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ShopBack Cashback Button: Get yourself a cashback buddy whenever you shop online!

2018-11-02T22:45:00.002+08:00

Attention online shoppers! Did you know, you can make your shopping experience that much exciting - and more savvy! All you have to do is use the ShopBack Cashback Button! ShopBack is Singapore’s leading Cashback website allowing shoppers to save on Cashback and they have a nifty little feature that helps you do that much more easily!

Here are all the reasons why you should use the ShopBack Cashback Button:

Available for Chrome, Firefox and Safari internet browsers, the ShopBack Browser Extension notifies you whenever you are in an online store that lets you earn Cashback from ShopBack. It lets you discover the availability of Cashback from stores you never knew you could.

Best of all, it serves as a notification in case a user forgets to click through ShopBack. Do look out for the pop-up or the blinking Cashback Button on your browser

You can even find out if you can earn cashback when you do a search on google.

Last but not least, you can do a quick check on the amount of Cashback you have accumulated.

The extension is really easy to add to your browser and most of the time, you won't even notice that it is there. It will just pop out whenever you need it too, rather than try to get in your way most of the time. Plus, the best thing is it will save you from the unnecessary despair of missing out on some savings when you could!

So why not? Install the extension today to make your online shopping experience more enjoyable!

"Rawr!" says the Merlion

2018-10-24T20:31:00.001+08:00

There are a lot of strange mythical animals around the world. I am sure you have heard of centaurs, unicorns, dragons and even phoenixes before. In Singapore, we have our very own mythical creature too and it's none other than the Merlion!

Born with the head of a lion and the body of a mermaid (don't ask me how that happened, we're still trying to figure that out), the Merlion is the tourism ambassador of Singapore. The official Merlion can be found at the centre of the city-state, between the Marina Bay tourist area.

It guards the entrance to the Singapore river, overlooking popular tourist destinations like the Marina Bay Sands, Esplanade, Singapore Flyer and is within a short walk away from the Fullerton Hotel and the National Gallery Singapore.

The Merlion enjoys spewing water out from its mouth most of the day, for reasons we are also still unsure of. Maybe it's because of all the partying nights. Legends say that in the night, the Merlion will quietly slip to Clarke Quay, Singapore's premier clubbing and drinking district to wind down after a tough day of being a tourist attraction.

Clarke Quay is also not that far too, only around 1-kilometre walk along the river.

Jokes aside, if you are considering to visit the Merlion, bear in mind that it's only a statue overlooking the Marina Bay area. There are some cafes nearby for you to sit down and enjoy the view, or you can choose to sit near the steps of the Merlion, but there's not much else to do here other than to take photos and enjoy the view.

If you fully want to enjoy the Marina Bay experience and see the Merlion from a different angle, I suggest taking the river cruise that allows you to tour the different landmarks along Singapore River. If I remember correctly, you can also embark and disembark at different pickup points. But check with the counter first.

Or if you're feeling adventurous and don't mind a little walking, you can choose to walk along the bay area and visit several landmarks at one go. There's the Esplanade, Singapore Flyer, the Art Science Museum and Marina Bay Sands all within walking distance. Might take you half a day to one full day to cover everything.

Singapore's weather can get quite hot or rainy so bring an umbrella just in case.

The God Dilemma

2018-10-05T16:30:00.000+08:00

It's tempting to believe in the existence of a benevolent higher being. I'm not sure if this is innate to all humans, or if this is because of my Christian upbringing, but there is this unexplainable desire in me that wants to think there is someone watching over me.

I heard Avril Lavigne's latest song today, Head Above Water. It sounds very much Christian inspired, with its chorus going, "God, keep my head above water, Don't let me drown, it gets harder, I'll meet you there at the altar, As I fall down to my knees, Don't let me drown..."

It's a very powerful song. Listening to the song brought flashbacks to me. I remember a period of my life when I was down in the dumps. That phase of life where you felt that nothing you did matter, where you're desperately searching for affirmation and meaning. It was Christian songs that kept me going. I remember crying to songs like 'Still' by Hillsong.

At that moment, despite how down I felt, I felt a strange assurance inside me. That there was indeed an entity called God that consoled me, accepted me. That assurance pulled me through.

Was it really God who did that? Or was it my own mind deceiving myself?

I don't know.

It has been a decade since then. I am now a completely different person than the emotional religious teenager I used to be. I have come to believe in God less, for many reasons, but listening to Avril's song brought me back to all those years ago, singing to those songs as a way to cope with the feeling of hopelessness and despair.

It's very tempting. To believe that no matter what you do, there is a being that loves you unconditionally. That accepts you for who you are. It gives a person strength, to know that you are loved and accepted.

However, I no longer believe in God as I strongly as I used to last time. Religion has left a very bad aftertaste in my mouth for many reasons. The Republicans in the US, the hate from 377A saga and just the general pretentiousness of many Christians. All this coupled with the overwhelming silence from above. God has become more of a propaganda tool for the powerful than being an omnipotent being to be worshipped and loved.

It's hard to not believe that God is a creation of our active imagination sometimes.

Still, hearing the song makes me want to sing. It makes me want to believe again. Because believing gives me hope. It gives life meaning.

I am simple like that.

If only this question is as simple.

[Short Story] Death and the Hourglass

2018-10-04T09:02:00.000+08:00

No. Death thought. It couldn't be.

Death reached below the grand wooden table, hastily pulling out the dust-covered hourglass. Questions flooded its mind. How? When? Who?

Carefully, Death set the hourglass sideways on its table, like the way it found it, the only one among the seven billion or so hourglasses in Death's office in such position. Death sank slowly into its black leather chair, its hollow eye sockets fixed on the hourglass.

No one escapes Death. That was what everyone said. Looking at the construct on the table, someone just did. Not knowing when or why bothered Death greatly.

When each human is born, an hourglass appears in Death's office. While each hourglass looked the same, the amount of sand inside them was not. The amount of sand signaled the lifespan of the owner. When the sand stops flowing, Death is summoned. The hourglass disappears once Death finishes its job.

Since time immemorial, Death has done its job without lapses. It does not question why. Death has always accepted its role. Looking at the stopped sand caused Death to question for the first time.

Who is this human who escaped death?

How did the hourglass end up at the bottom of the table?

What should Death do?

Death considered its options. It could report the lapse to its master. After all, Death is only a servant of a higher being. At least, that was what Death remembered. The memory was vague and hazy. It has been doing its job for eons alone without the need to contact the master. Never had there been any mistakes or incidents worth mentioning. The sideways hourglass was first.

Death shook its head. It cast a look at the door at the end of its office, rising thousands of meters above. The door to its master. Death could not recall the last time the door was used. Death preferred for things to stay that way. Death wanted to go back to its routine.

A bony hand reached from the flowing black robe, the white fingers wrapped themselves around the hourglass. Death let out a sigh, muttered an apology in its mind for the human who was about to lose his/her immortality, and flipped the hourglass upright.

The sand did not fall. They stayed in their position.

What?

Death was annoyed. It took the hourglass with both its hands and shook it. It turned the hourglass upside down several times. Still, the sand did not flow, while the sand in billions of others continued to fall.

Who is this human entitled to immortality?

Death let out a frustrated grunt. It wanted to throw the hourglass at the wall. How can Death be defied? It decided that it needed to seek out its master. Death grabbed the defective hourglass and started the long march towards the giant door. It needed an answer.

Just when it was about to leave its desk, however, a voice shook Death's office. Death recognised it instantly. The voice of the master.

DON'T BOTHER. The voice commanded.

THE HOURGLASS IS YOURS.

Out of Seoul, Part 1/3 - Garden of Morning Calm

2018-09-19T17:25:00.001+08:00

In this post, I will be sharing my experience and photos traveling around the vicinity of Seoul. While many travelers may stick to only the main city and its nearby suburbs during their trip to Seoul, did you know that there are many more interesting locations to visit just a short drive away from South Korea's capital city? One such example is the Garden of Morning Calm in Gapyeong, which I will be focusing on in my Part 1/3 Out of Seoul series!

When I first learned of the Garden of Morning Calm from my research of places to visit, my reactions were "How good can a garden get?" and "How can a simple garden be so popular?"

But trusting the reviews of the place, which is at 4.3 stars from more than 3,500 reviews, I decided to take a leap of faith and booked a tour to visit the garden, as part of a 1-day tour package. It is one of the best choices I have made during the trip because the garden is just simply gorgeous!

Garden of Morning Calm is maintained throughout the year with different sections of the garden catering to different themes such as a Korean Garden (duh), Bonsai Garden and a Heaven Garden. At 300,000 metres square, the entire garden is 60 times the size of a football field. We took around 2 hours to cover the entire area by foot, which was totally not what I expected.

The entire place feels like a setting straight out from a romantic movie and according to our tour guide, the garden has indeed been used as a filming location before.

Like the name suggests, you do feel a sense of calmness and serenity exploring the garden, where you are surrounded by the beauty of nature. The plants, facilities and paths are also very well maintained, which adds to the entire experience. At times, you will also feel as if you're in a European country with some of the themed buildings in the garden.

There are also seasonal events happening in the garden throughout the year and one sad thing is that summer is considered the worst periods to visit the place, mainly due to the heat and everything is mostly green. If you are planning to visit the garden, it is highly recommended to visit the place during spring, autumn or winter as there are more colours or the place just looks beautifully romantic.

I am not complaining though because the garden still looked beautiful during my visit and I don't regret my decision.

It takes about an hour drive from Seoul to reach the garden and around 2 hours if you plan to take public transport. However, I highly recommend including other places like Nami Island and the Rail Parks to maximise your time. For me, I visited Garden of Morning Calm as part of a full day tour, along with Nami Island and Gachon Rail Park. I will be covering the other two places in my subsequent posts, so do stay tuned!

