Blond Ambition

Today is Madonna's birthday. Her 50th! And also, this year marks her 25th year as a performing artiste.

When I was little, I hardly listened to music, and it was my chi muis in school who introduced Madonna's music to me in 1990. At that time, Justify My Love was just released, and I remembered all three of us gay boys were actually singing the song out loud (not too loud la, but loud enough for the boys sitting in the next 3 chairs away to hear it) while waiting for our teacher to come into the class. Over betul! Tak tau malu singing such a controversial song in class!

At that time, I was beginning to love her music, her creative and sometimes controversial videos, her antics, her strength... yes, she's our idol and source of inspiration. There's always something different, provocative and creative everytime she dishes out new music or videos. And of course, she simply won me over in her legendary Blond Ambition tour, which I got to watch on a taped laser disc version her Japan set.

Here are selected performances from Youtube:
(1) Opening: Express Yourself


(2) Like A Virgin
With a Middle Eastern sound. She was almost arrested in Canada for performing this piece. Watch her masturbate towards the end of the song!


(3) Vogue
Watch her perform the original Vogue choreography in its entirety! Amazing!!


(4) Live to Tell/Oh Father
Did she just give the Father a wank?


(5) Material Girl
A hilarious housewifey take on the song.


Well, there have been many articles recently comparing her with Michael Jackson (who also turns 50 this month!).... about who is on top, and comparing their fortunes at this point in time.
Read them here and here.

I guess while MJ is probably seen as the most talented musician and performer in history, there's no doubt, who's the smarter one and the one in control of her destiny. Despite her "trashy/sex" image she once portrayed, Madonna is still the one to set the best example among the music artistes. In her entire career, she's never done drugs (remember Whitney and just about everybody else), no emotional breakdown (remember Mariah?), no weird behaviours (Britney, Amy Winehouse, Jacko), no traffic offences like drink driving ... and she;'s laughing away to the bank. Now who says Madonna is a bad influence???

Working Smart

Sometimes it's easy to forget you're not who you think you are, especially when you're too engrossed in something you do too routinely without thinking about it much. It just take one comment to put you back in your proper place. Which is not a bad thing, there is always something good about everything.

I've always thought of myself as the hardworking dedicated worker, regardless of how unwilling am I to stay back to work the extra hours. Let's say despite my complaints about missing gym, friends and home, sometimes I do go the extra mile when it comes to work. Yes, I still have hope... to better myself, to contribute to the company and all that shit. I'm not that kind of lost soul.

So, today I suggested to Miss V (my 2nd boss) that we should backup a copy of all important documents and take them with us to Indonesia (we're gonna be there for 2 weeks!) "just in case" we needed templates or references for proposals or reports for other assignments that are likely to come up. But she commented that I shouldn't copy them away as these documents are company property. When I noted that was what the Ms. S (big boss) does too, she reminded me that that's because Ms. S is the boss.

But I'd like to note the following:

1) Bosses work for the company. They do not own the company. But it seems here that boss <=> company.

2) I'm copying the documents into the company's computer notebook, not mine... for work and convenience, not for leisure or suka-suka. I have foresight and dedication, not an indifferent attitude.

3) The bosses are always harping on finding ways to restrict access and copying of documents out of office server. But here's the joke. We are a small team, with only 6 people. The admin staff are not interested to copy technical reports. Also, I've never heard of big companies with hundreds of staff which are so possessive of their propriety rights to disallow copying (unless you've tendered your resignation). Plus, it's not that our reports fall under the Officials Secrets Act. It shows that the bosses don't even trust their small team. There is no feeling of inclusiveness in the team. Again, the message is this: boss <=> company. All others = temporary workers who are not to be trusted.

At first, I was upset with this kind of treatment and double standards being dished out at us. But then, I soon realized this: I now have an excuse not to work more than I have to. Yay!

Why do I need to work extra hard for other people when I'm not earning extra income for the extra work? Why so stupid? I should instead reduce my dedication to the company (ie. work smartly), focus on improving my skills (and perhaps spend more free time blogging and gymming!), and then move on when the time comes. After all, my efforts and commitment are clearly not appreciated anyway. And meanwhile, I can still copy anything I want without telling anyone.

