Tender at the bones

Marry up?

2009-12-31T19:08:00.000-08:00

The term " marrying up / down " has been a recurring one this week. That got me thinking, "what exactly does it mean and how does that apply to me?"

Well, my interpretation of the term is related to social status, or more correctly, one's perception of another's social status. That begs the question how one gets labeled with a certain social standing. That calls for a separate analysis all together.

For the purpose of this post, I guess my point is, there is such a concept of marrying up and I think it is my desire to attain that myself. Therefore I find myself choosing the people I want to hang out with, events I want to attend, the places I want to be seen at, etc. I feel sort of disgusted at myself for admitting this, but I believe my lifestyle is not simple enough for just anybody and I would have a better quality of life if I succeed.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Dreaming of a Wedding Gown

2009-12-27T21:33:00.000-08:00

Don't be alarmed, for I am not getting married. Heck, I don't even have a partner to speak of and this post may come across as silly. But I don't care; a girl is allowed to dream, isn't she?

As I was browsing various websites for wedding gowns, I seem to gravitate towards 1) the fishtail silhouette and 2) a stunning back view (either backless, low back or buttons).

My favourite dress in the Monique Lhuillier Bridal Fall 2010 collection is this dress from the Wonderland series. It has a clean look, not too much lace and beading detail that could be dizzy to the eyes, and without too big of a tent and train too. The latter is more for logistic reasoning and self-interest too. I have been to weddings where the bride looked pretty helpless in a big gown with excessive satin too heavy and cumbersome to handle. Therefore, I decided I will not be a helpless bride myself. The back of the dress is the classic ML look, a neat row of french buttons lined down the spine of the dress. I think this dress only looks too sexy. Not surprising is the price tag. I am known for my good (and expensive) taste. ML's website is classy like it does not list down the price of the gown but uses a legend to indicate a price range. This dress scored a $$$, which means it could cost between US$7,001 to US$8,500. Wow. Now where is my Prince?

Good Intentions

2009-12-21T02:28:00.000-08:00

I had been considering blood donation for a while now and when I saw the blood drive one day en route home, I just went for it.

After filling out the forms, sitting through the medical checks, passing the finger prick test for iron level in the blood, taken a shot of local anesthesia, and had the actual transfusion needle poked into my arm, I apparently fainted shortly after. How embarrassing!

My take on the situation was that I was very tired and I closed my eyes to rest because (i) I was very nervous and (ii) the nurse told me to lean back and relax.

I was very disappointed to say the least. But the experience made me realise how fearful I am of the needle and the whole poking procedure. No, I don't know if I would actually do it again.

Home Design Inspiration

2009-12-10T19:13:00.000-08:00

This picture is lifted from designspongeonline showcasing a design by an interior design betsy maddox. I love the Scandinavian look and feel. I swear I want to have wall paper in my future home.

A Bridal Shower

2009-11-14T16:35:00.001-08:00

Until yesterday, bridal showers only exist only in western , books and magazines. But trust my friend W to want to have one for her own wedding. I should have seen it coming. I am not saying that the bridal shower was a bad experience or anything negative. On the contrary, it was rather interesting. Here is a rundown of what happened:

The appointed organiser brought all the important ladies in W's life to W's house on a Saturday afternoon. Each of us was to prepare a little notecard with our favourite memory of W as well as a favourite recipe (W loves to cook/bake) and/or a piece of advice. All the little notecards were compiled into a cute folder as a gift to W. Great idea!

The dining table was laden with food, all kinds from the indulgent cake, to savoury chai tow kway and healthy fruit platter with delicious strawberries and pared pears. What's not to like about a bridal shower so far?

Well, so far so good until loud music started to play, breaking the ladies' chatter. A small-build person wearing a rather cheaper glittered paper mask appeared and dancing. From a distance, the gender of this stranger was debatable although logically, this person should be the male stripper given the context of the event. When the mask was off, the ~~stripper~~ entertainer's gender was confirmed.

He was trying hard to engage the blushing bride-to-be, who had to down her glass of champagne trying to loosen up. Someone else gave her another glass but I guess the tactic was not working too well and she gave up trying.

The entertainer was moving his hands across her body and then at times,he tried to get W to stand up and dance with him. At some point, the vest he was wearing came off and there, all of us noticed his questionable man-boobs that appeared offendingly. We concluded he took a lot of hormones or some form of stimulant because his boobs were definitely not the shape of natural pectoral muscles but rather like a small papaya with a perky tip. It was a gross sight! I lost my appetite immediately, and was glad I finished eating before his arrival. Oh, a little after the removal of the vest, the pants came off too. I know you are wondering about his "package". It was nothing impressive. Anyway, I ran away as soon as I saw him trying to engage the audience and was heading my way. Ewww.

After he left, we got around to share what we had in our notecards, with W also sharing a memorable moment that she had with each of us. It was a more solemn session but there was definitely a lot of love as each of us took our turns. I learned so much more about W and knowing how others felt about W, I silently gave thanks for our friendship too.

If You Wanna Get with Me

2009-10-19T03:08:00.000-07:00

I was inspired to write this post because I am at a point in life where it is a little more exciting in the love front. I do not believe in feng shui, but in feng shui, when one has the peach blossom love luck (literally translated from the Chinese phrase), one will become very attractive and popular, that could lead to many dating activities, jazzing up friendship and inviting desired proposals.

Why I chose the title of this entry, which is inspired by the song, "Wannabe" by the once-very popular Spice Girls, is because of my immediate train of thought following that verse.

If you are the "you" in the verse "If you wanna get with me", then read on carefully because I will not likely veer off these criteria that I have spent many agonizing hours thinking about.

i) Love God: This is non-negotiable. It will break my heart to be with someone who cannot feel the love of our Abba Father and Jesus Christ our Lord. I am not asking for a super "siao on" Christian boy because I am not a super "siao on" Christian girl :).

ii) Be generous: With money and more importantly with the HEART! I do not care if you think I am being materialistic or superficial but I firmly believe I cannot be with someone who is calculative and stingy. I love my family and friends and I often buy random things that I think would make their days.

