seven things to note

ONE:
I am now armed with the $52 bus pass which i just figured makes very sound economic sense, given that each ride on bus 10 to and from school costs $1.45 (used to be $1.43 till the sbs fare hike), and i go to school every weekday, my transport costs to and from school alone (of course i take every opportunity other than this to use the bus too - like taking 95 from forum to lt13 for example...) in a month would work out to $58 (if there are twenty weekdays in a month) which means that i save at least $6 by buying the bus pass [this of course does not take into account the rare times when i tompang the car of some kind eastie home, like Sida (who's now on sep), Mel (who's now graduated) and Marcus (still around!!!)]

TWO:
As a result of taking the bus everyday, i have reached the freaky stage where i can recognise some of my fellow regular commuters, like the group of Korean schoolchildren who board at Tanjong Katong Road and alight in Shenton Way, for some strange reason, or the lady with skin art who boards at the same stop as me, and says goodbye to a little child as the bus pulls away, and this other guy who i think goes to my church as he looks familiar, but i don't dare ask him just in case i was wrong, he also boards at my stop, and today, as i was taking 10 home from the Esplanade (more on that later) he was on the bus going back home too...

THREE:
My back is sunburnt as a result of slacking for too long at the side of the pool with my back towards the blazing sun when i was supposed to be swimming. Owwwww.......

FOUR:
I never realised that the word pi(2) pa(2), apart from referring to the musical instrument, also referred to a fruit [as in pi(2) pa(2) gao(1)], as Kelvin Tan pointed out to me today. He also told me that pi(2) pa(2) ya(1) is so named cos the pi(2) pa(2) fruit is used to season the bird, and not, as i had originally thought, cos the duck is squashed into the same shape as a pi(2) pa(2) instrument... You learn new things everyday... [incidentally, does that mean that eating pi(2) pa(2) ya(1) will ease your sore throat?]

FIVE:
I was on the topic of pipas cos just now i went to my Barker friend (and very accomplished pipa player) Samuel Wong's book launch at the library @ esplanade for his second book entitled qi (i don't know which sound it is as i can't read the chinese character to begin with...). It's basically a very informative write-up on the chinese orchestra and it's various component instruments... Never have i been so interested in stuff so chinese...

SIX:
After the book launch we went to eat at the newly renovated and very-easy-to-horlan-at Marina Square. Had Carl's Jr for dinner - and it's very very good, and also very very large. But also, for fast food, very very expensive. But for the taste, the price is very very worth it. Western Bacon Cheeseburger and Beef Chilli Cheese Fries. 'Nuff said... Too bad their outlets are rather out-of-the-way (The people who designed the new layout of Marina Square really shouldn't be in that business, and the other outlet that i know of is in Shenton Way - but come to think of it, that's on the number 10 route =)

SEVEN:
Speaking of the number 10 bus route, i often stop at Shenton Way to take away some Subway from the outlet across the road from the bus stop on the way home. To my dismay, when i did so on wednesday, i was informed that they no longer issue stamps, which, though i don't use that often for redemption purposes, are still part of the wholistic reason why i buy the sandwich in the first place... So maybe i'll start popping by the Shenton Way Carl's Jr instead =P