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Wednesday 29 June 2005
A Lot Like Lovers
AM is back for a 2 week vacation from the city where you can window shop for hookers - Amsterdam. Apparently she got back during the weekend, and saw it fit to contact me only after I SMSed her to re-confirm if she's already back.
Within 5 minutes, we agreed to have dinner and catch a movie. Because she has been away from S'pore for so long and is craving for local food, I suggested the only place I know that serves local food but still have that "can talk" ambience - The Kopitiam Restaurant at Raffles City.
Over dinner we caught up on a few things. She told me that she's (finally) seeing someone, and they have been going out for six months. Since he's Dutch, I teased her about having pinkerton syndrome. I think she must have felt miffed by it and told me that its not as if she got a choice working in Amsterdam, saying there's a dearth of eligible Asian men there. She also spill the beans on how some of our mutual friends have been going ga-ga over ang mohs in S'pore, in an attempt to convince me that if I have to judge her, then these friends deserve the tag even more.
Sigh. I think there really is quite a number of women out here with pink-girl-turn-sin-drone. (Its just my personal observation)
We caught up on many many other things. From the way we talked, it almost seemed like she hasn't been away all this while.
But then again, I have always gotten along fine with AM. Ever since we first work together on a major assignment within weeks of joining the same firm. In fact we got along so fine, folks around us started noticing us. And started teasing about us being together.
We eventually became their favourite teasing topic, and even after I got attached, they still teased us mercilessly. (I mean, WTF?) And after many many years, when we do meet up with them, they still want to make fun of the notion that we should get together. Sheesh. These people should really get a life.
Maybe now that she's attached, they will finally leave us alone. *mutters*
Perhaps a bit ironically, we decided to catch "A Lot Like Love", a movie about two people who can't see whats in front of them. But I think both AM and me can see perfectly whats in front of us - some guy's head blocking the screen.
On another note, I really like the movie leh. I don't understand why the local critics here panned it so much. Its a movie which I felt many people could relate to, and the jokes are also quite funny. I really don't get it leh. Then again, the local critics here loved PCK the musical, so there.
Loved the soundtrack too, am so gonna get it :) |
Sunday 26 June 2005
Nostalgic
There are a few things in this world that would make me feel old, and weddings are one of those few things. Yesterday I attended the wedding of my varsity classmates who had sneakily hooked up with each other after they graduated.
But I always thought that they already started dating while we were in our final year, so I teased them about waiting for aeons to get married.
Apparently I was mistaken, as my other classmates informed me that they actually started their relationship after we graduated. But I still think back then, I must have already detected their affections for each other, so in my book, their romance actually began then.
My attempts at trying to feel young again after the wedding dinner at Wala was aborted as the gang wanted to catch Evie's bf in action. But we arrived too late. Or I should say the band left too early.
So today, I wake up feeling older and nostalgic. And I start to reminisce over this incident, which I have never put down in my journals before. ( Maybe because I remember it so well, I never really felt the need to record it )
My one and only natural high
C was from my maths tuition class while I was doing my O' levels. Through some twist of fate, we ended up in the same JC for the first three months. But by the same twist of fate, we did not end up in the same orientation group.
(For those not in the know, back then we were sent to junior colleges based on our preliminary exam results. But we can only confirm our place in said junior college after we get our O' levels results, which will be three months later. Hence the term "first three months".)
Back then, I was an extremely dorky/nerdy/geeky/watever teenager. (Actually, I think the dorkiness/nerdiness/geekiness/wateverness is still in me somewhere) Don't believe? Check out this picture :
Guess which one is me!
No, I'm not the coolest looking dude in the picture.
UPDATE : This is me lor.
So like I was saying, I was this dorky teenager. We had just finished our orientation thingy, and so like all cool orientation thingy back then, the grand finale was the Jam and Hop.
I started dancing with my orientation group (above). Alas, the one I beo then was otherwise engaged. (No, I'm not revealing who but she is also above) But I decided not to let that spoil my night and so I danced with one of the above.
We danced for a while. She was kinda impressed. But I'm not sure if she had a good time, coz I certainly didn't feel any connection with her. Then she had to leave. Something about having a curfew.
By then, most of the peeps in the group had already dispersed. I spotted J (another chio bu from another group) dancing with another guy. I asked her for a dance. She nodded. And she danced with me. And the other guy. At the same time.
I don't like to 'share', so after one song, I thanked her for the dance and graciously made my exit.
Then there was this "train" going on, I think Kylie's Locomotion was on. I joined the "train" for the heck of it. The "train" kinda became a "circle" after the song, so I stayed on and boogie with them.
