Whoops

Posted too soon and I'm lazy to edit that last entry.

Well, I usually have a sense about how the upcoming year will be like, but this time I'm not sure what 2013 will bring. I'm looking forward to it though. :)

Year End Summary

Yikes! I feel like I need to churn out a post before the year comes to an end.

It's been an interesting year. A year of stability and a much needed sense of being grounded. I've made new friends, renewed old friendships, and most importantly reconnected with myself.

Oh, Joy!

Christmas has come early for me this year!

I was browsing the books at Sunny Bookshop this evening, and came across an old Piers Anthony trilogy: The Apprentice Adept. It's been eons since I read these books, and I was so pleased to find them after so long.

There was another series that I saw as well, but I think it can wait. Right now, I think I'll just enjoy what I have. Wheeee!

The Universe Has Spoken!

Bona, no one ever said you have to always be reasonable. 

I'm not, 
The Universe 


*no OT tonight!*

Things I Never Really Knew About Owning A Bicycle

While it's all fine and dandy owning a bike, zipping around the park connectors and using it as an alternative mode of transport for getting to work, there are so many things about owning a bike that I never knew.

Of course, this is partially due to the fact that I've never owned a bike before, plus my purchase was an impulsive and not very well thought through buy.

Not that I'm regretting it or anything. I love how it feels to have the wind in my face, and I enjoy being able to explore different parts of Singapore that I would have been to lazy to do so on foot. I also love how portable it is, allowing you to fold up and stow it away when you need to board a bus or hide the bike under your desk.

Not to mention the possibilities of taking your ride with you when you travel overseas.

But..

1. The bike gets *so* dirty. Perhaps it's the rainy weather we've been experiencing, but my bicycle just seems to be a magnet for dirt and mud and sand and leaves and all sorts of icky stuff. And mind you, I'm riding along the park connectors on proper cycling roads. I shudder to think how filthy my bicycle would get if I took it out on the trails.

2. My lady-bits feel pummeled and sore. I'm no long distance cyclist, but the ride to work is about 8km and takes me 45min or so. So on a day that I cycle to work, my lady-bits get a full hour and a half of being pressed against a hard saddle. Let me assure you that it's not as erotic as it may sound. Lol. Sure, there are cycling shorts but...

3. Cycling shorts are so ugly. Yes, I've done my homework and read up on how there is a cushioning and how it makes the ride that much more comfortable. But, I'm not that keen on looking like I'm wearing a diaper. Not yet anyway.

4. Apparently I need to keep pumping the tires of my bicycle. Ok, this may be common sense to most, but for someone who has never owned a bike or car or anything with wheels, I just assumed you bought the bike and could ride it forever. So now I'm really paranoid about my tires, cos everyone tells me a flat tire = no good. Which reminds me that...

5. I need to send the bicycle for regular check ups. Ok, I'm sure there is a proper word for it- maintenance? repairs? tuning? Whatever it is, all this talk about tires and air pressure and flats reminded me vaguely of what the guy in the shop said about bringing it back. Now I wish that I paid more attention to what he was saying. Hmmmm.

Crap.

Bicycle! Bicycle!

According to ACG, a bicycle has not been properly christened until one has completed a ride while listening along to Queen's Bicycle Race. Apparently my first ride does not count.

Bah.

Anyhow as yesterday was a public holiday, I decided to properly christen my bike and I must say it felt pretty awesome.

Now, all I have to do is think of a name for my bike. Heeheehee.

Beautiful

The weather for the past couple of days has been lovely. I just checked my weather app and apparently it's 25 degrees now. Perfect for taking nice long walks (or jogs if one is inclined to be a little more hardworking).

I'm tempted to get a bicycle too. Was chatting with a couple of collegues about bikes and I found a couple of them that are just simply gorgeous. They cost a bomb though. But I'm tempted!

Plus one of the shops had the cutest helmets too. I'd post pics or links but am just too lazy. Lol.

Well, as my dad would say, "Just earn more money lah! Then you can buy anything you want." True but easier said than done, no?

Anyway, I'm currently sitting on a park bench listening to The Smiths and just enjoying the cool breeze. Brilliant way to spend the evening methinks.

The Witching Hour

You know how if you press on and don't sleep despite feeling all drowsy, you'll get a second wind and be unable to fall asleep?

Well, that's me now.

I'm lying in bed tossing and turning, body undecided if I am feeling hot or cold. If I cover myself with a blanket, I'm so warm but I'm too cold if I don't. Bah.

2 more months to the end of 2012. Time to reflect on how the year has been and what I want to do in the next year. Hmmmm.

I'm Still Here!

Oh dear, I really ought to be more diligent about updating this space, don't I? Ah well, I'm here now. Lol. If I had to sum up the past couple of months, I would say a recurring theme that I've noticed was a blast to the past.

- Had lunch with metamorphoenix a couple of weeks ago. She decided to drive out to Casuarina Prata, and as the car turned into the carpark, I was struck by this sense of familiarity. After walking down the row of shops to Casuarina Prata, I realised that I had spent many weekends during my uni days hanging out there with my then-bf and our group of friends.

- Visted the Yummies for Hari Raya celebrations. It was the first time I was visiting since they moved to Pasir Ris. I got off the bus and was making my way down the road, and got that same feeling of familiarity. The fish pond? The park? The canal? And it struck me, I used to live in the neighbourhood with the same uni ex-bf. I hadn't been to Pasir Ris in years, and now I've had 2 experiences where I'm reminded of my past! Lol.

- Went for supper with S & B at Chinatown. It was the first time I was hanging out with the both of them, and we decided to have some porridge before heading home. As I placed my order for my pi dan zhou, I realised that I haven't had supper in the longest time! Probably not since my clubbing / pubbing days. Yikes. It used to be the routine after a night of hard partying and drinking, to grab some bak kut teh or prata.

- I was faffing around and clearing out old emails, when I saw some email correspondences between me and J. OMG I had forgotten our long chats which provided a much needed emotional support when I was going through some difficult times. We keep "in touch" through sporadic facebook messages, but it had been such a long time since we actually had a chat. So I wrote a message to say hi, and that was nice.

So that's that. Nothing extremely exciting, but heartwarming in the way that only good memories can bring you.

It's My Birthday!

I feel blessed, so very blessed. Was out for supper last night (something I've not done in a very, very long time lol) and my phone started vibrating suddenly at the stroke of midnight.