The park charges an entry fee and there are several food places in the vicinity of the garden, but aside from that there are very few eating places around. Again highly recommended visiting as part of a tour.

You can check out my Google review at https://goo.gl/maps/6NE8dEgzHcP2

I hope you enjoyed this post. Do you have experience visiting any cool parks or gardens? Do share!

Visiting Korea's Santorini, Gamcheon Culture Village

2018-08-31T11:48:00.000+08:00

Out of the many attractions in Busan, the Gamcheon Culture Village is definitely one of my favourite. Dubbed the Santorini of Korea, this village sits on the hills near the outskirts of Busan, overlooking both the sea and city. The village is easily identifiable from afar, with its colourful and vibrant buildings.

The village was not always this colourful though. Beneath its bright and cheerful colours, the village originally started out as a slum for the poor, with its tight alleyways and cramped buildings. Conditions were far from good.

Things took a change for the better when a group of students descended upon the village with paintbrushes, paving the way to the village becoming one of the top tourist destinations in Busan.

Today, tourists can walk through the streets of Gamcheon and admire the beautiful sceneries during their visit. There are numerous cafes, souvenir shops, art installations and photo spots around the village to keep visitors entertained.

For a really immersive experience, visitors can purchase the Gamcheon Village map for 2,000 won, which comes with 3 recommended routes and also a Stamp Hunt in which you can collect stamps from locations around the village that you can exchange for free postcards.

We bought the map during our visit and decided to go full completionist mode, opting for the 2 hours route and vowing to complete the Gamcheon Cultural Village Stamp Hunt. The journey took us away from the main tourist spots and through the narrow alleys of the village, giving us a glimpse of what the village life is like.

Beneath the hype and tourist attractions, Gamcheon is still very much a village for its residents, where people live their daily lives. There were signs advising visitors to be respectful of the village as we explored the place. Walking through the houses of the people living there made me appreciate my own life back in Singapore more.

Houses in Gamcheon are generally small, where you'll have to duck your head inside the house to avoid hitting the ceiling. Some of the paths in front of the houses can only fit one person walking at any one time, a far cry from my comfortable life.

Still, it was an eye-opening experience in Gamcheon. It was something unique that I have never experienced before, a combination of a scavenger hunt with both tourist and local elements, bringing the visitor to see a different perspective on life.

Gamcheon Culture Village is definitely one of the must-visits in Busan, Korea. No matter if you like hipster stuff, artistic stuff, adventure stuff or local immersion stuff, Gamcheon has a little of everything. Just make sure that you are wearing comfortable shoes during your visit :)

To get to Gamcheon, simply take the metro to Toseong Station and then take Bus 2 or Bus 1-1 from the hospital. You can also view my Google Review of the village here.

Have you visited villages similar to Gamcheon before? Do share your experiences!

[Short Story] Helena

2018-08-30T08:52:00.000+08:00

"Really, after all these years, you finally are willing to listen?" Helena scoffs. Her finger is just centimeters away from ending me.

"Yes," I groan. My ribs hurt like mad. I have no idea how I am supposed to get of this mess I have gotten myself into, but I know I need to try.

Helena chuckles. Hero of the people, that is what she calls herself. How she sees herself. But I know better. She walks up to me and tilts my chin upwards. For the first time in our entire history, I see her grin.

"I suppose it won't hurt," she says, "seeing that you're tied up in your current state."

She pulls up a chair and sits a few steps from me. "You never listened anyway, so maybe this is my only chance."

I breathe a sigh of relief. She took the bait. While my hands explore the lock that she placed them in, I need to keep her distracted. "So, tell me, hero of the people, what do you have to say for yourself?"

Helena is no hero of the people, no matter what she believes. The number of innocent lives that she took would put even Hitler to shame. She was a terrorist, simple as that. One who is committed to sowing chaos and discord. I am the one who have always thwarted her plans, stopping her from achieving her goals. People call me Protector for a reason.

"Have you ever heard of Syria, Mr Protector?"

I nod my head. "It's where you were born, isn't it?"

Interpol has briefed me before on Helena's history. They thought it would help me in my quest to stop her. It did nothing more than wasted a few hours of my life. Never once have those information, obscure as they were, helped me. I never had the time, anyway. All my time were devoted to dealing with Helena's evil plans.

"Correct. But I am sure you know what happened to the country right?"

I stay silent. Syria no longer exists. The place is nothing more than a wasteland now. Helena's gaze pierces mine. There is so much anger and hate burning in her eyes.

"You are a war refugee," I say. One of my fingers manages to slip pass the restraint and I am able to activate my distress signal. My team will know that I am in trouble and send help. I just need to keep Helena busy.

Helena chuckles again. "I see that your masters have taught you well. But have they ever told you about what happened after that?"

From the Interpol files, she was shown to have journeyed to Europe, like so many of her countrymen. From there on, details have been scarce. Interpol had no idea what happened during those few years, but when she re-emerged, her name was tied to a suspected bombing in France. Twenty people died. And people have never stopped dying since then.

"You became a monster," I whisper, which provoke a laugh from Helena.

"A monster?" She shouts. "Is that what your masters told you? That I am a monster? I'll show you what's a monster!"

Another sharp pain pierces through my ribs. I scream in pain as a few more of my bones break. I make the extra effort to spit my blood at Helena.

"Just kill me already," I taunt her. Even if I die, Helena will not be able to escape like how she always does. I have already done my role in locating her. Jonas and the rest will be able to take her in, finally.

Helena shakes her head. She looks at my arm, where a symbol of a shield was tattooed on it.

"I will tell you what happened to me," she says as she lifts her sleeves, revealing an identical tattoo to mine.

"No, it couldn't be," I say out loud.

Helena seems to read my mind. "Yes, Mr Protector. I have the same symbol as you. Maybe the same story as you. Let me guess, you're special, they need you to protect the world and you are destined for a higher calling?"

The sudden realisation hits me harder than Helena's earlier punches. Those were the exact words used when I was recruited. I believed every single one of them.

"You're lying!" I scream. Helena is just toying with me, I tell myself. She is, after all, the leader of the most dangerous organisation on the planet. Of course, mind games would be up her alley.

"My friends will be here soon and you will have nowhere to escape!" I continue. I will not let her get to me. I am the only one chosen to be the Protector, not her. She must have gotten the info about me, somehow.

Helena smiles at me. "I know that they are coming. My aim here today is just you. Just think about it, will you? Until we meet again."

A loud crash shakes the room and the entire area plunges into darkness.

"Helena?" My voice echoes in the room. She is gone.

*****

"You're back," the familiar voice greets me. It is as if she predicted that I will come back.

I dash up to her and yank her up by her collar. "Show me!" I demand.

Helena grins. "Now, now. No need to use your superspeed here. We both know how useful it was the last time."

Her gaze shifts between my hands. "Would you mind to put me down first? Getting hard to breathe up here."

I grunt as I lower her. That condescending grin of hers never left her face. It frustrates me to no end to not be able to do anything.

"I always wanted to tell you, you know," Helena purrs, her hand slowly lifting up her sleeve. The shield is still there, an exact copy of mine. "It's just that every time you show up, it's just zooming here and zooming there, things are finished even before I can start!"

I lift her hand up, paying no attention to her monologue. The design is unmistakable, with only one small difference. I grit my teeth at the implication. "Why is yours read two?"

Helena laughs at my question. "Oh come on Mr Protector, surely a man of your intellect know what that means?"

The thought makes me shudder. They told me that the Roman numeral 'III' on my brand signifies our division number. I believed them.

"You're... my predecessor," I hesitate. The word stings. I wanted to ask the team what Helena meant after what happened yesterday. But I did not. I do not why. Perhaps I wanted to get the answer myself. Maybe I was afraid of who to trust. Somehow, I found my way back to this abandoned factory, where I face my first defeat to the so-called 'Hero of the People'.

Helena claps her hands. "Correct! I was the Protector before you. There was another person before me, I suppose, but I never knew what happened to him."

"You're... lying," I try to counter. My mind is telling me that all these are part of Helena's tricks but my heart disagrees. Of all the lies Helena has told, this feels genuine.

"That's the best argument you got? Tell me, Protector, or shall I just call you John, since you're not willing to share your name, what reason did the Task Force gave to conceal your identity?"

"That we need to operate in secrecy, because the knowledge of a superhero's existence would upset the balance of the world," I recite. A line that has been repeated too many times to me. Even though I have saved the world numerous times, the name Protector is only known to a few, mostly governments.

Helena shakes her head. "Wrong. The only reason why they have to keep you a secret, the program in secret, is because of the consequences they would face if the public finds out that they are experimenting on humans..."

"A sacrifice that is needed to protect the world from evil like you!" I cut in. I made the choice to be the Protector. Even though it meant leaving life as I know it. But what is there to leave, when everyone I ever loved is no longer around?

I stared at the face of Helena. The face of a terrorist. A murderer. "A sacrifice that I am more willing to make to bring my family's killer to justice?"

"What?" Helena frowns. "What family?"

"Don't pretend to forget. January 27, 2025. The Amsterdam bombing. Hundreds of innocent people died," I hiss. I was supposed to be there too. Together with mum, dad, Jenny, and Adam. It was supposed to be Adam's first trip with his grandparents.

There was a sudden emergency back at base and I had to postpone my flight. I remember kissing Jenny goodbye at the airport and told her to enjoy herself first. I would be joining them a few days after. If I only I knew that would be the last time I see them.

