Spiderman: No Way Home

Not a tad disappointed at all. Absolutely fabulous.

I'm not really a MCU fan, but even then you've got to admit, Spiderman has its charm.

I remember when I was a little kid, in 2002, the first Spiderman was released. Starring Toby Maguire, it was the topic of the year. Back then, smartphones weren't a thing, we get our information from the newspapers and we watched the movies in the theatres instead of Netflix. Then there was a sequel, Spiderman 2, which was literally the topic of the year, even bigger than its predecessor. And I remembered I was in awe watching it - the movie stuck with me forever, and I can still remember the scenes even today.

I never really watched Andrew Garfield's reboot of Spiderman until 2 days ago. In my opinion, while Toby Maguire was the original one, he was a tad too mature. Andrew Garfield's is far less nerdy but is a much more agile and acrobatic spiderman, even though slightly weaker as it stayed loyal to the comic version by using web-shooters instead of shooting his own webs. 

Tom Holland's version never really resonated with me. I like his physicality and agility but he was far too talkative and immature to be a superhero but that's partly because he's in a universe where his 'colleagues' and villains were far too grand so his role was dwarfed and pale in comparison.

Until now, we've got Spiderman: No Way Home.

Spoilers - yes, all three spidermen are in the film! Toby Maguire and Andrew Garfield are in too!

Let's just admit it, it was a mind-blowingly fantastic 2 and a half hours. The only complaint I have about this film is that the pace is far too high - you never really get to take a breath because the story just pushes along non-stop. I guess with 5 villains, you don't really get to rest.

I won't spoil too much other than revealing the other two are appearing, but I will just say I feel very, very bad for Tom Holland's version of Peter Parker.

He came into MCU universe as a young, innocent, naive kid. But by the end of the movie, he has absolutely nothing left. He lost his mentor, Tony Stark. And then, he lost his only family member - Aunt May. He had to watch both of them died, and one in his arms and he had to flee because he was being pursued. He then lost his friends because he pled Dr Strange to rid everybody of memory about him, including Strange himself. He lost MJ. He lost Ned. He lost Happy. He lost everyone. At the end, he started living on his own, starting a new life, but anonymously continuing as a spiderman.

My question is thus this, why can't Strange cast a spell that makes people forget about 'Spiderman', instead of 'Peter Parker'? If everybody is attracted to Peter Parker because he was Spiderman, making them forget about Spiderman should have done the trick equally efficiently. That way, at least Peter Parker gets to keep his friends like MJ and Ned, although he would probably still lose Happy and Strange. But that looks like a far nicer alternative than a lonely choice.

And this movie ends the trilogy. This effectively makes him the loneliest Spiderman. Toby Maguire's Parker had MJ and Aunt May, Andrew Garfield's lost Gwen but he similarly still had May. Holland's had nothing. It's really a very, very sad ending for a little kid who joined MCU happily but now has absolutely nothing left.

I hope there could be a sequel where somehow the spell breaks, and Strange gets a chance to fix it again. Or, better, maybe Wanda wouldn't be affected by Strange's spell, and Wanda retains her memory of Parker and looks for him in the next Doctor Strange movie.

He deserves a better outcome.

But overall, this movie is absolutely fantastic, worth every penny I spent. 

Disney+

Disney+ had 11/11 sales - first-time subscribers or returning subscribers get to pay S$1.98 for the first month, then the full price for the next if the subscribers don't cancel. I subscribed, mostly because I'm parasiting my sister's Netflix account and I wanted to return the favour, but then Disney+ SG is not available in Malaysia, so I watched it on my own. Initially, I went for the cartoons (childhood memories), then I tried to watch a bit of 24 and Lost, both series I briefly watched when I was little but never finished. I initially got bored.

Then, I saw Guardians by the Galaxy Vol.2. I watched the first, I remembered it was good. I remembered the second hitting the cinemas but I never watched it, so I seized this opportunity to catch up with what I lost. Holy shit. This began my madness about MCU.

Believe me or not, I didn't know MCU existed. I know about Avengers series but I didn't know it was part of a deliberate, planned Marvel Cinematic Universe. I didn't even watch Iron Man or Captain America to begin with. I remembered the tonnes of questions flooding my FB's page after Avengers: Infinity War about what the hell happened in the ending, and the hype about Avengers: Endgame, and also Black Panther because somehow Wakanda was a real thing.

Hooked, I immediately watched the MCU films I liked. Because I watched Avengers: Infinity War and then the sequel first, it was a bit boring trying to watch from the first - switching from an action-packed movie to an introduction is not a great idea. Next time, please just start from the jump.

I watched only the recent ones - Dr Strange, because Benedict played Sherlock and I liked him. As always, awesome actor. I then watched Spiderman, and jumped into the bandwagon of watching Homecoming and Far From Home, although I initially wasn't interested in them to begin with because Tom Holland's version of Peter Parker was a little 'too young' for me. But it was entertaining nonetheless (and I like Stark-Parker's father-son relationship a lot).

I just finished Captain Marvel. This movie was a bit boring, but it was still good. Pace's very slow after you've watched Avengers. I'm now hooked on WandaVision. I like Wanda, she's a powerful witch and a really intriguing character. Of all the characters in the MCU films, I like Wanda, Danvers, Peter Parker (ya, though I initially disliked him), Dr Strange (literally Sherlock with magic), and Guardians of the Galaxy's teams, especially Groot, and also Quill. And also Black Widow, but she lost points because she's quite ordinary, just equipped with fighting skills, when compared to the rest of the team members. But she's hot.

Needless to say, I'll continue the current MCU series. I regretted not knowing it earlier, and didn't watch Avengers: Endgame in the cinema, I could imagine it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Well, I never really liked Marvel. Now I like it only because I subscribed Disney+ and was introduced to it. Never mind, better late than never. I'm considering subscribing for one full year - that allows me to save 15% annually or 11 months + 1 month free, but other than these movies I'm not sure Disney+ has a lot else to offer me. But we'll see.

Looking forward to Spiderman: No Way Home!

Stranger Things

 Holy shit how did I not know about this series?

Dude, this is among the best show out there, ever! 

I've just finished You, and was looking for another show to watch. Well, not knowing what to watch, I stumbled upon Stranger Things and decided to give it a try, because the summary sounds good - supernatural teenage-horror, sounds like the kind I enjoy.

And OMG it blew my mind. I cannot remember when was the last time I finished a series in this short period of time.

The storyline is fascinating. A boy went missing, the community was shaken. There was shock, horror, confusion. Will's mother went insane thinking her son is trying to communicate with her via phones and lights. His brother initially thought his mother went insane, until Nancy, Mike's sister, also saw a similar terrifying creature and Jonathan drew the dots. Will's friends refused to accept he died and tried to search for him. They came across an enigmatic girl, Eleven, with seemingly supernatural powers, and Mike grew a liking to her. Well, story is about like that. 

