Saturday, October 20, 2007

Picking out the best-sellers

Everyone knows whether he or she likes a book, or not, after reading it. DAPHNE LEE finds out how book merchandisers figure out which titles you’ll like before reading them.

YOU can’t judge a book by its cover. But some do. While the prettiest jacket will not disguise a badly-written book, there’s no denying that a customer with nothing particular in mind, browsing indiscriminately in a bookstore and faced with hundreds of books, might well choose the one with the most attractive cover.

Book merchandisers know this and, therefore, the look of a book is something they do notice when ordering new titles.

Seto Kit Sau, who is unit chief of the Kinokuniya Bookstore's children’s fiction department says, “Yes, I like to choose nice covers, but they also have to have good content.”

She names Into the Forest by Anthony Browne as a prime example of a book with an intriguing cover “and a very cool story to boot.”

Children’s book merchandisers agree that children are attracted to colourful covers and parents, too, are often similarly influenced.

The book cover and design do play a pivotal role in determining its popularity and saleability,” says Samantha Tang, merchandising manager at Popular Book Co.

She says that the first impression is very important and, for busy parents, it may be the only thing that leads to a purchase.

“Most of the time, parents don’t know where to start looking and, if they are not interested in browsing through the book themselves, then the cover is the only thing they have to go by.”

That’s where the merchandiser comes in. He or she has to ensure that, as far as possible, a book’s content lives up to its appearance.

For Kinokuniya's merchandisers, all avid readers themselves, the books they choose must pass the “first paragraph” test.

Teressa Hoon, unit chief of Kinokuniya's literature and general fiction sections, explains: “The first paragraph has to grip you immediately. It must make you want to read more. Even better, it must make you reluctant to put the book down.”

An interesting title is also a plus as it can prompt one to take a book off the shelf in the first place (without which there can be no reading of the first paragraph).

Kinokuniya's non-fiction merchandiser, Yong Jet Yau, picked Rory Stewart's The Places in Between because of its “intriguing title” as well as subject matter: the author's account of his walk across northern Afghanistan shortly after the fall of the Taliban.

Shortly after Kinokuniya started selling the book, it entered the New York Times best-sellers list.

Kinokuniya included it in their Gem of the Month promotion last month and it sold out.

“It's great when a book you believe in sells well,” says Yong. “It makes me feel like I'm on the right track.”

Like her colleagues, she likes the task of introducing customers to books that are new, interesting and surprising.

Says the merchandising manager of the store, Abby Wong, “Informed buying is our ultimate objective. We should know our product and we shouldn't underestimate the intelligence of our consumers.

“Book buyers can start trends by exposing Malaysians to new titles. You often hear customers mention the same old business books, the same old self-help or science books, but there really is so much more out there.”

Yes, there is, but among the many good reads, dross sometimes lurks – and sometimes it ends up on the shelves anyway, thanks to popular demand.

Says Seto, “Sometimes market demands compel us to order books that are not well written. Sometimes, they are popular because they are associated with a hit movie or TV show.”

Although these are books that Seto, if she had her way, would like to keep off the shelves, a merchandiser is required to keep an open mind and not be swayed by personal taste.

“Our likes and dislikes definitely influence our decisions, but we have to be careful not to get too carried away by our own tastes,” says Yvonne Chau, the MPH Bookstores merchandising manager for general books, a department that includes cookery and self-help titles.

Ultimately, bookstores are businesses and the bottom line is to make a profit.

So, as Tang puts it, “We have to try to be conscious of the fact that what we prefer might not be what the public wants.”

What the public wants, apparently, are bestsellers by the likes of Dan Brown, John Grisham and Sophie Kinsella, feng shui books by Joey Yap and Lilian Too, and self-help manuals.

This is why merchandisers must take heed of international bestsellers lists and the latest efforts of tried-and-tested authors.

Hoon says, “Naturally, I will order more copies of a book by A-list authors like Michael Connelly, Mitch Alborn and Kazuo Ishiguro.”

For chains like MPH Bookstores and Times the Bookshop, there is the added complication of differing demands depending on the outlet.



“For example, business books are very popular at our store in Suria KLCC so there is a larger Business section there,” says Wong Yuen Poh, Times' retail manager.

“But, at Bangsar Shopping Centre (in Kuala Lumpur), general fiction titles are more in demand because that is a residential area. We try our best to track the sales in the different outlets to determine the needs of the customers,” she says.

Says Chau, “We take note of the area, the sort of customers and their spending power, and taste in reading material, but sometimes trends change.

“Ten years ago, Malay fiction sold best at the store in Alpha Angle (in Petaling Jaya, Selangor), but English titles are gaining in popularity now.”

“Malaysian authors like Tash Aw (author of the The Harmony Silk Factory) tend to be popular in all the stores,” adds Ramji. “And Devika Bai (The Flight of the Swans) is especially popular in Johor Baru because that was where she lived.”

Malay romance novels are also extremely popular, along with religious books.

Over the last five to 10 years, says Ramji Rabi, MPH’s assistant merchandising manager for the fiction department, Malaysians have increasingly paid more attention to literary award winners.

However, not all winners are hits with Malaysians. Two titles that have been a great success here are Life of Pi by Yann Martell and The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy.

What makes the real difference is media attention,” says Wong. “Customers will ask for books that are highlighted by newspapers.”

All the merchandisers we spoke with make it a point to read or at least research what they are choosing for the stores.

“It makes sense to know what we are selling,” says Tang, who says that when time constraints do not allow her to read a book from cover to cover, she then reads reviews in trade magazines and online bookstores, compares sales reports of books in the same genre and seeks the distributors' advice.

“An interest in reading is an asset in this job,” she says. “Thousands of new books are published every year and we must be able to cherry pick titles suitable for our local market.”

Saturday, October 13, 2007

SELECTION OF PAPER

We have decided to go with off-white recycled paper instead of virgin white paper for the publishing of my book.

Recycled off-white paper are more expensive than virgin pure-white paper, but it saves the trees and the yellowish tint means it's less strenuous for the readers to read.

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

The Publishing Process

At first my publisher wanted to do away with the cover flaps, because he wanted to give the book a “novel-like” look. (Flaps are like “wings” of the book cover, and extension which allows extra information such as the story synopsis, or author’s profile to be included) But I disagreed with him. I felt that cover flaps can help to make the book look more sturdy, and make it look more like a “hard-cover” book.

The flaps also help prevent the book cover from being crumpled/dog-eared. In addition for cover flaps, I also requested for the first and last page of the book to be made of red art paper. I feel this will enhance the “quality feel” of the book, and thus increase its perceived value.

Even if all 1,000 copies of the first print-run were sold, we’d only get to break even. The chance of making a loss on this publication is very high. So why do we still go ahead and publish the book? Because the profit would come from the larger print volume (based on economies of scale) on subsequent prints.

I’d like you to give me your support. If you like the book after browsing through it at the bookstore, do buy it. It helps the writer (me!!! ^^) place food on the table.

Thank you. ☺

Friday, October 5, 2007

Book Cover Design

When my publisher (Candid Creation) sent me the cover art for my debut fiction, Curse of Jeju Island, I liked it very much. The colours red, white and black fit with the theme. Here's what they've done so far:





This cover is actually a result of emails that went to and fro between my publisher and I. Yes, there should be mutual respect and exchange of ideas and information between the writer and his publisher. After much discussion on the colour theme, illustration, and selection of font, the result is a design which I'm very satisfied with.



Thursday, October 4, 2007

THE ART OF STORY TEASING

Apart from the cover design and the author’s name, the story synopsis may be the most powerful sales tool for your book, the final thing that clinches the deal in the reader’s mind and makes him/her carry that book to the cash register. Here’s what will appear on the back cover of CURSE OF JEJU ISLAND:

Over fifty years ago, 60,000 people were killed during the 'Jeju Massacre' on Jeju island, South Korea, when the South Korean Army attempted to brutally suppress an armed insurrection by the people of Jeju.

The bodies of the victims - civilians,rebels, and soldiers alike - were sealed in a volcanic cave on Mount Halla to rest, or so it was hoped, in peace for all eternity.

However, decades later, some of these bodies were mysteriously resurrected as vampires and they are now doomed to roam the streets of Jeju seeking living human prey and continuing the battles that they once fought in life. Thus, the bitter feud between two mortal factions - The Regiments (former soldiers) and The Guerrillas (formal rebels) - has now become immortal.

Today, fifty years later, we meet Han Mirae, a young Korean girl who is caught in a love triangle between Jackie Chang, a swashbuckling vampire hunter from Singapore, and Shin Taewoo, a powerful vampire of the Guerrillas. And, we meet Lee Hyunsuk, the opal-eyed vampire of the Regiments, who abducts Mirae in order to set a trap to kill the other two.

Can Taewoo or Jackie save the girl in time? And who is Mirae's real love?

Saturday, September 29, 2007

Korean Meets Singaporean: Funny Dialogues

HY (i shan't reveal her real name) is my friend who's a Korean flight attendant with SIA. When she first started her job as a trainee crew, there were some funny incidents which happened because of her grasp of English.. Please don't take it that i'm trying to ridicule the Koreans but rather look at it that i'm just sharing some thing here with everyone just for a good laugh, ok?


Incident One - Keopi of Straits Times

============================
Flight Passenger: Can i have a copy of Straits Times please?

HY: (thinking to herself: "Keopi" and Straits Times?)
*in Korean, "Keopi"(커피) means "Coffee"

Shortly after, HY returns with the customer's request.

HY: Sir, here is your Keopi and Straits Times.

Flight Passenger: (looking puzzled) Did I ask for coffee?

Incident Two - Catch up in Your Work
===============================
Flight Supervisor:
HY, i think you should try to catch up in your work.

HY left abruptly and returned shortly with a sachet in her hand.

HY:
You asked for Ketchup?

---------------

i also personally experienced such incidents 3 years ago
when i had my first brush with Korean people. At that time,
i haven't started learning Korean & a few Koreans didn't have
a good grasp of English either..Anyway, here goes:

Incident Three - So Far?
=================
i was having a conversation with a Korean executive.

