sadikin

instagram


"To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all."

Oscar Wilde

about me

Muhammad Sadikin
Malay-Muslim
Singaporean

22
currently discovering the world, and himself


archive

2004
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December


2005
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December


2006
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December


2007
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December


2008
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December


2009
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December


2010
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December


2011
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December


2012
January
February
March
April
May
June
July



- Thursday, November 20, 2008

vanakkam

MY PACKING'S FINALLY 100% COMPLETED! (:

and i've checked through the entire pack list and the reminder e-mails and i've not out missed anything. i hope. (:

and my pe shirt, jeans (yes, we're reporting later in pe shirt and jeans - what a fashion boo-boo, i know! -.-"), belt, socks and even underwear are all laid out to facilitate changing later! xD yes, i know that i'm so efficient and organised. so i guess i am all set and ready to go! woohoo

well, to the peeps in the other ISLEs - China, Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand - have a safe trip, enjoy yourselves, and of course, do lots of good! take care, and bon voyage y'all. (:

and not forgetting - to the 22 others, plus two teachers, in the ISLE India team, we're all in this together (heh), so let's make it 14 days to remember alright! ((: (that sounds like a song somehow, haha!)

CHENNAI/VELLORE, INDIA, HERE WE COMEEEE! =D



and just so you know, i'll be back on 5 Dec, so you'll only have to miss me for 14 days or so. =P take care in Singapore y'all! and i'll try to miss y'all, but no promises alright! haha\

OKAY, FINE - SADIKIN WILL MISS Y'ALL! ((:

1:25 AM
sadikin

- Wednesday, November 19, 2008

you've got mail

three main things happened today - 1. shopping with the sister (haha, sorry HouseD for ditching y'all to recce without me! xD), 2. mcs bbq/gathering at ammer's, and 3. sending mathan off to france! (:

so, it was a day well-spent, i say! =D well, after all, i made good use of the trade-in offer at Levi's to get myself a pair of jeans. ((: which the sister sponsored, i should add. (OKAY, i know i'm spoilt, but whatever. i ain't complaining! =P) oh, and i've finally bought all the toiletries and essentials that i need for the trip. see, it was well-spent, right?

ANYWAY, i came home to see that i've got mail! which got me really excited cos i kinda figured out what it contained. BUT, there were TWO envelopes, so i was eager to find out what the other contained:

security envelope, mind you! xD

and lo and behold, BOTH HAD THE SAME CONTENTS:

FOUR An Evening With Anuar Zain programme booklets in total! ((:

needless to say, i was extremely pleased. haha, well, this was how it all happened (if you wanna know):

the day after the concert two Saturdays ago, i e-mailed the Esplanade peeps to ask if i could purchase a copy of the programme booklet which i didn't realise were available (but i think were being sold at $2 each, as i read somewhere) at the entrance of the concert hall. i did see concert-goers waving it about, but as i couldn't find where it came from, i brushed it off as a complimentary thing that contest prize-winners of his concert tickets got as well. so, being an "avid fan" as i wrote in the e-mail, i was quite bummed that i didn't have a copy of it. after all, i'm the type who keeps programme booklets as souvenirs. and well, Anuar Zain is quite my idol, so that pretty much explains everything lah.

anyhow, they complied (and to think i actually thought i'd never receive a reply from them!) somehow, and informed me that they'll post it to me. which meant that it's FOC and they'll also pay for postage as well. well, that's just so awesomely convenient and efficient, i like! xD and my sister's friend wanted a copy too, so i requested for two instead.

and TA-DAH! it has finally arrived, and somehow, in two sets. ohwell, i ain't complaining! xD

ESPLANADE PEOPLE ROCK. (:



so, sadikin is a very happy boy today!

nights. (:

AROUND 32 HOURS TO MY FLIGHT! ((:
omg, so exciting!

