hunting for the best eBook reader for myself

Here I am, prowling the internet for the past months, hunting for the best eBook reader out there to satisfy my needs:

— to read  my pile of .pdf books — that I've been trying to gather up from the internet and from friends & borrow ebooks from the local library, NLB's overdrive  (I'm done adding more physical objects in my apartment, I'm left with barely enough space to live)
— and, hopefully watch some youtube videos and do some light internet surfing

And, here are my worthy contenders. I could make do with their pros & cons, because cost has to be one of the key factors for me right now — I am a sad hungry college student, no longer a salaried-executive.

via apple.com 

the ipad mini with 4G retailing for SGD $616 (16GB), or SGD$219 with a compulsory monthly 4G subscription of SGD$29.90.

Pros: I'm already running on various Apple hardware — the iMac, MBP, and iPhone — the iPad mini seems to integrate into the picture easily. Not forgetting the App store, something that I'm already too familiar with.
Cons: Feels like an enlarged iPhone. And I'll be trading my old iPhone 4s for an iPhone 5 this Christmas.

Device cost + 4G subscription = SGD$299 + $(29.90per month x 24months)
= SGD$1, 016.60
*device & 4G plan comes with a compulsory 24 months contract with my local network provider

Conclusion: Not sure if the iPad mini will be worth the buy. Especially with an iPhone 5 joining the fruit fam this end-of-year holidays. Plus, I'm not a game and apps fan. I just want to read my book and magazines. Videos and all that comes secondary.'

via amazon.com 

the Kindle Fire HD 8.9" 4G LTE Wireless Tablet retailing for USD$399 (32GB with special offers), or ± SGD560. 4G plans to subscribe separately with local network provider. 

Pros: There is Amazon Prime! A major plus. Considering that I can borrow a book a month, stream countless TV shows and movies. Sheesh kebab. All my fav.s!

Cons: Not sure if the price is going to be cost friendly, especially since the device already costs a ±SGD560, excluding monthly 4G subscription. 

Device cost + 4G subscription = SGD$560 + $(29.90per month x 24months) 

= SGD$1, 277.60

*device and 4G subscription is separate, providing the freedom to terminate my 4G subscription anytime I want

So, since cost is my #1 concern, I should do a quick price comparison. 

iPad mini and Kindle Fire 4G has a price difference of SGD$261, with the latter costing more. 

If I were to thoroughly weigh out the odds of what I really look for in a tablet device, I think the Kindle Fire 4G seem to fill in those needs — Amazon Prime, ultimate cake winner. 

Kindle, you have bought me over. 

11:11

Lately, every time I turn to look at my clock it's always 11:11 hours. What coincidence, all the time.

Anyway, I'm feeling a tat un-inspired so, just for kicks I've been digging out quotes on relationships and building healthy relationships.

There's 75 good ones to live by from marcandangel

And here's one of my favorites from Goodreads:

“I no longer believed in the idea of soul mates, or love at first sight. But I was beginning to believe that a very few times in your life, if you were lucky, you might meet someone who was exactly right for you. Not because he was perfect, or because you were, but because your combined flaws were arranged in a way that allowed two separate beings to hinge together.” 
― Lisa Kleypas, Blue-Eyed Devil

Simpsons Land @ Universal Orlando

This Simpsons fan was watching this earlier:

via hypebeast

Apparently, this summer, there's going to a Simpsons Land at Universal Orlando Resort! There's going to be relicas of Springfield icons such as Krusty Burger, Kwik-E Mar, Duff beer breweries, and more.. omg. Basically, Simpsons Hit n Run comes out of the Xbox and into life. I wanna go so badly...

I've got a couple of minutes to spare, so I'm

photo goofing before heading out for dinner 

In the midst of illustrating some whacked out stuff 

Let's see if I can get it done by mid next week.

happy weekends

End of Year Show @ LASALLE College of the Arts

LASALLE College of the Arts is having their End of Year show, lasting for two weeks: 24May, Thursday — 6 June, Thursday.

I survived one year of Art college! And I've got another one more year to go. Giving myself a pat on the back.

Strangely, even though I am not due to graduate this year, I am still expected to participate in this End of Year show/ Diploma show. Kind of a strange syllabus. Well, on the plus side, fellow advanced standing peers, like myself, know what to be expecting for our graduation show next year. I believe the new batch of B(A) students won't be getting through this, as all B(A) students will be equipped with a diploma before they enter the newly Goldsmith accredited B(A) course structure.

Spotting my book being binded by a stopper to prevent anyone from doing any funny business with my  single book on display. And, no, the red pencil sticking out there isn't part of my curation; I've just got my write up and a book for my setup. Not sure what's going on with the pencil. But it looks kind of strange in my opinion.

I've got gallery sitting duties to do soon, 1st June, Saturday morning. Not quite looking forward to that day. Not sure how slowly time will past for me. I just can't wait to get it over and done with.

