Thoughts.. What's in My Head

Quality is what matters...

2009-12-25T23:23:00.002+08:00

After a 4-mth hiatus from blogging, I'm ready with this entry just before the new year sets in. Finally~

This year, I found that ultimately, quality is what matters... No, not talking about exam results... I'm talking about l.i.f.e.

It doesn't matter how old or how young you are... it doesn't matter whether you're rich or poor and it certainly doesn't matter how long you will get to live. All that matters (to me at least) is the quality of your life. How have you spent your entire life? That will be the base for my reflection...

Truthfully, it has been a challenging year, more emotionally than physically.

I took a big step and decided to get a change of work environment.. I didn't know what I was getting myself into.. I told my gf at work (then).. "I think it's better to start in an entirely new environment than to work with people whom I already can't work with. At least it's a fresh start." And now, after a year, I'm not regretting my decision even though there were many a times I wished things could be better. I've been blessed with new-found friends who are supportive and often helped me transit from my grey mornings into brighter afternoons. Thank you so much to my dearies at work~ Looking back on the challenges that I've faced and what lies ahead for the coming year, my resolution includes being more 'thick-skinned' and master the art of 'into the right ear, out from the left ear'. No matter what comes my way, I'll treat them as a test of endurance and a challenge to better myself.

This year has also been a test of friendships. There were misunderstandings, confusion, baseless assumptions, etc, etc... It all boiled down to a lack of communication and presumptions. It got me so frustrated to see friendships drift apart... not knowing what the heck is happening makes it even worse... and I couldn't even decide whether to get involved or not. If this is the case... is this what friendship is to us? Whatever that has happened, I just hope that we'll manage it somehow, look past each others' mistakes and forgive.. because that's what friends do, I believe. Dear babes, pls don't just mind your own business and tell me not to worry, because I do... We've been friends for so long and we're not just friends in happy times... so pls don't switch me off and on, let's have a more honest friendship. I treasure our friendship and sincerely hope that in the coming year, we'll be able to come together again and have a lot more memories than we had this year.

As challenging as the year had been, it has certainly improved my quality of life. I've made new friends and learnt from my experiences. From emotional outburst at home, depressing moments at work and heartaches from dearest, these negativity in my life I shall use as my motivation to have a happier 2010. May the Almighty bless me with strength and faith to move on positively in the year ahead. *Amin*

This is a test entry.

2009-08-17T22:41:00.001+08:00

After so long since my last entry in this 6-yr-old blog (to those clueless in FB n multiply, I'm actually blogging thru blogger. Heehee), I know it deserves better than this test entry... But I finally found the widget for my mobile and now my eyes are just toooooo sleeeepy to write a long entry. Oh well, just to see if it works. =D

I'll reserve a longer entry another time alright? I promise. =P ..oh by the way, it feels like i'm typing a really long sms. *yawnz* Nitez!

Finally an update!

2009-05-18T22:42:00.002+08:00

1 down, 1 more to go! Had my first paper just now.. well, let's just say I shot my way through.. just jotted down whatever points I could remember. There's this girl sitting near me that made me stress. As I was resting in between the questions, I saw her writing.. and wow.. she wrote so much. That made me shivered a little.. but hey, quantity doesn't mean quality right? (trying to make myself feel better here. =P) Anyways, I tried my best. Hopefully, I'll be more prepared for the next paper. I think I gotta get myself a good rubber grip. My thumb was sore after writing for more than 2 hours just now. =

That aside, let's rewind a bit to my dearest birthday celebration. It turned out great (minus the 2-hour 'hiatus' my dearest and his friend had in the wee hours of the morning.) It's been so long since I organized a chalet! I'm glad I still had the knacks for it. But in the midst of my grocery shopping for the chalet, I learnt that some people can be just too educated! Here's what happened:

I forgot to buy two items and when I had gotten them, common sense told me to queue at the Express Lane which was for purchases of 10 items or less. 2 men were in the queue in front of me. One of them went to the cashier and they had a little disagreement. I was totally on the cashier's side as the man's basket was full of items, definitely more than 10! The cashier kept insisting that he should be in the other queue. Then, his wife came and asked what the problem was. When the cashier explained that they had more than 10 items, she just said, "It's for the two of us!" And guess what! The other man in front of me said the same thing as well! How 'clever' can these people be! They're too educated I guess. Pffft!

So peeps, please do be more educated than these people. Express lanes should be what it is.. There's a reason to call it the Express lane, right? Alright, that being said, I just can't wait for the exams to be over. Thanks to my gals for the well wishes! =D

sigh

2009-04-08T19:41:00.001+08:00

Dizzy, breathless.
Chaos, frenziness.
Lost, aimless.
Empty, loneliness.

Waiting for your return,
Safe and sound,
Here with me.

I miss you.
So much.

There is always a first to everything...

2009-03-15T19:11:00.002+08:00

And this year, that quote is so very true for me. I realised that so far, during the past 2 and a half months, I've done quite a few firsts. I wonder, is age the cause of it? Or is it the new environment that's the driving force? Probably both. *smilez*

Age... what is there to the numbers? And isn't it the younger you are, the more adventurous you'll be? Whether you're in agreement to the latter, that does apply to some people. On a personal note, I was the introverted girl amongst the few friends I had... always had inferiority complex, basically because of appearance. The confident me started in Secondary 3 when my English teacher recognized my flair for writing and speaking. He made me join oratorical contests where the applause received from my fellow schoolmates made me felt that I was good at something. That became my turning point and as I went through the following years, that confidence grew stronger.

