This will be one long happy post with lost of cash being sacrificed!

- Fate is decided by God but destiny is the path you choose to get there -

Well, this month seems to be rather special, or rather...interesting I must say and most probably being able to brighten my day for many decades since. 1st up, my cousins came back from a 8 day bag-packing trip from Japan, touring Osaka, Kyoto, Tokyo...bought a heap of goodies back...Ghost in the Shell pre-release figures, Perfect Grade Gundams, NBA all stars '07 Addidas, and a quaterstaff of Japanese Monks...Yep the square wooden one that they hold in 1 hand and an alm bowl in the other. It's made of Japanese teak fully inscripted with Kanji scriptures on all sides with a full embroidered cloth covering the top part which is suppose to be the head of the Buddha. A single bell decorated the top part of the staff. Too bad I ain't got no photos...According to my cousin, one is not suppose to touch the cloth covered part for auspicious reasons and the number bells on the staff denotes the appropriate level of the monk. Most start of with 1 or 2 bells. A full-embroidered sleeve with bright blue strings to secure the staff and to protect it from water plus the cone hat with Japanese inscriptions PLUS the sacred staff cost no more than SGD$40...My God! Probably will get a few back when I go for my annual Japanese trip. Will be heading to Kyoto and Niigata near the Oct to Dec period later this year and did I mention my cousin only spent SGD$1500 on airfare, lodging and transportation?! So the total trip was like SGD$2900++ including expenses and everything else...

So what's next? Changed to contacts after deciding to ditch the good old specs that have accompanied me for a decade or so. Didn't really switch to contacts initially due to the fact that most say my astigmatism is to high. Shit you assholes...for I found an someone who actually tested my eyes and certified that my astigmatism was far too high from previous prescription. FUCK you assholes for being so unprofessional and that mere fact that rob me of my precious vanity wasted in my youth! So since the switch to contacts, I managed to secure a pair of Oakley shades from a local dealer since the prices from most shops are controlled. Here it is...

" The latest evolution of an Oakley favorite, it features our coveted HIGH DEFINITION OPTICS® (HDO®) for unbeatable clarity and protection. Lightweight C-5™ alloy is the reason why it feels comfortable all day. Temple sleeves of soft UNOBTAINIUM® increase grip with sweat while spring hinges balance the fit. If you’re focused on the styling, you may not notice that it meets all ANSI Z87.1 standards for optical performance and impact resistance. But the science behind all that technology is also the art that curves the lenses back, achieving a definitive look that just happens to maximize your peripheral view."

Well all that's extracted from the
Official Oakley's Web. The prototype pics on the web doesn't really appeal to me till I met my contact...the actual thingy blew me away. So I picked up the shades from him today after waiting like 2 weeks plus. Hmm my 1st pair of shades after being plagued by glasses for so long so I had to...you know, spurged a little...yeah just a little for a decent pair of shades. So this one's definitely gotta be it.

Next, I got a Fedora hat...yep the gangsta / zoot kind...saw them in Tokyo last year but somehow didn't get it. Hmm probably didn't really have attitude to pull it off and also with the darn specs back then. So with the new look, the new contacts, confidence fully regenerated after being suppress for godzillion years! Bailey's or Cobbs hats are definitely my 1st choice but too bad these never made it to local shores...and that SUCKS big time. Maybe a small market can't sustain it or rather the majority just lack fashion sense and that's the fat FUCKING truth you have to accept. Singaporeans just lack fashion sense...*sigh* Along with Alienware, these cool hats from U.S. will never make it here...

Yep that's the kinda hat I'm into now...and plus the Oakley shades...Haha okay, I confess I confess...it's an inspiration after playing the Def Jam Fight for NY game. The fashion in there inspired me...And so I settled for a plain looking one that like really a bargain and yet it doesn't look sucky and cheap. I guessed I pulled it off afterall...went walking downtown on a weekday and had stares all day long...nope not the "WHAT THE AWEFUL FUCK" look but rather "NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL FASHION" look...maybe I am even closer to being a Japanese...now this kinda of style can be found all over Japan and Taiwan and I am damn sure no one's gonna give FUCK but hey, here in Singapore...Haha...

Head almost fully decorated so comes the rest of the body...Wanted the Stussy Kik shirt after seeing it in the Japanese Stussy Mag in Kinokuniya but then again, IT'S NOT AVAILABLE IN FUCKING SINGAPORE! Only in U.K. an Japan...

And my brother who was in U.S. for a week and then U.K for a couple of days wouldn't get it for me even when I offered to pay him back. Idiot! And WHOA?! Desiree, my best friend happen to be in U.K. when I called her this afternoon...well she's an air stewardess. And yep you guessed it, she got it for me...YEEPEE! Got a confirmation call from her like an hour ago when she was in the STUSSY SHOP IN LONDON! *HUGZ* *HUGZ* LOVE U DES! Haha...so happy.

Now for the final item on my Apr 2007 shopping spree...BOOTS! In fact it's military boots...Altama Desert Tan Mil-Spec boot 4156. Altama and Wellco are the only 2 companies designated by the U.S. Ministry of Defense to supply boots to the military. And these booties are the exact ones worn to Iraq and Afaghanistan to kick those terrorists' asses. Haha and I don't suppose it's a commercial item here. Had to do a bit of research and homework to get these gems. 3 local companies were quoted to me via email from Altama themselves and only 1 of them have it for commercial sale but too bad they didn't have that particular boot and have really limited stock for the other models. And they have been waiting for a shipment of these boots since last June in 2006! FUCKING low efficiency I say...but then again, it's probably due to the fact that even in the U.S. these boots are very much sought after. So the other 2 retailers quoted...happens to do orders for corporations or huge quantities eventhough they are definitely able to bring in just 1 pair of these boots for me but at a much higher price. Think economies of scale and you will understand...Well lucky me, I went down to 1 of these remaining 2 retailers to try the boot and FUCKING SHIT, they didn't have the samples...only after I got there did they found out that the samples were already sold off. But they did let me piggy-back their shipment of 700+ boots for the new Gurkha recruits. Got a final confirmation msg from one of their staff, Jasmine that my boots are in tomolo, 27 Apr 2007 Friday and to make up for my wasted trip to their office, I wasn't charge freight and handling and they will deliver the boot to me. Haha...Big Big Thank You Jasmine...you really know how to please your customers...hehe here the pic
Notice the big Ministry of Defence logo...hehe PROUD! And here's some quotes...

"Product Description
ALTAMA Desert Boots were originally created for Desert Storm and have evolved to include several versatile, durable and comfortable styles. Currently, these boots are used worldwide to fight the War on Terror. Padded Collar, Midsole - Leather, Removable Innersole - Cambrelle® Covered Molded Polyurethane, Nylon Coated Brass Speedhook/Eyelet Lacing System, Steel Shank"

Apparently it's the "STEEL SHANK" that's keeping me drooling over these boots...that's the stainless steel plate installed in the sole to prevent Punji Stakes from going thru your feet. Now that's cool and it's quite seldom to see people walking around Singapore with these waterproof, cool looking ass-kickers...Hahaha