For once, i am glad that Youtube exists.

For the past one week, i have been diligently playing a PC-based first person shooter game. It was a challenge as right at the onset, i opted to play in hard mode.

However, mid way in the game, there was a particular stage which i could not clear. Despite expending all my ammunition in the game, ha, i still could not clear it.

I was tempted initially to go online and search for cheat codes to beat that stage. But then, i decided not to do it. Instead, i decided to go Youtube and searched for the title of my computer game.

Indeed, some kind soul has uploaded several video clips of his gameplay when he cleared the same stage. GOsh! looking at his utube videos really enlightened me. It wasn't long after this that i cleared the stage on my PC. Im pleased to announce that i have now completed the computer game.

On hindsight if only we could all steal some advance time and peek into how our future will turn out on utube. Imagine if you are about to marry this girl, but you are not sure how this will workout. What if i could go to youtube, type "Andrew's marriage life with XYZ girl" and view how happy/sad i would be in future. IF ONLY!!!!!

But in reality, we all take a gamble in the path/decision we make. How big a gamble are u willing to take? Perhaps i should have taken that gamble and not procrastinate. Perhaps, i should have acted faster. Too many perhaps in life. I always hear of this cliche line, "Live without regrets". Ya i know this line but i always have a gift in creating regrets.

1st Day of CNY

This year's CNY somehow feels weird. Firstly, there was one home where we visited and the host didn't give me any angbao. Perhaps, the family thought that I am already married. But the host was totally oblivious even when my mum explicitly handed 3 ang baos to the host's children. Perhaps, times are so bad that this host is thinking he can save a few bucks. Anyway, i am not too hard-up for the lost income of $4 from this host's pathetic ang bao; just disappointed with his deliberate act of ignorance.

There were more interesting highlights when we moved on to my Grandma's house. It was a circus. My aunties were discussing how much they spent on getting their eye brows trimmed and then implanted with artificial eyebrows. Then their conversation went louder and louder as each described how painful the implantation process was- the eyebrow had to be first scraped by a sharp surgical knife, then fine needles poking through the skin etc. I wasn't too damn darn impressed.

It wasn't before long that they move on to the "Who lost the most weight contest?". The aunties and uncles will either praise/criticize one another for a bulging waist line or a reduced waistline. Regardless of the person's waistline, the comments that flew isn't nice at all. Let me elaborate- one uncle had a bigger waistline now and everyone warned him that he could develop health complications. Then another uncle successfully lost weight compared to last year. You might imagine the comments would be kinder. NO!!. He got worser comments, "OMG, are you having cancer? Why you look so thin?" OH WELL, i personally feel that this is the Elders' ways of creating topics to discuss and hopefully bid for time to end this awkard once-in-a-year renuion.

Subsequently, the aunties will discuss where they got their dresses made and try to boast their dress is the more expensive one. Some aunties will claim that they used a smaller budget to make the same pretty dresses and take a dig at the other aunties who spent big bucks. But it's amazing since the verbal exchanges are always so diplomatic. Hehe. Talk about aunties with sharP tongues.

Let's face it, all these relatives are nothing but a figment of your imagination since the contact is so remote. At least this holds truth between me and my relatives. Each year's CNY is funny in it's own right as i'm always amazed how i endured those renuion sessions.

Not to mention, that i am always the topic of discussion towards the end. Auntie A, "Aiyo ANdrew, why are you still so round?" Uncle B, "you seEmed the same last year but rounder"

Well, i politely replied, " you got nothing better to say ah?" Then they will jump to my marriage. Qs: "Andrew, where is your gf?"

Ans:(to spike em), "Oh im busy earning big bucks."

Qs: "No lar, you must juggle your career and love life"

Ans: "Nope, when you have $, women will flock to you. Period!"

Anyway lol, im sure each family's CNY experience is unique, cumbersome if not agonising. Some may have it sweet. To these folks, i envy you.

FaceBook Syndrome

I recall with interest a few significant observations i read from the newspapers which deliberated on the social implications of using Facebook(FB). The author in the commentary remarked that many parents in Britain are now more acutely aware of what their kids are up to because they have become "friends" with their children. Youngsters/youths being what they are, have a huge ego and an innate desire to want to portray to their peers that they have a happening lifestyle on FB. As a result of this, their parents are now able to look through their children's pictures and scroll through the profile of their children's friends on FB. Of course, if the kid is smart, you will know better than to add your parents on your FB. DUH!

A second trend that falls out from FB is lies-management. You wonder if your friends on FB are inflating their lives on FB to make it look more happening that it really is. I mean this is a mutual escalation of expectations yeah? If this friend posts happening shots of his/her birthday in a cafe, another friend would also want to up the stakes and post more happening shots say in a pub. Another bitchy friend who does not want to lose the limelight, may take it higher and say host her birthday at a nightclub etc and post ultra-happening pictures.

Lastly, if you are not aware of this, LISTEN UP! There are reported cases where promising young graduates in U.S who were offered positions by companies found their job offers terminated after employers surfed their FB profiles. A very sad case indeed. But nonetheless, i still add my bosses on my FB acct. Oh well!

Just some thoughts to share with you on FB.. What you put in your FB acct is at your own risks. If you read the user's exemption clause upon signing up for FB, all significant threats (e.g. Identity thefts), mishaps (losing your job after your prospective boss examines your FB acct) and accidents (sexual grooming) that occur to you as a result of using FB is entirely at your own risk.

So be a little Sharper and cynical when you are on FB. Stop being so innocent. Modify your profile a little, or deliberately type a few wrong digits in your postal code or birthdays (lol). Take a 75% discount of whatever your friend posts/says on FB. YOu may rebute that hey!!! pictures are posted. Duh! BUT how sure are you that the pictures are updated? They could be pictures from past occasions. You will never know..

DID - Acronym for 2009 perhaps..

The term "damsel in distress" is a classic motif used in the world of literature, art, and film. Damsel refers to a young woman placed in a dire predicament by a villian or a monster and who requires a hero or knight in Silver Armour to dash to her rescue.

The helplessness of the damsel in distress, who can be portrayed as foolish and ineffectual to the point of naivety aka Bimbo, along with her need for others to rescue her, has made "damsel in distress" a popular and civilized way for the men to take a dig at their female friends, colleagues etc.

Hence, by all means, indulge in this new acronym, "Damsel In Distress i.e. DID" and shower it generously on any female species as you deem fit. If the woman in question is not a YOUNG woman anymore, then amend your acronym to "Old Damsel In Distress i.e. ODID"

Happy Working and Enjoy what's left of the 1st working day of 2009!!!!!

To all the DIDs & ODIDs, chill!!!.. Take a deep breath and smile..