Me:
So, how's your job getting so far?
(it's supposed to mean: is it getting interesting, tough, boring?, etc)

Executive:
So far? No, not far.. near my house..


Incident Four - How I Found It

=======================
i was having a conversation with a Korean secretary.

Me:
So, how do you find your job?
(it's supposed to mean: is it interesting, is it tough, boring?, etc)

Secretary:
Oh, i found it from the newspapers...


Incident Five - I am Fine, Thank You
==========================
i was still talking with the same Korean secretary.


Me: Oh, i see.. how old are you, by the way?

Secretary: I am fine, thank you.

Friday, September 28, 2007

巫侠小说 CHINESE WIZARDS

Excerpt:

Ancient China During 1115 BC

It was a dark time in the magical lands of ancient China, known as the Central Realm (中原). The Jurchen army of Jin Kingdom (金国) collaborated with the evil clan of “Xiemo” (邪魔圣教) and overthrew the Liao Kingdom (辽国). The Jurchen are one of the Non-Chinese nomad peoples that inhabited the area of modern Manchuria in China's northeast. Having conquered the Liao Kingdom, the king of Jin, Wanyan Aguda (完颜 阿骨打) then proclaimed himself emperor of the Jin Empire. To thank the Xiemo clan for his support, Wanyan Aguda declared the clan’s leader, Lord Mozun (魔尊), as the Prime Minister. All the members of Xiemo clan, known as Moguizi (魔鬼子), rose in power and became the evil military police of the new kingdom.

The people of the former Liao Kingdom lived in terror as they were violently oppressed by Moguizi on a daily basis. Everyday there were rumours of villages that had been destroyed or people being tortured to death simply for their oppressors’ entertainment. Freedom had simply ceased to exist the day the Liao Kingdom was conquered.

The neighbouring Chinese people of the Song Empire (宋朝) were still holding out in the war against the Jurchen and Moguizi. The Jurchen had already captured Northern Song (北宋), and it would only be a matter of time before Southern Song (南宋), too, would fall. The fall of the Liao Kingdom had changed the balance of power, and it was obvious that the entire Central Realm would eventually be swallowed by the Jin Empire as eventually.

At the same time, there lived a community of highly skilled Chinese wizards known as Wuxia(巫侠).’Wu’ means anything related to witchcraft and wizardry, while ‘Xia’ refers to a chivalrous and righteous person. Thus ‘Wuxia’ refers to a righteous person who excels in wizarding kungfu (巫灵功夫) and who uses their magical expertise to protect the innocent and right social unfairness or injustice (鋤強扶弱). Such a person is said to possess ‘magical virtue’ (巫德), and usually regarded as a people’s champion. The wizarding community was made up of several clans, and the two most prominent of them all was the Wudang clan (巫当派) and Shaoling clan (少灵派).

This story begins with a 16 year girl who lived in the Yang Village (杨家村) near the Northeastern borderlands of the former Liao kingdom. Her name was Shangguan Lingxue (上官灵雪), and she was the daughter of a village physician (a.k.a. healer).

It was mid summer, and Lingxue had ventured into the woods to gather some herbs for her father. The girl hadn’t been lucky however, and before she knew it, it was quite late. ‘I should really get back to the village before it gets too dark.’ she sighed.

However, she noticed something was wrong when she was still a distance away from the edge of the woods; there was a reddish glow in the night sky, toward the vicinity of the village. Fearing the worse, Lingxue hurried toward the edge of the woods. When she finally got there, she gasped.

The village was under attack! Straw and wooden huts were on fire and Moguizi were running all over the place along with dark creatures that appeared to be under their control! Ogres, minotaurs, goblins, werewolves (collectively known as ‘demons’ or ‘妖魔’) were tearing down buildings and killing every living thing in sight that was not a Moguizi or a demon! Lingxue stared in shock as she saw many people he knew personally being murdered right before her very eyes! Then, before anyone saw her, she turned around and ran! Lingxue ran as fast as her legs could carry her away from the massacre: away from the only life that she knew that had been taken from her in one attack.

Eventually, Lingxue grew exhausted and collapsed under a willow tree (柳树). As she sat there, the reality of what she had just witnessed settled in, and she burst into tears. ‘My family is dead,’ she thought. ‘My friends, my home, my whole life is gone. What more can possibly happen?’ At this, she started crying even harder. It was only after her tears had subsided a little when she noticed a large shadow falling over her. Slowly, Lingxue looked up into the face of one of the minotaurs (黑牛魔) from the village. These black minotaurs were known as Heiniumo in the Central Realm.

The Heiniumo was twelve feet tall, had ebon skin, had a pair of sharp-looking onyx horns, and was carrying a large wooden club. Lingxue was too paralyzed with fear to even scream as the heiniumo grabbed her by the waist and hoisted her up. “No....please....” was all she could say as more tears flowed down her cheeks. She anticipated the worse as the heiniumo slowly started lumbering back towards the village, carrying the sobbing girl in its hand.

It was then that it happened. A young Wuxia (巫侠) was riding a divine condor (神雕), and he jumped out in front of the heiniumo, startling both the heiniumo and Lingxue. The condor had ivory-coloured feathers, and was striding in big steps with its two extremely thick legs. From the way it walked, with its head held high, the white condor certainly showed great power and grandeur.

The Wuxia, too, was a magnificent sight to behold. He was about Lingxue’s age and was quite tall and handsome. He was dressed in blue tunic, and clad in black boots. From beneath his shoulder coverings flowed a brilliant red cape and in his right hand he carried a silver sword with beautiful inscriptions adorning the blade. The winds were combing through his raven black hair, but the most striking aspects of the Wuxia were his thick brooding eyebrows.

“Put the girl down,” the Wuxia ordered.

At first, the heiniumo simply stared at the Wuxia. Then, without warning, the heiniumo let out a huge growl and swung its club toward the Wuxia! There was a sound of metal hitting wood as the Wuxia blocked the club with his sword. He then sent his condor jumping behind the heiniumo. The heiniumo turned around and swung his club again, only to have it once again deflected by the sword. Angrily, the heiniumo swung the club down with the all the strength he could muster! This time, the Wuxia had his horse jump out of the way as the club came crashing down.

All of a sudden, the Wuxia wielded his sword at the heiniumo and shouted “降妖剑法!” (“Xiangyao Jianfa” means “Demon-subduing Swordplay”)

Lingxue’s eyes widened as a red light shot out of the sword and hit the heiniumo, sending its club flying out of its hand into a shrub about ten feet away. The heiniumo looked confused as the Wuxia next shouted ‘乾坤魔移!’ (“Qiankun Moyi” means “Magical Maneuver of Qiankun”)

Lingxue screamed as she was mystically flown out of the heiniumo’s grasp and went drifting through the air. A second afterwards, she found herself in the arms of the Wuxia. The Wuxia shouted ‘魂飞魄散!’ causing the heiniumo to fall unconscious. (“Hunfei Posan” means “Broken Spirit, Scattered Soul”) Lingxue looked into the brilliant eyes of her rescuer and promptly fainted.

With Lingxue and the rider on its back, the condor fluttered its wings and flew toward a tall mountain. Green and luxuriant, the forest was thick, this mountain was called Mount Wudang (巫当山).

A huge towering mansion stood on the peak of Mount Wudang with a tall flagpole on either side of its gate. The flagpoles were about thirty feet tall, each with a huge red banner streaming in the wind. The banner on the left was embroidered in yellow silk, bearing the image of a majestic dragon. As the banner fluttered back and forth in the wind, the dragon seemed as though it had come alive and were about to jump down at any time. Just above the dragon’s head was a pair of bats, embroidered in black silk, waving their wings in flying motion. The banner on the right bore two huge Chinese characters in black that read “WU DANG,” all written in a bold, vigorous calligraphy.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Spring was always a relaxing time of the year on Mount Wudang. The breeze gently brushed the willow trees and wild flowers, causing the air to be filled with the pleasant scent of the season.

When Lingxue woke up, the first thing she saw was a pair of twinkling eyes gazing at her. As her vision came in focus, she saw that they belonged to a kind looking bearded old man dressed in a Taoist tunic (道袍). He was standing in front of a wall with a swirling black and white emblem, known as “Taichi” (太极).

"Ah, I see that you have woken, Lingxue Guniang." (Guniang means “young lady” or “miss” in Chinese)

Lingxue looked around. She was lying on a bed in the middle of a small room with stone-brick walls. Sunlight was streaming through the windows behind her and there was a wooden door not far away from her bed. The old man was sitting on a stool right next to the bed.

Lingxue stared at the old man in bewilderment. "Wh-who are you? Where am I? H-how do you know my n-name?"

The old man chuckled and stroke his beard. "Ah, yes. In answer to your first question, my name is Taiji Xuanfeng (太极玄丰). I’m the founder of Wudang Clan (巫当派) and also the clan’s Grandmaster. In answer to your second question, you are in a guest room of Mount Wudang (巫当山). In answer to your third question...well lets just say that I have ways of finding things out."

Lingxue was about to ask more questions when the door opened and two Wuxia walked in. Lingxue recognized one of them (with his raven black hair, brooding eyebrows, and red cape) as the one who had saved her from the minotaur. The other Wuxia was a little taller. He had fiery crimson hair and also wore a blue tunic, with a sword hanging from his belt, and he was draped in a violet cape.

"Ah, most excellent timing," Xuanfeng gestured toward the violet-caped Wuxia. "This is Sima Yufei (司马育飞).” The old man then gestured toward the other Wuxia. "I believe you have already met Ouyang Qingyun (欧阳庆云). Yufei and Qingyun are two of my most outstanding grand-disciples."

Qingyun smiled. "Are you all right?" he asked with concern in his eyes.

Lingxue bowed her head. You have saved my life, Master Ouyang," she said. "I am forever in the debt of your grace..."