"You killed my family!" I screamed, the pain all came rushing back. My family, all burned beyond recognition. All because of a stupid political statement. I charge at Helena and wrap my hands around her neck.

"You killed all of them!"

Helena coughs, but she does not struggle. Instead of the hatred I saw yesterday, there is only pity in her eyes. "I didn't kill them."

"Liar!" I scream. I just kill her and finally get my revenge. To hell with not stooping to criminals' level. Why do they deserve our mercy, when Jenny and Adam did not?

Tears well up in Helena's eyes and in this brief moment, I see a familiar pain shoot across her face. My hands instinctively let her go. She falls to the floor, coughing, but she keeps her gaze on me. Tears stream down her face.

"I didn't kill your family," she whispers. "Because my family died there too."

*****

All my life I thought I am the good guy, doing the right thing. For as long as I could remember. It was the reason I joined the prefects back in school. The reason I studied Political Science. The reason I applied to the army the first thing after I graduated. When Captain Miller approached me with the offer to be more than who I could be, to protect the world, I said yes without even thinking.

That was my world. Used to be. Now, I am not so sure anymore.

Helena hands me a photo. Her family. Her two daughters, her husband, her sister and her nephew. They were all smiling around a table, a sumptuous feast prepared before them.

"It was the last picture we took, before all went to hell. We were celebrating Eid al-Fitr," she says, her eyes still wet. I take my necklace out and pulled a small photo tucked in between the frame. A picture from happier days too.

Helena takes and studies it. "What is his name?"

"Adam."

She hands me the picture back. "He looks just like you."

I stare at the picture. It has been three years since that day. Three years since I swore to bring their killer to justice. Helena slides me another picture, one that chills me down to the bones. It is a photo I saw before. Burned, black bodies beyond recognition. Two girls.

"Nina and Maya," she whispers, fighting back tears again. "They promised that no harm would come to them, should... should I continued to obey them... but I cannot, not after..."

Helena breaks down in small sobs. I have never seen my arch-nemesis crying. All the stories about her ruthlessness and cold-bloodedness melt away in an instance. She is not an evil psychopath, she is human, just like me. A woman who once used to be a mother.

I place my hand on her back. "What happened?"

She turns to look at me. For the first time in our entire feud, I feel sympathy for her.

"I disobeyed the Task Force," she says. "I went rogue."

Helena sits down and recounts her story. The one missing from the Interpol files. Like many refugees, she and her family found out that Europe was less than welcoming than what they hoped. Her family was separated, shipped to holding camps. Only her daughters were allowed to go with her.

"The next time I saw my husband, he was in shackles." Helena's husband was accused of trying to escape and in his attempt, he accidentally killed an officer.

"I was given a choice," she says and I immediately know.

"To join the Task Force?" I ask.

She smiles and shakes her head. "No, to become an experimental subject. What did you think, that the serum given to you was stable from the beginning?"

Helena eyes the Shield tattoo. "And yes, part of the deal was to become some sort of superhero. To uphold order. To give back to my community."

"That explains your strength."

Helena nods. "What did you think? That I was born with super strength? I guess for you, the serum gave you speed instead. I tried to tell you many times, you know."

The Task Force never told me how Helena got her powers. They simply said it was my job to find out. I never gave Helena chance though. I was always too eager to finish the job. To bring down Helena. I was too thirsty for revenge.

"What made you go rogue?"

Helena sighs as she looks into the air. My hand reaches out to hers. Her fingers wrap around mine. "They asked me to kill my fellow people. Long story short, it caused me to question the Task Force. And I did things that I was no proud off."

"The France bombing?"

"Yes." Helena explains that she never intended for the incident to go that way. It was only to send a message. But she was betrayed by the people she trusted. By the time she realized, it was too late. Both sides used her.

"I killed them all, the Brotherhood, to atone for my sins, but the Task Force has already branded me a traitor." The Amsterdam incident was a message to her and an opportunity. Europe needed a bogeyman and they found it in Helena.

But it did not explain everything. "Where do I come in then? Why do they create me if you're a tool to them?"

"Perhaps I am becoming too dangerous," Helena jokes, and I find myself grinning to it. "Maybe I have achieved the purpose."

Before I can respond, an explosion shakes the building. Men march in, led by a familiar figure. Captain Miller. He gives me a satisfied look. "Thanks for leading us to Helena, Protector."

Helena looks at me with a betrayed look. "You didn't..."

I did not. I came here alone. The Task Force must have followed me here.

"Step aside, Protector, you have done your job" Captain Miller commands, as the men charge towards her. I look at Helena, then back at Captain Miller. The choice was clear.

[END]

Haedong Yonggungsa, Busan's temple by the sea

2018-08-24T15:08:00.001+08:00

During my travels, I have visited a lot of temples before. From Angkor Wat in Cambodia to temples in Taiwan and Japan, each of them is unique in their own way. With that being said, not many of them are located by the sea, which makes the temple that I am about to mention really special.

Located near the outskirts of Busan, Korea, Haedong Yonggungsa was built by a monk so that sea can "meet" with the mountains. Despite seeing countless temples before in my travels, I must admit that I was blown away by the view. As I descended down the stone staircase leading to the temple complex, the way that the sea breeze and blue waters greeted me instilled a sense of peace and calm over me.

While the temple layout itself is quite simple, there is only one cafe and one main prayer hall with a couple more smaller praying places, the scenery more than made up for the trip. I found myself simply admiring and soaking in the atmosphere. There is something about the sea that makes you want to sit back and just relax.

I definitely enjoyed my time here. Climbing up and down the different parts of the temple was quite fun and I really loved the sea view. It adds to the beauty of the temple and the monk who founded the temple really knew how to pick a spot. The pictures taken here are just beautiful.

You can only visit the temple via bus from Busan though and the journey takes about an hour plus from Haeundae. There are food stalls and restaurants outside the temple for the hungry. Would strongly recommend visiting this place as it gives off a different vibe compared to the usual temples site.

Capture precious memories on your trip for 20% discount!

2018-08-05T10:57:00.002+08:00

Capturing memories is an important part of traveling. Photos and videos allow us to revisit those happy vacation moments, which is why many of us put a lot of effort into documenting our trips.

With the growing popularity of 360 photos and videos, revisiting those trips seem to be easier than ever before. It also allows you to share your experience with friends and families too, as if they were at the location themselves.

However, the cost and effort of owning your own equipment is not something some of us could consider. Buying an equipment is expensive and maintaining them also takes effort and time. Besides, it's not always that we use those equipments. Most of the time they sit ignored in a corner of our room.

A cheaper and hassle-free alternative that you can consider is travel rental. One such provider that you can consider from Singapore is Leasany. During my previous trip to Korea, they have kindly loaned me a 360 camera to capture moments from my trip, and thanks to them, I was able to capture one such video below:

The whole process is easy and quick, and the rates are affordable too! No more buying expensive equipments on your own and letting them collect dust.

And from now to Jan 2019, use the code "lukey" on https://leasany.com/ to enjoy 20% off rental services!

Places to Visit in Gyeongju

2018-08-01T14:56:00.001+08:00

Looking for some suggestions on what to visit in South Korea's historical city of Gyeongju?

Here are some suggestions from my own experience in the town. It is not an exhaustive list it but should give you some idea of where to start. For context, I stayed 2 days and 2 nights in Gyeongju, traveling to the different attractions purely by public transport.

1. Cheomseongdae Observatory

What it is: The Cheomseongdae Observatory is a structure built around 632-647 during the reign of Queen Seon-deok of the Silla Kingdom, Korea's earliest complex civilization. It was used to forecast weather by observing the stars. Today, it is one of the few remaining relics from the ancient Silla Kingdom, designated as one of South Korea's National Treasures. At 1300+ years old, it is also during this period when the Islamic civilization was rising to power and China was ruled by the Tang Dynasty.

Review: While the structure is historically significant and quite a sight to behold (after all, it is older than me by a millennium), I find the experience of visiting the place to be a little underwhelming. It might be due to my expectations prior to visiting the place as I read about it online, but I also guess I did not do my research enough. The observatory stands solitarily in the middle of an open-air park, with not many other things around it. While it makes for a good picture opportunity, I don't think this is a place worthy of visiting on its own as you will spend at most 30 minutes here. There is a board explaining the structure but that is about it. Would strongly recommend the observatory as part of a larger itinerary.

2. Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond

What it is: Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond used to be a secondary palace for the royals during Korea's Silla Period. Today, the place is a reconstruction of the ancient palace that gets turned into a magical light display during the night. Buildings and trees are fitted with colourful lights that form a beautiful reflection on the still waters of the lake.

Review: No doubt the place is really pretty and they also offered a brief history to the place, but wouldn't say that it's entirely really unique or different. It's just pretty.

There will also be loads of crowd during the night as many tours come here, so you'll sometimes need to jostle for a photo-taking spot. Make sure to bring a camera that can function well at night if you want to capture the photos of this place.

Additional tips: You can reach this place via public transport (a quick google search will help) and you'll need to pay an entrance fee as well. The place is like a park where visitors will need to follow a path to cover the place. As the lights are the biggest selling factor, be sure to visit the place at night too.

3. Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto

Intro: While many sites would list Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto as different places to visit in Gyeongju, I would see them as a place to visit together due to their proximity and relationship to each other. Both sites possess a rich history to them, which is why they are both listed as UNESCO world heritage sites. They are highly recommended as places to visit in Gyeongju due to the historical value that they both carry.

Review: It was quite an interesting experience, walking on the same ground as people who have come hundreds of years before you. The architecture of Bulguksa temple reminds me of the architecture of the Buddhist temples in Cambodia's Siem Reap, in how there is a main building in the middle flanked by pagodas and with stone stairs leading up to the complex. The entire area of Bulguksa is big with different halls for different deities. The entire temple felt calming to visit, with plenty of opportunities to take artistic pictures as well. I was particularly amazed by the rock formations that they did in one section of the temple.

