…to go out with out with another male friend of his to a FHM Girl Next Door event, and I have no backup plans!
Of course, I was never first priority tonight because afterall, it is an FHM Girl Next Door event, the pub/club would be raging with testerones. It’s a guy guy event. He had casually invited me yesterday because he got invitations and his colleague had to go back in to camp for reservist, so he asked if I was interested in accompanying him. Then just 5 minutes ago, I received a call from him, saying that he’ll be going with another good friend of his tonight, so he won’t be meeting me. So much for dressing up...
So…here I am, on Friday, without a date, and without a plan.
Plan #1:
- Bead shopping
- Late home-cooked dinner
- Jewellery making
- Pros: $$$ cha-ching $$$
- Cons: Alone on a Friday night : (
Plan #2:
- Home-cooked dinner
- Watch DVDs till I fall asleep
- Pros: Relaxing : )
- Cons: Alone on a Friday night : (
Plan #3:
- Home-cooked dinner
- Clean my room
- Fix a few of my clothes (fallen buttons, tiny holes, etc)
- Wash & iron clothes
- Pros: Clean room, clothes finally fixed, washed, ironed!
- Cons: BORING! Still alone on a Friday night!
Plan #4:
- Home-cooked dinner
- Swimming/ Treadmill
- Pros: Keeping fit…
- Cons: No cons…just plain laziness, really!
Plan #5:
- Home-cooked dinner
- Finish studying my Korean textbook
- Pros: Educational…Finally doing something I've been procrastinating for 2 years!
- Cons: Hope I still can remember how to read!
Plan #6
- Grocery shopping
- Borrow library books to read
- Late home-cooked dinner
- Bake scones or muffins or something
- Read till I fall asleep
- Pros: Making use of the oven, & stories are always entertaining.
- Cons: Fattening, and I never know if they turn out a success!
Plan #7:
- Bead shopping + Quick bite
- Jewellery making
- Late night swim/ exercise
- Study Korean
- Clean room
- Watch DVDs
- Pros: A bit of everything
- Cons: A bit of nothing AND completely exhausted!
Plan #8:
- Find another friend to go out with at this last minute (God bless the person who is free)
- Pros: Out on a Friday night
- Cons: Negative $$$ cha-ching $$$
Actually, I do have a lot of things that I've been meaning to do and have been putting it off...who cares if its a Friday night or a Monday night. It's a night I'm free to catch up on my own things and I should cherish it. Friday nights aren't just about having plans with others, going out and spending money. I could have plans with myself, doing the things that I really want to do!
So cheers to ALONE ON FRIDAYS!
Friday, May 30, 2008
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Love.
Love.
Love…
Love.
Ever Thine. Ever Mine. Ever Ours.
Last night, I caught Sex and the City at the movies and I WEPT, LAUGHED, TEARED, AND LOVED IT. It’s like an episode of their drama, except much longer – filled with familiar voices, lots of talking and laughing (in the movie), and of course, some sexual scenes – it remained true to the drama series, revolving around these 4 fascinating women.
It was about love. It was about relationships. And especially, it was about friendship. The strong friendship these 4 amazing yet different girls have with each other. I almost forgot how strong their friendship was in the drama series because it ended too long ago, but watching the movie revived it for me.
And the fashion! There was a good dose of fashion in the movie: Dior, Gucci, Marc Jacobs, Louis Vuitton, Vera Wang, Vivien Westwood (to name a few) and how can we forget our star’s favourite Manolo Blahniks.
I shan’t let on too much. Ahhh. I can’t wait to rewatch the drama series from Season 1 to 7. Hurry Amazon, send me my parcel!
Love…
Love.
Ever Thine. Ever Mine. Ever Ours.
Last night, I caught Sex and the City at the movies and I WEPT, LAUGHED, TEARED, AND LOVED IT. It’s like an episode of their drama, except much longer – filled with familiar voices, lots of talking and laughing (in the movie), and of course, some sexual scenes – it remained true to the drama series, revolving around these 4 fascinating women.
It was about love. It was about relationships. And especially, it was about friendship. The strong friendship these 4 amazing yet different girls have with each other. I almost forgot how strong their friendship was in the drama series because it ended too long ago, but watching the movie revived it for me.
And the fashion! There was a good dose of fashion in the movie: Dior, Gucci, Marc Jacobs, Louis Vuitton, Vera Wang, Vivien Westwood (to name a few) and how can we forget our star’s favourite Manolo Blahniks.
I shan’t let on too much. Ahhh. I can’t wait to rewatch the drama series from Season 1 to 7. Hurry Amazon, send me my parcel!
Monday, May 26, 2008
Red Skies, Penang
It is that moment when the sun says its goodnight for the day.
It is the moment just before night consumes day.
It is all in the click of one man’s moment.
Photographer: ek yap
Friday, May 23, 2008
Larger than normal
Ferocious alligators, massive and dangerous, roamed the streets. They were larger than normal, mutated perhaps, and would tear apart anything that got in its way, leaving a trail of blood and flesh. People panicked and feared.
It was a gloomy evening, the streets were almost empty, and the town was weeping. Screams could be heard as some alligator took another victim. Professor G (fictitious name) hurried on his way across town. Distracted by a gruesome sight, Prof G stepped right onto an alligator’s tail. As the alligator made its attack, Prof G struggled to defend himself. The world went black.
When Prof G regained his consciousness, he discovered himself in bandages in an unfamiliar place. He was in a strange transportation system.
“You’re awake.” Prof G’s assistant, a beautiful and attractive woman, approached him.
“Where am I?”
“Welcome to my special submarine.” Appeared an acquaintance of Prof G, we shall name him X. In their conversation, Prof G discovered that the alligators that rampage the town were dosed on pure oxygen. Where did the alligators get it from? Prof G could not answer, but it was the same pure oxygen that he had discovered in one of his travels under the sea. X wanted to find the source of pure oxygen, and like Prof G, he wanted to take it away in oxygen tanks.
The submarine entered a dark hole and it began to fall sharply, hitting against the walls of the cave. You could see the deep dark hole from inside the submarine, beyond its many glass windows. It bounced against sharp protruding corals, and repelled against the rough walls. At the bottom of the dark hole was a large sunken ship. The submarine entered the ship and docked itself in its ballroom, with glass windows all around.
The doors of the submarine opened. No water poured in. The submarine floated on the surface of the water inside the ballroom. There was trapped air in the ballroom. Oxygen for them to breath. They cautiously stepped out of the submarine, and into the cold waters, treading to stay afloat. In a distance, they saw a potion of the water surface bubbling as if there was air being released from beneath. Prof X pointed in that direction and they moved carefully towards the bubbling waters, clinging on to the edge of the ballroom window ledges for additional support.
When they approached the bubbling surface, they felt more alive. The pure oxygen was intoxicating. Once they found the source, Prof G and his assistant retreated to a safe distance. Too much pure oxygen may cause adverse effects. X joined them shortly. Prof G wanted to return to land. While X still needed more time. Suddenly, beyond the glass windows of the ballroom, they spotted a larger than normal shark swimming around the outside of the ship. X panicked. He pulled out a knife and cut Prof G on the arm. Blood seeped out.
“I don’t want that shark near me! You can be his meal!” X shouted. Prof G calmly told his worried assistant to retreat back to the submarine, to get her out of harms way…
Myself and 5 other friends briefly spotted a larger than normal dolphin, about the length of 80 meters, near an abandoned harbour. We were shocked and mesmerised by this discovery. Being explorers, we decided to go in search of the dolphin the next day. There was already a crowd of people at the long harbour who had seen the dolphin and was cheering for us in our expedition.
The 6 of us climbed into the row boat, but the boat couldn’t take our weight and it started to sink. My friends leaped out of the boat and clung on to the edge of the harbour, pulling themselves onto the platform. I was at the head of the boat, which had came afloat again, but I was too far from the harbour. I was about to jump into the water when a large fin surfaced beside me. The fin was about 2 to 3 times the size of the boat. Then we saw the creature. A great white shark was swimming around my boat. A great white shark of about 100 meters in length! Screams were heard. I was afraid but everyone told me to stay still. As the shark circled, the boat spun round and round. It was as if it was assessing if I was prey. Finally, it swam away. As his fin disappeared beneath the surface, my friend’s hurriedly pulled me onto the harbour.
Others who were on a floating platform opposite the harbour took a chance and jumped onto a boat in order to get across to the harbour.
Suddenly, the shark returned, his large fin emerging, charging at the boat that was between the harbour and the floating platform. People screamed and evacuated the boat and back onto the platform. But a little boy was left on the boat. The shark nudged at the boat, then retreated. We rescued the boy and everyone didn’t dare enter the waters.
The shark returned for the third time. It seemed to be searching for something. His food perhaps, but we were not it. It must have been after the dolphin. Only the dolphin of that size would satisfy a shark of that size. Humans would not have been comparable. We were probably not even considered snack size for the shark. The shark, finding nothing, made a turn and dived beneath sea level and went out of sight.
After that third time, we were confident the shark would not return again and hurriedly helped those on the floating platform over to the harbour.
What an adventure! What dreams! No wonder I’m in need of coffee this morning!
It was a gloomy evening, the streets were almost empty, and the town was weeping. Screams could be heard as some alligator took another victim. Professor G (fictitious name) hurried on his way across town. Distracted by a gruesome sight, Prof G stepped right onto an alligator’s tail. As the alligator made its attack, Prof G struggled to defend himself. The world went black.
When Prof G regained his consciousness, he discovered himself in bandages in an unfamiliar place. He was in a strange transportation system.
“You’re awake.” Prof G’s assistant, a beautiful and attractive woman, approached him.
“Where am I?”
“Welcome to my special submarine.” Appeared an acquaintance of Prof G, we shall name him X. In their conversation, Prof G discovered that the alligators that rampage the town were dosed on pure oxygen. Where did the alligators get it from? Prof G could not answer, but it was the same pure oxygen that he had discovered in one of his travels under the sea. X wanted to find the source of pure oxygen, and like Prof G, he wanted to take it away in oxygen tanks.
The submarine entered a dark hole and it began to fall sharply, hitting against the walls of the cave. You could see the deep dark hole from inside the submarine, beyond its many glass windows. It bounced against sharp protruding corals, and repelled against the rough walls. At the bottom of the dark hole was a large sunken ship. The submarine entered the ship and docked itself in its ballroom, with glass windows all around.
The doors of the submarine opened. No water poured in. The submarine floated on the surface of the water inside the ballroom. There was trapped air in the ballroom. Oxygen for them to breath. They cautiously stepped out of the submarine, and into the cold waters, treading to stay afloat. In a distance, they saw a potion of the water surface bubbling as if there was air being released from beneath. Prof X pointed in that direction and they moved carefully towards the bubbling waters, clinging on to the edge of the ballroom window ledges for additional support.
When they approached the bubbling surface, they felt more alive. The pure oxygen was intoxicating. Once they found the source, Prof G and his assistant retreated to a safe distance. Too much pure oxygen may cause adverse effects. X joined them shortly. Prof G wanted to return to land. While X still needed more time. Suddenly, beyond the glass windows of the ballroom, they spotted a larger than normal shark swimming around the outside of the ship. X panicked. He pulled out a knife and cut Prof G on the arm. Blood seeped out.
“I don’t want that shark near me! You can be his meal!” X shouted. Prof G calmly told his worried assistant to retreat back to the submarine, to get her out of harms way…
Myself and 5 other friends briefly spotted a larger than normal dolphin, about the length of 80 meters, near an abandoned harbour. We were shocked and mesmerised by this discovery. Being explorers, we decided to go in search of the dolphin the next day. There was already a crowd of people at the long harbour who had seen the dolphin and was cheering for us in our expedition.
The 6 of us climbed into the row boat, but the boat couldn’t take our weight and it started to sink. My friends leaped out of the boat and clung on to the edge of the harbour, pulling themselves onto the platform. I was at the head of the boat, which had came afloat again, but I was too far from the harbour. I was about to jump into the water when a large fin surfaced beside me. The fin was about 2 to 3 times the size of the boat. Then we saw the creature. A great white shark was swimming around my boat. A great white shark of about 100 meters in length! Screams were heard. I was afraid but everyone told me to stay still. As the shark circled, the boat spun round and round. It was as if it was assessing if I was prey. Finally, it swam away. As his fin disappeared beneath the surface, my friend’s hurriedly pulled me onto the harbour.
Others who were on a floating platform opposite the harbour took a chance and jumped onto a boat in order to get across to the harbour.
Suddenly, the shark returned, his large fin emerging, charging at the boat that was between the harbour and the floating platform. People screamed and evacuated the boat and back onto the platform. But a little boy was left on the boat. The shark nudged at the boat, then retreated. We rescued the boy and everyone didn’t dare enter the waters.
The shark returned for the third time. It seemed to be searching for something. His food perhaps, but we were not it. It must have been after the dolphin. Only the dolphin of that size would satisfy a shark of that size. Humans would not have been comparable. We were probably not even considered snack size for the shark. The shark, finding nothing, made a turn and dived beneath sea level and went out of sight.
After that third time, we were confident the shark would not return again and hurriedly helped those on the floating platform over to the harbour.
What an adventure! What dreams! No wonder I’m in need of coffee this morning!
Friday, April 25, 2008
Slow Me Down
I Love This Song by Emmy Rossum, titled SLOW ME DOWN...
