sadikin

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"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

- Monday, January 25, 2010

i'm like the tie around your neck
(i make you look so good in it)

okay, first up, Australian Open updates! =D

Li Na and Zheng Jie stormed into the quarters, making Grand Slam history for China (and Asia). wow, power to them! though they've pretty much messed up my predictions, i'm proud to see some Asian breakthrough in the women's tennis scene.
Fernando Verdasco lost to Nikolay Davydenko in a marathon five-setter. ): (as did Nicolas Almagro to Jo-Wilfred Tsonga) damn, he was so close to reaching the quarters!
and finally, Roger Federer has advanced to the quarters with a straight-sets win over Lleyton Hewitt! (:

and seeing how Davydenko must've been way pushed in his match, i'm expecting Federer to be able to beat him at the quarters! GO FEDERER! =D

so, moving on... well, you know your day's gonna be some kinda awesome when you wake up to such a lovely sms:

awww, thanks Rachy Wachy! (:

had lunch with Calyn at 18 Chefs at Fusionopolis, somewhere in the one-north area. the eatery has a pretty cool concept, so do read about it on their website. anyway, i had Vegetarian Aglio Olio, which was not bad for $6.90 with a drink and a scoop or ice-cream. (:

oh yes! since my pre-enlistment holidays are coming to an end real soon, here are some of my favourite photos of the month:

02/01
yes, we are retarded sometimes! =D

06/01
Will and i dropped by Vanilla Bar & Cafe to see Huihui at work (:

09/01
with Dean, Yao Guang, Mrs Cheryl Yap and Dr William Tan
at Cycle for Hope

okay, shameless i know - but i really love this shot! xD
at an interesting little desert corner newly created in RJ

13/01
love the silliness of this shot - hello G Karl and Dean! =D
at the Manhattan Fish Market, Marina Square

15/01
dinner with RIPB EXCO 2006/07! (:
(missing Jon Lim and Nabil in the photo though)

16/01
sending off Jane for her UK interviews with Bryan! (:

16/01
lunch with StayGay 2009! (:
(missing quite a few though)

16/01
a really wonderful dinner with RIPB HR! (:
(and the photo is really gorgeous! thanks Gregory for your DSLR! =D)

22/01
sinful Lush creation at Haagen Dazs, YUMZ. =D
during chill-out with Angie, Hazel and Sufyan at Vivocity!

9:46 PM
sadikin

- Sunday, January 24, 2010

the way you move ain't fair you know

Train - Hey, Soul Sister

Heeey, heeeey, heeeey!

Your lipstick stains
On the front lobe of my left side brains.
I knew I wouldn't forget you,
And so I went and let you blow my mind.
Your sweet moonbeam,
The smell of you in every single dream I dream,
I knew when we collided,
You're the one I have decided
Who's one of my kind.

Hey soul sister,
Ain't that Mr. Mister on the radio, stereo,
The way you move ain't fair you know.
Hey soul sister,
I don't want to miss a single thing you do...
Tonight.

Heeey, Heeeeey heeeey!

Just in time,
I'm so glad you have a one track mind like me.
You gave my life direction,
A game show love connection, we can't deny-i-i-i.
I'm so obsessed,
My heart is bound to beat right out my untrimmed chest.
I believe in you,
Like a Virgin, you're Madonna,
And I'm always gonna want to blow your mind.

Hey soul sister,
Ain't that Mr. Mister on the radio, stereo,
The way you move ain't fair you know.
Hey soul sister,
I don't want to miss a single thing you do...
Tonight.

Heeey, Heeeeey heeeey!

The way you can cut a rug,
Watching you's the only drug I need.
You're so gangsta, I'm so thug,
You're the only one I'm dreaming of.
You see, I can be myself now finally,
In fact there's nothing I can't be.
I want the world to see you'll be with me.

Hey soul sister,
Ain't that Mr. Mister on the radio, stereo,
The way you move ain't fair you know.
Hey soul sister
I don't want to miss a single thing you do tonight,
Hey soul sister,
I don't want to miss a single thing you do...
Tonight.