Then I saw C. She was looking kinda bored. The guy dancing with her seemed more obsessed with his own moves than with her.
"Wanna dance?" I asked her. She smiled, and waved goodbye to the other guy.
We started akwardly enough. Sure, we had seen each other in tuition class before. But we never really talk in class, so we are still practically strangers. But we broke the ice soon enough after the usual small talk.
Somehow, for almost every song we dance to, I could come up with a variation. And she would always try to follow my lead. Awkwardly at first. I remember how her hair band kept dropping during some of the more wilder moves. How she would looked slightly embarrassed by that at first. But the more we danced, the more we got used to each other.
There was that connection.I can't explain it. And I was high. Au natural. No alcohol or other chemical stimulant needed. Zilch. Nada.
We danced for a long long while to many many songs. I was quite soaked (no air-con you know), a bit thirsty and have a full bladder. I had to excuse myself to go to the washroom.
When I came back, they were playing the slow dance music. I was looking forward to it.
She was already dancing with some other guy....
Of course, the story didn't end here, and as sad as it sounds at this juncture, things actually turn out for the better after that night. Well sorta anyway. Anyway, its a story for another time.
My point is to this day, I have never forgotten that natural high feeling. And to this day, I have never been able to recreate that experience again. The only time it came close was with her, and even then it needed that bit of alcohol.
I have lost contact with C ever since I joined another college after the first three months (another story for another time). I hope wherever she is, life is treating her well.
Thanks for the memories, C.
So which one is me? got guess correctly or not?
|
Friday 24 June 2005
Getting to know Ruok better
Got this from jasmine gal ....
Your view on yourself:
Other people find you very interesting, but you are really hiding your true self. Your friends love you because you are a good listener. They'll probably still love you if you learn to be yourself with them.
Hmm... but, but wat is my true self?
The type of girlfriend/boyfriend you are looking for:
You are a true romantic. When you are in love, you will do anything and everything to keep your love true.
Quite true, methinks.
Your readiness to commit to a relationship:
You are ready to commit as soon as you meet the right person. And you believe you will pretty much know as soon as you might that person.
I don't understand the second sentence leh. But first sentence kinda true.
The seriousness of your love:
You are very serious about relationships and aren't interested in wasting time with people you don't really like. If you meet the right person, you will fall deeply and beautifully in love.
Deeply yes. Beautifully, errm, so far, all not very pretty leh.
Your views on education
You may not like to study but you have many practical ideas. You listen to your own instincts and tend to follow your heart, so you will probably end up with an unusual job.
Hahaha. Unusual job indeed.
The right job for you:
You have plenty of dream jobs but have little chance of doing any of them if you don't focus on something in particular. You need to choose something and go for it to be happy and achieve success.
Actually not very true. Only got one dream job. Already going for it lah.
How do you view success:
You are confident that you will be successful in your chosen career and nothing will stop you from trying.
Like I said, already going for it lah.
What are you most afraid of:
You are afraid of things that you cannot control. Sometimes you show your anger to cover up how you feel.
Hmm. Don't make me angry. You won't like it when I'm angry.
Who is your true self:
You are full of energy and confidence. You are unpredictable, with moods changing as quickly as an ocean. You might occasionally be calm and still, but never for long.
Heh. Quite true.
Nah, dun complain I dun have an "About Me" section liow hor |
Wednesday 22 June 2005
Just when you think it's safe to go back into the waters...
It appeared to be a perfectly normal evening. The birds were at their usual noisy evening selves. The dog was still sniffing its own balls. The cat was still starring longingly at the coffeshop table. I then heard a familiar voice. I turned and saw ....
My face plastered on the screen of the big screen tv in the coffeshop.
I quickly lowered my head and walked away briskly.
I know I seriously need to get used to this, but I can't. And I think it would get worse next month lor.
Need to start wearing shades liow, methinks |
Tuesday 21 June 2005
What I have learnt lately
Over the past few weeks, I learnt a couple of things :
1) Retro music makes me feel old. Retro classic rock however, makes me feel 18 all over again.
2) That my automatic-alcohol-purging biological system is sibeh rusty due to a long period of unuse. I am glad that recently it is showing signs of sputtering back to life. Beginning to think the infernal machine actually runs on alcohol, tamade.
3) Drinking a few nights in a row after a long period of relative docility can really shock the body. And also any carefully laid out plan to get that super elusive six pack. Which currently remains even more elusive.