Rushing and racing and running in circles
Moving so fast I'm forgetting my purpose
Blur of the traffic is sending me spinning
Getting nowhere
My head and my heart are colliding chaotic
Pace of the world I just wish I could stop it
Try to appear like I've got it together
I'm falling apart
Save me
Somebody take my hand and lead me
Slow me down
Don't let love pass me by
Just show me how
Cause I'm ready to fall
Slow me down
Don't let me live a lie
Before my life flies by
I need you to slow me down
Sometimes I fear that I might disappear
In the blur of fast forward I falter again
Forgetting to breathe
I need to sleep
I'm getting nowhere
All that I've missed I see in the reflection
Pass me while I wasn't paying attention
Tired of rushing, racing and running
I'm falling apart
Tell me
Oh won't you take my hand and lead me
Slow me down
Don't let love pass me by
Just show me how
Cause I'm ready to fall
Slow me down
Don't let me live a lie
Before my life flies by
I need you to slow me down
Just show me
I need you to slow me down
Slow me down
Slow me down
The noise of the world is getting me caught up
Chasing the clock and I wish I could stop it
Just need to breathe
Somebody please
Slow me down
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME continued...
The Birthday Weekend:
I just realised I’ve forgotten to complete the update on my birthday, and a week has already passed.
What did I end up doing on my birthday? I had a yummy lunch, made by moi: Black Pepper Tuna Salad. YUMMERS! That evening, I met EK at Weelock and had Japanese food. I wanted to have buffet but the place in Vivo was fully booked so I settled with ala carte. It was hard, changing the mindset of having buffet, unlimited sashimi and unagi, to only 1 place of sashimi (5 pieces) and 1 bowl of unagi don (with limited pieces of unagi). It wasn’t as satisfying, since I’ve prepared myself for a feast, but nonetheless, it was a good meal so I’m happy. At least I didn’t overeat!
After dinner, we went to Zouk for a fashion show as our friend was doing make-up backstage and managed to get us VIP passes. So we had free flow alcoholic drinks and candies. The show was quite good, but I love the free casual bag they distributed…I don’t need to get myself a beach bag now! After the fashion show, we met with our friend and headed to the nearby hotel lounge and continued chatting till 2am, over red wine and snacks.
On Saturday, we woke up late and went swimming instead – a healthy start to 24, but that effort was quickly ruined in one night of seafood. We met EK’s bro and family for seafood at Eng Seng Seafood Restaurant. When we got there at 5pm, there was a short queue which quickly built up as we waited. We finally got seated and waited another hour for our crabs but the wait was worth it! It was devine!!! The black pepper crabs especially. We ate to our hearts content.
On Saturday, we also found out there was a Club 21 sale over the weekend (EK and I love Club 21 sales), but we were too busy on Saturday so we made a trip there on Sunday. There weren’t many stuff left, the good stuff would have been sold on Saturday, but I managed to find 1 gorgeous pink Dolce and Gabbana ¾ pants going at 90% discount! The others that I loved were unfortunately on 70% discount, but even after 70% discount, there were at least $400, so I didn’t get them. That one bargain was good enough to make my day! Happy birthday from me to me!
Then, we went Sentosa for some sun baking and Frisbee action. In the evening, I decided to ‘treat’ my face to another facial. The place was nice, the brand is well established, but the results from the facial was so-so. Other facial places I’ve been to had better results…so I’m back to square one again on my Save-my-face campaign.
And with this update, I end this documentation of my birthday weekend. I had a good time and I do feel 24 after all that glorious celebration activities. Can’t describe it, just that I thought I did heaps to celebrate my birthday, hence I feel 24. As compared to if I had stayed home and just celebrated with a good meal, I probably wouldn’t feel as 24 since you can have a good meal anytime anyway. Get me?
I just realised I’ve forgotten to complete the update on my birthday, and a week has already passed.
What did I end up doing on my birthday? I had a yummy lunch, made by moi: Black Pepper Tuna Salad. YUMMERS! That evening, I met EK at Weelock and had Japanese food. I wanted to have buffet but the place in Vivo was fully booked so I settled with ala carte. It was hard, changing the mindset of having buffet, unlimited sashimi and unagi, to only 1 place of sashimi (5 pieces) and 1 bowl of unagi don (with limited pieces of unagi). It wasn’t as satisfying, since I’ve prepared myself for a feast, but nonetheless, it was a good meal so I’m happy. At least I didn’t overeat!
After dinner, we went to Zouk for a fashion show as our friend was doing make-up backstage and managed to get us VIP passes. So we had free flow alcoholic drinks and candies. The show was quite good, but I love the free casual bag they distributed…I don’t need to get myself a beach bag now! After the fashion show, we met with our friend and headed to the nearby hotel lounge and continued chatting till 2am, over red wine and snacks.
On Saturday, we woke up late and went swimming instead – a healthy start to 24, but that effort was quickly ruined in one night of seafood. We met EK’s bro and family for seafood at Eng Seng Seafood Restaurant. When we got there at 5pm, there was a short queue which quickly built up as we waited. We finally got seated and waited another hour for our crabs but the wait was worth it! It was devine!!! The black pepper crabs especially. We ate to our hearts content.
On Saturday, we also found out there was a Club 21 sale over the weekend (EK and I love Club 21 sales), but we were too busy on Saturday so we made a trip there on Sunday. There weren’t many stuff left, the good stuff would have been sold on Saturday, but I managed to find 1 gorgeous pink Dolce and Gabbana ¾ pants going at 90% discount! The others that I loved were unfortunately on 70% discount, but even after 70% discount, there were at least $400, so I didn’t get them. That one bargain was good enough to make my day! Happy birthday from me to me!
Then, we went Sentosa for some sun baking and Frisbee action. In the evening, I decided to ‘treat’ my face to another facial. The place was nice, the brand is well established, but the results from the facial was so-so. Other facial places I’ve been to had better results…so I’m back to square one again on my Save-my-face campaign.
And with this update, I end this documentation of my birthday weekend. I had a good time and I do feel 24 after all that glorious celebration activities. Can’t describe it, just that I thought I did heaps to celebrate my birthday, hence I feel 24. As compared to if I had stayed home and just celebrated with a good meal, I probably wouldn’t feel as 24 since you can have a good meal anytime anyway. Get me?
Friday, April 18, 2008
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME
The Build-up:
It's been 12 hours into my 24th birthday, and it has been going GREAT! I don't know why I had been so excited about this birthday - I mean, what's another birthday? Weirdly, I've been feeling rather high since Sunday, high with excitment, high with anticipation, high with expectations.
I even discussed what I wanted to do with EK...a good Jap buffet lunch (coz its cheaper during lunch), then parhaps Sentosa in the afternoon.
Somewhere in the middle of the week, my feelings went down down down. I fell into a depression pothole...upset about my flaw-ful face. It's been getting worse, and it was the last straw when EK said I should not go to work in make-up coz maybe that's what agitating it. But I've been using this since 1 year ago! This happened on Tuesday night. His said that with or without make-up, at the end of the day when my make-up fades away (it happens all the time), it looks the same without make-up, so my colleagues would have already seen it anyway. My Confidence crumbled. No difference? THERE WAS A HUGE DIFFERENCE. I COULD TELL! No make-up? How was I supposed to face the world? I know, I apply sparingly and my make-up (specially for sensitive zitty faces) does not provide much coverage, BUT THERE WAS A DIFFERENCE! So...I crumbled and cried. It wasn't about what he said. I noticed it too and I was concerned myself, but I just tried to block it out. But in full honesty, my face is getting worse. I've stopped going to facial after spending nearly 2k over 1 year on it and not seeing it get better, but then maybe I should have stuck on with it. At least it wasn't getting any worse. Now, my condition has worsen dramatically and even I'm put off by my own face. I know there are more important things in life than looks, but what if it affects my self-confidenc? Then my personality is afffected. It's only a matter of time.
Yesterday, my emotions were lifted slightly - the day before my birthday, who wouldn't feel a tad bit better! Of course, that face issue is still niggling at the back of my mind, but I decided that it'll be a present from me to me this birthday. I will fix my face! By hook or by crook, my savings or by debt, BUT somehow, I'll get it done this year.
Last night, I didn't meet EK and came straight home to make trinkets for a customer's order. While doing so, I watched one of my all-time favourite movie 'Notting Hill'. It was good! Not only did making trinkets made me feel good about myself, the comfort of an all-time favourite romance movie was amazing.
At 11.45pm, I decided to wrap up and head for bed. I went out into the hall to use the common bathroom, but I heard some plastic bag sounds from outside our apartment door.
"Someone's stealing our shoes" was my first thought as I peered through the peephole. And there he was, waiting. It clicked. But I couldn't possibly let him wait outside for another 10 minutes till the clock struck midnight and pretend I was surprised right? I hurriedly open the door and surprised the "shoe burgler" instead. He was disappointed at his failure...failure of a surprise and failure of being any sort of burgler. But I was happy he wanted to spend the first minute of my birthday with me and of course I would choose to spend an additional 10 minutes with him instead of separated by a door, NOT FORGETTING the Awefully Chocolate Chocolate Banana Cake that was waiting patiently for us to devour!
This morning, he suggested I could put on make-up if I wanted to, and I more than obediently leaped up to the opportunity. Work hasn't been too bad either...these few days have been a little less stressful. Seems like no one in my office knows its my birthday today, apart from the HR personnel who had given me a tiny prezzie yesterday. But I don't mind. I'm just counting down the hours till 6pm where I'll run off and meet him for a sumptuous dinner and maybe, hopefully, wishfully, drinks with some friends.
It's been 12 hours into my 24th birthday, and it has been going GREAT! I don't know why I had been so excited about this birthday - I mean, what's another birthday? Weirdly, I've been feeling rather high since Sunday, high with excitment, high with anticipation, high with expectations.
I even discussed what I wanted to do with EK...a good Jap buffet lunch (coz its cheaper during lunch), then parhaps Sentosa in the afternoon.
Somewhere in the middle of the week, my feelings went down down down. I fell into a depression pothole...upset about my flaw-ful face. It's been getting worse, and it was the last straw when EK said I should not go to work in make-up coz maybe that's what agitating it. But I've been using this since 1 year ago! This happened on Tuesday night. His said that with or without make-up, at the end of the day when my make-up fades away (it happens all the time), it looks the same without make-up, so my colleagues would have already seen it anyway. My Confidence crumbled. No difference? THERE WAS A HUGE DIFFERENCE. I COULD TELL! No make-up? How was I supposed to face the world? I know, I apply sparingly and my make-up (specially for sensitive zitty faces) does not provide much coverage, BUT THERE WAS A DIFFERENCE! So...I crumbled and cried. It wasn't about what he said. I noticed it too and I was concerned myself, but I just tried to block it out. But in full honesty, my face is getting worse. I've stopped going to facial after spending nearly 2k over 1 year on it and not seeing it get better, but then maybe I should have stuck on with it. At least it wasn't getting any worse. Now, my condition has worsen dramatically and even I'm put off by my own face. I know there are more important things in life than looks, but what if it affects my self-confidenc? Then my personality is afffected. It's only a matter of time.
Yesterday, my emotions were lifted slightly - the day before my birthday, who wouldn't feel a tad bit better! Of course, that face issue is still niggling at the back of my mind, but I decided that it'll be a present from me to me this birthday. I will fix my face! By hook or by crook, my savings or by debt, BUT somehow, I'll get it done this year.
Last night, I didn't meet EK and came straight home to make trinkets for a customer's order. While doing so, I watched one of my all-time favourite movie 'Notting Hill'. It was good! Not only did making trinkets made me feel good about myself, the comfort of an all-time favourite romance movie was amazing.
At 11.45pm, I decided to wrap up and head for bed. I went out into the hall to use the common bathroom, but I heard some plastic bag sounds from outside our apartment door.
"Someone's stealing our shoes" was my first thought as I peered through the peephole. And there he was, waiting. It clicked. But I couldn't possibly let him wait outside for another 10 minutes till the clock struck midnight and pretend I was surprised right? I hurriedly open the door and surprised the "shoe burgler" instead. He was disappointed at his failure...failure of a surprise and failure of being any sort of burgler. But I was happy he wanted to spend the first minute of my birthday with me and of course I would choose to spend an additional 10 minutes with him instead of separated by a door, NOT FORGETTING the Awefully Chocolate Chocolate Banana Cake that was waiting patiently for us to devour!
This morning, he suggested I could put on make-up if I wanted to, and I more than obediently leaped up to the opportunity. Work hasn't been too bad either...these few days have been a little less stressful. Seems like no one in my office knows its my birthday today, apart from the HR personnel who had given me a tiny prezzie yesterday. But I don't mind. I'm just counting down the hours till 6pm where I'll run off and meet him for a sumptuous dinner and maybe, hopefully, wishfully, drinks with some friends.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
X MAN - 당연하지
I'm in love with this x-ed Korean game show called X MAN! It's so awesome!!!
There are many different parts of it, and one of my favourite is called 'OF COURSE' (당연하지 ,DANG-YUN-HA-JI), where there will be 2 representatives from each group, and they will battle it out with words aimed at each other, trying to make each other gag until they aren't able to admit 'OF COURSE' to that statement made at them.
Here's a clip of 2 members of my 2 favourite korean boybands, Min Woo from Shinhwa and Kangta from H.O.T., battling it out...old stories emerges...