"Please just call me Qingyun," interrupted the Wuxia. "And call him Yufei. We really hate those ridiculous formalities that people use with us. And you can forget about that 'eternal debt'. I was only doing what any Wuxia would have done, so don't worry about it."

"Wuxia?" asked Lingxue.

"That's what we are," said Qingyun. "The Wuxia is a group of righteous people who are skilled in wizarding kungfu (巫灵功夫). Our mission is to protect the innocent and weak from evil and to uphold justice within the Central Realm. Our ultimate goal however, is to destroy the Xiemo clan and overthrow the Jin Empire."

"Now I am sure you would all like to continue with the conversation but I believe Lingxue guniang deserves some rest now," said Xuanfeng. "There’ll be a meeting tomorrow and I would like her to attend." As the door closed, Lingxue wondered about what she had gotten herself into.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The next day, Lingxue answered a knocking on her door and was greeted by a blind man with shaggy gold hair, like the mane of a wild lion.

"Good day, Lingxue guniang," he said with a groggy voice. "My name's Xiongxun (雄逊). People call me Gold-mane Lion (金头狮爷). I'm here to show you to Wudang’s Grand Hall."

The Grand Hall, itself, had a large vermilion gate, with a pair of stone lions decorating the entrance. Teacup-sized copper studs on the gate shone in the bright sunlight. Above the gate, characters in gold lacquer were inscribed on a huge sign reading, “巫当大殿”, which meant “The Grand Hall of Wudang”. Beyond the gate were two rows of junior apprentices in blue Taoist robes, with poker faces seemingly in high alert.

Inside the hall were hundreds of Wudang disciples (巫当弟子) all standing in neat, straight rows. On the east side of the hall sat six people. Taiji Xuanfeng had four direct male disciples: Master Hongye (Red Leaf), Master Lanshi (Blue Stone), Master Qinghai (Green Sea), and Master Huangsha (Yellow Sand). Wudang On the left sat a Taoist nun, about 40 years old. The nun’s surname was Zhou (周), and her Taoist name was "Ziyan" (Purple Mist). She was the Wingmaster of the Women’s Wing of Wudang. As a group, they were known as the “Five Elders of Wudang”.

The Grandmaster stroke his white beard with his right hand and exuded an aura of deep contentment. Their chairs were placed about one metre apart from one another, and behind each stood more than twenty youths.

Lingxue noticed Yufei and Qingyun as they beamed at her when she stood behind Taiji Xuanfeng. Xuanfeng smiled at her before he raised his voice to make an announcement.

"Members of Wudang Clan," he spoke. "The young lady behind me is Miss Shangguan Lingxue (上官灵雪). Three days ago, Miss Lingxue lost her home and family in an attack by the Moguizi. Therefore, she shall be staying on Mount Wudang for the time being. However, I am positive she would not want her time here to be wasted. Therefore, though she is a mere village commoner, I extend to her an invitation to join the Women’s Wing and to be trained in basic wizarding kungfu (巫功) and wushu (巫术) so that she may be able to defend herself from the threats of Jurchens and the evil Xiemo Clan. That is, of course, if she accepts."

Lingxue was speechless. She spent a few minutes thinking about the offer but she could only come to one conclusion. The Xiemo Clan had taken everything from her and now she was being given the chance to strike back at them. Furthermore, she was being given a shot at a new life after her old one had been crushed. After a few moments, Lingxue looked up and simply replied, "I accept your kind offer, Grandmaster Xuanfeng."

“Great,” said the venerable Xuanfeng. “In that case I shall leave you under the tutelage of Madam Zhou Ziyan, the Wingmaster of our Women’s Wing.”

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

During the months that followed, Madam Ziyan trained Lingxue in all forms of wizarding kungfu and wushu. Being a fast learner, she excelled at the various skills within a span of weeks. Unfortunately, Lingxue was not as fortunate in martial arts. It turned out that she was very good in defending herself with a bamboo staff (竹棍), but there was no hope for her when it came to swords, spears, bows and arrows, or any kind of pugilistic weapon for that matter. However, it didn't really matter since her abilities with wushu and the staff made up for all her shortcomings with other weapons. If there was one thing that she was absolutely horrible at however, that would have to be riding a condor. She learned this the hard way by falling off three times before finally giving up.

Lingxue pursued a number of activities during her free time. Sometimes, on bright sunny days, Lingxue would be playing the flute, sitting in a pavillion by the edge of the bamboo forest (竹林) that surrounded the Wudang clanhouse. She would be approached by a jade dragon (玉龙), which came to her since jade dragons and other pure creatures only approached virgin maidens (玉女).

Lingxue also spent time with the two young Wudang disciples, Yufei and Qingyun. As she grew more comfortable around them, she eventually managed to drop the formalities that had been grounded into her since childhood. In no time at all, she grew to become extremely close friends with Yufei and Qingyun. Yufei was always teasing Lingxue, and it wasn't uncommon to hear the two arguing in a friendly squabble. Although on the surface, they seemed to be arguing all the time, they were actually very fond of each other and enjoyed the others' company.

Qingyun was another matter altogether. He was kind and compassionate and always looked at Lingxue with concern and sympathy in his eyes. Lingxue always felt the most safe and secure whenever she was with Qingyun and Qingyun was happy to be around Lingxue. If there was one Wudang member that Lingxue could've stayed with at all times, he would have had to have been Qingyun. Qingyun, for his part, formed a special friendship with her and allowed her into a part of his heart that previously he had only let Yufei into. Whenever she looked under Qingyun’s brooding eyebrows, Lingxue saw a young man who had grown up deprived of love and had seen much sorrow and pain during his life. Sometimes, it took her all the willpower she had to keep herself from holding him in her arms and comforting him.

One day, two months since Lingxue had stayed in Wudang, there was a clan meeting in the Grand Hall. After the initial chatter had died down, Taiji Xuanfeng spoke up.

"Last night while I was gazing at the stars in the sky. I witnessed a huge celestial rock which was landing near the Central Realm from the mystical heavens. Such a rock is known as the ‘Tianwai Feishi’ (天外飛石), and it’s said to be inscribed with a message or new magical powers from the gods. I have divined that the celestial rock has probably landed within the borders of the Liao Kingdom. Therefore, I ask for volunteers to go and make a visit and find the rock before the Moguizi find it too."

Lingxue, realizing that this could be her chance to prove herself, jumped up immediately. "I’ll volunteer for it!" she shouted.

Xuanfeng beamed. "I thought you might, Miss Lingxue."

"I'm not comfortable about her going alone though," said Qingyun. "I, also, volunteer for this quest."

"So do I," said Yufei.

"Very well,” said Xuanfeng. “I wish you three good luck when you leave tomorrow. May the ‘Qi’ be with you." (In Chinese wizardry, “Qi” is a part of every living thing that exists, as a kind of “magical force” or “spiritual energy.”)

ALL RIGHTS OF THE "巫侠",
"巫灵功夫", "少灵" & "巫当" CONCEPTS & STORY CONTENT RESERVED TO RONNIE NG 2007-2008


Light Novel Out in November!

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Studies: Adults aren't reading as much

One in four adults read no books last year.
But of the three adults who did read, women as well as
senior citizens were the most avid readers
.

children's and young adult book sales flourish in June
(22.2 percent increase in hardcover books, 7.1 percent
in paperback books)

women do read more literature than men.
Slightly more than one-third of men now read literature, it found.

Reading takes time, and that also might factor into fewer readers,
if that is indeed the case.

While book sales may be down, the American Library Association found
public library use continues to grow.

Reading is harder, which might be a reason people are shying away from books, too.
Compared to TV, it's hard. And it's long and it's slow and there's
a very delayed gratification.

In today's fast-paced world, it seems to be getting far more difficult
to engage teenagers in reading books, as opposed to text messaging
and quick online chats
.

It is the advanced technology teens have access to today that
distracts them from using books as a way of entertainment.

It doesn't mean they are incapable of reading.
It means they choose to do other things instead.



Sunday, September 23, 2007

Kimchi Popiah 김치 포뺘


Ingredients: just 'Kimchi' & 'popiah skin'

actually, in retrospect, & as a word of caution, you should try to squeeze dry the kimchi first before wrapping it with the popiah skin...this is to prevent leaking...or better still, you should place a sheet of seaweed (김) on the popiah skin before placing the kimchi..this is to retain the kimchi's juiciness & prevent the popiah from getting soggy..

i also recommend that you use the crunchy kind of kimchi such as "cabbage kimchi"백채김치 or "cucumber kimchi"오이김치 as that would add chewing texture & improve the tasting sensation... if you are using the non-crunchy types of kimchi, then i suggest you should add some japanese/korean rice...

You can also consider the deep-frying method...

Try It For Yourself & Give Me Your Feedback~!!

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Foodcourt Culture of Singapore

If you have any experience in the foodcourt culture of Singapore, you may be aware that the foodcourt attendants are quite efficient when they clear the dishes immediately after you've finished eating.

Most of my Korean friends find the cleaner's act of clearing the dishes while customers are still at their table an act of "disrespect" and "being rude", it's like asking them to leave. While I can appreciate the act of clearing dishes as a way to control customer traffic and improve customer turnover, I do somewhat agree with the Koreans that such acts tend to affect the customer's eating experience adversely. I think food court operators should have faith and trust in singaporean customers that they'd take their leave upon finishing their food if they see that the foodcourt is crowded and that someone else is looking for a seat.

Otherwise, at a time when the foodcourt isn't crowded, there's obviously no point in being so anxious to clear the dishes as to spoil the customers' experience.

Frowning Flag

Found this in a satirical website of Wikipedia, called Uncyclopedia. LOL

Monday, September 17, 2007

Ronnie Recommends - LOVE AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE


SOURCE OF ARTICLE

http://www.readaboutcomics.com/2004/11/12/love-as-a-foreign-language-vol-1/


Joel’s sick of Korea. He’s sick of teaching English classes, he’s sick of the strange food, he’s sick of not understanding the language, and he’s sick of the cockroach in his apartment that just won’t die. He’s so sick of it all that he’s ready to quit, but just when he’s ready to tender his resignation, everything looks like it’s about to turn around.