And this year, the new working environment (after more than 4 years in the same place) toughened me up. Just a day there made me realise that I've got to make myself 'visible'. To some, being new meant that it's safer to just blend in or, even better, 'hide' in the shadows. But I've got my own motivation to work towards improving my life. And as I worked hard (really hard), I decided to have a few firsts this year.

So... here's an update of my firsts so far this year:

Drinking passion tea (Sour! Which is not my usual cuppa).
Drinking Chamomile tea (Herbal! *Yucks*).
Watching Disney on Ice Princess Wishes (Disney classics, I like!~).
Finishing a book series (Twilight... much to my own surprise).
Buying branded stuff (Adidas pants and shoes, Nike bag, Crocs, etc.).
Making my own Popiah and eating it! (of course, without the beansprouts and green stuff.. but with the radish in it).
Working till 7pm and there's no special occasion or event on that day.

Hopefully, my firsts will continue this year and be positive ones too. But even if they're otherwise, (get ready, here's the cliche...) there's always a lesson to be learnt from the negatives. *grinz* So, 'till then!

A reward...

2009-02-27T21:25:00.002+08:00

I feel so good now after tunchner-ing and shopping with my two colleagues today. After a busy week of finishing up two assignments and some work stuffs, I thought I really needed to reward myself. *smilez*

Ah.. good food... truly a satisfying reward for me. I'm not a foodie, as in, I don't eat and enjoy all kinds of food. But I had a nice BBQ Half chicken, Baked Mussels and Coit Tower ice cream at Swensen's. And it's value for money! Food was served on time, tasted great and it was a cosy place. Plus, with the two ladies as company, it made my tunchner-ing (tea+lunch+dinner) more enjoyable. Thanks, babes!

After tunchner-ing, we just had energy to just shop around aimlessly. But I just couldn't resist and I bought myself two shirts from different shops and it was worth the buy! That was another reward... finding bargains! Before you call me cheap, do consider that I've spent quite a lot on branded sportswear last month so this month's shopping makes up for it. *grinz*

In the end, it's all about balance... work hard, play hard... treating yourself after all the brain-cracking... spending within your limits.. ah... easy? not so.. but do-able. =D

Smiles!

2009-02-20T23:16:00.004+08:00

A single rose ---> You're my one and only. Awww... so romantic~ Well, that was my surprise gift from my dearest. 3 years together and I still love him so much. Sure, there's been some ups and downs, but that's part and parcel. What's important is that we learn to take it in our stride and move on together. *smilez*

You and Me together as one.... in lurve~

After a weekend of luv, comes a hectic week at work. My voice went from sweet ( =P ) to 'rock' voice from Monday till now. And just now, I had a great time with mah ladies, celebrating Sha's belated b'day and just catching up with my dear gf Suhana. Thanks gals for the wonderful time. It's always a great time catching up with you gals. Meet you both again soon, ok?

Eeeks!

2009-01-26T22:32:00.002+08:00

I've been at home for two days now... Yesterday was fine as I needed the rest... but after today, I feel like I'm rotting at home now. Eventhough the day had started off productive with my LP done, it slowly began to get on my nerves. First, my dearest had buih-ed me... Been waiting for his call and for him to come over but none, zilch, no news from him. Gggrrrr! I am SO going to get him a mobile for his b'day. Hmph!~

And now that it's night time, the more I feel the urge to go out... but my galfren cancelled plans for karaoke, so now, I'm fated to stay home tonight. *sighz*

There's no point to this entry actually. I'm just finding something to do. Tired of watching korean dramas on my pc and drinking glass after glass of lemon barley. Feels so bloated now, but I'm darn bored that I could just eat the rest of my brownies with another few glasses of lemon barley again! *rolls eyes*

Okay, I'm gonna try asking my babes out for tomorrow. There's no chance that I'm gonna stay home the whole day tomorrow~ =P

Fortune Cookies!

2009-01-19T22:45:00.003+08:00

Spent over $60 at Watsons just now and I got 2 free fortune cookies.... My first two in my life so far! *grinz* The first pack that I tore open revealed an open fortune cookie and it read, 'You can't change the past but you can ruin the present by worrying over the future.' And that got me thinking.

So true, in the midst of worrying of what's to come, what lies ahead, what is going to happen, most probably, we'll end up not enjoying the present. Sometimes, we get too hung up over such things. Why? The future is not ours to see, right? (Thanks Que Sera Sera)... So what's the point? Instead of worrying, we should plan ahead. Nevermind if the plan may fail, at least we're not worrying. This is really a note to myself, actually. More white hairs keep appearing and the frown lines are getting more visible, so... I should stop worrying over the future. I'm slowly trying to live in the present, adjusting to the new environment this year. I just want to get by feeling less worried and caught up each day. *keeps fingers crossed*

So maybe the already-opened fortune cookie may signify the current situation I'm in... so the other fortune cookie (which I finally get to crack open myself) may signify my true future... which is 'One day, you will become rich and famous.' *laffs* ouh and yeah. *keeps fingers crossed* =P

Highs and Lows

2009-01-18T17:47:00.002+08:00

Entry (much)overdue.. so here goes.

1)
HIGH:
I had a good time on new year's eve. I'm glad to see my dearies and dearest having fun at Siloso Beach Party. The night started off fine, but by 3am, my legs were screaming for a seat! And the thought of sitting on the sand turned me off especially with all the sweat on me, so I had to drag my dearest with me to find a proper seat. After half an hour of rest and some munching, I decided to call it a night and went back to the beach resort with my dearies joining us 45mins later.

