Back to School

Hmm.

Well, school's started once again. So far it's alright... had a nice chat with Purple Cow and Lime-green Bunny. You guys just need to face the fact that I'm more evil than y'all.

Anyways.

I'll update maybe later because now there's nothing much on.

And actually.. I was wondering exactly how many people frequent my blog. I have absolutely no idea.


Cheers,

Crawldaddy

aka Crimson Lobster

Singapore Idol woes

Hmm.

I can't believe that until now the bloody cross-eyed monkey is still in SIngapore Idol. Lemme explain the obvious reasons as to why he (and hair-faced Paul Twohill) are still in the competition.

1. He cannot sing.
2. He cannot entertain a crowd.
3. His voice has zilch character whatsoever.
4. He has the charisma of an innocent virgin donkey.
5. His dance routine of hopping and prancing about is just painful to watch.
6.The multitude of teenage girls and bored-to-shitless aunties do not care about the above and hence keep voting for him every week.

Rahima has gone. So has Mathilda and now Nurul. In my honest opinion the only surviving person who can sing is Hardy. Why is this competition going down the drain? I think I know why: only the twits keep voting for Joakim.

I can't care less about Paul.. and I am somewhat disappointed in Jonathan. So please... vote for HARDY!!!


Cheers,

Crawldaddy

Back to basics?

Hmm.

The past couple of days have been pretty eventful:

1. I'm now officially the lead singer for a new local band. Apparently I am the 9th and final guy they auditioned. I suppose that on top of singing the fact that I could play guitar, mandolin, blues harp and concoct lyrics on the fly didn't hurt.

2. New chef came to work. He's the eventual replacement for my current boss who will be shifted to a different department in the YMCA. That guy has some weird "fitting-in-with-the-crew" problems. He's just trying waaay too hard to make us feel comfortable with him. As such, plenty of rolling eyeballs and fake laughter.

3. Colleagues at work having PR problems. One colleague has a severe attitude problem. Her best friend has PMS issues, main full-timer isn't happy with either of the former two. Crikes. General Manager seriously dissed main full-timer.

4. Gerry gave me his old Vox Pathfinder 15-watt amplifier. When set right, the sound is just soo sweet! When plugged in conjuction with my old Marshall 15-watter, the combined sounds of the two can literally tear the whole neightbourhood apart!

5. School is starting soon! I have not yet starting on anything school-work related, but things at work and at home are just so mind-consuming. *Promises to self to start doing something on Thursday*


Well I have to say that I am pretty excited by the fact that I'm now in a some-what established band. Let's just put it this way, everyone in the band seems to be pretty comfortable with each other. I do not see the dreaded practise of people taking advantage of each other, people complaining about someone else behind others' backs etc. In my previous band, my bassist kept drilling me for CDs, and he was never punctual for jam sessions. Guitarist kept bitching about some thing or another -_-

Speaking of which.. I'm thankful that I'm not the guy who goes around bringing people together anymore. Right now I'm just the guy who has to make sure his voice is functioning at tip-top condition all the time, and someone who remembers the lyrics perfectly. Apart from that, I'm also focussing on being an effective frontman... and I've been watching my Led Zeppelin and AC/DC DVDs in the search for some inspiration.

Till then, stay safe and wish me luck in my new band!


Cheers,

Crawldaddy

Crawldaddy+Gerry @ Molly's Last night

Hmm.

Last night, I quipped over to Molly Malone's Irish Pub where I used to work, to play guitar and sing with Gerry Cox, the resident singer-guitarist.

The evening was pretty much alright, and one of the funniest things to happen was that Gerry broke his string on the 2nd song... and I played another song while he fixed up his guitar with a new string. Then as we joined in to play another song, I broke a string on my guitar!!! Argg.. I had to continue to song without lead fills until I winged out a final solo to end to song.

We managed to cover out enough songs for 2 sets, with me singing for several songs, and for a couple of songs, Gerry lead me through songs I had never played before, and I sat there playing along with uttermost concentration, focussing on his chord changes. I did the occasional lead fill and solo break, but overall, it was an incredibly enducating experience.