Heeey, Heeeeey heeeey!

this song is totally stuck in my head at the moment. okay fine, call me slowww, since it was released a couple of months ago. well, anyway, the lead singer, Pat Monahan, still sounds as good as ever (though of course his vocals now sound more tired when compared to this, heh). bottom line: go take a listen! =D

in other news - Sandra Bullock hushes Oscar talk (: (: (: and since these four triumphed in their respective categories at both the SAG Awards and Golden Globes, no doubt Bullock, Mo'Nique, Christoph Waltz (i seriously adore the way he said "Monsieur LaPadite" at the start of Inglourious Basterds!) and Jeff Bridges (i've yet to watch Crazy Heart though) are front-runners for the coveted Oscars.

moving on, since i really really love this song, here's one awesome performance from NRJ Music Awards 2010:

David Guetta feat Kelly Rowland
- When Love Takes Over / Sexy Bitch

THIS IS SUCH A ROCKIN' PARTY SONG! =D I LIKE.
and check out that mega cool flashmob of sorts happening in the audience.

and here are two other performances that were quite awesome as well: Robbie William's Morning Sun (here), and Mika's Rain (here). Rihanna, BEP and Michael Bublé were just alright la, nothing spectacular.

okay, finally (as in, we've come to this final part of the entry, NOT about the split uhhuh. i'm not that mean please!) - Golden couple Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie sign contract to split £205m fortune. but ah well, can anyone say they didn't see this coming? xD heh

(omg, i just realised that this entire entry has been about entertainment updates! whooops.)

alright, have an kick ass week ahead people! (:

10:45 PM
sadikin

- Saturday, January 23, 2010

Australian Open 2010, as i see it

following the shocking exit of Kim Clijsters at the hands of Nadia Petrova, and the tough three-setter faced by Justine Henin against Alisa Kleybanova, i'm rethinking my bets on the match-up for the finals. but about Clijsters being dumped by Petrova rather embarrassingly, like Clijsters tweeted, 'a freak match happens' and i guess that was just it.

so, looking at the Women's draw as we head into the Fourth Round,

i'm expecting a Serena-Azarenka, Wozniacki-Venus, Henin-Petrova (sorry Kuznetsova but your fellow Russian is just on fire right now), and Bondarenko-Safina quarters.

then, a Serena-Wozniacki and Petrova-Safina semis as i'm suspecting veterans Venus and Henin to be pushed to their limits. ultimately, a Serena (i'm pretty confident of her going all the way, as much as i dislike it, heh) - Petrova/Safina finals. whereby Petrova, hungry for a Grand Slam (why can't Dementieva be as hungry as her! -.-") could pose much of a challenge to Serena, but Safina, given her history (haha! xD), will easily hand Serena her fifth Australian Open singles title and twelfth Grand Slam singles title to date.

okay, now, that's a pretty boring and expected outcome (not Serena AGAIN!?!!). but well, if there's one thing we can learn from the Clijsters shocker, anything can happen. (:

let's move on the the Men's draw. okay, the main reason why i don't focus as much on the Men's tennis scene is cos i have three clear favourites - Roger Federer, Andy Roddick and Fernando Verdasco. and more often than not, Federer will feature in the finals. so there's not much of unexpected results to deal with, fortunately (or otherwise, for those who feel Federer is monopolising the scene). anyway, going into the Fourth Round,

i'm expecting a Federer-Davydenko (again, sorry Verdasco, but the Russian has got his A-game on), Djokovic-Tsonga, Roddick-Del Potro, and Murray-Nadal quarters. but i refuse to make any predictions beyond that cos while i seriously hope Federer will beat Davydenko after being beaten in their last two encounters, i have a feeling that it won't happen. =/ so let's not jinx it or expect too much. and the other three quarters are rather tight match-ups as well, so let's just leave it to the players to work it out.

well, that's how i see and expect things to play out at Melbourne Park. in any case, here's to more exciting matches to come at the Australian Open! =D

8:36 PM
sadikin

- Thursday, January 21, 2010

the bet

well, it's a bet drawn up at Macs near Parkway Parade with Fadhilah Abdul Rahman Zamawi yesterday afternoon! =D granted, it's not very well phrased, but hey, as long as we both understand it. i guess we'll just have to wait and see how everything plays out, haha. anyway, it was a really lovely catch up session with her after so long. (:

anyway, i finally got round to watching The Pianist, which is such a gripping tale about the struggles of a talented Polish Jew pianist during the World War II. and the fact that it's based on the life of Władysław Szpilman (through his memoir) makes it quite a history textbook, unlike The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (which was pretty much fiction). and it's sad to learn of Captain Wilm Hosenfeld's fate - the man who had provided much help to Szpilman right before the Polish troops arrived to liberate the region. =/

in other news, it's exactly two weeks before enlistment! and i must say that my initial excitement for NS has waned, and right now, i actually wish that i have more time on my hand to spend catching up with good friends, or just to do the little things by myself. oh well!