And of course, there were battles between members of the same group: Tony vs Kangta
Another of my favourite parts is the couple battles...especially between the lovers Eun Hye (the lead female from Goong and Coffee Prince) and Jong Kook...
But WAIT, there were MANY MORE complications...
Enters Haha and Eun Bi...
And soon, others followed...
And another love triangle develops when Eric of Shinhwa comes onto the scene...
Hope you're as hooked as I am!!!!!
There are many different parts of it, and one of my favourite is called 'OF COURSE' (당연하지 ,DANG-YUN-HA-JI), where there will be 2 representatives from each group, and they will battle it out with words aimed at each other, trying to make each other gag until they aren't able to admit 'OF COURSE' to that statement made at them.
Here's a clip of 2 members of my 2 favourite korean boybands, Min Woo from Shinhwa and Kangta from H.O.T., battling it out...old stories emerges...
And of course, there were battles between members of the same group: Tony vs Kangta
Another of my favourite parts is the couple battles...especially between the lovers Eun Hye (the lead female from Goong and Coffee Prince) and Jong Kook...
But WAIT, there were MANY MORE complications...
Enters Haha and Eun Bi...
And soon, others followed...
And another love triangle develops when Eric of Shinhwa comes onto the scene...
Hope you're as hooked as I am!!!!!
Friday, March 28, 2008
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Going for a Job Interview
"Are you going for a job interview?" was the first question my immediate superior asked when he saw me yesterday, followed by a compliment, "Chic outfit."
Chic?
Blouse - Black sleeveless blouse (Joop) with ruffles at the front and thin belt (MNG) around the waist
Skirt - Black pencil skirt (G2000)
Jacket - Normal black blazer (G2000).
*I always have a blazer at work, just in case I feel cold. In yesterday's case, I was falling sick and wanted to keep warm.
Another boss who heads the Bangladesh office added, "Yes, whenever my staff comes to work well dressed, I'd tell them 'Good luck for your interview'."
If wearing a simple office outfit gives them a potential interview impression, then can you imagine how slack we are with our work attire?
So today, I'm wearing a simple puff-sleeved gold blouse, tucked out at the back, and pants that end just above the knee.
No potential interview impression, no compliments.
Chic?
Blouse - Black sleeveless blouse (Joop) with ruffles at the front and thin belt (MNG) around the waist
Skirt - Black pencil skirt (G2000)
Jacket - Normal black blazer (G2000).
*I always have a blazer at work, just in case I feel cold. In yesterday's case, I was falling sick and wanted to keep warm.
Another boss who heads the Bangladesh office added, "Yes, whenever my staff comes to work well dressed, I'd tell them 'Good luck for your interview'."
If wearing a simple office outfit gives them a potential interview impression, then can you imagine how slack we are with our work attire?
So today, I'm wearing a simple puff-sleeved gold blouse, tucked out at the back, and pants that end just above the knee.
No potential interview impression, no compliments.
Monday, March 17, 2008
DJ Raine
I just got a call from a HR personnel from a Radio Station I had applied to. Apparently, there's a job opening for the Advertising and Promotions Executive position at the station and asked if I was interested.
Silly me, I told them I'm currently engaged with a job (which is true), and so I wasn't interested. BUT!!!!!!! That's with a Radio Station! HOW MANY SUCH OPPORTUNITIES DO YOU GET?
However, I'm deducing from that job title that my job scope isn't as glam as it sounds:
1) I manage on-air advertisements and promotions
2) Maybe I write advertising copy as well
3) As for a DJ, maybe I will be on-air to read out the advertisements, or at those mall promotional events?
EK always reckons that I should go for interviews, find out more about the job, etc. But I'm personally not like that. If I'm commited to one job and I enjoy what I'm doing, why should I confuse myself with another? Then again, here I am all confused...
Have I convinced myself that I've made the right choice by turning down this opportunity? Arggghhhhhh.
Silly me, I told them I'm currently engaged with a job (which is true), and so I wasn't interested. BUT!!!!!!! That's with a Radio Station! HOW MANY SUCH OPPORTUNITIES DO YOU GET?
However, I'm deducing from that job title that my job scope isn't as glam as it sounds:
1) I manage on-air advertisements and promotions
2) Maybe I write advertising copy as well
3) As for a DJ, maybe I will be on-air to read out the advertisements, or at those mall promotional events?
EK always reckons that I should go for interviews, find out more about the job, etc. But I'm personally not like that. If I'm commited to one job and I enjoy what I'm doing, why should I confuse myself with another? Then again, here I am all confused...
Have I convinced myself that I've made the right choice by turning down this opportunity? Arggghhhhhh.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
The Becky Bloomwood in Us
Currently, I'm stuck on Sophie Kinsella's Shopaholic series. I'm on to my 4th book 'Shopaholic and Sister', and I'm hooked. But I am also utterly appalled at Becky Bloomwood's ability to shop!
On one hand, I love Sophie Kinsella's ability to capture so vividly a shopaholic's mind, and translate it into an easy joyful read. But on the other, I find myself absolutely horrified at Becky Bloomwood's disregard for money, her excuses for purchases and her endless shopping trips. IS SHE FOR REAL? Sometimes, while reading these bits, I get so agitated that I want to shelf the book away. It is a real bimbotic read and perhaps I do feel comforted that I'm not such an extreme shopaholic, but I simply can't imagine such a woman exists. I've asked myself what I'm doing, wasting my time with this series, but yet, I can't put it down. I'm hooked.
How does the Financial Journalist Becky Bloomwood afford all the things she has?
How does Becky Bloomwood recover from Bankruptcy, and still get the guy?
How does Becky Bloomwood, with 2 weddings scheduled on the same day, turn it all around in 2 weeks? Without cancelling either! (She has a hell of a brain, that girl!)
Every book of this Shopaholic series has a major twist at the end, and you don't see it coming. In every book, Becky Bloomwood falls into her own shopaholic trap all over again and emerges triumphant, and you think she'd learn from it! But no matter how much I claim these books are 'bimbotic' and there's no one like Becky Bloomwood, in every book, there are not only shopping tips, but life tips for everyone.
1) You can't be bankrupt unless you've sold all your assets, and by assets, we also mean Denny & George scarves.
2) Every purchase is an investment. Buying 40 mugs while on a holiday means you'll never need to buy mugs for the rest of your life!
3) Always keep an emergency credit card glued to the back of your compact powder case. Your boyfriend/ husband will never find it! It's better to replace your compact powder case, than to miss the opportunity to own a rare 2000 Euros Angel Bag.
4) Always think entrepreneurial. Who says horse saddles need to be hard. If Becky Bloomwood was a horse-saddle designer, she'd make them soft, comfy, with furry cushions and drink holders.
5) Don't be narrow-minded. You can look smart wearing a cosarge, even if they are meant for horses.
6) Don't ever worry about having not enough luggage space. You can always Fedex!
There are plenty more where those came from! I'm inspired to learn a little from Becky Bloomwood. Are you?
On one hand, I love Sophie Kinsella's ability to capture so vividly a shopaholic's mind, and translate it into an easy joyful read. But on the other, I find myself absolutely horrified at Becky Bloomwood's disregard for money, her excuses for purchases and her endless shopping trips. IS SHE FOR REAL? Sometimes, while reading these bits, I get so agitated that I want to shelf the book away. It is a real bimbotic read and perhaps I do feel comforted that I'm not such an extreme shopaholic, but I simply can't imagine such a woman exists. I've asked myself what I'm doing, wasting my time with this series, but yet, I can't put it down. I'm hooked.
How does the Financial Journalist Becky Bloomwood afford all the things she has?
How does Becky Bloomwood recover from Bankruptcy, and still get the guy?
How does Becky Bloomwood, with 2 weddings scheduled on the same day, turn it all around in 2 weeks? Without cancelling either! (She has a hell of a brain, that girl!)
Every book of this Shopaholic series has a major twist at the end, and you don't see it coming. In every book, Becky Bloomwood falls into her own shopaholic trap all over again and emerges triumphant, and you think she'd learn from it! But no matter how much I claim these books are 'bimbotic' and there's no one like Becky Bloomwood, in every book, there are not only shopping tips, but life tips for everyone.
1) You can't be bankrupt unless you've sold all your assets, and by assets, we also mean Denny & George scarves.
2) Every purchase is an investment. Buying 40 mugs while on a holiday means you'll never need to buy mugs for the rest of your life!
3) Always keep an emergency credit card glued to the back of your compact powder case. Your boyfriend/ husband will never find it! It's better to replace your compact powder case, than to miss the opportunity to own a rare 2000 Euros Angel Bag.
4) Always think entrepreneurial. Who says horse saddles need to be hard. If Becky Bloomwood was a horse-saddle designer, she'd make them soft, comfy, with furry cushions and drink holders.
5) Don't be narrow-minded. You can look smart wearing a cosarge, even if they are meant for horses.
6) Don't ever worry about having not enough luggage space. You can always Fedex!
There are plenty more where those came from! I'm inspired to learn a little from Becky Bloomwood. Are you?
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Let's talk about Singapore
Did you know that Singapore won the location to host the first ever Youth Olympic Games, held in 2010?
Perhaps you knew that, but did you know that there was a countdown to the announcement? On Thursday, 21st February, a party of 5000 youths, Singapore Idols/ Project Superstars celebrities gathered at the Padang in anticipation of the announcement. I wonder if the organisers/government knew beforehand that we were going to win the bid over Moscow, and hence the party. If Singapore organised the party but didn't win the bid, what would the news headline be? "Disappointed youths leave Padang after loss to Moscow"
Did you know that Singapore will host a race in this year's Formula One Grand Prix?
I'm sure you knew that, it was major news to all sports fans and Singaporeans. But of course, we had to do it differently. Why should we just host a race? Why don't we make it the first street race in Asia? Why don't it be one of three races in the 2008 F1 calendar to run anticlockwise? Even better, why don't the first Formula One Grand Prix in Singapore be Formula One's first ever night race? Singapore and their endless pursuit to break boundaries...it has always got to be the first!
But the biggest news at the moment to hit Singapore is...
Did you know that there had been a security lapse at the Whitley Road Detention Centre, and Singapore's Most Wanted detainee, Mas Selamat bin Katsari, had escaped?
If you didn't, I'm sure the 54,000 'Wanted' posters and leaflets placed in buses, trains, stations, shopping malls, housing estates, customs and other areas would have been sufficient. Many ask: How did that happen? Fingers have been pointing everywhere, Singapore citizens want someone to blame. I am among the naived many who were proud of Singapore's tight security.
He plotted to crash a hijacked plane into Changi Airport, planned an attack on the US Embassy, the American Club and the Singapore American School. But the authorities took 4 hours to inform the public of the escape on 27 February because "there was no imminent danger to the public".
Today, there is a nationwide manhunt, with more than 1,000 police, soldiers, and elite Nepalese Gurkhas searching for him, dogs treking through the forests, posters with his famous face at every corner of Singapore, mobile phone operators send out messages with his picture, and a red alert has been issued, allowing any law enforcement officer among the international police network to arrest him on the spot.
And Deputy Assistant Commissioner Raymond Yeo, who leads the police Special Operations Command (SOC), is worried: "What is more damaging than his escape from the detention centre would be if he managed to escape out of Singapore and issued a victory statement."
Is that all we should be worried about?
Perhaps you knew that, but did you know that there was a countdown to the announcement? On Thursday, 21st February, a party of 5000 youths, Singapore Idols/ Project Superstars celebrities gathered at the Padang in anticipation of the announcement. I wonder if the organisers/government knew beforehand that we were going to win the bid over Moscow, and hence the party. If Singapore organised the party but didn't win the bid, what would the news headline be? "Disappointed youths leave Padang after loss to Moscow"
Did you know that Singapore will host a race in this year's Formula One Grand Prix?
I'm sure you knew that, it was major news to all sports fans and Singaporeans. But of course, we had to do it differently. Why should we just host a race? Why don't we make it the first street race in Asia? Why don't it be one of three races in the 2008 F1 calendar to run anticlockwise? Even better, why don't the first Formula One Grand Prix in Singapore be Formula One's first ever night race? Singapore and their endless pursuit to break boundaries...it has always got to be the first!
But the biggest news at the moment to hit Singapore is...
Did you know that there had been a security lapse at the Whitley Road Detention Centre, and Singapore's Most Wanted detainee, Mas Selamat bin Katsari, had escaped?
If you didn't, I'm sure the 54,000 'Wanted' posters and leaflets placed in buses, trains, stations, shopping malls, housing estates, customs and other areas would have been sufficient. Many ask: How did that happen? Fingers have been pointing everywhere, Singapore citizens want someone to blame. I am among the naived many who were proud of Singapore's tight security.
He plotted to crash a hijacked plane into Changi Airport, planned an attack on the US Embassy, the American Club and the Singapore American School. But the authorities took 4 hours to inform the public of the escape on 27 February because "there was no imminent danger to the public".
Today, there is a nationwide manhunt, with more than 1,000 police, soldiers, and elite Nepalese Gurkhas searching for him, dogs treking through the forests, posters with his famous face at every corner of Singapore, mobile phone operators send out messages with his picture, and a red alert has been issued, allowing any law enforcement officer among the international police network to arrest him on the spot.
And Deputy Assistant Commissioner Raymond Yeo, who leads the police Special Operations Command (SOC), is worried: "What is more damaging than his escape from the detention centre would be if he managed to escape out of Singapore and issued a victory statement."
Is that all we should be worried about?