The show is set in 1970s in a rural town in America. It's a science fiction about inter-dimension travel and failed experiments that somehow allowed subjects to gain supernatural powers that unwittingly invited an unwelcome creature that cause disruptions to their world. 

I finished eight episodes in three days. I know it's not an impressive record for most people, but for me this is quite an impressive one. The show is awesome. I cannot really express how good it is.

What particularly amazes me is the kids' performances. The main characters are all kids - either young children or teenagers, and yet all of them gave solid, professional performance that powerfully made this show amongst the best out there. It's incredible that these kids could act so marvellously.

If you haven't watched it, I highly recommend this show! I can't believe I jump into the bandwagon 5 years late!

You, Season 3

 This show is an oddity. Usually, a television series's quality drops as it progresses, but this actually improves.

Season 1 was, well, boring. Or, perhaps, it was more like the pace was slow. The progress was slow. It didn't feel captivating. It didn't make me want to continue watching. I gave the first season a try because I thought, why not? And to be honest, I considered giving up, although I ended up finishing it. The second season was an improvement, I liked it a lot.

And now here comes the third season. Holy shit!

The third season, in my opinion, is a monumental improvement from the first, and better than the second. I like the character Love, I seriously do. She's an insane killer with a personality problem, but somehow she's intriguing, shrouded with mysteries and love that fits the name. The third season basically has two major arcs, although both are linked together: it began with a short fling between Joe and the neighbour, Natalie, and her death due to an impulsive murder by Love. Then this was closed when Love killed a guy whose unvaccinated kid gave Forty (their baby) measles and blamed it on him. The first four episodes were awesome and my favourite of this series. I felt like the motion kept going, it didn't stop, and the suspense never failed. It's a real, significant improvement to the previous seasons.

After that's ended, we confront Joe and Love's more intrinsic, basic problems: they have trust issues. They love each other so much they feel like murdering each other. Both of them grow an obsession with another person, Love with the neighbour's kid Theo, and Joe with his boss Marianne. The pace went a bit slower in this second plot, but it ended with....well, Love dying. God. Love died! I mean, I love Love. She's why I find the show has improved, but now the season has ended with Love dead, and Joe in Paris looking for Marianne.

I'm not sure how season 4 would pan out but I hope it doesn't disappoint, although I'm prepared to face the fact that it'll be inferior than season 3. I wish Love is still alive. But, season 3 has been a very entertaining season and I absolutely love it. 

p/s Sherry is a very annoying, pretentious character that should have died in the cage with her husband.

The Conjuring 3

 Since covid-19 first came, I never entered a theatre, and I've lost track on what movie is about to be released, what has been released and what would be released. I waited anticipatedly for The Conjuring 3 to be released but I didn't know when it would be released. Unsurprisingly, when it was finally released, I didn't rush to a theatre to watch it, but I still noted that I would watch it eventually.

And I did so today.

The Conjuring 3 is the first movie in The Conjuring series (not franchise) that isn't directed by James Wan, so some disappointment seems inevitable given that a different touch would be inserted. Yet, I don't find this movie as disappointing as some critics too eager to criticise. I find it equally entertaining, albeit a little less scary. The storyline was still engaging, fascinating and extremely captivating. The horror is tellingly less scary than the predecessors, but it was still a remarkable work. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie. Ed and Lorraine Warren are as lovely as ever. Lorraine's psychic ability was also given particularly extra focus in this movie.

I think The Conjuring would remain a strong movie franchise to go on. After three movies, one might expect the quality to drop. But unlike other horror movies which depend heavily on the work of creativity which dissipates with time, The Conjuring series is based on allegedly true stories which would never run out of originality. I look forward to watching future Conjuring movies. Seriously, I do. Since J-horror and Thai-horror faded, there has been a serious dearth of horror movies in the market. The Conjuring series is a welcome revitalisation of horror movies.

Covid-19, Side Effect After the First Dose, Part 2

 So I went to TTSH. Going to hospital for the first time in Singapore was a strange experience, especially during a pandemic. I called in sick (after all, I already had a MC from GP the previous day), travelled by MRT to Novena, and walked into TTSH. Throughout the whole walk, I did feel my heart still beating rather fragilely, so I took precautions to pace myself. But, well, I was heading to a hospital anyway, what could have happened.

The walk from the main entrance to A&E was rather lengthy. The A&E section was barricaded, so I entered. But nobody was really queuing. I approached the counter and delivered the letter, and I was very swiftly attended by a doctor and a nurse who proceeded to take my blood pressure, heart rate, and ECG. After my ECG, I was asked whether I preferred to continue laying on the bed until it was my turn to see the doctor or whether I would prefer to wait in the waiting area. It was a strange choice, that I got to choose to lay on the bed and wait. But I conveyed that I prefer to sit, my condition wasn't critical and I didn't want to go anyway so there was no need for me to really use up a bed.

The waiting area was a little crowded but otherwise, it was like any clinic, except with a few doctors tending to many patients. I had a wristband on me with an electronic tag that would only be removed after the consultation and payment was made, so I sat. The place was cold, I guess part of the fee paid covered the air-conditioner on almost full blast.

Nobody there looked particularly distressing or in urgent need of medical care. It really looked just like a regular clinic at a regular place. After a half an hour wait, I was called by a very young-looking female doctor that I suspect was either a fresh graduate or on housemanship. But staffs there were wearing protective equipment so their hairs were covered, eyes were behind a goggle and they wore gloves. Their features were not very distinctive as I couldn't made up a lot, but she looked very young.

She asked me the same question my GP asked me the previous night, except that she was a little more detailed. She had access to my vaccination status, I probably shouldn't be surprised anymore.

After that, she drew blood. She said her 'senior' saw nothing concerning, but a blood test might help to shed further light as she said 'electrolytes imbalances may cause heart palpitations'. I knew it was not possible - seemed comically coincidentally - but the only thing in my mind was, shit, how was I going to pay for the medical bill? This was Singapore, a world top expensive city with top expensive healthcare system.

So she asked me to go another room for her to draw blood, and based on blood-drawing experience, ya, I could tell she was definitely very young and very fresh in this field. First, I was supposed to hold my strength, tightening my muscles so that she could draw my blood more easily - she did not request me to do so. Then, she tried to tie my bicep with a glove, but the glove was too small (I rather think it as 'I'm too muscular', just let me have that moment please), so she proceeded to get the proper equipment. Subsequently, she tried to draw my blood, but she seemed to have quite some difficulty drawing my blood. Based on my past experience, my blood wasn't easily drawn because my vein appeared too close to my bone. But the current situation was more like, well, she didn't ask me to flex, so she had difficulty extracting blood. She kept tapping for a while, at least 2 to 3 minutes, and based on my past experience, it wasn't supposed to be this long. The process was short, swift and simple, but she took quite a significantly longer time. And when she retrieved, she told me, she would send it to the lab and hopefully she 'drew enough blood for test', because she said based on the syringe, she 'drew just below the line', indicated possible insufficient quantity for proper assessment.