1:48 AM
sadikin

- Monday, November 17, 2008

the ones that entertain;
and the ones that observe


today was a good day! (: yay

and since i realise that i haven't been narrating about my life happenings in my blog, allow me to share with you about today. (yes, i can sense that you're totally excited!)

one major accomplishment was definitely getting the StayGay t-shirt to the printers! xD and of course, getting the price reduced from 15 bucks to 13 bucks per piece. well, we ordered only 21 pieces, so that's an awesomely good deal. it certainly helps when the bosses are your junior's parents, and you have your referrals. xD haha

anyway, they're such nice people and so easy to talk to. Latha and i spent a good ten to twenty minutes talking to them about school stuff and all that jazz. and browsing around, looking at their extensive t-shirt collection! they're totally RI and RJC's choice t-shirt printing company lah, omg, judging from the many Orientation, Befrienders, House, Council, batch sweaters (and the list goes on...) that they have churned out.

and the best part - we (Latha and i) each got a free Council t-shirt which didn't pass their QC, haha. but actually, it still looks good lah, just that the printing's a tad off. ohwell, free Council shirt any day man! ((:

after that, we went toiletries shopping! absolutely exciting and an eye-opening experience, right Latha! xD haha

i was looking forward to buying all my toiletries stuff, but alas, we figured that the world was against me. -.-" i ended up leaving Junction 8, and after browsing through NTUC, Watson's and Guardian, with only ziploc bags, toothpaste and facial cleanser. such a failure lah, please. but on the bright side, i've enlightened Latha on the need to start thinking of what she needs to buy for the trip - something which she clearly has been doing before today. -.-"

speaking of which, way before all that, we had our final ISLE India meeting! finalised stuff, practised the dances, and i guess we're pretty much ready to fly off.

i am pretty excited and raring to go! especially since this will be my maiden ride on an aeroplane. sad, i know. ohwell.

AND THANK GOD IT'S NOT ON BUDGET AIR! when i first heard we were flying on Jet____, i immediately thought of Jetstar Airways (what else could it be, right!) and that was proved to be quite a bummer, considering that it's my first-ever flight and all. but days later, fortunately, i found out that i was indeed mistaken. xD haha, i guess i got too carried away. in fact, we're actually flying on Jet Airways - "India’s premier international airline". and we certainly hope so! xD

TWO DAYS TO INDIA! (:



p.s. Britney's Circus has leaked! xD if you seek amy, anyone? haha

oh, and yes, Djokovic emerged victorious afterall. (:
read:
Devastating Djokovic Masters Davydenko


nights.

11:28 PM
sadikin

- Sunday, November 16, 2008

kill the lights

alas, after days of tournament, the finals of the season-ending Tennis Masters Cup of the ATP Tour is set tonight between

(3) Novak Djokovic

&

(5) Nikolay Davydenko

read:
Djokovic Outlasts Simon In Nail-Biting Contest
Superb Davydenko Sends Murray Crashing

well, i guess it's Djokovic's turn to win something big this year, other than the Australian Open in January. and not forgetting, to avenge for his zero set wins at last year's Masters Cup. haha xD
and if he does win, it'll close up the gap among the Men's Top 3. which is good and bad. one major bad point is that Federer's really gotta have to up his game next year. and we pray he's able to. while Davydenko has been playing rather well in the Masters Cup, i'll go with Djokovic just because i think he deserves it more. (:

anyway, how was RIHANNA! you ask?

to put it simply, it was disappointing, but i certainly don't regret it at all. (:
after all, how often do you get to see Rihanna perform right in front of your very eyes. and no, tv/online videos do not count, thankyouverymuch. -.-"
read:
- Good thing she’s bad: How Rihanna brought balance to the universe
- Rain on Rihanna's parade: The pop star's rushed concert here was marred by audio problems (ST Life! 15/11/08)
--- not available online

the stage was set...

hello Rihanna! ((:

the siblings! (:

anyway, will be flying off to India in three days. i think i'd better start packing! xD

oh, and of course, it was just really great to have met up with the HC-APYLS peeps last friday. though there wasn't full attendance, we finally found time to catch up with each other. trading stories, and just really updating each other on our lives. we should really have it more often, right, Bryan! better planning, perhaps though, haha =P

HC-APYLS 2008 Singapore Delegates! (:

till later! (:

3:54 PM
sadikin

- Wednesday, November 12, 2008

tennis!

