a new year

Let's start this year with this verse. And HAPPY NEW YEAR :D

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."
1 Chorintians 13:4-8

I want to see this, live!

This is probably one of the most awesome thing I've ever seen. By the way, I like the fountain at Raffles Shopping Center too, I think it's cute.

This is waterfall "Printer", a waterfall installation located in the Canal City Hakata shopping complex in Fukuoka, Japan. It can form intricate patters using water sprayed from hundreds of nozzles that are precisely controlled by computers. See for yourself. It's amazing.

back to blogging

Hello world!


First of all, Merry Christmas to you :D


I'm back. Ok, I've never gone anywhere but I just really don't know what to write down here. My recent blog entries are so boring and tasteless.

I feel like I'm becoming increasingly stupid. Either that or I don't care about politics, economics, the US economy crisis, finance, the 401k, the bailout, tax return, health care. Maybe both. Maybe I'm both indifferent to those issues and I'm becoming more stupid. Heh.

Anyway, I'm trying to keep myself 'smart' these days by reading Times, Details, GQ, Esquire, Wired, Entertainment Weekly, US Weekly, MacWorld, MacLife, and I've just subscribed to Vanity Fair. I used to subscribe to People magazine but I've stopped, I can get what they write in there for free, and that magazine is useless.

This year, my Christmas is weird. It doesn't suck, but it is definitely not fantastic. It's just like any other day to me. Anyway, there's something that makes me really happy, although only for a short time, but it's too personal to write down here.

I have planned for my studies. It's going to be easy, but it's going to be long. The good part is I can set my pace, and the not so good part is there are still many things to finalized. Anyway, it's quite fun to study again.

I think I used "anyway" too much. And my writing style is deteriorating. It lacks varieties and wordplay and structures.

Everyone has someone for Christmas. Not me.

And that concludes this post.

Again, merry merry christmas people :D

love, don =]

Lee Pace

I think Lee Pace is unbelievable.

I was shocked, surprised, intrigued, and totally awed by his acting. It's too good.

coughing

Hello world!
Nod here!

I'm down with coughing these few days!
And I'm going to work in a few hours, hope I can pull through that!
Please pray for me :D

I'm taking a cough syrup that's 3.5% alcoholic! Woohoo!
Anyway, I'm not an alcohol addict. But I really like the way my whole body warm up when alcohol enters me. It's like having fireworks in your spine.

---------

Desperate Housewives Episode 10 of season 5 is so enjoyable. Good storyline, funny, touching, interesting, all the right factors of a good episode. The gay storyline is freaking funny.

However, the lesbian storyline in Grey's Anatomy is so awkward. I feel that they just anyhow squeeze in that theme in Greys to please the LGBT community without putting much thoughts to it. The whole thing is just so under-developed and annoying. Urgh.

And bad news, Pushing Daisies will be cancelled. I think whoever makes that decision is INCREDIBLY stupid. Like upside down, inside out, top to bottom, in-and-out STUPID. Pushing Daisies is a gem of a show, it's so unique and so beautiful and so so so so romantic. Why would they cancel that???

And I have nothing else to write about.
Goodness, I'm so boring.

This Christmas

This Christmas, I have given my heart to someone special.

I have also given my heart to Kristin Chenoweth, she is amazing, and so hilarious.

prom photos

There are so many prom photos on facebook and I see so many familiar faces there.
I miss them and I miss you too :D

Britney is pretty

SYLVIA tagged me

A. People who have been tagged must post this on their blogs.

B. Tag 8 ppl to do this quiz & those who are tagged cannot refuse. These ppl must state who they are tagged by and cannot tag the person whom they were tagged by.
Tagged by: SYLVIA

C. Continue this game by sending it to 8 other people:
1. me
2. me
3. me
4. me
5. me
6. me
7. me
8. you

START-
1.What have you been doing recently?
Television, work, going out

2.Do you ever turn your cell phone off?
There's an off button?

3.What happened at 10am today?
I called medical.

4.When did you last cry?
I really want to remember. But can't.

5.Believe in fate/destiny?
I don't want to. Cos I want my course to be decided by me.

6.What do you want in your life now?
Money & A close friend.

7.Do you carry a umbrella when it rains or just put up your hood?
Umbrella.

8.Whats your favourite thing to have on your bed?
A red pillow.

9.What bottoms are you wearing now?
bottoms? boxers.

10.Whats the nicest thing in your inbox?
nothing. Nobody emails me nowadays.

11.Do you tend to make a relationship complicated?
I don't even have one.

12.Are you wearing anything borrowed from anyone?
No. I'm afraid of sharing things.

13.What was the last movie you caught?
This may sound sad but it was Enchanted. With Jiing Jiunn and Sharyl last year.

14.What are you proud of?
Nothing.

15.What does your oldest text message in your inbox says?
"De sang mai p goi cho... de hoi tui con chi da"

16.What was the last song u sang out loud?
hark the herald angels sing

17.Do you have any nicknames?
Donnie, Donatella, ... (can't remember)

18.What does your last text message say?
don't know, i am lazy to go get my phone now(: ( just like you, Sylvia :D )

19.What time did you go to bed last night?
three something

20.Are you currently happy?
Yes.

21.Who gives you the best advice?
Prayers. So I guess God. Also, Brendan, Marcus, Jiing Jiunn...

22.Do u eat whipped cream straight from can?
Not really. I put it on drinks.

23.Who did you talk to on the phone last night?
My manager.

24.Is something bugging you now?
Yes.

25.What/who was the last person to make you laugh?
Anna Farris.

26.Do you wear toe socks?
No. Toe socks?


27.Who was the last person you missed a call from?
mommy(: ( just like you Sylvia :D )

28.Have you ever had your heart broken?
Twice at least.

29.What annoys you most in a person?
Cheapos. Stingy people.

30.Do you have a crush on someone?
hell yes. Major. And that's bad.

31.Have you ever done cocaine?
NO. ( just like you - Sylvia :D )

32.What is the colour of your room?
white.


35.Who was the last person to lie in your bed?
me.

36.Who was the last person to hug you?
Can't tell.

