Maya
Fortified with the gift of gibber, eats anything apart from liver. lives with 2 dogs and a stinky brother and a dad and a mother. and a cracked polystyrene man who just crumbles, yeah crumbles and burns. and she likes radiohead, a lot of metal, jazz, celtic music, a lot of people, 'Johnny The Homicidal Maniac' & 'Bear' & 'Skeleton Key' comics and her two shih tzus - Abby (Abigail) and Kusho. I WANT: Nothing

Society - Eddie Vedder

Shit you need to see, that I love (: email Maya's Lyrics Eluveitie Inanimate Alice Hannah, the 'Vegan Blogger' American Apparel The Body Deli <3 Coffee & Tea <3 `Enn* Angry Aussie Saiful SQUISHEDPAPAYA PrettyGirlsMakeGraves Maya Angelou Enjoying Incubus DARYLINA Saim Alex Marcus Robin Poovs Johnny The Homicidal Maniac Bear Comics

My Iron Lung Lyrics, performed by Radiohead in the album The Bends

because oxygen is a drug
11:54

Pescatarian

Since I don't much like eggs and because my mother forces me to eat fish to make up for the lack of meat, I do now and then. I have fish twice a week and I feel better about it because I learnt that it is not scientifically proven if fish feel pain or not. I know that's now a proper justification but I will eventually make the full transition to vegetarianism soon. But I'm a teen and I need Omega-3 Fatty Acids to make up for the lack of iron in my diet. But I am technically a vegetarian because I only have fish once or twice a week in one dish. And the rest is pure veg.
Reunion with GMSS-ians at Seoul Garden in Bugis today. Probably gonna be awkward. I'm not sure if I'm going yet. What a relief that my monthlies are over! Oh I need to exercise. Bleh

xx
Mpap

because oxygen is a drug
11:43

Slumdog Millionaire

The 81st Annual Academy Awards just ended and I am bursting with pride and happiness. Slumdog Millionaire won BEST PICTURE along with 8 other awards including Best Sound-Mixing, Best Original Score (A R Rahman), Best Editing, Best Directing and Best Original Song (The rest I forget). I was screaming and jumping happily. This is the year of India. I'm so glad India finally gets to show the world what they are.

WOOHOOOOO!!

And those 2 slum kids who acted as Jamal and Salim, you guys deserve a golden globe. FANTASTIC MOVIE!
Very well deserved indeed!

And I'm so happy for Kate Winslet and Sean Penn too!

xx,
Mpap

because oxygen is a drug
13:02

Agamemnon

So Aditya, Thilanga, Anand, Sofia, Sagar and I went for the 'Youth Without Borders' Audition today. The first prize is S$8000 cash! Our time was initially set at 12noon but many people couldn't make it then and we had to come up with something that'd make us worth choosing. We decided on a skit about AIDS as our cause for the competition is to help 'Action For AIDS', a non-for-profit AIDS organisation in Singapore, basically to spread awareness and by winning, hopefully raise funds for them. We came up with the skit in 20 minutes over lunch at pastamania. I was the narrator and everything was pretty much impromptu. We were first interviewed (mind you, the whole thing was filmed) and we spoke well, then we were told to present our skit and we did and it turned out MUCH better than I'd expected it to. We then took a picture which was pretty funny. We called it the 'Coming-out-of-Aditya' pose cos he was standing in front looking all big and mean and we were sticking out behind him in different directions :P. I know, lame, but the picture turned out real nice. Anyway, I'm pretty sure we got picked. I'm being optimistic. The whole idea of physical challenges is really freaking me out though. I really hope they won't be too tough xP But that is just be being optimistic once again!
I wanna thank Sofia (I know you won't read this but still), Sagar and Thilanga for coming down so last-minute! xxxoxoxoxooo. And poo poo to my lazy close friends who ran away once they heard there were 'physical challenges' (as if I am physical at all).

Haha. Oh. And we're called Agamemnon.

After that, I played golf with dad again. It was so much more humid than yesterday but I enjoyed it. I got good exercise this weekend (which was desperately needed).

Exams on wed. Panic mode.
Time to study.

xx
Mpap

because oxygen is a drug
18:39

Bleargh

So today was probably the worst day of my life.
One of the worst days, anyway.

First, I didn't get Chair, which I expected because of my lack of experience and because I haven't been for 10 mun's or something. And my family gives me shit.