LOW:
Something happened that night... I don't know exactly what happened but ever since then... *sighz*

2)
HIGH:
I had my birthday celebration last Saturday, 10 Jan. Had a great dinner at Rice Table with my galfrens and dearest, followed by a chill-out night. Thanks to my babes for the thoughtful gifts~

LOW:
Whatever happened on New Year's eve has dragged on till that Saturday night. 10 days have passed... *sighz*

3)
HIGH:
This year, I received 2 golden gifts, a ring from my mum and a bracelet from my dearest. It's been a long time since I've worn gold and their gifts have rekindled my interests for it. I also had a great time yesterday night that started with seafood dinner at Newton with my dearest, his friends and my galfren. After that, we had fun together.. really funny times. Been a while since I laughed so much! (Hend: remember Pisi? "I love you all! Muah Muah Muah!" *laffs*) Hope to have more good times this year~ =)

LOW:
For many years, I've seen the both of you together, we've been holidaying together, partying together, chilling out together, but then yesterday, only one half of you was there. Something felt amissed. I don't mean to interfere but really do hope the both of you would work things out. Years of friendship don't just fall apart in just 1 night. No matter who's in the wrong or right... look beyond the issue. Really looking forward to spend time with the BOTH of you soon~ =)

End note: A high-low start for 2009.. and January's not even out yet. So... 2009's still a loooong way to go~ Hopefully it gets better~

Serendipity

2008-12-21T19:55:00.003+08:00

Serendipity, as what it's defined in the movie, a fortunate accident and further defined by Wiki - the effect by which one accidentally discovers something fortunate, especially while looking for something else entirely. And this was the title of the movie I watched with my dearies yesterday night. Our homemade party turned out to be a home-movie night, and I shall not complain~
The movie's so sweet! Even my dearest enjoyed it!

At first glance, it may seem like a girl's flick but, it turned out to be a good romantic comedy. At some points, it was good-frustratingly nice. I wonder how I missed such a good movie when it came out in 2001. Well, I'm just glad I watched it. Take a look at the video made from one of the songs in its soundtrack and you'll lurve it too.

For those of you who can't view the video, here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mARCRguuCrk

You'll enjoy the movie, unless you're the cynical type who doesn't believe in fate, destiny, love.. gosh, that makes such a miserable person. =P

Awww.. I'm back...

2008-12-17T20:09:00.003+08:00

Actually, I've been back since Monday but was just recuperating at home... having flu now after my trip from Bali. It must have been due to the weather. It's rainy season over there and the drizzles often made their appearance. So... beach was out... there're wooden planks washed ashore and so it wasn't beach-friendly. Luckily, the hotel had a great swimming pool and swim-up bar. So cool! Eating pizza by the pool, drinking juice... yumyum~

Though the hotel's location wasn't great, but still the service was fine. The place and room were kept clean and user-friendly. We had late nights just chillin' and goofing about, and pampered myself with massages at the hotel. Had my tattoos done... a rose and a butterfly, my faves~ I'll miss them when they're gone in 2 weeks. =P

The clubs weren't fantastic. There's no checking who goes in and so, the youngsters kinda spoilt the atmosphere. Someone better get a leash for them. There's this woman who climbed up a cage and was warned by the bouncer and she did two more times on purpose. And when she fell head first, I felt like clapping... serves her~ =D

The band at Hard Rock saved our second night of chillin'. The singers were awesome! But the DJ needed some training from Ipa's DJ. Note to all DJs: If you don't see anyone on the dancefloor after a round of music you played, it's time to change the beats... *grinz*

Enuff of my words, let me leave you with some pics...

Flying with Lion Air --- Lousy stewardess, after asking for a glass of coke and a second glass of tea, she said, "Miss, last glass." -_- Food average... Budget airlines, to be expected... =P

Had a wonderful 5D/4N stay at Risata Bali Resort --- $500 per person inclusive of halfday tour+seafood dinner, complimentary dinner at Hard Rock Cafe and late checkout till 6pm.

Hotel facilities and service made up for the not-so-great location of the hotel. Enjoyed ourselves at the poolside almost everyday!

Pampered ourselves with the Spa of the Month package US$35 for 2hours of tension relief massage, foot massage, body scrub, flower bath, ginger tea, cookies and free gifts!

Our sumptious seafood dinner at Jinbaran beach after our half-day tour.

If I'm feeling 'rajin', I'll upload more pics here aiytes? Okay, back to recuperating mode.

Loneliness...

2008-12-06T18:38:00.002+08:00

Nope! I'm not going to be emotional and start an entry about loneliness... On the contrary, I'm gonna pen about how I went shopping alone! =P

For about 4 hours, I was shopping alone, from Bugis to Westmall, buying some personal essentials and a few pairs of jeans. I only had my mp3 to keep me company during the train ride and guess what, I didn't feel lonely. In fact, travelling and shopping alone kind of make oneself to be more conscious. Whether being self-conscious or of what's going on, it's a good thing, really.

Here's an example, I was trying to buy a sunblock lotion for the first time and there were SO many choices... I was standing and reading almost all labels and suddenly this promoter just came up to me and suggested the most expensive lotion (Gee, thanks~). After politely declining her suggestion, I tried calling my galfriend... but guess she was busy at work.. so there, left alone to make the decision. After much consideration (took me almost 20mins!), finally I made my purchase. So that's a revelation to me, I'm not the risky type who'll just pick and choose anything.