After that, I was asked to wait outside. The lab test took one hour, but I waited up to one and a half hour. Without breakfast. I was famished, badly starving, and the full-blast air-cond really burnt up whatever residue calories I had stored in my body. Thankfully, she came back at 12.45pm (ya, I remember the time, because the wait was torturing) and told me my blood results were all normal, and she discharged me but told me to return if my heart still felt abnormal. I proceeded to make payment, expecting to have to pay a hefty sum, only to realise it was capped at SGD128, inclusive of 'x-rays and everything'. I was like, damn, should have requested for more tests to be done.

And that's all.

The first thing I did was immediately went for lunch. Thankfully, it was after peak lunch hour so I did get plenty of seats. When I was leaving, always in the MRT station, only then I remembered I forgot to get my GP's reference letter for insurance claim, I then returned to retrieve, and after that I went home.

For the whole day, my heart still felt abnormal. But thankfully, nothing serious occurred later. I was among the early batch of people who had heart palpitation as the covid side-effect, and I was the unusual ones that had it after the first dose. Most people got it after the second dose, and in Singapore, quite a number of people were hospitalised for monitoring after receiving the second dose. Me? Well, I got my second dose. I declared my side effect, but they didn't look concerned, suggesting it was quite common. My second dose, taken 4 weeks later, was uneventful except for slight headache on the next day which was suppressed by panadol. There was no heart palpitation, something I feared badly, but thankfully never arose. 

I don't know whether I'll get it if I get my booster shot in the future, but this experience has been enriching.

Behind Her Eyes

 I've heard about this book, and then I was informed it was adapted into a TV series. Haven't yet read the book, I began with the show. It is a miniseries, with only 6 episodes, and is available on Netflix. The joy of working at home is that I get time to watch more shows as I save lots of time travelling, and with that I'm less tired and more excited with watching series.

The show isn't bad, but the producer failed to specifically mention it as a supernatural psychological thriller. I didn't know there's supernatural elements involved. Nonetheless, the plot twist was too big a twist.

*Spoilers alert*

So Adele is now Louise, and before that, Adele was never Adele? David has been married to a 'guy' for 10 years.

Okay, wow. Unbelievable, but not an impressive twist. First of all, I didn't start the show believing there would be supernatural elements. But once the element is introduced, such a plot twist really isn't as surprising anymore.

Nonetheless, it's quite enjoyable, and it's still fun to watch, but I am a bit disappointed as it didn't play out the way I guessed.

You, Season 2

Significant improvement from season 1, is how I would summarise it.

Season 1 was boring. I don't know, I just never really liked it. I finished it and I thought it was okay, but it wasn't memorable. Now that I'm back to working from home, I decided to give season 2 a try. And, yes, the summary is it's much better.

I like Delilah/Ellie, not so much about Forty/Love, but then the whole storyline still is very good. Joe has found a match, and he now becomes a victim of his kind. It's awesome. Overall, I say it's good, very good. Candace is a bit too much in my opinion, but Forty/Love is an interesting sibling mix, and I really like Delilah/Ellie's protective-leave me alone kind of relationship. And it's amazing Will actually holds no grudges towards Joe, but I guess since he gets what he wants, it's quite understandable.

Overall, good, but I'm apprehensive about a third season that'll be released on 15/10/2021. Like, there couldn't possibly be another love interest. Could it? I mean, *spoiler alerts*, they are starting a family! What exactly would season 3 be about?

I'll guess we'll just have to wait to find out.

Squid Game

 You've to admit, as you age, you tend to less like drama.

Squid Game is a new Korean TV drama that has only been recently released on Netflix, and yet it swept the world like a storm. People are playing the games at MRT Pasar Seni, Singaporean cafes are offering games played on the show in the shop, people are talking about it everywhere you go, people are finding whether the doll in episode 1 is real and if it is, where is it, and people are discussing what message the show is trying to send.

In my opinion, Squid Game is wildly overhyped.

Sure, it's quite an entertaining show, but it's not exactly a new entry into the world of kill-for-fun. When I first saw it, I thought it resembles too much like Escape Room, an American movie released in 2019. There are many similarities: a recruiter went around getting a number of players to play a game. Unbeknownst to the players, the losers actually pay with their lives. And all of the players, but the winner, would be killed, and thus the game begins. The difference is Squid Game has players in the hundreds while Escape Room only has 8 players, and in both shows, the game are funded by rich people who just like watching people kill for fun.

In my opinion, the show is fine, but the craze around it seems overhyped and hyperbolic. There are many shows with similar themes and similar storylines, but somehow Squid Game got the craze. Maybe it's new to the Korean market, and very new being a Korean-produced Korean show, but the storyline is a bit banal and I don't get the hype. Nonetheless, it was still an entertaining to watch.

Lonely Together (Acoustic)

Acoustic version usually triumphs the original radio version.

It's still true with this classic by the late Avicii.

The Chainsmokers - Closer ft. Halsey - Guitar Cover By James Bartholomew

If this still cannot be considered a masterpiece, what can?

Covid-19, Side Effects After the First Dose, Part 1

 I received my first dose of Moderna vaccine at 4pm on a Sunday. 

During that period, early July 2021, there had been reports of heart inflammations occurring among young males below the age of 30, especially adolescents and those in the early-20s. I bore in mind that I must not stress my heart as heart inflammation is a real side effect, though extremely rare. I am a young male below 30. And Singapore's Health Ministry also recommends that everyone avoids doing any strenuous exercise a week after receiving either the first or second dose, after a 16-year-old boy collapsed at home due to cardiac arrest 5 days after receiving his first Pfizer dose because he lifted weights exceeding his own weight.

No choice. We had to be careful.

At night, before sleep, around 10-11pm, I began to feel hot. I could feel like my body is burning up a bit, but I didn't have a temperature. My arm was slightly sore. I then decided to sleep.

The next day was fine for me. I had no fever, no any side effects. I had a slightly sore arm, but it wasn't painful to the point it was immovable. I could lift it, I could swirl it, I could move it anyway I wanted, but it was a bit painful.

On Tuesday, 3rd day after receiving my first dose, I woke up finding that I could feel my heart pound. It was beating a little unusually hard to the point I was aware of its beating. I didn't pay much attention to it. I had no other side effects. Arm was barely sore anymore, no fever, no fatigue, nothing. I went on to work.

But my heart was still pounding. It was odd. I never had that sensation. At around 3pm in the afternoon I found it super annoying. It wasn't a pleasant feeling being able to hear your heart pound. Hearing your heart beating 24 hours a day was very annoying. I checked my heartbeat - it was regular, around 50-60 per minute which was usual for me. I didn't have any tightness in my chest nor did I have difficulty breathing. The only thing I found unusual was the force of the beating.

I found it odd, so I went to a GP after work. 

I told my doctor I got my first dose two days ago, and explained that I had no other side effects beside the force of the heartbeat. The doctor calculated my heartbeat, checked my blood pressure, and he found nothing unusual. I asked whether anyone had seen him with this issue and he said no. Then, he proceeded to ask me to get an ECG.