J. Torres’s script for Love as a Foreign Language hits all the right notes for a introduction to the series. We really get to know everything important about Joel; his yearning to go back home to Canada, his growing disdain for Korea, his relationship with his co-workers, and his frustration at the barriers that separate himself from Korean culture. What’s great about it is that you never feel like Torres is rattling off exposition or lecturing the reader; all of the information unfolds naturally as we follow Joel through several days of living in Korea and seeing Joel get beaten down by everything around him. You can’t help but feel bad for Joel, as you see how even a day’s worth of language classes slowly saps his enthusiasm and energy until by the end of the day he just doesn’t care anymore. He’s a genuinely likable guy, and seeing those little sparks of energy and excitement about him when he first encounters Hannah makes you want to see more of him like that all the more. As an added bonus, there’s a lot of Torres’s trademark humor in Love as a Foreign Language; little zingers like Joel’s comment on how Korean foods seems like the end result of a dare had me grinning the whole way through the book.

This is the first artwork I remember seeing of Eric Kim’s, but I’m pretty sure that I’d have remembered something this nice if I’d encountered it before. He’s got a great command of body language; little scenes like Joel slumped over a table while Kelly eats her Korean food that could have just been banged out onto the page instead come to life, from Kelly’s fiendish grin as she holds her chopsticks to Joel’s crumpled posture. The whole book is like this; every page flows perfectly from one panel to the next, allowing everything from gags of Joel smacking into the door to his resigned look as he pushes through the subway to come to life. Stylistically, Kim’s art is very much his own, defining a look so effortlessly it makes me wonder if he hasn’t really been drawing comics for years while I just wasn’t paying attention.

Love as a Foreign Language Vol. 1 is a great start to a new series for Torres, Kim, and Oni Press; the fact that it’s just three months until a second volume has me really excited because this is a fantastic book. If there’s any justice, this is about to become the next big thing with comic readers everywhere. I do know that for me, Love as a Foreign Language is a winner from start to finish. Well done.

WIKIPEDIA DOES IT

I think the biggest advantage writers in the 21st century have is the internet, especially wikipedia. Instead of visiting the library, I depend a lot on the wikipedia for info about practically everything.

PONTIANAK PHOTO

I was doing my research over the internet on pontianaks and chanced upon this picture. It was around 3am, and the picture really gave me the creeps. My hair stood and I felt cold.

Sunday, September 16, 2007

PONTIANAK SLAYERS OF VAMPINES


THE HALF-BLOOD PONTIANAK

Excerpt-
PROLOGUE

At Block 934 of Vampines Street 7, the lights went on in a 3-room HDB flat on the thirteenth floor at the sound of a crying baby. Jenny Teo, a single mother in her late twenties, stretched in her bed after having switched on the lamp on her night table. She pushed her covers off herself and sat up, rubbing her weary eyes before checking the time on her alarm clock. It was nearly three o’clock.

Jenny got up and tied her hair in a ponytail as she walked towards the crib next to her bed. She lifted her crying baby boy and held him close to her, making pacifying sounds and rocking him to ease the cries.

“What is it baby? Are you hungry?” the young mother asked. Her baby’s crying didn’t stop. She put him back in his cradle, but the baby’s cries worsened still. The woman caressed his soft cheek with the back of her fingers. “Mummy will be right back with your milk bottle,” she cooed and bent down to press a soft kiss on his forehead.

Jenny left the room and made her way towards the kitchen. She could still hear the dimmed sound of the baby’s cries coming from her bedroom and tried to hurry not to keep her son hungry for too long. She took his bottle out of the drainer and poured some water out of a thermo flask into it.

The little baby was still crying loud as he was waiting for his mother. He was frantically moving his tiny arms and legs. Suddenly the shadow of a person emerged over the baby in the crib.

The mother of the baby opened the package of the baby milk powder and started adding it to the bottle filled with water. She counted the number of spoons she added to it.

In the bedroom, two female hands reached for the infant boy and lifted him, leaving the baby bed empty. Slowly, the baby’s whimpers started to become softer as he was being fed by the woman.

Jenny put the last spoon of milk powder in the bottle, closed it, and shook the bottle to mix it as she made her way back to her room.

“I’m coming, I’m coming,” she said, although her baby’s cries were slightly decreasing. Jenny frowned when she didn’t hear her baby anymore. How had he become so quiet while he was still hungry? The young mother cautiously entered her room. She could see her child laying in his crib from where she stood and it seemed like he was sound asleep.

“Justin?” she called his name softly. She approached the crib and took a better view of her baby.

From outside the window, The Pontianak stood at the corridor. She had just carried baby Justin, and was now looking into the bedroom. She put her hand against the window grille and brought her pale, but pretty face nearer to it.

“N-O-O-O-!-!-!” came Jenny’s scream from inside, followed by loud cries from the young mother.

The corners of The Pontianak’s mouth turned up and formed a vicious smile on her face as she was satisfied at the result. Suddenly her brown eyeballs turned opal-white, her fangs slightly grew out of her mouth, their sharp tips clearly visible, and her nails grew, after which her pale skin turned darker.

The Pontianak was still smiling deviously with the cries of the mourning mother in the background. Then she morphed into a black stray cat and jumped off the block, leaving an empty spot in front of the window.

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

POSTER GIRL

22 January 2007, Monday, 12.55pm, at Raffles Place

The next time I saw Stephanie, it was in a manner I would’ve never expected. She appeared on the posters of a Giordano clothings store at Raffles Link shopping arcade, promoting some ladies’ apparels for this year’s Lunar New Year festive season. I’m really surprised. When I’d met her yesterday on the train, I had never expected her to be an advertisement model in addition to being a medicine student. Well, like I’ve said it’s probably due to some sort of indescribable X-factor in her that landed her the chance of modelling. Much to my pleasant surprise, she’s striking a couple of very nice poses in those posters!

She said she’d call, but she hasn’t though. Not that I hope she would, but just wondering that’s all. Anyway, it’s only Monday…. Oh, why do I even care anyway?!

STEPHANIE WONG

21 January 2007, Sunday, 10am, at Tampines MRT Station.

I’m standing at the west-bound platform of Tampines MRT station waiting to go to church. Feeling bored, I raise my head to look at the flat-screen display which shows information about the train’s arrival time. Just then, a girl steps away from the escalator and walks up to stand beside me.

I dart my eyes to the left, then to my right. From what I see, there are plenty of empty spaces along the platform. But why does she have to stand right beside me, among so many spots? Well, never mind. I guess it’s just a coincidence. Looking through the glass panel, I guess she’s probably in her early twenties. I notice her hair is rather short for a typical woman, slightly brown and wavy. She has a slender waist and a petite body frame, but her face is round and chubby. Quite an unconventional match, I must say. She’s dressed in a pretty white floral halter, its hem is less than knee-length, making her look taller than she actually is. Oh what the heck, why am I surveying her anyway? The way I see it, she doesn’t even come close to the standards our women in Korea boast. Well, in Seoul, at least.

This girl is half a head shorter than me, so I could smell the fresh fragrance of shampoo in her hair. Lavender… Hmm, not bad…

“You know, someone died on the tracks yesterday,” the girl suddenly turns to me and says.

“Y-yeh?” I raise my eyebrows, surprised she’s talking to me.

“The train’s average cruising speed is forty-five kilometres per hour and when it slows down upon arriving at the platform, it’ll still manage at about twenty-five kilometres per hour.”

“Y-yeh?” I roll my eyes, wondering what she’s trying to drive at. “S-so?”

“So,” she continues, “if I were to jump down the track at that very instant, what kind of death do you think I will experience?”

I don’t have an answer to that question. But neither do I have the time to reply, as the train happens to be arriving now.

The girl and I manage to find a pair of empty seats, so we get seated next to each other. Then she plugs a pair of earphones into her ears. Morbidly, she starts to flip though a copy of medical textbook that shows the various anatomies of dogs and human. Fortunately, I haven’t had my breakfast yet. Otherwise, I guess I’d be puking all over.

Her earphones is blasting out a rather loud sort of rock music, I think, even the passenger sitting on the other side is visibly annoyed.

Trying to avoid those grotesque-looking biological illustrations, I turn my head around and look at other passengers in the carriage. Almost everyone is wrapped up in his or her own life; some are simply staring ahead, others appear to be busy - keeping their minds occupied, not wanting to think about their lives.

As the train enters the tunnel, everyone’s reflection is now visibly clear in the window. Feeling bored, I take a glance at the girl through the reflection, letting my gaze meander along her narrow shoulders, slim arms, her trim midriff, and the understated curves of her small breasts before settling on her face. Her face, tsk. The girl looks up and seems to notice I’m surveying her features. I have to pretend to be looking at the route map above the window to avoid being caught voyeuring. This girl isn’t that great-looking. Yet, there’s something about her - some indefinable nuance in her nature – that got to me.

“%@#$&%$#@?” she’s speaking in Mandarin I guess, but I can’t understand at all.

“Sorry,” I reply. “I’m not Chinese.”

“Oh!” she covers her mouth, and shows a mock expression of surprise. “I was just asking if the music is disturbing you.”

“Yes. Ah, no,” I say, trying to be polite. “It doesn’t matter.”

“Where are you from?”

“Korea.”

“Oh!” Her eyes glitter, and her smile widens. Why is that so, I don't know. “Annyung haseyo.” She tries to impress me with a basic Korean greeting.

“Yeh, annyung haseyo.” I nod my head politely in the usual Korean fashion.

“I’m sorry, I haven’t introduced myself. Hello, my name is Stephanie Wong,” she introduces, and offers her hand with a kind of initiative I’d hardly seen in Korean girls where I grew up in Seoul.

An exchange of biography follows. Stephanie tells me she’s a medicine student in the National University of Singapore, and that it has been her childhood ambition to become a doctor and save lives.

