Could've expected it to be this way, since its really not the first time. Nevertheless, after about 1 year of laid-back life - With nothing more than an 8 to 5 job and all my free time channeled to the pursuit of the arts, getting back to form for business is indeed taking its toll.

For the past 2 weeks I've almost totally neglected my electone practice, and it seems the only time I'm able to squeeze out for it would be sunday morning, as I clamber out of bed about 2 hours before the lesson to do some last minute revision.

The progress of the comic series has also slowed to about 3 pages a week, and it already takes up most of my free time on the weekdays. The novel, titled "The 4th Dimension", seems to be proceeding fine though, since I am often able to find free time in this job that does employ me optimally.

Oh well, at least there's the consolation that the outlet will be up by march and office by june, so its really only 7 more months of sprinting, which I believe I can still tahan.

Now, I've got to get back to work again...

Dear Friends,

I have just launched a Barbecue Catering Business. This concept hatched from the observation of many organisers of casual get-togethers (students and adults alike) having to go though a lot of hassle just to put together the items required for a simple barbecue. By the time they actually settle down to "peng" their foodstuffs, they are more or less worn from the running around.

In addition, most people self marinate their food items, such as chicken wings and other meats, and unless they are sufficiently skilled in mixing ingredients, the taste is normally sub-standard.

With such considerations, my business has put together a couple of BBQ Packages that would feed a medium crowd of 6 to 20 pax. This again, is a target audience not covered by most established catering companies, which require a minimum of 30 pax.

With regards to the menu, we have sourced out a few stalls with quality food and a listing in the top ranks of the Singapore Food Directory or similar food promotion authorities, and have kindlty gotten their support to provide our customers with fresh (made on the day itself) and quality BBQ items.

As the business is, shall I say, less than a week old while I am writing this post, one would truly appreciate the support of helping me spread the word.

You may visit the website @ www.bbq4all.biz for further details.

Many Thanks!

Spent the last few days moving things here and there, settling into my new, temporary accomodation. Got a room in a recreation facility halfway up the slope to my workplace. Couldn't have found any place better. For 60 bucks a month, here's what you get.

- Your room, of course. Complete with a study table, a new bed and bedsheets, a wardrobe and a refrigerator.

- The pantry area, with a toaster and microwave.

- The laundry area, washing machine and clothes dryer usage for free

- Tennis Courts

- Squash Courts

- Swimming Pool

- Gym (newly renovated)

- Karaoke pub which serves good drinks for cheap prices (duty free). Free pool and table soccer.

- 3 minutes walk to bus stop at upper bukit timah road, which then brings you easily to town.

- 10 minutes public transport to Bukit Batok or Choa Chu Kang

- 5 minutes walk to my office :)

Ever wondered how the management of a country spend's its money? The money deducted through inland revenue, from the pockets of the already very deflated pockets of our pathetic countrymen. Here's a little insight to how it goes about:

Task Description:

The objective of the assignment is to prepare a letter to be sent to several foreign delegates who will be visiting our country to give some speech at some conference. The letter is to be signed by a certain high ranking civil servant.

Resources Employed:

01 x Manager - Monthly Pay of SGD 8000 ++

01 x Executive - Monthly Pay of SGD 2300++

01 x Office Assistant - Monthly Pay of SGD 400++

Work Process:

The letter is drafted by the executive and handed to the manager for further editing. The office assistant runs around to get it printed and despacthed to the office of the required signatory.

The letter bounces back after some comments from the signatory's assistant. Further amendments are made and another copy is produced and sent to the signatory himself to be vetted.

The letter comes back with the amendments, mainly unimportant phrase changes, made primarily to make it seem as if the high ranking signatory had some really valuable input to make.

The amendments are made and the "final" copy is sent to the office for signing. The signatory feels a sudden surge of ideas, and decides to change some commas to full stops. The letter bounces back again with blotches of unsightly red ink.

The manager and executive rush to produce another letter, so that the signatory could sign it before his flight to some country. The leeter is completed, but they realise the signatory has already departed from the office to report sick!

The manager then resorts to driving down to the airport, to wait for several hours before the final-final copy gets signed.

Cost Breakdown:

3 days of remuneration for the workers:

8000 x 3/22 = 1091

2300 x 3/22 = 314

400 x 3/22 = 55

A4 paper expended:

2 copies of 16 pages = 0.96 (assuming each pieces of paper cost 3 cents)

Special Paper expended:

2 copies of 16 pages = 7.04 (each pieces costs 22 cents)

Transport claims to and fro airport:

40 bucks worth...