The first birthday message to come in was from my sis and Mark, followed by a couple from close friends. I woke up this morning to a deluge of messages on facebook and on my phone from friends and family all over the world. It's nice that that they remembered (FB notifications FTW).

I was quite tickled to note that a number of greetings were food-related telling me to have a good meal haha. They certainly know me well.

So as I turn (ahem) 21, I wish myself and everyone happiness, love, health and wealth. :)

Nantucket

I was in town the other day (a rare treat!) and walking around the mall, killing time before my dinner appointment. I chanced upon a Crabtree & Evelyn store, popped in, and decided to get a tube of hand lotion.

Oh my, I've been using the tried and tested unperfumed QV for so long that I had forgotten what a pleasure it is to use a lovely, scented hand lotion! I rubbed my hands together, enjoying how the lotion felt and smelled. I was in ofalctory heaven.

It was a great reminder to stop and smell the roses, and to pamper oneself once in a while. :)

Would It Kill You Not To Kill Me?

To the young lady who decided she needed to smoke while walking to the bus stop: I don't really care if you want to inhale nicotine and tar-laced smoke that slowly cooks your lungs from the insides. But do it where other non smokers cannot breathe in all that second hand smoke lah.

Seriously, puff away all you want but at least do it in a place where people have a choice about where to walk and therefore are not forced to battle with that unending stinky cloud of dust particles, ash and CANCER.

Why do you have to smoke on the go? What's wrong with lighting up where every other civic minded smoker does - at allocated smoking points?

What if the person walking behind you was pregnant? Or asthmatic? Ever thought about that? Pfft probably not, otherwise you probably have waited to take a puff somewhere else.

Bah. So now not only did I have to endure walking behind you while on the way to the bus stop (since you did not let me overtake you when I tried to speed up), I now have stinky hair. Thanks hor.

Bus Insecurities

It makes you wonder if you're smelling funky when someone who sits next to you on the bus, suddenly ups and sits next to someone else. And when it's a full bus and no one sits next to you.

*sniffs self*

Things I Did Differently Today

My usual morning routine when getting to work is pretty simple. My alarm clock rings at 6.50am, and again at 7am and again every 10 minutes until I finally wake up at about 7.30-7.40am.

After I drag myself out of bed (and turn off the snooze function on my phone), it's a mad rush. Pee, brush teeth, wash up, look for underwear, look for clothes, put on underwear and clothes and I'm out the door after giving my mom a quick hug. This takes all of five minutes.

I put on my music, walk to the bus stop, wait for my bus. I get on the bus, listen to music / play dragonvale, get off the bus. Pick up a cup of kopi and maybe a bao or sandwich on my way up to my desk. Turn on my computer and slowly have my breakfast while the day unfolds.

But not today.

Today I did things a little differently. I woke up (unwillingly) at 5am and lay in bed trying to fall asleep. By the time I was sleepy enough for my eyes to start closing, my 6.50am alarm clock rings.

I press the snooze button and roll around in bed, trying to figure out whether 30minutes of sleep now would help or hinder me. Somehow, I decide that I'd get up and have breakfast at home instead. Wouldn't it be great to have a healthy bowl of oats and a nice cup of coffee?

The alarm rings again, and instead of hitting the snooze button, I turn it off and sit up. I make my way to the kitchen, scoop up some oats, pour in some milk, and nuke the bowl for 2 minutes. Meanwhile, I head back to brush my teeth, wash up and figure out what to wear.

Fully clothed, I gather my bowl of oats and make myself a cup of coffee. Somehow in my sleep-addled mind it makes sense to open a pack of 3-in-1 coffee, and add two spoons of Nescafe.

I sit at the dining table and spoon mouthfuls of oats. The creamy, almost slimy texture feels odd against my minty fresh breath. I wash it all down with my coffee which tastes stronger and thicker than the one I have in the office.

With a full stomach, I make my way to the bus stop.

While walking, I realise my tummy has started hurting. I'm not used to eating so early in the morning.

I keep walking, the caffeine slowly working its magic. I suddenly realise that I shouldn't have added those extra spoonfuls of Nescafe. Well, too late. I also realise that I have not peed all morning.

So now here I am on the bus, legs tightly crossed. It's not exactly the best way to start my day. Lol.

September!

Wow it's almost coming to the end of 2012 (and the world, if all the supposed Mayan and I-Ching prophecies are true). Yada yada yada, time flies and all that. Thanksgiving dinners are being planned. Christmas presents are being bought. Time to reflect.

It's been an interestingly uneventful year, the highlight of which was probably my dad's very successful 70th birthday bash. All the relatives flew in, and we had a blast. Passed out in front of the 100-something guests, and the extra wine from the event is supplying me with booze for the next couple pf months.

Next eventful thing would be a toss up between me changing jobs and my brother getting on Whatsapp. Lol.

Ah well. Uneventful is good, for now at least. Need to be more settled before embarking on anymore new adventures. Meanwhile, the plan is to enjoy the rest of the year, good book and glass of wine in hand.

Cin cin!

Selfishness vs Selflessness

This has been something that I've been thinking about quite a lot recently. Having to make a decision between something that's more selfish, versus something that's more selfless.

A small example of this was a recent purchase that I was eyeing. The Pintsize, Winslow and Reynardine plushies were on TopatoCo and since HY was coming back to Singapore, I thought I'd get them shipped to him and he could bring them back.

Thing is, the total cost of the three plushies was USD54 and I wasn't too keen on forking out so much money on a couple of soft toys. At that moment, I received a notification from Kiva, a microfinancing site, that said I had USD90 in repayments in my account.

Cha-ching! I could just have withdrawn that money into my Paypal account and used it to buy my plushies! After all, the money in my Kiva account was *my* money and with a few clicks of the button, I could buy what I wanted.

The tradeoff though, was that I wouldn't be helping anyone who needed help this month. Selfishness versus selflessness. I could relend the money and help three others!

The debate went on and on in my head. Buying these plushies would show my support for these web comics! Win-win, right?

Eventually, I decided that I didn't need the plushies and that I could support the web comic artists some other way (ad clicks? Who knows how they make money.) I relent the money on Kiva.

But decisions like these aren't always so easy to make. Sometimes the tradeoffs are much larger or more personal. And it's not always so straightforward either.