Yes, there're always two sides of a coin. Sometimes we just needed to step out a little moment and make it work to your benefit. When it comes to work, I knew exactly what I must do from now on.

戀一世的愛 Revisited

OK OK... I've just worked 13 hours straight from 8 am this morning! The next few days gonna be like this too, and by Monday, I'll be flying to some god-forsaken place in Jawa and remain miserable there for the next 2 weeks! Please help me!!!!

Hmmm... I wonder I can blog there...

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I heard this song "Once in a Lifetime" by Gregorian, a German band, on radio today. The song was released in 1991. It is exactly the same song covered by Shirley Kwan back then. Listening to the tune once again essentially transported me back to that time when I was in college....

No video for the Gregorian version, but there's one for Shirley's version. Check them out!

"Once in a Lifetime" by Gregorian (Music only)



戀一世的愛 by 關淑怡



WHich versions do you prefer?? I still prefer 戀一世的愛. Maybe it's because I heard it first. And I thought her voice is better for the song.

Where're My Keys?

Well, I suppose there are many advantages living in the city. One of them is you don't get caught in massive traffic jams entering the city in the morning. As usual, whenever there is a drama with a certain Datuk, traffic is sure to be bad, like this morning. It was havoc in roads leading to the city, but I was spared.

I later watched a news report on TV, and a police officer has this to say:
Oh... that is not a road block. No road block! We are only regulating traffic. Not a road block! Regulation of traffic...

I was like, "whatever!". Why does traffic need regulating anyways??? People will all drive like crazy just because the Datuk is charged in court?

But then again, I shouldn't complain. It didn't affect me!

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Age is catching up! At 3 pm, I realized my car keys were missing. Cannot find in my trouser pocket. Not inside my shirt pocket. Not on my desk. Where? Where? Panic la. So how?

I rushed down to the basement car park, and there it was ....

Urgh!

Books and Airports

I have always wondered why I always end up buying books at airports. Haiye, already got so many bags to carry, some more have to carry those books! Hmmm.... why? why? Last week at Changi airport, these three books caught my eye (well actually there were FIVE books that caught my eye), and bought them at 20% discount.

Probably not a very wise decision, cos I won't be able to claim for deductions for income tax. But then again, with 20% discount, and not having to search high and low in MPH back home, so ok la.

The 4-Hour Work Week: Hmmm.... I really needed to get some tips if that is at all possible. The book comes with a warning: "Do not read this book unles you want to give up your job."

At this moment in time, I'm already into Chapter 3, so does that mean I am giving up my job soon??? Haha... we'll see.

The New Penguin History of The World: I've always hated history back in school. I preferred Geography. I don't know why studying for history is just so repugnant... I hated to memorize the dates and the neverending story of Melaka (all we ever learnt about was Melaka Melaka Melaka!!), and those history about Islam and the Umno politics. Yuks! But then, after school, I got interested in ancient history (Greece, Rome etc), and now I'm buying this book to learn about world history since the beginning of civilization! I don't know if I'll ever get to finish it. It's 1200 pages long!!!

50 Philosophy Ideas You Really Need To Know: I've always been a sucker of philosophy books. This is probably my fourth philosophy (or philosohpy themed) books in my possession, if you counted Sophie's World. Well, I don't quite understand certain ideas and arguments, but maybe they weren't meant to be understood! My views on life and existence are already so messed up, and reading more philosophy books ain't gonna help!

The other book I bought a few months ago, also at an airport, was this:
Collapse - How Societies Choose to Fail or Survive: Wah! Very cheem! I still haven't got the time to finish it though. But it has got interesting descriptions of the collapse of early societies in Easter Island, Pitcairn Islands, Anasazi and Maya. Now I'm reading the part about the Vikings. Quite a thick book with small print.

Phuh! I've got backlog of at least 5 titles that I haven't read. How ah? How to find time? I should really read the 4-hour work week book first!

Hotel Pattaya

Some pictures of a hotel I stayed in last week in Pattaya, with a very modern look and feel.... I like! The toilet has a floor to ceiling glass window, which allows you look out when you do your business, and also allows people on the outside to look at you, especially at night, if you forgot to close the blinds! Good for exhibitionists!