“So, what do you do for a living?” she asks.

“Me? Erm… Me… I’m junior oil trader in local branch office of Korean company.”

“Oil trader? Sounds like fun.”

“Yeh.” I nod gingerly.

“Sorry, but why do you keep saying yeh, yeh, yeh?”

“Because… my English not so good, that’s why.”

“Oh? I think your English is alright.” Stephanie assures me. “At least, I understand what you’ve been saying so far.”

“Thank you.” I smile, slightly flattered. The conversation meanders until the train is reaching City Hall station, where I have to get off.

“Er, Taewoo, right?” she says. “Do you have a name card of something?”

“Yeh,” I say, handing out my business card to her. She takes the card and studies it closely.

“Chilsung Petroleum Private Limited. Assistant Trading Manager. Wow.”

“Yeh, I have to go, see you next time. Annyunghee kyeseyo.”

“You mean, there’s a chance for a next time?” she raises her eyes. “I’ll give you a call sometime. Take care, bye!”

KIMCHEE VS. DURIANS

20 January 2007, Saturday, 3pm, at my rented apartment.

If you are a first-time eater of kimchee, you’d probably complain that it smells like smelly socks. What’s worse is that after you’ve eaten kimchee, you smell like smelly socks; the combination of cabbage and pungent spices like garlic and chili peppers makes the smell ooze out of your pores long after you’ve eaten it.

But as a native Korean, let me tell you this: kimchee is our national staple, and we have it everyday for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We can't live without our daily fix of this fermented vegetables.

Yes, you can’t appreciate kimchee. Neither do we know how to appreciate your smelly durians. To me, durians smell like shit. But no matter how much I dislike this thorny green, so-called “king of fruits”, I wouldn’t deprive others from eating it.

Take my Malaysian roommate Kenny, for example. He simply can’t stand the smell of kimchee.

Today, I was about to take out my box of kimchee - which my gomo (고모, paternal aunt) prepared for me in Korea – from the fridge and eat it together with the lunch I’d prepared. When I got to the fridge, it was gone. This is how my dialogue with Kenny went:

ME: Kenny, you see my kimchee in the refrigerator?

KENNY: No... Why leh?

ME: My auntie prepared for me before I came to Singapore from Korea.

KENNY: Orh, you mean those rotten vegetables ah? It smells like I don't know what, man! So I threw it away oredi.

ME: WHAT? YOU THROW AWAY MY KIMCHEE? MY KIMCHEE!!!

KENNY: Aiyor, sorry lah! Okay lah, come, lemme treat you to some of my Sarawak durians.

ME: (looking with utter disbelief) @%#%!@!!!?#$@#!!!

SINGAPORE FOODCOURT & AUNTIES

19 January 2007, Friday, 1pm, Lunch at the Food Junction

Today, I am RAIN.

My first week on the job, I realized that many ajummas here in Raffles Place are extreme fans of Korean drama series and they're really crazy over Korean hunks. I’ve been receiving flattering comments from the food court aunties and cleaning ladies that I resemble Lee Byunghun, Hyunbin, Bae Yongjun, Lee Donggun, and Kwon Sangwoo. But Rain is doing a concert tour in Singapore this Sunday, so today I am RAIN.

Back in Korea, if I were to tell anyone I look like Kwon Sangwoo or Rain, they'd be throwing molotov cocktails at me (made using Soju bottles, mind you), asking me if my plastic surgeon was drunk. But the way I see myself in the mirror, I think it's not unreasonable to say I look like Cha Taehyun. Anyway, it doesn't really matter. I'm happy with the way I look now. And in Singapore, I'm considered the cream of the crop in terms of looks, really.

It’s comforting to know that there’s a Korean stall in almost every foodcourt in Singapore. There’s a local stall that makes very good handmade noodles, which they call “Ban-mian”. I like it a lot, as it looks and tastes almost like the Kalguksu (갈국수) we have in Korea. Even though it's a local dish, I feel very much at home eating it.

To make Kalguksu, wheat flour is first mixed with raw bean powder and kneaded to make noodles. Then it is boiled in chicken broth and served with the broth and toppings.

A bowl of Ban-mian costs $3.50. If you’re a Food Junction cardmember, you get to enjoy a 10% discount. But it’s my first week here, so I haven’t got a chance to apply for membership yet. Fortunately, the ajumma of the ban-mian stall said if I could say “Sarang haeyo” to her, she’ll give me a 20% discount…

AJUMMA! SARANG HAEYO!!!
In Korea, after eating at the foodcourt, we normally return our trays to the tray clearing point, where we toss the leftovers from the dishes into the chute. So I'm rather surprised here at the foodcourts in Singapore, no one does that. They have foodcourt attendants to clear the tables.

It's lunch time now, the foodcourt is very crowded. It wasn't easy for me to find an empty table. When I've finally found one, there are still trays of leftovers left by the previous customers. I asked the clearing auntie to remove those trays away. But she refused. Unless... unless I say “Sarang haeyo” to her...

AJUMMA! SARANG HAEYO!!!

Well, what to do? That's Hallyu for you... Sigh...

Monday, September 10, 2007

STEPPING FOOT ON SINGAPORE

14 January, Sunday, 11.35am, Changi Airport Terminal One.

Atssa!
I finally have my feet land safely in Changi Airport after just over six hours of the flight journey from Seoul.

Tomorrow I’ll be starting my new job as assistant trading manager in the light distillates department at Chilsung (Singapore) Petroleum Private Limited, the local oil trading office of Chilsung Corporation. Chilsung is one of South Korea’s biggest chaebol, and makes the biggest contribution to the nation’s GDP. Frankly, I had never much planned on coming to Singapore to work. But, given a wonderful opportunity, I need to grab the chance. The pay is decent, and the prospects are good. And I certainly need something to prove myself here in this island city-state, just like how I did in Seoul. A new life in a new country, Singapore. Nothing but success and a promising career ahead, this is the vow I made to myself.

But there’s one problem, though.

Singapore seems like a giant microwave oven, it’s unusually hot and humid. Ever since I step out of Changi Airport, I’ve been perspiring like a tap of running water. The only regret of working here is the lack of seasons. I heard over here it’s hot summer for three hundred and sixty-five days, all year round. I haven't figured how I'm going to survive here in this weather, but I'll get used to it somehow. In any case, there's alway airconditioner, right?

Yet, I'm beginning to miss Korea now. Korean autumn, Korean winter.

It's Dark Outside

It’s dark outside,
as the music subsides,
and no one is beside.

I am thinking,
while the phone is ringing,
is it me you’re calling?

I pick up the phone,
only to hear a dead tone,
am I not the one?

It’s dark inside,
as the music subsides,
and no one is beside.

DJG Short Fiction - Yeonsaeng in Labour

‘Come on Yeonsaeng, you can do it. One last push and you’re there.’

Jang Geum brushed her friend’s hair out of her eyes, and stroked her face encouragingly. Yeonsaeng had been in labour for almost twenty hours, every single one of them worse than the last. She was on every kind of pain ever imaginable, but with every contraction came a new agony. She had only the tiniest drop of energy left, and Jang Geum wasn’t sure what would happen if it took more than one last push.

Yeonsaeng fell back on the pillow, utterly exhausted. ‘I can’t, Jang Geum,’ she sobbed. ‘No more, please make it go away.’ Tears of pain and despair streamed down her face unchecked, as they had been for the last few hours. She could stand it no longer. She felt like she’d been shut in the bedchambers, fighting against the agony that was ripping through her forever. In her mind, a time where it didn’t hurt no longer existed. Before it had started, she had thought that the emotional pain she had suffered over the last months was the worst pain you could possibly feel, but now she wasn’t so sure. With every contraction, she felt like she was going to die, and she was beginning to reach the stage where it wouldn’t be altogether unwelcome.

‘You can do it, Yeonsaeng. Yes, you can,’ rallied Jang Geum.

Yeonsaeng's fingers were crushing Jang Geum’s hand but as they had been for over a day, she couldn’t feel them anymore, so it didn’t really matter. Being a medical lady, Jang Geum was saying all the right things but she wasn’t entirely sure Yeonsaeng could actually manage another push.

The next contraction began and Jang Geum encouraged her again. She was so tired it hurt, so she couldn’t imagine what this was like for Yeonsaeng.

‘This is it, Yeonsaeng, this is it. This is going to be the one. Push, come on, push.’

Yeonsaeng pressed on, using her very last reserves of strength for one final effort, and let out an agonising scream that shattered Jang Geum’s eardrums. Finally, at long last, a thin cry pierced the room.

Chal dwessyeosseubnida, mamanim,’ the imperial midwife said, ‘you’ve got yourself a healthy little princess.’ Yeonsaeng had fallen back on the pillow again, completely exhausted, and showed no interest in the woman’s words. Her eyes had shut, and they didn’t even flicker at the news of her child, the Emperor’s child.

Sunday, September 2, 2007

Book Excerpt- Curse of the Volcano Island

Chapter one
(Jackie’s POINT OF VIEW)


THE WAY I SEE IT, LIFE IS LIKE A VAMPIRE. It sucks most of the time, period. It’s ever thirsty for pain, and it aims to drain you dry.

And that is why most people appreciate my work of killing them. My name is Jackie Chang, and I’m a Vampire Hunter… in the loosest sense of the word. Although I’ve said that life sucks like a vampire, it actually pays to get them killed. Well, I’m an expatriate from Singapore invited by the governor of Jeju Province to hunt these bloodsucking creatures – For every vampire slain, a quarter million Korean Won goes into my pocket. And that roughly equates to about two hundred and fifty U.S. dollars. Sounds lucrative huh? Well, not everyone can be a vampire hunter, though. In fact, I’ve gone through years of rigorous apprenticeship in Tokuyama, Japan to become one.