At the end of the day, I guess it's like what they say in that serenity prayer. Having the serenity to accept the things one cannot change, courage to chage the things one can, and wisdom to know the difference.

An Update

Oh I might as well update about my latest app purchase- Zombies, Run!

I love it.

As someone who can easily find a million and one excuses not to run / exercise, this app actually makes me look forward to running.

Coupled with the fact that my new workplace is within running distance back to my home, it's perfect for me. (Cos one of my favourite excuses not to exercise is that I don't want to be sticky and sweaty on my way home hur hur.)

I have to admit that after using the app a couple of times, I was beginning to "cheat". If you turn on the zombie chase feature, you can kinda guess when they are going to make the zombies start chasing you and you can deliberately slow down your pace so that when they actually do start chasing you, you can run at your normal speed.

Recently, I've taken to just turning the chase feature off. I don't like losing my collected supplies, you see.

So I'm slowly growing my base, and getting a decent jog while I'm at it. It works even when you don't want to run but just want to take a nice walk. Have to remember to switch the workout time to an hour. (Or just complete more missions. Hur hur.)

All in all, I have to say I have absolutely no regrets purchasing this app. I do hope they update and add more missions. I'm already halfway through.

Eeks

Lol everytime I want to update something here, I get distracted by something else and abandon the post. I've got so many draft posts!

Anyway, it's just been a lazy couple of months. Will try to buck up. :)

RIP

Two years ago, I found a kitten on my way to work. It was sitting at the base of the tree near the bus stop that I got off to go to the office. Worried that the frightened kitten would dash across the road and get hit by a car or bus, I managed get him into a box thanks to a passerby who helped.

Brought him home, tried to clean him up, but he was too scared and defensive and would hiss and scratch if you tried to get near. I put a dish of milk and let him be.

The next day, I took him to the vet who did an X-Ray and found that he had a broken leg which explained his limping. She put a bandage around his leg, and said that he was probably 2.5 months and hit by a bicycle. A car accident would have left him dead.

Ruq kindly agreed to adopt the kitten, and named him Couscous (which was a waaaaay better name than the original "Tensing Krishna Fries Kitty Meow Meow Lee-Ong-Tan-Ho-Leong" that we gave). He took an instant liking to her, and would be super manjah towards her, while being totally shy in front of strangers. I visited him once after, and was glad to know he was doing well.

The last time I met Ruq, she shared that Couscous was sick and suffering from cat-HIV (forgot the proper name). He had been going for treatment and had up and down days. Today, I got a message from her to tell me that he passed away.

..

Rest in peace, Couscous. I'm glad you had a good home for the past two years, and that you were loved and well taken care of. I don't know how you came to end up at the base of that tree, but I guess everything happens for a reason. Be happy in kitty heaven.

Updates!

For someone who isn't particularly tech-savvy, I have to say I'm quite proud of myself for (finally) updating my iPhone to the ios 5-point-something. Hehe. Nevermind that all I had to do was click on the button "Update" and let my macbook / iTunes do the rest. Point is, I've updated my phone! By myself!

And what pleases me even more is that I didn't lose any of my apps! My VLC player is still there (with all my episodes of Brothers and Sisters), my games (Dragonvale Level 23 oh yeah!) and everything else. The only thing that's missing was my ringtone, which was that annoying laugh from that cartoon and I can't even remember what it was. I'm now using a duck quack sound. Hehe.

And the reason for my recent technological bravado? I wanted to buy this app- Zombies, Run! It's an app that narrates a background story about erm... I don't know what, but there are zombies chasing you. Lol. And you have to complete missions.. and.. well, zombies are chasing you.

In other news, it's been two months at the new job and so far everything's been great. I like the proximity between my office and home, making it easier to motivate oneself to walk or jog home. I think the total distance is only 7+ km.

Food is cheap, so I've really been able to save money. This really helped, what with my dad's 70th birthday being such a huge expense this month.

My colleagues are really nice, but I do miss the folks at my old workplace. Buying kopi in the morning is just not the same without my daily morning chatfests with babycakes and bitching sessions are not as catty.

I do have my fair share of guffaw-inducing moments in my office with my boss too, so I'm glad she is someone that I can get along pretty well with.

Other than that, everything else seems pretty good. And I'm guessing that things can only get better. :D

ODing

I know, I know. A majority of my more recent posts have been about me complaining about the effects of having too much caffeine in the system. Today's (rather, yesterday) damage?

2 cups of kopi PLUS 2 cups of teh. Gulp.

Fast forward to now and I don't know why I'm still surprised that I'm wide awake. Bah.

Anyway the reason for consuming so much caffeine was that I was in a staff orientation the whole day (one of three days, I might add) and needed something to help keep me awake.

Plus, the set up was pretty cute- a flask of teh-o and kopi-o and a can of condensed milk so you could add as much as you want. Heehee.

Ah well, at least the weekend is coming soon. Can finally recover from the crazy 2 weeks with all the relatives in town for my dad's birthday.

Things You Do When You're Supposed To Be Writing Minutes

1. Complain about having to write minutes
2. Get in touch with the person who replaced you in your previous job
3. Give advice about international outreach activities to new person who replaced you in your old job
4. Surf the net
5. Window online shopping
6. Complain even more about having to write minutes
7. Lunch in, with the intention of completing said minutes, but end up complaining about having to lunch in to write minutes
8. Arrange to attend a lecture series
9. Plan dinner for the week
10. Blog about the things one does when one is supposed to be writing minutes

I'm Sure There Was A Fruit Somewhere

bon says:
i never saw the diff
same god mah
except catholics got that holy mary prayer
lol
sorry hail mary
LOL jialat forgot liao
Cheryl says:
i told the guy he should shuddup cos someone who flakes from one religion to another doesn't really have credibility
hail mary full of grace something something ..
LOLOLOL
gonna burn in hell
bon says:
lets see
hail mary full of grace the lord is with you. blessed be the womb
Cheryl says:
in Uni everybody was going to church cos it was a way to meet boys
bon says:
of your children?
for your children?
Cheryl says:
of thy jesus and blessed is the.. something something
bon says:
oh lol salah
Cheryl says:
BWAHAHAHAH
bon says:
and blessed is the fruit ?
of your loins
HAHAHAHAH
so bad
Cheryl says:
time to google it
admit defeat
we suck
LOLOLOL
bon says:
sorry marry
mary
Cheryl says:
HAHAHHAHAAH!! of your loins!! LOLOLOLOLOL
bon says:
i know one bit is
pray for us sinners now
and at the (end of the day?)
Cheryl says:
or forever hold your peace?
LOLOL shit
bon says:
lololololol
Cheryl says:
haiz we sure kena condem
bon says:
lets google it
said it for 6 yrs of my life
in IJ
Cheryl says:
i said for 10 and im gonna burn in hell
what is it called anyway
what to google
The lords prayer?
no wait.
its Mary's prayer
Hail Mary, full of grace.
Our Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb,
Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
bon says:
ok la we got the fruit bit right
lol

Knead It Baby

My back, neck and shoulders are aching and what I'd really want right now is a lovely deep tissue massage.

