N*SYNC: An outing with a celebrity.

Okay, so I admit it, I am slow. But in the land of celebrities that move in New York seconds, it is difficult for anyone to catch up. In any case, it's enough of the excuses and let's move on to the real stuff.

The topic of the day: Lance Bass (of N*SYNC and failed attempt at being an astronaut fame).

Lance came out publicly to end months of speculation by fans and paparazzi hounds alike about his sexuality. In an exclusive by People magazine, he came out and told reporters that he is in a stable relationship with Reichen Lehmkuhl (of Amazing Race 4 fame; remember that beefcake who was also an ex-USAF pilot?).

Everybody together, “Aww… ain't that sweet…”

I've always been a fan of N*SYNC and many other pop-harmony boy bands (not so much of BSB though). I admire them for and enjoy their musical talents. In all actuality, their personal should remain as that - personal and private, if not for their celebrity status.However, if our perception of them as public figures for their public talent should be affected by their personal choice to reveal and share their intimacies with us, perhaps the one who needs examination is not the celebrity, but the one who becomes indignant or even offended by their honesty.

Consider this, if one were drawn to a particular public talent and should be appalled and offended by the talent's personal lifestyle, what was the main reason for the initial attraction to begin with?

Think about it…

As for Lance and Reichen, and all the other gay/lesbian couples all over the world, I wish them all the happiness they deserve and should be given. It has always been my belief that love in any form is still LOVE.

Woman...

Click to enlarge view.

Vincent with a MacBook Pro.

It’s true, I am not dreaming. I am indeed typing on a MacBook Pro. It is 15.4” of pure 2.16 GHz speed processing. It is a symbol that says, “Yes, Vincent, you, uh huh, the one staring at me, is finally somewhere after all that struggle over the last 4 years. I don’t even have to squint while reading that being typed on the screen. It’s pure, unadulterated, indescribable bliss… Feel the metallic beauty of my machine. P.S. Thanks James, for the help.

Poor is the Soul of One...

I was sitting on my favorite armchair, enjoying my home baked chocolate chip muffin when I thought about a little incident. It happened over the past week.

There is no need for me to bring up the context of the incident. But ponder this... I consider the one who survives on absolutes and stereotypes a poor being living on the thin veneer of a so-called existence. Bankrupt is the soul of the one who makes assumptions of the things and people around one. For one cannot experience the truth of the other entity or being but muddle all the way through life, vacantly looking from a blinkered life of colored lenses.

We ask, is one who is always smiling truly happy? Is one who cries truly sad? Perhaps one is ignorant of the truth while the other feels the full emotions of being?

We question, is one who is hardworking truly diligent? Is one who sits motionless idle? Maybe one is clueless of convenience while the other understands the value of silence and observation?

Rather than making while guesses and false assumptions, might one be the richer for it if one were to experience the other with detachment and without prejudice.

The sooty exterior of the vanilla pod masquerades an intoxicating perfume. The dull countenance of honey belies its sweetness and nourishment. Both their true beauty cannot be known unless one encounters them that can only be enjoyed through an understanding.

Delicious A-fare with Boredom

It’s amazing what boredom breeds and how delicious the therapeutic results can be...

Banana Nut Muffins

Teachers' Day 2006

Trance is blasting through my Bose speakers and I am at my usual haven. I love my comfortable cubicle - it is now lined with teachers' day gifts aplenty. The crevices of my partition is slotted with greeting cards, both handmade and bought ones; the top of the partition is adorned with an assortment of penholders, musical boxes and model cars.

It's amazing how students forget about concepts meant to be learnt in class but they remember the passing remarks made. I must have mentioned in class how I love chocolates (especially dark ones), cooking and Superman. I can't really remember when I made those comments, but the other before the students left school, I was overwhelmed by, apart from little trinkets, an assortment of chocolates - Hawaiian Host; Delfi; M&Ms; Kit Kat; chocolate fruitcake, chocolate chip cookies, chocolate muffins; etc. I even got a cookbook and a Superman action figure from the boys in my class. It's really amazing - and very endearing for the boys to remember these little details I mentioned in passing. Who says Singapore males aren't romantic and sensitive?

The celebration was like a cry-fest for me. I was crying at the slightest provocation. When one primary boy sang a Mandarin song - 童话 or Fairytales - I cried. It must have been the lyrics:

You turned to me

And told me in your tears

Fairytales aren't real

That I can't be your knight in shining armour.

You'll never know

From the moment you told me

That you love me

All the stars in the night sky

Took on a meaning

I want to become

That angel you love

In the fairytale

With my arms and wings

Spread to hold you

And keep you safe in its warm embrace.

I was tearing so profusely my shirt was spotted with damp marks from the tears dripping off my cheeks. And I am still waiting...

---

There was a teachers' day lunch on the actual teachers' day. I was nominated to represent my English department to take part in the ACS Idol Contest. Dressed up in a traditional baju kurung of songket, samping and complete with a bejeweled songkok, I sang “Fly Me to the Moon” from the American Songbook. It was all good fun - at least I managed to pull it off. Unfortunately, I missed out on the first prize of a return ticket for two to Phuket by three votes. Sigh...

In any case, even if it just to prove that I have a life and to maintain my sanity, I am going to Phuket or somewhere tropical and islandsy this December holiday. I have to give myself a good break; I have to go. But the question is, where...? If not Phuket, then? Krabi? Or... maybe Australia? A budget flight to Darwin...?

Is there anyone out there interested in a tropical vacation this December? Let's form a group and go, shall we? Contact me! Really!!