And being conscious of what's going on around you can be very interesting, especially in the train! *grinz* Hey, after so long since my last train ride, today's ride made me realise how peculiar people can be. Well, maybe to other people who'd observed me, I'm included as well~ =P

Why so slooooow?

2008-12-05T11:02:00.003+08:00

My galfriend called me up last night when I was dozing off to sleep and we both agreed that time's passing by sooo sloooowwly! We were counting down the days to our Bali trip and since 2 months ago when we booked our trip, time seems to pass by so fast.. but now when it's like a few days away, time seems to take their own sweet time to tick by. *hmph!*

Well, I guess that'll probably give me some time to buy the stuffs I need for the trip. Let me see what else do I need.... Sunblock, foundation, jeans, some toiletries and.... that's it? I thought I needed more things but I guess that's all. *ponders*

Things to do in Bali:

Beaching in the morning
Shopping in the day
Chilling out at nite
Munching all day!
Pampering myself... massage, spa, manicure, etc...

Ah~ I can't wait!~ *smilez*

p.S: Hendri, don't forget to clean up your room for our sleepover... =P

Duh! Moments on the phone...

2008-11-28T14:19:00.005+08:00

1.
*Caller takes HP and dials HOME*
Someone picks up the phone.
Caller: Hey, where are you?
Receiver: Where else? Duh!
Remarks: You called HOME and you're asking where??

2.
Caller: What were you doing?
Receiver: Just finished my dinner.
Caller: So have you eaten?
Receiver: Duh!
Remarks: You've been told the person's just finished his/her dinner~

3.
Caller calls at 4am.....
Caller: Are you asleep?
Receiver: No, I'm not... Duh!
Remarks: Would a person who is asleep be picking up the phone? Well, maybe if he's/she's sleep-talking~

Duh!!!!

My partners-in-crime...

2008-11-20T20:25:00.006+08:00

Amidst a very hectic and tiring week, I had a great time with my partners-in-crime, i.e. my colleagues, at our Annual Dinner. The food at the Carousel didn't disappoint and I enjoyed the yummy food so much that I kept on eating till it was time to close. *grinz*

It's been a while since I went on a photo rampage so thanks to my babe, Suhana, we went clicking away.. Thanks yah for letting me 'tumpang' your camera! So here're some of the photos of my last Annual Dinner with the GMPS darls...

My gossip darlings... *ssssh*

The Malay babes in the school...

I'm the only one leaving the school in this picture... gonna miss my ladies... =(

My gerek kakis... we make the staffroom lively~ *giggles*

The elites... *ehem ehem* Neah! Gals just wanna have fun~

Thanks to my partners-in-crime for the great night! Gonna miss all of you!

Farewell...

2008-11-14T21:03:00.003+08:00

It is the last day of school today, but it wasn't the usual last days of school. Ours was the school closure as well. The school closure ceremony was filled with activities that lasted the whole day. But it was the last activity that got my eyes watery.....

The singing of the school song for the last time as the school flag was being lowered down... and as it ended, the song faded away... and then the sniffling cries could be heard... My eyes went watery but tried hard to keep it at bay... As we came to ease, I took a tissue and wiped my tears... but it was when the students' cries became obvious. It was truly a sad day for us. Though, some teachers said that we'll meet again in the future, I guess the teachers who are transferred out are the ones most feeling the sadness of parting. Yes, it was a choice for us to be transferred out but still, it was a difficult choice to make.

I've only been with the school for nearly 5 years but it was my first school since I officially became a trained teacher. Through these 5 years, we have become a closely-knitted 'family', among the teachers and students as well. We are a small school but we'd rather look at it as one big family. My dearest colleagues and students have taught me many valuable lessons and they've given me a lot of wonderful sweet memories. Yes, I call my students my lil' devilz... but that's my affectionate term for them. They are indeed my darlings.

Thank you to my dearest colleagues and students for the memories and times we spent together. May our paths cross in future and together, we'll look back and smile... I'll definitely miss all of you.... *hugz&kisses*

Busy bee~

2008-11-09T21:17:00.003+08:00

It's the start of the second week of November... and heck, it's been and will continue to be a very busy November for me... So far, here's what my November's been and will be like...

1-2 Nov - My bro's Wedding
3-6 Nov - UniSIM Exams
7 Nov - Prize-giving day full dress rehearsal
8 Nov - My sis's engagement
12 Nov - Prize-giving Day
14 Nov - School closure ceremony
17 -21 Nov - Packing Days
18 Nov - Staff Annual Dinner
26 Nov - Handing Over ceremony
27-30 Nov - Unpacking Days

So there.... my busy, VERY busy November. I've to remind myself to breathe now and then. No wonder I'm having this pimply breakout. Freaking me out.. never been this bad! *frownz* Just hope I'll survive it all! *keeps fingers crossed*

Woohoo!

2008-11-05T21:52:00.002+08:00

I feel good~ Na-na-na-na-na-na-na~ *sings to the rhythm of that I feel good song* Yay! I received some good news today... won the Outstanding Contribution Award (Individual & Group!).. quite timely I must say 'coz the cashflow kind of tight at the moment. Thanks to my dearest colleagues who've acknowledged my hard work and voted for me. Thanks a lot darls! I'll be sure to treat you to a nice lunch aiytes! *smilez*

Being a teacher is no joke... it's not as easy as some peeps might think. We don't just teach... we do a whole lot more other things. It's all for the sake of moulding the kids holistically. Nowadays, it's not just the brains, but it's the brawns as well, physically and mentally. EQ, IQ..equally important. That's why we educators have our hands very full most of the times. So, it's these kind of awards or rewards that makes us feel appreciated. In fact, it need not be monetary, just a simple gesture of appreciation can just lift our spirits and motivate us further. *smilez*

So thank you once again to my dearest friends at work for recognizing my efforts. Look forward to my treat ok! *winkz*

p.s. I also received my posting today.. I got to know which school I'll be posted to next year... Went to the school's website to psyche myself up... but still, I don't know how it'll be like in the new school next year.. *keeps fingers crossed*
Oh, and did I mention I'm having my 4days exam leave till 6Nov? So much things happening when I'm on leave... It's so difficult to concentrate on revision. *frownz*

I'm soo glad!