Jeju Province is the only special self-governing province of South Korea, situated on and coterminous with the country’s largest island. The volcanic island lies in the Korea Strait, southwest of South Jeolla Province, of which it was a part before it became a separate province in 1946. Jeju Province is sort of a city-state, so its capital city is also called Jeju. To the south, it meets Seogwipo City at the top of Hallasan, the island’s only mountain. The island is half a size bigger than Singapore, but yet it only has a population of less than 400,000 – not even one-tenth of Singapore’s population.

Here I am, on Jeju island working with two other vampire hunters; my team of sorts – Seiji Inada, and Han Mirae. Like me, Seiji is also a foreigner except he’s from Tokuyama, Japan. Seiji has far more experience than me, given the fact that he’s nearly twice my age.

Of course the ability to hunt vampires isn’t always about experience; it could be just a matter of luck and timing. Yes, there were times when Seiji reported five or six vampires slain in a single night. But that’s probably because he had gotten there first, was equipped with better weapons, and got to to kill these vampires first. Yet, among the the three of us, I’m definitely not the worst in terms of number of total kills. Han Mirae scores the lowest number of killings – She scored zero, to be exact.

To be fair, Mirae isn’t actually a vampire hunter. She’s actually an orphaned native of Jeju island, whom we invited to help us with the daily administration of paperwork, as well as to bridge the cultural differences between the locals and us. Mirae was orphaned at a tender age, and had been raised in a Catholic Convent, until she was old enough to work and make a living. That’s how we met her and invited her to work for us. Apart from secretarial work, Mirae also treats the wounds and injuries that we receive after fighting and killing the vampires. Mirae just doesn’t enjoy that feeling of stabbing a sword across, or gunning a bullet into a vampire’s chest. She feels really bad about having to kill a fellow Korean. It just didn’t seem right to her about killing a fellow countryman. And I guess, that is why foreigners like Seiji and I were hired to do the killing. So that they can “outsource” the burden of guilt to us.

*******

I SIGHED HEAVILY AND RESTED MY CHIN on the table in front of me. I squinted at the stainless steel bowl in front of me for a moment, lifted my head slightly, and poured the ice-cold sour broth into my open mouth. Then I stood on my feet and left, leaving a few korean bills on the table to pay for my meal consisting primarily of Mul Naengmyeon, and small side-dishes of Kimchi and Banchan.

Mul Naengmyeon are strands of thin, hand-made buckwheat noodles, and is served in a large bowl with a tangy iced broth, raw julienned vegetables, a slice of a Korean pear, and often a boiled egg and/or cold beef.

Kimchi (also spelt gimchi or kimchee) is a traditional Korean fermented dish made of seasoned vegetables. Kimchi is also a common ingredient and cooked with other ingredients to make dishes such as kimchi stew (kimchi jjigae) and kimchi fried rice (kimchi bokkeumbap). Moreover, because it is both flavourful and healthy, the world-wide appeal and popularity of kimchi continues to grow.

Banchan refers to small side-dishes served in Korean cuisine. Banchan are served in small portions, meant to be finished at each meal. They can be replenished during the meal as they are finished.

“Annyung hee kaseyo,” said the storeowner, as he bowed and greeted me goodbye. It’s autumn, and the weather was rather cold. I put on my coat and slid my hands into the deep pockets. Inside the fleece-lined black jacket nestled a silver gun loaded with matching bullets. It never hurts to be careful, but it certainly will if you were caught off guard and wind up as the next victim.

I have seen far too many victims lying in some back alley of the Samdo-2-dong neighbourhood, where they had been dragged when they were still alive and kicking, but were drained of blood before an hour had passed. And then there were even another sort of victims lying at the back alleys. I don’t usually concern myself too much with a vampire’s life, but it piques my curiosity whenever I find a dead vampire lying, well…dead, in an alley somewhere.

Today however, I haven’t killed a single vampire, though I had found a dead one, slain by one of it’s own kind. I didn’t know why they killed each other, but frankly, it mattered to me. For each one murdered is one less I could have killed by myself. Well, there goes half a million Korean Won, which I could have made otherwise.

Last night was a happier moment for me, as I had beaten the silver-haired japanese by one dead. I had killed one while Seiji hadn’t killed a single creature. That alone would have given me teasing rights for some time, though the fact that I myself had gotten one made it even better.

A sudden sound to my right made me freeze and melt against the side of Ramada Plaza, the gun loaded with silver bullets grasped firmly beneath my jacket. When the sound didn’t come again I slowly crept from the shadows and continued on my way, though a bit more wary than I had been. It never hurts to be extra careful. It might be approaching daybreak already… but still, it wasn’t too late - or too early, however you choose to view it - for vampires to be out and about.

Seiji had stayed indoors tonight, down with the flu, leaving me to do the hunting all by myself. Ah-chew!!! We normally work together, even if we aren’t often within arm’s length, and the Japanese hunter’s absence makes me feel a lot more vulnerable, so it was probably a good thing I hadn’t encountered any vampire tonight. The older man and I work separately, often on opposite sides of the island. But either of us would still be able to come to the other’s need if necessary. Just knowing the silver-haired hunter was out could make me feel a bit more secure. Honestly speaking, Seiji had saved my butt more times than I could count.

I let go of the gun in my pocket as I neared my home at the Samdo-1-dong district, which also functions as our team’s headquarters. I glanced around a few times for any preying eyes, just to play safe. When I found none I stepped into the house, closing out the night that was brightening into dawn at last.

The interiors of the house were quite neat, a result of Mirae’s efforts. If I were living by myself, the house would have been strewn with empty instant noodles cups, tidbit packages and candy wrappers. So it’s really fortunate that Seiji and I have Mirae living with us. The girl was currently curled up in the large armchair that gave her a nice view of the empty street outside, a book on her lap. She looked up when I came in, and smiled.

“Nuh Muol ilk-go itsuh?” I asked her what she was reading.

“I’m reading a korean romance novel,” replied Mirae. “It’s entitled “The First Shop of Coffee Prince”. It’s about a tomboyish female who gets mistaken as a guy, and she starts working in a coffeeshop owned by the cocky son of a rich family.”

“Chaemi it-neun geot gat-ey,” I said it sounded rather interesting. “By the way, how is Seiji getting on with the flu?”

“Seiji is sleeping now. Before he turned in, he said he’ll be feeling better enough tomorrow to go hunting with you,” said Mirae, before returning to her book.

“Muoragu?! What!!!” I gaped until my jaws dropped to the ground, and my eyes could see my hair growing. The Japanese hunter’s presence makes me feel safer, but still… “If he comes with me, he’ll start killing more vampires!”

Mirae rolled her eyes. “Well that’s the point, isn’t it?”

“Well yeah, but so what? He’s already…” I tried to come up with a number but failed, “a lot ahead of me, and pretty soon he’ll be so far ahead I’ll never be able to catch up with him!”

Mirae sighed and set her book down. “I’m going to sleep now, you probably should too.”

“I don’t need any sleep!” I declared to her retreating back. “I can stay up all day and night if I want to!”

“Keojitmal hajimayo! Quit lying, Jackie!” Mirae ordered, crossing her arms, and after furrowing her eyebrows at me as if daring me to do it, she turned and headed up the stairs.

“I’ll prove to you I don’t need sleep, Han Mirae,” I said to myself. Then I seated myself in the chair she’d vacated, staring out the window with wide-open eyes, determined to prove the korean girl wrong. Almost immediately though, my eyes started drooping, and before I knew it, I had fallen asleep to meet Alice in Wonderland…

I awoke with a start, all senses alert. I didn’t remember having slept for a long time… But, oh my goodness, a day had passed, and it was already evening right now. Actually, I didn’t need to look so surprised that I woke up this late. We hunters sleep and awake according to the vampires’ hours so we could hunt them down more efficiently. Yawning widely and stretching my arms above my head, I saw Seiji eating a bowl of cereal, while Mirae grabbed a bowl from the cabinet and poured herself some as well.

“Chal jasseoyo? Did you sleep well?” Mirae grinned. “I remember last night someone was saying he didn’t need any sleep.” She giggled.

I grabbed a bowl too, and poured myself some cereals, which I wolfed down entirely before Mirae had even taken three bites. I then set about gathering my weapons, belting and strapping them on accordingly, before sitting on the armchair. I stared sternly at Seiji - almost like my high school principal - urging him to eat faster so we could leave immediately and hunt those vampires.

Seiji continued eating at a normal pace however, completely denying my existence. For a while I thought I was the invisible man, he had no regards for me at all. I decided to give up and slumped over backward into the chair. The moment Seiji stood however, I sprang on my feet and sprinted out the door like the roadrunner. Beep! Beep!

“I’m going to beat you tonight!” I challenged. Seiji lugged a bag of weapons over his shoulder and smiled mockingly.

“No you won’t.” His smile turned into a look of sheer confidence.

Ronnie's Debut "Korean Vampires-Curse of the Volcano Island"


Story Synopsis-

Since the "Jeju Massacre" (제주도민 학살 사건) of South Korea, which claimed the lives of more than 60,000 people more than fifty years ago, their bodies were sealed in the volcanic cave of Mount Halla. Decades later, some of these bodies were mystically resurrected as vampires. The bitter feud between two mortal factions became immortal: The Regiments vs. The Guerrillas.

Fifty years later today, we meet Han Mirae, a young Korean girl who's caught in a love triangle: Jackie Chang, a swashbuckling vampire slayer from Singapore, and Shin Taewoo a powerful vampire of the Guerillas. Then meet Lee Hyunsuk, the opal-eyed vampire of the Regiments who abducts Mirae in order to set a trap to kill the other two.

Can Taewoo or Jackie save the girl in time? And who is Mirae's real love?


The streets, districts, buildings and cuisines mentioned in this book are actual, and the description of the epic ‘Jeju Massacre’ is based on a true historical account. Otherwise, the story is largely fictional, especially the vampires. There certainly isn’t any vampire on Jeju island, and this book should not deter any holiday-maker or tourist from travelling to Jeju. In my opinion, Jeju is definitely one of the best tourist destinations in South Korea. The notion of vampires in this book is purely for entertainment value, and not to be taken as a gospel.