4) Never compose a cover letter when one is still recovering from a massive hangover. The words just don't come out right, and when they come out left, they are pretty awful. Also, never attempt to record one's singing in the same state. Don't ask.
5) That drinking alone in a crowded bar is never a good idea. Unless I am researching for a role. Which I was not. Don't ask.
6) That maybe perhaps I have been away from the game too long. Like got a lot of rules change leh. Or maybe I just had them wrong in the first place. And I think I keep reading the signs wrong some more. Ah well.
7) "Human beings are built to handle many things. But loneliness is never one of those things." (Desperate Housewives, may have gotten the actual quote wrong. Eh if I'm wrong, please advise)
8) I really really really hate people who take pictures of me without my permission. I can see this becoming a problem in the future. I now understand how Sean Penn feels.
9) I still have this knack of making people believe me when I'm lying and not believing me when I am telling the truth. Go figure.
10) Blogging in point form is very seng nang.
Just caught Batman Begins. This must be the best version ever. The emotional scenes made me tear. Katie Holmes, although not that impressive, is still much better than Hayden Christenssen. I predict the Fantastic Four movie will tank very badly.
"Why do we fall? To learn to pick ourselves up." |
Tuesday 14 June 2005
Some peace and quiet at last
After the odd maid discovered my secret identity, she thought it fit to greet me every morning and evening with a giggle and a greeting that goes somewhere along the lines of :
"Sir, today you go acting/acting as what ah?"
The giggles and the questions are really getting on my nerves man. I was tempted to try my newly discovered pervert look on her, just to make her run away, but was afraid she might do a "Billie Jean" number on me for real this time. Besides if she really ran away, my mum will certainly kill me.
This evening I returned home to a much welcomed silence. It turns out she has left for her home already.
I hope she never go and kah poh my "pornstar in training" boxer as souvenir ...
Heng ah, its still around! |
Sunday 12 June 2005
The One with the worrying look
While recuperating from yesterday's siong shoot, I was reminiscing about what the producer had told me.
He told me I had this 眼神 (eye spirit) that is very intense and that because of it he feels I can play bad guy roles very well. He also told me that during this shoot, the perverted looks that I shot across for the camera are, well, very perverted lor. He asked me where I learnt to do that.
In the first place, I really wasn't trying to look perverted. The so called perverted looks I was doing were actually meant to be my seductive ones. Really. 天啊!
Now I know why I get more misses than hits. Now I think I know why she, and she, and and she ran away.
A few nights ago, I saw my friend's sister. Basically she kinda ignored me, so I went back and comprain to her sista :
Ruok: saw ur sis last nite... :p but I think she can't recognise me liow
Sista: where?
Ruok: holland v
Sista: i c
Sista: she beli blur one
Ruok: hehe I think she tot I was some guy trying to beo her, coz she saw me looking in her direction and then pulled D closer to her.... O.o
Sista: haha...u do look kinda worrying....
Ruok: .... really ah? /_\
Sista: ;)At first I thought she was just teasing me. Now I think she may be telling me the truth.
天啊!!!
天啊!!!!!! |
12 June 2005, Sunday
The One with the office cubicle divider-dancing
Its been a long time since I have had such fun.
I enjoyed myself so much that it was only when I was walking home that I felt dog tired. As tired as like I was coming back from BCTC (reservist) or something.
It was one of the most exhausting shoot I've ever done. The dancing alone was already very siong as it has been quite a while since I've gyrated my hips for such an extented period of time. And it was not some warm nice body that I was gyrating to but a hard inanimate object. Like that how to not siong? I was utterly soaked at the end of the take. The wardrobe guy almost killed me. I could only grin sheepishly.
The final scene for the day is one where I had to fall down. It took three takes. I am ( quite amazingly) still in one piece.
Talk about physical comedy man.
In the midst of all things, I must have appeared to be totally out of sorts at times. Well, maybe many times. The producer called me by my nick many times, and the bemused look I gave him only caused him to call me again with greater urgency. Its a vicious cycle, I tell you.
The amazing thing was, in the end, we under-ran. Despite having to do an additional scene somemore. Woohoo!
I'll just like to thank the guys and gals at Wizards of Light, Just Media and not forgetting, the Client (Dunno can mention name or not, better dun mention first) for offering me this job. I hope you guys enjoyed watching the shoot as much as I did doing it.
I have almost forgotten how good it felt to make my audience laugh. I wanna do it again.