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Finding Passion
You read about them in the newspapers and see their faces in magazines: "From Junior Executive to CEO". And you think to yourself, "Lucky bugger."
I look at the people around me...
A creative director who constantly asks, "What's next for me?"
A peer my age and already co-partner of a company handling $50,000 projects.
A friend who will be entering medical school soon - to become a neurosurgeon.
Budding doctors, corporate lawyers...the list goes on.
And then there's me.
What went wrong for me? Where's my drive to the top? Where's my passion?
I thought I had a sizzle, perhaps a little flame of desire burning inside me. I had my fair share of dreams, but then one day, it all vanished. It's like I had lost one side of my earrings, misplaced a passion somewhere, or subconsciously watered out my flame.
Autopilot.
I've come to settle for what I've got. I don't put my extra effort in, and I cruise on in life without an aim. I'm happy collecting my monthly salary, not asking for anything more. I do wonder what's next for me, but I don't do anything to change it.
I guess I'm learning, but I'm just not taking an active approach to it. I could be asking more questions, reading up on some past presentations, analysing some market figures, or just doing more. Everything is at my disposal, I have access to endless information, but here I am sitting at my desk, writing blog entries, surfing the net, checking emails and everything else except work.
Laziness.
I'm being dishonest if I try to argue I'm not. I can foresee my future. I'm just a girl in the office, carrying out my daily work routine. The clock chimes 6pm and I'm out of the door. I'm still at the same position as I was today, perhaps a $100 pay rise for staying on so long, but I'm still an executive. I'm still doing the same things, not anything more.
I tell myself I'll work harder. Just yesterday, I reminded myself to strive. If you strive, you'll be noticed, and if you slack, you'll also be noticed. At least when a job opportunity comes along or a pay rise is involved, I'd feel like I earned it. If I do not strive and sit here at my desk everyday, not making a difference to the company, I wouldn't expect any raise or promotion.
But life goes on.
It's true. Life goes on. I'll probably have a job, just not a great job. I'll be able to afford my neccessities and the occassional splurge, but nothing luxurious. I'll have a life - I'll be alive.
Stop.
Let's return to my resolve my problem, or the lack of it. Where o where can I find my passion?
Mathematics - Goodness, can I still do those sec 4 trig questions? And then what?
Architecture - Gave up on that before I even attempted it.
Advertising - Tried that and over that.
Marketing - Is it really where my passion lies? If so, shouldn't I be actively learning instead of feeling so empty?
What do they say about a person without passion?
He has "no more value than a candle without a flame or fire without light." (Chuck Gallozzi)
Thanks Chuck! That's awefully comforting!
Can a person without passion ever find passion?
"Passion can be created. Even for things you don’t currently enjoy. By tweaking the activities and pursuits you engage in, you can find a passion for anything.
All it takes is a bit of patience and an open mind." (Scott Young)
I look at the people around me...
A creative director who constantly asks, "What's next for me?"
A peer my age and already co-partner of a company handling $50,000 projects.
A friend who will be entering medical school soon - to become a neurosurgeon.
Budding doctors, corporate lawyers...the list goes on.
And then there's me.
What went wrong for me? Where's my drive to the top? Where's my passion?
I thought I had a sizzle, perhaps a little flame of desire burning inside me. I had my fair share of dreams, but then one day, it all vanished. It's like I had lost one side of my earrings, misplaced a passion somewhere, or subconsciously watered out my flame.
Autopilot.
I've come to settle for what I've got. I don't put my extra effort in, and I cruise on in life without an aim. I'm happy collecting my monthly salary, not asking for anything more. I do wonder what's next for me, but I don't do anything to change it.
I guess I'm learning, but I'm just not taking an active approach to it. I could be asking more questions, reading up on some past presentations, analysing some market figures, or just doing more. Everything is at my disposal, I have access to endless information, but here I am sitting at my desk, writing blog entries, surfing the net, checking emails and everything else except work.
Laziness.
I'm being dishonest if I try to argue I'm not. I can foresee my future. I'm just a girl in the office, carrying out my daily work routine. The clock chimes 6pm and I'm out of the door. I'm still at the same position as I was today, perhaps a $100 pay rise for staying on so long, but I'm still an executive. I'm still doing the same things, not anything more.
I tell myself I'll work harder. Just yesterday, I reminded myself to strive. If you strive, you'll be noticed, and if you slack, you'll also be noticed. At least when a job opportunity comes along or a pay rise is involved, I'd feel like I earned it. If I do not strive and sit here at my desk everyday, not making a difference to the company, I wouldn't expect any raise or promotion.
But life goes on.
It's true. Life goes on. I'll probably have a job, just not a great job. I'll be able to afford my neccessities and the occassional splurge, but nothing luxurious. I'll have a life - I'll be alive.
Stop.
Let's return to my resolve my problem, or the lack of it. Where o where can I find my passion?
Mathematics - Goodness, can I still do those sec 4 trig questions? And then what?
Architecture - Gave up on that before I even attempted it.
Advertising - Tried that and over that.
Marketing - Is it really where my passion lies? If so, shouldn't I be actively learning instead of feeling so empty?
What do they say about a person without passion?
He has "no more value than a candle without a flame or fire without light." (Chuck Gallozzi)
Thanks Chuck! That's awefully comforting!
Can a person without passion ever find passion?
"Passion can be created. Even for things you don’t currently enjoy. By tweaking the activities and pursuits you engage in, you can find a passion for anything.
All it takes is a bit of patience and an open mind." (Scott Young)
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Happy Valentine's Day!
Happy Valentine's Day
&
Happy 3rd Anniversary, Shoppa-Fcuk-Aholic!!
Goodness, it's been 3 years since I've kept a blog? That's such an accomplishment!
As
Goodness, it's been 3 years since I've kept a blog? That's such an accomplishment!
As
suggests..."May we grow old together!"
Family Time
Over the Chinese New Year period while everyone was busy with shopping for new clothes, spring cleaning, reunion dinner preparations and so on...where have I been?
I was busy shopping for new clothes, shoes, etc - not for me, but for my family in NZ. While everyone was spring cleaning, I was busy packing my 25kg luggage + 4kg fragile luggage + 5kg handcarry packed with Chinese New Year goodies. While everyone returned to Singapore for reunion dinner, I was fleaing out of the country for my reunion dinner in NZ.
The real holiday started on Friday, 1st February. The whole time at work, my chest literally felt like it was bursting with excitment. I felt like my heart could not contain the anticipation and I actually found it hard to breath.
At 10 minutes to 6pm, I dashed out of the office and grabbed a cab home. It was 6.40pm when I arrived him, my flight was at 9.05pm, meaning I should have been at the airport around 7.05pm for check-in. I leaped into the shower and back out in 5 minutes and did my last bit of packing before speeding off to the airport, arriving at 7.15pm.
My flight to NZ was fantastic. I think the guy at the check-in counter at Singapore airport was really nice to me as both flights from Singapore to Brisbane and then Brisbane to Auckland, I had the entire row to myself.
When I arrived in NZ, my family exchanged big welcome hugs and we headed home - our new home.
The first word that came to my mouth while touring the beautiful new house - WOW.
I think I said 'WOW' about 20 times while I was showed around, from the living room, to the kitchen, to the bedrooms. I LOVED IT.
After the tour, it was presents time. We gathered in the living room and I distributed all the goodies to my family members. I'd have to say out of everything I bought them, only 1 pair of heels for my sis didn't fit.
That evening, Aunty Mary came by and we went out for Vietnamese dinner.
On Sunday after church, we left on our roadtrip. 1st stop was Rotorua. The main idea was to patronise the spa pools, but we ended up finding a motel with sizeable jacuzzi spa in our unit and we settled for that. The next morning, we headed to Matamata to visit Hobbiton...
And after the tour, we moved on to Tauranga for the night. On Tuesday, we took a detour to a lavender farm and then PANCAKES. However, pancakes were a disappointment as they must have changed management/ cook. The pancake base was thick and it wasn't as appetising as it was last time. Such a waste.
That Tuesday evening, I met my usual uni group of friends for dinner. It was nice catching up with them. We retreated to my place for more hanging out.
On Wednesday, Chinese New Year eve and also Waitangi Day in NZ (meaning it's a public holiday), we didn't go far. In the morning, we went shopping for ingredients for our steamboat, and went shopping after that. In the afternoon, we came home to prepare for our yummy yummy steamboat. Once again, we bought too many ingredients and had plenty of leftovers...
Thursday morning, we took a short drive in the morning up North to the Honey Centre, where we had delicious pies and bought honey products. Then, we did a little shopping at another new mall that has been built in Auckland, before returning home to prepare for our feast. Mum had invited 8 of her colleagues over to our place for a homecooked asian dinner. That late afternoon, Laura and I made delicious and very successful nutella cupcakes!
And mum cooked up a storm to serve her colleagues from different nationalities. We had Singaporeans (us), Philippino, South Africans, Kiwi, French, and Indians!!! We served curry chicken, marinated grilled chicken wings, mix vegetables with tofu, satay and pork balls.
On Friday morning, we went west to a black-sand beach, pitched a mini-tent and had fish and chips. Though the sand was far far too hot (especially when it's black) and the noon sun was scorching, it was a beautiful day to be out by the beach. Out of all the short trips we did this holiday, I loved this the most.
That afternoon, we came home and soaked in the nice jacuzzi in our gorgeous master-bathroom.
On Saturday morning, I dragged myself out of bed to meet dad and mum at the church's barn sale. Instead of helping around, I went for breakfast and a nice wake-up mochaccino. Then, we did more grocery shopping - I was throwing a bbq that evening with my friends.
After lunch, dad and I went to the driving range for a short while and in the evening, I busied myself with preparation for the bbq. The turnout wasn't as big as we had expected, but the boys were big eaters so we didn't end up with too much leftovers.
On Sunday after church, we had lunch at The Coffee Club (NZ version), a little bit of shopping, and lazed around at home that day.
In the evening, I met Soon Yi, my korean friend who used to teach me Korean, for dinner.
Monday came around. For lunch, we had yummy pizzas and for dinner, mongolian bbq buffet. It was a very full day! We spent the rest of the day shopping and the night packing my luggage till past midnight.
Tuesday was the last day of my holiday. In the morning, we went out to the bank to get our pins on our new cards, before rushing home to do the last bit of packing of my 27kg luggage.
By 2.30pm, I was on the plane and by 10pm, I had arrived in Singapore, greeted by my grandparents and my honey!!!
I was busy shopping for new clothes, shoes, etc - not for me, but for my family in NZ. While everyone was spring cleaning, I was busy packing my 25kg luggage + 4kg fragile luggage + 5kg handcarry packed with Chinese New Year goodies. While everyone returned to Singapore for reunion dinner, I was fleaing out of the country for my reunion dinner in NZ.
The real holiday started on Friday, 1st February. The whole time at work, my chest literally felt like it was bursting with excitment. I felt like my heart could not contain the anticipation and I actually found it hard to breath.
At 10 minutes to 6pm, I dashed out of the office and grabbed a cab home. It was 6.40pm when I arrived him, my flight was at 9.05pm, meaning I should have been at the airport around 7.05pm for check-in. I leaped into the shower and back out in 5 minutes and did my last bit of packing before speeding off to the airport, arriving at 7.15pm.
My flight to NZ was fantastic. I think the guy at the check-in counter at Singapore airport was really nice to me as both flights from Singapore to Brisbane and then Brisbane to Auckland, I had the entire row to myself.
When I arrived in NZ, my family exchanged big welcome hugs and we headed home - our new home.
The first word that came to my mouth while touring the beautiful new house - WOW.
I think I said 'WOW' about 20 times while I was showed around, from the living room, to the kitchen, to the bedrooms. I LOVED IT.
After the tour, it was presents time. We gathered in the living room and I distributed all the goodies to my family members. I'd have to say out of everything I bought them, only 1 pair of heels for my sis didn't fit.
That evening, Aunty Mary came by and we went out for Vietnamese dinner.
On Sunday after church, we left on our roadtrip. 1st stop was Rotorua. The main idea was to patronise the spa pools, but we ended up finding a motel with sizeable jacuzzi spa in our unit and we settled for that. The next morning, we headed to Matamata to visit Hobbiton...
And after the tour, we moved on to Tauranga for the night. On Tuesday, we took a detour to a lavender farm and then PANCAKES. However, pancakes were a disappointment as they must have changed management/ cook. The pancake base was thick and it wasn't as appetising as it was last time. Such a waste.
That Tuesday evening, I met my usual uni group of friends for dinner. It was nice catching up with them. We retreated to my place for more hanging out.
On Wednesday, Chinese New Year eve and also Waitangi Day in NZ (meaning it's a public holiday), we didn't go far. In the morning, we went shopping for ingredients for our steamboat, and went shopping after that. In the afternoon, we came home to prepare for our yummy yummy steamboat. Once again, we bought too many ingredients and had plenty of leftovers...
Thursday morning, we took a short drive in the morning up North to the Honey Centre, where we had delicious pies and bought honey products. Then, we did a little shopping at another new mall that has been built in Auckland, before returning home to prepare for our feast. Mum had invited 8 of her colleagues over to our place for a homecooked asian dinner. That late afternoon, Laura and I made delicious and very successful nutella cupcakes!
And mum cooked up a storm to serve her colleagues from different nationalities. We had Singaporeans (us), Philippino, South Africans, Kiwi, French, and Indians!!! We served curry chicken, marinated grilled chicken wings, mix vegetables with tofu, satay and pork balls.