37.Did you see the last person you kissed recently?
Haven't kissed anyone.

38.Do you have a life?
In other people's eyes, no. In my eyes, yes.


39.Have you ever thought someone died,when they didnt?
I don't know.

40.What is the reason behind your profile song?
no song on my profile right now. (just like you, Sylvia :D )

41.Who was the last person you saw in your dreams?
i don't remember! (just like you, Sylvia :D )

42.Last time you smiled?
just now. (just like you, Sylvia :D )

43.Have you changed this year?
Fatter. uglier. Loserer. but Happier :D

44.What are you listening to rite now?
Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

45.Are you talking to someone while doing this?
no.

46.Do you walk with your eyes closed or open?
Open.

47.Is there a quote you live by?
Nah. I just live. I don't even have a principle.

48.Do you want someone you can never have?
YYYESSSSSSSSSSS. PLEASE. YESSSSSS. More than anything. And I want to person to love me back.

49.Have you ever played an instrument?
Yes. But I suck.

50.What was the worst idea you’ve had this week?
so many. I don't know which one. haha.

51.What were you doing last night at 11pm?
Can't remember.

52.Are you happy with your love life rite now?
hell no. Don't even have one.

53.What song best describes your love life?
I don't want to think about my love life. It's pathetic.

54.Does the person know you like him/her?
No.

55.Who always makes you laugh?
Ellen DeGeneres. Nicole.

56.Do you speak other languages other than english?
Vietnamese.

57.Favourite websites?
amazon.com, notcot.org, gizmodo.com, perezhilton.com (please don't judge me, I just like gossips)

58.Whats your middle name?
Mai. (seriously, Mai)

60.What do you think you are like?
loser.

61.Who will you choose to die with?
HELL NO ONE. I don't even one to die. Not anymore. Life's good now.

62.Where have you been today?
Downtown. Home.

63.What game do you play often?
believe it or not, i don't play games often. (OMG, just like you, Sylvia :D )

64.Who are you missing now?
friends i haven't see for a long time! (OMG, just like you, Sylvia :D )

65.If you had to choose between your friend or your lover which will you choose?
FRIEND. Because I have no love now! HAHAHA. (same ans as my twin)

66.What are you doing right now?
how about doing this lame thing!??!?!!? (OMG, just like you, Sylvia :D )

67.Which primary school are you from?
Trieu Thi Trinh.

68.Name 3 colours that you like?
red, green, gold.

69.What emotion do you like to show?
(: (OMG, just like you, Sylvia :D )

70.What is your life to you?
I'm trying to set it right.





There you go Sylvia :D

things that happened today

Hello world, it's me!

Today is weird.

When I went to the train, P smsed me about Thai steamboat at night.
But I had to work at downtown until 6.
So she told me she will pick me up at 6.
A little later T left a message on my phone, telling me that she would pick me up.


AND then the girl who worked with me on Monday called in busy and I had to cover her shift until 9.


SO, I can't go for the outing, and I had to work alone, for 7 hours.
Today is quite a waste.

No Thai steamboat. I can't meet anyone.
The upside is, my customers were really nice today. They tipped a lot.

:D

I had a major depression attack last week, after a birthday party.
I felt like it was all meaningless and I wanted to hurt myself. I lost all purposes.



And I'm proud to say that my depression attack is OVER. I'm back to normal. I don't know really know when but it kind of just went away. Woo hoo.


Anyway, it's quite scary because I haven't been depressed in a really long time. I don't feel sad that often nowadays. So it's scary when depression comes back.


Maybe because I never had a proper birthday celebration. By the way, my birthday this year maybe the worst ever. It sucks. August the first 2008 Sucks with a capital S.



All that aside, it just feels so great to be up and running again.

:D
P.S. By the way, this year, so far, I'm medication-free. Yay!

hello Britney

Hey Britney, you are still gorgeous :D

television

Smallville is getting really good these days. The storylines are more interesting. The directing, the filming, everything is getting more innovative...

Ah, screw it. It's getting good because KRISTIN KREUK is BACK.
Only for one episode though. Boy, she looks quite different, but still gorgeous.

Anyway, still, Smallville is getting good.



On a different note, Pushing Daisies is the most romantic, beautiful, best best best best show on earth. It is SO beautiful. And the soundtracks of the series are the best ever, they are all orchestral music. It's an absolutely perfect show.


And I am such a loser to burn my life in these shows.

But who cares :D
I love television. It's a haven for creativity and a perfect hideout from the boring day-to-day life.

By the way, I like Tina Fey. She's unique.



I think my posts are getting so disconnected these days.


:D

update

Pushing Daisies is the best show on earth.
Desperate Housewives is getting so boring.
And Heroes is getting seriously disgusting and lengthy and pointless.
Gossip Girl is a yawn fest.

David Archuleta's album is bad.
Taylor Swift's album is cute.
Beyonce's album is fierce and really catchy. She's so pretty.


And I think I should not love anyone. I'm not good with that. Never was and never will be.



But the person is too perfect.


(".)

the only real love story in this blog

I had a wild night last night.

And I think I have a strong affection for someone.




But the person will never know.

''.

Dior Ads

These ads are from Jean-François Campos. Gorgeous silhouettes, incredibly classy. It just feels really Audrey Hepburn to me.

PLEASE VOTE

Hey everyone, please vote for the new president!

If I were a US citizen, I would totally vote.

And my choice would be OBAMA. I would like to bring the US army back home safely. I would vote for OBAMA because he is the HOPE. I would vote for OBAMA because he would bring PEACE. I would vote for BARACK OBAMA because he is a true American. I would vote for BARACK OBAMA because he loves America.

And most importantly, I would vote for OBAMA because he is a dad, a husband, an african-american, and he CARES for you and me.

=D

So please Vote!

By the way, this video is totally awesome. You meet ALL THE STARS you can think of in this photo. It's so funny, even though it's an appeal to vote.

tv shows

Have you watched "Gossip Girls"?

