Amps go up to 11!
Just watched This is Spinal Tap which is brilliant. It's a mockumentary about an aging heavy metal band on the verge of collapse while on it's US tour. Lots of extras and an in-character commentary to go through. I guess I shouldn't buy all the heavy stuff. I still haven't watched Breaking The Waves or Goodbye South Goodbye yet.

Listening to: Bebel Gilberto - August Day Song

Swimming with the Sharks
Ok back. It was all right though a bit pricey at $95. You don't even get to fin when you're in there. You basically just walk and it's darn slippery. But it was fun to see and feel some of the fish up close. The nurse sharks felt rubbery, and the bottom of the eagle rays was like velvet. Also had a chance to feed the rays. While they had no teeth, they had pretty powerful jaws, and if they could crack a cockle shell they probably could chomp off a finger if you're not careful. I guess us divers were as much a sight as the fish in the tank, and once you've gone on a dive like this you know what being on the other side of a fish tank is like. Not sure if can consider it a real dive; after all it's only 3 m deep and spent most of my time on my knees to get a better view of some of the low-swimming inhabitants. Oh they had humungous garoupas as well that could probably feed a family of four for two weeks.

I'm really out of touch with diving and need to get reacquainted. Should really aim to go diving some time soon.

A life for a dollar
Truth is stranger, and sadder, than fiction after all.
Clarine, her sister said, was once a sweet girl who had descended into rage and mental illness years ago. "There's something that's in her that's not in other people," Bell Jones said. When asked what, she paused and then replied softly: "Mister, the Devil. The Devil himself."

And Your Mother Too
Pretty good. Way more raunchy than any American Pie, with the two boys involved playing a game of sexual one upmanship as they battle over an older woman. There is a crucial cut though of the two boys kissing which really takes the wind out of the film. I really liked the way the director placed the political and social changes facing Mexico into the film; it never seemed forced. I'd reccomend it but the ending is a bit of a downer.

Shark Dive!
Going to Sentosa tomorrow to do the Shark dive thing. Should be fun. Hope I come back in one piece. :)

Kid Rock!
I know it's inane, but Bawitaba is a freaking great tune to play at wall-shaking levels.

Talking in automatic
Food was crap. Oily and salty Pineapple Rice.

Anyway, Aubrey sang very well to a mostly lukewarm crowd. She's more responsive and didn't let the mostly inattentive audience bother her.

Old Friends
Met up with Brian, whom I haven't seen for like a dozen years. He found my email by typing my name into yahoo or something. Good to see him after so long. Skinny dude in school but really well-built now. Had a long talk over kopi at Holland Village where we discussed how the ideal thing to do would be moving between countries every six months. Have to agree but that's a shit load of money.

Off to see Aubrey and some Cleo Bachelor of the Year at the library, then dinner with the ex. Actually I haven't really planned on seeing her again. I've no real desire to but she asked to meet up so okay. I guess she's 'concerned' about my departure from the company. Man... I hope I don't get another lecture because I'm quite sick of them.

Parole
It feels like the first day of parole. It's still thirty more days until I get out of 'jail'.

Ok think I'll go for a swim and get some rays. Started working on some of the stuff I need to work on, which is good. I really need to set some timelines and targets else it'll all slip away. Can't really bum around too much, seriously.

Out!
Walking out of the office felt good. Met up with Angie and had a good dinner, as well as cookies. Decided not to join her and Sueann at Newsroom Bar. Carrying too much stuff and I think the girls just wanted to hang out alone (and get chatted up since they're jude babes).

Can't believe I can sleep in tomorrow. No more silly weekend duties! Looking forward to the freedom!

Woo hoo!
Well it's done and I'm glad. Yes, it's the right decision. It's been lots of up and downs and this breaks my record of staying at a company (1 year, 9 months... seriously!) I was pondering on the resignation letter. Was there a point writing wishing company-so-and-so all the best? Ah well, I do mean it. I don't bear it any hate or avarice. It's just time to move on and take the risks I need to take.

Now... how to tell mum?

There is no try

The Greek Chorus
As I was remarking in mousetrap's blog, having a comments section feels like you have a greek chorus behind you, or that you're in some Woody Allen movie where you have people shouting advice in the background.

Oh the doors are closing
Deleting programs, packing up, handing over tasks. I can't deny that it's scary to go out on a horrible market but it's also exhilirating. There's no map here. I'm drawing my own.

One More Time
Nick Horby sums up the 2002 World Cup.
The nature of the Spanish defeat certainly left neutrals more ambivalent about South Korea's progress than they had been hitherto, and this was a great pity, because without the South Koreans' contribution the tournament would have been forgotten almost before it had finished. Their football, bright and busy and attractive, was an unexpected treat, and their fans were sensational. The quality of the games may have been superior during France '98, but there were incessant complaints back then about a lack of atmosphere during the host nation's matches, for which a disproportionate number of tickets seemed to have ended up in bored corporate hands. No one had any cause to moan this time around. With the exception of one or two very courageous and very noticeable deviants, every single Korean citizen wore a red T-shirt, and the entire country screamed at each home pass, save, and shot. We knew this because we could see them all: those who weren't in the stadium were gathered around giant screens in the city centers, as if watching alone at home had temporarily been made a criminal offense. Almost two million people watched Korea's semifinal against Germany from the streets of Seoul, on two outdoor screens—one in the Gwanghwamun district, and another just around the corner, in the City Hall plaza. (And you thought you had a bad view the last time you saw Springsteen or the Stones in your local stadium.) The footage of these enormous red carpets turning ecstatically and teemingly human when the home team scored the winning goal against Italy provided us with one of the most electrifying images of this or any other World Cup. If any host nation has ever earned a handful of incompetent decisions from nervous and flag-happy officials, it was this one.

What's in the Blue Box?
Just watched Mulholland Drive and it is a total mindfuck. I really don't know what to make of it. This is Salon's take. Couldn't stop watching it though, and I'm not very patient with long movies.