On this note, guys, listen up. Regardless whether you are looking to date me, please try to pay for the date. At least attempt to put up a fight if the girl tries to pay.

iii) Good communicator: You must be able to speak proper English with right pronounciation. You don't have to speak proper English all the time but the ability to do so is important.

iv) Make me laugh: I have been told I am a rather serious girl. I think too much and too often that sometimes all I need is someone to give me a different (lighter side of things) perspective and make me laugh.

v) Have ambition: I think that a man with drive is rather sexy. Having an ambition also gives me the impression that you can plan and lead your own way.

iv) Enjoy fine food and wine: I live to eat! I would love to do more entertaining in future and the plan for my future home is to include a spacious open kitchen decked out in stainless steel and cool kitchen knifes and a pink Kitchen Aid.

By the way, I don't eat meat and no intention of changing my position in the foreseeable future.

There you have it. All laid out.

DIY Necklaces

2009-10-18T09:41:00.000-07:00

Got inspired to make necklaces and over the weekend, I went to some random bead store in Chinatown to buy some material to get started.

That will be my project and stay tuned!

Clubbing

2009-10-17T12:42:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe I will live to say that I actually enjoy clubbing!
This week has been the most happening week of my life and I went clubbing on three occasions:

Mambo on Wednesday
Stereolab on Friday
St. James on Saturday

Mambo is fun although the crowd is young, but hey, synchronised dancing bonds everyone together.

Stereolab is the hottest and most happening club in town at the moment. I like that the crowd is slightly older and thus more sophisticated and refined. House music on Friday is not my preference though but I heard the Wednesday R&B is good and I shall be checking that out hopefully when I can get the following Thursday morning off.

St. James is a nightmare. The crowd was not my type, the dance floors non existent, the digital screens very out of place and very "off" and the entertainers were just plain awful and some are very low class. Not coming back again.

Memories of F1 2009

2009-09-29T06:52:00.000-07:00

In chronological order:

1. Being in the Paddock Club ($8,000 per 3-day pass!) for the first time.
Mostly beautiful people; no end to eye candies.

2. Being in the Temasek Suite no less.
It was an eye-opener, in a big room with essentially all the big shots from government. But honestly, it was no fun -- everyone on the working level was on their toes and cannot relax at all.

3. Pitlane walk
What is the big deal? It was a human jam and the heat and humidity resulted exchange of bodily fluid. Gross. Maybe I would change my position if I had sighted Button or Raikkonen.

4. Mistakened as a mom by a client.
Depressing! Do I look matronly??

5. Nothing a good glass of champagne can't fix though.
Better yet, endless glasses of champagne.

6. Meeting Nobu for the first time.
Luckily I had my camera with me but the phototaker sucked big time.
The pictures barely came out right.

7. Met an New Yorker / ABC who was quite charming.
Emailed him and we will see how it goes.

8. Loud zoom zooms.

9. Learning how to be a bodyguard
I didn't know Mr. Tatan is a celebrity! A couple Indian nationals stopped us in our tracks ,wanting to take pictures with him. I had to decline politely so we could continue.

9. Food
Savories were so-so. Desserts were lacking, save for the yummy comte cheese.

Ignorance is Bliss

2009-08-31T17:17:00.000-07:00

Have you found a small clue that could lead to all possibilities?
And you know that your risk of being hurt, or shocked is almost 100%?

Have you ever been in the situation where your heart just wants to go all out to find out about something or somebody? (In this instance, it is beyond just being a 'kaypoh' but you truely want to go all the way to find out.)
And it is because you do really care deeply about the other party.

I am saddened.

Addiction

2009-07-05T06:27:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe I got addicted to Restaurant City on Facebook. That thing is evil!!!

I knew I had to do something when I was out for lessons today and all I wanted to do is to log on and keep my restaurant going.

No more no more!

Assertive and Confident

2009-05-27T06:38:00.000-07:00

Today, I suddenly find myself tossed into a tussel, just because the facts are misrepresented. Thinking that I would try to be nice and mitigate on both ends so that the matter could be forgotten quickly, I find myself into a deeper and deeper black hole.

Good thing the assertive course I am currently going through right now came in handy.
Is it my problem to resolve in the first place? No.
Is it my right to do not take sides? Damn right it is.

Because I love God, I know He will protect me.

Happy

2009-05-17T04:26:00.000-07:00

I don't know if it was the J Crew dress, the new hair cut, my look drew me compliments since last night the Caucasian man brushed my pretty bob-head.

I'm so happy :)

Chicken Feet

2009-05-14T03:39:00.001-07:00

I am so lucky to have found the ladies' fellowship group at work. Work is the common thread that ties everyone of us together other than the fact that we are all females and we are able to share openly without fear and judgement to encourage one another that the will of God can also take place at the workplace.

This afternoon, I was relating my Psalm 91 episode and in my attempt to share the story, I said, "my friend had chicken feet" when I meant, my friend had cold feet and chickened out.

The whole room burst out laughing and I was kinda embarrassed but at the same time, felt good about being able to produce smiles.

God is great.

Bleach

2009-05-09T04:21:00.000-07:00

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Let me tell you. Do not presume that all your white clothings can be white-washed with bleach. My brand new A|X white shirt turned to a shade of mustard/yellow after being in contact with the aforementioned substance. (all thanks to my 'helpful' mother) and there is ABSOLUTE NO WAY TO REVERSE IT.

I am so annoyed.

Who says God don't speak to you?

2009-05-04T09:32:00.000-07:00

When God wants to tell you something, He makes sure you get it.

Case in point: I was bothered by something and my fellow Christian sisters prayed for me and then subsequently encouraged me with Psalms 91. The very same day, my church prayed that prayer for the congregation as well. Today, my friend told me that she was just reading something that mentioned Psalms 91 as well.

So you see, Psalms 91 was shoved in my face, not once, not twice but three times, just in case I still don't get it.

Psalm 91

¹ He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

² I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust."

³ Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare
and from the deadly pestilence.

⁴ He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

⁵ You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,

⁶ nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.

⁷ A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.

⁸ You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.

⁹ If you make the Most High your dwelling—
even the LORD, who is my refuge-

¹⁰ then no harm will befall you,
no disaster will come near your tent.

¹¹ For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;

¹² they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

¹³ You will tread upon the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

¹⁴ "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

¹⁵ He will call upon me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.