I think it's trash. Actresses are mumbling the whole way through. Chuck Bass is supposed to be a womanizer but he is SO NOT hot. The storyline is bumpy and slow and uninteresting. Relationships in that show is oh-no. I don't even know what's the point of the show.

The only good thing about the show is the fashion. The clothes are impeccable, except for Chuck Bass's clothing (which is trashy).

Why isn't it canceled yet?

hello world

I hate the fact that I lost my birthday database. Well, I don't know what's that really call but by "birthday database" I mean the entire calendar with everyone's birthday on it.

I think one of the my close friends is mad at me. And I really don't know why. Please forgive me/ talk to me if it's bugging you, give me a chance to know what I did wrongly!

I had a bad day today. I had a headache. And I hate it when that happens.



But I really am thankful for what God has blessed me. I really am!

I miss my friends......

the power of a comma

It's a Brazilian Advertisement. But interestingly, the voice-over has a British accent. Brit accent is charming!

life is short

I am suddenly struck by reality!

I only have around 40 years with my parents!
I only have around 50 more years to live!
I really don't want to think how many years my grandma will still be there to answer my calls whenever I call her!


I only have around 40 years to show appreciation, love and care for my parents!
And I think I should do that early. Now.

I have been wasting too much time focusing about myself!!!!


When I think that I have 50 more years to live. I think that's so freaking long.
But to think that I have only 40 years to see my parents around, I think that's a REALLY short time.


Time seems so short when you want to be around the people you love, doesn't it!


And that's why my last year in Singapore seemed like a second. There were so many friends I came to know and love. But it all happened so fast, I left without a proper goodbye, even to the friends at the airport.


And I really don't want to say farewell to anyone ever again.


and I'm sorry, I love you, my friends!

I'm really hard to please

Ok. I have just realized that you know. Like seriously.

You know. When I look at everyone's photos, their eyes are ALWAYS reduced to a thin line whenever they smile, especially in candid photos. That means they are truly happy.

But not me. In photos, my eyes are always open. And when I try to smile (when I'm actually not happy inside), my eyes are always open.

But then, sometimes when something that was really funny cracked me up, I laughed myself off and I cannot see anything.

SO. It means when I'm really happy, my eyes do reduce to a thin line.



And which means, most of the time, I just pretend to be happy. Like fake laugh. Posed laugh. And then I check myself in reality. It turns out to be true. Whenever I laugh with a customer. It is ALWAYS fake. I just tried to be cheerful, light their days up, set an upbeat note. But that's it. All is customer service, all is fake.

And yah, I am not easily amused.

And when I think back of my entire 3 years in Singapore. I can only remember 3 incidents in which I was truly happy, and amused, and I guess my eyes were reduced to a thin line during these three events:
1) When the cockroach flew into my room. It was a really fun incident which I remember the most in my three year of hostel life.
2) Whenever Nicole talks.
3) Whenever a particular choir girl talks. I don't know her personally and I don't talk to her much so I cannot reveal her name here. But she is small, and her mannerism is really funny. She's real friendly too.

But that's about it. I cannot remember anything that's so funny that has happened to me.

Only Ellen DeGeneres can really crack me up. She is REALLY funny. And my eyes reduce to a thin line whenever I watch her show. Cos that's when I truly laugh.



I really hope I can be more upbeat/easier to please. I want to be a person whose eyes are small in photographs. I want to truly laugh all the time.

I want to be true. I don't want to force myself. I don't want to fake.




And I don't want to be so lonely!

"There is more hunger for love and appreciation in this world than for bread."
- Mother Theresa

and yah, I agree.

a post like no other

photo art by Alberich Mathews

I'll start this post with two words: "sperm" and "egg".


Strange?


Yes, it is. But suddenly, I have this thought running in my head, and I must write it out.


Let's start.

And I'll start with names: Thomas Edison, Leonardo Da Vinci, Marie Curie, Newton, Albert Einstein,...

some more names: Jason Mraz, Corrinne May, Josh Groban,...

and even more names: Barack Obama, John McCain, Hillary Clinton, Lee Kuan Yew, Jazques Chirac,...

of course, more names: Britney, Paris Hilton, The Jonas Brothers,...


and, there things: iPods, cell phones, Playstation, LAPTOP, Clothes,...




And what do all of these have in common?
_ They are human and they are creations by human.

And where do human come from, where is each of these people mentioned above come from?
_ A SINGLE SPERM AND EGG.


I suddenly find this very intriguing. Sperm is very small, well, I don't read bio anymore so I don't know the exact size and I don't bother wiki it, but well, it IS VERY SMALL. Egg is bigger than sperm, but it is still small, I think.

And to think that after fertilization, and after a long time, it will become human, it will grow into a teenager, an adult, an elderly, with many many events and milestones along the way. I find that amazing.

Isn't it amazing?

So basically, great people like Albert Einstein started out just like anyone of us. From the fertilization of a sperm and an egg. And the minuscule fetus grew with time, become a man, and a legend.

And I suddenly find that life is such a gift. Really, with time, something that is SO small become SOMETHING that is so precious, so larger than life.

It's like I was just a tiny piece of sand 19 years ago.Now, I have eyes, a nose, ears, hair, mouth, a body, a BRAIN, a beating heart,... And to think that just 19 years ago, I was NOTHING, I was TINY.

Suddenly, I find that the creation of a human being is so GROUNDBREAKING. Really.


Well, on a smaller scale, let's think about a flower. One morning, it was just a plant in front of your house. After that, you are like "Hey, there are buds!" And before you can realise, there are beautiful roses in your front yard.

And all of that started with pollen grains and, I want to say egg?. Haha, I really forgot my bio stuff.



So, the whole of this post is, I find LIFE is an amazing process. Life experience is a different story, more often ugly than beautiful, at least for me.

But anyway, I suddenly start to appreciate my life more. I have grown from practically nothing to a 19 year old person.


And I think that is something that I really need to TREASURE.


Thank you God for my life!

materialism

I was thinking of getting a new phone. I was torn between two choices:
1) LG Prada Phone
2) Nokia E71

But then, I realised I had been saving to buy a car. And a car is more crucial cos that's how I can go from home to college next year. And who knows, from home to the mall, from home to KFC, from home to gf's place.