Insomnia

So what does one do when you can't sleep at 4am? Play Diablo3, of course!

Trying to get the items to craft my Staff of Herding, yo.

Oh No What Is Happening To Me?!

bon says:
HEY TODAY IS FRIDAY
i just realised on fridays we get off at 530pm
LGG says:
oh
wah
what will u do with that
half an hour ok
bon says:
wah now that i suddenly got extra 30 min
i feel like i need to go for a drink
esp since thats wat we were doing at this time last week
LGG says:
lol yeah well we can always go
bon says:
where shall we go!
shd i spend more money
considering i spent 45 yest
LGG says:
LOL
bon says:
$45 = 21 bowls of yong tau fu!
omg did i just say that
lolol

Coffee Is An Evil, Evil Thing (But Oh So Delicious)

Was over at Carol's on Saturday. She had just moved to her new place and needed hands to help with unpacking.

We did quick work of moving her stuff from the boxes, and soon unpacked her swanky little coffee machine. After digging around some more, we found the accompanying coffee capsules, and decided to christen her new place by celebrating with a piping hot cuppa.

Nevermind that it was 4pm. Give me the strongest brew!

The coffee was good, and the following hyper-ness even better. I was bouncing from wall to wall, talking a mile a minute, and basically behaving how I do when I have too much caffeine in my system. I figured that since we were heading to the beerfest, the alcohol would cancel out the effects of the coffee and balance in the world would be restored.

Fast forward to after the beerfest, where we consumed just enough beers as my bladder could hold (no peeing in the portable toilets for me!). Headed home, showered, and went to bed.

3.30am and I was still wide awake. Bah.

Thankfully, though, that was a Saturday night and I could sleep in on Sunday. Woke up at noon and then could not sleep on Sunday night, and the whole vicious cycle continues. I slept at 2am, forced myself to wake up at 7am to get to work, got home after work AND FELL ASLEEP COS I WAS SO TIRED.

As JM so famously told me while I was at the ripe old age of 24, "You're not getting any younger, you know."

Now that I've woken up from my ill-timed nap, I'm wide awake once again.

The moral of the story? It's exactly what the blog title says. Coffee is an evil, evil thing. But oh so delicious.

Proof!

Wendy T says (2:56 PM)
i have decided to never again drink so much
so tiring

Walking In Right Angles

Decided to walk home after work today. The total distance isn't all that far, about 6-7km, and it's along a straight road so the chances of me getting lost was really quite minimal.

Packed my stuff in a trusty backpack, changed into comfortable walking shoes and attire (comfort is key!) and set off.

The walk back was actually quite pleasant. Most of the way was along a park connector, so there was ample greenery, and although the main road was just next to the path, the traffic fumes weren't that bad.

Playing music helps as well, and I was happily singing along to Queen. Think I might have startled (or amused) some of the bangla workers at one of the construction site as I warbled along.

I don't know why people are making such a big fuss of this though. I've walked longer distances back home before (last time it took over 4 hours!) so this was relatively simple in comparison. There wasn't any particular reason why I chose to walk back either, except to see if I could or not. Lol.

The last part of the walk was a little challenging though. Getting close to home but not familiar enough to take short cuts. Decided to stick with the main roads instead of risk getting lost. Perhaps next time.

Wanderlust

Hard to imagine that it's been months since I left the country and went on a holiday. Amazing how much discipline I needed to have to stay put, but at least I managed to get a nice fat leave encashment.

Cha ching!

And now I've got no passport, so even if I wanted to, I couldn't go anywhere. *itch*

With a couple of large expenses coming up, I guess being grounded is a blessing in disguise. Plus the workload in my current office will be picking up, so.. best to be a good girl and behave.

In the meantime, I guess I'll just have to be content with trawling travel websites and using my imagination.

Taking The Bus

It's the first time I've taken a bus in a long, long time. Short two-stop trips from the train station to my old office because I was too lazy to walk don't count.

Hopped on the bus and was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't all that crowded. There were more than enough seats, and I chose one that seemed to have plenty of legroom.

Just as I was going to update my FB status about the apparent lack of crowd, the bus pulls in to a stop along a main road and a surge of people get on. So my delight was premature, and now the bus is so crowded that people on later stops can't get on.

Oh well.

Anyway, time to log off and start paying attention to the road. I'm supposed to get off after 22 stops, but I've forgotten to count. Lol.

The End Of An Era

Amazing how much coffee and snacks one consumes on the last day of work. Everyone wants to say farewell, and I'm now so buzzed my heart is racing.

It's.. bittersweet. I've had many wonderful memories and made so many friends. Yet, the circumstances left me with no choice but to leave and I feel a sense of relief.

On to greener pastures. I guess I can only treasure the good memories that I have, say good riddance to the bad ones, and look forward to a new beginning.

Reunited And It Feels So Good

After more than ten years since Diablo2 was out, we finally have Diablo3. And while I don't really care for having to create a battle.net account and only being able to play while connected, I feel like an itch has been scratched and that all is well in the world once again.

It's been so long since I played any computer game (iPhone games don't count) that my brain has forgotten how to navigate such interfaces. Had to keep asking Alf how to get to the menu, how to drink a potion and how o pause the game. But it's all good.

Happy days are here!

Gratitude

It's been a while since I've done one of those "I'm thankful for.." type posts, so I guess today's as good as any day to do one.

1. My foldable umbrella
I used to be one of those people who never carried a brolly. Nevermind that the skies were overcast and that you could almost smell the rain, I was tough and didn't need a brolly. After all, skin is waterproof, right?