It taught me:

1. To always bring an extra set of strings, particularly treble strings.
2. It is always better to perform without the influence of alcohol (I didn't drink a drop of beer lest night.. it was iced water all the way).
3. Fender telecasters work better with grounded amplifiers compared to non-grounded ones.

But my intention of playing last night was because I wanted to try and fill the void left wide open by Robert. Despite the fact that my guitar skills might have only been 20% of Robert's, I feel that maybe a small effort might make a difference. Oh well, school's starting soon, and I'd have absolutely no chance of doing that possibly until the end of December... and maybe I'll get back there again when it's New Years' Day.

Work's at 4, so I'll see y'all around, yeah?


Cheers,

Crawldaddy

Home alone (practically)

Hmm.

I was kind of blog-surfing when I came across a blog and I was wondering to myself: do the good guys eventually get the girl?

I'm not sure if I'm a good guy or bad guy.. I guess I'm both depending on who you speak to. More bad than good I'd assume, because I seldom get compliments and more often than not, I'd have someone whom I am speaking with quipping up with the now cliched 'You're sooo bad!'.

Must be my incessant ribbing of a certain few people. Maybe I should label that sort of behaviour as 'ribery'.

But you'd always hear stuff like 'The good guys never get the girls, and girls tend to gravitate towards bad guys in the vain hope of changing them'. Would that be true? I need your opinion, guys.

Anyway, for the first time since my 'holiday' started I spent the whole day at home doing what I liked, when I liked and however way in which I enjoyed it. I thoroughly enjoyed the majority of the day, and although it wasn't productive, I sure as pancakes felt very much at ease.

Seems that Superdel has eye trouble, and I took a quick prayer for her. I can't imagine having an infection in both eyes and having an impaired sense of vision for an extended period of time. Must be hell for her, but at least she has MC to take some time off and recover.

And I meant to go to school today but I sort of felt that I had no good reason to spend the day outside so I chose to stay at home. I had intended to call Steph to cancel the lunch but I forgot and I eventually called her up to clarify things. Thank goodness that when she had KP-ed to Alvin earlier she was just joking.

There is going to be a briefing on the Osaka competition tomorrow and possibly a design seminar as well. I hope it doesn't drag on too long. I wanna do some sketching for Scanteak, and do a colour-tweaking for one of my outside projects.. hopefully I can get it done ASAP.

Wish me luck, folks!


Cheers,

Crawldaddy

Whao!

Hmm.

Today was a really good day. What started out as a normal talk-about-rhino-and-schoolwork-during-lunch meal turned into a full-scale conversation between Andrea, Steph & her friend and Alvin and myself. I can hardly remember an impromptu conversation stemming from a simple 'how was your day?' question from me to Drea branching out into so many topics involving:

1. Gays in all-boys schools and lesbians in all-girls schools.
2. Punishment in all-boy or all-girl schools
3. Idiosyncrasies of people who have attended all-boy or all-girl schools
4. Boobs / the striking/violation of men's private areas by females.
5. Menstruation.
6. Farting, burping, soiling of pants and other anti-social activities.
7. Cooking and other domestic activities.

Most of the time it was Stephanie who held the fort down, but of course Alvin and I had our fair share of... the spotlight. I frankly have never had such an enjoyable lunch conversation in a long time. Let's do it again sometime!


Cheers,

Crawldaddy

New "Clutch that Matey!" IV

Hmm.

Things at work have seemed to have stabalised somewhat. I'm currently working 4 days a week, helping out when I can and earning as much as I can in the hope that by the time my next paycheck rolls in, I can get some things I wanna get.

I dunno. I've been thinking about her for a while now, and as before I know I'm thinking too much. Oh, don't worry guys, you don't know who this person is. Anyway, she's a nice girl who I must say is kind of monosyllabilistic. It's kind of weird whenever I speak to her on msn, which is a rarity.

I guess my thoughts have ranged over her way too often. Even my supervisor caught a certain 'distance' in my eyes, and asked me if I was thinking about her. I evaded it rather skilfully I suppose... because I never mention her in anyway unless my supervisor brings her up.

It was just a few bits of the dinner we shared between ourselves during the farewell session of Chef Foo and John, the feeling of her shoulder leaning into mine as they told us to sqeeuze together to take a picture. The bus ride back and her unmistakable smile.