Nah, scrap the last part. I'm not interested in a relationship. And even if I am, nobody would care about me anyway. But hey, at least I would have a car. HAHAHAH! And yah, I believe there maybe some genuine people who can understand and befriend me!

I'm excited about going to college next year!

And back to the phone issue. I already have 2. It makes no sense to get a third one.



Note to self: MUST NOT BUY A NEW PHONE. MUST SAVE MONEY.



Sigh. Me trying to save money is like Paris Hilton trying not to be stupid. I'm quite a spendthrift. I must control myself.



I'm becoming a workaholic!!!!




and out.

impressive advertisement

pictures that caught my eyes

Another vision - the photo is taken by Kristina Buceatchi.

THIS is SO cute.

Water and rose

A flower - the photo is taken by Indah Susanti.


A photo by Shazeen Samad. It is so interesting!

OH MY GOD YOU ARE SO CUTTEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!
Returning to the same ocean
Beautiful composition, telling a somehow sad story.

nonsense ramblings

I have nothing to post about. So I'll post random things that are going through my head right now.

1. I'm drinking water.
2. Straight guys are actually lesbians, and straight girls are actually gays. They do have common interests, don't they?
3. There is no cockroach in my room.
4. I hope there will be no cockroaches in my room.
5. "Oops, I did it again" is a song by Britney Spears.
6. My name is Don.
7. My surname is Nguyen.
8. Josh Groban is not my name.
9. I like Josh Groban. I like Jason Mraz too but I'm scared of him. And I sure love Corrinne May.
10. I don't have a dog.
11. I'm still drinking water.
12. and blogging, obviously.
13. Uh, this point is unlucky, so I'll go on to point 14.
14. Well, technically, this is the 13th rambling, but as I put the number 14 at the beginning. This point is not unlucky. This point is lucky.
15. Hah, I don't have a 15th point.

The end -


P.S. I love my dog, even though I don't have one.

word cloud of the day

Recognize this chunk of words?

yah, they are all from my blog!

a rush a adrenaline, and a real-life love story

Ok, let me tell you about what has JUST happened.

I was watching Desperate Housewife on my laptop, then SUDDENLY, a really disgusting spider with red and white legs crawled down the wall. I dashed to the toilet to grab some toilet paper to catch it.

When I came back to my room, I realised: "Oh no! It's too disgusting! If I cannot catch it successfully and it fells onto my hand, how am I supposed to eat M&M chocolate later???"

So, I immediately thought of getting the insect spray. But then by the time I came back, the spider would have gone away.

"I need a spray, I need a spray!" - I thought.


And there it was, I saw my hair spray. It was just right there.



So.


I grabbed my TRESemmé tres two european hair spray ultra fine mist professional formula net wt 11 oz (312 g), and SPRAY ON THE DAMN EIGHT-LEGGED THING.

I sprayed on it. It slowed down. I sprayed some more, it slowed down some more. AND THEN I sprayed some more, it slowed down EVEN more.

And then I sprayed it EVEN more, and it shrunk into a ball. And obviously, immobile. And then I scooped it with my layered toilet paper, and flushed it down the toilet bowl, where the toilet paper should go.


And that's how I got a rush of adrenaline.


so lessons learn:
1. Don doesn't like insects.
2. Hairspray can be used to spray on other things other than hair.
3. Insects spray are not always available when you REALLY need.
4. Hair spray can be used for defense (spray in the eyes of stalkers).
5. Don't use deodorant spray to kill insects cos that's a waste.
6. Don cannot think of a sixth lesson from this love story.
7. Don doesn't like insects.
8. Don hates insects.
9. Desperate Housewife is interesting. Seriously.

and this is the end of a love story that actually happened in real life.

LOL

seriously, lol!!!

and it's quite cute too.

chic

I want that shirt!

Don's GROUNDBREAKING realisation

well, it's about Harry Potter.

You know what, people died in Harry Potter. Lily, James Potter, Dumbledore, Sirius,...

You know what, in "The Prisoner of Azkaban", there is a time-turner, isn't there! Hermione got it to get through classes, AT ONCE.


So do you get the picture yet?

Here goes, people can use the time-turner to go back in time to save all those people, to kill Voldermort, maybe kill some spiders, snakes, go to the zoo, sleep on a couch, drink purified water, burn alcohol,...

wait, I digressed, sorry.


anyway, if the time-turner had been used, then there would be no death, there would be no conflict, there would be no Voldermort, there would be no Harry Potter the boy who lived, there would be no books, there would be no sales, and J.K.Rowling would not be so SO SO SO RIIIICHH.


So, the point of this post, is: J.K.Rowling is REALLY REALLY smart.

the end.

just a flashback

To everyone who has been talking to me via the tagboard, I'm SO SORRY that I haven't been replying you. I'm SO SORRY. I'll reply soon.


I suddenly have a flashback on my acjc days. Nothing much. But it hurts me. And I don't know why!


The thing is, everyday, in the NUS high school residence. I would woke up at five fifty, or six. I would take a REALLY long time to shower, and brush my teeth, and then wrap my body in something and then change into my acjc uniform. And then I would put on my contact lenses. And then I would grab one of the three bags (retro black, faux leather, or black zinc - depending on my mood) that I had put all the books/files in the day before. Then I would put on my socks, which I would usually struggle to find a pair that would match.

And then I would say bye to my roomate. Which I really cannot remember what I usually said anymore. Was it "bye nat!", or "hey, bye!", or "i'm going first, bye!", or simply leave and lock the room if my roomate had already left.

Then I would go out to wait for the elevator. Three things may happen:
1. It opens and I go down to the ground floor.
2. It opens, I meet ...., I feel really awkward, and answer everything .... asks until I reach the ground floor. I'm really sorry, .... It should not be this way, it was all my fault.
3. The lift is so SO slow. And I ran down the stairs.


If I was early, I would eat at the canteen. Or I would skip breakfast and the run to the bus.