okay, and so Venus Williams came back from a set down in the finals to clinch the Sony Ericsson Championships - Doha 2008 Singles crown. well, the match was really exciting in the first set, but Venus dominated the play from then on. oh, and who can forget the drama during the last set when Zvonareva simply broke into tears. poor girl, having to feel Venus' wrath on the courts, but really, she should take heart knowing that she had beaten the players seeded above her to get to the finals. and certainly, many expect to see great things from her on the Tour next season. as for Venus, well, she's proven that she's still a force to be reckon with on the Tour, and she'll be in it next season to defend her Wimbledon crown, of course, and perhaps, try to win the other Grand Slams especially.

that's her with her trophy, beaming with pride
read:
Venus Crowned Queen in Doha
Venus Williams wins season-ending WTA Championship


-

moving on to the Masters Cup, my faves unfortunately, got off to a rock start. Andy Roddick has just withdrawn due to an ankle injury, and Roger Federer lost his first match against Gilles Simon. so basically, all is not good at all. ): ohwell, all the best Federer!
read:
Roddick Withdraws With Ankle Injury
Simon Makes Stunning Shanghai Debut


-

anyway, RIHANNA, HERE I COME! ((:

i'm all-prepared yo! xD

8:27 PM
sadikin

- Sunday, November 09, 2008

starstruck

"Thank you for being fans"
so the cab ride (with midnight surcharge) and
the wait outside Amara Hotel was totally worth it!

((:

An Evening With Anuar Zain was simple amazing, with a near-flawless vocal performance.



(ed: i'll leave it at that for the moment. will give at least a one-paragraph review soon!)




-

in other news, as expected, the finals of the season-ending Sony Ericsson Championships is set tonight between

(7) Venus Williams

&

(8) Vera Zvonareva

well, considering that they were pushed to three sets in their respective semifinal matches (and against one common opponent - the No. 1 seed Jankovic as well), i'm expecting one helluva match. and it's interesting to note that the last two to qualify managed to make it all the way to the finals. anyway, i'm rooting for Venus - it's time for her to win it. (:

and while the Sony Ericsson Championships is coming to a close, the season-ending Tennis Masters Cup of the ATP Tour has just begun today.

Official Tennis Masters Cup Shanghai Group Photo
Left to right: Nikolay Davydenko, Gilles Simon, Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Juan Martin del Potro

and but of course, i'll be rooting for:

Roger Federer

&

Andy Roddick

alright, till later! (:

9:17 PM
sadikin

- Saturday, November 08, 2008

secrets

with Serena's withdrawal from the Sony Ericsson Championships due to a stomach injury, Dementieva advances to the semis! (: YAY. oh, and as i had figured, Ivanovic really wasn't feeling so well throughout the Championships.
read:
- Serena, Ivanovic withdraw at WTA Championships
- Serena, Ivanovic withdraw from WTA Championships
so, the semifinal matches will be:

(7) Venus Williams
vs
(1) Jelena Jankovic

&

(8) Vera Zvonareva
vs
(5) Elena Dementieva

well, am hoping that Dementieva makes it all the way to the final two, and eventually win! xD BUT, it's most probably gonna be a Venus-Zvonareva finals, given their much better performance so far.

anyway, Marcus was voted off Survivor: Gabon this week! ): omg, it's getting so difficult to watch, considering how screwed up things have become. seriously, Ken, Crystal and Susie could possibly make the top three. o.O and how could i forget - thaaaanks Susie. you're totally one helluva trustworthy biatch, we know!



okay, i think i better turn in already. there's StayGay IDR later. and of course, ANUAR ZAIN'S CONCERT! ((: wooohoo

OH, and BB HOUSED, YOU GUYS ARE THE BOMBZ. xD thoroughly enjoyed the dinner just now, uhhuh!

