met the mission team (john, sherlyn, gerry, spyke n fonz) at shopping centre in baliestier(shaw tower, i think)...walked there from school...abt the dist from amk central to j8. aniwae, i got there abt half an hour early so i decided to take a stroll in the supermarket downstairs..

it's really quite amazing what one can learn jus by observing the 'sights n sounds', and the supermarket happens to be one such special place. i was wondering past the live seafood section, when i noticed this kiasu old lady rummaging with her bare hands through the cockles...she was renning her fingers through them, rolling them around and painstakingly selecting each one individually (yes, INDIVIDUALLY)..it was not so much the hygiene issue that irked me, but her kiasu mentality--i mean, how can u tell one cockle from another? was she checking that the shell wasn't chipped? was she selecting the larger ones(as though they are worth more, i mean, the things are sold by weight, aren't they..??) then finally, when her plastic bag was about half full, she turned to her left to notice a man selecting crabs @ 3 for $10...he wasnt much better really, tossing the live crustaceans that he didnt deem fit for his palate crudely aside..sheesh, the fellas are gonna die soon; at least let the last moments be in dignity..

aniwae, back to the old woman..what she did next just dumbfounded me: holding the bag by it's bottom corner, she just tipped the whole bag of INDIVIDUALLY hand picked cockles and dumped the whole lot back into its container; even casually flinging aside the used bag into the cage with it..then proceeded to turn her attention to the crabs. Really, i couldnt be bothered to be a spectator of this whole masquerade any longer...i had seen all that i need to see: it was simply the epitome of kiasuism, free-time to burn and rupulsive nonchalance all encapsulated in one grotesque performance.

okay, my little observatory 'expedition' didnt jus comprise watching kiasu singaporeans..but the only other thing besides that really caught my attention was the new GM (genetically-modified) eggs, with whitish, almost translucent shells (it was their odd colour tt caught my attention: LESS 30% CHOLESTEROL, + VIT A, E was what the package proudly proclaimed.. however, at 66% higher price ($2.50 compared to $1.50 for 'normal' eggs), i'd personally prefer to stick to the traditional brown ones..at least we know what to expect with those.

later, we collected the donations of clothes, toothbrushes n stationery from the generous parents (and atudents) of IJ(TP) primary..it was really quite amazing! there were boxes and plastic bags piled high..occupying about a quarter of the storeroom. it took two van trips in uncle eddi's(sherlyn's dad) van to take the stuff to ctk..and even then there were a few boxes left over. wow..in cjc we probably wouldnt fill a box in a week ( i know coz the school co-op tried it once, appealing to the sch for donations of old books, clothes etc : after two weeks or so, the one miserable cardboard box was still empty-->in fact, i heard an ass of a classmate of mine, an ex-st pat's boy, so its not tt surprising) even took a couple of old textbooks OUT of it, for his own usage..and he lives in a condo, mind you..) so, yea, it was pretty impressive.

yup, went home after the second trip to church...skipped ylm for this week. did some studying...okay, a little..gonna meet them again in church @ 8 to sell biscuits, chocolates for the milk-money fund. they're gonna buy milk for the kids there, oh yea, n the clothes n stuff gonna be sold in a garage sale in nov to raise fund to cover our airfare...=) i'm really looking forward to this trip, (it's funny how though i cant stand the smell of rubbish, i'll be staying @ the national dumpsite for the philippines for 2 whole weeks) and i still hope tt God will let me.

"Father, if you will...Not my will, however, but your will be done."Jesus' prayer in the garden of gethsamane.

Lord, i know you have your reasons for everything that You allow to happen in my life, and i accept your Holy Will. because i know that, if you do not grant my prayer initially, it is because you have something better for me. thank you Lord for allowing me to understand this fact, and for all these i will always praise and worship your Name. Amen.

raneth hopped off at 9:34 pm