Once I reach the bus, I would fight my way in, and FIGHT to get upstair, sit at somewhere near the front, where losers such as me usually sit. Cool people usually sit at the back, I was afraid I would stain their cool air.

And I Had to tolerate lousy music from other people's phone the whole time.

And I would text "Good morning, PJ" to PJ.

Once the bus stop, I would ran to school, cos I was always late. I would run through path next to the contruction site of the performing arts building, the one that I had dreamed of seeing it completed.

along the hallway, I would try to avoid as many people I know as possible until I reach the choir seats.


And I would sing with my choir mates, the only thing that I really loved doing during the day.


But that is to painful to reflect on, so I'll fast forward.

I would be in lessons, I hate chem, I love bio, I loathe econs, I don't really like maths but I try because the teacher is extremely understanding, I like GP cos the teacher is so funny but I hate the content most of the time. I don't really care about PE but it's SO FUN. I don't like PW cos the teacher is evil.

When recess comes, I would either sleep in the library, eat alone in the canteen during mother tongue, or with my classmates when it's not mother tongue.

and then,...

I love the milo stall I love the chick and pig stall.

I love how the porridge tastes so good when I was having gastric.




And I love that sometimes, people noticed that I existed.






Anyway, I just suddenly remembered what usually happened during a normal school day. And I feel painful. It reminded how much of a loser and loner I am.

But I really miss those moments. Cos that just proves that I am me.





right now, I really miss and cherish the short year I had in acjc.



Life is sarcastic. I hated school, until I'm out of it.





It's so painful to think back about last year. I hated it, but I miss it so much. I was so lonely, I was a loser and somehow, a few people still genuinely cared for me. Somehow, a few people even talked to me, and became my really great friends.




I miss my friends, so much.
And I hope you all are doing well.



I miss my friends. So much.

FUNNIEST THING EVER

Well, meet Fred!

Anyway, that's not his real name. This guy is 14 and he's such a talented comedian. YOU MUST WATCH THIS.

And yes, he did this himself, and he talks THAT fast.

my new OBSESSION

It's the television show called "The O.C."

HEY

Hey, I miss my cat.

WAIT A MINUTE!

I Don't have a cat!!

Never mind!

heart-warming

In this life, heart-warming moments can come at unexpected times, from unexpected people.

And I have always been touched by sudden care random people showered on me.

Just some flashback:
. Today, at work, my manager told me: "I don't want you to burn out you know! Are you sure you can do it?"
. A lot of people: "Are you ok!"
. A roomate: "Do you need help with chem!"
. A roomate: "Sorry, I don't know how to help!"
. A person: "Hello, Don!" - and gave me a teddy bear.
. A person: "..."

well, there are so many of those moments, but not all of the time I told them the truth about how I felt.

And that's why it felt so good when I talked with the Js, M, and B, and Hs, when I could actually tell the truth all of the times. It felt so good.

And that's why I always miss the little dot called Singapore. Even though by and by, my memories of it keep fading away.

I plan to write blog entries about my years in Singapore so that I won't forget a big part of my life, but I'm going to change most of the names of the characters, the ones that I should protect their privacy due to the fact that they are not close friends with me.

Reading back the sentence I have just typed above, I don't really understand it.



Anyway, to sum up, I miss Singapore.

and hey JiaJun, it was so interesting that I bumped into you in Vivocity when I was searching for a birthday gift for Nicole.

(the last sentence is part of the memoir thing I am going to write about some time soon)

=]

OBAMA

I am not a man of politics, I don't want to be involved in politics.

Anyway, I support Obama. And this is one of the reasons:



You rock, Michelle Obama!

Ellen DeGeneres

YAY! She's married!
However, this post is not really about her!

I wanted to write a new entry, but I could not think of ANYTHING to write. Then the name Ellen DeGeneres popped up in my head and I typed her name down as the title, and she's MARRIED.

Anyway, right now I'm thinking of something else. I think I like dogs.

... dogs are cute ...




I just stumbled on a girl's blog, and I find these lines very heart-warming:

"... you held my hands like my brother, my best friend... you told me it's okay, it's alright because you are there... it felt like family... felt like having somebody to share, to protect me... i could be young again but not be afraid... :)..."

I feel happy for her!

I once felt that way, I felt that I had somebody to share, I felt that somebody was special, I felt that I could count on somebody, but I was deluded. As an only child, I tend to think that sometimes, some random person can become my sibling, whom I can share my secrets with, whom I can lean on, or simply become an outlet of my thoughts.

Well, it never happened for me. They were just delusions after delusions, leaving me feeling so stupid after each time.

That's why I feel happy for her. Genuinely happy! Cos in life, that kind of friendship is hard to forge. I think!


Haha, nah, I think I like dogs, although that has nothing to do with what I've just written, or what I'm about to write.
I just like to remind myself that I actually like dogs.
And it feels SO WONDERFUL to type in my blog again, after SUCH a LONG time.


Some update:
1. On Sunday, Aug 24, I had my very first public performance with an all-vietnamese audience, although it was my second public performance in the States. It felt awesome to be able to sing again! I was still goofy as usual, my address to the crowd before my song was exactly like this:

" Good morning erm ladies erm and erm... gentlemen..." - but in Vietnamese.

haha, anyway, the song was not so bad. End of story.
2. There was a dog amongst the audience. And I'm not kidding.
3. The MC was really pretty.
4. It did not rain.
5. I still hate maths.

To sum this post up, I really want to say: I MISS YOU ALL, I MISS SINGAPORE!!!!

AND I SUPPORT BARACK OBAMA!

p.s. I love you! I still do, even though my memory of you have faded!

absolutely beautiful

I'm sorry!

I love you God!

art

I've just realized something!!!!

Where does the best movie come from?
Hollywood??


Well, I don't think so!

The best movies come from China.

Chinese movies often infuse so much motion poetry, breathtaking shots, songs, dance, martial arts, all in a very distinctive Chinese flavor.
And I think there special effects are really really good too. Way better than Hollywood at times.
The only complain is the storyline of Chinese movies are sometimes confusing, and once in a while can be incredibly stupid.

still, bravo to the Chinese arts, Zhang Yimou and Zhang Ziyi, Tan Dun,...