I was like, wtf? An ECG? Ok, if it's covered by the company's insurance, okay I'll get it. And luckily it was covered.

I was nervous because I never had an ECG. I thought it was invasive but as it turned out, it was just a simple procedure of sticking a few wires at your chest to get some reading from the monitor. The doctor performed the ECG on me, then after printing the result, he stared silently at the result for a few seconds, leaving me lying there pondering what was happening.

He told me he detected no abnormality from the ECG reading, and so he said he didn't detect any immediate danger to me. But he looked very scared and worried, and based on what happened recently (the 16-year-old boy's case), he said he would refer me to a cardiologist in a hospital. I was shocked. I initially thought he would report my case to MOH as I had no idea how a referral worked that time. But then I realised he simply meant to help me write a referral letter so that I could visit a specialist sooner than making an appointment online. 

I wasn't prescribed any medication, and the staff there gave me the referral letter and kindly taught me how to make an appointment. She initially offered to assist me to make an appointment, but I politely declined. There was no way I could afford a visit to a specialist in Singapore. I had an existing medical insurance, but it required me to be hospitalised to make a claim. And she told me it might take days. By then I surmised my side effects would have gone away. So I actually decided that I wouldn't proceed with making a trip to the hospital, but I thanked her.

But on the next day, when I woke up, I saw I had a missed call. It was only 9am. I didn't have the name recorded but I knew it was a Singapore number. I thought it couldn't be work-related because these people usually Whatsapp or called via WA, so I immediately suspected it might be the clinic. I did some googling, and turned out it was the clinic that gave me the missed call. I called back, and the clinic picked it up. 

For some reason, she urged me to go to the hospital immediately. She said, doctor determined my case as 'urgent', and then she asked me to immediately walk in to an A&E in a hospital to get immediate medical consultation with a cardiologist.

To be continued.

Covid-19 - First Dose Experience

I've finally been fully vaccinated, effective today!

Singapore began allowing PRs and LTPH to receive vaccines from 28 June 2021. We were the last batch to receive, and when the application was open, I jumped to it.

I'll share my experience, beginning with receiving the first dose.

There were a few CCs around me that offered vaccination, but I wanted to receive it as soon as possible. The nearest one offered Pfizer/BioNTech but there was no weekend slot, so I had no choice but to opt for a weekday night slot. But then, another CC, which was a bit harder to get to from my location, had an earlier weekend slot and offered the Moderna vaccine. Wanting to get jabbed asap, I changed to get Moderna instead. (Btw, Moderna doses were administered 4 weeks apart while Pfizer's 3 weeks apart, I would be fully vaccinated at the same time whichever one I had opted for anyway).

To be frank, I was very worried about the first jab. I never had mRNA vaccines before (nobody ever has). So I was actually very, very nervous when I arrived there to get my vaccine. It didn't help that I was alone.

The procedures were simple. I walked in, I was asked to confirm the appointment time (Sun, 4pm), and then I was asked to sit to wait. I waited for only about 10 minutes top, and then I proceeded to registration. I was asked many questions on whether I had any known allergies, taken any other vaccines, whether I was on blood-thinning medications and whatnot. 

After that, I was swiftly led to a set-up booth. There was a very young guy inside, probably younger than me, judging by his looks. He briefed me what to expect, and rather swiftly administered the dose to me. It was quicker than I thought - took about only 2 seconds. Then I was asked to go outside for monitoring for 30 minutes. The whole process was quite shockingly efficient.

Within the 30 minutes, I was really, really nervous and frankly, very scared. But luckily there wasn't any issue, and after 30 minutes I was allowed to go home after being told that my second vaccine shot would be one month later.

Thank you, Singapore, for also giving me a box of mask with 50 pieces, and a 500 mL hand sanitiser.

Olympics 2020

Well, almost everyone was waiting for the ultimate match again.

Lee Zii Jia vs Chen Long at Tokyo Olympics 2020.

It started off awesome for Zii Jia, but Chen Long narrowly defeated him on the 2nd, and won easily for the third match.

It's okay, Lee Zii Jia. I watched you play, I think Malaysians would agree you'd played well and skilfully. It was an awesome match, and after one and a half year of covid-caused relative inactivity, you provided quite some inspiration to many Malaysians who cheered for you.

It was a good game. Thank you for the effort, will look forward to your further play in future matches! You are a Malaysian pride!

Nutrisoy Ondeh-Ondeh

 Geez, I never really like ondeh-ondeh. I mean, I can eat it if I'm offered one, but I won't purchase one because I'm not interested to. I like pandan, but oddly I do not like gula melaka. I find it ok. But this soymilk looks appealing. I like soymilk, and I like pandan. But ondeh-ondeh flavour? I thought, okay, let's just give it a try. I've been drinking milk or soymilk regularly anyway. So I bought it and gave it a try. The first sip was weird, the gula melaka taste was very overpowering. But as I gulped more down, I can slowly find the pandan flavour growing stronger and eventually dwarf the gula melaka's taste. It's not as nice as sinking your teeth into chewy ondeh-ondeh that is coated with coconut floss, but the taste is there, and it's still a soymilk and thus remains effectively refreshing. I can't complain. And Nutrisoy's soymilk really is superior than Marigold.

是不是这样的夜晚,你才会这样的想起我

It was many years ago, I can't remember when, I think it was around 2013 when I first started working after my SPM.

It was an acoustic album produced by a Malaysian-based company. The singer wasn't named. The record company kept a very low profile (even till now). There's no website about it. We don't know any operations behind it, we don't know any person behind it. But it was, is, a legitimate business. It was sold at Popular Malaysia.

Fast forward to 2019, I had by then bought many of their albums. The latest album I purchased was a Chinese acoustic album. Again, the singers weren't named. I heard it in JB City Square's Popular. I bought it. I super like all of them.

When my laptop was haplessly destroyed because I accidentally spilt water on it, I had to buy a new laptop. Then, I realised most laptops don't come with CD drive. And the first thought that came to my mind was...I couldn't be their loyal customer anymore, because they only sell CDs. I had been their loyal customer for a very long time, and I was sad to have to cease being one simply because I had no CD drive.

It didn't bother me after that, because soon Covid-19 came.

Until two days ago, I accidentally found this on Spotify.

The album looked strikingly familiar. There was a distinct pattern in all their albums, I immediately recognised it as the same publisher.

I was overjoyed. I listened to all the songs immediately and it really gave me a euphoria I haven't experienced for a long time.

I thought I could find more albums on Spotify, but as it turns out, no. This was the only one. Again, its profile was very low even on Spotify.

I thought I couldn't ever hear the albums anymore. Thank God, I'm now able to listen to new albums because of Spotify. I really thank Spotify.

To be honest, I really hope I could know who are the singers. The covers are very good, and better than many YouTubers. They deserve some fame and recognition, but maybe they remain anonymous simply because they like singing and want to share that joy but don't want fame and recognition. To do that out of genuine sharing. If that's the real reason, my respect to them would skyrocket to a brand new level.