I’ve been learning Korean for almost five years, and until now it’s still a knotty problem for me. You need a very good skill of listening comprehension in order to make out what a native is actually talking about. Fortunately, with a good background in the Chinese language, it helps to make the learning of Korean language much easier. If you’re good in Japanese too, well, then I’d say you’ve got half the battle won. Why is that so?

Because Korean shares similar grammar with Japanese, while 70% of its vocabulary is borrowed from neighbouring China, and now many English words have penetrated the Korean lexicon too. Hence they’ve got Konglish, which is Korea’s equivalent of Singapore’s Singlish.

Having said that, however, Korean is largely written in hangeul, the alphabet developed under King Sejong’s reign in the 15th century. The way I see it, the Korean script is one of the most systematic and consistent alphabets used today.

Hangeul consists of only 24 characters, of vowels and consonants, which aren’t that difficult to learn. However, the formation of words using hangeul are quite different form the way that Western alphabets are used to form words.

The emphasis is on the formation of a syllable so that it resembles a Chinese character. Thus, the first syllable of the word ‘hangeul’ (한) is formed by an ‘h’ (ㅎ) in the top left corner, an ‘a’ (ㅏ) in the top right, followed by an ‘n’ (ㄴ) at the bottom. As a result, the full syllabic formation forms into some sort of a box, which looks like this: 한.

Pronounciation
-Vowels

ㅏ a as in the ‘a’ in ‘are’
ㅑ ya as in ‘yard’
ㅓ eo as in ‘of’
ㅕ yeo as in ‘young’
ㅗ o as in ‘go’
ㅛ yo as in ‘yo-yo’
ㅜ u as in ‘flute’
ㅠ yu as in the word ‘you’
ㅡ eu as in the ‘oo’ in ‘book’
ㅣ I as in the ‘ee’ in ‘sheep’


Combined Vowels

ㅐ ae as in the ‘a’ in ‘hat’
ㅒ yae as in the ‘yeah’ in ‘oh yeah!’
ㅔ e as in ‘ten’
ㅖ ye as in ‘yes’
ㅘ wa as in ‘wander’
ㅙ wae as in ‘wax’
ㅚ oe as in ‘way’
ㅝ wo as in ‘won’
ㅞ we as in ‘wet’
ㅟ wi as in the word ‘we’
ㅢ ui as in ‘u’ plus ‘i’


Single Consonants

ㄱ k/g
ㄴ n
ㄷ t/d
ㄹ r/n
ㅁ m
ㅂ b
ㅅ s/t
ㅇ nasal sound of ‘ng’ or silent word.
ㅈ j/t
ㅊ ch/t
ㅋ kh
ㅌ t
ㅍ p
ㅎ h/ng


Double Consonants

Double consonants are pronounced with more stress than their single consonant counterparts.

ㄲ kk/gg
ㄸ dd/tt
ㅃ bb/pp
ㅆ ss/t
ㅉ jj/tch

After familiarising yourself with hangeul, the next step is to get yourself acquainted with the way the language is being used. You can achieve this by listening to the way Koreans pronounce words, phrases, and sentences during a conversation, and to try and repeat their pronounciation. You can acquire this by watching Korean dramas and movies, listening to Korean songs. But the best method is still to mingle and make friends with Koreans, and practise the language with them. If you’ve decided to pick up this language, I wish you all the best and happy learning!

Saturday, September 1, 2007

CLICK ON ABOVE BOOK COVER TO RETURN TO HOMEPAGE

5 Points in her post I would like to leave a comment… ( very polite hor me.. :) )

Meanwhile, I got invited as a special guest on talkshow “You Hua Jiu Shuo” (The one hosted by Quan Yi Feng and Desmond Koh), and as a special “surprise” for me, the producers also invited Steven Lim…

1. I noe its my fault for not being able to make my name well known, but with due respect… my name spelled with an A, Dasmond Koh

- What exactly did I write about Steven? Say it in his face.

2. If she can write in in her post, whats the prob of narrating it in the prog? *scratch head*

- Was Maia and I in cahoots to get publicity for both of us? (Answer is apparently no)

3. umm… a lot of pple in doubt abt it, isnt it gd to hv a platform to clarify it? unless….

- Am I being so controversial to get publicity?

4. too tough a question to answer? or… wat should she says on national tv… yes no no yes…

- Blah blah etc questions, some asked in a rather rude way.

5. rude way? we’re just being ’straight forward’ like her…

It’s so weird to have someone be offensive to you on tv, it’s like you are completely taken aback and can only smile with incredulous raised eyebrows…

6. You are outspoken, hide nothing, straight forward … then simply answer the question as it was thrown to ya… there’s no need to be completely taken aback and can only smile with incredulous raised eyebrows…?

I wonder.
What’s in her mind.
What’s in your mind while reading tis as a third party…



Don't we all just love backlash?

No seriously, thought I'd share with you guys my mentality over creating this blog post of mine.

I woke up one morning with a sudden urge to create a blog entry about all the disgusting bloggers around, because it seems that recently there are so many of them?

What makes a disgusting blogger?

With the obvious exception of Maddox (and me!), disgusting bloggers, are, to me, either (1) pretending to be something they are not or (2) think way too highly of themselves (and not in a joking manner, either, like I do).

There are, of course, many other really ugly and gross people around blogging too, but as long as they know their place, I totally have no problems with them. =)

Some of you have asked me, "Why do you have to do this to all these innocent people? They didn't do anything to you!"

Well, look around you, people... Did I do anything to all those people who wrote all those mean stuff about me either? No sire, I didn't! And I tell you, people who write about me do it way worse... I guess I do deserve a bit of it. :D

So I thought to myself, what the fuck? Seems like it's a fair deal - I want fame, and I get criticism along with it, right?

Survive it, and I continue with my work. Can't take it? Stop blogging altogether, and change your url!

And surely you all concur, people on my list are all attention-seeking people wanting fame.

And so, if here and there some fuckers would write bad stuff about these people on the list, why not me? Why can't I? Just because I am a wee bit more famous?

Now that's not fair, is it? Afterall, my blog is a platform for my views, and I am free to write whatever I want on it.

These "victims", so called, are also free to rebuke whatever they want, if they so wish to.

Of course, the smart way out of this is to take the high road and act gracious about it instead of insulting me back (personally, I think, insulting me back would be so much more fun and creative), which will naturally get readers sympathizing with the underdog and making me seem like a bully.

DO I CARE THAT I AM CALLED A BULLY?

Not in the least bit! I'm already being deemed as bullying handicapped-toilet users, foreign workers, filipino rape "victims", why not disgusting bloggers to cap it all off?!

Please stop telling me whoever and whoever took it so graciously and therefore I suck. I DON'T CARE! I'm tired of being fake and PR and being the bigger person. I want to be the petty and smaller person! (childish, but blame Mike, he spoils me)

So anyway, as someone rightly commented, Maia did invite me to her album launch in September 2005. Then, I didn't know her well (I only met her once before, when she was still a singing teacher), but I'd say I sincerely liked her then.

Circumstances, and perhaps, people change, and when she was a star blogger with me, I started disliking her (or rather, her online self).

Once, she left a damn stupid and act-PC comment on my star blog, saying something sarcastic like I am very superficial since I judged some uncle in the airport in LA. I deleted that comment, and our relationship (so-called, the superficial one we used to have) soured.

The last thing I like to hear about myself is that I am being fake, and therefore I felt like I have the need to clarify.

I don't like all these 5 people's blog persona, and it is unlikely I will like them in real life either (I thought Celeste was absurd in real life but didn't dislike her, although her blog personality is like... barf), so I don't care if they dislike me (please do dislike me, I don't know what to do if you guys are nice to me, it totally throws me off course).

It is, however, inevitable that I will see some of these people in real life (Maia and probably Nicole, whom I don't mind), and I guess if I see them I'd just pretend not to see them?

Sigh, wish Singapore was not so small.

Somebody else said something about me being fired from, supposedly, various media, and therefore, I am the real sore loser here.

Just to clarify, I didn't actually get "fired" from Stomp. My 3 month contract ended, and it didn't get renewed. In this rein are also May and Choy, Jaymee Ong, etc. I don't know if they chose not to continue or not, but seeing that blogging once a week is not that tough, I'd say maybe they also didn't get their contract renewed.

It's no big deal - I didn't fit into their rigid child-safe blog criteria, and therefore, I can't do what I do best (write in-your-face blog entries), and so there is no point in keeping me.

Nothing wrong with that.

Speaking of retailiation, Steven Lim does it best, of course. =)

17-07-2007, 07:14 AM
I think Xiaxue and Steven makes a good couple . :)

jingeileen
17-07-2007, 10:22 AM
what is this post for anyway? :confused::confused::rolleyes:

JhyphenBoy
17-07-2007, 10:34 AM
is this part of some flaming thing?

angeldevil4
17-07-2007, 10:59 AM
ppl of a similar breed shd be together..

*not mentioning names here*

Levallon
17-07-2007, 11:27 AM
Who are steven lim and celeste chen anyway? Never heard of them :confused:

alkiefish
17-07-2007, 11:57 AM
I think Xiaxue and Steven makes a good couple . :)

I agree wholeheartedly clarissa!

Xiaxue and steven lim make a fantastic couple!

Both are equally wu liao. :)

angeldevil4
17-07-2007, 12:21 PM
Who are steven lim and celeste chen anyway? Never heard of them :confused:

steven lim is the one who stripped on singapore idol if im not wrong..
http://www.stevenlim.net/ his webby

Levallon
17-07-2007, 12:22 PM
steven lim is the one who stripped on singapore idol if im not wrong..
http://www.stevenlim.net/ his webby
Oh, that guy? I think I met him before at the first sg idol auditions. He's pretty friendly from what I noticed. I just sat down there day dreaming while he was making new friends.