My my, yesterday was helluv a day. After rushing through all the biz stuff in the morning, I had this long awaited meeting with 2 of my best pals, the fellow PCs of Alpha Coy, fellow Scorpios, and fellow Renegades.

First we went to this non-smoking pub for a drink, and since the boss was so nice he generously decided to have all our drinks on the house. not having enough fun, we continued to wander around the maxwell area, hunting for some supper. Quite coincidentally, we sighted this place called "The Scorpio Bar". The place, however, thurned out to be one small corner of half a shophouse and was totally dissapointing. (I think I should burn the place, less it starts to tarnish the name of us scorpios, hahaha)

My Dragon King friend (it was a nickname I gave him because he has think long brows like a dragon), then shoved to us the idea of going to some place where we can sing, drink and squeeze. The place turned out to be, well, not too bad. I got to sing, and my 2 friends got to squeeze. Somehow it seemed the squeezing wasn't enough so they started throwing peanuts into each others drinks...

Since both of them squeezed but never fired off, I guess they got so horny they decided to continue their hunt at GL (our nations famous red light district). I was pretty worn by then, but being the nice obliging self, or maybe because I'm already quite high, I obliged.

They went for their live firing session, while I went for a plate of friend oysters (The one at lorong 9, its really good. Beside the King of Beef Kway Teow and in the same shop as the frog legs stall).

I thought the stories of fantasy would end there, but no... My trip home on taxi was just about another revelation of new locations (maybe when I'm too free and when my wallet is too full I shall check them out, heheheh).

Today, by tradition or fancy or a mix of both, I was spurred to find myself some form of entertainment, and perhaps splurge a bit on luxuries, so I blocked off all programmes in advance to free myself of the probability of having to attend anything at all.

It was only after I set foot into the city, did I realise there was really nothing, NOTHING that could breathe a breath of life into my face. I wandered through the numerous alleys and the mushroom of cosmopolitan frenzy, and found every face not so different from the next.

The people wear a look, one of worry and haste. Their eyes are hollow, as if they have been dug dry by the flurry of propaganda and social stigmata that they had to face since birth. They footsteps echo in a monotone... mechanical... grinding... groaning...

The shops are the same everywhere. same brands selling same things is accetable, but different brands selling the same thing is absurd. There is absolutely no brand distinction whatsoever. I walk from one food court to the next and the same variation of wanton mee, beef noodles, chicken rice and the other standard dishes greet me indifferently. In a way I come to realise that the food court is really nothing more than a dining supermart. Very soon we will find our dining otiont slim down to food courts, serving the same 20 dishes, and restuarants, whose food is generally priced beyond the commoner's affordability.

What happened the the Singapore I used to know? What happened to all the good food and fun hangouts? Talking of hangouts, it seems we now have nothing more than the 4 regular options - Movie, KTV, Club and Pub (Oh, have to add Dancing, the next in thing that basically doubles up as the second SDU. Afterall we do need more Chinese to maintain population equilibrium and the everlasting Dynasty of the Iron Fist).

Very soon, we should be able to see ourselves in the toilet mirror, looking very much the same as the guy / gal beside. The same expression, same thought, same posture, same options...

My my, just the thought of that is scary enough.

Just a few days back I saw a news report on TV showing the latest manga talent recruitment campaign, and seemingly caught a glimpse of some guy drawing right off a tablet interface. Better still, the computer will generate the lines and align them to perfection, making it possible for even the amateurs to produce quality thumbnails.

Just earlier today... err... no it was yesterday, I was struggling with my pigment inks and pencils, plus a little bit of help from photoshop to get the stuff right for a few pages, and hell the rendering was tedious, primary because the pigment ink pens almost always produce smudges, and I forgot to erase the pencil marks before scanning the images.

Exasperated, I took some time to browse the net to see how the pros do their stuff. Guess what I found? Utilities of all sorts, most them being very popular bookstore items in Japan. They have drawing pads with like 1000+ different pressure variations, 3D assistance programs that allows you to create a 3D character and reposition him / her to your angular needs, illustrator programs with all sorts of fills... the list goes on...

Would really like to get ALL of those, but then again, it would cost a bomb... guess i'll have to make do with my pencils for now. Thankfully I found an old drawing pen I used back in my art classes, proved 10X more useful than those pigment ink pens.