¹⁶ With long life will I satisfy him
and show him my salvation."

Emotional Blackmail

2009-03-19T07:09:00.000-07:00

I had a breakdown at work today.

The party, who is a client and let's call her JJ, sent me a mail today. In her mail, she claimed that I was going back on my word and she went on to cut and copy parts of our previous correspondences to prove her point.

I thought that perhaps by giving her a phonecall, vis-a-vis replying to the mail, I could clarify myself.

Mistake.

When she heard my voice, she had this sigh in her voice, like she didn't really want to be talking to me. But I pressed on. I explained what I had meant in the mail but she would not hear me out. She had misconstrued my mail in a way that was in her interest. But of course.

To be honest, one could argue she could be technically right. It really depends on how one chooses to interprete the words. I tried to point that out to her. But she came back at me, reprimanding me that I should really communicate better. She went on to say that because I have really poor communication skills and that I have not fumbled just once but multiple times, her colleagues had given nasty feedback about me/my organisation (?).

When I tried to explain that it was primarily because I was acting as a mailbox, she then went on to criticize there was a lack of proper internal communications.

In short, her point was it was all my fault for choosing to respond in the words I chose. I felt humiliated and could not find a strong comeback. I chose to ask for additional time to sort things through before we continue our discussions.

Sigh, just when I thought we have been working together long enough that we could have a win-win situation. She obviously is pushing for a win-lose again.

Is any of the above considered emotional blackmail?

My confidence is shakened, honestly. And I was trying to figure out why. Perhaps there is some truth -- my writing ability could just be the problem. Maybe I cannot convey the essence of the message well enough.

I am scared, really scared. Scared of the truth. I think I should talk to my boss about it. Should I, or would it be a career limiting move?

What can I do to handle the situation better?

(goes away to google for help)

Hacking

2009-03-15T04:45:00.000-07:00

I am down with a flu, and a cough as well. Think I am too "heaty" and that caused the phlemge to build up.

The past few weeks had been nothing but stressful. Self-reflecting and planning are not easy tasks. But at least I have thought through my mission statement and then make an assessment of the opportunities in front of me now and able to prioritise them. Quite an achievement. But the tough part is not over. This is just the beginning. Now I have to see if the opportunities work out.

God help me please.

Happy and Envious

2009-03-01T20:56:00.000-08:00

The girlfriend texted me early this morning with news to share. I could feel the excitement behind those words and half-guessed what I could be hearing very soon.

Yes, the girlfriend got proposed over the weekend. Really, I feel very happy for her because she has been dying for that to happen.

Yet at the same time I am congratulating her, my heart feels so pained and sad about my own lack of romance. Sigh.

Slumdog Millionaire

2009-02-22T20:02:00.000-08:00

One of the better feel-good movies that I have ever watched. I am glad it got enough recognition from the Oscar's today :)

2009-02-22T19:10:00.000-08:00

にほんこはむす゛かして゛す.

I did it!

2009-02-22T18:12:00.000-08:00

Registration: $34 (with OCBC credit card discount)

Helmet: $72 (compulsory to wear one)

Finishing the 20km in 90 minutes (which was peppered with many thoughts of giving up and lots of cursing): Priceless

I can do it if I set my mind to it!!!!

For the wedding bells

2009-02-13T19:45:00.000-08:00

(Un) Fortunately not mine, but in preparation of the 5 upcoming ones this year, with 2 in March.

Problem at the top

2009-02-12T23:31:00.000-08:00

I think it could be sucky to be the boss because it is very difficult to balance between being the boss and being the human being.

Suck it in!

2009-02-07T21:57:00.001-08:00

I used to be so skinny that I never had a problem with flab, much less a flabby tummy. "Used to" being the key words. As of right now, it's totally the opposite. Whilst I may still look slim overall, I have a protruding stomach :(

Blame it on the late night, right before bedtime snacking habit that I have developed. I seriously think that is half the reason, the other half being I simply eat too much now!

Sigh.

I pray for motivation to do more exercise and tummy-tucking moves. More importantly, I pray they actually work. Otherwise, girdles would be my bestest friend.

Light at the end of tunnel

2009-01-20T07:31:00.000-08:00

I was unexpectedly caught back at work but as a result, I bumped into two secondary classmates that I had not seen since graduation.

We ended up chatting all the way on our MRT ride home. They have not changed much at all and I felt really comfortable even though we have not talked in yonks.

Thank God for small blessings like this.

Caviar

2009-01-14T08:20:00.000-08:00

The black little beads in a tin over ice looks interesting and begged to be tried. The mother of pearl baby spoons, together with the various condiments to be accompanied with the caviar, laid out nicely in front of me, all contributed to the excitement of eating caviar proper for the first time.

It had the taste of smoked salmon.

Hahaha. Luckily I don't particularly fancy it. Save money.

Nihongo

2009-01-12T21:57:00.000-08:00

I just signed up for Elem 2 of Japanese Language Course. I am really pleased to pass the first level, despite that it was only the most basic of basic courses (Elem 1!). People, if you are considering taking Japanese language course, do consider Bunka Language Course at Orchard Delfi. I find the course more structured than the ones in community centres or heartland centres.

It is all about baby steps for me now. Baby steps....

Fitness in 2009

2009-01-05T04:39:00.000-08:00

I want to be more active this year and so far, it has been good. I jogged for 15 minutes on the 1st day of 2009 and I just entered the tennis court for the first time last Saturday.

Speaking about tennis, it seems so easy on TV and prior to Saturday, my other interaction has been through playing Wii Tennis. Nothing prepared me for the actual sport itself. It is a lot of hand-eye coordination and stamina. God bless Zhen's friend, Jane, who kindly offered to teach us the sport.

Jane seems quite a tennis-nazi, making sure she teaches us all the intricate pointers and basics. We will be going to practice again this Saturday. I hope I will improve!

Goodbye 2008

2008-12-31T08:28:00.000-08:00

The year past so quickly, cliche as it sounds but honestly, time flies faster every year.

How did you spend your last night of 2008?

I spent it with the closest of my friends, the ones all the way from primary school friends. We had a wonderful evening over good food and counting down and marking the passing over into the new year together.

