You probably know how it's done. I did this back on the 29th of May. Let's compare what I thought back then to now. Current thoughts are within [ ].

I am: a good boy.
[I still am. I'm not sleeping around]
My ex was: that girl.
[Now no la]
Maybe I should: get a job, earn money and make myself known for a little while.
[TOO LATE FOR THAT]
I love: nu-lounge music, and nu-lounge lovers.
[Well I guess I'm still into it, but as always I've been into almost everything]
I don't understand: why gays make that choice.
[I know there's this whole pot of debate boiling over. I don't care. Whatever. Just don't touch me please. I ADMIT I HAVE SLIGHT HOMOPHOBIA]
I lost my: pants.
[Yes. One pair of them. Well not exactly lost. Gave it was more like it]
My girlfriends/boyfriends are: very close to me. I miss them all.
[Still remains. I wonder how they feel about me being the one they lost to distance]
People say I: am talented and have potential.
[I don't know if I still have the talent and the potential. The icy grip here in Canada is stiffening my fingers!]
Love is: something hookers can't ever have.
[That's why all pornstars remain single FOREVER]
Somewhere, someone is: listening to nu-lounge music. I hope that someone's a girl.
[Well...not such a big deal now. Right now somewhere someone is probably making me a cake]
I will always: remember 7ths.
[Always]
Forever is beyond the understanding of anyone.
[Okay I think this was a bit of a crappy line to state]
I never want to: get backstabbed by someone I trust.
[So far it hasn't happened yet. Or maybe it's happening and I don't know about it. But if you are, don't worry. I'll forgive you pretty easy. Forgetting is a service I don't really offer]
I think the current President: needs to do many things about America.
[Still think so too]
When I woke up in the morning: I was so happy it was Sunday.
[I enjoy my Sundays here at the new church I'm going to. Vineyard SJ!]
Life is full of: rotten eggs and chocolates.
[Example: Pimples!]
My past is: a story I would like to share with you, if you like.
[I still think it's rather interesting. I've always enjoyed reminiscing about Season 1, Season 2 and The New One]
I get annoyed: when I play a minor instead of a major seventh.
[Still happens. And when it does the whole groove gets discombobulated]
Parties are for: people to come together and have a good time.
[Now that I'm here in Canada; parties are for people to come together and have a good time WITH THE OMNIPRESENT FLOW OF ALCOHOL]
I wish: I had a camera right now.
[Now I've got one (thanks to Mom and Dad) and I'm trigger happy again. FLICKR!]
My pet is: dead. Someone poisoned it. I think it was one of the neighbours.
[Now I live with a cat called Sasha]
Kisses are the worst when: garlic was had for breakfast. Not that I know anything about it.
[I still don't know anything about snogging someone who's had garlic for breakfast, although I predict it would be...quite HORRIBLE]
Today: is going to be brilliant as I'm going to watch X3 again.
[I'm not watching X3 today]
Tommorrow I'm going to: keep thinking about how to keep my friends alive in my mind.
[Concentrating less on this right now. But tomorrow I'm going to try to fight off sleepiness as I go through 5 straight hours of class. They'll always be somewhere in my head]
I really want: to find someone to talk to.
[Still want to do so. Get's lonely talking to Sasha and the other cat, George]
I have low tolerance for people who: think pro-choice. But I don't judge them.
[What on earth does that mean? It must've been 3AM when I typed that!]
If I had a million dollars: I'd buy Conan his guitar set, Alison her anime DVD set, Kevin his CanonEOS camera, Jason his Strongbad DVD set..... it'd go on.
[A million dollars eh? Probably just go on a large shopping spree, fill my family's needs, and my friends' ones...right after I buy what I want]

So there you have it. A blogpost 4 months in the making.

Tomorrow I'm going salsa dancing at the uni.

Sunday, September 24

Late September

It is late September and it's getting cold
We're putting on our winter clothes and winter smiles

It's officially autumn now. Leaves turning orange before detaching from their hosts and gracefully dancing in the air, where ever the wind takes them, lightly touching ground, and getting rolled over by a bus, along with the other thousands of leaves that met their seasonal fate.

It was 5 degrees yesterday morning. FIVE. Getting to school was a challenge. When it hits winter, and the average temperature steeps to -20, waking up will be the ULTIMATE challenge.

I have a wedding gig next month.

And, as always, pictures.
And yes that LCD screen 'floats'.