1:25 AM
sadikin

- Friday, November 07, 2008

struggling in doha

ohwell. dearest Ivanovic is officially out of the running to win the season-ending Sony Ericsson Championships. ): with two wins each, Jankovic and Zvonareva have taken up the two spots for the semis in the White Group. and yep, Kuznetsova's a goner too.

well, and of course, i'm rooting for Dementieva especially! (: she's doing (relatively) alright i guess, though she lost her first match against Venus - who already booked her spot in the semis - yesterday, unfortunately. i really hope she makes it to the semis, somehow! right now, it's a fight between Serena and her for the last spot in the semis for the Maroon Group. well, GO DEMENTIEVA! (:

(btw, i love that purple colour of Ivanovic's dress thing. and isn't it such an amazing coincidence that they have almost the same pose at almost the same spot! xD)



anyway, i'm pretty excited for the 9th and the 13th!

((:



oh, and i certainly had an awesome time at the HR dinner last last night! (: seriously, we're one of the most bonded department batches ever in the history of the Board. xD

RIPB HR 06/07/08 (:
(and i still expect to be invited to next year's alright! =D)

yay, life's awesome. ((:

1:41 AM
sadikin

- Wednesday, November 05, 2008

Barack Obama

Text of Democrat Barack Obama’s speech in Chicago after winning the presidential election, as transcribed by CQ Transcriptions:

OBAMA: Hello, Chicago.

If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

It’s the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen, by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different, that their voices could be that difference.

It’s the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled. Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been just a collection of individuals or a collection of red states and blue states.

We are, and always will be, the United States of America.

It’s the answer that led those who’ve been told for so long by so many to be cynical and fearful and doubtful about what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.

It’s been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this date in this election at this defining moment change has come to America.

A little bit earlier this evening, I received an extraordinarily gracious call from Senator McCain.

Senator McCain fought long and hard in this campaign. And he’s fought even longer and harder for the country that he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine. We are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader.

I congratulate him; I congratulate Governor Palin for all that they’ve achieved. And I look forward to working with them to renew this nation’s promise in the months ahead.

I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart, and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton ... and rode with on the train home to Delaware, the vice president-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.

And I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last 16 years ... the rock of our family, the love of my life, the nation’s next first lady ... Michelle Obama.

Sasha and Malia ... I love you both more than you can imagine.

And you have earned the new puppy that’s coming with us ...to the new White House.

And while she’s no longer with us, I know my grandmother’s watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight. I know that my debt to them is beyond measure.

To my sister Maya, my sister Alma, all my other brothers and sisters, thank you so much for all the support that you’ve given me. I am grateful to them.

And to my campaign manager, David Plouffe ... the unsung hero of this campaign, who built the best — the best political campaign, I think, in the history of the United States of America.

To my chief strategist David Axelrod ... who’s been a partner with me every step of the way.

To the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics ... you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you’ve sacrificed to get it done.

But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to. It belongs to you. It belongs to you.

I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn’t start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington. It began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston. It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give $5 and $10 and $20 to the cause.

It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation’s apathy ... who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep.

It drew strength from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on doors of perfect strangers, and from the millions of Americans who volunteered and organized and proved that more than two centuries later a government of the people, by the people, and for the people has not perished from the Earth.

This is your victory.

And I know you didn’t do this just to win an election. And I know you didn’t do it for me.

You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime — two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century.

Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us.

There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after the children fall asleep and wonder how they’ll make the mortgage or pay their doctors’ bills or save enough for their child’s college education.

There’s new energy to harness, new jobs to be created, new schools to build, and threats to meet, alliances to repair.

The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even in one term. But, America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there.

I promise you, we as a people will get there.

AUDIENCE: Yes we can! Yes we can! Yes we can!

OBAMA: There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won’t agree with every decision or policy I make as president. And we know the government can’t solve every problem.

But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And, above all, I will ask you to join in the work of remaking this nation, the only way it’s been done in America for 221 years — block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.

What began 21 months ago in the depths of winter cannot end on this autumn night.

This victory alone is not the change we seek. It is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were.

It can’t happen without you, without a new spirit of service, a new spirit of sacrifice.

So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism, of responsibility, where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves but each other.

Let us remember that, if this financial crisis taught us anything, it’s that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers.

In this country, we rise or fall as one nation, as one people. Let’s resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long.

Let’s remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House, a party founded on the values of self-reliance and individual liberty and national unity.

Those are values that we all share. And while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress.