The parents are out for their own NYE dinner party. The brother was sick but appears to be recovering and the sister was out to party in KL since yesterday.

I am blessed, truly. Thank you God.

Will walk for lunch?

2008-12-27T17:59:00.000-08:00

On Christmas Day, the family and I had a lovely lunch at the Asia Grand restaurant and after which, the mother suggested we collect the laptops and desktop from my office since we were just in the vicinity.

When we stepped into the lift in the office building, the key card did not allow permission to my floor but I could get onto the floor that was typically unlocked and thinking I could just go down the stairs a couple of floors to reach my floor, I went up.

Things went according to plan and when I was in the stairwell and on my own floor, I realised the door was locked inside as well. Darn!!!

So we had to walk down 27 storeys back to the ground.

Then I realised what jelly legs felt like. The calve muscles that I had always assumed did not exist, became sore the following day and the next and the next.

My poor mother! But what a memorable episode!

Merry Christmas

2008-12-24T08:29:00.000-08:00

I was glad to be able to enjoy the Christmas eve at the Liews. By some sort of sheer coincidence, I was invited. The girlfriend had already given me a heads-up on what the evening would be like but it was still rather interesting to actually see the events happened through the night. Her father is such a character!

Little Joy

2008-12-18T17:57:00.002-08:00

When I get something through the management, it makes me happy and satisfied to the brim.

It's a good Friday.

Unexpected Fashionista

2008-12-13T17:30:00.000-08:00

I was super-amazed when the man makankaki came over to me, pointed directly to my non-descript handbag and asked "Is that a vintage bag?"

"Yes. How did you know?"

"Oh, you don't see lucite on handbags nowadays. This bag is probably from the 40s or 50s." he replied knowledgeably.

WOW! I was dumbfounded and super impressed. Little did I know that the man not only knows his food but his fashion as well. I have a new level of respect for him now. Hahaha.

Snippets from the bosses

2008-12-10T09:43:00.000-08:00

Relationships, relationships, relationships.

Always remember your fundamentals when in doubt.

Keep the vision in focus.

Moving on...in a big way!

2008-12-09T03:26:00.000-08:00

I just found out that the ex is getting married.

Okay, of course I know marriage is a natural progression of a relationship. But actually hearing of the news still sort of bothers me.

It sucks!

Passing the arrow

2008-12-04T18:01:00.000-08:00

I got a recently appointed manager (Mgr 1), and although I don't directly report to him, we need to interact in the course of work sometimes.

So yesterday, I saw that he had passed an arrow to my colleague, who then passed it on to me. It was superlow VA type of arrow that I would in no right state of mind take the initiative to do it. I blocked it naturally.

Come today, the arrow came back to me, redisguised, via Mgr 2! All because Mgr 1 chooses to ignore the request and chooses to take leave today, the arrow messenger approached Mgr 2 to seek help. Since I report directly to Mgr 2, I am now forced to do it.

I'm angry and writing because it's really irresponsible of Mgr 1 not to take care of the request because it's low VA.

Well, if they want to pay me to google for, cut and then copy company logos, I shall.

Clever Marketing

2008-11-24T19:52:00.001-08:00

I noticed a small group of "protesters" outside Wheelock Place last weekend, holding up American style banners that exclaimed, "Say No to Bush!".

I was slightly annoyed by them folks for rousing unnecessary attention. I mean, why protest now that Obama is going to replace Bush anyway?

That was until I saw that the banners were endorsed by "Stripz". To the uninitiated, Stripz is a chain that specializes in hair removal. I mean, body hair from everywhere.

Hence the wordings on the banner. Geddit?

Clever.

SWAMPED

2008-11-11T18:37:00.000-08:00

I am so busy with work.

Although it seems "right" that things should start to wind down towards the end of the year, it is NOT.

I am so busy with work.

Manicure

2008-11-07T05:48:00.000-08:00

...actually lasted for a full week!

I'm impressed, both at the quality of work, as well as my ability to avoid being too chor lor and thus kinking the pretty nails.

The Oct Babes Dinner

2008-11-05T06:58:00.000-08:00

I was very happy we managed to nail down an evening to have a nice, sit-down dinner in celebration of the October babes.

We checked out a new place upon my suggestion (as usual!) and the food was fortunately more hits than misses. It was a casual, relaxed evening with varied conversations. We gossiped about our parents' sex lives and lamented on a new colleague's poor ability to ramp up at work of all things.

It would have been perfect if not for equal splitting of the bill. As you are aware, I am a believer of fairness and it is not very nice to have other people "sponsor" part of my meal if I want to order more expensive items, or indulge in drinks.

But other than that, it was a nice mid-week evening.

Simple Birthday

2008-10-31T07:13:00.000-07:00

I spent the day off starting with a more indulgent and very filling lunch at Rakuichi. That was followed by a pampering session at the nail parlour. Now I have pretty colored nails with a couple of nail art! *very pleased*

Decided against spending the evening with the colleagues because I just didn't want to play 2nd fiddle tonight so I went home instead and spent the evening in solitude, until the mother came home.

There was no cake waiting for me at home, nor did the mother surprise me with one. I am not hard up for a birthday cake, but somehow it feels lacking without the ritual of posing in front of the cake and making a stupid wish on the spot.

This was how I spent the day I turn 27 - alone.

Tomorrow will be meeting the primary school friends for my birthday. Yay! And I hope it would be more memorable.

Guinea pigs at Lei Gardens

2008-10-28T23:31:00.000-07:00

Damn full -- the meal at Lei Gardens was highly anticipated but I should have known that the Indians did not know what to order and we ended up as guinea pigs because the waitress obviously prepared a menu of "seasonal specials".

Sigh. So full and such a waste of calories.

Only my father

2008-10-28T18:13:00.000-07:00

"Papa, I am going out for dinner with my friends. See you in a bit." I said.

The dad replied, "Okay, remember to eat a lot hor."

Hahaha, I bet no one else's dad says this.

Unexpected

2008-10-20T03:47:00.001-07:00

It was a strange coincidence that I had a conversation with the girlfriend about fulfillment in life and how we are in a paralyzed mode currently. That was followed quickly by news about the colleague who got Stage 4 cancer.