On Friday morning, we went west to a black-sand beach, pitched a mini-tent and had fish and chips. Though the sand was far far too hot (especially when it's black) and the noon sun was scorching, it was a beautiful day to be out by the beach. Out of all the short trips we did this holiday, I loved this the most.
That afternoon, we came home and soaked in the nice jacuzzi in our gorgeous master-bathroom.
On Saturday morning, I dragged myself out of bed to meet dad and mum at the church's barn sale. Instead of helping around, I went for breakfast and a nice wake-up mochaccino. Then, we did more grocery shopping - I was throwing a bbq that evening with my friends.
After lunch, dad and I went to the driving range for a short while and in the evening, I busied myself with preparation for the bbq. The turnout wasn't as big as we had expected, but the boys were big eaters so we didn't end up with too much leftovers.
On Sunday after church, we had lunch at The Coffee Club (NZ version), a little bit of shopping, and lazed around at home that day.
In the evening, I met Soon Yi, my korean friend who used to teach me Korean, for dinner.
Monday came around. For lunch, we had yummy pizzas and for dinner, mongolian bbq buffet. It was a very full day! We spent the rest of the day shopping and the night packing my luggage till past midnight.
Tuesday was the last day of my holiday. In the morning, we went out to the bank to get our pins on our new cards, before rushing home to do the last bit of packing of my 27kg luggage.
By 2.30pm, I was on the plane and by 10pm, I had arrived in Singapore, greeted by my grandparents and my honey!!!
Friday, February 01, 2008
TONIGHT
Tonight is the night I'm off to NZ.
I wouldn't say, "time flies coz just yesterday I was complaining it was still 3 more weeks."
The fact is, I have been counting down since 3 weeks ago and I have emails, blogs and a boyfriend to be my witness.
Nevertheless, I am glad the day is there!! I do hope I can keep awake today during work coz I'm so tired, having slept at 2am early this morning. Perhaps I'll have a good night's sleep on the plane. But then think about the movies onair?
I can't wait to see my parents, I can't wait to see my sister, I can wait to see my new house, I can't wait for New Zealand - it seems like the last time I said this was when my whole family was running away aka migrating from Singapore to NZ.
"I'll be back!"
I wouldn't say, "time flies coz just yesterday I was complaining it was still 3 more weeks."
The fact is, I have been counting down since 3 weeks ago and I have emails, blogs and a boyfriend to be my witness.
Nevertheless, I am glad the day is there!! I do hope I can keep awake today during work coz I'm so tired, having slept at 2am early this morning. Perhaps I'll have a good night's sleep on the plane. But then think about the movies onair?
I can't wait to see my parents, I can't wait to see my sister, I can wait to see my new house, I can't wait for New Zealand - it seems like the last time I said this was when my whole family was running away aka migrating from Singapore to NZ.
"I'll be back!"
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Duo Heats The Kitchen
- By Anonymous
After the famous spoilt radios Pear and Raine got together to bake Nutella Cupcakes and Chocolate Oreo Cheesecakes this past weekend, reviews have been flowing in.
The pair had spent the whole Saturday afternoon in Raine's kitchen, baking while sharing baking tips with each other. "If you like your cupcakes a little more moist, add a bit of milk. That'll do the trick." Pear, a genius chef herself, let us in on a secret.
Those who have tried the Nutella Cupcakes absolutely loved them. Reviews said the Nutella Cupcakes were delicious, one taster admitted to having four cupcakes at a go! Others commented that it was too sweet, but to Nutella lovers, you just couldn't get enough of it!
"Within a day, my Nutella Cupcakes were finished!" Pear announced to the press.
Reviews about the Oreo Cheesecake were diversed. Some found it too sweet with too much oreo bits, others said it was not cheesey enough.
"It may not have look presentable with the cracks on the slightly burnt crust, But I liked it." EK, creative director, supported the duo.
Despite the ravings, the pair humbly admitted that there is still room for improvement. Discussions have been ongoing and we may likely see the pair in baking action sometime soon. Our source tells us the next item on the menu would be something so sinfully chocolatey, it'll be 'Death by Chocolates'.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Thursday, January 24, 2008
A Date with My Prince
Last evening, I met my Prince at his Royal Ruby Palace, where he carries out his official duties as crown prince of Xile. We had earlier chanced upon the discovery that his Royal Ruby Palace was within close proximity to my humble Castle on Tannery, hence I decided to pay him a visit before our banquet.
My Prince settled his official business and together, upon my ingenious suggestion, we took his royal carriage to the new Terminal III of the Province of Changi.
Neither my Prince nor I had been to the new Terminal III since its grand opening on the 9th of January 2008. We were blown away immediately by its architectural design and lavished grandeur. The ceilings were high and allowed for the skylight to shine through. The glass elevators took you to whichever levels you wanted to visit. The concept of openness could be felt as we could see right through the glass panels to the gates of customs. A magnificent 5 storey high green wall towered above us, decorated with climbing plants, vines and serene waterfalls. It was a self-sufficient village, with grand restaurants, relaxing cafes, and shops of all varieties. It was an admirable dating place with its serenity and splendour.
We chose a nice restaurant serving Japanese Teppanyaki and had our feast. The spread of sizzling oysters, teriyaki chicken, black-pepper beef steak, marinated foie gras, salmon teriyaki, the softest tofu and chawamushi was commendable and delectable. We were satisfied customers. We proceeded to The Golden Theaters on The Bridge of the Red-Haired for a play on American Gangsters. There were not many plays on show at the moment and watching a display of American Gangsters were more appealing to me than watching a Body #19 or something about the Mist.
My prince dropped me off at my humble Castle of Florida where I only got to bed close to 1am. It was such a splendid evening and I could only look forward to visiting Terminal III again with the love of my life.
Footnote:
Royal Ruby Palace – Ruby Industrial Complex
Official duties – Work
Xile – My Prince's Company name
Castle on Tannery – Tannery House, building where I work
Royal carriage – Car
Terminal III of the Province of Changi – Changi Airport Terminal 3
The Golden Theaters – Golden Village Cinema
The Bridge of the Red-Haired – Ang Mo Kio
Castle of Florida – The Florida, Condo Apartments
My Prince settled his official business and together, upon my ingenious suggestion, we took his royal carriage to the new Terminal III of the Province of Changi.
Neither my Prince nor I had been to the new Terminal III since its grand opening on the 9th of January 2008. We were blown away immediately by its architectural design and lavished grandeur. The ceilings were high and allowed for the skylight to shine through. The glass elevators took you to whichever levels you wanted to visit. The concept of openness could be felt as we could see right through the glass panels to the gates of customs. A magnificent 5 storey high green wall towered above us, decorated with climbing plants, vines and serene waterfalls. It was a self-sufficient village, with grand restaurants, relaxing cafes, and shops of all varieties. It was an admirable dating place with its serenity and splendour.
We chose a nice restaurant serving Japanese Teppanyaki and had our feast. The spread of sizzling oysters, teriyaki chicken, black-pepper beef steak, marinated foie gras, salmon teriyaki, the softest tofu and chawamushi was commendable and delectable. We were satisfied customers. We proceeded to The Golden Theaters on The Bridge of the Red-Haired for a play on American Gangsters. There were not many plays on show at the moment and watching a display of American Gangsters were more appealing to me than watching a Body #19 or something about the Mist.
My prince dropped me off at my humble Castle of Florida where I only got to bed close to 1am. It was such a splendid evening and I could only look forward to visiting Terminal III again with the love of my life.
Footnote:
Royal Ruby Palace – Ruby Industrial Complex
Official duties – Work
Xile – My Prince's Company name
Castle on Tannery – Tannery House, building where I work
Royal carriage – Car
Terminal III of the Province of Changi – Changi Airport Terminal 3
The Golden Theaters – Golden Village Cinema
The Bridge of the Red-Haired – Ang Mo Kio
Castle of Florida – The Florida, Condo Apartments
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Dreamaholic at work!
I should honestly change the name of my blog to 'Tales of a Dreamaholic'!
Last night, I had yet another exciting dream/ movie (I like referring to my dreams as movies coz it seems like I’m watching a movie in my dream), but this time, the genre was fantasy. This dream was magical, similar to the movie ‘The Golden Compass’.
In the dream, every human being has a little ‘child’ fairy attached to them. They are inseparable from these fairies just like your conscience.
A group of us were stranded on a strange magical island. It was beautiful and yet dangerous at the same time. The magical island had abundant rainforests, waterfalls, and a city so amazing and colourful; it was too magical to be true. However, this magical island had been taken over by evil creatures and the village folks hid themselves in this big magical floating machine, like an air balloon or flying aircraft but cooler! However, this magical aircraft was no longer functional and it didn’t fly. It sat hidden among the green foliage. The aircraft was high up in the rainforest canopy, supported by the branches, and the evil creatures that roamed the ground beneath never noticed it.
So there we were in this strange land, exploring it and searching for the good village folks. We finally discovered this magical balloon with its inhabitants. They had no where to go and couldn’t escape the island. We realised the reason the magical aircraft couldn’t fly was because there was an imbalance of humans versus fairies on board. Only when the human count was the same as the fairy count, then the magical aircraft could fly. I can’t remember the specifics, but I think we discovered an extra fairy without a human boy. So the group of us went in search for this human boy. The boy’s parents also left their fairies on the aircraft to go in search of him.
We encountered an evil fairy who pretended to know where the boy was and wanted to trick us. We soon found out that she was the evil fairy of the forest and quickly abandoned her. At long last, we found the boy and raced back to the magical aircraft.
At this point, the aircraft had been discovered as one evil creature had accidentally fired a gun shot into the “sky” which ended up creating a hole in the floor. Thankfully, we were quite high up in the canopy and the evil creatures had trouble reaching us. We hurriedly got onto the aircraft and operated it to fly. After years of being inactive, it took a while for it to get started and everyone on board was in panic as the evil creatures were preparing for an attack. When we finally got the aircraft to float, we fell into a deep plunge as one little fairy had fallen through the hole, causing imbalance and the aircraft to shut down.
Thankfully, the fairies could fly and with the help of the other fairies, she was pulled back into our aircraft and just as we almost hit the ground and into the hands of the evil creatures beneath us, the aircraft started up and we zoomed off, through the rainforest, past the waterfalls, above the roof tops of the city, and escaped this island to freedom.
The end.
I think if this was cast into an animated movie, it would be totally cool!
Last night, I had yet another exciting dream/ movie (I like referring to my dreams as movies coz it seems like I’m watching a movie in my dream), but this time, the genre was fantasy. This dream was magical, similar to the movie ‘The Golden Compass’.
In the dream, every human being has a little ‘child’ fairy attached to them. They are inseparable from these fairies just like your conscience.
A group of us were stranded on a strange magical island. It was beautiful and yet dangerous at the same time. The magical island had abundant rainforests, waterfalls, and a city so amazing and colourful; it was too magical to be true. However, this magical island had been taken over by evil creatures and the village folks hid themselves in this big magical floating machine, like an air balloon or flying aircraft but cooler! However, this magical aircraft was no longer functional and it didn’t fly. It sat hidden among the green foliage. The aircraft was high up in the rainforest canopy, supported by the branches, and the evil creatures that roamed the ground beneath never noticed it.
So there we were in this strange land, exploring it and searching for the good village folks. We finally discovered this magical balloon with its inhabitants. They had no where to go and couldn’t escape the island. We realised the reason the magical aircraft couldn’t fly was because there was an imbalance of humans versus fairies on board. Only when the human count was the same as the fairy count, then the magical aircraft could fly. I can’t remember the specifics, but I think we discovered an extra fairy without a human boy. So the group of us went in search for this human boy. The boy’s parents also left their fairies on the aircraft to go in search of him.
We encountered an evil fairy who pretended to know where the boy was and wanted to trick us. We soon found out that she was the evil fairy of the forest and quickly abandoned her. At long last, we found the boy and raced back to the magical aircraft.
At this point, the aircraft had been discovered as one evil creature had accidentally fired a gun shot into the “sky” which ended up creating a hole in the floor. Thankfully, we were quite high up in the canopy and the evil creatures had trouble reaching us. We hurriedly got onto the aircraft and operated it to fly. After years of being inactive, it took a while for it to get started and everyone on board was in panic as the evil creatures were preparing for an attack. When we finally got the aircraft to float, we fell into a deep plunge as one little fairy had fallen through the hole, causing imbalance and the aircraft to shut down.
Thankfully, the fairies could fly and with the help of the other fairies, she was pulled back into our aircraft and just as we almost hit the ground and into the hands of the evil creatures beneath us, the aircraft started up and we zoomed off, through the rainforest, past the waterfalls, above the roof tops of the city, and escaped this island to freedom.
The end.
I think if this was cast into an animated movie, it would be totally cool!
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
My Lazy Script Writer Bones
Why do I have such lazy bones?!?!
Last night, I went to bed early at 11.30pm, thinking I'd get a good 7 hours sleep and then wake up at 6.30am for a morning exercise before work.
But of course, my laziness got the better of me and I ended up postponing my alarm for 7.30am. However, I’d like to argue that I have a very valid reason for this.
I had another weird but exciting dream (or action movie in-the-making) that kept me “awake” all night.
And I woke up at 5.49am in the morning, exhausted from my dream but my blood was pumping with adrenalin from such an exciting adventure. I think I should seriously consider a change in career to become a movie script writer with all my absurd dreams, from romance to comedy to action.
