The Taste of Ink

I’ve put a new theme up, as you can see. It’s not my original work, but I’ve liked it for a long time, so I was scouting around and searching absolutely everywhere for it. The original site that had it up is kind of dead, so I had to find another way to get it.

I know I should try to make my own themes again, but I just simply am too lazy and it’s not like I have a hell of a lot of time on my hands anymore. Everything is changing and the gears have shifted slightly, so this site isn’t for my celebrity-clad web layouts these days. Anyway, I’d like to focus on the writing aspect her, and I’d like to try to bring you people thoughtful pieces of literature. It means more to me than graphics anyway :)

It’s not like my love for graphic design has completely dissipated. It’s just I’ve never been able to make anything without a celebrity in it, and I always use photos of the same few people anyway, simply because I’m hardly a fan of anybody else or I’m too lazy to get new pictures. And then there’s the dreaded aspect of having to code stuff correctly. I never used to care so much, but I’ve been immersing myself in sites like Jemjabella and Chiklita, where they code right and everything looks good…without a celebrity header. It’s not like I’m opposed to the old way of doing things, but everyone has to move forward someday and I just know it’ll take me more than 6 hours to properly render any layout and these days, I just don’t have the damn time to do that.

Even my weekends are spent just trying to cool down from a hectic week. I’ll be glad for the week-long break after next week, because then I’ll be able to just wind down. Then, the final term starts and things get really busy and I work my butt off. I basically die and get resurrected after my exams. I don’t even really want to think about next year - ‘O’ Levels, which I have no confidence in even sitting right at this point because I’m just about failing all my subjects.

I did get a high B for my Chinese test, which I’m chuffed about. But I’ve already decided not to add Chinese grades into my L1R5 (explained below). *sigh*

L1R5 is basically the way we calculate where you go after high school. The lower the number calculated, the best chance you get of going to a top school. L1 stands for “one language” - which would be English since it’s the compulsory language of Singapore. R5 would be five other subjects which must include one maths subject, one science subject and one humanities subject. The final two are your choice. How is it calculated? Well, our scoring system goes like this (by grades): A1, A2, B3, B4, C5, C6, D7, E8, F9. The alphabets are easy enough, but the numbers are the more important ones. They take those numbers and add them up. I’m working towards an A1 for English Lang, Accounts, History and at least one of the Maths subjects. That’s not even a lot, really. Because anything other than an A1 would mean a really big jump in L1R5 mark and anything over 20 means you can’t go to college. Anything over 10 would almost guarantee you a spot out of a good college.

There’s another variation of L1R4, but that’s only if you plan on going to a polytechnic. Nothing wrong with that, it’s just I don’t plan on going there.

I think I’m just scaring myself at the moment.

I’ve never been a fan of social networking sites. I mean, I once swore never to get a FaceBook account, MySpace account, etc. Right now, things like Plurk are popping up and again, I’ve said I’ll never get an account on there, but I’m quite sure that this time, I’ll keep my promise, since I don’t do anything with my mobile phone except call or text, plus my phone is ancient, so I probably can’t do on-the-go updates anyway. But yeah, my point? Besides a pinch of hypocrisy in the sweet-and-sour mixture, I don’t like social networking sites.

I’m not a big follower to trends either, so I suppose that’s where this refusal to conform to the social standards of having, for example, an almighty Plurk account stems from. Don’t get me wrong; I’m not opposed if you have an account! It’s fine with me if it’s your thing, but it’s not mine :) I’m just saying for me, personally, I don’t see much of a point of it. Anyway, usually, if I don’t like something, it’s mostly because half the world already has it.

But then on some days, if I’m bored, I’ll create an account on a popular social networking site just for the interest, which last about two to three days, then I probably wouldn’t do much with it. I mean, I hardly ever go on FaceBook or MySpace. I haven’t logged into the latter for a really long time and even if I just went on FaceBook three seconds ago, it was due to boredom. I go on those sites if I remember and basically, I sometimes just can’t because I have other things on my mind.

People say these sites are used to keep in contact with all your friends from your childhood and essentially people you don’t see that much anymore and to a certain extent, I agree. But I also think exchanging e-mails would’ve done the trick, get what I mean? It’s again by no means condemning anybody with this belief that social networking sites can actually rebuild friendships because hello? I have it too.

For the record, the only social networking site I really lurk is last.fm. And the (not-so-)new interface is stupid enough as it is, so I feel like I should avoid it.

It’s ultimately up to choice I think. And if you have a purpose for creating accounts on these sites, then it’s fine by me, really. But as someone who just doesn’t see much of a point for them myself, of course I’ll be more critical.

If you’ve been keeping up with the news on the 2008 Beijing Olympics (even if you haven’t watched it, like me), you’d know of the amount of shit China has gotten itself into with scandals. There are so many concerns over the 2008 Olympics and most recent being the case with underaged gymnasts like He Kexin.

Personally, I don’t see why China had to go out of its way to make itself look so bloody perfect that they had to result to falsifying information like lying about someone’s age. All China news websites revealing He Kexin’s real age have been disabled at the moment. They’re still trying to hide the fact that she’s only 14 years old, not 16 - the age of qualification for Olympic participation - like stated in her passport, which was made just six months before she was due to participate in the Olympics. That’s just so convenient of them.

Then there’s the girl, Lin Miaoke, who lip-synced the Chinese national anthem or something. That was quite…well, stupid to be honest. I mean, the reason for Yang Peiyi - the real singer - not being made to stand in front of an audience to sing was because she wasn’t cute enough. What kind of a reason is that?

It just shows how much the officials were trying to fit the media’s perception and how far they would go to win something. They used children both times; children who probably don’t know what hit them. China already has other stuff to worry about (their human rights problems, etc. stuff that happened before the Olympics) besides these superficial affairs that just aren’t worth risking it for.

The title actually has some truth to it because I feel flat on my backside in school today while walking down the stairs and my ass feels like it’s bruised. I’m not incredibly injured, but I still walk with a duck waddle due to the ache haha.

I have a question: What are your guilty pleasures? I can’t remember if I’ve ever asked this before, but I’m sure you have at least one ;) Everyone does (at least, I think so). It could be absolutely anything, really. Like food. Or…a brand of toothpaste. Or anything! XD Don’t make me come up with more examples, give me some of yours. That’d be swell.

Plus, my second blogging topic of choice would’ve been toothpaste, so I figured this subject was better.

My own guilty pleasures come in the forms of electronic-esque music, and sinfully good Cadbury’s chocolate.

I hardly eat Cadbury’s chocolate, but it’s my favourite brand. Personally, I find it sweet enough, but not overpoweringly so. Amazing *feels hungry*

For the music, indulges include stuff like the Pet Shop Boys, The Killers, Kraftwerk etc. I’m a sucker for a dance beat. I also have this thing for The Veronicas that is almost embarrassing to admit, if you would forget for a moment that I’m shamefully loud about my music tastes, even if people would go “O___O” about it. These artistes are ones I just listen to whenever I feel like it and I’ll never really have a huge favourite. It’s just a random album I have in my folder.

And if you don’t feel like you have anything to say on this subject (or if you’re just going to be negative), just tell me what you’ve been up to if there’s anything new!