Who knows what happened to that tough chick. I now carry my foldable brolly in my bag, and I'm so glad I do. With the unpredictable weather these days, the brolly protects against the elements.

Example: Decided to walk to Orchard Road after I was done with my appointment at Nassim Road. It wasn't all that far, about a ten to fifteen minute walk, but the sun was scorching. Before I knew it, I had whipped out the brolly (just like my ma).

But at least I was cool and the sweat wasn't pouring down my face. Which allowed me to watch videos on.. 

2. VLC media player app on my iPhone
VLC released an app for the iPhone which allowed users to view videos of any format without having to make them iPhone compatible. But not too long after the app hit the iTunes store, it got pulled. So for those people who are trying to find it, I don't think you can.

I'm pretty sure that there are other apps which allow you to watch videos, but everyone knows VLC! Plus, I'm too lazy to find out which ones they are. Lol.

Thanks to this app, the commute to work is no longer boring and I can (try to) keep up to date with the latest TV shows. Which brings me to...

3. Chris
aka Provider of All Videos. Where would we be without him and his obsession with getting hold of the latest TV shows and movies?

4. LGG
Well, seeing as how I'm too lazy to meet up with Chris, LGG is usually the one who does the grabbing. Of digital files. (Of course, no one is stopping her if she wants to grab more.)

On top of being the more sociable of the two, and generously sharing all her friends with me, LGG is the best friend anyone can have. Actually, the best friend *I* could have.

She is actually as bo liao as me (if not more, don't be fooled!), and is usually more than willing to partake and suggest nonsense shenanigans to keep us occupied.

From LOTR movie marathons, to cooking marmite-themed meals. From kissing random strangers just for fun, to getting drunk on too much champagne. From planning holiday destinations, to MSN conversations about casting actors for Edding's books.

Anyway, without LGG, I wouldn't have been introduced to the show Vampire Diaries.

5. Vampire Diaries
OMG Damon is so hot. He should appear topless in the show more often. Enough said. Lol.

Cutting Down

I just realised tonight how much I can and do drink. Hanging out with people with the same level of alcohol tolerance kind of breeds this sense of normalcy, but when you start to hang out with "normal" people, you're not so normal after all.

Had drinks at No5 today with some of the guys (and gal) from work. Started off with a vodka lime while we ordered food, while the others nursed a beer each. Polished off my drink pretty quickly and ordered me a second one, when I realise that I'm the only one who has finished my first drink.

As the evening wears on, I finish 2 vodka limes, 1 beer and I think 4 martinis. And I'm perfectly OK. A little more chatty than usual, and grinning from ear to ear, but very OK. And everyone else? 2-3 drinks each, max 4-5 drinks.

Yikes.

It made me realise that I really need to stop drinking so much, and that it's not normal to be able to polish off a *bottle and a half* of wine for dinner. Health reasons and bla bla.

I guess I really need to make a conscientious effort to cut down abd drink less. Plus I can save more money too. :D

Culinary Not-So-Genius

The plan was to cook Penang Assam Laksa today, but apparently the fish didn't look too fresh in the market, so I settled for plan B- Sambal Udang.

The recipe looked simple enough. Prawns, tamarind, kaffir lime leaves, and a rempah made of dried chillies, shallots and belacan.

Normal people who have embraced modern technology would have blended the ingredients in a blender, but not me. As if the recipe was not simple enough, I decided to pound the rempah ingredients into a paste by hand using a pestle and mortar.

What would have taken a quick blitz on the blender took me upwards of ten minutes and I pounded away, juices from the soaked chilli splattering onto every surface in the vicinity. Thankfully I was wearing glasses, otherwise I probably would have a stray splat into my eye (it hit the lens instead).

When I finally got everything into a reasonable looking paste, I started to cook. The instructions said to fry the rempah in some oil (more splattering), throw in the prawns, 2 cups of water, tamarind juice, kaffir lime leaves, salt and sugar to taste.

And of course, instead of watching how much water to pour, I confidently lifted up the kettle and oops. Too much water. Lol.

The final dish turned out ok, but would have been much better if the rempah was a smooth paste and if there was less water. But a success nonetheless!

Bliss

Wow I'd forgotten how blissful it was to be serving notice. Making the decision to quit was very easy. Doing the actual deed, tough. But now that it's done, suddenly, the load lightens and you feel more carefree. Colleagues who have seen me in the past couple of days commented that I look happier. Haha.

I still have a month to go, but already my lunch and dinner schedule is packed with a tonne of farewell meals and celebrating to do! As Abel said, it's the end of an era. Time to plan my holidays.

Breaking Up Is Hard To Do

But sometimes, it just needs to be done.

Penang Assam Laksa

TNP published a recipe for penang assam laksa! I think I will try to make it next week. If the results are good, I don't need to go to Nex to satisfy my cravings anymore!
Posting the recipe here, for reference when I want to make the dish. It looks simple enough. This recipe serves four.
Ingredients:
500g laksa noodles
6-8 Indian mackerel or 10 short mackerel (a comment on the recipe said to use 8-10 Indian mackerel or 15 short mackerel for a thicker texture)
1 torch ginger bud, halved lengthwise
1/2 rice bowl laksa leaves
2.5cm lengkuas / galangal
150g tamarind, soaked in 300ml hot water and strained
1/2 cucumber, julienned
150g pineapple, julienned
1 red onion, sliced thinly
3-4 stalks mint leaves
2.5l water
1tsp sugar
salt to taste
Rempah:
10-12 dried chillies, soaked till softened
12 shallots
3 stalks lemon grass, use only 7cm from the root part
2.5cm penang belacan
- Blend all to a paste
Prawn paste:
2tbsp prawn paste
2tbsp hot water
Instructions:
Bring 2.2l water to a boil. Add fish in and boil at low heat for 10 min. Remove and set fish aside to cool.
Once cooled, pick out the fish meat, making sure that there are no bones. Meat from the stomach area may be bitter, so avoid those parts.
Strain the cooking liquid and bring to a boil, adding ginger bud, lengkuas and laksa leaves. Boil on high heat for 10 minutes.
Lower the heat, and add the tamarind water, rempah and fish meat. Let simmer for 30 minutes.
Add sugar and salt to taste.
Boil a pot of water and cook laksa noodles for 2-3 minutes. Strain and put in a bowl. Add sliced onion, pineapple, cucumber and mint leaves. Pour soup on top and drizzle with prawn paste.