On a totally different note, I've just watched the movie "Wanted" today. It stars Angelina Jolie and James McAvoy. And it's REALLY good. It's done by the same guy who made Smallville so the special effects bear some resemblance to the latter. But it's still good. Just think Sin City meets Smallville, with a dash of Mr. and Mrs. Smith (just a dash), and blah blah blah blah....

anyway, who cares, I'll watch ANYTHING with Angelina Jolie in it. She's so breathtaking!

Even though the movie is so violent (but not as much as Sin City), I burst out in laughters at times cos there were some very stupid moments. Terribly terribly stupid!!!!

Still, despite all the ramblings, I'll just say that you should watch "Wanted" if you are 18!!!


and I'm out.

=]



P.S. Have I mentioned that you look really pretty/handsome today? YES, YOU, the one who is reading my blog. HAHA =]
Have a nice day!

I like this

cos it's cute. (except for the makeup of the singer, greasy and pinkish, too bad for a guy)!


Anyway, the video makes me miss Singapore, the few friends I had and have, and its food =]

Singapore food is the best, according to me!

ACJC chicken rice is the best, and the porridge from that stall got me through three days of gastric stomach.
I love the milo from the drink stall too.

During work today, I suddenly had a flashback of a particular friend I met in Singapore when I did a fist bump with a customer (which was really fun by the way). It brought back sweet memories.

To that friend: Thank you for being there, and for understanding me! And sorry for trembling like mad when I did that with you! HAHA! You were not scary at all, it was just me!



I really do cherish the last year I had in Singapore. I really do!


.
.
.

a really short love story

Once upon a time, there was a boy who fell in love with a girl. That girl fell in love with another boy, that boy fell in love with yet ANOTHER girl. And THAT GIRL fell in love with the FIRST boy who fell in love with the girl who fell in love with the boy who fell in love with her.

Well, to make things simpler to understand, let's call them Daniel, Mike, Ann and Mary.

daniel loves ann, ann loves mike, mike loves mary, and mary loves daniel.



Something like that.


In the end, they all died, of old age. Of course, who can live forever!!!



Anyway, there's another boy called Josh and another girl called Ellen. They fell in love with EACH OTHER (PHEW!!! What a relief after the love rectangle above).

And so, they celebrated their mutal love by watching:

THE POWERPUFF GIRLS



the end.
fin.

Moral of the love story: although people will die at the end of their lives, that cannot stop them from watching "The powerpuff girls" while they are still alive.

- a great quote by Don the great -

Happy birthday =]

happy birthday SYLVIA!!!!


YAY =]

I'M SO EXCITED I'M SO EXCITED

Well, maybe that's a boring title for a blog post but still,

I'M EXCITED!


Why?
Because PROJECT RUNWAY Is BACK =]

YAY =]

Cute Japanese song

I stumbled on this Japanese song on youtube. It is so cute =]

And the song reminds me of Sharyl and Sylvia, big fans of all things Japanese =]

Hi Sylvia, Hi Sharyl =]

Bonjour Vietnam

I am so touched by this song and this performance and this singer, Pham Quynh Anh.

I am so touched by the purity and the simplicity of the singer. And her honesty.

I am so touched!!!

T.T

18

Happy birthday to nicole =]

Don's romantic thoughts (continued)

Chapter 2 - Bugs!

I saw THREE cockroaches on my way to the supermarket last week!!!!!!!!!!!
But nothing happened, I just kept walking, thinking to myself "eww....eww....ewwwwww!!"


Anyway, do you know that penguins are not bugs?
Of course I know that too, but I just want to ask.


Anyway, if you happen to kill a mosquito, it WILL die.
But if you kill a cockroach, it may not die. Even its head is cut off.


I am scared of cockroaches.
oh, have I mentioned that I hate them too?


end of chapter 2 - the most boring chapter ever!


-----------------



The more I work in a customer service environment, the more I realize that being around many people make me really happy, and I really want to become a nurse and I will study really hard to become one.

Paying attention to individuals and satisfying their needs, establishing a personal relationship with the people I like is my thing. I love it!

And it's absolutely THRILLED and wonderful when a customer stepped into the restaurant looking grumpy, obviously having a bad day;
but after a short communication with me, they kind of cooled down,
resulted in a smile of satisfaction.

That's the best feeling ever!
I love my job and I love what I'm doing!

Just so you know

In case you might wonder what happened to Harry Potter and friends when they grow up, here's the details:

"Where do the main characters work as adults?
Harry and Hermione are at the Ministry: he ends up leading the Auror department. Ron helps George at the joke shop and does very well. Ginny becomes a professional Quidditch player and then sportswriter for the Daily Prophet."

- from Time magazine, in an interview with J.K.Rowling

Quote of the day

"The weapon we have is love. And that will win any war."

eighteen

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Jowell =]

a new series

Some quick updates on me, in the States:

I'm making money, lots of it, and I'm also spending lots of it. Nice!
I'm getting fat. Oh no. I've gained 3 kg. I'm visibly fat now.
I'm uglier. But it's no problem, I've never been pretty anyway.
My singing voice is degrading. It's bad.

However, life's good!

----------

I'm starting a new series of writings on my blog, I'm gonna call it "Don's romantic thoughts", as an addition to the "My love story" series!

Tadaa!!!

Without further ado - well, maybe a very small ado - ado, I'll officially start this series...

Chapter 1 - Expressions!

Well, the thing is, there are so many expressions around us. Some makes sense, some doesn't, and some attract women, others attract men, and some just attract bugs! It also depends on the person who says it, for example the expression "What are you doing?" (wait, is that a question? or is that an expression?...)

(oh, I just realize, who cares?)

and... back to the expression. If that comes out of a very pretty man, with hazel eyes, hunky, clean shaved, twitching the expression to "What you doin'?". The expression will become much more dirty and flirtatious, and sure will attract some women, or something, or whatever. You get the point.

Wait, my point is... and I do have one... is that I don't really know where I'm going with those two previous paragraphs.