Wow, life is all about unpredictability huh? Still, such a news is like a cruel joke. My heart pains for this colleague and I really hope that he will get better. I will pray for him most definitely. That is the least I can do.

As I said in my earlier conversation to the girlfriend, I personally think I am too comfortable to jolt out of my box and simply f***ing lazy to change my lifestyle. But now, the colleague's news puts a new perspective on things. I really need to re-think about my position and decide if I can live my life the way it is now, not knowing if tomorrow will come. What will I leave behind?

It is not because I'm being stingy

2008-10-20T03:43:00.000-07:00

I don't get why some people just assume that I would be subsidising them for their food/drinks? When I give too much money, I expect my change back, unless I say it's okay to forget it!

Argh!

Nagging!

2008-10-18T05:47:00.000-07:00

Oh my goodness. My mom sure can nag! Argh!

Until next time

2008-10-10T18:24:00.000-07:00

This trip to Japan, mainly Tokyo, panned out well. The initial cold treatment and judgement from the colleague dissipated as the days went by. It helped that I basically refuse to let myself care too much about it.

The week past so quickly. God has been good and kept the weather mostly warm with spates of drizzles that was not unmanageable. Work-wise, it was not as stressful as my first trip. I had a good interaction with the bosses as well and got to know them better.

Eating wise, it was not bad as well. I even managed to sneak a couple of kaisen dons at Tsukiji market since it was just closeby. The highlight was finally locating where Sushi Daiwa was located. But alas, when I was there at 8am, I stood in line only to find out that the waiting time before the sushi got to my mouth was roughly 4 hours! My intended breakfast would have been lunch so I became sensible and opted for another less crowded joint. I mean, I am in the middle of the fish market, how bad can my meal possibly be? I also noticed that the prices for the restaurants within the markets were slightly higher than the restaurants located at the outside fringe markets. Hmmm, I seriously think the ones inside are not worth the wait and the extra cost. Rice in Japan is amazing. They are so soft and sticky and so delicious. I typically try not to load up on rice when having a meal but it is not possible to do so in Japan. I had 4 onigiris (not the S'pore puny ones mind you) in a row once.

Shopping-wise, it was not a good harvest. Clothes in Japan are so darn expensive! I ended up buying mostly food-related items - they are much easier to justify :) I did not go to Kappabashi in the end, and I am secretly glad I didn't because I think I would have busted my wallet many times over if I did. I got a couple of bento boxes from Tsukiji though, and am mighty pleased. Now, it is a different story when it comes down to filling the bento box up. I have to stop being lazy :P

Tokyo

2008-10-01T20:11:00.000-07:00

Oddly but whatever, I am very lucky that the boss has given her green light to go to Tokyo slightly early.

I have nothing major planned but the itinerary should be around shopping and eating.

Hahaha, what else did you expect?

Given I have only 2 days for leisure and I will be travelling alone, I doubt I can hit all the places I want to try. But hopefully I can at least try these:

Soba-ya
Tofu-ya Ukai
Daiwazushi at Tsukiji Market
Midori sushi
French cakes & pastries

I made my first reservation ever for a restaurant in Tokyo at the tofu-ya. Exciting!

Hopefully the weather won't be too cold or rainy.

Been there, done that

2008-09-26T23:26:00.000-07:00

The F1 experience was truely memorable. I think largely because I had the fortune of being hosted in the Sky Suite.

Anyway, the whole set up was pretty well thought out -- ATMs, food and stores were strategically located all over the circuit.

In the suite, there were flat panel TVs all over the room for you to keep watching the race, whilst in the comfort of air-condition and buffet dinner for you to keep your mouth busy and tummies bloated.

To be honest, the revving engines did cause my heart to jump with excitement, for like 10 minutes. After that, the sounds became noise and annoying like buzzing mosquitos.

We left after the first practice session.

Singapore Grand Prix

2008-09-25T07:32:00.000-07:00

Though not a fan of the F1, I could not let the opportunity past when I received an invite to the practice session tomorrow night.

Hopefully the weather holds and there are cuties around!

Smudgey Glasses

2008-09-21T03:45:00.000-07:00

I am fairly convinced that my glasses are constantly smudged by my long eyelashes swiping onto the lenses.

Sigh, the woes of long lashes.

Strike Lucky?

2008-09-18T22:02:00.000-07:00

Although I seldom gamble i.e. buy 4D, Toto, etc but I get a warped sense of hope through entering lucky draws. It is not like I always win, but still, I get a kick when I do.

Penang-nites

2008-09-18T07:35:00.000-07:00

The distant aunts from Penang are here in Singapore staying with us. Timely that the brother is out of action so we have a spare room.

When they are here, the mother breaks into a strange Penang-hokkien language. Strange, but rather musical.

Amusing.

Of body hair

2008-09-17T06:34:00.000-07:00

Sparked by a recent post by diluted, I feel likewise to say that I cannot stand nose hair sticking out of the nose, especially not on a man - not sexy!

It is a reminder to me that when I am attached, I shall not let my man go out with hair sticking out of his nostril.

One-Eyed Dragoness

2008-09-11T18:07:00.001-07:00

Sigh.

My right-eye contact lens decided to split on my way to work, and I was wondering why my eye was so irritated during the whole MRT journey!

I even took it out a couple of times on the train and did the whole eyedrop thing. Sigh.

Anyway, I just threw it away and it's only 9:12am in the morning. How am I going to survive a meeting with 1 clear-visioned eye, until the shop opens at 11am?

Making my afternoon

2008-09-11T03:26:00.000-07:00

A surprise visit by the Starbucks manager to our office, with black coffee and Starbucks mooncakes in tow, totally made the afternoon much, much, more tolerable.

Drained

2008-09-10T06:26:00.000-07:00

It was a rough past 2 weeks working on projects and rushing deadlines. Now with those out of the way, I wasted no time making plans to catch up with friends.

Clicking on the calendar and filling them up felt good, real good.

Man in the vineyard

2008-09-06T08:20:00.000-07:00

The leading lady said something to the effect of: "When it rains, would you like a man who would buy you a pretty umbrella, or, would you prefer a man that would join you prancing through the rain?"