2008-11-03T09:51:00.002+08:00

I'm soooooo glad it's over... I'm talking about my bro's wedding. It was a very hectic and tiring experience starting from Friday afternoon. The preparations for the wedding and the wedding day itself on Sunday and then the cleaning up. PHEW~ I was deadbeat by 10pm yesterday. After laying out the mattress in the living room, both my grandma and I fell asleep instantly. I woke up only at 8am this morning. Anyway, I'm glad that it's all done now and I wish my bro success and much happiness in his marriage. Here's a look at the wedding cupcakes that I ordered for him.

My First Attempt

2008-10-19T16:48:00.003+08:00

Phew~ After much running around to many places yesterday, I felt really tired out. But still I enjoyed myself as I started off with visiting my colleagues' houses from 12-5pm (and that's only 2 houses). Thanks Cikgu for the delicious food... the image of the 'gedek' prawns still lingering in mind... yumyummm~ And Suhana, Friday I'm coming again k, I want my Opor ayam.. *laffs* And Diy... Thank you my dear for the pictures! So fast you uploaded them and sent to us. Luv ya! *winkz*

After that, I went to Vivocity and Clementi to get the materials to make my bro's hantaran gifts; the cloth, trimming, flowers, baskets, boxes, etc... And all this, I went through alone! Haha! Much faster that way 'coz I just went straight to the shops and bought the things that I wanted, so no time to enjoy Vivo (not that I like it). And to end the night, I had a sumptious good time eating buffet dinner with my galfriends and my dear at Turf City and a night of fun with them. *smilez*

And today... was my first attempt at making the hantaran gifts for my bro. And although the results were slightly different from what I had originally designed, the four (out of nine) gifts turned out well.. all with the help of my sisters.. Thanks dearies! It's pretty simple actually but there's niceness in simplicity at times. Anyway, here's a glimpse of the gifts.. could only upload 1.. the rest after the wedding day!~ *grinz*

The amateur's first attempt... Btw... this will not be my sideline.. *laffs*

Second round next week....

Bad service!

2008-10-17T19:49:00.002+08:00

Oh on another note, I'm really disappointed with Apple Holidays Pte Ltd. And why... here's the story...

I was planning to go to Bali in December holidays with my galfriends and I know it's a little late to be planning one now, but I wanted to try my luck. So I sent out a request for quotation with the following details:

Enquiry: Destination: Bali (Free&Easy)
No of People: 4Adults
Travel Dates: 10-14December 2008(Wed-Sun)
Looking for Airfare and Accommodation
Budget: $500-$600
No. of rooms: 2 (Double bed - Queen/King)
Preferred Flight Timing:
Outbound - Morning
Inbound - Afternoon

So after waiting for two days, I got a reply from an agent in Apple Holidays and it read (direct copy and pasted from my email.. no amendments whatsoever, mind you):

Hi Rose,

With your tight budget yet want to go during December peak season and to choose morning & afternoon flights, it is totally IMPOSSIBLE!

Anyway, just to quote you our package (from 10 -14Dec'08) as follows:
* A return economy class air ticket SIN / BALI / SIN with SQ operated flight
* 4 nights stay at 3-star hotel Adhi Jaya OR Karthi Inn OR Bali Rani in Kuta area
* Daily breakfast
* 2-way airport / hotel transfers

Adult twin-sharing net to you is SGD545 + SGD145 taxes per person!

Thanks!

Antonio Teh
Sales Manager
Apple Holidays Pte Ltd

....... The moment I read the first couple of lines, I was like..... what??! What kind of service is this? (And it's not just me... all my colleagues and galfriends who I've shown this to reacted this way) I felt insulted by the reply... Gggrrr... I've yet to reply to his email coz still figuring out how to phrase it... Any ideas anyone??

Well.... customer service like any relationships requires the two parties to communicate effectively.... BUT especially for those who is rendering the service, you have to be particularly customer oriented.... So PLEASE... those in sales or related customer service line, learn from this SALES MANAGER's negative service. Even if you can't comply to a customer's request, there's always a diplomatic way of resolving the issue.

Sob-sob...

2008-10-17T19:30:00.002+08:00

When people find out I watch animes, their eyes go, "What? So childish..." Well, I'm an anime freak... and I'm not ashamed to say so. What can I say, I find animes entertaining.. (well at least the ones I'm watching) and the years of watching animes (about more than 4 years) have been worthwhile... *smilez*

Animes can be entertaining, full of funny moments, weird (but still fun to watch) plots and often, comes with a lesson to learn. But animes can also make me cry! Like today...... argh! Why did Asuma have to die? I hate it when a character dies especially if you've been watching the anime for so long.... *sighz*

Anyway, for you peeps who think so negatively of anime, I shall not try to change your mind.. =P
But for those who lurves animes... you can try http://animeblogz.com . They've got a list of great animes that you can watch online (You don't need to download and run into trouble with the authorities). Here's what you can watch... Air Gear, Vampire Knight, Claymore among others... For those of you who still watch Naruto and Bleach, yay! Good for you... these two animes still rawkz! *smilez*

Zaman Kentalan

2008-09-28T20:09:00.002+08:00

Haha... surprised by the title? Gosh, it's been a while since I used that word... But it suits the entry perfectly... *laffs*

Let me tell you why.... I was 'spring-cleaning' the house today and as I was searching for some photographs to be displayed in the living room, I found my autograph book from my secondary school days! Then I spent more than an hour reading through it. And after I finished reading it.. those words popped in my mind.. Haha!