THEN, THEN, THE WORST THING OF ALL,
MY EXPENSIVE IPOD TOUCH SOMEHOW UNCLIPS ITSELF FROM MY SHORTS, BOUNCES (BECAUSE OF THE RUBBER COVER) AND DROPS RIGHT INTO THE MUDDY MURKY CANAL. I STUPIDLY TRY AND GO RETRIEVE IT AND SLIP AND CUT MYSELF AND NEARLY DIE IN ALL THE ICKY SHIT. AND THEN THE MAN AND HIS FAMILY WATCHING TALKED SOME SENSE INTO ME BY TELLING ME IT WASN'T WORTH IT BECAUSE IT WAS GONE ANYWAY

just like my soul. whoooo.

mp4p

because oxygen is a drug
21:40

Turns out, I'm fine

So.. I have officially been a vegetarian for 6 days now. And I must say, I am very much impressed with my total focus and determination and my apparent total lack of any urge to eat meat. Everytime I see a piece of meat set at the dinner table (roast chicken or mutton pieces etc.) I just think of the animal alive and about the entire process that goes into the cooking of that just for 1 meal and just to fatten me more than I need, considering that I am already quite evidently, plump. I've been stressing over things. Lots of things. But after today I am much less stressed. Even the inevitable fact of me having to make a presentation on 'Intellectual Property Rights in Pharmaceuticals'' (despite my evident lack of the same - intellect) at 9am all the way at Ang Mo Kio at Lycee Francaise (forgive the lack of bothering to put in appropriate accents) and possibly face elimination (God Forbid/Touchwood) after all the hard work with around 8 others, seems to be making me less worked up than it was all week and before I received some fab news today. I discovered I am not **** (Haha this is for me to know and for nobody, save Maggie and Lucy to find out). It is a pity how conspicuous one has to be on his or her own ''diary''. The world these days. Nothing is private anymore, at least not our connotation of it. What I mean is that everything that should by right be private isn't. I'm sure you know what I mean when I say that.

Anyhow, my rhinitis is being a bitch again and my nasal passages are stuffy, if not totally blocked and this is causing me to have no choice but to breathe awkwardly through my mouth, which is making me nervous about making the speech tomorrow. I don't wanna start wheezing and pass out before my 10 minutes is up. After that is fine, I really don't mind.

Well once this MUN Chair Training nightmare is over, I can once again wake up to the harsh reality that I am in IB and that I have a history essay, several CAS Journal sheets to type up, calculus homework, studying and a random Environment-Awareness activity to attend at the Botanical Gardens with CJ students on sunday.

Oh the life of a 17.5-y-o suffering in mean Pre-U studies!

As if University is going to be any less stressful Maya. (This is where I begin talking to myself).

Anyway my class is supposed to go to Phuket from the 13th to the 16th of March for CAS activity organised by The Rotary Club SG and it turns out it is a rough-and-tough thing devoid of comfy hotel beds and proper flushing toilets. And now that I am veg I probably have to eat ready-made tomato soup everyday to make sure I don't get food-poisoning. The annoying part is that there seems to be NO time to shop allocated to us (not that there is much we can buy in Phuket which will be of any use back in the big city we live in). We are doing random village sight-seeing and meeting Tsunami victims after full-day community service teaching at a school. Wow. Seriously. We have got to have the most pathetic CAS coordinator. She is nice and all but seriously is a shitty planner. I am starting to doubt the Rotary Club planned this after all. And WHAT IS WITH opening the trip to the 8th and 9th graders? They are just going to annoy us. And this will prevent everyone in my class from being allowed to go as the limit is 30 people. WOW. SERIOUSLY. AND WE ARE THE ONES IN IB AND THE ONES WHO ARE APPARENTLY SUPPOSED TO HAVE 1 COMPULSORY TRIP OVERSEAS PER YEAR AND WE ARE THE ONES WHO NEED TO CLAIM CAS NOT THEM LITTLE 8TH/9TH GRADE IGCSE-LEARNING SHITS WHO DON'T NEED TO ENSURE THAT THEY GET INTO A GOOD UNIVERSITY FOR THE RIGHT COURSE JUST YET. Okay fine, some 9th Grade girls are nice but STILL. It is supposed to be OUR trip.

Okay I am getting far too side-tracked. I have to finish my presentation and speech!!!

God Bless Me!

xx,

M Pap

because oxygen is a drug
21:17

Vegetarianism

So, as weird and unbelievable as this may sound coming from me, I have decided to GO GREEN!
....
For the simple undeniable reasons that are the following (and certainly not limited to) - sorry for the MUN-wannabe-ness:

MY A-Z REASONS FOR WANTING TO TURN VEGETARIAN!