Squeaky Clean

I'm so pleased! I finally started using the sonic toothbrush, and I'm liking it very, very much.

See, I first heard of the sonic toothbrush when I was having dinner with Pam the other day. She was gushing about how good it was, and how the toothbrush helped with dental problems like bleeding gums and the like.

Having done the PR campaign for this product, she was extremely familiar with the technical aspect of it and all the good this toothbrush could do. I was quite keen, but the hefty pricetag made me think twice.

Fast forward to Christmas last year, and while out shopping for Christmas gifts, I saw that the sonic toothbrush was being sold at a discounted price. So I got one for myself, brought it home and left it in the cupboard.

Remembered to pull it out yesterday, and charged it, and used it for the first time last night. They recommend brushing for 2 minutes only, for 30 seconds in each quadrant of the mouth. Thankfully I read the instruction manual (for a toothbrush!) so I figured out what the beeps and pauses meant.

The buzzing sensation takes some getting used to, and my first brushing was alright. I went to bed and woke this morning, brushed my teeth and oh my! I can see the difference already!

My gums usually bleed, so when I brush my teeth, the "bubbles" are usually tinged with blood. But not this morning!

It could have been a coincidence, but I'd like to think it's my swanky sonic toothbrush. Let's see how my gums and teeth do over the next few days. Yeeaah!

Is There Such Thing As Too Much Coffee?

I just had 2 cups of coffee. Within the hour. Lol.

Anyone who knows me knows that this is just a recipe for disaster. I'm talking a mile a minute, my voice has apparently gone up one octave, and I'm bouncing in my seat. LOL.

I'd be typing in caps but .. I'm sane enough to know that that's just rude. Hee.

So Sedap

If there is anything I miss about the time I was married, it'd definitely have to be my ex-MIL's cooking. She was amazing, whipping up sumptious meals and cooking everything from scratch.

I fell in love with her beef rendang at first bite, and some even (jokingly, I hope) say I got married because of it. Lol. But oh man, it was sososososo good. I'm so glad that at least I learned how to cook it.

Decided to cook beef rendang today. Slurp. Got the ingredients and started prepping after lunch. And it wasn't difficult to cook, just really time consuming.

But was it well worth it. By the time it was dinner, the beef rendang was ready and everyone got to taste. I'm glad it's a winner.

Mmmm. I think I might try to make bergedil next.

Happiness!

Wah are things in my life falling into place, or what?

LGG, who is now in America (of all places), has found my giant tomato pretz! WOOHOOOO!!!

And I Never Thought I'd Ever Say This

Had drinks with Peggy last night after my meeting, and headed to good ol' No5 for wings and martinis. I got myself 2 lychee martinis (it's been so long!), and settled down to chat with her.

It was nice catching up, the last time we met was probably more than half a year ago. And No5 used to be our old haunt.

Took a sip of my lychee martini and.. they were too sweet! ARGH. What has LGG done to me?! All those bottles of wine that we have been drinking, have changed my tastebuds. Who would have thought the day would come where I'd have to dilute my lychee martinis with ice.

For shame!

Food For Thought

Ever so often, you have encounters and conversations with people that jolts you into thinking deeper and harder about your life.

It could be a cancer survivor that makes you realise the importance of a healthy diet and lifestyle. It could be a divorcee who has been through so much pain and struggle and come out of it an inspiration. It could be a mentor who motivates you to strive harder in the workplace.

I met someone like that last night who got me thinking about my career (or lack of one lol). There are no right or wrong answers about what you want in life, but that's exactly what made wonder: Just what do I want to do with my life (and career)?

I don't have a bad life, far from it. I have a job that I excel at and enjoy. I have a fantastic work-life balance that allows me to have a life outside the workplace. I travel quite extensively, for work and for leisure.

Sure, I'm not rolling in dough and raking in the big bucks, but I have enough. I'm quite content, but at the back of my mind, I've always known that I'm smart and I'm capable and that I can do more.

Can do and will do are two different things though.

And perhaps now is the time to do more, while I still can. While I have no commitments and can afford to take a risk. A small part of my brain feels like it woke up last night and is hungry for more. To be part of something greater, rather than just happily existing.

But I don't know what I want. And deciding what you want to do with your life isn't something that you think about overnight. So I guess I better start thinking now.

Birds Of A Feather

Wah and I thought I was bo liao. Was telling babycakes about the prank caller and he suggested either boring the caller with my life story (eh waitaminute. What did he mean bore the caller with my life story?! MY LIFE STORY IS NOT BORING!!!)

Or sing. Hahahaha. So tonight I think I'm going to attempt singing angsty love songs. Maybe Adele's Someone Like You.

Lol. Wish me luck.

Prank Callers

We've been getting prank callers ringing the house phone in the middle of the night. Ring, ring, ring, and when we pick up, nothing.

I don't get why people do such things. What's the point and where is the thrill? Really got nothing to do issit.

Of course, the prank caller has no idea that he/she is prank calling the queen of bo liao, aka, me. You wanna ring in the middle of the night and keep quiet? Ok lor. I'll pick up the phone, and not say a thing, and let's see who lasts longer.

Tonight, I won. Prank caller decided to hang up after a couple of minutes of silence. Lol.

This Does Not Make Sense

It's 2am and I'm still up. Why?

Yesterday, I had a double shot latte in the morning, and Vietnamese drip coffee after lunch. Half a bottle of wine at H's place and was out and sleeping like baby by 10.30pm.

Today, all I had was my morning cuppa with babycakes and I'm absolutely wide awake. Dafuq?

If it was Friday night, I wouldn't really care but it's not and I have to work tomorrow. Lol. Thankfully I'm not too swamped (yet). Can stone a little in the office heh.

I Know Easter Is Coming, But...

The 3 bunnies are missing, again! Oh well. Perhaps they are hiding easter eggs somewhere on the internet.

The Bunnies Are Back!

So I guess procrastination does have it's merits after all. I was planning on redesigning the blog layout and theme (and when I say "redesign", I really mean just searching for a new image for my header), but now that the bunnies are back, I don't have to do it anymore. Heehee!

Missing Bunnies

Hmmm I just realised my header of 3 bunnies is missing. I wonder why.

... And We're Done!