Really.... looking at the pictures back in those days, really embarassed me... with my kental pony-tail and fringe and so innocent face, I really look sooooo... selenge. And mind you, that was my nick right from when I started my Sec 1 days.

Anyway, it brought back a lot of fond memories... the chasing-boyband days, going-to-our-own 'excursion' days, lepak-session-at-friend's-houses days, lepaking-at-World-Trade-Center days and soo much more~ Those were the days..... I have to admit, even though my poly days were the best years of my life, I did have some good times in Secondary school.

Well, here's to my long lost friends and to our zaman kentalan! May the memories be a fond reminder of our youthful days! Cheers! *grinz*

New PC!

2008-09-16T16:38:00.005+08:00

Yay! Finally got myself a new PC~ After months of using the school's laptop, lugging it to and fro work and home, I finally bought a new desktop.

Why a desktop instead?

Well, actually, I was in-between of getting a laptop and a desktop. But what made me get a desktop instead was the thought that it lasts longer. Yes, a laptop can be very convenient especially now that I've started my UniSIM. But I still didn't like the idea of lugging it around. With a desktop, I have a proper and complete workstation as it comes with a photocopier-printer-scanner.

I think I got a good deal. The NEC Powermate came with a free upgrade to 2GB ram, 4GB thumbdrive and the 3-in-1 printer. The mouse and keyboard are wireless, which means no more knotty workstation. The monitor and CPU are together, so no more bulky CPU on the floor. There's even a compartment to keep my keyboard after use. I can set up a slideshow and put it in the living room and my pc becomes an electronic photoframe.

The total cost of the PC was about $1.9k (after adding the 4-yrs extended warranty and MS Office) but since I'm paying by instalments, it didn't burn a big hole in my pocket.

So now, I'm more motivated to do my assignments! *grinz*

Public Transport...

2008-09-05T22:42:00.002+08:00

Okay, here I am with my entry on public transport as mentioned in the earlier post... Phew~ I'm proud to say, I survived it today. =P

My close peeps would most probably be surprised that I took the public transport today. Well..(with a guilty face) lately I've been taking cabs.. Okay, not lately.. In fact, for the past couple of months. And no, I'm not a rich girl... And no, I'm not spoiling/pampering myself... I'm just... tired?

I wake up at 4.45am every morning to get ready to work and go out of the house by 5.45am to catch the first bus. If I missed that one, I'll be set back by at least 20 minutes. And I must admit, I've got a weird notion... If I see even the slightest hint of sun, even a teenie bit, I'll freak out and think that I'm late.

Anyway, that's a bit off the sidetrack... Taking the public transport today made me realise why I don't miss taking it. Sure, they've put in a lot of effort in ensuring comfort, safety and all... but, today, after my long 'hiatus', I feel that nothing's changed. The MRT ride from Gombak to Tampines surprised me as it took shorter than I expected. But.. the commuters... Goodness! Someone please educate them! (Don't look at us, teachers! =P)

And then comes the bus ride. What would take me just a 5-minutes bus ride became nearly half an hour! The waiting time... Helloooo! There were 5 Bus service 65 coming into the interchange but I had to wait more than 20mins just to board one. *tsk tsk*

Okay, that's about it... The public transport here sure needs some improvement (I know compared to other countries, ours may seem a lot better, but I don't live in other countries, I live here. =P)

Or perhaps, all these peeves are just a result of my shortened capacity for patience due to my fasting the whole day. *bluek*

p.s. the journey made me hook to this song on my mp3, which I didn't even know it was there. So take a listen to this song: Ramzi - Love is Blind, and enjoy it. (it's on my blog.. no, not on multiply. It's on blogspot. Whatever entries I typed gets directed to my multiply, but sadly, not the music. *grinz*)

A great achievement...

2008-09-05T17:49:00.004+08:00

Today's really a great achievement for me... For the first time in a very very very lonngggg time, I took the public transport.. and it's all the way to Tampines! Yay! *clapclap* And it's all because of my dearest sister, Wati. *smilez*

Ordered cupcakes for her birthday last month to be collected today. Although her actual birthday's tomorrow, 6 Sept, I figured she'll be busy celebrating it with her friends and 'ehem'. So, today I went off to get her cuppies.

And they're sooo prettyyy! Couldn't resist taking a photo of them and posting it up here immediately (I dun think she'll be reading this entry anytime soon). And the design's snowflakes for a reason... My sis just lurves snowflakes. She's so 'gila' (crazy) over them. Hope she'll lurve the cuppies too. Thank you to Hanna of Yummyumkins! I'm addicted to you! Ermm, your cuppies, I mean. *grinz*

Anyway, here's wishing her a very Happy Birthday! May the Almighty bless you with lots of good health, many smiles and happy returns, my dear sis! *Amin*

P.S. taking the public transport today reminded me of its peeves: Long waiting time and inconsiderate commuters. But that's for another entry later. (if I can remember to blog it) *grinz*

Not what I expected...