So you see, after waking at 5.49am from my dream, I had to put myself back to sleep again and though at 6.30am when my alarm rang and I was feeling quite awake, I forced myself to go back for another hour of sleep because I thought I’d be exhausted from my dream – since I didn’t get my full 7 hours of sleep as I was disturbed at 5.49am. Then at 7.30am when my second alarm rang, I got up, more tired than I was at 6.30am in the morning.
The irony of it all.
Last night, I went to bed early at 11.30pm, thinking I'd get a good 7 hours sleep and then wake up at 6.30am for a morning exercise before work.
But of course, my laziness got the better of me and I ended up postponing my alarm for 7.30am. However, I’d like to argue that I have a very valid reason for this.
I had another weird but exciting dream (or action movie in-the-making) that kept me “awake” all night.
The Lead Characters:
- Me
- 1 good looking hunk (Forgot who he was)
Supporting Cast:
- Grandpa
- Laura
- Nai Nai (my grandmother)
- Rina (EK’s friend and make-up artist)
- Jensen Ackles (American Actor on Supernatural)
The Plot:
The first scene I can remember was Me, my good looking hunk, Rina/Laura (can’t remember who it was), Nai Nai, and Jensen Ackles touring one of those huge amusement park. Oh course with me and my good looking hunk, we were not dating, but there were obvious flirting and sparks flying around us as most movies begin. I was pushing Nai Nai on her wheelchair and I remember clearly having to steer slowly down a steep slope, sometimes steadying myself with my hand touching the ground of the steep slope. The guys were chatting behind me, they were good friends. We were all having such a lovely time. In the late afternoon, we departed the amusement park after Nai Nai bought heaps of souvenirs.
We split from Jensen Ackles, he said he had something to do and told us to get on with our journey. So the rest of us climbed on to the back of my hunk’s jeep/ big manly 4 wheel drive open-top van and started our journey home. As we were a good distance away from the amusement park, there was a loud explosion and saw the entire amusement park blow up in flames. At that moment, both myself and my hunk’s thoughts float to Jensen Ackles. We knew he was the one who set off the explosion. The scene cuts to Jensen Ackles driving away from the scene in his convertible jeep. Jensen’s character in the dream/movie is dense. He’s our best friend and yet also a hired assassin. During our journey around the amusement park, he had planted explosives and we didn’t even notice.
The scene cuts back as we were propelled by the force of the explosion. A truck behind us was coming fast at us, destroying everything in its path. My hunk rammed his accelerator and moved to the train tracks that were in the centre of the 2 lane road. We were trying to avoid the slow traffic in front of us and had to avoid the oncoming traffic. There was chaos as the train tracks ripped off and planks came hurling after us due to the destruction the truck caused.
At some point in time, I was flown out of the car and landed by the side of the road. A furious driver came storming over with a plank in his hand, ready to hit me (for some reason or other, I have forgotten). The drivers’ girlfriend was also furious, coming towards me. I fought them away in a losing battle, but just then, Jensen came to my rescue, throwing his jeep in front to stop the oncoming truck from our path. After a struggle, Jensen pushed the driver and his girlfriend into a ditch in the road that was caused by the explosion. The land was soft and the couple were struggling to climb out. Jensen and myself escaped to my hunk’s van which was pulled to the side of the street, and we sped off. We didn’t question Jensen on the explosives at the amusement park. His work was not our concern.
The scene cut to us driving up a steep one-lane slope, one side was slope the other side were houses. (This scene was like déjà vu for me in my dream. It seemed so familiar like I’ve travelled down this road before in reality, but right now, wide awake and thinking, I’ve never driven through such an estate before. I have no clue why I had this déjà vu feeling even while I was dreaming!! Weird huh!) We made sharp turns in the road, avoided oncoming traffic that was travelling at tremendous speeds towards us. We were travelling a little too fast when an oncoming car appeared round the bend. We made a hasty sharp turn to avoid a crash and found us tumbling out of the van that flipped a short distance down the slope. We checked to make sure we were alright. There was me, my hunk, Laura, Rina and Jensen (no clue where Nai Nai disappeared off to in my dreams).
Then suddenly, Laura took the van and drove away, leaving us behind. We were clueless and were in deep confusion why she would do that. Slowly, we made our way back to our house, stopping by a nearby public swimming club to rest. And it was at this swimming club that we met Grandpa, who asked where I’ve been as he was concerned for my disappearance. And Laura was there in her bikini and she whispered to me that she had told Grandpa she had taken the car for a short while, as it would be less suspicious. (The car? I thought the car belonged to my hunk – strange part of my dream I couldn’t figure out.) Laura stays home most of the time so when she told Grandpa she had taken the car, he would only think it was for a short while, as opposed to me, who would be blamed for taking it out the entire day as I’m mostly out, without permission.
And I woke up at 5.49am in the morning, exhausted from my dream but my blood was pumping with adrenalin from such an exciting adventure. I think I should seriously consider a change in career to become a movie script writer with all my absurd dreams, from romance to comedy to action.
So you see, after waking at 5.49am from my dream, I had to put myself back to sleep again and though at 6.30am when my alarm rang and I was feeling quite awake, I forced myself to go back for another hour of sleep because I thought I’d be exhausted from my dream – since I didn’t get my full 7 hours of sleep as I was disturbed at 5.49am. Then at 7.30am when my second alarm rang, I got up, more tired than I was at 6.30am in the morning.
The irony of it all.
Monday, January 21, 2008
I Do...
A beautiful beach wedding on one of those Caribbean islands with fine white sands and the bluest waters. A gorgeous white as snow Vera Wang dress, sitting so beautifully on the bride, with an exquisite train following behind. The bride and groom stands below the royal white arch dressed with the finest white lace, flowers and leaves so green, just like out of a dream, as they say their ‘I Do’s.
Or perhaps a classic wedding at a church with a steeple. The ends of every pew decorated with beautiful flowers and lace. The father of the bride gives away his daughter, his baby, to the man of her dreams.
Weddings. Every girl dreams of this big day, and I can’t pretend I haven’t. Especially when I’m getting closer to my desirable age of wed, and with friends around me declaring their vows, I can’t deny the fact that I’m dreaming for my big day too.
But the exquisite Vera Wang gown with the long train, the beautiful reception and the sumptuous dinner are the least of my concerns.
I met up with a friend of mine last week. He told me before that he never wants to get married, but he confessed that seeing friends our age get married one by one, he fears the day he becomes the only single around. “Perhaps I should find another girl now and make a ‘when we reach thirty and we’re still single pact’ so we don’t get left out,” he says. But he fears, and I sometimes wonder about it too, with divorce being widely practiced and becomingly accepted by our society, what will my future be? He comes from a family with problems, broken relationships, etc, and it’s understandable that his picture of a family is not as perfect as mine. But I have my own set of worries. My parents, so loving even after 25 years of marriage, makes me envious yet worried about my future. What if mine doesn’t turn out like theirs? They have set such a perfect example of a perfect family, and I want the family I have to be like what I had. But with divorce so widely practiced today, it makes it even scarier for me. As they say, the bigger the expectation, the bigger the disappointment. Am I ready to take this step of faith?
But one thing I’m thankful for is EK and his family values. He wants to settle down and wants a solid family with a happily ever after ending, like his parents. He wants kids too, but not so soon. He’s not commitment phobic – perhaps due to the fact that he’s 6 years older than me – “it’s about time” you know. And HE LOVES ME. Hee.
Am I too eager to get married? I find myself asking. I’m only turning 24 this year. I’m still young, so many remind me. But my grandfather says otherwise. He says I’m not young, that he got married when he was my age. Perhaps he’s eager for great grandchildren, with me being his oldest grandchild. This morning, he mentioned marriage again. He said that many people are getting married this year coz 2008 is a good year, and casually suggested I should get married as well – or just registered at ROM.
I have to admit, EK and myself have been talking about this. With this being our first (Obviously!), we have no clue how it’s to be done. EK asks me if it’s okay we get ROM first, invite close family and friends to dinner, and then the big shebang a year or two later. Is that the correct protocol? We do not know.
But he also knows that this day comes once in a lifetime and it’s every girl’s dream to wear the white dress and walk down the aisle. To complete it in TRADITION (as the father on ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ sings), there’s the tea ceremony and the big dinner. So he also wants to do it right. Though thinking about it, inviting people you don’t know or haven’t met in your entire life, or only perhaps exchanged 1 word or 2 with, it sounds ridiculous. But TRADITION!
Then comes the money issue. We live in a practical world. Often, money – or the lack of – holds us back. There’s the dress (in my case, the Vera Wang, though my friend says he should be able to buy me one of those as a wedding gift when he becomes a full fledge neurosurgeon – in 7 years time), the wedding invitations, the event, the dinner and the photographers. After that, there’s the house to think about.
Having said that, I’m glad those things don’t mean the world to me. I can give up on my Vera Wang dream – it’s how you wear it, not what you wear, I can accept the ROM first with a small dinner celebrated among family close friends – that would actually be more personal, and as long as I’m with EK, anywhere is fine.
But the one thing I will not compromise is the proposal. I’m still a traditional little girl with my dreams. I want my proposal. It doesn’t need to be a 1 carat diamond or an extravagant message in the sky “Will you marry me?”
It just needs to be EK, committing his future with me. Though I know it for a fact that he wants to spend the rest of his life with me, he’s told me that many times before, but the proposal means a lot to me and I believe so for many other girls out there. Yes, we talk about getting married, about spending the rest of our lives together, about buying a house, but the true beauty lies in the one question that seals the commitment:
Will you spend the rest of your life with me?
Will you be my wife?
WILL YOU MARRY ME?
Or perhaps a classic wedding at a church with a steeple. The ends of every pew decorated with beautiful flowers and lace. The father of the bride gives away his daughter, his baby, to the man of her dreams.
Weddings. Every girl dreams of this big day, and I can’t pretend I haven’t. Especially when I’m getting closer to my desirable age of wed, and with friends around me declaring their vows, I can’t deny the fact that I’m dreaming for my big day too.
But the exquisite Vera Wang gown with the long train, the beautiful reception and the sumptuous dinner are the least of my concerns.
I met up with a friend of mine last week. He told me before that he never wants to get married, but he confessed that seeing friends our age get married one by one, he fears the day he becomes the only single around. “Perhaps I should find another girl now and make a ‘when we reach thirty and we’re still single pact’ so we don’t get left out,” he says. But he fears, and I sometimes wonder about it too, with divorce being widely practiced and becomingly accepted by our society, what will my future be? He comes from a family with problems, broken relationships, etc, and it’s understandable that his picture of a family is not as perfect as mine. But I have my own set of worries. My parents, so loving even after 25 years of marriage, makes me envious yet worried about my future. What if mine doesn’t turn out like theirs? They have set such a perfect example of a perfect family, and I want the family I have to be like what I had. But with divorce so widely practiced today, it makes it even scarier for me. As they say, the bigger the expectation, the bigger the disappointment. Am I ready to take this step of faith?
But one thing I’m thankful for is EK and his family values. He wants to settle down and wants a solid family with a happily ever after ending, like his parents. He wants kids too, but not so soon. He’s not commitment phobic – perhaps due to the fact that he’s 6 years older than me – “it’s about time” you know. And HE LOVES ME. Hee.
Am I too eager to get married? I find myself asking. I’m only turning 24 this year. I’m still young, so many remind me. But my grandfather says otherwise. He says I’m not young, that he got married when he was my age. Perhaps he’s eager for great grandchildren, with me being his oldest grandchild. This morning, he mentioned marriage again. He said that many people are getting married this year coz 2008 is a good year, and casually suggested I should get married as well – or just registered at ROM.
I have to admit, EK and myself have been talking about this. With this being our first (Obviously!), we have no clue how it’s to be done. EK asks me if it’s okay we get ROM first, invite close family and friends to dinner, and then the big shebang a year or two later. Is that the correct protocol? We do not know.
But he also knows that this day comes once in a lifetime and it’s every girl’s dream to wear the white dress and walk down the aisle. To complete it in TRADITION (as the father on ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ sings), there’s the tea ceremony and the big dinner. So he also wants to do it right. Though thinking about it, inviting people you don’t know or haven’t met in your entire life, or only perhaps exchanged 1 word or 2 with, it sounds ridiculous. But TRADITION!
Then comes the money issue. We live in a practical world. Often, money – or the lack of – holds us back. There’s the dress (in my case, the Vera Wang, though my friend says he should be able to buy me one of those as a wedding gift when he becomes a full fledge neurosurgeon – in 7 years time), the wedding invitations, the event, the dinner and the photographers. After that, there’s the house to think about.
Having said that, I’m glad those things don’t mean the world to me. I can give up on my Vera Wang dream – it’s how you wear it, not what you wear, I can accept the ROM first with a small dinner celebrated among family close friends – that would actually be more personal, and as long as I’m with EK, anywhere is fine.
But the one thing I will not compromise is the proposal. I’m still a traditional little girl with my dreams. I want my proposal. It doesn’t need to be a 1 carat diamond or an extravagant message in the sky “Will you marry me?”
It just needs to be EK, committing his future with me. Though I know it for a fact that he wants to spend the rest of his life with me, he’s told me that many times before, but the proposal means a lot to me and I believe so for many other girls out there. Yes, we talk about getting married, about spending the rest of our lives together, about buying a house, but the true beauty lies in the one question that seals the commitment:
Will you spend the rest of your life with me?