Seokguram Grotto on the other hand, however, felt slightly more underwhelming as it was only a section of the original structure that we can see, locked behind a panel of glass which you cannot take pictures of. We expected to see more at Seokguram and the entire experience only took less than 30 minutes. This is why I highly recommend visiting both Bulguksa and Seokguram together. The view from Seokguram, however, was nice and breathtaking.

Additional tips: There is a bus running hourly between Seokguram and Bulguksa (Bus 12), which makes traveling between the two places much easier. There is also a food area near Bulguksa for those who are hungry. You can take public buses to Bulguksa from either the downtown area or the Bomun tourist complex. Wear comfortable shoes as there are some hiking involved.

4. Daereungwon Tomb Complex

Intro: The Daereungwon Tomb Complex is something like the pyramids to the Koreans, where the royals of the ancient Silla Kingdom are buried under. From afar they may look like normal mounds, but make no mistake, these mounds are considered sacred and important to the local people. In fact, running on them would bet you millions of won in fine! There are many of them around the small town of Gyeongju, each varying in size and height.

Review: While it is quite humbling to consider the history behind these tombs, only viewing them from afar seems to be quite underwhelming. Unfortunately for me, I did not get a chance to see the tomb from the inside, which I guess affected how I remember the entire experience. It is also somewhat disappointing to not know which tomb belonged to who, as we only got to see mounds of grass.

If you do plan to visit, make sure to visit one of the tombs which you can enter!

5. Bomun Lake

Intro: Bomun Lake is one of the most popular attractions in Gyeongju. Surrounded by hotels and resorts, Bomun Lake is known for its beautiful scenery. If you come during the spring season, you will be greeted with beautiful sights of cherry blossom doting the lake. Romantic and breathtaking. Just google Bomun Lake and you can see it for yourself. However, that is just for spring, which brings me to the next point of my review.

Review: We visited Bomun Lake in the summer and to our disappointment, it was nothing like what is pictured online. Part of the lake was dried up and gave way to vegetation, and it felt no different from any other parks with a lake. I guess this is because we did not do sufficient research online, without realizing that summer is definitely the period to avoid if you plan to visit the lake. The place was just quiet during our visit.

Not that I am complaining, but it's always good to be sufficiently informed before a visit. Still, we did manage to catch the sunset over the lake, and the walk around it was calming due to the lack of people. But we guessed the place would have been a lot prettier during other seasons except summer.

6. Gyochon Hanok Village and Woljeonggyo Bridge

Intro: Gyochon Hanok Village is a tourist attraction in Gyeongju shaped in a traditional Korean Village style. These traditional buildings house a variety of cafes, shops, and museums for tourists. You can walk around the village just soaking in the atmosphere and deciding what you want to buy/eat/do. If you're a fan of history, there is also a preserved house from many years ago for you to visit.

Woljeonggyo Bridge, on the other hand, is a scenic spot not far from Gyochon where you can take cool pictures of!

Review: The village is not a bad place to hang out in as they offer visitors a variety of things to do. You can even dress up in traditional Korean costumes to roam around the village for photo opportunities. You can eat ice-cream, play with dogs or just admire the architecture of the place. Do take note though to get to the village before 4pm, as many shops and attractions close by 5pm.

How to get to Gyeongju and how to travel out from Gyeongju?

2018-07-25T11:53:00.000+08:00

Getting to and out of Gyeongju

As Gyeongju is a small town, finding convenient ways to get there can be quite confusing. There are no flights going into Gyeongju, but there are several other ways you can get here, depending on your budget and preferred mode of travel. The fastest and most expensive way is the KTX, the second being the normal train and the last being the bus.

Below are the methods to easily travel to and from Gyeongju.

1. KTX: There is KTX service to Gyeongju if you're looking for something fast. The KTX, however, stops at the Singyeongju Station, which is slightly outside of the city and not the Gyeongju train station in the city. We took the KTX from Seoul when we visited Gyeongju, which cost us about 50,000 won. The entire train journey took about 2+ hours from Seoul to Singyeongju, and we had to switch to a bus from Singyeongju to Gyeongju.

The trip was quite fast though, considering we traveled from one end to the other end. You can also consider taking the KTX from Busan.

2. Normal Train: Cheaper than the KTX service, there is normal train services out of Gyeongju Station if you're on a budget or looking for a scenic route. We took the normal train out of Gyeongju to Busan, and the whole journey took around the same time as the KTX trip from Seoul. Considering that Busan is much closer to Gyeongju than Seoul, you can imagine how much slower the train is traveling.

Also, the normal train stops at Bujeon Station in Busan, rather than Busan Station if you're taking the KTX. In terms of comfort, wouldn't say that the normal train differs significantly from the KTX.

3. Bus: From my cursory Google search I know you can take the bus to and from the Gyeongju Express Terminal if you're heading to or coming from Busan, but we skipped this option because most of the people at Gyeongju are not really good in English and our Korean is just plain non-existent. I would imagine the bus option being the cheapest but we wanted to be safe so we went with the train option instead.

A Day Trip to the Korean DMZ: Tips and Advice

2018-07-24T15:59:00.002+08:00

The Korean Demilitarised Zone, or DMZ in short, is possibly one of the most fascinating places in the world. The two countries that border the Korean DMZ, North and South Korea, are still technically at war and tension along the DMZ can still get quite high during occasions. Despite the dangers and risks, the Korean DMZ is also one of the most popular tourist destinations, given the attention that it gets on the international stage.

If you are planning to visit Korea, I strongly encourage you to visit the DMZ. After all, there are not many places around the world like DMZ and it is technically the safest "war zone" in the world. Here are some tips/advice on what you should do if you plan to visit the Korean DMZ.

The Joint Security Area (JSA), probably the most recognisable part of the DMZ1. Decide which country you want to visit the DMZ from. Since both North and South Korea border the DMZ, you have the choice to visit the DMZ from either side. However, given that South Korea is more tourist friendly and the capital city of Seoul is just nearby to the DMZ, going from the South is the easier choice. There are more operators from the South providing the DMZ tour too, so you can pick and choose what you like. But if you love to live dangerously, you can consider a North Korean DMZ tour. I heard visitors to the North can do this, though I am not sure how. For me, I visited the DMZ via South Korea.

North Korea, as viewed from Dora Observatory!2. Pick the places that you want to visit in the DMZ. From the South Korean side, there are several points of interest in the DMZ that tourists have access to. Depending on your appetite, you may want to visit all of them or you may want to only go to those that interest you. Time may also be a consideration, as the more places you choose to go, the longer you'll spend. I chose to visit most of them and hence I went with the full day DMZ tour. I included the places that I have visited during my full day DMZ tour below and you can click on the place name for my Google review of the places.

Joint Security Area (JSA): The most recognizable place in the DMZ
Dora Observatory: An observation post that allows you to look into North Korea
Third Infiltration Tunnel: Tunnel dug by North Koreans, suspected to be used to infiltrate South Korea
Dorasan Station: The Nothern most South Korean train station
Imjingak Park: A DMZ-themed public accessible park

Personally, I highly recommend JSA and the Tunnel out of all the options, as they allow you to experience something completely different than usual tour spots.

Pushing for a unified Korea

3. Pick a tour. Once you decided on the places you want to visit, pick a tour group that fits the most into your schedule and offers you what you're looking for. As the DMZ cannot be accessed by the public freely, going with a tour group is the only option. There are many tour groups offering DMZ tours, a simple Google search will do the trick, but my advice is to go with a tour group that allows you to pay on the day itself. This is very important. DON'T PAY ONLINE for the DMZ tour. Insist on paying on the spot if possible. The tour operator that we went with allowed us to pay on the spot using cash as long as we gave them the credit card number for collateral. This is because DMZ tours can be subject to last minute changes due to unforeseen circumstances (like North Korea suddenly threatening war) and going through the process of refund can be quite a hassle.

4. Be mindful of the rules. Another thing to take note of are the rules in the DMZ. Unlike other tours, visitors must be mindful of the rules in the DMZ such as the dress code and no simply taking pictures at certain areas, but as long as you follow the instructions of your guide, the trip should be fine. Breaking the rules in the DMZ can also land you in serious trouble, and possibly spoil your entire trip.

Summary: In summary, I really enjoyed the trip to the DMZ. As someone who is interested in the Korean War, it gives a really different perspective to a place that has captured the attention of the world. It is sad to see Korea divided into two due to political reasons and the DMZ stands today as a testament to how international politics can really mess up a country. Also, the DMZ is the most dangerous place that I have visited so far in my life.

So what do you think of the DMZ? Have you visited the area before? Will you consider it? Let me know!

Why Sending Baby Basket is a Great Choice

2018-07-05T15:28:00.002+08:00

There are many baby gift items to choose when you want to give your friend or relative a thoughtful gift on baby shower. You may choose to give expensive baby furniture or equipment or a baby crib or carrier.

You may also choose to give an affordable hamper of gifts or box of diapers. On the other hand, you may also choose to give baby basket instead. If you are wondering why, here are some interesting reasons why baby basket is a perfect gift on baby showers.

Versatility

Many people prefer to give a baby basket on baby showers because of its versatility. The basket is a versatile object because it can be used for a lot of purposes. Aside from holding different baby items and baby gifts, it can also serve as decorative item during the celebration. Pair it with a lovely flower arrangement or beautiful hand bouquet and send it as your special florist delivery to the new parents as they celebrate the occasion.