It's a bank holiday today in this island city. I am left here, sitting at home waiting. Waiting and waiting. Being a time slave. Listening to music. Wasting the day away. Wasting my precious youth away. Yawn.

I absolutely can't wait for London. But the killing's frightening me, a little. Still, I can't wait for London. Really really can't wait. I can't wait to soak up everything from this mesmerising city.

Social - socialising

I always wonder, if I should be concerned that I am not at all mad about accumulating friends on various social media platforms like most people I see out there. Collecting friends here, there, all over on various social media platforms.

If I need to rate my enthusiasm about my social life and network, I think it would be a mere 2.5 out of 5. Luke warm. I am pretty much contented with where I am, with the amount of people I am in contact with, along with the level of contact I have with everyone. Close yet sometimes distant.

“I'm not anti-social. I'm just not social.”

― Woody Allen

my new printer : pixma MG3170

Just bought myself a new Canon Pixma printer over the weekends. I'm kinda late, bcos I had these photos taken on Sunday. 

Anyway, did my test prints by printing out the London Tube lines on Sunday. Didn't go well at the beginning — printing kept stopping mid-way. I had to re-install the drivers, re-hook up the whole system. It took me awhile to get it working well. 

The efforts turned out to be well worth it. I did an A4 borderless print, and, boy does it look good. I actually printed my End of Year Show book with this printer. Down side of this printer: there's only two cartridges, one for Black and the other for colour, which isn't a good thing especially when you run out of one color. The air-print doesn't seem to work properly, I could check my settings but I figured that it could possibly due to the printer having lack the "Wifi Ready" feature? 

Oh well, for SGD$139, this printer is satisfactory.

Happy Wednesday!

I am particularly "happy". I am suffering from diaherrea, and it is torturous. Leaky anus, like Biscuit the dog who rose to frame wearing a doggy diaper because it's got a leaky anus too. I know why I'm suffering from it, I'm anxious, nervous and kinda stressed out. You won't believe what I am stressed out about; I'm stressed out about the future — the London trip which I am travelling solo, what's next in life, and money. Sheesh. Unnecessary worries and thoughts.

ANYWAY.

I was reading Though Catalog, and came across something particularly close to my heart "How to Deal With Crappy People". Very apt. I need quite a bit of advise on how to deal with crappy people —because I usually get really stressed out that I head home, hug a bowl of food, watch TV and bawl my eyes out — which, isn't a solution at all.

AND.

I have been on a apartment-video-frenzy mode lately. Watching plenty of videos by kirstendirksen, featuring loads and loads of smart homes that made the best use of space. A-M-A-Z-ING!



happy days :-)

Pitbull in Daft Punk "Get Lucky"?

I am not sure what this is.. because what I'm hearing is just Pitbull adding his lines in the beginning. which I kinda wished it wasn't there, because his lines isn't creating a good build up to the actual song. as much as Pitbull looks good in a suit, and appears to be some sort of ladies-man in his videos, this really-really-reeeally doesn't cut it.

About toilet paper

Everytime I head to the washroom to relief myself, I always wonder how much toilet paper goes down the porcelain bowl. We'll probably be thinking, at this point, how much toilet paper we use each time we visit the washroom; are we doing a number 1 or number 2; how much toilet paper do we roughly need for each number, and maybe, we question if we are effectively using our toilet paper.

Well, I trust that at least a good 99% of us on the web are using toilet paper to wipe our bottoms, which  is a lot of bottoms to clean and a lot of toilet paper needed. Not forgetting the convenience of toilet paper available at public toilets, which would mean everyone don't just clean their bottoms at home with toilet paper, they clean themselves with toilet paper at public washrooms too. Now, that is a lot of toilet paper to be used in and out of the house, and all around the world.

Take for example, Singapore that has grown over the years. Fellow Singaporeans can remember the need to bring packet tissue out, especially for ladies, in order to clean themselves up at public washrooms. Many years ago, Singapore's public washrooms rarely supplied toilet paper, probably a select few that are always based in city areas. Neighbourhood malls rarely, in fact, never supply toilet paper for many — possibly bizzare — reasons, such as, stingy Sinagporeans would take the toilet roll home or Singaporeans around neighbourhood areas are - strangely - not educated enough to know how  to use toilet paper to clean their bottoms. But as Singapore grew into an affluent nation, developed, exposed and going places, every mall in every neighbour and area now has got toilet paper running endlessly in every cubicle. We have it not because we're too rich — well, that could be one of the reasons — but we have it because we've now got higher living standards, we can't have malls without toilet paper, toilets would just be incomplete. We now have so much toilet paper, that we are using it wastefully — I "love" watching children choke sinks with toilet paper, then leave a nasty mess for the old cleaning lady.

Now, if I were to answer my own question of how much toilet paper goes down the porcelain bowl, my answer is obvious: definitely a hell lot more than a good 10 years ago...

