Major guilt trip going on. :) It's been, let's see, 19 days since my last post! Aaargh! Such is the state of my life, so here's a quick update.

1) World Cup results: Brazil won! But I was actually supporting Germany -- much to the chagrin of many of my colleagues. :) But hey, the Brazilians played well, and what Ronaldo lacks in looks and intelligence, he makes up for in footballing prowess. However, someone should tell him once and for all that his hairstyle is ridiculous, blech!

2) Here's my chance to add another link. I'm a big fan of Josh Groban, a brilliant young American singer with a voice that rivals that of Russell Watson's despite his young age ( 20 or 21, I believe ). Josh began his career after being spotted by David Foster, who managed to get him a gig filling in for Andrea Bocelli during a rehearsal for the Grammies in 1999. He ended up singing with Celine Dion on "The Prayer", and the rest is history. He later cut a record deal with David Foster as his producer, no less, and has been slowly making a name for himself through various talk shows and 2 TV appearances on "Ally McBeal". His legions of fans have grown progressively larger, and seem like a very sweet bunch, at least from what I can gather from their many postings on the board on Josh's website. :) Recently, he sang with The Boston Pops under the direction of the great John Williams, and just last week, appeared on the talk show of all talk shows -- Oprah Winfrey's. Get ready, world, that'll really propel him to full-fledged stardom! If you're wondering what the heck I'm rambling about, visit his website, where you can listen to his entire debut CD for free. But let me tell you, hearing it on the computer doesn't do his singing justice. My personal favourites are "To Where You Are", "Alejate" and his cover of "Vincent (Starry, Starry Night) -- the last a very poignantly beautiful rendition that puts the original to shame. :) Hope you'll drop by Singapore sometime in the future, Josh!

3) Read in the papers a week ago that the U.S. has implemented new guidelines for its doctors, restricting work-shifts to 24 hours max, and no more than 80 work-hours a week. I think it's a splendid idea, and have already submitted a piece supporting it, which will be published in the SMA News later this month, so take a look if you're interested.

4) If you're in the mood for something light that doesn't require much concentration, try renting Mad About Mambo. It stars Kerri Russell -- the lady with the long curly locks from the now-defunct "Felicity", and a comely young Irish lad named William Ash. The plot is paper-thin -- amateur football enthusiast tries to improve his game by learning how to samba, and ends up falling for his partner. What saves this otherwise unremarkable film is Ash, whose puppy-eyed sincerity and good comic timing provide lots of laughs. Credit goes to Russell as well for her convincing Irish twang, not to mention her excellent dancing skills. The big bonus, though, is the amazing soundtrack, featuring songs from George Michael, The Corrs, and other luminaries. I've hunted high and low for the CD, and am in the process of tearing my hair out. :)

More on another day then. Will be catching Minority Report in the theatre this Sunday. Looking forward to it!