As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, we are not enemies but friends. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection.

And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn, I may not have won your vote tonight, but I hear your voices. I need your help. And I will be your president, too.

And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces, to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of the world, our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand.

To those — to those who would tear the world down: We will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security: We support you.

And to all those who have wondered if America’s beacon still burns as bright: Tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity and unyielding hope.

That’s the true genius of America: that America can change. Our union can be perfected. What we’ve already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.

This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that’s on my mind tonight’s about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She’s a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing: Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.

She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn’t vote for two reasons — because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.

And tonight, I think about all that she’s seen throughout her century in America — the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can’t, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.

At a time when women’s voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can.

When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs, a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can.

AUDIENCE: Yes we can.

OBAMA: When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can.

AUDIENCE: Yes we can.

OBAMA: She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that We Shall Overcome. Yes we can.

AUDIENCE: Yes we can.

OBAMA: A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination. And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change.

Yes we can.

AUDIENCE: Yes we can.

OBAMA: America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves — if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?

This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment.

This is our time, to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth, that, out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope. And where we are met with cynicism and doubts and

those who tell us that we can’t, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can.

Thank you. God bless you. And may God bless the United States of America.


congratulations to the president-elect of the United States of America, Barack Obama, who is expected to take office as the 44th President of the United States on January 20, 2009. (:

and well done Americans! (:

4:40 PM
sadikin

-

just a few things

this is quite belated news, but anyway - the official academic year is over! (:

and as of yesterday, p-double-ew is over as well! (that's project work for you clueless souls) (:

and finally, Sony Ericsson Championships - Doha 2008, the season-ending event of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour season, has started! (:
read: Five-time Wimbledon champion Venus Williams joined world No.1 Jelena Jankovic and Vera Zvonareva as Day 1 round-robin winners at the season-ending Sony Ericsson Championships.
and of course, let's all pray hard that America will see their first African-American and 44th president in Barack Obama! (:



yep, and i'm now off to the dentist! xD

9:07 AM
sadikin

- Sunday, November 02, 2008

five beautiful girls stand before me...

... and Sheena won't be (or wasn't, rather) there! ):

i've finally found time (well, but of course right!) to catch up on American tv, only to discover that my fave girl from the latest cycle of ANTM is out, sadly. but as much as i adore her for her spunky and outgoing personality, i felt that her elimination was justified. having looked through her portfolio, her photos have been, regrettably, lacklustre.

nevetheless, i was really happy with her Covergirl commercial which was simply awesome, though second to Analeigh's.



OH. and while Sheena's elimination was quite justified, Clark's absolutely wasn't. at all.


after her absolutely gorgeous photo (you've gotta agree) at the previous photo shoot, how could they just simply let her go after a rather lacklustre one! which was not at all horrible. i really thought she had a premature departure from the show. to me, Joslyn deserved the boot more that episode.

anyway, this cycle seems to have the most improvements thus far (okay, granted, i haven't watched all 11 cycles), in McKey and Analeigh.

simply gorgeous.
(pardon me, but i really have no other word to describe it)

seriously, they have been pretty much rockin' the latest photo shoots. and i was especially pleasantly surprised by Analeigh's great improvement, since i really thought she was soon to be on the chopping board after failing to live up to the judges' expectations time and again at one point in the competition. as for McKey, i am sure glad she managed to come up with a top photo. oh, and damn those spoiler comments on Youtube, but some say that she's the eventual winner. if that's the case, i'll be really happy. (: ohwell, only time will tell.

out of the final five, i think Marjorie is the least competition. while she has managed to put on a highly commendable performance of late (not only in photo shoots, but also in the latest window display challenge), she really lacks the personality of a top model. and i believe she won't make the final two, or at most, if she does, she won't win it. that girl really ought to learn a thing or two from Sheena! xD

Elina
takes great photos (i love her photos!), but she really needs to lose that control. and Samantha? well, she's surviving really well i say.

so now that my fave girl is out, my pick's

McKey, you go girl! (:

(and what was supposed to be a quick entry turned out into an ANTM review, haha! xD well, just my two cents' worth.)

2:38 PM
sadikin