The Untouchables

May mean a movie (made in 1987), band (formed 1957), some ego-trip taken by a hip-hop rapper (anytime man). Or it may mean the underbelly of the Indian, Hindu to be precise, society (around since the Caste system was formed to maintain social order). There are 150 million Untouchables in India, or 2% of the world's population. That's quite a lot of marginalized people!

What I am proud of myself for: I spent 2 days staying back after school until 8.30pm to do my readings, and am closing the gap to my Theories of Communications and New media module, which has found itself lodged in the red zone. Due to 3 weeks at least lost to my unfortunate lecturer. She's really friendly and eloquent up close, but somehow when hundreds of eyes (nope, not just 24 eyes, Kinoshita Keisuke) looked down to her waiting for her to deliver, she stammers and grabs what's left of our waning attention span and gives it one good giant swing out the window. Wait, not window. The glass panes of the AV crew room.

I also actually prepared and did the readings for South Asian Studies, which is crucial to understanding some of the morbid and post-modernistic writings done by academics who think all who delve into their works are born in Pluto like they are. So effectively, I did not smoke this presentation I did with a friend from Political Science. In fact I delivered the case studies as if I were the first person witness, with a dose of humour.

Had lunch with Chung Hei, shuai ge to Caryn =p and he told me civil engineering consists of more than just adult Lego. In fact, desalination and other technology that may sustain human life in future rest in the hands of people the likes of him. If it's him I'm fine he's such a workaholic and takes things so seriously I won't be afraid. There, an appraisal for a friend long due. Been so pissed with him lately for not turning up at social gatherings and suppers.

It will mean more late nights in NUS for me in future. "A closed mind is like a closed fist", quoth pathetic kung fu expert interviewed by DJ Lazlow in Grand Theft Auto III. Maybe a car would be good. snigger. It only costs 8k in Hong Kong. Cousin Eric has got a mazda just like my uncle.

It's going to be a year since we left the army!

Hey! Wait! I got a new complaint

Lately been feeling so depressed. This pain is killing me. Now I know why Kurt Cobain had turned to heroin to ease his stomach pains when health science was not able to cure him, and how he creates such grungy murky effects with his Jagstang. How much is enough? A few minutes can be more than enough. One whole day may never be enough to the insatiable mind. The depressing Japanese postwar films, they’re not of much help. I can use theories of communications and new media to analyse it, but that’s beside the point. The point is that you still feel depressed no matter how objective you look at it. Simply because the director has succeeded. Yasujiro Ozu, you have portrayed the human fear of mortality very well in Tokyo Story. For that, I salute you and I mourn for your demise. Now, why the did you make the poor grandmother die? After painting such a rosy picture of everything that was going on, why her and not the stoic grandfather? Why were the second generation Japanese so heartless? All she wanted was to spend some quality time with her children, why did you think of ways and means to send them off to some spa trip in Tokyo? You selfish mercenary capitalist unfilial freeloaders of your parents’ suffering…

Driving Practical Revision (Originally prepared for 16/11/2005)

- Bring $150
- Photo x 2

Circuit-
0. Procedure: Enter, check handbrake on, neutral gear, Adjust seat, Seat belt, Adjust mirror, ok then start engine, move off into circuit.
1. Enter can take left lane but must turn right BEFORE zebra crossing if not will exit straight away
2. Pedestrian crossing watch out
2.5 Double white line cannot cross
3. Slope stopping. Reverse 1m above fail. Rev it up. STOP AT WHITE LINES other than red lights. 1500RPM can reach for biting point. Take the one nearest to which you turn at
4. LEFT of petrol kiosk is exit, RIGHT of kiosk is entrance
5. Positioning: direction change take note of different markings on the pavement, 18 is 3 3/4 rest is 3 1/2. Leaving NOT turn upon left mirror passing kerb, but almost half car door, so rear wheels don't strike kerb
6. Positioning: vertical parking right most screw on wiper near line. 2 stars
7. Positioning: vertical parking narrow right most screw ON line? 2 circles consecutive
8. Positioning: parallel parking 1.5m away from spot, reverse 1 round left at red tape, straighten upon 2nd pole with straight posture, look out for left front corner pole full lock right, arm seat good estimate for straight
10. ALL positioning, look back to the front and check after every steering wheel motion
11. S or Crank course, left see just after left wing mirror. Right see half door. Yeah makes sense. Go slow.

Road-
1. Check blind spot make known. Turning, changing lanes, moving off.
2. Don't take too long to check blind spot.
3. KEEP LEFT unless overtaking
4. I got a horn & I’m not afraid to use it
5. Off signal after it's done
6. Don't hesitate to use handbrake move off, better safe than failure
7. Junction at Ubi Ave 3 allows THREE vehicles to turn only. Don't force it.
8. Better slow than reckless
8.5 Seb's: "Whew" helps to break the tension, not to mention stones in the bag, white shirt, just no red underwear
9. I hope you (tester) bought insurance
10. Lastly, "YES SIR!!!"

Nothing much for you except to Become One With The Car

A light controllable Honda Civic by the way.Shame on you if you panic. Could've been a VIOS.

*** end of disappointing first driving test. By the way the above circle star cryptic codes work only for my instructor's Red Honda Civic. He especially likes female students. No surprise there! But he's a nice guy. Really. After finding out my jie mei gets scolded by her instructor as well. I always thought they scold guys more ***

No more ubi! 14 points accumulated, with 10 pts going to slow move off. I think it trains you in how mature you are, to pass not by fluke but by showing you know what you are doing. 1st time I was thinking wrong things, depending on my instructor knowing the tester (it did help that my tester was smiling broadly when he called my name, maybe had a great V-day), in short not focusing on road. So what happened 11 days ago?

All through 3 intensive trainings I didn't stall, oh wait only once after e-brake. Rolled back slightly on slope. quite shaky spent 30 cents at the toilet, having arrived half an hour before, felt adrenaline juicing my joints with a lubricant called tension and talking to myself: I’m not a ta da pai*.

Helped that with a more matured state of mind after having failed once, I also got route 2, as opposed to route 6 (4 lane cut to u-turn!), not Mr. Yeap but a Mr. Yeo testing me.

Upon stepping out, I mustered my nervous energy into a capsule & cast it out in a resonating 'Good afternoon Sir!' and it came out sounding much more confident than I was.

Then in the car, I felt the negative force returning as a car was parked to my left, making it hard to turn left into the circuit. The residual nervous energy gripped me as I stalled just as I rolled forward, stunning me momentarily.

'I’m not a ta da pai x2' as I sense the tester shaking his head to himself. I'll show you yet!

Had a bit of difficulty turning into S course, almost getting hit by a car coming from behind. Tester actually went into an 'Ah, ah!' sort of warning tone. After I cleared it he said “Pick up and go why you so slow!”

No further incident with circuit though it might have been another immediate failure had he hit my brakes while turning into S course. Larky!!

Didn’t do e-brake & u-turn and he said: "back to office", just slightly after saying for the 2nd time, “Pick up & go what you waiting for?” I'd rather be slow than reckless. That's the game plan. Surprisingly I was at a loss for words throughout the test, even if he failed me I wouldn’t have the strength to argue.

*ta da pai: Hokkien for "always". As in "he ta da pai play cheat one!"