Basically wasted my whole day in front of the comp today. The first half of the day consisted of me readin The Straits Times (don't laugh), which is definitely a rarity for me because I don't usually read it. I more or less check out the sports section & I'm just about done. But today, I browsed through most parts of the paper & after having my shower, started chatting with Jan & Daph on MSN. Separate windows, of course. And then I watched Charlie and The Chocolate Factory during the rest of the day with the 2 sisters, Nuryn & Fatin.

Well, of course, I did some personal 'jamming' sessions of my own on the piano which were long overdue. I hadn't touched my piano since like, April or May!! And since the family was going out for lunch & I didn't join them, I thought I might as well oil up my fingers. After all, I had missed a Piano Ensemble concert held last week because of my attachment commitments. Damn, I miss performing. It's not about the glitz & glamour of having the audience clap for you, but rather the feeling between you & your performing song. Well, that's how I feel about performing, anywayz. Actually, it doesn't matter what kind of performance it is, be it a concert or a musical or a recital or whatever, I just love performing in general. Hmmm, maybe due to my Leo traits?? Ahahahakz!!

But I guess I started going on stage at an early age of 6 during my kindergarten graduation ceremony where it was a dance performance I took part it. I still can't believe I actually held a wooden umbrella & danced to Di Tanjong Katong, a Malay traditional song. And even more so, I was in the front row. Goodness.

And then came the primary school years where I was called up annually to perform all sorts of stuff. Poem reading in Primary 1, class item in Primary 2, story-telling competitions from Primary 3 all the way to Primary 6 & of course, who could forget theose Teachers' Day Concerts. Hey, my friends & I were Michael Learns To Rock for a day, okay?? It was a riot!!

Then there was the times in Secondary school where as usual, Teachers' Day concert performance in my first year together with the National Day Dance competition, the East Spring Musical and of course, who could forget the notorious Talentimes I used to enter with my Dynamic Duo partner, Hafizah & win third & first prizes. Heck, we did our last Teachers' Day concert together that made a few teachers shed a tear or two. And throughout the whole of my life in a school uniform, I only got one type of academic award & it was the same one year in, year out. Best In English. Hell, a few of my English essays were even chosen to be published in the school's paper. Damn whacked, man. Whahahakz!! And of course, there was that *ahem* Kindness Award as well. Ahahahkz!!

Yeah, yeah; in the last 2 years of my secondary school life, I had straight hair. Don't laugh. I am still baffled at why the heck I went to do it. I think it was because during that time, I didn't know how to take care of those curly locks & one day I got so frustrated with them that I went over to the hairdresser's & killed them with chemicals & a straightening iron. And after I did that, I started to miss my scruffy curls & wanted them back. Ridiculous gatal me. Ahahahakz!!

And speaking of English & writing, I found an article on The Straits Times that I was reading today about the Singapore Writers Festival that should be beginning today.

Text In The City As S'pore Writers Festival Begins

A well-read society is one with individuals who are more empathic, more tolerant, more thoughtful and more imaginative, Second Minister for Finance and Foreign Affairs Raymond Lim said last night.

Literature not only holds the key to understanding the 'software' of a society, it also reflects the 'soulware' of that society, he said at the opening of the Singapore Writers Festival which runs till Sept 4.

A forum on new Asian writing, held at the Drama Centre at the new national Library in Victoria Street, launched the 10-day festival.

Moderated by Singapore laywer and writer Philip Jeyaretnam, it saw China's Wei Hun, Australia's Peter Goldsworthy, Thailand's Rattawut Lapcharoensap, Hong Kong's Nury Vittachi and Canada's Rudhramoorthy Cheran giving their take.

The biennial event, titled Text In The City this year, is jointly organised by the National Arts Council and Phish Communications and sponsored by Singapore Press Holdings and Singapore Press Holdings Foundation.

To attract new audiences, the organisers have included popular genres such as science fiction, crime, graphic novels, food writing and even blogging in the lineup.

The events range from talks, readings, panel discussions, workshops, master classes, performances, film screenings to book launches and author signings.

As Mr. Peter Schoppert, chairman of the festival's steering commitee, said: "We aim not just to promote literature, but literature as an element in the public sphere."

Oooh, coooool!! At least to me, it's cool.

And before I forget, HAPPY 19th BIRTHDAY PUNANI!! May you stay the cooooolest Punani the GB Family has ever had. And oh yeah, may you always be our Swiss Indiano Bank. Whahahakz!! Joking, doode!! Loads of love from all of us!!

