Do you see what it reads at the top left hand corner of the page? Got a (un)pleasant shock when I saw it.

'MADE IN DOWNTOWN LA
VERTICALLY INTEGRATED MANUFACTURING'

Ok, pleasant because it's nice that the company feels a need to let its customers know how their clothes probably comes about, well at least to a certain extent.

Unpleasant because I'm actually really supposed to be writing my economic geography essay and not browsing these websites. What a reminder.

It's 12:12am now!
I am so fed up churning out essays and presentation slides that I am going to type nonsensical and trivial things here.

Recently, as in the past year or so, I have been redefining my definitions of what is important in life, and what is the prerequisites to certain statuses in life. Although I'm 22 years of age now, I think I've seen quite a bit and hence me redefining some of those its-just-the-way-it-is things. Sadly, yes, put simply, it just means I'm starting to lose hope in things. And I agree that 22 years is rather early to be experiencing that.
To that point, my mum asked me what happens if I continue to lose hope on more things and my life start to fall apart with me wallowing in self-pity? Putting aside whatever intentions she said that with, I would like to interpret it as a reminder that NO, don't ever let yourself fall down that slippery slope. So stop before you get too far out.
My conclusion is no conclusion; but I would like to think that we should all have goals and that they should be constantly revised or changed when you sense that something isn't quite going the right way. That should keep one sane for some time. =)

Ciaos!

(I think I've lost the ability to write in queen's english, it's like they're only reserved for essays. GAHH.)

meant to be. not meant to be.

it's all meant.

For the longest time.

On April 1st, 2009, I wrote an entry of one of my favourite quotes by Foucault.

"There is no need for arms, physical violence, material constraints. Just the gaze. An inspecting gaze, the gaze which each individual under its weight will end by interiorising to the point that he [sic] is his own overseer, each individual exercising surveillance over and against himself"
(Foucault 1977: 177)

Today, I came across this on my friend's tumblr which says foucault actually demonizes a great idea(of course foucault is much more influential and remembered), but her post is too awesome to miss. I copied the post below:



An Invisible Omniscience

The Panopticon is a type of prison building/layout designed by Bentham, a social theorist in 1785. The design allows an observer to observe (-opticon) all (pan-) prisoners without the latter being able to tell whether they are being watched. Thus, this results in self-regulation and self-discipline by the prisoners, as though they were watched. In Bentham’s words, effectively leaving the watching to the watched. Based on the idea of the Panopticon, Foucault and friends wrote extensively on the idea of a ‘disciplinary gaze’ in society. The heightened sense of possible surveillance in society results in self-regulation in public space, in terms of speech, behaviours and actions.

Today, being my usual nerdy self, I once again attended the visual politics lecture (I’m not a political science student, but seriously this shit is fascinating!). I thought the lecturer raised a great point: The academic work Foucault did was great, and it had indeed raised critical questions about society. However, the whole concept of the Panopticon prison was demonized in the process. Sully (his name is really O’Sullivan) reminded us of the original intentions of the prison - to better the lives of the inmates. English prisons in the 18th century was not fun(anyone who reads Great Expectations can guess that) - it was often under-staffed, unsanitary, overcrowded and disease-ridden. People usually did not get out alive after they were thrown in. Thus, this Bentham fellow came up with an effective way to house the prisoners - by making them watch themselves! Therefore, more funds can then go to bettering the prison environment.

This' from my self-proclaimed nerdy but actually very intellectual friend.
and no, she doesn't read this space. =)

Resemblance

When 倪安东 first came out with his new album, I thought he looks reeaally familiar. and I didn't think it was because of the few times I saw him on OneMillionStar.
Then one day, it finally struck me.

He has a stunning resemblance to Brooklyn Beckham, David Beckham's eldest son.
Both of their eyes and brows are almost identical!




Do you share my views?
xx

Today is the last day of the lunar new year!
May both you and I enjoy an awesome year ahead!

=)

I really don't like deadlines. It's like okay I know I will do it but can you not force me to finish within this and this time frame?
But oh wells, deadlines exist for procrastinators. like me.

I know I have/will soon have alot of deadlines so that day I went to shop for a scheduler. Yes, I've written the many many work down, but so fewwww of them are checked =(

Let's see what I have to do before the weekend ends,
-class presentation for ZJ
-500 words essay for hdb
-start on/finish(haha) GIS assignment
-publicity plan for Quang

ZOMG.
*Proceeds to pull up my socks*

Oh yah almost forgot to say:

Yr3 Sem2 也一定美好。 =)

In a few hours time my first lesson for the sem will start. Before that, as usual, I'd like to sum up my holidays.

This Dec holidays I felt, have been particularly enriching for me. Compared to going on a trip overseas, window shopping with friends, being cooped up in my room playing The Sims, watching dramas on the net etc etc, interning seem like the "correct" choice for me. And it was.

It was kinda fortunate that the company I went to did not regard interns as temp admin staffs, or so in my opinion. But of course with that comes some responsibility and expectations made of you. It was the first time I was kind of expected to actually produce results at work.

Another important factor that kept me going at work was the environment (I mean the office people and definitely not literally the environment cos Jurong is really really polluted) and the fellow interns. Even though I had several temp jobs before, this was the first time (notice yet another first) I had fellow comrades with me. I didn't dread lunch anymore but instead always counting down with them to it. Occasionally, we got young colleagues to join us and it wouldn't get too awkward too!

I also did my first semi-formal corporate presentation to about 20 audience during the internship. Although I didn't think it went superbly well, still glad that I received comments saying I didn't appear nervous as compared to the others. haha.

All of the above made me miss my working days even when it means having to commute 3 hours a day to and fro. As my boss was saying, five weeks was really too short.

Overall, my Dec holidays were great! Apart from work, the one day trip to JB, outings with LPYs, meeting up with old friends for a nice long chat, the failed Christmas exchange with the jc friends (haha!), going for the new year countdown fireworks (will not go in near future) and even managing to squeeze in some Sims time made my holidays even more 充实. Cheers to many great holidays in future!

I spent 1960points this sem for SC3206, Urban Sociology.

O.M.G