Customizability

A baby basket is customizable. You can easily customize one to have a personalized gift to the parents and to the new baby. Look around at the flower shop Singapore for more baby items to add to your customized basket of baby gifts.

Attractiveness

A baby basket is very attractive. Whether you choose items based on theme, gender, or favorite color, the gifts look prettier and more attractive when arranged in the basket. The colorful items also add attractiveness and design to the basket.

Affordability

A basket of baby items is affordable. You can have a beautiful gift on baby shower party for less the price when you choose to send the expectant parents a gift of baby basket. The florist can help you send one to anywhere in Singapore just in time for the celebration of baby showers.

Availability

A basket of baby gifts is available anytime. Whether your friend celebrates the baby shower party on holiday seasons or during summer season, you will find more options and choices for a wonderful baby basket of gifts.

No matter what reason you have, you will never run out of choices if you choose to send or give the new mom and dad a special basket as your gift to welcome their new bundle of joy.

Chill out and impress your crush at the bay with DBS Marina Regatta

2018-05-24T17:02:00.001+08:00

Thinking of places to bring your crush can be intimidating.

If you're looking for something fun to do over the coming weekends, do consider dropping by the annual DBS Marina Regatta 2018 event, Singapore's Biggest Bay Festival @ Marina Bay! Held over two weekends on 26 (Sat), 27 (Sun) May and 2 (Sat), 3 (Sun) June, there are a lot of fun-filled activities that you can look forward to participating in.

Perfect activity for a date, for those who are looking for ideas ;)

Entrance to the event

Be prepared to get your sports attire dirty and your tummy empty for the event, as DBS Marina Regatta 2018 offers both fun and food for all!

For all you adrenaline junkies and ninja warrior fans, be sure to check out Battle Bay Extreme, Southeast Asia’s largest land and water obstacle course! If you have looked at the TV shows before and wondered if you can do better, this is your chance.

Brought to you by DBS and powered by Under Armour, the obstacle course will have you swinging from ropes, navigating treacherous terrains and avoiding alligator bites as you make your way through the course. I kid about the alligator, but you get the drift.

You can view more details at https://www.dbs.com/marina-regatta/battle-bay-extreme.html and if you're interested, you can still sign up onsite at the Promontory during the event.

A snapshot of the Battle Bay Extreme

Battle Bay Extreme: Also ideal time to impress your crush

And if you're feeling competitive with an itch to win some prizes, make sure to get yourself a Bay Passport. It is a game card where you will need to get stamps for completing activities around DBS Marina Regatta. Just 5 tasks out of 10 are enough to get you in the running to score yourself a sweet new HUAWEI Mate 10 phone or even a trip to Berlin or Maldives!

What better way to score points with your date by giving him/her a brand new phone or a trip to an exotic place?

Bay Passport: The Passport to your crush's heart

Extreme sports not an ideal activity? Don't worry, there are also slower paced events where you can just chill and enjoy the atmosphere.

There will be Buskers by the Bay where you can get to enjoy various artists display their talents, aligned with DBS' motto of 'Live more, Bank less’. Busking by the Bay will take place from 1-3 June at the bay area, at these timings: 1-2 June: 5.30pm – 8.30pm and 3 June: 3pm onwards.

Pro-tip: Pick out a time when the sun is setting. Super romantic, just like the Korean dramas. Don't forget to get some of the awesome food available too to warm your tummy and both your hearts.

Cutesy food that are delicious as well

This beer battered chicken is the dope

Last but not least, show off your kind side by dropping by Artbox, just a short walk away. With over 20 social enterprises from across the region participating in the event, you can indulge in guilt-free shopping. Supported by the DBS Foundation, which champions social enterprises in Asia, expect to find a unique and eclectic range of fashion, handcrafts, and food from these purpose-driven enterprises!

It's an ideal end to the date where you can get a socially conscious souvenir to remember the occasion by.

Don't say I never teach you hor!

For more information on DBS Marina Regatta 2018, be sure to visit https://www.dbs.com/marina-regatta/index.html

Some cool event videos below in case you missed it:

Geylang Serai Bazaar 2018: Review

2018-05-14T11:30:00.002+08:00

If you happen to be in Singapore from 12 May to 14 June 2018, be sure to check out Singapore's annual biggest night market, the Geylang Serai Bazaar! The bazaar is an annual event held in conjunction with the Muslim fasting month, where hundreds of stalls will be set up near the Paya Lebar MRT vicinity. They sell anything from hipster street food to curtains for your home decoration.

There will be loads of colourful decorations this year as well!

I had a chance to visit the bazaar yesterday and my favourite part of the bazaar is definitely the amount of delicious food and drinks available. I went there with my stomach empty for dinner and left with a happily filled stomach. Here are some recommendations from a self-proclaimed food critic. First on the list, beef cubes by Beef Bro!

Must try: Grilled beef cubes by Beef Bro

Look at these juicy beef cubes

Beef Bro was one of the stalls I came across and it was love at first bite. The other time I remember eating such delicious beef cubes is back in Osaka when I tried the grilled Kobe beef cubes. The meat is juicy and flavourful, though there are some tough bits that are hard to chew. There are also some fatty bits as well, which may not be everyone's taste. Go with the cheese option and add some of their belachan chili sauce for that extra zing. Highly recommended!

Another one of my favourite food is the rainbow cheese toast.

Just look at those colours~

Other than being an insta-worthy food, cheese lovers will love the cheesy filled insides of the toast. They gave very generous servings of the cheese and eating the toast made me reminiscent those pizza ads where the person is just pulling cheese off the slice. There is also a slightly sugary taste that I think is coated onto the bread that compliments the cheese really well, along with the rainbow sparkles. I just hope the unicorn doesn't mind us stealing its favourite bread!

Aside from the cubes and cheese toast, we also tried food like the chili crab churros, beef fries, and grilled squid, though they were not as mind-blowing as the first two food item.

Grilled squid on a stickChili crab churrosBeefy friesWhile not too bad tasting, the remainder of the three items didn't really strike us as being totally amazing. The grilled squid, while nice, was served to us cold (eww) while the chili crab churros, were just, churros with chili crab sauce slapped on top. The combination of spicy and sweet just felt off. While you cannot really go wrong with chili beef fries. It was our carb of the night.

Of course, if you're looking for the old school type of night market food like kebab and Ramli burgers, there are plenty of stalls that sell that as well. There are also numerous other food stalls around that sell different food, but we're already quite full after all the food that we ate, so we did not get a chance to sample all of them. Seriously, this place is worth a few different visits.

For those who want something less... hipster

Now that we're done with the food part, onwards to drinks!

First on the list, this superbly awesome Super Mango drink!

Instead of super mango, they should have called it majestic mango instead

The drink is not only filled with pure blended mango goodness rather than artificial syrup, it also comes with mango ice-cream and mango slices on top of the drink. As someone who absolutely loves mango but hates how expensive they are, these drink embodies my feelings toward the fruit. It was priced at $8.90 per cup, but it was so totally worth it as it's made to be shared with someone else.

Our other top two picks of drinks are the Butterscotch Float and the Blue Ocean, a mixture of mint, lemon, Blue Lagoon, and soda. Both are absolutely refreshing in the hot weather that is Singapore.

Super refreshing, just like the ocean

Closest you can get to Harry Potter's butterbeer

Last but not least, a trip to the Geylang Serai Bazaar is not complete with a henna tattoo. The price ranges from $8 to $15 depending on the design, and there are tons of different designs to choose from!

All in all, the Geylang Serai Bazaar is quite a festive place to experience Singapore's night market culture. It is the biggest one in Singapore and it only happens once per year during the Ramadhan period. Though I must say, the stalls this year looked fewer as there were still many empty spaces when I visited, but I suppose it could be due to it being only the second day of the bazaar.

A lot of empty spaces in some of the tents

But food on the other hand, is always filled with people

Still, Geylang Serai Bazaar 2018 is totally worth the visit, because the food and drinks there are just awesome. Plus it only happens once per year.

Do share what's your favourite part of the bazaar if you happen to visit it!

This post first appeared on: Local Guides Connect

Thank you for proving me wrong, Malaysia

2018-05-11T15:24:00.001+08:00

May 9, 2018 was a historic date for Malaysia, my home country. The place where I grew up in, a place I used to love. It was a date when hope is restored for many Malaysians. The invincible Barisan Nasional (BN), in power for more than six decades, somehow managed to lose the election so utterly and convincingly that there was nothing they could have done to reverse the mandate, short of inciting a full emergency state similar to May 13. This is despite everything that they have done to sabotage the system prior to the election.

For many Malaysians, this was a joyous occasion. Rightfully so. It was a historic first in the country's history, and it proved that despite how some of us may think otherwise, democracy is still alive in Malaysia. The incumbent was outed, replaced by people who have grown so synonymous with the word 'opposition'.

I am one of the cynic few for this election. I will admit that prior to this election, I thought that nothing will change. That my vote will be too insignificant in the grand scheme of things. That ultimately, BN will still claw its way back into power. I have been disappointed once in Pakatan Rakyat, so what difference will Pakatan Harapan make, despite having the juggernaut Mahathir at its helm?

I stayed in Singapore, while many of my friends were energized and making plans to travel back and vote. I indulged in my skepticism, thinking to myself that all these efforts will be wasted eventually. I did not for once thought that BN would lose. Things will just return to status quo the day after the election. I felt that the optimism this time around was misplaced. We will end up being disappointed again.

So I did nothing. I stayed. I kept quiet. You won't be disappointed if you don't allow yourself to hope in the first place, right? Besides, taking leave is troublesome and expensive. Why bother.