have an awesome TGIF people! =D

oh and yes, Henin made a statement with her win over Dementieva alright! well, i'm now rooting for a Henin/Cijsters-Venus/Serena finals. omg WAIT - is it just me or has women's tennis not been able to find a new top player for years (or decade, even)? and yes, that's factoring in the period during Henin and Clijsters' semi-retirement. -.-"

11:39 PM
sadikin

- Wednesday, January 20, 2010

how about a friendly shrink

In our darkest moments, we all need someone who will listen. Some turn to friendly professionals. A few rely on those who are older and wiser. Others seek out someone who knows what they're going through. But for most of us, nothing is quite so therapeutic as a good long talk with a few old friends.

seriously, Mary Alice (or rather, the scriptwriters) could not have put it any better. and it's a timely reminder to thank you my friends for always being there for me. (: much love.

in other news, the much-anticipated Dementieva-Henin showdown (at Rod Laver Arena, no less!) will begin a few hours! (and Star Sports better show that match omg) seeing how my beloved Dementieva started strong in the Tour, i'm rooting for her cos i think she has what it takes to beat Henin. and of course, the fact that Dementieva hasn't won a single Grand Slam compared to Henin's seven, makes of greater significance for Dementieva to grab this Australian. (:

11:15 AM
sadikin

- Tuesday, January 12, 2010

for memories' sake

life sucks when you're nursing a cold and your nose just leaks like a tap that couldn't be closed tight. and i was supposed to go for some rather important something today, but i figured that i should rest before the cold worsens since i've a slightly more important something tomorrow. oh well, life's like that - you win some, you lose some.

and since i've nothing much to do, let's recap on what i've been up to the past week...

last Thursday, i went back to RI (the secondary school section, just to be clear) for their Orientation finale with Will. oh yes, before that, we had a game of badminton with Michael Bin and Matthew Neo at Chong Pang CC, which was a good workout that left me with aching thighs and bottom for a few days, haha. met Titus, Jon Lim, and three Head Boys - Kirk, Jun Yang and Timothy Chow at the AHH, and of course, Mr Paul Lim as well. and we all pretty much came to an agreement that we didn't see what we wanted to, much to our dismay. but we shan't dwell on that just yet.

last Friday, caught Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant with Angie dearest. (: which was surprisingly good, imho. i would go so far as to say CDF > Twilight, heh. though Twilight is darker and deeper on the whole. and Angie agrees as well, so there! as with any dates with her, interesting conversations always happen. HAHA.

last Saturday, i had a most meaningful run alongside Dr William Tan for his Cycle for Hope, with Dean, Yao Guang and the HML Club. and of course, Mrs Cheryl Yap, Ms Many and Mdm Ho were there too. it's always nice to see familiar faces again and catch up with them. oh, and seriously Dr Tan is one amazing and inspiring individual. like what Mrs Yap said, it "puts ourselves to shame knowing what Dr Tan is doing from 9-7pm despite after Bone Marrow transplant". and yes, best wishes to Dr Tan on a speedy recovery! (:

Sunday was day out with the family, which is always a good thing. (:

and yesterday, i watched two movies, haha. seriously, i think i've really been making up for the movies i've missed these few years due to school and everything. xD haha! anyway, Invictus was inspiring and heartwarming. props to Morgan Freeman as Nelson Mandela. and i don't really get the buzz surrounding Matt Damon's portrayal of Francois Pienaar, but i thought he did a good job la. oh, and thanks the three mats - Hijazi, Arif, and Syafiq Lim - for the company, haha. =D

met Angie after that since she wanted to pass me her gifts from Japan (thanks so much for them dear!) and show me some photos from her trip (especially that of her cute skiing instructor, haha!). watched Hear Me, which was adorably touching. (: that scene with his parents especially, where they used the mini flip chart thing to communicate to Yang Yang whom they all thought were deaf - just too cute. anyway, it had a simple plot that was presented beautifully with minimal dialogue (at least for the first half) which made for a pretty unique and refreshing movie experience. ended the day with bibimbap at Breeks. YUM. =D

well, today, i shall just stay home and catch up on Ugly Betty and HIMYM Season 2! y'know, just doing the little things in life that make you happy. (:

10:41 AM
sadikin

- Wednesday, January 06, 2010

good morning ~~balti~~ singapore! xD

how i just adore mornings that i don't just waste away sleeping! (: and i really hope i can keep up this good habit of early mornings for the rest of the month so that i can transit smoothly into army life. which, i'm pretty pumped out for! =D

anyway, yesterday was a wonderful afternoon out catching up with Will Zhang! seriously, how i miss his deep and enlightening thoughts. and as expected, he had to drop a rather heavy one on me, again. =/ but let's just hope for the good of all parties involved, this shiz gets settled soon.