Will you be my wife?
WILL YOU MARRY ME?
今天妳要嫁给我 Marry Me Today
By 陶喆 (David Tao) and 蔡依林 (Jolin Cai)
David:
春暖的花开带走冬天的感伤
Flowers blossoming in spring takes away the winter’s pain
微风吹来浪漫的气息
A light wind blows a breath of romance
每一首情歌忽然充满意义
Every love song suddenly is filled with meaning
我就在此刻突然见到你
At this point you suddenly appear before me
Jolin:
春暖的花香带走冬天的凄寒
Flowers blossoming in spring takes away the bitter cold of the winter
微风吹来意外的爱情
A light breeze blows unexpected love [our way]
鸟儿的高歌拉近我们距离
Birdsong draws us closer to each other
我就在此刻突然爱上你
At this point I suddenly fall in love with you
Together:
听我说 手牵手跟我一起走 创造幸福的生活
Listen to me, [let’s] hold hands, walk together, and create a happy life [together]
昨天你来不及 明天就会可惜 今天嫁给我好吗
Yesterday you were too late, it would be a shame tomorrow, so will me marry me today?
RAP:
[Lorraine] in the house
[E.K.] in the house
[Lorraine] in the house
[E.K.] in the house
[Lorraine] in the house
[E.K.] in the house
Our love in the house
David:
夏日的热情打动春天的懒散
Summer’s kindness shifts spring’s idleness
阳光照耀美满的家庭
The sunshine illuminates the beauty of the family
每一首情歌都会勾起回忆
Every love song will bring up memories
想当年我是怎麽认识你
[I] think about how I met you that year
Jolin:
冬天的忧伤接续秋天的孤单
Grief in winter finishes autumn’s loneliness
微风吹来枯了的思念
The breeze blows by withered yearning
鸟儿的高歌唱著不要别离
The birdsong makes me not want to leave
此刻我多麽想要拥抱你
I immediately desire your hug
Together:
听我说手牵手 跟我一起走 过著安定的生活
Listen to me, [let’s] hold hands, walk together with me, [let’s live] a peaceful life
昨天你来不及 明天就会可惜 今天你要嫁给我
Yesterday you were too late, it would be a shame tomorrow, so you shall marry me today
听我说手牵手 我们一起走 把你一生交给我
Listen to me, [let’s] hold hands and walk together, surrender yourself completely to me
昨天不要回头 明天要到白首 今天你要嫁给我
Yesterday do not look back, we’ll grow old [in the years to come], marry me today
RAP:
叮咚 听著礼堂的钟声 我们在上帝和亲友面前见證
Ding dong, listen to the church bells ring, god and our friends will all be here to witness us [get married]
这对男女现在就要结为夫妻
Men and women now should marry each other
不要忘了这一切是多麽的神圣
Do not forget just how sacred [marriage] is
你愿意生死苦乐永远和他在一起
You will for better for worse be with him together
爱惜他 尊重他 安慰他 保护著他
Love him, respect him, comfort him and protect him
两人同心建立起美满的家庭 你愿意这样做吗? Yes, I do
A couple together creates a happy family, are you willing to do this? Yes, I do
Together:
听我说手牵手 一路到尽头 把你一生交给我
Listen to me, [let’s] hold hands, together to the end, surrender yourself completely to me
昨天已是过去 明天更多回忆 今天你要嫁给我
Yesterday was the past, tomorrow will be full of memories, marry me today
今天你要嫁给我 今天你要嫁给我......
Marry me today, marry me today
David:
春暖的花开带走冬天的感伤
Flowers blossoming in spring takes away the winter’s pain
微风吹来浪漫的气息
A light wind blows a breath of romance
每一首情歌忽然充满意义
Every love song suddenly is filled with meaning
我就在此刻突然见到你
At this point you suddenly appear before me
Jolin:
春暖的花香带走冬天的凄寒
Flowers blossoming in spring takes away the bitter cold of the winter
微风吹来意外的爱情
A light breeze blows unexpected love [our way]
鸟儿的高歌拉近我们距离
Birdsong draws us closer to each other
我就在此刻突然爱上你
At this point I suddenly fall in love with you
Together:
听我说 手牵手跟我一起走 创造幸福的生活
Listen to me, [let’s] hold hands, walk together, and create a happy life [together]
昨天你来不及 明天就会可惜 今天嫁给我好吗
Yesterday you were too late, it would be a shame tomorrow, so will me marry me today?
RAP:
[Lorraine] in the house
[E.K.] in the house
[Lorraine] in the house
[E.K.] in the house
[Lorraine] in the house
[E.K.] in the house
Our love in the house
David:
夏日的热情打动春天的懒散
Summer’s kindness shifts spring’s idleness
阳光照耀美满的家庭
The sunshine illuminates the beauty of the family
每一首情歌都会勾起回忆
Every love song will bring up memories
想当年我是怎麽认识你
[I] think about how I met you that year
Jolin:
冬天的忧伤接续秋天的孤单
Grief in winter finishes autumn’s loneliness
微风吹来枯了的思念
The breeze blows by withered yearning
鸟儿的高歌唱著不要别离
The birdsong makes me not want to leave
此刻我多麽想要拥抱你
I immediately desire your hug
Together:
听我说手牵手 跟我一起走 过著安定的生活
Listen to me, [let’s] hold hands, walk together with me, [let’s live] a peaceful life
昨天你来不及 明天就会可惜 今天你要嫁给我
Yesterday you were too late, it would be a shame tomorrow, so you shall marry me today
听我说手牵手 我们一起走 把你一生交给我
Listen to me, [let’s] hold hands and walk together, surrender yourself completely to me
昨天不要回头 明天要到白首 今天你要嫁给我
Yesterday do not look back, we’ll grow old [in the years to come], marry me today
RAP:
叮咚 听著礼堂的钟声 我们在上帝和亲友面前见證
Ding dong, listen to the church bells ring, god and our friends will all be here to witness us [get married]
这对男女现在就要结为夫妻
Men and women now should marry each other
不要忘了这一切是多麽的神圣
Do not forget just how sacred [marriage] is
你愿意生死苦乐永远和他在一起
You will for better for worse be with him together
爱惜他 尊重他 安慰他 保护著他
Love him, respect him, comfort him and protect him
两人同心建立起美满的家庭 你愿意这样做吗? Yes, I do
A couple together creates a happy family, are you willing to do this? Yes, I do
Together:
听我说手牵手 一路到尽头 把你一生交给我
Listen to me, [let’s] hold hands, together to the end, surrender yourself completely to me
昨天已是过去 明天更多回忆 今天你要嫁给我
Yesterday was the past, tomorrow will be full of memories, marry me today
今天你要嫁给我 今天你要嫁给我......
Marry me today, marry me today
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
I gave birth to a baby boy
My dreams are very weird recently. My nights have been very restless with interesting dreams night after night after night.
Last night, I gave birth to a baby boy and yes, I was married (I hope so). The surprising thing was that my experience of the child birth wasn't painful. There I was squeezing the 'little' thing out of me and he came out after 4-5 pushes. And it was done, my tummy went back immediately to being as flat as it was before and I had no stretch marks!
The funny thing was, my baby who was just born was like a minature adult. He was a baby, wrapped in diapers and stuff, but he was like a mini adult coming to be about 1 meter tall. And he could stand, he could read and understand what we were talking about, and yes, he was only just born!
I tell you...I'm having seriously weird and disturbing dreams. But at least, child birth doesn't seem so scary afterall. HAHAHA.
Last night, I gave birth to a baby boy and yes, I was married (I hope so). The surprising thing was that my experience of the child birth wasn't painful. There I was squeezing the 'little' thing out of me and he came out after 4-5 pushes. And it was done, my tummy went back immediately to being as flat as it was before and I had no stretch marks!
The funny thing was, my baby who was just born was like a minature adult. He was a baby, wrapped in diapers and stuff, but he was like a mini adult coming to be about 1 meter tall. And he could stand, he could read and understand what we were talking about, and yes, he was only just born!
I tell you...I'm having seriously weird and disturbing dreams. But at least, child birth doesn't seem so scary afterall. HAHAHA.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
A New Change?
I came upon a friend's entry about her lovely summer days in New Zealand and it evoked many memories and emotions that I realised I missed. And it got me thinking...
I really missed the short weekend roadtrips to the countryside, stop by the roadside stalls selling the juciest produce at amazing prices. I miss the countryside cafes, where the coffee just seem so much better and the ambience is always a welcomed plus. You can't find those kind of cafes in the concrete jungle of Singapore.
I miss the relaxing evening walks, where the temperature is just right and the whole way, friendly smiles greet you. In Singapore, you can't escape the heavy traffic flow and the incessant beeping of horns. There aren't pretty beaches or unpolluted greenery for view, and everywhere you go, you see people, busy people rushing from place to place with serious expressions and no smiles. You almost forget to smile. Just the other day, I was in a happy mood when I was getting lunch and the cashier looked at me strangely, but smiled, asking why I was so happy. Was it so strange to be in a good mood?
Oh, and barbies with friends and families! I miss those. Perhaps it's the weather, or probably it's the richness in the food, but it almost seems more fun in New Zealand. You don't find yourself perspiring in front of the pit, or swamp in smoke.
And sitting on the deck - what deck!!! In singapore, most of us lives in apartments or flats with a small balcony big enough to fit 1 pot of plant. And even if we had a deck, the weather would be impossibly unwelcoming. One moment, it'll be raining, and the next, it'll be too hot that after 10 minutes and you'd be drenched in perspiration.
Picnics are rare, once again due to the weather and limited parks of nature. Beaches are either filthy or man-made. But I'm thankful that at least we do have beaches, and though man-made, it's still relaxing as long as you don't go into the polluted waters.
Blue skies are few and far between because it's either hidden behind the towering buildings or you get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of life that you forget to stop and look up to appreciate nature.
But can I picture myself doing all that with EK by my side? I have to admit I'm a city girl, and shopping malls are my recharge to life. Ek is a city boy as well, and shops are his lifeline, especially when he's in the design industry where creativity is fueled by inspiration from all things around.
How do we spend our evenings and weekends? We don't return home for homecook meals. Instead, we usually meet at either this mall or that for a quick dinner. Then, we will walk hand in hand among the shops, absorbing the latest fashion, checking out the latest sale, finding a good bargain or buying some useless item that we do not need.
Our weekends are mostly spent out. Only occassionally, do we find ourselves at home, sitting in the living room or lying on the bed, flipping magazines for the latest photoshoot or fashion trends, or reading the newspaper to update ourselves on the week's news. That's also they time we catch up on our household chores, like ironing, vacuuming, washing, etc. However, most weekends past very fast for the both of us. It is either an opportunity to catch up with friends for lunch/dinner, or we would hit the malls again, having coffee at the buzzing Coffee Bean or a nice Mud Pie at The Coffee Club. We do go Sentosa for some beach activities, but that is when the weather permits. Once a month, we'd go on a roadtrip to Penang, which is a good escape, but we mainly eat and shop in malls so it isn't much different from Singapore.
But when the money runs out, when fashion doesn't change from day to day, and when age creeps up on us, don't we all want an escape, find a relaxation haven, or a comfortable abode to retire from a hard day's work?
We do find ourselves bored of the malls sometimes, too much of a good thing is never advised. We do find ourselves looking elsewhere for inspiration. A new country? A new lifestyle?
A new change.
I wonder what this year has in store for us. Will it be any different from last year? And what about in the years to come? Have we thought about where we want to be? The answers to these questions, only HE can tell.
I really missed the short weekend roadtrips to the countryside, stop by the roadside stalls selling the juciest produce at amazing prices. I miss the countryside cafes, where the coffee just seem so much better and the ambience is always a welcomed plus. You can't find those kind of cafes in the concrete jungle of Singapore.
I miss the relaxing evening walks, where the temperature is just right and the whole way, friendly smiles greet you. In Singapore, you can't escape the heavy traffic flow and the incessant beeping of horns. There aren't pretty beaches or unpolluted greenery for view, and everywhere you go, you see people, busy people rushing from place to place with serious expressions and no smiles. You almost forget to smile. Just the other day, I was in a happy mood when I was getting lunch and the cashier looked at me strangely, but smiled, asking why I was so happy. Was it so strange to be in a good mood?
Oh, and barbies with friends and families! I miss those. Perhaps it's the weather, or probably it's the richness in the food, but it almost seems more fun in New Zealand. You don't find yourself perspiring in front of the pit, or swamp in smoke.
And sitting on the deck - what deck!!! In singapore, most of us lives in apartments or flats with a small balcony big enough to fit 1 pot of plant. And even if we had a deck, the weather would be impossibly unwelcoming. One moment, it'll be raining, and the next, it'll be too hot that after 10 minutes and you'd be drenched in perspiration.
Picnics are rare, once again due to the weather and limited parks of nature. Beaches are either filthy or man-made. But I'm thankful that at least we do have beaches, and though man-made, it's still relaxing as long as you don't go into the polluted waters.
Blue skies are few and far between because it's either hidden behind the towering buildings or you get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of life that you forget to stop and look up to appreciate nature.
But can I picture myself doing all that with EK by my side? I have to admit I'm a city girl, and shopping malls are my recharge to life. Ek is a city boy as well, and shops are his lifeline, especially when he's in the design industry where creativity is fueled by inspiration from all things around.