2008-09-02T12:59:00.002+08:00

It was my first Teachers' Day Reception at the Istana yesterday evening... and I know, I'm supposed to be honoured, but yesterday's event was just not what I expected. It fell short of my expectations... very short. *hmmm*

Considering that yesterday was also the first day of the fasting month, I'd thought that the organising committee would have put that into much consideration. But apparently, it was not how I felt. Yes, they did provide a special room for us to break fast, and a basket full of dates, but that was just it.

There were no tables and chairs for us to sit and rest (guests expected to arrive by 5-5.30pm), so we had to stand and wait till the awards ceremony at 6.30pm... dinner reception started at 6.50pm, but we were fasting, so had to wait till 7.09pm... However, the photo-taking was at 7.15pm (so no time to eat), and the best part was it ended at 7.30pm!(waiters/waitresses started to clear up) So.. you can just imagine the little time we got to eat. *frownz*

It was a nice gesture to celebrate teachers' day at the istana, but rather than a reception, I guess it was just merely a 'meet-and-greet-photo-taking' session with the President. The organising committee could really do much better next time (it's gonna be in the fasting month again next year). I didn't feel special at all yesterday evening even with all the splendour of the Istana, and I'm sure many share the same sentiments, judging by the rushing crowd to go home at the end of it.

Anyways, I'm glad to be able to attend it just once. Once is enough, really.

Had a great time...

2008-08-31T18:01:00.002+08:00

with my galfrens and partners-in-crime, Su and Sha, last Friday afternoon. Eventhough it's just lunchner(lunch+dinner), we had fun talking and catching up with each other. So this entry is dedicated to you ladies....

Sha, catching up with you makes me miss you more. Still remember those times we used to hang out together after work.. You're my cab buddy, tempat mengadu at work, my listening ears and my partner-in-crime. *smilez*

Su, aww... didn't know that we're fated to be 'together'... such a coincidence that you got posted to GM.. and although we go way back from secondary school (even in the same class in Sec 3 & 4), we were never quite as close as we are now. We've shared many 'first times' together and this year, we're in the same level, in the same boat.... I guess, your presence in the school is a way of the Almighty trying to make it up to me for Sha's absence. I'm going to miss you lots when we part ways at the end of the year. *sighz*

These two ladies are not just teachers who've touched the lives of their students... they've touched mine too.. *smilez* I really hope the three of us will keep in touch even when we go different ways in time to come. *Amin*

Happy Teachers' Day!

2008-08-31T17:35:00.004+08:00

Teachers' Day has never felt this sweet before.. I think it got to do with my last year with the school this year. I don't know for sure which school I'll be transferred to next year (if my transfer gets approved...I think most definitely it will).

A lot of ex-students came by the school, and although half of them were faces I had never seen before, their presence made it more nostalgic. They were peering in from the windows of the staff room, trying to get a glimpse of teachers who've taught them. When they see a familiar face, they go, "Hi, cher! Remember me?" *smilez*

Some came with little gifts, and some with just a simple greeting.. and that's truly enough to make us teachers feel appreciated. I've been teaching little devils for almost 4 years now (my first batch of P1 students are now in primary 4), but actually I'd first made a difference when I did contract teaching almost 7 years ago.

With no prior experience, I was given the heavy task of a form teacher of a P2 class. It was nerve-wrecking stepping into a class of 40 students, not knowing what to expect from them. But the first few minutes made me realise that, I hold the power in my hands... and in turn, they taught me how to teach. I learnt from them, adapting my teaching to them, catering to their needs and yet challenging them. I'm glad that after years since leaving them, they remembered me and got in touch with me through the Internet (thank you so much to technology). *smilez*

By the end of this year, I'll be moving on to another school, again. I don't know what the future holds... I'm just appreciating the present. Teachers' Day this year brings a lot of memories to me and I hope may it be the same to all teachers out there.

To all teachers... Happy Teachers' Day! Be proud of what you are doing. *smilez*

Long wait...

2008-08-14T21:22:00.002+08:00

My dearest just came back from Thailand on Monday evening.. and after 5 days (4 days without a call from him), I was missing him dearly.. pls don't torture me again and make me wait for your call every night... :P

Anyway, Monday's wait for his arrival seemed soooo looooonggg.... well, that's due to the wrong info he gave me! Hmmph! Flight was at 4.45pm so reached SG at 7.30pm... But I was tld that his flight was at 3pm and will land at 5.30pm. I reached there at 4.45pm.. and the 3-hours wait started. =|

But I'm just glad he's back safe and sound... and by the stories from his days in Bangkok/Pattaya, I can't wait for our holiday there in Dec with my dear galfriends! =)

Weeeeeee~

2008-08-05T19:00:00.002+08:00

I won a prize! For the first time in ages, I finally won something! And it's the one and only prize in the contest! *grinz*

My first reaction when the person called me up yesterday afternoon was, "Oh ok, thank you." Then he was asking me a few questions to verify my identity. When he had finished, I asked him again, "So, what did I win? Which contest was this? And who am I speaking to?" When he had repeated the answers, I thanked him again. Then I walked to the kitchen where my dad was and jumped for joy... and I mean, literally jumped for joy! *laffs*

But after a while, I got worried as I remembered the numerous news reports about phone scams... and so, I had a sleepless night. And this morning, I've confirmed it with HSBC.... I really won! Yayyy!!

I can't wait to get my prize. They'll be sending it this Friday afternoon.. a Samsung 37-inch Full-HD LCD TV! Just nice to watch the National Day Parade on Saturday! Now, I can enjoy my fireworks at the comfort of my sofa! Thanks HSBC!*smilez*

Shiok!