She's a nice person, but I will never be with her. I know and understand why: she probably feels I'm below her or something because I'm still in poly struggling with my dead-beat job and groaning under the pile of projects just beckoning to me. Now she has her sights set on Uni, all the better for me to just fade into her past and be forever forgotten. Where I belong.

I might be seeing her soon. Will I be just the guy who used to be her colleague, or will I just be the guy waiting in line? Cruel as it may be, but I have not intention of letting myself become disappointed. I'm going to let the Lord take cae of this one.

Sometimes I wonder if my limited contributions at work will be noticed. As it is, most of my colleagues hold me in a certain level of esteem, as much as I see them as individuals who are trying their best to make ends meet. I'm not better, you know? I've got so much to learn and I really like most of my colleagues at work.

When every little smile I give is reciprocated, I just feel glad that for once I have made a difference. I go about sometimes wondering if I have ever made a mark in anything. The people whom I have brought together to play music have been split up because I told them I wanted to focus on my academic pursuits.

Once in a while I help people out with their 3D modelling problems, and most of the time I walk away with a hollow feeling because I have no idea if what I have done justifies the need to ask for reciprocation. I don't think I deserve many things in my life, but all I ask for is some space, someone to love and be loved in return.

Is love something which is so hard to just give to people? I wonder if I've given enough to ask for any in return.


Cheers,

Crawldaddy

You:bad

Hmm.

For those who have seen my Msn nick over the past week may have n0ticed that I was pretty pissed off. Let me explain.

In the middle of my last semester (right now I'm in the midst of a 'holiday'), one of the lecturers (GT) told us that the door to Germany for our attachment programme was open. Then he proceeded to tell us that only students who were in the last two batches of attachment were eligible.

At that point in time, my portfolio to Hong Kong had not yet been rejected by the IDC Programme Manager, and I was under the impression that Jool and I would still be going to Hong Kong.

Three weeks later or so (after the 'informing of the opening of the Germany programme') my dreams to Hong Kong were dashed in one day. However, the following day they were lifted once more when I was informed that I was slated for the Germany Programme due to a selection of Students by the Director of IDC.

After working my butt off for my Final Presentation for my P5 Programme (which some of you might have seen in the form of my p-boards and miniature models on Level 6), I was still having the impression that Jool would be going off to Hong Kong whilst I would be whisked away to Germany in September.

Then the Holidays came, and I continued work on submitting the full-scale dimensions and mini-model to the vendor who would hand-make the full-scale model out of Fibreglass and stainless steel. For two weeks I worked on it.

Then all of the sudden I had to stay back in school for a briefing for a furniture competition. Apparently, this furniture competition was meant for all year2 and 3 students and it would carry commence the moment the briefing was over until the end of November.

I was confused because that would mean that my participation would be cut short due to my supposed involvement in my attachment programme which was meant to start in September. I was under the impression that when I go to Germany, I would have to stop everything and move on with work that was meant for me to commence upon starting of my attachment term.

Then after meeting with my supervisor (Limky) for the furniture competition, Limky told me that it would be best if I finished what was needed to be done before my attachment started. That meant 4 month's worth of work squeezed into 4 weeks. Unfair? I suppose not, in the eyes of IDC.

One week later, Alvin informs me of this Osaka competition, and the same lecturer who spoke to us in the middle of the Term (GT) had singled out a bunch of students designated to participate in this Osaka competition. I was furious. As it was, my holidays were already being chocked with furniture design, work and my musical and external projects. Now another competition???

Calling up GT, he then told me that Jool's chances of going to Hong Kong were slim due to a technicality (pfft), and that the chances of the both of us going to Germany (since Jool couldn't go to Hong Kong, he is now slated for Germany alongside your truly) in September were slim and we were to both report for the start of term on the 28th of August.

That got me fuming mad. That meant that by the time term starts, I'd be involved with 3 main projects (P6, Osaka and Scanteak aka furniture competition)... not to mention the hell-hole-to-come which is Vertical Integration. I almost punched my laptop screen in after that phone call. I was determined to raise hell and demolish everything in my path. Top that off with a 2-week cut in my holiday period.

Then I cooled off.