Anyway, there are just so many expressions around us, and I don't really understand all of them, for example:

"For Petes's sake" "Heaven's to Betsy" "Holly Molly"
......Who's Pete? Who is Betsy? Who's Molly, or Moley, or whatever? Do they know one another? and most importantly, do I know them?

"Do you have a buck I can borrow?" (again, this may sounds like a question but TRUST ME, in the U.S., it's an expression)
......I don't know why, but nearly every time I pass by a teenager, he/she will ask/say that. and ONCE, I gave it to a very pretty girl at the train station (superficial huh!) anyway, Do I look like I have a dollar? Only? and why me, my name is Don, not One-Dollar Nguyen, why people keep asking me that. Strange. and whenever I guy asks me, the question becomes shorter: "Got a buck?" which I usually answer with "No, but I'm buying a bucket of water!"

"You are nut." "He's nuts."
......Whether "nut" is in singular, or plural form, it means "crazy". So the translations of the above expressions are "You are crazy, he's crazy." The point is ... and I do have one, is that I DON't know why nut = crazy. I eat nuts, but they don't make me crazy. How about crazy people who are allergic to nuts? What do you call 'em? "You are nuts-allergic-but-still-nuts?"

?!

Someone, please answer me if you know the answer to my above expression/question!

"Take care."
......It's a short form of "take care of yourself." What does "take care" mean? Where's the care? I'll take it.

"Have a nice day."
......I'm abusing this expression/statement/well-wish these days. Ellen DeGeneres wrote "Cashiers and other service-industry people are forced by their supervisors to say this to every customer. The cashiers don't mean it, except for Don - well, I add in this part. What they are really saying is, "Please, God, I don't want to get fired.""

Anyway, I know this chapter is supposed to be about expressions. But I'm really bored now, so I decide to start my diary. But I'm too lazy to write, and since I'm already on my blog, I'll type out my diary entry here.

Sat, June 21, 1:45 AM

.....Yay, my first diary entry ever. I'll write about what happened today.
Well, in the morning, I went to sleep. And when I woke up, I accidentally stepped on my dog, and thankfully, it did not die, so I was really relieved and happy.

.....Wait a minute! I don't have a dog!!!! What did I stepped on this morning? I hope that was not Celine Dion.

.....Anyway, despite being a boy, I have tried to write a diary for a millionth times. I don't have the discipline. Not this time. Dear Diary, I vow to write in you everyday, even though I have a huge problem finishing things I start, it seems to me that

the most incredible person

IS Ellen DeGeneres!

girls

there quite a number of nice/cute/funny girls at my workplace.

they cheered me up =]

work is good!

and I LOVE customer service, a role that was so impossible for me in the past, but not anymore!

PEOPLE fuel me!

ACJC Choir at the Cathedral of Bratislava, Rajes and Nat

The choir sounds really good =] 'Soleram' is beautiful =] The sop voices are incredibly pure in there. VERY VERY good blend of voices altogether.

Thank you for the music =]

"Soleram"


'Kojo no Tsuki'


'Sakura'


'Hymn to The Creator of Light'


and the next clip features guitarist Nat C. and singer Rajeswari =], uploaded to youtube by "einehpetz", AWESOME voice and wonderful acoustic version of the song. You know what, IT'S PITCH PERFECT!!!!!!!!!!!!


"Shut up and drive", I LOVE IT =]

AppleCare Protection Plan

My laptop will be warranted until July 11, 2010.

YEAH!!!!

=]

I love Apple!

SHOCKING NEWS

AGAIN, apple did it =]

iPhone 3G will be released in 22 countries on July 11

and the price?

ONLY $199 US Dollars for an 8GB model, and $299 US Dollars for a 16GB model.

That's a REALLY GOOD PRICE, only half the price of the first generation iPhone (which kinda sucks cos it's too slow to connect to the internet)




and that is why I love APPLE =]

I don't think I'll buy the phone, but I hope they will release the iPod touch at that price as well.

I hope!

caution to myself

I need a really strict diet from now on.

I think american food is not suitable for me. I need to select better choices, and erm, FORCE myself to eat veggies.

EIGHTEEN years without much veggies and THREE FULL YEARS in singapore with nearly NO vegetables AT ALL (except the coleslaw from KFC and miso soup) are starting to take a toll on me.


I'm bleeding more frequently those days through my left nose, and even my right ear (really no kidding).

It's quite serious.




BOTTOM LINE: I need to FORCE myself to eat veggies.



and you should too, if you don't want to end up like me.

18

Happy birthday, Gao Ya =]

CONGRATS =] =] =] =] =] <3

ACJC Choir got GOLD for all three categories in FESTA CHORALIS 2008!

WOW =]

and thanks Jiing Jiunn for calling me all the way from Austria =]

and Neville for the sms from Singapore =]

THREE Golds in ONE international competition. History is made, again!

this is SO EXCITING =]



love,
Don =]

things that should be done

Well, I need to be stricter in some issues:

1) Keep a strict sleep schedule.
2) Eat more, I don't even want to be slim. But eat right.
3) Budgeting.
4) Find time to chat with my friends via msn. The time difference is preventing me from doing that. Plus I have nothing to talk about.

I miss them.

And I need another plan for academic issues, although this is still too early for that.
I actually don't want to be mediocre as I was in 2007.

I am quite smart when I'm not depressed.

anyway, on a totally different note, I hope my favorite singers are doing well, both for an audition in mdc and a competition in europe. I hope to hear the good news soon =]

It has been such an honour to know them.

love,
Don

a blog

It's really hard to keep a blog!

Cos:
1) It's public
2) It shows the real me
3) It should be clean
4) While it still retains the essence of me
5) It should not be too personal
6) But it's about the REAL me

well, after six point ramblings, it's really hard to keep a blog, cos it's hard to stay true to myself and reveal ALL my thoughts on a web page, while needed to maintain a high level of privacy and discreet.

I don't keep diaries. Writing takes too much time and I don't fancy my own handwriting. And what kind of guys WRITE (PEN DOWN) anyway. And I'm kind of a slight weirdo in my own hem, I can't keep my thoughts to myself, I need to TYPE OUT for others, cos I'm the kind who SHARES his ideas.