BECAUSE...

a) I LOVE animals (alive)
b) Vegetarianism helps you cut down on all the fats you've been trying so hard to get rid of but simply can't seem to, due to your wearing-down, overwhelming IB or A Level Curricula
c) Like Paul McCartney said, "Meat only tastes good after it's been garnished and cooked and a hundred different things are done to it. Similarly a table could taste good if prepared appropriately, whereas a vegetarian diet tastes good on its own". - Well it was something along these lines, I read it somewhere, but you get the basic message!
d) There is no legitimate justification to eating meat. Quote PETA, "No animal deserves to die to satisfy our taste buds."
e) It is healthier (A healthier body = A healthier mind)
f) It is low in cholesterol
g) It prevents cardiovascular-disease (And since I was born with a relatively weak heart and have frequent breathing issues, all the more reason)
h) Your breath smells 100 times better and your teeth are less eroded (biting into tough meat etc)
i) Your skin is less pimply and oily
j) There is no lack of protein or iron or anything in a vegetarian diet as opposed to a non-vegetarian one, contrary to popular belief
k) It is really easy to be Veg as an Indian, but Indian vegetarianism has its flaws as it is somewhat fattening but it does however, help put you on the right path (cause it's hell tasty)
l) Although I agree that meat tastes good, mostly great, bear in mind that THERE ARE ALWAYS ALTERNATIVES. Mock meat, for example, though not necessarily healthy, tastes as good as actual meat and is 100 times healthier (for example, Mock Duckmeat at Ling Zhi Restaurant - A DEFINITE MUST-TRY DISH)
m) Although a relatively tiny/small contribution, you essentially aid in the steps to eradicating animal cruelty and everything has a beginning (Like they say, baby steps)
n) Meat costs a LOT more than vegetables and considering the current economic crises, this may be an efficient cost-cutting method starter!
o) Red meats, when consumed a lot, can block arteries, are hard to digest and are a very very bad combination with alcohol
p) Vegetarian foods, although we don't realise it, are very easy to find in Singapore, except maybe in MaccyD's or KFC or Burger King, but that's part of why I wanna become veg, to avoid all that junk (notice how I have not discluded pizza joints (;)
q) Grain that is used to fatten cows, pigs and chickens up, just to be slaughtered for our consumption, could be put to better use, i.e; feeding all the starving kids in developing nations
r) It is said that as human beings evolve, the less killing there is. We don't support killing of human beings, why should we support killing of animals? That too when animals are also essentially living beings who have pretty much the same bodily processes as us and MOST OF ALL FEEL PAIN. This is also then, a question of morals.
s) I would not eat a dog, for the simple reason that I own 2 of my own and that they are possibly as close as family to me and similarly, if I say, owned a cow, I would not eat beef bearing the same in mind. As long as I would not voluntarily slaughter an animal, I am not in a position to consume it. So there is essentially, no actual justification for me eating meat.
t) Vegetarians have better sex lives (LMAO) - this will help later on in life I am sure
u) Vegetarians are sexier (okay this is debatable but I put it in for comic relief)
v) We are saving the world and the environment!
w) There are increasingly several disgusting, often fatal, food-borne diseases that are coming about, especially in this modern processed world we live in
x) There are MUCH LESS cancer risks with a vegetarian diet and women are always more prone to it so we have to be all the more wary
y) A vegetarian diet is nutritionally adequate and has extreme health benefits
z) The aforementioned for turning veg are unequivocal and ultimately, undeniable

So, people, this is a HUGE step for me and despite my initial confidence and approach to this matter, I will most definitely need encouragement and support (Yes, from my predominantly non-veg friends) but I am pretty much determined and I hope nobody will deter me from this ultimate pure-veg goal I now have set in mind. You may all think this is some weird phase of mine but I can assure you I am pretty much committed but please don't discourage me.

OH and I had the first of two MUN Chair-Training sessions today at Lycee Francaise. It was good and everything but debate wasn't too good and everyone was pretty much unprepared and stuff so hopefully next week'll be better and hopefully my presentation on Intellectual Property Rights in Pharmaceuticals won't be a flop. I really do wanna chair in SIMUN. Went for lunch with Elizabeth, Chris, Priyanka and Vishwas and we all got along well which was nice because I'd never met Priyanka or Vishwas before this. Yeah.

Tis all for now.

Tata!

xx,
M Pap

because oxygen is a drug
22:40