This one come out I may need to wear shades. Again. |
Still, still a good Friday, 2005
Found A Gem
I'm not a music aficionado/connoisseur/or whatever you called it these days, I'm more of a movie person. But while shopping for a CD today a song stopped me dead in my tracks. The shop was testing a CD for a customer; I made a mental note of the group's name and continued to shop around.
A few minutes later , I still couldn't get the song of my head. So I started searching for the group in the relevant section but the CD wasn't there.
I approached the shop assistant and he gave me a grin and a wink before pulling it out behind a stack of CDs bearing a different group name. o.O Win liow lor, they are hiding the CD like its some kind of gem man!
Ok, ok.enough boring details, without further ado, let me present to you my virgin plug :
Sway - the Perishers
I talk to you as to a friend
I hope that's what you've come to be
It feels as though we've made amends
Like we found a way eventually
It was you who picked the pieces up
When I was a broken soul
And then glued me back together
Returned to me what others stole
I don't wanna hurt you
I don't wanna make you sway
Like I know I've done before
I will not do it anymore
I've always been a dreamer
I've had my head among the clouds
Now that I'm coming down
Won't you be my solid ground?
I look at you and see a friend
I hope that's what you wanna be
Are we back now where it all began?
Have you finally forgiven me?
You gathered my dreams in
When they all blew away
And then tricked them back into me
You saved me I was almost dead
Don't ask, just listen ... |
Still a good Friday, 2005
Seeing Star Part (fwah like getting quite frequent liow hor?)
Today I came home, only to be greeted by giggles from one of my mum's girls (my mum runs a maid agency so sometimes we get the odd maid in the house). For a moment, I thought my fly was opened or something. I quickly checked.
Dun have leh. Then it suddenly struck me.
Last night my mum pulled her into my room and asked quite fiercely "See properly, is he the one?" I was like, now what?
She nervously nodded and giggled and my mum explained that the maid thought she had seen me on television quite a few times in her former employer's place. So she just want to confirm personally that its me, its really me.
Nah beh. For a moment there I thought I was gonna have a Billie Jean (Song by Michael Jackson) moment. I thought that was the end of that but this morning, she saw me again while I was leaving my place. And she giggled.
Then now she giggled again. WTF man? I look very farnee meh?
Also,earlier today, during lunch at my favourite yong tau foo store, the lady boss told me she's been wanting to ask if I signed up with Mediacorp or something. I did a double take. Apparently she had been suspecting I was an actor for quite sometime coz she thought she saw me on tv before and had finally come to a conclusion that I am one.
Luckily she never offered to let me eat her tou foo for free. Phew.
I'm just an actor, I'm not a star. I dun even drive lor knn |
10 June, Friday, 2005
Good Friday
Thanks to Serena (gotta give ya a treat someday, Shey), I have just landed my first bona fide television commercial on national television. Yes, I consider this my first because I don't consider publicity trailers as true commercials, in the sense that they are not really product endorsements.
The shoot is
going to betomorrow, and its a full day shoot. Which means waking up at an unearthly hour on a Saturday morning. Wah lau eh.This advert is in a way my first physical comedy role on national tv. It is so nice to do comedy once again. When I first started acting, all my roles were the 搞笑 (comedic) kind. That was when I discovered I enjoyed making people laugh and went on to do more and more 搞笑 roles. Then I heow and decided I should stop doing comedy and start doing some serious drama to test and/or improve my acting ability.
Its been four years since I did a good comedic role.
You know what they say, "Dying is easy, comedy is hard". I'm like dying to do comedy lor.
Aaaah, first love.... |
June 6, Monday, 2005
Some sort of record
Today, I had not one, not two but three job (acting) offers. Must be some kind of record. In the end, I think I accepted the last one, because my resistance was worn down already. And propably because at the back of my mind, I think He is trying to tell me something along the lines of "you better accept or else ah!" Oh well, at least I get to appear in a movie (yay!). Too bad its gonna be one of those blink-and-you-will-miss-me role.
On a more happier note, I'm gonna be in an ad for MTV-Asia. Which errm means I'm kinda going regional. I think.
Update : The shoot for the movie was cancelled last minute. I guess I'm really not meant to play bit parts in feature films. :P
I really want to be in a mtv! |
June 6, Monday, 2005
Asking for it part deux
Been kinda of a roller-coaster ride these past few days, and just when I thought it can't get any worse, Jac tells me my questions are ready. Eh, thanks for the tough questions Jac. (Although I think you must be taking revenge on me for making you read all my boring stuff right? :P)
1) Why the nick “Ruok”? Have you thought of a possible new nick yet (ever since the Hideout incident)? If yes, what is it, and why?