How wrong I was. How completely and utterly wrong. By not doing anything, I have excluded myself from a defining historical moment. I cannot tell my kids next time that this is one of the proudest moment in their dad's life, that I have believed in something and stood for it.

If the younger me were to see what I have become today, I am pretty sure he would be sorely disappointed. I used to be so optimistic, so full of hope. The younger me would have gone back to Malaysia and voted without a question. He would have done so much more rather than to give in to hopeless cynism. He would have stayed awake the whole night waiting for the results, and cried out in joy when the results were announced.

What changed?

I guess along the way, I stopped believing. I wanted to say that I grew up, but then I look at people like Lim Kit Siang, Wan Azizah, Anwar and even Mahathir, who are all supposed to be more 'grown up' than me, but yet at the same time they chose and kept on fighting for what they believed in.

Prior to the victory, it would have been logical to question their actions and motivations. To ask them to "grow up". Nothing's going to change, so why bother fighting, I would imagine people asking them time and time again. Why not just quit and do something simpler? Life would be so much easier.

It is something I told myself too when I decided to quit blogging. When I told myself to stay in Singapore. When I took up my safe and comfortable job. When I decided to walk the 'safer' route in life.

I thought I grew up. But in actual sense, I have just stopped believing that dreams are worth fighting for. I became everything that my younger self swore not to become: a cynic.

I suppose a lot of people who fight do not achieve their goals in the end. Many end up losing their everything, even their lives in the process. If BN won on May 9, it would have affirmed the cynic's argument.

"Why bother, you see, fight so hard still lost."

I guess at the end of the day, what matters more is not giving up. Cliche as it sounds, it's the journey that matters. Being able to achieve your goal is only a sweet added advantage. What matters is that you have tried.

Many revolutions and changes were not achieved overnight, with the effort of a single person. Martin Luther King, Gandhi, the apostle Paul, Karpal Singh and many others died before they could see their ambitions realized. For many of us, me included, we would have seen their efforts as wasted if we lived during their time.

Without their first step, however, nothing would have changed. These people did not care whether their goals can be achieved in their lifetime. They believed in something, and they persevered on it. Even giving their lives for the cause.

Is it worth it? I don't know.

I saw Hannah Yeoh's post on Facebook today. Of how she said she chose to stay and fight. I have many friends who shared her thoughts too. I used to scoff at thoughts like these. If there is greener pasture elsewhere, why not take it. If I can enjoy better life elsewhere, why not go for it?

After May 9, I am not sure what to think anymore.

The younger me would have said "I told you so" and he has a good point. I have become a cynic old man in many aspects of my life, losing so much of the drive and passion I used to have. I have devolved into someone who just goes along with the flow, preferring a predictable and comfortable route, instead of someone who used to believe that we are the masters of our own destiny. I simply stopped believing.

May 9 was a good wake up call for me. To show me how much I have changed, how disillusioned I have become. But if someone like Lim Kit Siang, despite facing failures again and again, can keep fighting on, what is my excuse compared to his?

May 9 showed me the power of believing and not giving up, and it was a good lesson.

Thank you for proving me wrong, Malaysia.

Review of some of Tokyo's famous places

2018-01-09T01:00:00.001+08:00

So about a month or two ago, November 2017 to be exact, I had the opportunity to visit Tokyo. It was more of a work trip actually, but I had a little time to spare (around a day) and since it was my first time in this famous place, I decided to go on a little solo sightseeing.

Tokyo is one of the largest cities in the world, so finding the idea places to go can be quite intimidating. I combed through several travel blogs, Trip Advisor and Google Maps to figure out which place to go, and after much deliberation, these are the places that I visited. And I must say I am quite happy with the choices.

They are ranked from the must see to the don't see also okay.

1. Tsukiji Fish Market - 5/5

Review: Absolutely loved the experience here, where you can eat fresh live oysters for only 400 to 500 yen, or sample an assortment of other seafood like grilled squid and even crab, all freshly caught. There are also a whole loads of sushi restaurants and cafes, all at an affordable price, where you can try the food Japan is famous for.

Highly recommend to visit for breakfast or lunch (they're closed from 2pm onward). And there you can also shop for souvenirs here as well. My top spot for must-do in Tokyo.

Pro-tip: You don't have to go into the actual market to see the fishes (unless you want to catch the tuna auction) because the nearby outer market - with a collection of different sushi stalls, souvenir shops and fish stores - are more than enough to give you a taste of the awesomeness that is Tsukiji Fish Market.

2. Meiji Jingu Shrine - 5/5

Review: This is easily another of my top tourist attractions in Tokyo, despite me not being able to visit the main temple building due to renovation works. The entire area housing the shrine is huge, where guests need to walk past tall forest trees and gravel roads before reaching the shrine.

The entire area does not feel like the metropolitan Tokyo at all, with it being surrounded by nature. It felt like I was out in the countryside. Really enjoyed the serene and peaceful vibe given off by this place, as well as the fresh air. A good break from the hectic atmosphere of Tokyo where you can just stroll leisurely and admire the nature and historical building.

Just make sure to bring water, some snacks and dress comfortably as there is quite a bit of walking involved.

3. The East Gardens of the Imperial Palace - 4/5

Review: Visited this garden in autumn, which is located just next to the Imperial Palace. The garden itself is incredibly vast, with different sections and remnants from the Edo period. Took me almost two hours to cover the entire garden. Unlike the Imperial Palace that needs a registered guided tour, this garden is open to the public for free, you just have to let guards check your bag and take a visitor pass.

Quite a relaxing place to just walk and relax away from the busy life of Tokyo, admiring the scenery and just people watching. The entire place is serene and quiet, perfect if you enjoy the nature and want to take a step back into history. Imagine the place to look very different according to the seasons. Overall would recommend the place to soak in the Japanese air and nature. Just bring a lot of water to keep yourself hydrated.

4. Senso-ji Temple and Nakamise Shopping Street - 4/5

Review: These two places go together because they're just right next to each other in the Asakusa area. If this is your first time in Japan and you have never visited any Buddhist temples in Japan before, it is a very atmospheric place to experience what the traditional Japanese culture is like.

But if you're like me who have visited different Japanese temples and shrines before, Senso-ji is just like any other temple, albeit a little smaller and not that impressive. There is only one main temple building and garden that is accessible to the public.

The gates make for a good photo op and the shopping street is a good place to buy souvenirs, but otherwise nothing else really stands out. Would highly recommend the Meiji Shrine near Shinjuku instead if you're looking for religious sites and have limited time.

5. Other places

If you still have time, you can consider visiting well-known areas such as Shibuya, Akihabara and Shinjuku, though these places are like an entire area consisting of many shops for shopping, sightseeing or just to soak in the Tokyo atmosphere, rather than a specific place to visit.

The famous hachiko statue and intersection crossing is at Shibuya, though other than that there is not much to see. Akihabara is more for the otaku shopping places while Shinjuku is more for couple or family visit.

Of course, this post is incredibly short and does not cover all of the places in Tokyo like Disneyland or Odaiba, but should be enough if you only have a day or two to spare.

6. Pro-tips when traveling solo in Tokyo

The public transport in Tokyo can bring you to almost anywhere you want, though I recommend sticking strictly to the metro and train if you cannot read Japanese. Navigating the bus routes can be quite challenging

Buy yourself a Pasmo or Suica card at any train or metro stations. The two electronic cards (which is similar to Ez-Link cards in Singapore) allows you access to almost all public transport modes in Tokyo, and you can use it to purchase things from vending machines too!

Get yourself data connection on your phone. Carry a wifi router or buy a SIM card from the airport. Having Google Maps access while on the go helps tremendously

Carry a bag or plastic bag around for your trash. Japanese people are extremely clean and all their trash cans are well sorted. If you're confused of where to throw your trash, just keep them all and throw them when you're back in your hotel. If not, try to minimise buying things that generate trash.

Lastly, don't be shy! If you need any help, be sure to ask. Japanese people are more than happy to help, even if all you can do is point around and make gestures. I ordered my food several times just by pointing.

PSA: Just don't be a Paul Logan.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi is even worse than the prequels. There, I said it

2017-12-16T16:40:00.000+08:00

Okay, long rant on Star Wars: The Last Jedi (TLJ) incoming. Major spoilers incoming, so do give this status a skip if you have not watched the movie.

With that said, let's get into the movie.

I hated the fact that they made Luke kissed his sister! And that Darth Vader was Luke's father!

Okay, I kid, but major, spoilers. You have been warned.

I had really high hopes for the movie and the trailer looked good, so I thought The Last Jedi will build and expand on the story set forth by the Force Awakens (TFA), which I felt was really lousy story writing.

But there were interesting premises set forth in TFA, like Snoke's identity and Rey's parents, and I felt TLJ is the chance to at least make the new trilogies right. I didn't like TFA, but decided that TLJ deserved a chance. Maybe the writers had interesting concepts in TFA that are worth exploring. Maybe TLJ will be like Empire Strikes Back.

Except it didn't. It sucked. MAJORLY.

It's like the people in charge of the TLJ story asked themselves what is the best way they can utterly ruin the vast and rich story of the Star Wars universe and decided to do even worse. The whole TLJ story felt like the storywriters decided to take a huge dump on all the lore that the Star Wars universe has been patiently building over the decades.

The movie is okay if you watch it as a standalone movie. They have a lot of intense moments. The acting is enjoyable to watch and the visuals are breathtaking. But it isn't. The good things in the movie can't even begin to save the cons. I hated A LOT of things in the movie.

Again, major spoilers.

Here are the things I hate:

1. The might of the First Order (FO) and the lame-ass Resistance

A lot of questions are left unanswered about the FO. How did they get so powerful? How after the destruction of the two Death Stars, the decisive battle of Jakku with the Rebel Alliance's victory, can the remnants of the Empire still be so powerful? And you would have imagined that with the destruction of the Starkiller base, the FO would at least be weakened, but no.

