Singapore has a world class transport system – I agree

I really can’t understand why people in Singapore keep complaining about their transportation system. Even after Singapore won the international award.

I mean, true, I sometimes complain too. Why does it take so long for the bus to come? Why does the bus driver drive so uncomfortably? But really, my complains haven’t got that far that I don’t agree why Singapore really deserves to win the award.

I think the people in Singapore (who are constantly nagging and complaining.. See this website for more info and proof) are just too used to the comfort and the good facilities that they have grown used to it, and consider them as an ordinary feature.

What are these ordinary features?
First, knowing where to go, on a particular bus.
Every bus has a route. The route is pasted somewhere in the bus stop and even when they don’t have it, you can always buy the book that lists all the bus routes. I have one. And it’s been extremely useful.

Now you’re thinking how the hell buses or trains don’t have an exact route. Well, it happens. In Jakarta (I know it’s not fair to compare it just to Jakarta but I’m sure it’s one of the worst transport system in the world), there are many buses. Like, many. Apart from the government’s buses, there are plenty of private buses and angkots (angkutan kota-city transport), plus many private cars that are “rented” by the owners to be an angkot to get some extra money.

And well… They don’t have the route information. Well some do have but no exact stops. So yeah, you don’t know where it stops. Oh well. They stop everywhere anyway. Yes that’s true. Everyone stops everywhere. Even when there’s no bus stop. Simply shout to the driver that you want to stop and it will stop. Simply flag everywhere to get a bus and the bus will stop to pick you up. Nice? Well, messy at the same time.

I have a true story if you want proof that it is indeed messy. My cousin, whose university is at Banten (another province, just slightly at the west of Jakarta), took a bus intending to go home (her house is at West Jakarta). Lo and behold.. She ended up in Blok M, which is at South Jakarta. And Jakarta is big, you know. Bigger than Singapore. Eventually we gotta send a driver to pick my poor cousin up.

The second thing. The comfort inside buses/trains.

Admit it, it IS comfortable. Well except when you have to stand. I know. But at least you have a place to stand. You won’t be like those ones..

Sitting on the ROOF of the train. Yeah there have been cases of dead people.

And..
There are no distractions in the buses/trains. (except that stupid tv mobile with equally stupid tv series. seriously???)
Some of the things you can encounter in buses/trains in Jakarta (or Indonesia)…

This is pengamen. Or street singer? More like bus/train singer.
Well, sometimes they sing nicely though. I once encounter a couple of pengamens that sang “Paint My Love” by Michael Learns to Rock.

Some others..

This is pedagang asongan. They are basically people that sell little and petty things like cigarettes, candies, and stuff. Yes you will encounter them in buses, asking you whether you want to buy. Tell me how you’ll feel if you have such people in Singapore’s buses and trains.

The point is.. Those good things have been used a lot that you (yes you naggers and complainers) think that it’s considered to be an ordinary feature.

Singapore does have a good transport system. Stop complaining.

Protected: (not) Sleeping Beauty

Protected:

Obama is a moslem, so he can’t be voted for president

…So my friend said.

Well, she didn’t exactly tell me directly since I only saw her wall-to-wall on Facebook with somebody else. To be honest, I’m really disappointed. Not only she’s so unknowledgeable that she doesn’t know that Barack Obama is indeed not a Moslem, but also to be sooooo.. erm.. discriminative?

I’m like, eeks. And since I saw it, it’s just been bugging me. Like seriously. Why can’t a moslem become a president? Because they fast once a year? Because they do prayers 5 times a day? Because they have annual animal slaughtering?

Indonesia’s presidents are all Moslems as long as I know. Or is it why she decided to go abroad and study at a missionary college (yes you saw it right)? Because she can’t stand a country with a Moslem as the president?

Geez. Unbelievable.
Oh and her “religion views” on Facebook : “I love Jesus, but I don’t do religion”
Yeah, right.

I’m so not impressed.

Disclaimer : I’m a christian. Catholic, if you may say.

Smoking diet

A friend of mine has declared that he’s going to do the smoking diet : smoke instead of eat. The reason? He’s desperate to lose weight. “It’s just 3 kilos more and then I will stop!”, he said. The inspiration? “Because models do that.”, he said.
(yes, it’s a he)

I think this is plain, plain stupid. Need me to explain more? Need me to list down all the disadvantages of smoking? Need me to list down the models that died because of anorexia (not that it’s directly connected, but maybe it’s connected somehow).

Well I don’t know, but there are certainly more ways to lose weight. Not by smoking.

If you readers think the same as me, that this smoking diet is plain, plain stupid, please leave a comment here and tell my dear friend of mine. He reads this blog. He will see your comment.

To be thankful

As the old phrase saying : count your blessings.

I went to the nearby 7-11 just now to get my dose of keep-awake medicine : some night snacks and some drinks. I chatted with the store attendant. Apparently I regularly go there that he now recognizes me.

So we chatted. He asked me where I live. I said I live just behind the 7-11. Then the conversation just flowed. He asked me whether I’m studying, what course I’m studying. I said I’m studying Information Systems at SMU.

Then suddenly he said “I also want to study computer.. I’m planning to do a short course of it”.

That was like “oh”.

Then he asked me whether I know some place to get the certification of it. Well I told the truth, that I really don’t know. I advised him to go search in internet. (duh)

Then he took my instant noodle and a can of pocari sweat, scanned the barcode, and gave them back to me and stating the price.

I gave him the money, he gave me my stuffs back packed in a carrier and the change. I said “Thank you, bye bye” and walked out of the store.

And as I walked home, it just struck me. I just realized that I’m in no position of complaining on what I have right now : a good education in a good place.

I’ve got a thing many people would die for : an opportunity.

And as I boil the water to cook my instant noodle and opening my can, I decided to blog about this. To remind you all to be thankful. To be grateful of what you have been given and what you have achieved.

And of course… To be nice to people who serve you. You never know how a simple smile and a simple “thank you” can change someone’s day.

I’m A Camwhore

I truly am. But not the usual camwhore. (definition, you ask? You bet.)

I like taking pictures. Of anything. Anyone. Anywhere.

A photographer wanna-be? Yeaaaah, you can say that.

(I’m learning, okay. I AM learning)

Neeway, these are some of the photos I’ve taken in several days back…

I went to Ben and Jerry’s free cone day on Tuesday. Yes, FREE. Now it’s free as in free beer not in freedom.

Check out the queue line babes…

I was queuing from the third floor, while Ben and Jerry’s is located at the second floor. No I’m not lying.

That is the ice cream counter. One of the ladies there was very nice that she gave me double scoops! Yeay.

These are my friends… Queuing with me…

Oh and the day before that, I went to Maegan’s place for a barbecue party. Oh yeay so yeay. This is the only photo I took with my phone… People preparing the bbq..

The rest of the photos I took that day rests peacefully in my friend’s digicam. Sigh. Buy me one please. In fact many photos I took, not only this time, rest peacefully in somebody’s digicam. Sigh.

Oh and this is the last photo….

Yeah, come envy me you guys. Woo-hoo. =P

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A ‘what’ in the toilet bowl?

Precaution : This post might be disturbing for some people.

I’ve told you.

My friend has been living in the hostel for quite some time now. Living in a tiny not really big room with a bunch of new housemates you have never known about sounds quite interesting, no?

Apparently yesterday it had become more interesting. Than ever.

Check out what he found in the toilet bowl.
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