Feeling sucky

2008-09-02T19:22:00.000-07:00

I'm feeling demoralised at work. In comparison to my peers, I seem less able in many ways, such as in managing my own team, being able to put 2 and 2 together, less efficient.

I really begin to doubt my own competencies more and more. But I want to improve, become better at what I do and I don't know how to progress beyond seeking feedback from my bosses (which I am already doing and it's really useful). Any ideas?

Rain rain go away!

2008-08-28T09:12:00.000-07:00

The past week has just been rainy, rainy and rainy. That sort of weather is not condusive to outdoor activities at all. Even at times when the rain stopped for a moment, the wet and cold outdoors simply does not encourage any form of exercise. Argh! As a result, I feel so 'nuah' and fat :(

Music

2008-08-25T07:00:00.000-07:00

I have lost the momentum for running/walking in the morning and I am hoping that perhaps listening to music whilst doing the activity would spur and encourage me to re-start the exercise routine once again.

The brother has loaned me his ipod shuffle and I am busy downloading the latest hits to fill it up. Then I intend to replace his lousy earphones with one that would not fall out every few seconds while running. That is my main issue and L Lee has recommended me a Creative EP 630 that seems to be able to address the problem based on reviews.

I hope to get them tomorrow.

In a rush?

2008-08-24T00:06:00.000-07:00

I have since started the habit of alighting one stop earlier just to get some exercise going on in my life. So on a particular day last week, I was walking and I noticed this Indian guy.

Rather, I noticed his rather cute and perky butt first but anyway, then my eyes noted his oversight on one of the belt loops. He missed one of them. It would not have been really noticeable but since I did, it made me feel uneasy/awkward. I felt I had to do something about it. I struggled mentally though, whether I should inform him. But as he was walking really fast and I guess I was too chicken, in the end, I didn't lah!

Connected at the heart

2008-08-22T22:03:00.000-07:00

It is amazing!

The sister was in the mood for durians and stated out loud that she would remind Papa, who was out at that moment, to buy some later today.

When Papa came home a few moments later, guess what was in his hands?

No, it was not a bag of durians.

It was 2 large bags of durians :P

I love my family. :)

Oh NO!

2008-08-21T07:00:00.000-07:00

I need to go and try the watch at the Tong Building! At least I can ascertain if it looks good on me. This is the men's model after all.

Nice surprise

2008-08-16T10:12:00.000-07:00

Tonight was spent with Jas and co. A sort of farewell dinner I suppose. We had dinner at Bistro Petit Salut. Food was okay but the set dinner was great value and just the right portions, if not slightly puny. Jas bought us Dr. Loosen Riesling, which was great as usual. A bit more dry would have been better but a treat's a treat :)

After we adjourned to Coffee Bean after dinner, I had to be greedy and ordered a huge slice of chocolate cake (some thousand leaves chocolate cake that was a tad dry). I finished the entire thing and it was definitely way more than I should because I arrived home with a really bloated stomach and I absolutely don't like that feeling :(

Something made my day though. As I was on my way home in the cab, I received a SMS from Viv. She enjoyed the night and hoped we would continue to go out even after Jas was gone. I was very happy because she enjoyed my company, no? In any case, I had long treated her as a good friend so yes, definitely yes to hanging out more in the future.

Criterias

2008-08-13T15:09:00.000-07:00

It was such a pleasant dinner, all thanks to Jas.

Our company for the night was not one, but two smart, tall and cute Germans. Not only did they pick a lovely restaurant (Flutes at the Fort), they are genuinely really nice, easy to talk to, and very down to earth. Honestly, quite atypical of my stereotype of Europeans.

Alas, they are not available. But I got them to promise to keep a lookout for me :P

Teambuilding!

2008-08-12T07:33:00.000-07:00

I never really felt the essence of teambuilding up until the most recent one to Bintan. We skipped the services of Focus Adventure and did up our own program. I thought we had achieved our objectives and beyond. Even I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the program.

Change is hard

2008-08-08T19:28:00.001-07:00

Surprisingly, I enjoyed the MYR session. The hosts were pretty good and comical and overall, the program was not overly dry (some dryness is inevitable).

Initially, eyes rolled when we noted a session devoted to singing the National anthem and reciting the national pledge. But when it happened, I was moved by the strong patriotism, particularly when everyone spontaneously stretched out their arms and started waving and singing.

What I didn't like was when that my big boss will be leaving us soon. I was shocked and stunned at first and my mind just turned blank. When it dwelled on me that she will be gone in no time, I wanted to cry. I will miss her.

She was my first boss and she was strong-willed, a person with character and presence. She was harsh and she was tough. She is a highly admired person though some people thought of her as a slave-driver. But to me, no. She made me want to be a better person because I don't want to be seem stupid and she taught me a lot directly and indirectly.

Shortly after though, I found out it will be a secondment and hopefully that means she will return to us one day. In the meantime, I really do wish her well. I hope she will be able to change and touch the people's lives over the other side.

Talk about growing up

2008-08-07T08:39:00.001-07:00

It has been less than a year since I saw little V and she has indeed grown a lot. Not only physically taller but her language skills have improved tremendously too.

I was really glad to see the Teo family again. Of course I had to introduce them to Thomas' new restaurant. It was a meal of too much good food once again.

I'm back!

2008-08-06T16:37:00.000-07:00

on MSN, that is.

I have been laziest in getting a new power cable but thanks to the brother (really!), my Fujitsu is back in action.

YAY!

Fat panties

2008-08-04T08:00:00.000-07:00

The weekend came and past so quickly.

Friday:
It started with a huuuuge dinner at Nicolas le restaurant with the foodies. And since most of us agreed that the night was still young, on Karen's (W) suggestion, we went to Majestic Bar, a place which I otherwise would not have gone by my boring self since I am not the "most of us".

Majestic's version of "rootbeer" was pretty interesting. Mind you, it was alcoholic, but not something I would order again because it tasted more of kahlua than anything else really.

But the Bar itself was pretty cool - tucked in a nook with old-school stone chairs and tables in the tiny al fresco seating area. I didn't check out the 2nd floor since it was booked up but I would not mind coming back here again.

Saturday:
The piano guy came around in the morning to finish the repair. I had to forgo a brunch at the horse place (Rider's Cafe) with Weylin and Karen (the baker) just so that the piano could be fixed but the guy was late and could not finish the job. Sigh, one more trip to go.