In TLJ, the FO still has control over so many starships while the Resistance is reduced to one pitiful Cruiser. And at the end of the movie, only like less than 40 members of the Resistance remained. The current state of the Resistance is even worse than when the Rebels Phoenix series first started. It is not logical at all how a force that has been consistently scoring so many victories be left in such a sad state?

It feels like all the past victories against the Empire and FO counted towards nothing. TLJ essentially spat at everything that the good guys achieved. Or what we thought they achieved. The sheer strength of the FO doesn't make even the slightest sense in the established lore of Star Wars.

I know you would want to make your enemy as scary and intimidating as possible, but the FO is just absurd.

Maybe the writer of TLJ might as well be a stormtrooper in hiding.

2. All the unnecessary deaths, ala GOT style

Snoke, Luke, and almost the entire Resistance got killed off in this movie. Which I really don't understand the need to. I know the writers are really hung up on the "Let the past die" part, like the emo Kylo Ren they are, but they felt poorly handled.

Like Snoke, for example. You spend so much time building him up in TFA, cast him in such mystery, have everyone question his identity for two years, then give a big middle finger to the fans but having him killed off in such a pathetic way. No battles, nothing. Just a stupid cheap lightsaber trick.

Again, the writers of TLJ didn't even have an ounce of concern over what the story has achieved so far.

Luke's death also felt forced. If I would have done it, and if I would want Luke to die, I would have let him left up his X-Wing from the sea, travel to the planet and go out Obi Wan style when Kylo Ren struck him.

It would have been such a strong symbolism, having him lift the X-Wing after meeting Yoda, showing how much he has progressed since his day at Dagobah, and then letting him go out like his master. But nope, instead, he force projected himself and came up with a cheap hologram trick instead.

And don't even get me started on how they off-ed Admiral Ackbar and the whole leadership of the Resistance. Do these people have some sort of grudge against anything that has to do with the past of the films? Their deaths all felt forced, shoe-horned in. The most ironic thing is how they could have killed off Leia as well, but for some deus ex machina reason chose to only retain her out of all the old cast. Oops.

I have a lot more dislikes about the movie.

Like how Captain Phasma is again a token character. Nuff said.

How Finn and Rose travelling to the casino world can completely be omitted from the movie without making a difference. And how they are essentially the reason all the transport ships got destroyed. I mean, shouldn't have them been let in on the plan to use the cruiser as a decoy, so they don't accidentally cause the demise of the rest of the Resistance forces? Plus Poe, Finn and Rose should be tried as mutineers who put the whole plan to jeopardy.

How Rey's parents' identity felt like a giant troll move to the fans. You don't tease so much of her ability in TFA and then choose to say, "Uh-huh, we're just kidding. Rey's parents are no one!" It really felt like the decision to make her parents no one is a last minute move.

In short, they rushed the entire "let the past die" premise. It felt forced and unnecessary, like they just wanted to start anew without caring how logical the new story would turn out. Without caring how TLJ fit into the whole Star Wars universe.

This is my biggest gripe of the whole film: TLJ writers are not really fans of the Star Wars franchise. Maybe that's why there's such huge discrepancy between the critics and the fans' score on Rotten Tomatoes.

If I could say, TLJ felt worse than the prequels. At least the prequel's storyline made sense.

By My Side (JinnyBoyTV, 2017) Movie Review

2017-12-11T00:21:00.001+08:00

I bought this movie from iTunes because I wanted to support JinnyBoy's first movie and it's probably my best purchase off iTunes. Granted, it's my only purchase off iTunes, but still, JinnyBoy did amazingly well for this movie. #MalaysianCinemaGotHope

The story mirrors the premise of the widely popular Taiwanese film Apple of My Eye (那些年，我們一起追的女孩), a story our first loves and growing up, this time told from a Malaysian's point of view.

The story hit home on a lot of fronts, about how we eventually grow apart, how we move on in life and how things change in life, and manages to balance out the humour and the emotions. Watching the movie made me think back on the path that I had taken since leaving Malaysia, and how life had changed so much since the last I was in the white and green uniform.

Love how the story got told, simple but yet strong on the message at the same time, and how they concluded the story. The movie didn't feel the need to explain everything in it, they just show the important parts and leave it to the audience to fill in the blanks. No long boring expositions.

Really beautiful and tear-jerking. The 2 hours of the film felt too short, to be honest, but I guess this is what good stories do. They always leave you wanting more. It got me sad too, reminiscing of my own story, my own regrets and what-ifs. But like how we choose to look at life sometimes, I like how the story ended off with a hopeful but yet bittersweet ending. That our first love is but a chapter in our life. It is not the end, you just have to just keep flipping the pages.

I highly recommend it for my fellow Malaysians who left our home to find a better life elsewhere and also to anyone who has been through relationships and goodbyes. And a very well done to JinnyboyTV for putting up such a superb movie. $20 well spent.

Disney / Pixar's Coco (2017) Film Review

2017-12-02T00:03:00.001+08:00

"Watch this movie, I tell ya!"

This movie was wholesome and entertaining.

It's a shame that Disney/Pixar didn't put more money into publicizing this movie, as it has a solid story and cinematography from the start, balancing all the light and heavy parts in a way that only Pixar knows how. Of course, wonderful twist as well.

Would easily rate it a 9/10 - my only complaint was that climax was resolved rather quickly and expectedly - but it was minor compared to how the story looked as a whole. Loved the colours and culture, loved the relatable story and loved the message of family and memories.

Definitely a Christmas movie worth watching with your loved ones. Tearjerker moments involved as well.

P/s: I think this is way better than Thor: Ragnarok and Justice League.

Justice League (2017) Film Review

2017-11-19T17:37:00.000+08:00

[Spoiler-free review]

Went in expecting a mess like BvS, given the fairly negative reviews, but walked out somewhat satisfied that they didn't completely burn the whole movie down and am somewhat looking forward to the next one in the series, which should be more or less confirmed given the end credit scene.

(P/s: There are two end credits scenes so be sure to sit all the way to the end!)

Personally, I liked this movie more compared to Thor: Ragnarok, which was too comedic for me. I felt that there was a good balance between the dark and light elements in the film, contrary to the consistently dark theme that is the signature of Synder's films. Thank God they brought in Whedon, I guess.

The story is coherent without the film trying to inject too many tidbits and I enjoyed the team dynamics of the group. Miller's Flash is quite the comic relief while Momoa's Aquaman is just badass. Out of the entire group, I think that Miller and Momoa are cast quite aptly - Gadot's Wonder Woman is also without a question also one of the best cast - but Batman, Superman, and Cyborg are just meh. But 3/6, so I guess it's not too bad.

The final fight scene is a bit of disappointment, will elaborate later, but on a whole, I enjoyed watching the movie, unlike BvS where I was squirming in my seat. Between Avengers and Justice League, I would currently prefer Justice League now, because when it comes to movies, I prefer a little sense of realism in it.

Justice League, for now, is able to straddle this balance. There are deaths in the movie when the bad guy attacks and you can feel that there is a stake involved. Unlike the Marvel movies where the entire New York can get attacked with not even one mention of casualties, I prefer the approach that Justice League took. That you know, there are costs and loses when heroes fight.

Just don't go the Synder extreme of extremely dark and imposing.

Now on to the spoiler review.

[Spoilers ahead]

Thanos is secretly Thor's older brother. Just look at their names. Okay, but jokes aside, this review is gonna have spoilers. You have been warned.

I didn't like how Superman is constantly being portrayed as so OP in the movie. It's like the team could not function or defeat any bad guys without him. The film is about the Justice League, not Superman's League.

When Batman suggested bringing Superman back and when the presence of Superman essentially won the entire final boss fight which the whole team was struggling with, it kinda killed the mood of the movie. I mean like you guys are useless without Superman?

I mean I know how Superman is literally like the DC God, but seriously, his OP-ness is just taking the fun away from the movie. I would really love to see how each team member brings their own weight to the fight and having Superman carry the entire team is boring. If I want to see 1 person carry the entire team I would have watched a Dota Match.

Still, there are many nice moments in this movie. The part where the badass looking Aquaman started blurting out all his true feelings without knowing that he was sitting on the lasso of truth, it makes the movie feels so much more authentic and relatable. That these people are in fact a team. And it was fun to watch. That scene is perhaps the most memorable out of the entire movie to me.

I also liked how the movie featured the plight of a normal family living near the lair of the bad guy and how essentially the superheroes are their only hope of staying alive. Rather than just portray everything from the heroes' perspective, the movie chooses to highlight how all the big fights impact the lives of the smaller people, which I feel is something that is unique to the DC films, and drives home the theme of how a superhero fits in a world of normal people.

[Spoilers end]

Tbh, I do enjoy the direction that the Justice League movie took and I think it's worth watching. I just hope Synder won't turn it all around and make another cringey movie that is Batman vs Superman again.

[Short Story - Lame] Fastest Reaction

2017-08-16T20:32:00.001+08:00

Original Prompt: You have one of the fastest reaction in the world. Your body reacts to something before your mind even realizes it. One day, your hands start doing the motion as if you were catching something. But you couldn't catch it. You do this for many years. After 10 years, you finally succeed.

+++++

"You know, if you're feeling cold, you can head into my house and warm up. My parents aren't home," Lucy smiled as she said that. Her finger twirled in her blond hair.

My heart skipped a beat seeing her smile. Out of all the girls in school, Lucy had the most radiant of them all. I looked into her house, then back to her. My hands dug deeper into my jacket. Lucy's invitation was tempting, but my mum's lessons on being a gentleman echoed in my mind.