Whomever you are, thank you.

And thank you, Spotify, for allowing me to continue to be a loyal audience.

Hailee Steinfeld, Alesso - Let Me Go ft. Florida Georgia Line

It sucks that this song is categorised as a 'happy' song by Spotify, because this song triggers a lot of memories I had when I first listened to it, and nostalgia makes me kinda...moody, and it thus doesn't make me happy.

I love this song. Good music we had back then.

The Definition of 'Extension'

I sometimes love reading Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) judgments, because sometimes they bicker over things ordinary people find nonsensical and laughable. But in the legal context, sometimes, a word really could make thousands of dollars of difference.

Take the judgment released today about what exactly Congress means by 'extension'. I mean, 32-pages of single line documents to analyse only what 'extension' means. 32-pages of words because of 'one word'!

Anyway, after Ginsburg died last year, Amy Coney Barrett was rushed to be appointed to SCOTUS, solidifying the conservative control on the supreme court. I resented her. But recent judgments show that she's much more centrist than I initially presumed, and she's beginning to earn my respect. And damn, she's one hard textualist, and a very technical one. 

I mean, in today's judgment, which she dissented, I can literally feel her blood boiled. Read it yourself.

HOLLYFRONTIER CHEYENNE REFINING, LLC, ET AL. v. RENEWABLE FUELS ASSOCIATION ET AL.

In the end, I agree with her:

'Boiled down, the Court’s position is that HollyFrontier wins because its reading is possible. But I would ask, as we typically do, how the term “extension” “is most naturally read.” - Barrett, J. 

Bored. Very Bored.

It's been one and a half year since I'm trapped in Singapore, and during this period I've explored virtually every part of Singapore.

I seriously need suggestions as to what I should do during my free time.

I do not enjoy shopping nor dining. I used to like to eat a lot, but now I'm controlling because it's becoming a nasty habit and I'm making progress so I don't like food hunting anymore.

I do enjoy some outdoor exercise but I've explored parts of Singapore worth exploring, including most of the parks and the connectors. The only ones I haven't explored is Sungai Buloh and the off islands because they are hard to reach. Else, the rest, you name it, I've been there.

It's a very tiny island and I'm bored. I need new stuff to do.

I've considered volunteering, but covid-19 restrictions put most to a halt. Even beach-cleaning isn't available.

What the hell should I do?

Peaky Blinders

Oh God, I never knew this show existed!

I googled for TV series recommendation and some websites recommend Peaky Blinders. I searched for it on Wiki and learnt that it's a gang-themed show which is set around 1920s. Shows set in the past aren't a thing for me because I do not like history, but I really wanted to watch a British show so I gave it a try.

My first thought after watching the first episode? Okay, when people say British actors can act better than Hollywood actors, people aren't kidding. The gap in acting quality is humongous and apparent. British actors really can act better.

Then, I thought the first episode started off a bit slow and boring. Pilot usually starts slow. So I gave the second episode a try. And I ended up finishing the first season in 3 days. To be fair, there were only 6 episodes in one season (typical of English drama), but they were working days - days I were superbly busy.

I especially like Thomas and Aunt Pol. No joke, I mean, the characters are fascinating, but seriously Cilian Murphy and the late Helen McCrory really were class actors. They have class. Real quality that is absent in Hollywood actors. Then, the characters are fascinating at their own. Thomas, the smart leader who is enthralled and besotted with Grace, the barmaid who is actually an undercover cop but mistakenly fell for him. Aunt Pol, the lady head of the family who is often in loggerheads with Thomas but respects him ultimately. I sincerely love these two characters. I also like Grace, but it's because she's beautiful not because she's an outstanding actress. She's good, but just not as outstanding as Cilian Murphy and Helen McCrory.

Anyway the show was good. It was really entertaining. There were 4 more seasons for me to watch (and an unaired 6th season), but the first season didn't disappoint. Also, I learnt Helen McCrory passed away April 2021. This is really sad, I hope she rests in peace.

p/s: British accent > American accent, by an infinite magnitude.

The Gulf 2

Okay, seriously, this is the best New Zealand TV show I've ever watched. I like Step Dave, but Step Dave didn't make me want to devour it in one go. This show did. This crime show makes The Brokenwood Mysteries like a child's play. Like the first season, one crime is featured over two episodes and they are as jam-packed as the episodes in the first season - solid, good storyline coupled with good acting, good crimes. I finished two episodes in one go because the stories are awesome. But the difference in the second season is that some of the crimes are ultimately linked, and the final mystery is only unravelled in the last arc of the series. I like this show, and I like how Jess/Ruby's daughter mother's relationship is written - messed up but they still love each other. Harding has a problem and I'll just say this season ends with a cliffhanger, so they better bring a season 3 else I'll lose my mind.

The Flight Attendant

I first knew about The Flight Attendant when I first saw the book in Popular. The recap sounded interesting, but then what really captured my attention was it has been made into a television series. Starring Kaley Cuoco! 

So I googled for the show, and at the time of searching, only two episodes had been released.

I didn't read the book. I haven't read it too, but I've finished the TV series because, come on, it's Kaley Cuoco!!

Anyway, without spilling too many beans, I have to say the storyline is really good. All the actors and actresses were extremely professional and good at their job. I love Kaley Cuoco, I knew her since she starred in Charmed, and then I watched all The Big Bang Theory. I like her a lot, and she did a superb job! She's awesome, as she always has been. The actresses who play Miranda and Annie were also awesome. OMG I love Miranda too! The I-don't-give-a-fuck attitude this assassin has is a gem!

The show has been renewed for a second season. To be honest, I'm not sure what it's going to be about, probably just a continuation of the unfinished storyline in season 1 (not giving out spoilers), but either case, I can't wait for it! (Too bad it's premiering only autumn 2022)

MCO 3.0?

The problem with Malaysians is that Malaysians use emotions to make decisions. They don't stand up for facts.

Logic dictates that if one hardcore MCO didn't work and a softer MCO doesn't work as well, the problem must be that the MCO is fatally flawed.

But Malaysians, as always, conclude that the problem here is that it is done wrong, instead of the solution being wrong.

So Malaysians loudly want a MCO 3.0.

Fine, call for it. Go for it.

We'll see how it goes maybe six months later. Since you guys love destroying yourself, go for it. I couldn't care anymore.

The biggest horror on this planet is when people abandons logic and reasonings and facts and allow emotions to take over and make decisions based on fear. We've seen the consequence. We had daily cases of barely 400 when we had the first MCO - where did it lead us a year later? Seriously, what inspires people to think a third is going to work?

You want it to work. You wish it's going to work because you're scared.

But the fact is it isn't going to work. And calling for another one is delaying the inevitable. You're just a camel wanting to stick your head in the sand because it is a much more convenient of facing the fact.