How do we spend our evenings and weekends? We don't return home for homecook meals. Instead, we usually meet at either this mall or that for a quick dinner. Then, we will walk hand in hand among the shops, absorbing the latest fashion, checking out the latest sale, finding a good bargain or buying some useless item that we do not need.
Our weekends are mostly spent out. Only occassionally, do we find ourselves at home, sitting in the living room or lying on the bed, flipping magazines for the latest photoshoot or fashion trends, or reading the newspaper to update ourselves on the week's news. That's also they time we catch up on our household chores, like ironing, vacuuming, washing, etc. However, most weekends past very fast for the both of us. It is either an opportunity to catch up with friends for lunch/dinner, or we would hit the malls again, having coffee at the buzzing Coffee Bean or a nice Mud Pie at The Coffee Club. We do go Sentosa for some beach activities, but that is when the weather permits. Once a month, we'd go on a roadtrip to Penang, which is a good escape, but we mainly eat and shop in malls so it isn't much different from Singapore.
But when the money runs out, when fashion doesn't change from day to day, and when age creeps up on us, don't we all want an escape, find a relaxation haven, or a comfortable abode to retire from a hard day's work?
We do find ourselves bored of the malls sometimes, too much of a good thing is never advised. We do find ourselves looking elsewhere for inspiration. A new country? A new lifestyle?
A new change.
I wonder what this year has in store for us. Will it be any different from last year? And what about in the years to come? Have we thought about where we want to be? The answers to these questions, only HE can tell.
Life's little pleasures
My boss just gave me a home-made cookie (of course my colleagues got one each as well), and I got myself ice coffee this morning (yum...yes yes, I know totally breaking my new year resolution) - BUT I feel so HAPPY.
A simple cookie and coffee can make me HAPPY...HAPPY...HAPPY!!
Life's made up of these small little pleasures. Collectively, life becomes very good!
At the moment, I've got many many small little pleasures going for me. The most important one, there's this insistent voice at the back of my head, screaming "New Zealand, New Zealand...Here I come!!" And then the countdown. Everyday is exciting coz it means one less day before I'm in NZ. Yesterday it was 15 working days (yes I count them in working days coz you can't count the lovely weekends!). And today, it became 14 working days!! You say 'big deal', it's only one day less, but it's a totally different number and if you work it out, yesterday, it was 15 working days = 3 weeks, but today, its only 14 working days = 2 weeks!!!! YAYAYAYAY. Yes yes, me and my warped theory, but life's interesting like that.
But of course, it's not NZ that I'm looking forward to. It's seeing my family and friends!! The very thought of that brings a smile across my face. It's been too long...8-9 months to be exact, but it's been too long. So many things have happened since, for example, a totally new house, birthday and special holidays I've missed, the faces, the smiles, the nagging, everything!! Ahhh, I can't wait!
And recently, I've been doing heaps of shopping for my family. Clothes, shoes, etc etc. Every shopping trip is a small little pleasure. Not just because I get to spend money - a shopaholic's favourite - but every single thought of whether they'd like this blouse, whether the colour is right, is the heels high enough, is the shirt the correct size...every single consideration is made of love, every single $ spent reminds me of them and yes, that makes shopping heaps more meaningful than buying anything for myself! I do hope 20kg baggage limit is sufficient!
Then comes work. I've been confirmed about 2-3 weeks ago and at first, I didn't think it was a big deal: just a letter handed to me by an admin staff who helped typed it out. But EK highlighted that it was different. It means they are satisfied with my work, they want to keep me as a permanent staff and I was confirmed before the 3 months was over. So that's another little happy happy that makes my world go round and round.
Even the thought that this weekend, I'll be baking with Pear - still haven't decided what to bake - but that's another little pleasure I'm looking forward to. Even the looking forward to becomes a pleasure. Every appointment or to-be appointments this week becomes a little pleasure as catching up with friends is such great fun, especially when it's good old friends whom you haven't met in yonks or friends you've only just met up a couple of weeks ago.
Receiving an E the moment I check my mail also puts a smile across my face.
So you see, if every morning you do a recollection of your little pleasures, your day will surely fly by!!
A simple cookie and coffee can make me HAPPY...HAPPY...HAPPY!!
Life's made up of these small little pleasures. Collectively, life becomes very good!
At the moment, I've got many many small little pleasures going for me. The most important one, there's this insistent voice at the back of my head, screaming "New Zealand, New Zealand...Here I come!!" And then the countdown. Everyday is exciting coz it means one less day before I'm in NZ. Yesterday it was 15 working days (yes I count them in working days coz you can't count the lovely weekends!). And today, it became 14 working days!! You say 'big deal', it's only one day less, but it's a totally different number and if you work it out, yesterday, it was 15 working days = 3 weeks, but today, its only 14 working days = 2 weeks!!!! YAYAYAYAY. Yes yes, me and my warped theory, but life's interesting like that.
But of course, it's not NZ that I'm looking forward to. It's seeing my family and friends!! The very thought of that brings a smile across my face. It's been too long...8-9 months to be exact, but it's been too long. So many things have happened since, for example, a totally new house, birthday and special holidays I've missed, the faces, the smiles, the nagging, everything!! Ahhh, I can't wait!
And recently, I've been doing heaps of shopping for my family. Clothes, shoes, etc etc. Every shopping trip is a small little pleasure. Not just because I get to spend money - a shopaholic's favourite - but every single thought of whether they'd like this blouse, whether the colour is right, is the heels high enough, is the shirt the correct size...every single consideration is made of love, every single $ spent reminds me of them and yes, that makes shopping heaps more meaningful than buying anything for myself! I do hope 20kg baggage limit is sufficient!
Then comes work. I've been confirmed about 2-3 weeks ago and at first, I didn't think it was a big deal: just a letter handed to me by an admin staff who helped typed it out. But EK highlighted that it was different. It means they are satisfied with my work, they want to keep me as a permanent staff and I was confirmed before the 3 months was over. So that's another little happy happy that makes my world go round and round.
Even the thought that this weekend, I'll be baking with Pear - still haven't decided what to bake - but that's another little pleasure I'm looking forward to. Even the looking forward to becomes a pleasure. Every appointment or to-be appointments this week becomes a little pleasure as catching up with friends is such great fun, especially when it's good old friends whom you haven't met in yonks or friends you've only just met up a couple of weeks ago.
Receiving an E the moment I check my mail also puts a smile across my face.
So you see, if every morning you do a recollection of your little pleasures, your day will surely fly by!!
Monday, January 14, 2008
Sulking about Bulk
Went away to Penang this weekend,
And returned a good 2 kgs heavier.
It was definitely not in any of my plans,
And it didn't make me happier.
Despite the many malls I conquered,
And the mountain I had climbed,
Whatever I ate went straight to fats,
And I didn't let it mind.
Woe! The anguish and the disappointment,
I want to hide and sulk.
But consoled for I'm not the only one,
My honey put on 3kgs in bulk.
And returned a good 2 kgs heavier.
It was definitely not in any of my plans,
And it didn't make me happier.
Despite the many malls I conquered,
And the mountain I had climbed,
Whatever I ate went straight to fats,
And I didn't let it mind.
Woe! The anguish and the disappointment,
I want to hide and sulk.
But consoled for I'm not the only one,
My honey put on 3kgs in bulk.
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Stressing my boss out!
I have stressed my boss out with my emails!! Oops!
But what can I do? France made a cock-up, our shipment is coming in late, and our client is chasing us for the shipment. Ahhhh...
Why is this happening?!
But what can I do? France made a cock-up, our shipment is coming in late, and our client is chasing us for the shipment. Ahhhh...
Why is this happening?!
Thursday, January 03, 2008
Reminiscing 2007, Resoluting 2008
Once again, we have come to the end of another year. It seems like just yesterday that I wrote a piece reminiscing the past year and here I am again. But I promise you this won't be too long.
2007...what about 2007?
To start off, it was another wonderful year with many adventures.
The first adventure was the love ride which involved me, EK and our relationship. The love ride can be compared to a roller coaster that you can't get enough of. Though there were ups and downs, the downs never lasted long. And as our relationship grew stronger, I confirmed he's the one for me! Every ride left you wanting for more. We wanted more time together, even if he was doing his own work and I was reading my book, as long as we were together, it was good. We wanted more adventures together, discovering the world bit by bit.
The second adventure was work. In this year alone, I've had three jobs. The first was the decision to leave the advertising agency which wasn't going well financially, to join the stable bank. But having a taste of the bank job and discovering that what 'was served wasn't what I ordered', I made another decision to leave without the back-up of another job. I selectively chose the jobs to apply for and applied for job after job after job. I even tried going into childcare. And finally, the call came. And that lands me in my current job, one I'm happy with because I'm finally doing proper marketing. My bosses are good, the work hours are conducive, and the job is fun. What more can I ask for?
Holidays were always an adventure on its own. It started with my first ever Formula 1 Grand Prix experience in Melbourne which left my ears yearning for more. Then there was my first trip back to New Zealand, accompanied with EK. I reunited with my family, caught up with good friends, showed EK my home for six years, toured the country and ate till my hearts content. I also celebrated my birthday with my family and friends over a pizza party. And every visit back to Penang, EK's hometown, was a delightful trip that kept me full from the shopping and eating.
Another thing I'd consider an adventure would be me and my ever-changing style. Influenced by people all around me, I slowly changed my appearance for the better. There was Pear who taught me the order of make-up so that I would look professional for work, Leonard Drake who (hopefully) did some helped to my skin, EK who styled me from simple to fashionable and from plain to accessorised. And there was Rina who gave me dramatic insights to make-up and fashion. There were many many others who had an influential effect on me, like the sales lady who taught me how to put on fake lashes, magazines with their insightful view on the ins and outs of fashion, or even the sales lady who recommended me to skinny jeans. I will continue to improve!
Therefore, 2007 was definitely a fruitfully adventurous year.
And what has 2008 have in store? There are still some areas of myself I need to improve on and so this year, my resolutions are as follows:
Get domesticated (Cooking, Ironing, Washing, Mopping, etc).
Oh well, I guess that'll just have to be in next year's list. Hee!
2007...what about 2007?
To start off, it was another wonderful year with many adventures.
The first adventure was the love ride which involved me, EK and our relationship. The love ride can be compared to a roller coaster that you can't get enough of. Though there were ups and downs, the downs never lasted long. And as our relationship grew stronger, I confirmed he's the one for me! Every ride left you wanting for more. We wanted more time together, even if he was doing his own work and I was reading my book, as long as we were together, it was good. We wanted more adventures together, discovering the world bit by bit.
The second adventure was work. In this year alone, I've had three jobs. The first was the decision to leave the advertising agency which wasn't going well financially, to join the stable bank. But having a taste of the bank job and discovering that what 'was served wasn't what I ordered', I made another decision to leave without the back-up of another job. I selectively chose the jobs to apply for and applied for job after job after job. I even tried going into childcare. And finally, the call came. And that lands me in my current job, one I'm happy with because I'm finally doing proper marketing. My bosses are good, the work hours are conducive, and the job is fun. What more can I ask for?
Holidays were always an adventure on its own. It started with my first ever Formula 1 Grand Prix experience in Melbourne which left my ears yearning for more. Then there was my first trip back to New Zealand, accompanied with EK. I reunited with my family, caught up with good friends, showed EK my home for six years, toured the country and ate till my hearts content. I also celebrated my birthday with my family and friends over a pizza party. And every visit back to Penang, EK's hometown, was a delightful trip that kept me full from the shopping and eating.
Another thing I'd consider an adventure would be me and my ever-changing style. Influenced by people all around me, I slowly changed my appearance for the better. There was Pear who taught me the order of make-up so that I would look professional for work, Leonard Drake who (hopefully) did some helped to my skin, EK who styled me from simple to fashionable and from plain to accessorised. And there was Rina who gave me dramatic insights to make-up and fashion. There were many many others who had an influential effect on me, like the sales lady who taught me how to put on fake lashes, magazines with their insightful view on the ins and outs of fashion, or even the sales lady who recommended me to skinny jeans. I will continue to improve!
Therefore, 2007 was definitely a fruitfully adventurous year.
And what has 2008 have in store? There are still some areas of myself I need to improve on and so this year, my resolutions are as follows:
- Get on track with God (I may have fallen off track, but I'll find my way back to the right path!)
- No biting of nails, of the skin around the nails, of my finger in general! (Well, I've kind of broken this resolution everyday for the first few days of 2008. Good luck to me!)
- Posture, Posture, Posture (Sit straight, stand straight, walk straight and walk tall!!)
- Read more fashion magazines (get educated)
- Save my face (Please find me a solution!!)
- Try not to slack/procrastinate so much (and this starts with sewing buttons that have fallen out weeks/months ago onto my tops)
- Save money for my future (This is a very persistant resolution that comes back to haunt us year after year after year)
- Eat healthy (Hopefully at a low cost as well. And it means no chocolates, no coffee - utterly no sinful cravings - okay, maybe not 'no' but 'cut down on'. Hey, cut me some slack - ah...just broken Resolution #6)
- Exercise, Exercise, Exercise (I need more determination on this. COME ON! Loose those aweful thighs, slim those flabby arms, tuck that tummy tight, and firm up that butt!!)
- Get a proposal (HAHAHAHA. When will he strike lotto??)
Get domesticated (Cooking, Ironing, Washing, Mopping, etc).
Oh well, I guess that'll just have to be in next year's list. Hee!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)