: p
deewees

London, Heathrow here I come

Alright I've got pretty much everything locked down.

No need for visa.

Flight, checked.

Airport train transfer, checked.

Getting around town, almost there.

Accommodation, nil. Not sounding good. Still desperately waiting for confirmation from two apartments.

Grr. I am getting anxious that I can't sleep.

I can't wait to be in the footsteps of momsey who has been there in her 20s. Trotting on Trafalgar Square. I definitely need to head to Tate Modern. Shop at Harrods, even though I know I can't afford anything, except for a Harrods tote and a souvenir mug.

good one by Tupar Shakur

Having those days where you keep thinking back and wish I could have done this and done that.

So, I googled up quotes on "over-thinking" and found this on goodreads.com:

“You can spend minutes, hours, days, weeks, or even months over-analyzing a situation; trying to put the pieces together, justifying what could've, would've happened... or you can just leave the pieces on the floor and move the fuck on.” ― Tupac Shakur

Straight and direct, Tupac.

Yup, leaving the pieces on the floor. Move the fuck on. Ain't got time for all that.

Malaysia — what's that lurking in the dark

elections happened over the causeway during the weekends — Malaysia's 2013 elections 
and I'm keeping it dark, keeping it cosy too. in hopes that democracy and justice would come for Malaysians living next door.

it is upsetting. spending the money of people on lavish dinner parties, lucky draws, endless give outs at the ruling parties' election speech. stark contrast at the opposition's end: large majority of middle class attending speeches with no need for baits; attendance at one's will, free will.

seeing how the votes were obviously rigged — from blackouts during counting of votes, false voters given fake IDs to vote, to buying votes with handouts — it does make me fear for Singapore's election in years to come.

watching the influx of foreigners entering our land to hit 6.9million population — as proposed by the government which I still find it very hard to understand and see how this spike in population aids and not harm the nation — I am worried about how many of these people are able to vote. is our government here, on this island state, also buying votes by offering citizenship? this isn't good. as much as Singaporeans are stepping out to voice out their opinions, such as the recent Labour Day gathering at Hong Lim Park, I don't think that is suffice. we need to do more. more than ever, Singaporeans need to stand united and fearless. if we don't, we will never see change. I don't see how bright our future will be if we keep staying at where we are, doing what we do, staying cosy at the same spot.

change only happens when one bothers to act on it.

I hope the fiery passion of Malaysians has inspired passive Singaporeans to now act on it.


tune buzzing in my head these days...


staying in the dark,
d.

deewees heads to equinox

so this is how it went..

we were there early so we decided to act all touristy by taking photos. lots of photos. finally, getting escorted to our window seat — yeay! boy are we lucky getting a window seat, looking far and beyond City Hal, when we booked just a mere 3 days ago.

the food was average. the fare was international. tea was splendid though — lychee tea has got to be my fav!what can go wrong with TWG, am I right? pastries and desserts were great, especially the fruit tarts. I love fruit tarts. even better when you're having them your tea. nomnomnom.

I think, for SGD$40++, I was expecting a tat more? Though it was high-tea, I was expecting more finger food, light bites than the miserable array of dishes they had to offer. They served bagels. Who eats dense bagels for high-tea.. Anyway, food was luke-warm, absolutely nothing to shout about. Probably the sushi was the only one worth complimenting, even that had it's flaws: the display was weak, I didn't know there was more until someone lifted up the bento boxes. *wtf moment*

don't think I'll be back here again for high-tea for a long-looong time.

:-)

off to sunday brunch at equinox

happily rocking my 5$aud maxi dress from Supré and shoes from Pedder Red.

making my way out on a sunday afternoon for some high-tea at swissotel's equinox.

the last time I was there was at equinox, I was a child in elementary school. mom and dad frequented there, making it our weekend spot. until dad kicked up a humongous fuss about hair in his food and he vowed never to return, which mom reluctantly obliged - mom loved the laksa and pastries.

all that was a good decade ago, and I'm going back to revive some good ol' childhood memories of gazing out and beyond those magnificent full glass windows.

:-)

weekend taking a turn

too much fun, food and spicy food
think i'm coming down with a fever :(

rocking my asos flats with molly the terrier

and, thank God. no, I didn't miss my scholarship application. just in time. thanks for the chance. :-)

HOLY FVK

YES! HOLY FVK!

so much for snoozing all week, cuddling up in bed, with book and tea, and watching History Channel...
I TOTALLY MISSED MY SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION!

I'm so. so. SO. screwed this time.

shezxh. no wonder I've always been having this weird butterfly feeling in my tummy as if I forgot something — yup, I forgot something. something madly important. I'm in deep shit.

fingers crossed.
let's see what they say.

:-/

wardrobe cleared out just in time

 

 because my ASOS package is here! 

just in time.

wardrobe clear-out

making way for new stuff

here's one to Labour Day

fancy fancy glow-in-the-dark colors I'm seeing here