The core has always been the same: comply with the SOP. Non-compliance is useless. You can put in century-long MCO, as long as people are not compliant, it's not going to work.

But Malaysians being Malaysians just have to stick to doing something prove useless.

Fine. Good luck.

"How The British Took Over India" - TREVOR NOAH

Good things ought to be shared. Something to cheer ya'll up.

Ju-On: The Origins

Okay, allow me to say Ju-On is one of the earliest horror movie I've watched. It was the year 2002, the movie was just theatrically released. It was the year 2002, the internet wasn't a thing. I saw its rather dark, black gory face as a movie poster being advertised on Star2, back in the era where movie showtimes were printed in the newspaper spanning across one page. I still remember it was the time the GSC Mid Valley was the 'hot' theatre, while the tiny ones closest to me was The Summit Bukit Mertajam (now closed).

Anyway, a few years later, probably around 2003 or 2004 when I was still in primary school, the movie was aired on ntv7 in conjunction with the seventh month Hungry Ghost Festivals. It was a 10.10pm slot (10pm - 10.10pm was the news slot), and the movie began with a couple driving along a deserted road when they appeared to have hit something. The driver stopped, came down to see nothing. The passenger wanted to know what happened, peeked at the mirror, and saw a cat lying motionless but suddenly a pair of children's legs emerged to retrieve the seemingly dead cat. She was frightened. Then, couldn't find what they've hit, and couldn't be sure she was hallucinating, they proceeded to drive, only to find Toshio suddenly appeared behind the steering wheel. In shock, the driver panicked and met an accident.

I was freaked out. I didn't think I continue watching.

A few years later, The Grudge, the remake by the USA, hit the theatre. I remembered it hit the box office in the USA and broke the summer record as the best-performed horror movie (in 2004). I knew Sarah Michelle Gellar from other movie so I bought a DVD (yes, DVD was a thing in 2004) and watched the movie. I remember I was fascinated. I absolutely love The Grudge, and had since rewatched it multiple times. I mean, the storyline was good. It was scary. And it felt authentic. I actually knew what was happening.

I then went to search online in attempt to find the original series. Back then, the internet was very fresh. The only source of videos was Youtube. Seriously, Youtube in 2004 had lots of movies that, in 2021, clearly violated copyright laws of the producers. Anyway, I found Ju-On: The Curse and Ju-On: The Grudge. All of them. So I watched all of them. While it is true the Japanese version was much more terrifying, they were also very much more confusing as the story was told in a non-linear manner. In my opinion, Japanese movies tend to focus on the scare, not so much about the story. 

Fast forward almost two decades later, Ju-On: Origins, released on Netflix, share the same theme. It focuses on the scare, not so much the story.

The curious thing about this six-episode series is that it doesn't feature either Toshio, Kayako or the annoying cat. It seems to tell a story that doesn't relate to them. 

Then, after finishing the story, the main question is still left unanswered: what began the curse? At least in the original movies, we knew how the curse began. Yet, this show that is named Origin, doesn't explain how the curse originated. Rather, it told multiple stories in a non-linear manner interacting in confusing shots that didn't seem to lead to an answer.

Maybe I'm too dumb to follow the storylines. It's possible. I'm not used to Japanese story-telling.

I won't say I'm disappointed though. The show was fine. The scare wasn't as strong as the original movies, but the story was okay. It just felt disappointed that there wasn't an answer.

I would recommend it, but only if you've watched the original movies. Because then you can compare. If you haven't, then, well, be warned that the series doesn't seem to relate to the movies, and have totally different characters although both feature a fixation with a cursed house.

Supernatural 15x19 Ending Montage

I'm sharing this again, because I'm rewatching it.

It's emotional when you compress 15 years of memories into a two minutes montage. 

I grew up watching this. Supernatural stuck with me from primary school to working adult life. This show means a lot to me. 

Well, this is the first year I wouldn't have a new season to look forward to. I wish there are more.

By the way, I'm still outraged both Castiel and Jack were not featured in the finale. 

April 2021 - Dilemma

 For the past two weeks, I've got a little reprieve from work as my workload has reduced substantially.

The thing I have learnt about myself is that in order to work, I must have pressure. Else, I'll default to the lazy mode and not feeling motivated to finish a task. I need my work to pile up, only then I can be productive.

Well, I'm in my third year in Singapore. I planned to leave after two years. Covid-19 disrupted my plan.

Few days ago, my boss asked me to think about my future. What direction I wish to go. He probably noticed I'm still doing what I'm doing and think that I'm stagnating and ask me to sit for PE test.

It's not that I do not want to. First of all, I really am not ready, and I don't see the point of going for something just because everybody else has gone for it. I'm not the kind of person who follows the tide just because the tide flows that way. I like doing things that make me happy and comfortable and if that doesn't fit the flow of the tide, then so be it.

Secondly, I don't plan to settle permanently in Singapore. Is there any point in getting it? Converting it when I go back to Malaysia? I suppose it could work, but without Malaysian experience, applying for any job with a professional title may not meet a welcoming response.

I don't know. Since covid-19 has disrupted my plan, it's probably wise that I reconsider my options.

I've always wanted to return to Malaysia, but the longer I stay in Singapore, the harder it is for me to detach myself from Singapore.

I cannot imagine settling down in Singapore. I wouldn't be able to afford a house. A car. My life will be stagnating because all of these would be prohibitively unreachable for me.

But I do like Singapore's parks. The safety. The strength of the currency. The safety at night and proximity and availabilities of the various parks in Singapore allow me to exercise much more freely, frequently and vigorously then I can in Malaysia. Who the hell jogs on the roadside at night in Malaysia? It's unthinkable, yet in Singapore it's completely normal and I've been doing that and I like it. It's a form of self-improvement, it self-strengthening and it protects my health and I absolutely love it.

Needless to say, Singapore dollar is a much more appealing currency to earn than Malaysian Ringgit.

Other than these factors, I don't have anything I like in Singapore. I literally live for the parks and the currency. That's all.

The longer I stay in Singapore, the more I realise I'm sinking into this abyss where I wouldn't be able to escape. It frustrates me.

Geostorm

This show was on MeWatch, the Singapore's Tonton, on Channel 5. And since it's a Sunday night, I watched it, because the introduction seemed interesting.

Before I watched it, I googled it. I knew this movie is rather recent (I hold that any movies released after 2015 are considered 'new' ya I'm that old) 

The movie was fine, but not something I would pay to watch in a cinema. Technologically, artificially constructed satellites that could wreak havoc to the planet were something just outrageously absurd to be processed. But this is a movie, I'll let it slide.

Well, brotherly relationships turned sour at the beginning but due to sabotage, they began to heal. It's a typical movie plot - two relationships gone bad had to be put aside in the face of crisis. Predictable. The movie was fine. The plot was fine.

It kept me entertained for two hours on a Sunday night. I considered it purpose served well.

MeWatch has turned out to be a great entertaining platform for me.

BTS 'Dynamite'

I don't usually listen to K-Pop. Neither can I name any of the BTS member's name.

