Lady Gaga - Hold My Hand

Yes, I love the movie. Top Gun: Maverick is the best movie in 2022 so far and I don't foresee any movies displacing it. Not even Black Panther: Wakanda Forever or even Avatar.

But, more importantly, I love Lady Gaga. Such an awesome song.

Calum Scott - Heaven (Official Video)

I guess, like the old times, good songs ought to be shared.

Songs like this are the best, and are disturbingly increasingly becoming a rarity.

Just Beyond

I chanced upon this on Disney+, so I gave it a try.

This is an anthological series consisting of 8 episodes. It's categorised as a paranormal series, but in actuality, it's more of a teenage supernatural series. It's nothing very scary, and is more suited for kids than young adults, to be honest.

It's based on a few comic/children books, adapted to a short series.

It's pretty fun, and like most shows geared for kids, it's partially educational. Every episodes explores an incident which aims to serve as a lesson for the viewers.

I particularly like the first and the last episode. The last episode was a particularly strong stand-out. The first made a very nice introduction of the series, but unfortunately, it's followed by a few subpar episodes, but they are still alright. I just prefer the first and the last.

Since each episodes is about only 20 minutes long, it's a mildly entertaining show you can choose to watch during your lunch break. I kinda like the show, and if there's a second season, I'll give it a try too.

Ok. So This Is It

Okay, I'm pushing 30, and the incessant question of 'why are you single?' is getting much more relentless.

The truth is, I belong to the rare group of people called aromantic. (link attached) Essentially, it means I'm a kind of person who does not, or has a very poor ability to, develop romantic feelings. 

I can care for every living thing, but I'm just the kind of person that does not develop romantic feelings towards others.

I can be obsessed with things, but being obsessed is not quite the same as romantic I guess. I would like to learn about that particular thing to the extent of what interests me - I'm not interested in prodding further.

Then, I'm simply not keen to have another person in my life. I'm sometimes bored being alone but I don't feel insecure or incomplete. 

I just never experienced that. I wanted to experience romance too, you know, since my youth is almost gone, but I simply lack the capability to do so.

And it's not entirely a bad thing. Unlike many people, I'm not complaining I want a girlfriend but can't get one. I'm not complaining.

There are many things in my life that I want to have but can't have, and I accept this as part of it and I've settled with it.

Just like, I want to be rich but it's simply not a realistic dream. It's the same attitude I hold towards a partner.

So, there, that's why I'm single.

Blood Donation

A few weeks ago I read that the Red Cross was appealing for blood donors for, I think A+ and O+ blood, so it suddenly piqued my oddly subdued interest to donate blood, though my blood type is B+.

My friend and I decided to then travel to the blood bank at Dhoby Ghaut to donate, because he donated before and he knew the process and I thus decided that it was safer to tag along him rather than going alone. Alas, because we made no appointment, the queue was two and a half hours waiting time so we forewent it.

Until just last Saturday, there was a mobile drive. So we decided to go again.

I'm going to say that the first time of everything gets my nerves all fired up, despite repeated assurances and stories that say it's a simple process that does not necessitate any fear, but anxiety is, after all, an irrational response that is biologically necessary.

As we reached there, the first thing to do was to fill up a health form. Then we proceed to get our details registered.

Then, we had to get our haemoglobin levels checked. Insufficient haemoglobin disqualifies one as a donor; after all, if you don't have enough, you shouldn't donate. I knew it involved extracting blood from a wound on the finger, so it got my very, very nervous. The nurse saw that my palms were all sweaty, so she gave me a tissue paper to wipe off. I was very scared of any pain, regardless of how small it is, and I would say I was totally unprepared for the 'stapler' (don't know what it's called) and the subsequent rather loud sound it produced. It threw me off balance and my palms were visibly sweaty again despite just wiping them off a few seconds ago, amusing the nurse that took my blood. Ya, it hurt a little, but it was temporary (and uncomfortable).

My haemoglobin level was 15.2 g/dl. It was good. 

Then, the next was health check. I hadn't taken any medicines or fallen sick, so it was good.

Next, we waited for donation. It was quite a while. I wasn't expecting the donation to be in the centre of the room with the crowd watching while waiting.

When it was my turn, I was asked to sit on the chair. I was given a small thing to squeeze to stimulate blood flow. The nurse tried finding my veins, but was deterred by what she said was 'very small' veins. She then moved on to my right arm in hope for a better shot, but I knew my right arm was the red zone for all nurses - very, very few nurses successfully extracted blood from my right arm. She moved back to my left arm hoping for a better luck, to no avail, and sighed rather frustratingly as if I offended her. She had to seek help, and another nurse came and took a look and pondered a while, and then she said, okay. She would do it. 

She applied anaesthetic on my arm, and naturally the standard procedure required my vision of the extraction site to be blocked off so I couldn't see it. Then she tightened my arm again and told me to please squeeze hard because my vein was very small. Then I felt a prick, which was rather uncomfortable though momentary, and she plugged the tube in. I had been advised to squeeze that thing every 5 seconds or so to accelerate the extraction, and so I did. But to be honest, squeezing that thing allowed me to feel that a tube was plugged in me and it was not very comfortable.