Realising that being angry would not change matters for the better, I decided to play with the cards dealt out to me, and I'm determined my friends. The determination is here and now and will be here forever more. A challenge has been thrown into my face, and I will NOT glance away or grimace.

As some of you may know... I charge into certain matters with a single-minded sense of determination, finality and the desire to flatten everything in my path. That mindset has not departed. So help me, God; if the lecturers want to play hardball, I'm going to play rugby, soccer, basketball and baseball all thrown in one. Let the best player win, and we'll see if they can catch up with me.

The ego has landed, and who's going to be boss?


Me.


Cheers,

Crawldaddy

LOL my pedalboard 

Corny poem warning

Hmm.

what makes two strangers hold their hands together,
or make the hopeless people weep uncontrollably?

what makes children dream of embarking on endeavours
and make the hopeful people wander aimlessly?

what made the stranded call their loved ones frantically
on that doomed, ill-fated flight of desperation?

what makes someone who seemed to get it somehow, like me
but has never been the point of desired attention?

what makes the strangers feel like they're in someplace above?
the answer to all these question is simple: it is pure, unsullied love.

who gave me the answers; no one did, but I can see it in people's eyes.
the message just came to me amidst the complications in our lives.

trust in yourself it's the best you can do, for who can decide but you alone?
forget why they cannot see for beauty is skin-deep and love goes right to the bone.

If you read this and felt a stirring within you, never let that feeling go
lend this feeling unto someone else because that's how love flows.
sometimes we all just need some patience, a little more in good measure
it will show in time because locked inside all of us is that little chest of treasure.


Cheers,

Crawldaddy

New "Clutch that Matey!" III

Hmm.

Man. Wrok today was probably the most exhaustive experience EVER. I came to work, expecting to have a small bite before commencing work. To my surprise, I had to immediately jump into clearing tables, topping up food items, entertaining customers who needed change for internet usage etc. To my even bigger surprise, my full-time colleague who normally works mornings informed me that another colleague of mine who is supposed to be working is absent. Hmm.

Ok, to make matters clearer... colleague present is L. Let me give you guys a low-down on what L is like. L is an early 50's spinster who is a point of controversy and politics at work. Her shoddy work ethics and tendency to get on one's nerves are due to the following:

1. She would tell you to do a task or job which she is most capable of doing, but she is just too lazy/self-assuming in her own superior position as 'senior waitress'.
2. She would do a task halfway and leave it do attend to other business. When attempting to complete it for her, she would chastise the person for 'looking down on her'. She will eventually abandon it and someone would complete it for her anyway.
3. When an urgent task needs doing, in the event that she is free, she would do something else of a lesser urgency, leaving someone to rush and do it. When task is complete, she would 'add-on'. Like replenishing of butter. After adding the butter, she will 'add some more'.
4. She is completely unable to get along with alot of people. This adds to political tension within the working environment and therefore alot of working difficulties. Troublesome lah.

Right.

So I worked alongside L, waiting for my other colleague S to arrive and lend us a hand, and hopefully get that small bite I needed to function properly because the work was pretty tough. So there I was clearing tables as usual when S came, and she proceeded to help us. However, I felt as though my workload did not decrease. In addition to clearing tables, topping up food and entertaining customers, I had to go and chase the cooks for more food (due to L's inability to get along with one of the cooks, resulting in the cook ignoring her request for more food), top up the food myself.

Amidst all that bustle, I saw L sitting there peacefully counting cash from the cash counter while I was swaeting it out clearing the cafeteria tables for the 3rd time in 1 hour. It's no small feat I tell you... imagine 17 tables with at least 1/3 of the tables requiring clearing at any one time. Then when you have the big families coming in, you get to clear tables which are picturesque of London during the blitz.

Food everywhere, chairs askew, cutlery hanging off the edge of the tables. You name it, I had to be there to clear it in a heartbeat. Naturally I had a cup of coffee to keep my senses working.

However, despite my ability to clear and wipe a normal table clean within 1 min, I soon realised the magnitude of the various tasks requirin my attention. I had to add more milk to the jug for the cereal. I had to add more milk for the coffee station. I had to do hot milk for the pesky mainland china woman whose cereal was groaning under a heavy dosage of sugar. Milk this, milk that, milk every-fucking-where!

