Avenue Odd

So someone took the half-full half-empty argument and brought it up a whole new level.  Love it!

Which is Worse?

Apathy or Ignorance?

Best answer?

I don’t know, and I don’t care.

Picture taken off Flickr.com. Originally Uploaded on September 4, 2008 by BB (O.ö)

Ten Simple Rules for Dating My Daughters

Rule One:
If you pull into my driveway and honk you'd better be delivering a package, because you're sure not picking anything up.

Rule Two:
You do not touch my daughter in front of me. You may glance at her, so long as you do not peer at anything below her neck. If you cannot keep your eyes or hands off of my daughter's body, I will remove them.

Rule Three:
I am aware that it is considered fashionable for boys of your age to wear their trousers so loosely that they appear to be falling off their hips. Please don't take this as an insult, but you and all of your friends are complete idiots. Still, I want to be fair and open minded about this issue, so I propose his compromise: You may come to the door with your underwear showing and your pants ten sizes too big, and I will not object. However, in order to ensure that your clothes do not, in fact, come off during the course of your date with my daughter, I will take my electric nail gun and fasten your trousers securely in place to your waist.

Rule Four:
I'm sure you've been told that in today's world, sex without utilizing a "barrier method" of some kind can kill you. Let me elaborate, when it comes to sex, I am the barrier, and I will kill you.

Rule Five:
It is usually understood that in order for us to get to know each other, we should talk about sports, politics, and other issues of the day. Please do not do this. The only information I require from you is an indication of when you expect to have my daughter safely back at my house, and the only word I need from you on this subject is "early."

Rule Six:
I have no doubt you are a popular fellow, with many opportunities to date other girls. This is fine with me as long as it is okay with my daughter. Otherwise, once you have gone out with my little girl, you will continue to date no one but her until she is finished with you. If you make her cry, I will make you cry.

Rule Seven:
As you stand in my front hallway, waiting for my daughter to appear, and more than an hour goes by, do not sigh and fidget. If you want to be on time for the movie, you should not be dating. My daughter is putting on her makeup, a process that can take longer than painting the Golden Gate Bridge. Instead of just standing there, why don't you do something useful, like changing the oil in my car?

Rule Eight:
The following places are not appropriate for a date with my daughter: Places where there are beds, sofas, or anything softer than a wooden stool. Places where there are no parents, policemen, or nuns within eyesight. Places where there is darkness. Places where there is dancing, holding hands, or happiness. Places where the ambient temperature is warm enough to induce my daughter to wear shorts, tank tops, midriff T-shirts, or anything other than overalls, a sweater, and a goose down parka - zipped up to her throat. Movies with a strong romantic or sexual theme are to be avoided; movies which features chain saws are okay. Hockey games are okay. Old folks homes are better.

Rule Nine:
Do not lie to me. I may appear to be a potbellied, balding, middle-aged, dimwitted has-been. But on issues relating to my daughter, I am the all-knowing, merciless god of your universe. If I ask you where you are going and with whom, you have one chance to tell me the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. I have a shotgun, a shovel, and five acres behind the house. Do not trifle with me.

Rule Ten:
Be afraid. Be very afraid. It takes very little for me to mistake the sound of your car in the driveway for a chopper coming in over a rice paddy near Hanoi. When my Agent Orange starts acting up, the voices in my head frequently tell me to clean the guns as I wait for you to bring my daughter home. As soon as you pull into the driveway you should exit your car with both hands in plain sight. Speak the perimeter password, announce in a clear voice that you have brought my daughter home safely and early, then return to your car - there is no need for you to come inside. The camouflaged face at the window is mine.

Picture taken off Flickr.com. Originally uploaded on November 22, 2008 by popartdks

Spent some time at the jetty off East Coast Park, thinking.

Something came to mind, and never left, all the way till now, 4:36AM 3rd January, 2009.

maybe if i “pen” it, i might finally get to sleep.

Here goes.

I thought of all the important people in my life, the bonds made, ties broken, and bridges that have long been burnt to the ground. Fortunately, the bridges are few and far between, and the bonds, many and intertwined in a web that would make the average brown house spider proud.

Often, these people are taken for granted, and for that I do not apologise, but express my utmost gratitude. I do not apologise, because there are times, when i know that the same thing is happening to me.

There is no substitute for the comfort supplied by the utterly taken for granted relationships. For most, that would have to be their parents, and the few truly trusted, dependable friends. These are the people who will be there no matter what happens, and more importantly, you KNOW that they will be there when you need them to be. They might be continents away, but they will always be there in spirit. They will support you, no questions asked.

Humbly, I dare say that I play that role for a few people and they too me.

Many people complain about being taken for granted, and yes, my thoughts do tend to go there sometimes. “Yeah, call me whenever you need something.” Rings a bell? “Why doesn’t he call to like, say hi or something?” Those are questions that often bounce in my mind, and I know, there and then, that I am being taken for granted.

Sitting on the jetty, i came to terms with it. If we look deeper, and past our selfish interests, being taken for granted is really, a compliment. It means that you’ve become a comfortable, trusted element in another person’s life.

As with all affairs in life, it is always good to hang a little question mark on everything that we have taken for granted, and be thankful that we can behave as we do. For it takes more than an average person to be able to take up that mantle and be, not that knight in shining armour, but simply, the strength for us to carry on when the going gets tough. 

Here’s to all the extraordinary people in my life. Cheers.

Picture taken off Flickr.com. Originally Uploaded on February 19, 2008 by vaneska~tHOmz

Here’s wishing everyone a great 2009 ahead!

Never been a believer of so called New Year Resolutions, if there is something you want to do, i say, JUST DO IT! There’s no better time than right there and then. Why wait till the beginning of a new year, when all is chill and relaxed, is the prime time to take a good break.. Hardly the time to start doing something..

Set goals, and get going! Happy New Year one and all!

Picture taken off Flickr.com. Originally Uploaded on January 1, 2006 by asmundur

All I want for Christmas is a little peace and quiet from the commercialised chaos.

Picture taken from Flickr.com. Originally Uploaded on October 19, 2007 by DrgnMastr

*Stretches arms* Alright, Time for an update after something like a month of inactivity. Been.. well.. busy.

Been surfing around blogs a bit lately, and I have to say, Singaporeans love being food critics. They would head into a restaurant armed with their handy digital cameras, order a dish, take something like ten pictures of the same dish, and finally dig in. When they are done, pictures of empty plates littered with crumbs and food deemed not edible will be taken as a sort of closing ceremony (correct me if I'm wrong, I truly do not understand the entire ritual).

When they get home, the pictures are uploaded into their computers, and subsequently onto their blogs or food critique community sites.

When people read these blogs or sites, they form an image of what the food, service (if mentioned) ambience, and other details of the entire experience, which, effectively, ruins all the fun in going to a restaurant in the first place! If we only visit places that are “highly recommended” how then are our gastronomical horizons going to expand?

Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against people blogging about their meals and such, but seriously, if you don’t have anything nice to say about a restaurant, I'd much rather the post not exist, it only serves to damage reputations and spoil potentially enjoyable dining experiences.

Head into an interesting restaurant with good company, and more often than not, the food would be delicious :)

oh and, cute picture huh?

Picture taken off Flickr.com. Originally Uploaded on May 14, 2006 by doc18