Treating myself to a nice dinner now, and it's testament to how tired I am that I cannot finish a bottle of sake. Lol. But no matter, two plate of sashimi and some cold soba and I'm a happy camper.

Event is finally over and I can take a nice deep breath and collect myself. Massage yesterday did wonders for my aching back and legs, and I daresay I had a much better sleep because of it.

Finishing up the last of my meal before I head back home. Booya!

One Day Down, One To Go

Woot! One day of my Open House is over, and today is the last day. It's been a challenging journey, and I'm glad it's coming toan end.

Amazing how exhausted I must have been that I fell asleep almost immediately after lying down, despite consuming FOUR coffees throughout the day! Heehee. Physically and metally tired.

I'm lying in bed, trying to muster up enough energy to roll out of bed and take a shower.

This project has been an interesting one, and once again I'm blessed by the love and support I get from my colleagues and friends. Wouldn't have been able to do this without them.

Ah well, time to start planning celebratory drinks. Yay!

Small Thrills

Oh oh oh! EYS's clinic finally joined the panel of doctors under my company's medical insurance! Yay! This means I don't ever have to pay when I go and see him. Heeheehee.

Now, all I need to do is find a convenient way to get to his clinic. Hmmm.

OMG It's Been So Long

Oh dear. I normally post entries to my blog via email, but apparently it's been so long since I last did that, that my phone doesn't remember auto-complete the email address anymore. Yikes.

So now I'm just winging it, and hoping that the email address that I typed is the correct one. *crosses fingers* If not, this blog post will probably get losy in cyberspace (or in some randome stranger's email inbox.)

I guess I need some explanation for the absence here. Work's been ridiculously busy, and I've gotten rather lazy. Each time I think about penning a blog entry, I decide that it's just easier to play Boggle or some randomly downloaded game instead.

Other than that, all is well. I think. Been itching to go somewhere, but have been to busy to even think about where and when to go. Japan and Norway seem to be on the cards, but I want to go somewhere near, and soon. *pout*

Maybe I'll tag along to Alf and Rita's trip to KL. And stock up my HDD while I'm there. Hiak hiak.

The project that I talked about embarking on earlier this year is moving oh-so-slowly that it makes me wonder if it is something that is even viable or not. But press on I will. Need more discipline and patience.

Ah well, I guess I shouldn't complain. :)

Dot Dot Dot

Dad, pointing at my infected and bleeding finger (hangnails be damned!), "Such a small wound, you also can't take care of it properly. Get me the bandaid!"

I go get the bandaids from the first aid kit and pass it to my dad.

After cleaning my wound, he opens up the bandaid and proceeds to help me dress my wound. Wrongly.

"Eh. Wrong ah. Your cut is so high?"

He then RIPS the sticky part of the bandaid off my WOUND, and then sticks it on again.

"Nevermind la. Tomorrow change again."

Actually, I'm So Lucky

Picked this phrase up from P, who kept on telling us today over dinner, how lucky she's been. When you chat with her, you get a sense of how thankful she is of everything she has, and how she sees everything as such a blessing. (I think near-death experiences do that to you.)

And on my way home after dinner, I thought about it, and realised how lucky I really am.

I'm so lucky that I have such amazing parents. Not many people can say that they grew up in such a loving and affectionate family, but I'm lucky that I had a very happy childhood. I'm lucky that I have parents who are so supportive of me, yet not cloyingly so.

My parents tell me off, but take the effort to explain when and how I am wrong. They teach me different perspectives on things and harsh words are used sparingly (if at all), and a stern voice is usually the most I get out of them.

They lead by example, showing me how kindness, love, patience, generosity and hospitality should be. And I know that they do the best that they can to be parents that I can love, respect, look up to and turn to for advise or comforting words.

I'm lucky that my parents understand and know when to let go, yet are always be there for me when I need them. I'm lucky that they don't play mind games or guilt trips on me. I'm lucky that all my life, I've been showered with an unconditional love.

Most of all, I'm lucky that I share an affection with my parents and am not afraid to hug or blow a kiss to them. And I hope they know that I know how much they love me, and how much I love them too.

The Dragon Year

It's the last day of CNY today, which means that I have no more excuse for pigging out. Now I'll just have to sneakily stuff face with loveletters and what's left of the pineapple tarts. Lol. But I've said this before, and I'll say this again.

To all yous who feel guilty about eating too much over the festive period, don't! If you don't overeat, you're not doing it right. Abundance, right? Hehehe.

Anyway, one of the good things about being divorced and subsequently dating someone that everyone disapproved of, is that I'm no longer subject to the "when are you getting married?" questions from all the older folk in the family. In fact, I think everyone is just happy that I'm not off and running to some faraway land, and that I'm just here.

I've definitely been making an effort to spend more time with the parents, especially since I'm the only one left in Singapore, and I can tell that my parents are happier.

I've enjoyed just taking a break and settling at home (if that makes any sense), and this year seems to be a super nua year so far. Just hanging out at home, reading books, watching endless reruns or cooking simple meals.

Lazy evenings and weekends are really quite blissful.

Knowing Your Roots

Over dinner tonight, Jeanne shared that she had a copy of her family's ancestral "records"- which date back to 741AD. Apparently she comes from a long line of scholars, with one of her ancestors even being a prime minister of sorts back in China.

Curious to know what my family history is, I ask my dad if he has any idea. I come home and see him poring over a yearbook-like tome of picture after picture. We have a book too!

This book was compiled by the Lee Clan Association Group (haha ok I don't know the official name, but it's some sort of 会馆) but only dates back to 1410AD. It doesn't look like it contains *everyone's* names though.

Anyways, we find my dad's pictures in it but we're not too sure how to read the information so can't really tell who the upline is. I did manage to figure out that we came from 永春. So pleased!

After a quick google search, LGG tells me it's -40degrees at night and -26degrees in the day and really shouldn't have complained about the relative toastiness in Darjeeling, seeing how I apparently come from Eskimo stock.

Yong Chun is also famous for producing lychees, which I guess would explain my love for lychee martinis. Lol. It's all in my blood!

Ah well. It's interesting to read about such stuff and have a better understand of your roots. Maybe I should make a trip to Yong Chun one day.

Ramblings

It's 2.20am and I can't sleep. I'm not sure why- I didn't have any coffee in the aftern... Oh oops. I did.

Well that explains it.

