repairing vehicles teaches you stuff. like what the phrase "throw a spanner in the works" really means, literally. (read: spare-nuh, not spah-nah)

i was at the library yesterday reading magazines. as it was half an hour to closing, this male librarian walked past me, snapped his fingers at me, and asked if i was "going to read that"-

well "YEA" i'm in the library.


there's this person on my msn list whose nick says: "went on a drip...". after almost one year i see him logged in , with the same nick. to this acquaintance on msn:

are you okay????

yesterday i was travelling home on the mrt with The peak hour crowd. and jurong everyone got up to exit, and the people on the platform crowded around to board, and... the doors didnt open for a few minutes. and suddenly it became very interesting to me: people on two sides of the doors; getting in, getting out, getting somewhere. and i realized

it was a mirror: the looks on their faces told stories of frustration, tiredness, nochalance. pictures of : i'm-going-for-a-date-damn-this-train-driver, huh-what's-happening, just-got-promoted, just-failed-maths-again, these-heels-hurt, 59seconds-60seconds-61seconds, the-toto-outlet-is-gonna-close, huh-what's-happening, wait-is-today-tuesday-or-wednesday, heng-today-never-OT, and-what-the-heck-is-happening.

for me my face read: someone-needs-to-haul-the-new-driver-out-and-retrain-him

it was like movies of twenty people at that moment. so many stories to tell, to read! i can see them already: The Story of Woman in Black Dress, A Day in the Life of School-boy Tan, Train-stopping, Mundane Affairs, Life in the Fast Lane...or Not, The Platform. it was like time slowed down, and played out frame by frame. then the doors opened and

you kick up the leaves and the magic is lost
(piano interlude)

a long time ago i mentioned that i put my two dollars to good use when i buy $2 duck rice from a stall near my house. i am proud to announce, as a major shareholder, that thanks to my continued and fervent support for their pricing techiniques, community-mindedness and above-average product during their crucial, in-the-red initial periods;

the stall's business is now thriving, and the duck-rice sellers are now enjoying their supernormal profits. their loyal customers have been rewarded with the same attractive price and above-average food. such is the importance of my previous investment in this business venture. however, notably, the owners have refused to offer me complimentary meals despite my role as major shareholder

sometimes i wake up from a dream, and the whole mystery of the dream comes to me, unravelling, bit by bit. and its magical, and scary at the same time. how the dreams duplicate and reveal the consciousness that streams through your mind by day

i was at the park downstairs, sitting at a bench making a phone call. and this korean kid comes to sit down beside me. it stunned me, strangely; something so normal and simple, yet something the adult's world has turned strange. would you sit at a bench with a stranger? maybe we all should

i realized something typical of me: i make lists of things to watch and read, but only 10% gets accomplished. here goes anyway:

watch: fight club, pulp fiction, reservoir dogs, little miss sunshine, raging bull
read: on beauty, kite runner, freakanomics, blink, about a boy, on chesil beach

dvds to lend me, anyone? and then i'll be a typical tWeeN and use sTriKeOuTs to cancel out stuff from my list. oh wait they only pretend-type strikedout stuff when they've done it before they even made the list