The Church had an event that required ushers so I volunteered. Then I went back to the office thereafter to send my reports and checked out Robinsons since there was storewide discount for cardholders. Of course I took the opportunity to stock up on essential toiletries, but I also end up buying this really pretty bra that turned out to be a non-sale item. Sigh, what to do? I am such a sucker for pretty things.

To complete the shopping, I bought some tummy tucking panties because I was feeling fat lately. Hahaha. It was such a good deal -- $5 for 3!!! I could not believe my eyes.

And don't underestimate them cheap buys, boy, they are so TIGHT! No wonder the aunties did not bother with them, because they cannot possibly fit in them!

Sunday:
It was such a H-O-T day and I made the mistake of wearing my jeans.

Anyhow, it was also Popo's birthday and the family had a gathering over lunch at Jumbo Seafood @ Serangoon Country Club. I was not in the mood to entertain through excessive amounts of food so I skipped it and joined them at the tailend. 2nd Aunt bought a chocolate cake for the occasion. It was the most awful cake I had seen in a looong while so much so I did not even want to try it. The sponge layers were thick and dry and the buttercream just seemed so cloying. Nasty cake aside, I was just very happy that the gathering made grandma's day.

Inflation again!

2008-07-17T22:44:00.000-07:00

I was innocently replenishing my favourite 12-grain Bonjour bread at the supermarket when I realised the price has increased again! Not by much, by only 10 cents, but still, it's I forgot, the Xth time the price has changed upwards this year. When will it stop??

Butterflies in the stomach

2008-07-15T08:27:00.000-07:00

I never knew how much I missed that sort of fluttering feeling in the stomach until 2 weeks ago, when I met him.

It feels good.

Isn't that how one should feel about the opposite sex, if one is considering a relationship beyond friends?

Unreasonable?

2008-07-12T12:41:00.000-07:00

I was inspired to play the piano a couple days ago, an activity I long thought was no longer going to happen.

It has been at least 3 years since I last touched the instrument, so why was I surprised to find out that the piano was in serious shite?

Not only did many of the keys sounded dull, and some even refused to come back up after being compressed!

Naively, I thought a tuning session was all that was required but when I called a piano tuner to find out his rates and shared what I saw happened to my piano, he suggested that a more substantive overhaul might be required and he would have to make a diagnostic trip first to determine the damage (to my piano and my wallet).

He asked me to SMS my address to him and he would check against his availability. That was what I did. But I got no response from him to confirm any arrangements so naturally the last thing I expected was to see him at my doorstep!

My initial reaction was of anger and I expressed my displeasure that he appeared unexpectedly and I was just about to go out. The piano tuner in return, had no concept of customer service whatsoever, replied that he could go off now if I did not wish for his services.

WTH?

Anyway, I let my anger subside quickly and got the diagnosis done quickly. I don't even have to consider making that impromptu BKK trip anymore. The piano overhaul would have cost more than that. Sigh!

No show

2008-06-23T20:39:00.000-07:00

How can anyone be so disrespectful or plain irresponsible?

Two out of three team members did not show up for an appointed discussion.
No response when I sms'd them either. It is so not professional at all.

And I was angry.

Conveniently, both of them showed up after the discussion.
I explained my displeasure and was given excuses.
Excuses are what they are - explanations offered to justify or obtain forgiveness.

And I forgave.

A "Cold" Joke in making

2008-06-15T07:46:00.000-07:00

The mom and I were watching a documentary on TV, titled "Food for thought". Basically, it discusses human interferences onto the food chain.

As the show moved along, the topic turned towards chickens, featherless chickens to be exact.

"Oh no, wouldn't the chickens be cold?" said the mom.

LOL.

Unrefined

2008-06-10T22:50:00.000-07:00

I understood the meaning of "unrefined" today.

Not in the context of table sugar but as in a person, and a lady, no less.

She was sitting at the table next to mine so I could hear her loud and clear.
I don't know how to detail the things she said, but bottom line, she was just so crass.

And I thought I was already very unladylike.

Of 2 P's and first times

2008-06-06T08:13:00.000-07:00

The first time I curled the eyelashes -- pretty!

The first time I went for a body massage in Singapore -- painful!

Nail clipping

2008-06-03T07:30:00.000-07:00

Do we belong to the same camp -- nail-clipping as with all other personal grooming activities, should be done within the four walls of your humble abode?

I find the metal clipping sounds quite gross actually.

2008-06-01T06:28:00.000-07:00

I still have bad memories of me, chubby chubby, in my Levi's 517s that would fit my thighs but not my waist, strong sturdy belt essential to keep the huge waistbands from falling off.

*recoils*

I did not step into a Levi's store since I returned from the States.

Until this weekend. Wow, it has been >5 years?

I am now the happy owner of their latest pair of skinnies.

2008-05-30T20:21:00.000-07:00

I was very unprofessional yesterday and I was upset. I let my emotions get better of me and that resulted in a very petty move.

Needless to say, I got a nasty and defensive retort. It was not so much the tone and content of the response that bothered me, but rather, the fact that I was the one who 'initiated' the response.

I hope I learnt greatly from this episode and the same scenario in future would not result in the same ending.

2008-05-25T02:11:00.000-07:00

How quickly the week had gone by and tomorrow it will be a brand new week.

The GSS started since last Friday and I have faithfully bought several items already.

I need to stay away from the malls!

Feigning Ignorance

2008-05-23T03:06:00.000-07:00

Why is it that some people like to assume that I would not want my change for the $8.50 item when I present a $10 bill?

I am thinking, either they simply fail at Math, or they think I am worth beyond that $1.50 change.

I hate that I cannot bring myself to ask for it immediately. I give them the benefit of doubt that they would do so later when it is more convenient.

Then I hate even more when I do give hint to get back my change, but the person just laugh it off.

What is that??

Solo

2008-05-11T05:21:00.000-07:00

I say out loud that I am comfortable with the idea of travelling alone.

I just have not done it before.

Will the July vacation come true and change that fact?

Saved by the bell!

2008-04-30T17:26:00.000-07:00

It had been such a loooong time since the deed and I would have never thought the question would come.