(oh yes, i bumped into Serena dear at Pizza Hut PS during lunch, who was noticeably surprised to see me too! haha)

dropped by Vanilla Bar & Cafe along Boon Tat Street (somewhere close to the CBD area) to see Lan Huihui at work! that girl is one hell of a workaholic, seriously. apart from that part time job, she's working at the Universal Studios as well omg. xD and now i feel like such a lazybum la. not that i haven't been feeling like one since a few weeks back. oh, in any case, the concept of the cafe is pretty cool, so do check it out if you're in the area. (:

clearing our table, haha!

after that, we just explored the area, going to Ann Siang Hill (as suggested by Huihui) and just admiring the beautiful facade of the shophouses and venturing into the more exciting quirky stores, like...

BooksActually!

okay, the bookworms and literary fans amongst you probably would have gone there before, but well, why haven't i been introduced to such a gem of a bookstore! though not at all as spacious as the humongous libraries you wish you could be lost in for hours (and days even, heh), it's one cosy library. i totally adore the entire concept of the store as well. (: (: (: really, this is such a heaven to find good literature. anyway, Will recommended me some good reads, which i shall embark on once i'm done with my stack of non-fictions.

and...

Woods in the Books!

this store is relatively new, being in business only three months back, as we found out when we talked to the owner. he's one pretty cool chap, by the way, who quit his design job to open up the store and focus on his own drawing work. like Will said, it's kinda complementary to BooksActually cos it stocks mainly graphic novels/comics, so it's basically a niche bookstore. oh, and there were Edward Monkton books too, haha. all in, a really cool bookstore for fans of drawings in books. (:

after that afternoon (and the NYE adventure with Dean), i figured that i shall take some time out of the remaining month till enlistment to venture into interesting nooks and crannies around Singapore. =D should be pretty exciting i say! and a much more meaningful way to spend my time other than bumming around, most certainly.

oh yes, and last Saturday, on the second day of the new year, i had awesome day out with some primary school friends at Marina Barrage! =D

lo and behold - THE GAME OF LIFE! =D
(which i sucked at, majorly)

we were such happy kids playing in the water fountain/feature area, haha!

alright, i think i'm off to finally start on How I Met Your Mother! all the way right from Season 1 Episode 1. xD

have a good day people! =D

8:33 AM
sadikin

- Monday, January 04, 2010

happy twenty-ten! =D

these past few days have been nothing short of awesome, really. and what better way to end off 2009 and usher in 2010 than with people who matter!

well, so thank you ultimate BFF Dean Goh Dong Yi for a most meaningful last day of 2009, stuffing ourselves silly at Seoul Garden (and possibly using our last student meal offer, unless some retailers aren't ngiau at all when they check our cards, heh!), and reflecting on the year doing the meme and confession list at Gloria Jean's! (: it was seriously a great way to cap off a most memorable 2009, which was unique and significant in its own right seeing how it marked the end of my (and other batchmates') Rafflesian experience. and well, it's been one hell of a journey! xD

let's get fat! =D

somewhere around Cross Street (:

taken at 10.17pm; 1h43min to the new year! (:

and of course, much love to family dearest for another year of countdown at the nearby event featuring Hady Mirza and Sarah Aqilah (they are so talented omg!). (: well, minus eldest sis who was out with her fiance, haha! after all, at the end of the day, if you ever lose everything, family's always there for you. (and i sure hope so, haha!)

with sis, mum and dad

Hady in grey vest, Sarah third from right! (:

FIREWORKZ. =D

sister!

brother!

then in the evening, there was the three-hour musical enchantment by Dato' Siti Nurhaliza and Sifu M Nasir at Esplanade. indeed, it was truly Bagaikan Sakti. (: totesly a most wonderful evening out with dearest sibling and Her Majesty, The Fabulous Aunt! =D

with aunt (and her Dior bag) xD

siblings! (:

M Nasir and Siti Nurhaliza belting! =D

and for those of you who know these two Malay music industry icons, you have got to watch their amazing duet of the titular song:

and if you're interested to watch the entire concert, you can go to 3daratiga's YouTube channel, who has kindly uploaded everything from the live broadcast on Astro.

so i must say that 31/12/2009 and 01/01/2010 really ended 2009 and started 2010 awesomely respectively. =D

and on that note, here's wishing y'all an awesometastic 2010 ahead, for you and your loved ones! (: hope the year's been good to you so far.

1:28 AM
sadikin