The Brown Guy is Back

By popular demand, he's back to give us more!

I couldn't be more thankful to D*, who managed to get a seat for Russell Peters's show on 2nd November'08.
The initial round of seats were sold as fast as hot cakes within a few hours. Before we could decide which of the two dates to attend, they were all swept away by a hurricane of some RP fans.

Thanks to the Singapore 'download scene' we sky-rocketed Russell Peters to fame. It proves true that one can only be as famous as their online presence, but never more. Only the eccentric survives.

The eccentric is extending his show till the 3rd night!!! Hurray!!

D* managed to get the front seats at the stage's right side, which is still as good as the center (else better). Getting an online ticket on SISTIC felt like the 'Fastest Finger' segment. After the payment is made, comes the final showdown. Though there's no real tournament, every front seat buyer is coveting a secret wish: to be chided upon, and to be poked fun at by the spontaneous comedian.

Here I come, 2 November 2008!

Starstruck With My New Found Fame

Thanks D*. I am impressed with your 'overnight' photoshop-ping skills.

From: D*
Sent: Mon 10/13/2008 4:19 PM
To: GinsengBabe
Subject: Do you know that you have been famous in the west?

Hi GinsengBabe,

Its been such a long time. Well, I recently came back from Manchester few weeks ago and guess what, your photography has been much appreciated in UK and possibly US. Everyone knows you and your pictures are awesome. They are pasted everywhere, esp the classic 'Jasmine Flowers' picture. I took a snapshot of some of them when I was travelling and I have attached it.

Its really an honour to know you. Didnt know that you will rise up to be such famous and important person. If there is any big fan of yours, its definitely me! Take care and keep taking good pictures with your DSLR camera.

Hope to catch up with you sometime soon. (Will i need an appointment from you to do that?) :)

Long time good friend,
D*

Seeing is believing: (Click on picture to view)

Foreign Talents

Thanks Teck Hwee, for sending me the link to this blog, which alleged that our dear alien friends will be visiting planet Earth on 14 October 2008.

Too imaginative for my liking.

Learning to Abuse

It was pretty awkward to have Graeme leave for the airport... and to sleep there. I was feeling a tinge of guilt for inviting him home at 12 midnight.
That was after Gjaye brought us to Punggol's end, Singapore's Northern land, to check out the beaches.. we observed some fishing enthusiasts combing the coast, a family having fun with the sand.. all in the middle of the night. The light source illuminating the coasts are the strobe lights from the Coast Guards station (where a lady sat near by to read The Straits Times), the land across the straits and the mid-autumn moon. I loved the look of the sand, washed with a monochromatic paleness, but I bet it wouldn't be comparable to the San Francisco bay that Graeme did his kite flying at. We are supposed to drink in a pub, but the place is too smoky and crowded.

We invited Graeme to my place. This is when things started turning awry.
Mum, being a wonderful host as alway, kept awake to serve him some pandan cake, and mooncake (We didn't try it, since we felt pretty full after eating the pandan cake) and returned to the kitchen to chat with Gjaye.

So Graeme and I were left in the living room. We chatted about the difference in our lives and the pecking order in the family. Being Tolkein fans, I showed him a Tolkien picture book drawn by Davis Day and convinced him that he should watch the LOTR film. I was so entthusiastic to show him the video when the DVD player malfunctions (unable to detect the disc). The next thing I knew is mum behind me, asking me why am I playing movies so late at night, and stated there is no spare room for Graeme.
It's pointless to refute mum. I have no choice but to send him 'home' (somewhere) on a Comfort Taxi. He was supposed to make his way to the hotel, but choose to go nap in the airport instead. Man... He's a cool Australian guy. But I can't help feeling HORRIBLE for being a LOUSY and abusive host.

It was 3:00AM when everything is (finally) settled. Had a warm bath, laid in bed and thought of Deepak's flight arrival at 6:30AM. I dozed off even before I could send him a message to tell him that I will not be receiving him from the airport.

We met for dinner anyway, had a simple Japanese fast food meal at Kovan, where he gave me the books he bought for me in Manchester. An advanced sketching guide book and this: "The Little Book of Abuse" by Jasmine Birtles. Amazing palm-sized packed with witty between-the-lines.
Two reasons why he bought that: The author and I have similar first names, and lastly, to hone my sarcasm skills.

LESSON 1. Abuse for the fashion victim:

Nice perfume.
Must you marinate in it?

I am so bringing it everywhere.

Thanks D

First Baby

I have no clue how to shoot like a pro with my Canon 450D DSLR. This is sure going to take some time to master. It is also officially ranked as the most expensive posessions (aside from my gaming gadgets) I ever invested in.

I am glad that I didn't purchase in the 1000D. Why? I do not understand the media's recent raves about this new 'entry level' gadget, and how it is value-for-money for DSLR beginners. That is the media's attempt to manipulate our buying urge.
It's wise to test the device before blindly making a run for something that is highly rated on the papers, when in actual fact, the flaws of 1000D are starking: too light and blatantly synthetic (full plastic body) for my liking.

While an additional 200 bucks can fetch one a 450D, why settle for the less?

The true danger lies here: Under-utilisation will immediate convert the camera to a white elephant status. Use it or waste it.

Free Online Sex - Explained

You might find the following incident familiar. Do be careful when surfing on the internet and remember to question any suspicious user(s) that shouldn't exist in your Messenger contact list.

I logged in to MSN after a seemingly long week in SMU. It was the first week of school, so there was much things I need to familarise with. Well, obviously I haven't been blogging for a week; I was busy socialising, making friends and enjoying true human connection. I didn't realise how much I had missed out until a week had passed. I knew I am seriously 'behind-posts' and there's a lot of catching up to be done.

So as usual I logged in to Messenger, I authorized 3 people to be added to my contact list. I did it without hesitation, because their nicknames and Hotmail addresses looks normal, for example the account doesn't look to long and the words are coherent. As soon as I added this guy called 'Justin', he greeted me I replied 'Hi!' enthusiastically because I am certain he's one of my SMU friends.

He went:"It's unbelievable someone finally added me", and then asked for my "a/s/l". That was weird. It was 7 years ago since I last encountered a mIRC chat style, and normally my personal contacts would not be asking for an introduction in Messenger. Fishy...
I expanded the tab that shows the MSN display picture, and I swear I bolted from my seat. This guy had a picture of his 'moon' (euphemism for 'buttocks') on MSN! On MY Messenger! If that's not dramatic enough, I also left my photobucket public album URL to display as a quote beside my nickname. Instinctively, I deleted the link and blocked access to the album. Ok, I admit I was paranoid.

However, I was also curious. As much as I was being freaked out, I kept probing him whether he's gay (I am not against homosexuality, but offended by his blatant display). Just as I got him riled up and I waited in anticipation for him to initiate free online sex, Justin sent a URL that leads to his 'private room'.

Whoring oneself on MSN? That's fresh.

P.S. No free lunch.

A Photo Affair

Kei promised to bring me photo hunting this weekend.
I am very very very looking forward to meeting him after a long period of time of non-direct face-to-face communication (a.k.a. Messenger).

But before that. . I would love you to check out his photo album and blog, melancholic shots, laced with a psychedelic edge.. very unique, but lonely.

These is my favorite album: visit Kei's Fotologue

They made me ponder. It's just so you, Kei.