Anyway. Had a pleasant evening with Alfred and EYS, and have discovered (invented?) a new and nicer way to say "f*ck buddy". No more crude f-words and it's all kid friendly too.

Oxytocin-friend.

Hehe. Apparently oxytocin is produced after one has reached a climax. It helps ... Wait a minute. According to Wikipedia it's given out after childbirth?!

Wat? I guess scrap that then.

Erm.

Hmmm. I seem to have nothing else to say. Pfft. How is that even possible? I'm supposed to be rambling.

Bleh. Ok. Shall count sheep and try to sleep. (It rhymed! Wah. So clever.)

Huat Ah!

Wow, I've been using this image to wish everyone Gong Xi Fa Cai for the longest time! Anyway, as we usher in the year of the Dragon, I wish everyone an abundance of good health, prosperity, and happiness.

[Posting this early in case I forget. Haha.]

Parenting Fail

I'm sitting here at Burger King, happily chomping down on 1000 calories worth of burgers and onion rings and there is a mother sitting at the opposite table, scolding her child.

The kid must be what, nine or ten? And while I don't know what she did to warrant such a scolding, the words that are coming out of the mother's mouth are just so harsh.

"Get out! Get lost! I don't want to see your face!"

WTF?!

The little girl goes off to sit at another table while the mother rants on and on to her husband. She's obviously angry, but is that how you should speak to a child?

I'm no parent, and I can't say what kind of parent I'll be next time, but I do want to raise my child in a loving environment and minimise saying hurtful things to them. Sure, everyone makes mistakes, but do you have to say that you don't want to see their face?

Sigh.

Eventually the kid is asked to come back to the table by someone else (an uncle?) and she was not allowed to eat till her mother had given her an earful (of verbal abuse sheesh).

I don't know what to say.

Calorie Counting Fail

Calorie count today? 2472. LOL that's 1272 more (aka double) what I should be having.

Calorie Counting

I'm not one to count calories and go on diets, but CH recently decided to get healthy and lose weight and encouraged me to log my food intake. myfitnesspal.com is a website (with an iPhone app) that allows you to keep track of the amount of food and drink consumed. It then calculates how many calories that translates to, and also lets you log in any workouts so that you can do a daily tally of the total calorie input and output.

Not wanting to be a bad sport, I dutifully downloaded the app and started keying in whatever I had eaten today. Apparently, in order to lose weight, one needs to keep to less than 1200 calories a day. I'm not too sure if that's a total calorie intake or nett though. Oh well. Here are my numbers for today.

Total calorie consumed today: 1651

That's 451 more than my recommended intake! Gasp. But then the app makes a booboo and tells me that at the rate I'm going, I will be 3.4kg in 5 weeks. Say, what? So I don't think this app is all that reliable. But anyway, let's look at the breakdown.

Breakfast-
Kopi (113)
Sausage bun (290)

Lunch-
Chicken meatball soup with white rice (184)
Sweet lime juice (128)

Snacks-
Macadamia nuts (210)
Digestives (136)
Ferrero rocher (147)

Dinner-
Fruit rojak (443)

Hmmm so it seems like the culprit was my fruit rojak! But then again, it was the tastiest thing I ate today so I guess it makes sense. Tastier = more calories. Lol. I'm surprised at my sausage bun too. 290 calories?

But then, these are just numbers. CH said that the bottle of wine I had yesterday made half my daily calorie intake, and my first thought was that it meant I could have had another bottle and be fine. Hehehehahaha. Alcoholic, much?

Hmmm I don't really know the point of post though. Lol. So I shall end here now.

The Power Of Friendship

I've written many times about how blessed I am to have the most amazing family and friends- people in my life who love me and are so supportive of what I do. To be honest, when I write about these friends, I usually have in mind the same bunch of people- typically my close circle of friends whom I hang out with on a regular basis.

Last week, I was reminded of how truly blessed I was again. And not from the usual suspects, too.

It had been a crazy week at work, and I was thrown a curveball and had to get some last minute work done. The few "official" vendors that I had refused to do this project, mainly because of the extremely short timeline.

Feeling desperate, I turned to some old vendors that I had previously done work with and asked (ok, begged) for help. Amazingly, I managed to get not one, but three contacts of people who were willing and able to finish the project for me. *bless*

And it touched me that they were so willing to help, because they were helping me. Yep, they were doing this as a special favour. For me! :)

Imagine the grin I had on my face for the rest of the day. I was walking on cloud nine. Throw anything and everything at me, I don't care. Cos I have friends who will be willing to help me out.

Anth told me this a long time ago, when I remarked about the outpouring of love my friends gave me when I was going through a break-up. She said something to the effect that I give out love, and thus get back love in return. (She phrased it much better.)

And you know, I think it's true. I've always had good relationships with my vendors. While I agree that as a client, we are paying for a service, there is no need to take advantage of your vendors. I always try to give them a fair and honest deadline, and do not understand people who say they need things urgently tomorrow when actually they need it two weeks later. And always remember that they need to make some profit! If they go bust cos you keep squeezing them dry, they won't be able to help you next time, right?

Ah well. That's just what I think. :)

Zuo Gong Ah!

First day of work and I'm up two hours earlier than I should be. Lol. Now that the holidays are over, we can't quite use "it's the holidays" as an excuse not to get any work done. Boo.

Ah well. Thankfully CNY is round the corner. Heh.

And... It's 2012

Who woulda thunk we would have gotten here, but we have. Not going to talk about the usual "OMG time flies so fast!" because, yes, it does. And it always will.

I'm feeling.. hopeful. A sense of excitement of the unknown, and to be honest, I'm utterly surprised that I'm feeling this way. The start to the new year certainly didn't feel this way, with me sobbing into my pillow for 5 minutes after being woken up by everyone's cheers and toasts. (I was already in bed, drugged out by my meds and woke up thinking there were ducks in the house. It was all the honking la.)

So I think that was my last sob for 2011. A rather belated one seeing how it was already 2012, but whatever. Then again, I did sleep more than half the day away. Maybe that's why I'm in a chipper mood.

No idea what 2012 is going to bring, but there are some things I'd like to achieve in the year. New projects are always a good thing, although this (maybe false) sense of enthusiasm could be because it's the start of the new year. Haha. Am also tempted to start writing in a new blogspace (haha, new online real estate) but too lazy to think of a new online moniker.

So there. My first blog post of 2012. Happy New Year!