Most probably because I'm an only child since I was born, and that means a lot of things keep bottled-up since I don't have any brother or sister to share them with. So, this blog is my shelter. A shelter where I know I can share my thoughts with my friends.

With YOU =]

Have a nice day =]

love,
Don =]

canon rebel XTI

hey, that's a geeky title =]

cos I GOT MYSELF A DIGITAL SLR CAMERA, with my own hard-earned salary =]

it's a Canon Rebel XTI, it's pretty fierce, although it's only an entry level SLR camera.

But good enough for me, I'm way too amateur for an expensive SLR.


=p


I'm a geek, who loves to take photos =p

Bleeding Love

That's a song by Leona Lewis, and it's the bestselling on iTunes for weeks, and you will hear it on radio stations every FIFTEEN minutes!!!

It's a nice and catchy song, but it's getting boring when you hear it HERE, THERE and EVERYWHERE!

HAHA!

Anyway, Leona Lewis is one lucky singer =]

Way to go English girl!

the BIG realization

I'm given one year to sort out my life, and I think I'm on the right track, I'm doing a pretty ok job.

Well, when I look back on the things that happened to me in 2007, I saw GOD's plan. Everything happened for a reason, indeed. From the O level scores I got, my transfer to acjc, new roomate/hostel/environment/rules/lifestyles, my decision to skip ***** audition to go for choir audition, the friends I decided to open up to, the friends I tried to make friends with, the friends that accepted me, the "alone" time with myself, the very lengthy depre**i*n period, the ups and downs, the pw group, the girl in class, another girl in class with boy in class, the trio, the malaysian/indon/thai/filipino/viet/singaporean/myanmar/prc/cambodian individuals, the decision to stay back on friday for a CF meetings, the friends I made on the day before last in Singapore, the surprised note from a choir senior on farewell day, the million times my macbook broke down and I banged all my other stuffs due to frustration, the long msn chats with a few very dear friends EVERY night, small talks with teachers, with Sir,... everything...

has made me realized, at the end of 2007, that certain thing was done for a reason. but not the whole picture, my talk with Sir did clear a lot of things, but not everything.


BUT, I kept what he said in mind, and prayed for an answer, and it indeed came to my senses just yesterday. or was it this morning? or maybe two days ago? I don't really know when, but I know the answer.

The answer is, it's GOD's plan =]

2007 painted a REALLY wholesome 'segment' of my life, with its really dark and intense colors, but that was the colors that I focused on scrubbing away the whole time. I did not realize that the segment also contained so many other vibrant bits, colorful and cheery pieces that I forgot to look at and enjoy. I kept focusing on maintaining a clean, white, decent mural piece of art BUT that's not possible, cos a picture needs its intense parts as well.

The whole time I was wasting my time in scrubbing away those intense parts that actually defined my characteristics and mindset today, not realizing that those terrible experiences made me who I am today. They made me grow, and I should not focus on scrubbing away those memories, cos that's not possible. I was wasting my time and got myself into stress along the way.

Having said that, I should NOT focus ONLY on the BRIGHTt side EITHER. Because, that's delusional, and in the end, I had to part with the bright side - the friendships I made - anyway.

What I need to do is to focus on THE WHOLE PICTURE. To see the whole artwork of myself, examining the intense and the cheery, highs and lows, the depth and the magnitude of it.




- How did I come to this conclusion?
Cos I got time to think, I have been given a one year break to think.

- How did I got the one year break?
Cos I migrated with my parents, so we need one year to settle down and the residency status after one year will get me into a community college to buffer me for the transfer to a university.

- How did I get to migrate?
Cos at the end of november 2007, it was my family's turn to go for a migration interview.

- How can I leave Singapore to come to the United States?
After what happened in 2007, I was free of my contract. So I can leave without a penalty fee.


So do you see the whole picture?

At the end of 2007, you know what happened to me, cos only my true friends read this blog. Yes, I'm talking about YOU =] About what I was saying, yah, suddenly, it was my family's turn to migrate.

REALLY, it was PERFECT timing. Do you know that our migration files started when I was one-MONTH old. And it usually more than 10 years to complete the process.

And suddenly the process COMPLETED RIGHT at THAT TIME, when I had NOWHERE to go.



Let's talk about the other scenario.

- What if I was still ok and continued on year 2?
Then my chance of getting into a US college would be less, and by then it wouldn't make sense if I get into NUS while my parents are in US, and I could not enter Vietnamese university anyway (since they don't make plans for international certificates holder - STUPID STUPID STUPID, that's why grey matters are leaking from VN).



So what happened until now was the PERFECT plan from God!
Cos I really cannot see any OTHER way.


and I'm so thankful for this one year break. I have time to sort out my life!

Thank you GOD!
THANK YOU!
THANK YOU FOR THE WHOLE PICTURE!


don =]

P.S. When I look back at 2007, I saw a really colourful and wholesome picture, with YOU as parts of it. Thank you for being a part of my life, of God's plan for me.

an outstanding singaporean photographer

His name is Tan Ngiap Heng. He's 42 years old and an ACSian (YES!!!!!).

I stumbled on his blog after a blog search about ACJC, and somehow one of his posts showed up. I enjoyed reading the blog and all the photos on it. Thanks to blogsearch.google.com.

Mac and Google, I love you two =]

This is what he said about himself:

"I am a portrait photographer. I am inspired by photographs that go beyond the literal documentation of what a person looks like. I want to show something about the condition of a person or what is inside the person. That is my daily challenge. "

He's a long-term photographer for LASALLE College of the Arts and Singapore Dance Theatre, and they sure are lucky to be in partnership with such a talented photographer.

I'm not crazy about his real life portraits or model shoots, but his dance photography is truly impeccable.

His dance photos full of motion, the lighting is perfect, there's so much finesse going on and they are just so tastefully done.

REALLY!!! Check out for yourself!

Dance =] photography:

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The Lasalle College of the Arts ads:

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au revoir =]