I shook my head. "Nah, it's okay. Wouldn't be good if I do that."

"Oh," Lucy simply said, before going back into her house. Her smile was no longer there. "Goodbye then."

"Goodbye," I tried to say, but the door closed in front of me. I walked away, feeling proud of myself. It was a good date that evening. I had brought Lucy to the skating rink and the movies, and we both enjoyed our time together.

A few feet away from her house, however, my hands started to swing upwards, as if it was trying to catch something. It happened every fifteen minutes or so, palms outstretched, but never catching anything. And it continued throughout the weekend, then months, which evolved into years.

The condition baffled my parents and I. Doctors were not able to come up with an answer as well. Because of it, I was withdrawn from school, and I never saw Lucy again.

It was not until 10 years later, when I was browsing an AskReddit post, arms flinging beside me, when it hit me.

"She was asking me to go into her house so we could make out!" I shouted, alone in my mum's basement. My arm stopped shooting upwards, finally catching Lucy's intention.

[Short Story - Action] Kidnapped Heroine

2017-08-06T23:35:00.000+08:00

"What?" Captain Justice's face contorted into a shape that I had never seen before. I could hear him breathing heavily, perhaps trying to keep his anger under control. Probably the first time someone ever talked back to him. But as the constantly kidnapped victim, I figured that I had at least earned that right.

"You've heard me," I said as I freed my hands from the ropes that bound me earlier. "Since you're complaining so much, let me be the hero instead. You be the kidnapped heroine."

Captain Justice opened his mouth to say something, closed it, and walked away. He kicked one of El Loso's thugs in the process, sending the poor guy crashing through the nearest cubicle. Groans of pain followed. At least someone was having a worse week than mine.

I followed Captain Justice to the edge of the floor, near the broken window that he broke through. He was staring at the skyline below, the great city of Ipoh, the city under Captain Justice's watchful eyes. I could tell that he was still unhappy at my earlier outburst.

"Look, I'm sorry for what I said earlier," I placed my hands on his shoulder and squeezed it. "I shouldn't have asked you to be the kidnapped heroine instead."

"Besides, even if you're kidnapped, I'm sure you'll be out in a jiffy," I chucked at my own joke, trying to lighten the mood. It has been a long day for the both of us. El Loso, one of the Captain's many enemies, tried to turn the city's residents into Human Tacos for his latest plan.

To delay the Captain, he kidnapped me as a distraction. The fifth person to do so in a week. Unfortunately for El Loso, he severely miscalculated the Capatin's superspeed, and like many before him, was given a good beating even before he could say 'What?'

Captain Justice shook his head, still refusing to look at me. "You're right. For someone without powers, I cannot even begin to imagine how would you feel if you're constantly kidnapped to be used a a leverage against me. You have every right to be angry at me."

"Well, it's not that I-"

"Shhh." The Captain placed his finger on my lips. I felt the warmth of my blood rushing to my cheeks, as my heartbeat increased. He leaned in close to me. I could smell the sweat, and had to resist the temptation to run my hand down his back. Despite the inconveniences of being kidnapped, I did enjoy the thrill of being saved by perhaps the most eligible bachelor in the city.

"You have a right to be angry. And I am sorry for complaining about you being kidnapped every time by my enemies. They do think that you're my girlfriend, after all," the Captain whispered, his voice suddenly as sweet as honey. His finger moved from my lips to my hair. "I know how to finally make things right."

My heart wanted burst out in anticipation. I had hoped that all those kidnappings would be worth it, and finally it was coming true. "Are you asking me to be your girlfriend?" I gasped.

The Captain grinned. "No. I'm solving both our problems."

Before I could react, I felt a strong push from my back.

"Goodbye," I heard the Captain whisper, as I lost my balance and plunged from the 67th floor of the building.

[Short Story - Wholesome] The Secret in the Ring

2017-08-01T16:05:00.002+08:00

I still remember the day we exchanged rings. I asked Michelle if there was any reason why mine was thicker than hers, but yet lighter at the same time. She laughed it off, said that I was thinking too much, and threatened to leave me for her pet Maltese if I continued to pester her with stupid questions.

I responded by pulling her into my arms, locked her lips in mine, and shouted the loudest 'Yes' in my life. And that was it. The ring followed me ever since, for fifty straight years, right until the day Michelle passed away.

Looking at how the ring broke into two, I finally understood. Why my ring felt lighter than hers, even though it was supposed to be made of solid gold. It was hollow inside, with a note hidden in it.

"My love, if you're reading this, then I must be dead," the note read, in a handwriting that was painfully familiar. It was amazing how Michelle managed to fit a piece of paper into a place so tiny, but that was Michelle for me. Always slipping surprises into places that you would least expect. Lunch boxes, freshly ironed clothes pockets, even in my toothpaste tube.

"Just wanted you to know that marrying you was the best decision in my life, I love you," the note ended. Oh Michelle, even in death you're still able to surprise me. I put down the note on the table, my chest suddenly feeling heavy. The house never felt quieter, lonelier.

I never knew how much I would miss the sound of her voice nagging me to eat breakfast, the sight of her sitting in her favourite chair, the smell of her favourite shampoo. All I was left with were the memories with her. A bittersweet reminder of what I no longer have.

I picked up the note, wanting to read the message again. As the note hovered over the window, I noticed writings on the other page of the paper. I flipped the note to see another sentence written on the other side. "But if you happen to find this note a little too early, then oops! Still love you! <3 p="">
The date was signed on 14 September 1965. The date of our wedding. Michelle had written the note on our wedding date, not knowing when I would find it. I chuckled at the message. It was one of the many small little pranks she would play. "Looks like I found this just when you intended," I muttered, looking at the urn beside me.

I folded the small note, and placed it in a box together with the gifts that she has given me over the years.

The note in the ring was not the only note Michelle left me. Over the course of the next few months, I kept finding other notes around the house, hidden in places that Michelle knew I would not approach when she was alive. In the washing machine, the cabinet where she kept her sewing kit, the drawer filled with our bills.

The notes were more elaborate than the one in my ring, detailing experiences that we once shared. "Remember how you swore never to touch the washing machine after the mini flood you created?" read the note she had placed in the detergent box. It was like she had prepared for this her whole life.

I kept all of the notes in her box, labeling the place where I found them carefully. When it is my turn to leave, I will bring Michelle's box with me, together with all the notes, so that when I see her again, we can laugh and talk about all of them, just like how we have always done.

+++++

Original prompt: It has been a year since your spouse mysteriously died. You are fidgeting with your wedding ring when a compartment opens and a note falls out. It starts, "My Love. If you are reading this, I must be dead...

[Short Story] Six Kills

2017-07-30T17:08:00.000+08:00

"Department of Statistical Measurement, Purgatory Division, may I know who's calling?"

"Yes, this is Alan here, calling about-"

"I'm sorry Alan, sir, you'll have to be more specific, we have tons of Alans coming coming into purgatory every day. What is your full name, date of birth and country of birth?"

Sorry, my name's Alan Tan Jie Shen, date of birth 20 May 1960, born in Singapore."

"Give me a second sir, as I try to find your records."

"Alright."

Death metal music plays softly in the background.

"Okay, Mr Alan, I have your records. Can I confirm your father's and mother's name please?"

"Tan Bo Seng and Patricia Wong Siu Lee."

"That is correct, Mr Alan. How can I be of service today?"

"Yes, I would like to complain about the statistics that you've measured for my life. You say that I have killed six people before, but for as long as I lived, I never killed anyone. I don't recall any of it. And now you guys want to send me to hell?"

"Hold on a second Mr Alan... yes according to our records, you have indeed killed six people before. We believe it's in a place called Numbani."

"What? Where the hell is that? I have never left Singapore before my entire life! How could I go to a place such as Numbani?"

"Ah, Mr Alan, we believe that particular place where Numbani is located is called Overwatch. That's where you made those kills. We even have records that you killed this woman called Mercy three times as well."

"Wait a minute, you're referring to that stupid computer game that my son tried to make me play? That isn't even real?"

"Mr Alan, are you a Christian?"

"Yes I am, but I don't see what is the connection here to-"

"What is commandment seven, Mr Alan?"

"What the hell? Like I said, I don't see what's the need here to-"

"What is the seventh commandment, Mr Alan?"

"Oh my fucking God, I don't have the time for this. I demand to speak to your supervisor! This is all one sick joke, I don't deserve this stupid standard-"

"The seventh commandment is 'Thou Shall Not Kill', Mr Alan. The commandment does not make exception. Thou shall not kill whether if it's in real life, in your fantasies or even in a game. So according to our records-"

"Stop! Stop right there! I demand to speak to your manager! This is ridiculous, I am not going to go to hell just because of imaginary people I killed in a game!"

"I'm sorry Mr Alan, but rules are rules. You yourself said this when you're alive. What the bible says is final and absolute. Games involved."

"No! Where is your manager? Ask him to talk to me, right now!"

"I am the manager, Mr Alan."

"Right, and I am God himself. What is your damn freaking name?"

"That is blasphemy, Mr Alan. My name is Simon Peter. I guard the gates."

"..."

"I'm sorry, Mr Alan, but given your records, you are doomed to hell."

"No, this must be some mistake! Please!"

"Goodbye Mr Alan, and thank you for calling."

Death metal music begins to play again, as Alan's screaming voice is swallowed by the portal that opened beneath him.

+++++

Prompt: When a person dies and reaches the afterlife they can see their life's statistics which determine if they go to heaven or hell. Ex. How many people had crushes on them, how many swears etc. You die and find out you killed 6 people and have no recollection of it.