But during this global pandemic, we all could use a little cheerful and cheeky song to be enlightened.

Legends of Tomorrow, Season 5

 Okay, yes, I'm always slow, but that's because I like watching one season in one shot!

Legends of Tomorrow is now my favourite series in the Arrowverse. Arrow just outlived its storyline after 6 seasons and rightly terminated (though, to be honest, the spin-off on their kids and the Canary look awesome but sadly not picked up). The Flash, in my opinion, appears to be stagnant and running in a loop and slipping. I've not watched Supergirl other than those in crossovers, and I've also not watched Batwoman and Black Lightning because I ain't interested. I started watching Legends of Tomorrow because the characters were extracted from Arrow and The Flash. I once considered this the weakest, of which I continue to hold it was true for the first season, but it has not improved so much it surpasses others.

The first season was, meh. I can't recall much. The second season still confused me - how's Eobard Thawne and Damien Darkh relevant? I mean, I am still confused by the circumstances that allowed Eobard to be the main villain. The third was fine, but the fourth was great - the introduction of dark magic and John Constantine was a surprisingly welcoming element to a show that centres around metahuman and human superpowers.

I like this season a lot. I prefer the old Zari though. But she's still one of my favourite characters. I still like Sara Lance the most, and I find Charlie particularly appealing this season. Like I said, Charlie is so well-played, compared to Amaya, a character I didn't really like. I like Ava Sharpe a lot. I found that, in this season, it's comedic element is much more profound and outstanding. I'm sad that Nora and Ray left - Nora is so sweet, and Ray a close brother to Nate. But Astra's introduction is welcoming, though I can't extend the same to Mick's daughter yet. Behrad feels....incongruous. But he serves his purpose well.

In general, I like this season a lot. I mean, I remember season 1 was boring. I found season 2 a little incredulous but generally likeable. I gave season 3 a shot because I usually finish watching the show I started (with the exception of Grey's Anatomy, House MD and Lost). But season 3 turned out to be a marked improvement, with season 4 a sharp improvement and season 5 incredibly amazing.

This season has been about the return of several villains as they were sent to hell to grab some souls. Charlie is revealed to be a God, and together with her 2 sisters, once controlled fate and is currently on the run as she broke that control by hiding the three rings that yielded that power. Due to the merging of the universe after the event of Crisis on Infinite Earths, her sisters now have much smaller perimeters to search for the rings and are closing into Charlie (Clotho).

This season is awesome. I cannot describe it. You just have to give it a shot. 

I felt though that Mick doesn't appear to blend in well with other characters and have much smaller and separate screentime. I ain't sure why. I mean, he didn't even know there were two Zaris.

But Ava and Sara's relationship continued to be the focus. And they are really sweet.

I initially disliked Astra. I grew to like her.

I'm saddened Nora and Ray have to leave. I like Nora more, but it's still sorrowing that Ray leaves.

There are a few particularly strong episodes: the episode where Damien Darkh returns is very well written and scripted. It feels home in a show where personal relationship and settling down are distinct concepts. Then the one about Son of Sam, oh my god it's mind-blowingly brilliant and interesting! Also, Mick's short role as a character in television in the penultimate episode was cheeky and uncharacteristic.

There are, however, a few questions I do have

• If Charlie (Clotho) is a God, and has remained a God, how did John manage to 'clip' her wings? His magic is applicable to a God?
• In the finale, Charlie returns as a member of The Smell and sings in the public looking like Amaya, the identity she takes up. But that wasn't the image she used when she was a member before joining the Legends.
• While looking for the first ring, Sara found the shooting set of Supernatural (another show I thoroughly love with every fibre of my being) and said Dean is her 'hall pass'. Weird, Supernatural is a TV show in the Arrowverse universe? What happened to Jack's mother, Kelly Kline? She's literally...Nora Darkh.
• If Charlie and her sisters are Gods, what's their role with respect to The Monitor?

In short,

• I'll miss Charlie/Clotho and wish she stays longer.
• If Sara Lance or Zari are no longer in the show, I'll probably stop watching.
• Aliens in season 6? I can't wait for season 6!!!

Anne-Marie - 2002 - Cover (finger style guitar)

I found another masterpiece. Why am I always late in discovering gems?

I found it via Spotify. Spotify does contain a lot of masterpiece, but one really needs patience while wading in.

Maroon 5 - Memories (Fingerstyle Guitar Cover)

Whoever you are, sir, you're a pure music genius.

Wonderful piece of work. Thank you for the music!

The Gulf (TV)

 I've always wanted to watch a good British/Australian/New Zealand TV series because they're often short, compact, and very powerful. The Brokenwood Mysteries is a good Kiwi series but its length is a bit exhausting. I continued to google and found a new TV show - The Gulf.

I started expecting this show to be one six-part series on a single crime. It turned out to be a six-episode series with three story plot with each spanning over two continuous episodes. This means the show has everything I enjoy - short, compact, powerful. Technically it's similar as one episode of The Brokenwood Mysteries, except that The Gulf has a much serious tone, not exactly humorous, serious investigative work, and authentic suspense.

The Gulf started strong - Jess, the main female character, woke up from an accident of which she had no recollection of. Harding, her ambitious subordinate who she apparently wasn't very fond of initially, greeted her and sort of needed to investigate what happened.

The first story revolves around the finding of a boy who the police thought died five years ago but couldn't find the body and closed the case. The second story is about a missing girl from Perth who had a party in New Zealand. The third and last story is about the ex-cop on the island killing a Maori guy as alleged self-defence of home intrusion.

The third one was the most boring in my opinion, but it opened my view to an open and ongoing social unrest in New Zealand about how the Maori is treated. The minority is often not treated as equal everywhere, and New Zealand shows very rarely discuss it. Or at least I haven't come across one that does. 

I liked the first story the best, but I loved the ending. There are many questions that haven't been answered, and I'm hopeful that the newly aired season 2 will shed some lights on it.

Who knows Jess's secret?

What's Harding's relationship with his father got to do with anything and how did the lady know?

Part of the acclaim has got to do to the lead two actors. Kate Elliot's acting is powerful, she's an amazing actor. Acting like she did wasn't easy and not common. I've watched a lot of shows but not many plays a character as strong as she does. The struggle she displayed in the show about the memory loss and the slow resurface of lost memories and the painful dealing with her daughter and her colleagues and subordinates were captivating and she made the experience somehow relatable. Ido Drent's acting was good but his struggle over his internal demon part appeared true, although other than that he simply played a rebellious character.

Anyway, I like this show. I can't wait to watch season 2. I just hope it's available in Netflix - in Malaysia or Singapore.

Dua Lipa - Levitating Featuring DaBaby (Official Music Video)

I'm saying it: I thought Dua Lipa is a Malaysian. It turns out she is an Albanian/British.

Anyway, it's a good song. 

CNY 2021

 Chinese New Year for 2021 was exceptional for me, because it was the first time I spent such a festive holiday away from home.