ChickenJoe
17-07-2007, 12:33 PM
Who are these 3 clowns?

angeldevil4
17-07-2007, 12:35 PM
Oh, that guy? I think I met him before at the first sg idol auditions. He's pretty friendly from what I noticed. I just sat down there day dreaming while he was making new friends.

he provides his eyebrow plucking services @ Tangs orchard :eek:

ArchAngelz
17-07-2007, 12:59 PM
Where did you get the idea that Xiaxue hates Steven Lim and Celeste Chen?

EvilCicada
17-07-2007, 01:33 PM
i dun see any point in this thread

Ridley_Scott
17-07-2007, 11:47 PM
I think Xiaxue and Steven makes a good couple . :)
Good couple? A pair of weirdos maybe. :D
Read on newspapers that Xiaxue is flaming Maia Lee. As such, Maia Lee did the same to her. A typical case of an eye for an eye. :D

clarissawon
18-07-2007, 12:11 AM
snatch from the website at

http://xiaxue.blogspot.com:)

Don't bother logging in .

It is a huge traffic jam.

Read at your pleasure at 4am in the morning.

msrobinhood
18-07-2007, 12:50 AM
whats the links? xiaxue hates them? who said so?

ziggy76
18-07-2007, 09:06 AM
fight of the virtual celebs in blog-o-sphere huh?

lol!

how.. truely... exciting... NOT!

Levallon
18-07-2007, 09:21 AM
I think people with ego problems simply because they have a high blog readership are quite sad in a way.

And xiaxue has a spelling error on the last line in her latest post.

'retailiation' :)

jingeileen
18-07-2007, 10:43 AM
snatch from the website at

http://xiaxue.blogspot.com:)

Don't bother logging in .

It is a huge traffic jam.

Read at your pleasure at 4am in the morning.

why are u even helping her to get readers?

ur strange.. why dun u adver. your own blog instead? :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

angeldevil4
18-07-2007, 11:26 AM
I think people with ego problems simply because they have a high blog readership are quite sad in a way.

And xiaxue has a spelling error on the last line in her latest post.

'retailiation' :)

time for her to get back to sch.. :p

qwerty0870
18-07-2007, 11:33 AM
I think people with ego problems simply because they have a high blog readership are quite sad in a way.

And xiaxue has a spelling error on the last line in her latest post.

'retailiation' :)

I think XX is a fine example of the extreme waywardness some of our youths can get.
She reminds me of North Korea.....
"our plight is coz of the japanese and the americans... they are evil... we must hate them...if it weren't for them, we'd be prosperous and powerful"
Ever thought of reflecting inward? What goes around, comes around.

Levallon
18-07-2007, 11:44 AM
I agree with qwerty, anyway I find the small box of xx quotes on the top right side of the site good for some cold humor. Kudos to xx for entertaining me for three seconds. :p

Dollierot
18-07-2007, 12:01 PM
Haha.. XX seems to have a problem with everyone.
Even poor innocent ice Angel got flamed on her blog. And because she posted up what XX deemed as "act cute" pictures. :rolleyes:

Gosh.... Steven lim... Gives young girls nightmares. I happen to know him personally, and i think he's quite attention seeking and narcissistic. Look at the header on his blog!! :eek:
"SINGAPORES" MOST HANDSOME MAN" or something like that.
And he flexes his muscles and dances about in an oil stained greasy pair of undies!:eek:

Levallon
18-07-2007, 12:04 PM
But underneath it all I think he's quite a nice guy, I had a brief chat with him before the first sg idol auditions a few years ago.

ArchAngelz
18-07-2007, 02:08 PM
Its funny how XX can criticise other people's looks when she's has a looks problem herself.

I've heard (which cannot be substantiated) that she does not allow any photos of herself to be posted UNLESS they have undergone Photoshop?

Levallon
18-07-2007, 02:13 PM
Its funny how XX can criticise other people's looks when she's has a looks problem herself.

I've heard (which cannot be substantiated) that she does not allow any photos of herself to be posted UNLESS they have undergone Photoshop?
I think she looks ok, but she goes out of her way to glamourise herself. I find that irksome.

ziggy76
18-07-2007, 02:18 PM
Haha.. XX seems to have a problem with everyone.
Even poor innocent ice Angel got flamed on her blog. And because she posted up what XX deemed as "act cute" pictures. :rolleyes:

Gosh.... Steven lim... Gives young girls nightmares. I happen to know him personally, and i think he's quite attention seeking and narcissistic. Look at the header on his blog!! :eek:
"SINGAPORES" MOST HANDSOME MAN" or something like that.
And he flexes his muscles and dances about in an oil stained greasy pair of undies!:eek:

mmm... just curious. are you sure its a oil stain? lol

Skyyyyyy
18-07-2007, 03:04 PM
who cares abt them lar..

Ubergurl
18-07-2007, 03:34 PM
I think XX is a fine example of the extreme waywardness some of our youths can get.
She reminds me of North Korea.....
"our plight is coz of the japanese and the americans... they are evil... we must hate them...if it weren't for them, we'd be prosperous and powerful"
Ever thought of reflecting inward? What goes around, comes around.

But of course. (Not that I am THAT old myself).

The youth of today seem to think it's ok to have verbal and written diarhorrea and sprout nonsense all over the place without being held accountable.

They hurl vulgarities when situations go against them, they jump to conclusions without judging really the true situation; they have this herd mentality.

And when they get caught they behave in an even worse manner.

I have seen people who are older than 30 behaving like this even.

P.S. I am not 30. I am under 30 years of age. For now.

qwerty0870
18-07-2007, 04:45 PM
But of course. (Not that I am THAT old myself).

The youth of today seem to think it's ok to have verbal and written diarhorrea and sprout nonsense all over the place without being held accountable.

They hurl vulgarities when situations go against them, they jump to conclusions without judging really the true situation; they have this herd mentality.

And when they get caught they behave in an even worse manner.

I have seen people who are older than 30 behaving like this even.

P.S. I am not 30. I am under 30 years of age. For now.

dun fret ubergurl,

Kim Jong-il is 65 and he still behaves like that.

:D :D :D

Levallon
18-07-2007, 04:46 PM
dun fret ubergurl,

Kim Jong-il is 65 and he still behaves like that.

:D :D :D
I'd be the same if I had a couple of nukes ready to launch at my command. :D

qwerty0870
18-07-2007, 04:53 PM
I'd be the same if I had a couple of nukes ready to launch at my command. :D

Yah quite true....

See how Bush Jr acts like a baby with his 10,000 nukes?

:D :D

Regolith
18-07-2007, 05:29 PM
Hmm,a midget trying to look pretty and having a hard time doing that.

A not very handsome and fit guy think he is prince charming and prance about in his undies,and make stupid videos.

A girl that acts and look the position of the slut at such a young age.

Does it really matters who win?

Complicatedness
18-07-2007, 05:53 PM
Read Xia Xue's entry,

Read Ice Angel's blog, Read Celeste's blog, dun bother to open Steven Lim and LaoZaBor's Blogs,

but one thing's for certain:

Her entry has definitely increased the hits in all of the blogs.

ChickenJoe
18-07-2007, 06:35 PM
I am so damme disgusted by the things these fellas post on their blogs.

And i just ate nasi lemak.

Good grief!

Dollierot
18-07-2007, 07:56 PM
hmm.. yes.. im very sure its an oil stain.. lol. from the greasy shine. *vomits uncontrollably*
He goes around pulling ppl by their arms and saying "Im famous!! Do you know me?!"
oh god... i wonder if anyone let him pluck their eyebrows before. :X

haha... if you guys think XX and celeste chen is bad, take a look at this malaysian blogger called Mayzhee. Some obnoxious narcissistic child who believes the world revolves around her. :eek:

http://www.chizzu.com/MayZhee/

ziggy76
19-07-2007, 10:26 AM
hmm.. yes.. im very sure its an oil stain.. lol. from the greasy shine. *vomits uncontrollably*
He goes around pulling ppl by their arms and saying "Im famous!! Do you know me?!"
oh god... i wonder if anyone let him pluck their eyebrows before. :X

haha... if you guys think XX and celeste chen is bad, take a look at this malaysian blogger called Mayzhee. Some obnoxious narcissistic child who believes the world revolves around her. :eek:

http://www.chizzu.com/MayZhee/

lets not speculate about the oil stain. i'm pretty sure we'll never be able to agree what that 'stain' is. hahahaha...

I saw him once at a Gillette road show at scotts shopping mall, it just made me not want to be a customer after watching him make a mickey of himself.

poor example of using the wrong marketing tool. and he's just damn off.

apart from that. i hardly read blogs. most blogs are just a big yawn. except for a few good funny ones.

Prophet5
19-07-2007, 01:16 PM
Who is xiaxue, steven lim, celeste? :confused:

ChickenJoe
19-07-2007, 01:46 PM
Who is xiaxue, steven lim, celeste? :confused:

Some clowns.

KEVinZeee
19-07-2007, 06:13 PM
has anyone seen steven lim's retaliation video?

LOL. i think his vocabulary revolves around "reeduculors" and "youknowsomething?" and the "omg...OMG...OMG", and of course, the one that no one can forget, "you sucks, you sucks, YOU SUCKS YOU SUCKS YOU SUCKS".

maybe he sings that in his sleep to himself.

LAMPsHEV
19-07-2007, 08:33 PM
has anyone seen steven lim's retaliation video?

LOL. i think his vocabulary revolves around "reeduculors" and "youknowsomething?" and the "omg...OMG...OMG", and of course, the one that no one can forget, "you sucks, you sucks, YOU SUCKS YOU SUCKS YOU SUCKS".

maybe he sings that in his sleep to himself.

HAHA. YEAH! it was super hilarious!

Actually, neither. But I would say Maia is the lesser of the two evils.

After having been sacked by Stomp and TNP, it's funny how Xiaxue hasn't learnt to be mature and learn to be responsible for her words.

Xiaxue is the typical example of people who use the excuse of 'speaking their mind' to say anything about anyone. Without thought or consideration for others or the damage her words could do. She only cares about being heard.

Although I would not call Maia a good girl of sorts, but Xiaxue makes her look good by comparison.

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