But then again, she would not be my sister if she had not asked.

Luckily the ever-understanding mother did me the favour and I was saved.

It is like winning 4-D!

2008-04-29T03:50:00.001-07:00

I sporadically drop the "missing" friend who relocated to Australia emails, hoping that she will one day decide not to be lazy and hit the "reply" button to let me know she is alive.

Once in a while she will make my day when I see her email in my inbox.

It feels like winning at 4D really.

And today, I struck lucky!

Read: Seasoning of a Chef

2008-04-23T07:00:00.000-07:00

I finished another book! It has been quite a while since I last touched a book. Luckily it was a good book. Yes, it is another book associated with food. I am just very interested in this subject.

The book is about the making of another great chef, Doug Psalti. The writing while simple, was clear and kept my fingers turning the pages. I truely could feel the passion and drive of protagonist out of those words.

The passion, especially, nags at me. I questioned, and doubted that I could like Doug, sacrifice money and material pleasure for passion.

Possessions of the world

2008-04-21T07:00:00.000-07:00

I gave her the benefit of the doubt. I thought she would have become more mature, given the "training" in the dog-eat-dog corporate world.

The experience from this morning though, made me re-think. I think she still has a l-o-n-g way more to go.

Why would any one let a piece of (cheap) electronic rule over her emotion is beyond me.

Christian & a foodie?

2008-04-20T04:26:00.000-07:00

I was hanging out at the Low's when a comment was made and heard. The girl was describing how her boyfriend would nag at her if she wanted to eat something fattening, supper or snacks. Eventually, she would still get to eat what she wanted, but she'd have to go through that nagging first.

The boyfriend was afraid she would go out of shape. How shallow!

I think I would never be able to date a man who does not like food.

My ideal man would be Christian and we would enjoy food. It does not matter whether it's the humble hawker centres or restaurants, so long the food is good.

I like a man who lives to eat and not eat to live. Then, we woould be able to talk about ingredients, cooking methods, make comparisons between different versions of a dish, etc. i.e. truffles should not be foreign to him.

Buying expensive kitchen tools, endless cookbooks, monthly food and wine magazines should not be excessive to him. Going to the extremes just to get my hands on something new or famous could be something silly to him but he would accompany me just the same.

My ideal man and I would indulge together, feel guilty together and then exercise the guilt away together.

That would be nice.

Homeless stank

2008-04-16T14:29:00.000-07:00

Put together stale sweat, stinky feet, smelly armpits, oily hair and morning breath.

What do you get?

*holding my nose*

H-E-L-P!

I am soooo donating air fresheners to the Central Lending Location of the NLB.

It's not suppose to be this way

2008-04-15T07:30:00.000-07:00

Since when has blogging become so personal and competitive?

I don't get it.

Sunshine after the rain

2008-03-11T08:09:00.000-07:00

Can you spot the colorful bow?
Such is another amazing work by Mother Nature.

Lesson: Don't be discouraged during down times. Look, there is a rainbow!

Of Expectations

2008-02-09T05:57:00.000-08:00

I could not believe my ears when the brother said in all sincerity that pre-army days should be spent not on working for experience, but to travel and see as much of the world as possible.

The rationale?

After all, when the army stint was over, it would probably be back to school and then into the rat race where he would be kept busy earning his keep to take time out for travels. Plus, he would have to give X% to the parents anyway.

Do you get it? 'Cause I don't.

I am praying for God to keep my brother in his hands and let him have a really clear head on his shoulders.

He needs counselling man.

Help, my mom is a TT!

2008-02-08T19:24:00.000-08:00

I should have learnt my lesson. This didn't just happen for the first time today.

All I wanted was to vent and get it off my chest.
I was not looking for a solution or remedy or whatsoever.
All I wanted was to get it off my chest.

Why does my mom do that all the time?

I tell her something and before I can blink, she goes off and "bao (1) toh (1) " me.
What is she thinking, that she is helping me to address my problem/issue?
My God, if that is the way to resolve any issues, then there would be no issues left unresolved!

Now, I guess I will have to suffer another bout of 'stardom' at the sister's blog.

By the way, TT is an abbreviation for "tell-taler". It's my family thing.

Speaking about abbreviations, I have to admit that the sister's creativity is again top notch when she refered to my maternal grandmother via spelling:
"Pee-Oh Pee-Oh" = Popo (which means grandma in Mandarin)

Get it?

And it was gone

2008-02-07T04:57:00.000-08:00

The marshmallow cake was heavily promoted by the mother. I don't know for what reason she was pushing it out as soon as we got to the aunt's place.

My quest to go through all the elders to express my wishes was more important than distributing the cake. By the time I had a breather to think about myself, I could not find the metal base that the cake was brought with.

I asked the mom, who then asked me to sit beside her.
"Uh-oh," I thought.

And I was right. It was gone, gone to the bin.

A trip to Sun Lik seems inevitable soon.

Lady luck

2008-02-04T22:22:00.000-08:00

Lady luck was shining on me yesterday.
At our corporate CNY celebration, I won something!

Not once, but twice.

The prize was a bottle of wine for "Bingo"
$10 voucher for a good guess-timate of the number of chocolate coins in the bowl.

Woohoo!

*little joys*

Goodbye

2008-01-31T07:55:00.000-08:00

And he was gone.

The year had past and was not without pain
First it re-appeared, unexpected and scary

But he took it in stride and braved on
That was him, ever the fighter.

Through it all, slowly but surely, he struggled
From chemo to test-trials, he tried them all

Soon the bed beckoned, and the strength gone
Too much mass was also lost, where was his voice?

Temporal is life as we already know
Who is to stop the Lord when He calls?

And he was home.

Reeking!

2008-01-23T07:35:00.000-08:00

Just barely 20 minutes in Toast Box at Raffles City made me reek of rancid margarine + charcoal + laksa + God-knows-what.

The ventilation sucks. Oh, I take that back. There is NO ventilation at all!

* NOTE TO SELF * Avoid this place at all cost.

Scrabulous!

2008-01-08T16:24:00.000-08:00

I confess - I am officially addicted to that game on Facebook.
I need to get my friends on the board too. Else, no amount of nudges will get me my next turn.