Ooi you play cheat! How can squeeze three questions in one wan?!!! :/
Ok lah, since I'm in a generous mood, I will answer them all. The nick came about when I was trying to think of a cool nick to use in a MMORPG. I wanted it to sound roguish so I experimented with many roguish sounding names. When I came up with "Ruok" I thought it was quite fun to use, and I really loved the reaction I got online when the gamers finally realised what the name meant. I used it for blogging coz most peeps know me as Ruok already in a number of online communities, and I wanted them to know that this is me blogging.I have not thought of a new nick leh, but I really don't want to lor. After the Hideout incident, I just stopped telling fellow bloggers my nick; I tell them my real name and domain name enuff liow. Learnt my lesson liow. :P
2) Be honest here ok? Why blog? Blogging as cathartic or blogging as exposure?
Why jac, I'm always honest ;) Wadun, you use big words man. Wait ah, I need to check the meaning of "cathartic"..... fwah, thats really one cheem word...
Ok, in the beginning, I blog because I find myself wanting to write long essays at times in other people's blog's comments, but figured it would be kinda rude to do so. (That and also because some comments have word limit one, knn) So when my friend Serena started blogging, I figured I should do the same too, so that I can write grandmother stories without being rude to to others or be limited to some freaking word count.
I also used to enjoy writing for my varsity periodical, so I guess you can say I blog because I like to write grandmother stories as well.
I cannot deny that blogging turned out to be a form of exposure for me as an actor as my blog is actually on my personal website. Nor can I deny the fact that quite a number of people come to know about me because of my blog rather than because they have seen me act. (which is kinda sad *sigh*) But I don't blog to get exposure, if thats what you are asking. I want to be known as a good actor, goddamnit, and not a good writer/blogger. Besides, I don't think I'm that good a writer or blogger lah. :P
3) You’ve played a woman before. What sort of an experience was it? Was it liberating in any way? Or was it simply, uncomfortable?
*sigh* I played a woman, because I wanted at that time to prove to myself that I can really act. It was really an uncomfortable experience, and not liberating at all. I remember telling my director that I will hold her responsible for transforming me back should I fail to become a hot blooded man again. I almost couldn't revert back to my old self. For weeks after the performance, people could still see traces of Valerie's (the character I played) mannerism in me. I figured some macho activity like diving would help me snap out of it. In the end, it did, but not before my diving mates noticed that I was walking around in tip-toes everytime we were in our bunks...
Suffice to say, I won't want to go there again. Ever.
The only good thing that came out of this is that I empathise with women more. Shaving legs, plucking eyebrows, growing nails, wearing heels and wearing panty hoses... man, oh man, you girls go through a lot to make yourselves attractive huh. The least us guys should do is to look at you all appreciatively. ;)
4) Let’s go brutal. What if you never ever make it as a successful actor? What if you never get your big break? (No jabs at you here. I too, fear I may never realize my dreams.) Will you ever regret having chose acting as a profession?
Basket, I thought I told you to be gentle with me? :P You know jac, I ask myself the same questions (your first two questions... waitaminute, you are still palying cheat!?!!) everday, for the past four years. And from time to time, my friends have ask me the same questions as well. I tell myself that I cannot hold out or wait forever, and at some point I have to cut my losses and get out. So I constantly reevaluate my options every year to see if it is time for me to give up. The thing is, I don't see myself getting back into a deskbound job even if I could bring myself to quit the acting scene. Then how, like that?
I guess I'll cross the bridge when I come to it, and I think its really not very fruitful to contemplate too much on it. Will I ever regret? I don't think so. I only started pursuing my dreams after slaving to some shit job for three and a half years, and my only regret was that I didn't start pursuing my dreams sooner.
jac, fear of not realising one's dreams should never be the excuse to not start pursuing them. I've always believe it is far better to have tried and fail then not to have tried at all.
5) What’s the kinkiest thing you’ve ever done to a girl on set? Don’t tell me don’t have ah…
Eh, really don't have leh. I very 'suay' so far, no have chance to be kinky with char boh leh. The kinkiest thing I can think of is during my very first short film, which was also the first time I ever played the lead. I have a love scene (which was also my very first) with the actress. I was topless, she was wearing a pair of very short shorts and a spaghetti strap. They shot me touching her arms, thighs and legs with my hands, and they shot my bare back with me on top of her, with her face in throes of passion. It turned out to be really really sexy; we really looked like we were naked and making hot passionate love. But I can tell you there was seriously no action lor. Trust me. :P
These questions really tuff man |
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