Not to mention L's voice ringing out every now and then: 'Errik can you go and get (something she would have to chase the cook in the kitchen for)? Thanks'

This whole menagerie went on until 10am, when the breakfast crowd slowly thinned down. By then I was having mixed feelings of fatigue, annoyance, gratefulness and resignation to the fact that I had experienced the penultimate effects of working with L and S during breakfast time. Let me talk abit more about S.

S is a girl of my age who has finished her 'N' Levels and is currently waiting for her nursing semester to start. In the meantime, she is a full-time waitress at the YMCA, and also a part-time cashier at some Cheers outlet. A very admirable person who is currently the sole bread-winner of her home, S is this cheerful, easy-to-get-along person who:

1. mainly speaks in mandarin, but she sometimes cracks jokes which completely go over my head. Cue my canned laughter and the obligatory half-grin.
2. has somewhat poor oral hygiene. Speaking to her from a safe distance of half-a-metre is best to avoid the ever-present morning breathe.
3. chews very loudly when eating. It's disturbing somewhat, especially when seated next to her during meal-times.
4. is currently involved in a cold war with a supervisor at work. Since I'm very friendly with both parties, I have tried to make peace, but as is the case between extremely stubborn women, the situation needs a good trashing out in girly fashion (in my opinion), whatever that requires.
5. has difficulty focussing on the task at hand. She will procrastinate or just stare at a table waiting to be cleared.. with the excuse of 'wondering what to do first'. Bah.

But whatever happened today, I know that it was not easy to do so much work by myself. I was literally flying in and out of the kitchen area clearing trolley-loads of dirty plates, replenishing food items and cutlery and plates, doing miscellaneous things which were meant to keep the place afloat.

I'm just very tired and rant-happy. If you have read everything this far.. well congratultions on your patience... you're just like what I had to be this morning.


Cheers,

Crawldaddy

Back after a long day

Hmm.

Today was kind of tiring for me. I had to kip to school early in the morning, finish up the items which I needed to pass to the vendor before actually making the trip down to the vendor himself.

I had made a phone call to him (Mr Ching) and I soon found myself on the way to Choa Chu Kang MRT from NYP. I dunno why my headphones started screwing up on me once again so along the way I retired them back into my bag. The MRT trip was followed by a bus ride all the way into the depths of Lim Chu Kang... even beyond the cemeteries and into Singaporean agricultural area.

The place was located just next to Murai Camp.. and in the distance I could hear the roar of fighter jets from Tengah Air base and all around me was the smell of tilled earth and fertiliser. At long last I reached the place... only to find a cluster of huts and a vast cluttered workshop which clearly reflected the owner's taste for organised chaos.

Everything was everywhere. LOL. But we did sit down, and I showed him the chair model for which he would be making the full-scale model. We discussed various issues regarding measurements, tolerances ("torrerences" in Phuats-speak), material selection and of course the duration of manufacture. It seems that it could take longer than expected.

I was there for about an hour-and-a-half before I made my way back to Choa Chu Kang MRT for a ride down to Dhoby Ghaut for work. I arrived somewhat exhausted.. but was revived by the staff lunch: chicken chop (chopped up) with beancurd, vegs and... pumpkin & carrot soup!

OMG that soup is just savoury heaven! But it is somewhat thick and will kill you if you consume too much. Naturally just like anything else, consumption must be augmented with a realisation of neccessitation. Whatever.

It seems that the holidays would not be as free as I had imagined they would be. Scanteak and IDs have just organised another furniture competition (last one was when I was in first year and therefore could not participate) which involves the entire year 2 and 3 cohort. After being furious due to a foresee-able lack of rest time.. I cooled down and resigned to the fact that I was kind of dying to participate in a furniture design competition and hopefully throttle everyone else into the dust and mire.

That's just me. I love a good challenge. *whines* but I want my rest!!! They should have told us about this at least just as the holiday had started if not I would not have rashly agreed to work more days at the YMCA. But no complaints I suppose... work seems to be becoming more fun if not less stressful. We'll see how it goes I guess :)


Cheers,

Crawldaddy