After a while, I surmised not more than 3 minutes, she came and removed the tube, which I thought was fast. Three people in front of me sat down a few minutes before me and they ended their donation the same time with me. In fact, I left the chair earlier than all of them, which prompted my friend to say 'your donation process was especially fast'. I was told this meant I had healthy muscular system and blood circulation, so I took it as a compliment. We were given foods and drinks for rest, and I took Milo.

After that, the side effects were not immediate. But I did feel a little dizzy and light weight a while later, and by night time I felt a little angina and heart weaknesses, and my heart seemed to beat a lot faster than usual. Considering that I lost about 15% of my blood, I supposed it was normal. I felt better the next day, but my appetite was beyond normal for the next three days.

Overall I would say the entire process was fairly easy and only minimally painful. I would be eligible to donate in 45 days, and I guess I might. Maybe not soon, to allow my body to heal better, but suffice to say I think a second donation is imminent. If I can save lives, I guess I'll do it. And I guess everyone should too - it's fairly harmless yet beneficial.

July 2022

 It's incredible how time flies so quickly. It's now the 2nd half of 2022, and we're just past the mid-third quarter of the year.

This year has been great so far. In the beginning of the year, Omicron was fresh and new and excited to spread its roots, and naturally I wasn't spared. Despite getting my booster in January (and disappointed I had no significant side effects and hence unable to claim any MC to get a break from work - I purposely chose to get my booster on a Sunday evening anticipating strong debilitating reaction on Monday), I was infected with covid-19 in March. It's likely Omicron, though no specific tests were performed, because my symptoms were so mild, I didn't test it until I just thought, oh, fuck it, I was in the office, let's just test it, and I saw a dark T line on the kit.

It was uneventful for me. Had a great week off.

Then, I went back to Penang for a month. I realised I haven't updated the subsequent parts - I'll do so when, well, I'm in the mood to do so. But returning to Penang a month makes me realised that I actually can survive in Penang. I tracked my finances, and I projected that I would be able to live comfortably if I have to. But the problem is, Penang isn't fertile with jobs I like, and I like the outdoor environment in Singapore that Penang does not offer.

I'm become a lot more physically active, because Singapore is such a great place for you to try to be physically active, and I seize on that opportunity because, why not?

Disney+ has not been a worthwhile subscription all the time, but it's not all lost. I paid SGD119.90 for a number of shows that don't seem like a very good investment, but to be honest, I would probably renew it next year. It doesn't harm to support the company a little for some entertainment I could get, even though it leans on the pricey side that makes piracy seems like a wasted, free stuff.

I've decided to treat myself a little better and take myself out to the movie. Most of my friends don't really share my excitement for movies. They rather stream at home. And most of them are more materialistic - they rather splurge on food, alcohol and attires, but I prefer the experience over materials. So far, I've watched 6 movies in Singapore. Despite being a GV member, I had not utilised any benefits, because watching a movie on Monday and Tuesday just don't feel right despite needing to pay only half the ticket price.

I've signed up for Standard Charted Singapore Marathon. I was hesitant at first, but at that time I decided that I should at times be impulsive. I registered and paid without rationally thinking further. Being rational can sometimes be a problem, and I do not want this to be one of the problems.

Well, 2022, let's make it eventful. Five more months to go, and I'll be looking forward to making my five more months more colourful. I'm pushing 30, it seems sad, but perhaps it's a reckoning - time's not in great supply. Seize it.

Top Gun: Maverick

This show has been released for two months, since end-May, but I decided to watch only yesterday.

You see, this isn't the typical genre I go for. I usually go for detective/crime, superhero, or horror. Aviation-theme movie isn't one that I have a fondness for. It doesn't mean I hate that theme, I just never really considered giving it a try. 

But this has since become the top grossing film of 2022, surpassing Marvel Studio's movie, and the general audience consensus seems to be unusually good. I've not met a single person who dislike the movie, or read a review that criticises anything about any aspects of this movie. Everybody who cares to write a review, however simplistic it is, seems to string together words in awe, reflecting great admiration and respect. And most importantly, they say this must be watched in the cinema for the ultimate experience.

So I decided to finally give it a try. I was hesitant to pay SGD16.50 for a two-month old movie that's about to be released VOD, but I decided that when the critics are unanimous that it's good, it has got to be good.

Boy, I would say, it's worth every damn cent of the money I was reluctant to pay. I would say it's now the best movie I've ever spent on.

The movie employs quite a cliche story plot, but what makes this movie remarkable really is the action scene - you watch the jets fly, and you watch it from the cockpit. That's where Top Gun: Maverick distinguishes itself from the common movies out there - the movie puts you inside the character's view, and you see the characters' emotions as it is when they're doing it. 

Then that resentment and hatred of Rooster towards Maverick, and how Maverick sacrificed himself (seemingly) for Rooster, and Rooster's regret and sadness and the ultimate getaway and the final reunion - that's gold. As Miles Teller said in an interview, this is a movie that makes a grown up cries. I did not cry, but I probably could have. It was moving, and it was good.

2022 has been an exceptional year, and this movie makes this year an exceptionally amazing one for me.

My rating: 10/10. And I love Lady Gaga, Hold My Hands rock and is beautiful.