Most of us, Malaysians, are stuck in Singapore due to Covid-19. To be fair, many Malaysians are also stranded away from home, perhaps in other states, due to MCO.

With most countries' borders shut, nobody has been travelling.

So CNY this year, we see very few tourists, but a little more festive due to people celebrating CNY here.

Well, I've spent my eve with my university friends in a German bar eating a German burger, so that's something. But that night was spent like we just finished final exam instead of a reunion dinner. It was fun, different and to be honest, memorable.

I spent the first and third day visiting my cousins. 

I spent the second day trying to enter casino but was informed the patronage was high and it was only limited to members. Oh well.

So my friend and I travelled to Jewel instead as we wanted to stay indoors, visited the Canopy Park, and toured T1 and T3. Struck a bargain in WH Smith in T1 - I wanted to only buy a magazine as a support as I know their business has been horrible due to lack of tourists, but ended up buying a few relatively new books sold on clearance. 

Well, it has been different.

Hopefully, the next year doesn't have to be. 

Happy Chinese New Year!

Nature Walk - Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park

Living in a city-state with a very dense population spurred me away from locations where people tend to congregate. I therefore often try my best (not always successful) to avoid crowded places, especially since in the current pandemic it's highly advisable to do so.

Yesterday, I went to make new specs in J8, since I got my bonus. I wanted to, well, treat myself a bit better, especially since my current specs is 5-year-old and it's about time to upgrade anyway. Luckily, my eyesight was fine. It didn't deteriorate further, although with my busy work and constant looking at screens whole day long, I definitely thought it had regressed.

After that I went to Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park. I often go there, but it's always at night when I jog. So I chose to go during the day so that I can soak my legs in the water.

Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park is a naturalised park. That being said, it was a concrete canal that was demolished to artificially recreate a biotic system. It is marvellously beautiful, wildlife does thrive well. Plants there are awesome. Fish and tortoise can be seen in the pristine water which looks clean enough to drink (but it is untreated, so don't). The picture above was taken on a bridge that led to a 24-hour McDonald's in the park.

Look at the turtle and the fish. See how clean the water is? It's beautiful! 

There are stones where people can walk on to cross the river. It's not slippery, and it appeared to be designed such that water is diverted besides it instead of over it. So it's always safe to use that. Plus, I'm a Malaysian. I'm used to unprotected, natural pathways that are very much sneakier to traverse.

The picture above was taken on the river.

I like Bishan-Ang Mo Kio park. I love the waterway. Not the park itself - okay I like to jog there, but there's nothing interesting about the park except the river. A naturalised river.

US Congress Certification

 I woke up today to the horror of learning a staged insurrection occurred in the United States while I was sleeping. Trump is insane and he's capable of mobilising mass protests but breaking laws to invade the Capitol Building for the first time in two centuries is a level I wasn't anticipating. 

The US Senate and House were meant to convene and certify Joe Biden's victory, and I guess Trump just got desperate.

The consequence? The count was suspended but resumed hours later. A thorough investigation would be launched to determine how it transpired, given that it should be one of the most secured buildings in the world. Facebook and Twitter both suspended Trump's accounts, with Facebook entirely blocking it for 24 hours which is a harshly different approach it undertook earlier. 

In the end, the counting pushed through. Mike Pence did not bend for Trump, and neither did Mitch McConnell. Objections were raised for Arizona and Pennsylvania but eventually, both were rejected roundly by both the House and the Senate. The landslide majority by the Republican-controlled Senate was rather eye-opening for me - I expected much stronger resistance but it turned out the Senate shot it down very much faster than the House.

The number of Republicans supporting Trump is disgusting, despicable and deeply disconcerting. Trump is a criminal and ought to be chained behind bars with his mouth shut.

I spent one whole working morning listening to live video of the counting (since I was working) all the way until 3.44pm when they concluded and officially announced Biden as the 46th President come 20th January. Today has been breathtaking for me, to watch democracy survives in face of siege.

Trump should be ashamed, but cult leaders rarely do, don't they?

Also, the Dems won both Georgia seats, meaning the Senate is split 50-50, and Kamela Harris is allowed to be the tie-breaker, which means the Democrats controls the Senate.

In four years, the Republicans lost the House, the Senate, and the White House. Can't say I sympathise Trump's suckers. They deserve it. I just hoped they lost even more and got more brutalised. 

BLACKPINK - 'Ice Cream (with Selena Gomez)' M/V

Okay, admittedly, this isn't the kind of song I often listen to.

I'm not a K-pop fan. Still ain't one, though I won't say I won't become one in the future. Now it just doesn't appeal to me.

The lyrics are complete garbage with no actual meanings other than sentences that kids seem to cook up while learning a new language.

But, I admit the song is pretty catching.

Okay, rather enjoyable. 

Next.

2021, New Hope?

It's the 1st of January, year 2021. 

It's amazing how time flies, doesn't it? Last year, this time, we were all so looking forward to the year we grew up looking forward to: the year 2020. The year of Wawasan 2020 which we learnt when we were in school. The year we visualised to be everything like science fiction. How funny it has turned out to be.

End of year 2019, some day nearing the end of December, I was having breakfast at Marsiling market before doing a visual inspection. It was that day, in CNA, that I first read a news report about some mysterious pneumonia that had emerged in Wuhan. I didn't really bother about it at that point because new viruses kept emerging, and the last full-blown virus epidemic didn't turn out to be as scary as it was first reported. Okay, to be fair, Zika was horrific for pregnant ladies, but it otherwise was fine. I lived through H1N1. A(H1N1) was also treated with extreme fear, reported to be a fusion of three flu viruses and people were scared shit. Few years down the road, it was reported H1N1 infected about 25-50% of the world's population and people have since stopped giving so much care about it. I thought it would be the same for whatever new virus that was being investigated. To be fair, I also thought it might just be some existing virus which they might not be able to identify yet. It probably wouldn't be nothing, or so I thought.

Then, it was reported it was a brand new virus with seemingly crippling effects. It hadn't reached Malaysia or Singapore's shores, so during CNY, travelling back to home was still expected. And so I did. Only when we reached the Tuas custom, we learnt that Singapore had since recorded the very first case on its soil.

CNY went through relatively quietly. Then I travelled back to Singapore.

One month down the road, in March, apparently, the situation in Malaysia spiralled out of control. Malaysia imposed a lockdown. Singapore followed suit when the cases in the dormitories balloooned. 

And now, the first day of 2021, still no end in sight. The virus is still spreading. We all thought it would have ended end of 2020, but as it turns out we're still so far from it.

Well, news about vaccines have emerged and vaccines have begun being distributed. It's a silver lining, but the road to recovery seems uncomfortably long.

I crave for the pre-covid normality. What we have now is survival. It couldn't last. Fatigue has set in for many people, and this cannot continue anymore. The people are getting tired.

So, here's to 2021, hoping that covid-19 would cease to become relevant.

Happy New Year everyone. May 2021 be a better year than 2020.