A very very good & close friend of mine just broke up with her boyfriend of one year & I guess even though she says she's okay with it, I know she's not. I mean definitely, she's been hurt & is going through a rough patch now; like duhh, break ups are not a nice thing, you know. I'm not mentioning anybody's name here. But I just want her to know that if she ever needs to cry it out or anything, I'll still be there for her, like I always am. I'm not an expert in relationships but if a listening ear & a solid shoulder of support is what she needs, then that's what I'll be.

Coincidentally, I found another article, this time on MSN.com (lately, I've been reading so many articles, God knows why!!) which is a guide to dealing with break ups. Well, it might be helpful, it might not. It depends on each individual, I guess. I mean, hopefully it'll help you get through days without him; I know you keep insisting you're fine, but deep down, you're still scarred. With time, you'll heal. No doubt about it.

Ending etiquette

The quest for love is bumpy at best, and not all romances are meant to be. Even with the best of intentions, passion fizzles, the ties that bind unravel and the next thing you know, you’re eyeing the door. It happens. And while breaking up certainly is hard to do, it can be done with class, consideration and decorum. For a gracious goodbye, follow the “Five Be’s” below.

Be Sure
Has the fire burned out (or never sparked in the first place)? Or are you ending it over something superficial or possibly fixable? This is not questioning your right to date whomever you want, why-ever you want. It’s just that love at first sight is rare, worthwhile relationships aren’t necessarily easy and soulmates often come in surprising packages. Assess the situation with an open mind — and open heart.

Be Brave
Being alone can be, well, lonely, and it’s tempting to choose "plus one" over "plus none." Don’t. Instead, step up and do the right thing (for both of you) and make the break. While it’s certainly worse to be on the receiving end of bye-bye, saying sayonara yourself isn’t exactly easy either (this assuming, you have a heart). We’ve all strung or been strung along, mostly to avoid the inevitable and painfully awkward confrontation. Have some guts and just do it now.

Be Decisive
Once you’ve made your decision, stick to it. People should accept rejection with as much grace, composure and dignity as they can muster. But some single-minded souls will beg, plead and guilt their way into a second chance. Unless they wow you with some new info (that hottie you spied him with really was his cousin or she just won the lottery) don’t give cave into the pressure.

Be There
Phone breakups are beyond tacky. Email breakups are worse. And don’t even think of doing nothing at all (not returning calls, not showing up for dates) — effective: yes, sometimes; offensive: yes, always. Assuming you’ve dated more than a handful of times, splitting up in person is the right thing to do. Select a low-key, unromantic public spot — sans cocktails — and do the deed. Please, do not break up smack in the middle of dinner. Besides, it's cheesy and you’re guaranteed to get stuck with the check.

Be Brief
No need to blather on and on about where you two went wrong and why this is the right thing to do, blah, blah, blah. While some would suggest “be honest,” I disagree. I’m not suggesting you outright lie (“I’m just not ready for a relationship”) or make up some phantom ex that’s back into the picture. I’m merely suggesting you not blurt the truth. (“You’re duller than watching paint” or “I’m hot for your roommate.”) A simple, “I think you’re great, but just don’t feel that way about you” will sufficiently crush the person across from you. That’s enough.

By Jennifer Kantor

Anywayz, Liverpool won the Super Cup against CSKA Moscow. Wooooooo-hooo!! Nice goals by French striker Djibril Cisse, who score twice for the Reds & LUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!! My team mate, my team mate!! He scored a nice one...and looked quite fetching on them Getty Images. Whahahahakz!! We did good, with Carra as captain. Well, I got subbed, though...*sad*.

Tomorrow night, Manchester United against Newcastle, 10.55pm on ESPN, which sadly I don't have. But there's always the online one. Hmmm...with their new signing of fellow Spaniard, Albert Luque, will Newcastle finally end their barren run this season or will Manchester United triumph again, what with their new season kicking off to a flying start?? Is Edwin van Der Sar capable of maintaining a clean sheet of 5 games without conceeding a goal??

The question reminds undecided. Can the Red Devils prove that they're still up there with the big boys & overthrow Chelsea from their throne to regain their title of EPL champions or will they succumb to becoming mid-table fodder IF they get defeated by the Magpies. Well, tomorrow night's match should be interesting enough. Let that be the judge.

Laterz...
Lenny JC