2011

Half a month into the new year and I've not really written about what I think 2011 is going to be like. Based on the past couple of weeks, I suspect it'll be a busy year ahead, but one that is stable and not filled with too much drama.

I was going to say that I don't think I'll be traveling much this year, but already I have made a work trip to Surabaya, and have trips planned to Jakarta and Medan in the coming weeks. Lol.

The plan this year is to start saving money seriously. Always good to save, heehee. I also will try to eat more healthily this year.

I think those are the only 2 resolutions I have this year, if you can call them resolutions. I had a third, which was to start going for language classes, but when I went they were closed. Pfft.

Oh I also want to try cooking more this year, just because it's always nice to whip up yummy food in the kitchen. Shall get LGG a rolling pin for her birthday haha.

Anyway I think 2011 will be a good year and I'm excited about it. And I'll be 30 this year! Wah so old. Lol.

The Grasshopper In Singapore

Just so I don't forget what we ate when the grasshopper was in town.

24 Dec
- breakfast at Ya Kun (kaya toast, soft boiled eggs and kopi for me, teh for him) at the airport
- lunch at Sakae Sushi at Square2 at Novena Square (teriyaki chicken I for him, can't remember what I had)
- dinner at home (oooh a tonne of food including lasagne *slurp*)

25 Dec
- breakfast at Whampoa market (you tiao, butterfly, chwee kueh, chee cheong fun, kopi / teh)
- lunch at Old Hong Kong Cafe at Square2 (xiao long bao, har gao, peking duck, 3 egg porridge, and probably a lot more food)
- dinner at Food Republic (pepper crab bee hoon, cereal prawn, sambal sting ray, chendol and ice kachang)
- 2 bottles of champagne at New Asia Bar and a tonne of free chips

26 Dec
- no breakfast cos we were heading to Underwater World to swim with the dolphins
- lunch was a burger and fries from the cafe at Underwater World
- dinner at Boon Tong Kee along Balestier Road (chicken rice)

27 Dec
- breakfast at 2nd Kitchen at Value Hotel Thomson (crab porridge)
- lunch at the Budget Terminal (duck rice for him, spaghetti bolognaise for me)

3 Jan
- dinner at Chongqing Grilled Fish (grilled snapper in spicy and fragrant soup, kung pow chicken, cucumber salad, cereal prawn and fried mantow, and a bottle of YanJing beer)

The Grasshopper Is Coming!

Wheee! He's at the airport now, as I type this entry, checking in for his flight to Singapore. It's not a direct flight though, so he has to travel via Mumbai, but in less than 12 hours I'll be seeing him. I'm so excited!

New Year Resolutions

Three More Days!!!

Three more working days left for the year and I'll be on holiday!!! Whee!!!

A Date With.. Myself

I'm sitting here at Thai Express, enjoying a plate of minced basil chicken with rice and a greeb mango salad. I've got my Thai iced tea, and I'm waiting for the movie to start in 40 minutes time.

Everyone got 2 free movie passes during the company Christmas party and I decided to watch Rupunzel and Tron tonight. By myself.

It's been a long time since I've gone on a date by myself and i'm quite excited. I'm all prepared as well, I have enough cash to cab it home after the movue ends, and I have my trusty Kappa jacket (thank you grasshopper!) to keep me warm in the cinema.

I can't remember the last time I did something by myself. Oh wait, my muay thai classes. Ok scrap thay trin of thought. Lol.

Anyway, I think it'll be fun. This time next week, the grasshopper will be in Singapore!!!

Reflections - 2010

I was initially too lazy to sit down and pen my thoughts about the past eleven months, but I left my earphones in the office. And since I can't watch 30Rock on the train, or listen to any music either, why not try to make sense of the jumbled thoughts in my head and reflect on how the year has been.

All in all, I'd have to say the year has been a pretty awesome one. The number of chops on my passport attest to the amount of traveling I did (for both work and personal). Numerous trips to India where I went to Chennai and Hyderabad for the first time, and alsomet the grasshopper's folks; the unforgettable Bali trip where I famously said, "I know I'm talking rubbish, I just can't stop myself!"; two trips to Beijing and painful China visa applications (and also where I had the bestest Peking duck ever); the epic Tibet holiday where we took a 2 day train ride to Lhasa from Beijing and camped in below zero weather and made it to Everest Base Camp while barely breaking a sweat; and the handful of work trips to Jakarta where I discovered that Indonesia could be pretty cool. And I still have one more holiday to Krabi with the grasshopper, where we'll be counting down to the new year together! :)

Things on the family front have been good too, with two new additions to the clan: my sister and Mark finally tied the knot, and Windy and my brother welcomed baby Gideon to the world. My sister's wedding was a wonderful opportunity for the extended family to get together, and I managed to spend more time with Karen and Darwin (after not having seen them in yonks). I also made up with my brother.

My life at work have been good too. Nothing much to say about the work front (it's just work, after all) except that I feel that I'm getting better at wht I do, and still enjoying what I do. There's a new colleague in my team who has been a good fit, so the workplace has been quite fun and full of jokes and laughter too.

My relationship with the grasshopper has been interesting this year, with us going from strength to strength and also seeing the worse fight we've had. But it's all good and we try to work things out and communicate as best we can. The distance between us has been an issue that's been brought up more frequently, but I reckon that's normal as our relationship moves through different stages. He'll be coming to Singapore this Christmas though, and will be meeting my folks and friends. How exciting! I hope we have enough space and stamina to eat all the food I have lined up to eat though. Lol.

I also took up a new sport which I'm quite excited about- Muay Thai! I've been going for slightly over a month now, and unlike previously where I'd draaaaag myself to the gym, I'm quite happy to go for class during lunch or after work. The workouts are fun and I'm being trained by the best- world champions in Muay Thai! No more shit training by wannabe Muay Thai "fighters". Whee!

Hmmm I think I covered most of what's been going on this year. In the next post, what I want to do for 2011.