2008-07-30T17:39:00.002+08:00

Wow... It's been a month since my last entry.. And it's been very hectic! A lot's been happening this month. To start with, I've gone through 2 weeks of UniSIM and woah... there're assignments already due next month! *gulp*

It can be very tiring shuttling to and fro work, Uni and home. I realised that work has kept me fully loaded till it's time for uni classes. There goes my ideal routine of going back early, take a nap, shower and arrive fresh for the night lectures/tutorials. I really salute those achieving their degree while working.. It's no mean feat! *applause*

And work....................... *sighz* Up to the neck now............... *double sighz*

And family.............. *speechless*.............

And my dearest............... love him lots~ =P yeah, bear with me ok...

And so, with the many many dots in my entry, you can tell just how shagged I am now. But I got the most needed shiok-est head/shoulder massage just now in school (brought to us from the Visually Handicapped). It was fabulous... eventhough it was just for 20-25 mins (paid $12 only)! My stiff shoulders were so relieved by the end of the session. I felt like going for a second round but more work beckoned. *rolls eyes*

So, if you all want it, they do a home massage too. Not sure about the costs for home services though, but you can always look it up on their webbie. Just go to SAVH webbie and you'll find the info. It's really shiok! *smilez*

Panic Attack....

2008-06-29T19:15:00.002+08:00

As I was showering this morning, I had a panic attack... and it was all because of just thinking about the number of things that I needed to get settled this coming week. *frownz*

The term had just started barely a week ago but the pile of work just keeps on getting higher. Hardly there was time to take a breather. Each day ends with exhaustion, so much so that I end up going to bed early and when I wake up, the rest is still not enough. I can't imagine how hectic it will get when I start my parttime uni. *sighz*

Getting the panic attack surprised me as it was my first. Although it was mild, I'm troubled by it. I was just running through in my head the various things I needed to settle, the deadlines and all when I started to feel breathless. I managed to calm down but my hands were shaky for about an hour after that.

I just hope that I'll be able to manage my time good enuff to avoid any such attacks again. Luckily, I've got myself a time-out corner where I'll just sit and do nothing when I get too stressed up or work overload. It really helps to have one at work. *smilez*

What is happening....

2008-06-16T21:20:00.002+08:00

A friend of mine told me today that her marriage is over.. But actually, I wasn't surprised. I told her that to me, I've been around so many such relationships that I sort of now have become... used to it. But what surprised me was when she told me what the other woman said when she confronted her..."It's not that I'm stealing your husband, it's you who don't know how to take care of your husband." Gosh... What is happening to this world???

I mean, I don't know whose fault it is in the 1st place and I'm definitely not in a position to ascertain that, but to say that is like rubbing salt to the open wound. Didn't she feel any shame at all? As a woman herself, didn't she feel guilty even if it's just a teenie bit?

And what about the husband? There's a saying 'the seventh year itch'. But really, man or woman, that saying has become an understatement... in fact, redundant.. 'coz when it's time to itch, it will itch no matter how long a couple have been together..

Sometimes, I really wonder... why did they get married in the first place? What is the meaning of marriage to them? Some say, it's fate... oh yeah right, blame it all on fate.. That's pathetic, really.
*sighz*

I truly feel bad for her as she's left to fend for herself and her young kids. There's little I can do for her.. just to remind her to stay strong and keep it together for her and her kids. I will not say, it's all fated... I'll say, 'This is life. There are ups.. and there will be downs.'

Should I...?

2008-05-25T19:56:00.003+08:00

Should I just let her be or confront her abt her actions? She's getting out of hand... No matter how much she says we don't understand her.. and how are we supposed to do that if you just be with yourself and your circle of friends (which I'm beginning to think negatively of).

But one thing I don't understand is why teenagers nowadays can't wait to grow up to be adults.. Do they seriously think that adulthood means freedom? It's entirely the opposite.. Here's a fact for you hotblooded, foolhardy teens - WITH AGE COMES RESPONSIBILITIES... Why is it that they want to do so-called 'grownup' activities like going to the club but yet they don't want to understand our stand on that? Is it too much to ask to wait till you're older?

When we talk to you nicely, you just keep quiet and STILL DO AS YOU WISH (words falling on DEAF ears)... when we do it the hard way, you criticise us and say we don't understand you, restricting your freedom... like HELLO! WAKE UP! Which part of your life is restricting your freedom... we let you choose your friends, we let you be in BGR, we let you choose the course of your study... WHAT THE HELL DO YOU STILL WANT?!

And yeah if you're thinking I'm mad.. hell yeah! I'M PISSED OFF!!!!! but I'm not going to confront you because I've had it! No matter what's being said, you're just going to keep doing what you're doing... I've come to the point of giving up... You know what.. Remember the time you said u wanted to get engaged and I was like what?? At such a young age?? But now.. If you tell me that again, I'll say... When?

My friends keep advising me to keep it together and continue to talk to you nicely.... but nice words don't get to you and harsh words shut you out... there really is no other way is there?

Well, I just hope that you'll be taught a lesson the hardest way possible... MOS - Ministry of Scandals... Gosh, now I freaking HATE that place... Don't expect anymore niceness from me till you stop all these nonsense!

2008-05-11T08:34:00.003+08:00

Online Videos by Veoh.com

I woke up early on a Sunday morning! There was nothing to do so I watched Channelnewsasia, hoping to find out more about the cyclone situation...

Instead, it was Primetime morning show and there's this lady with a sweet voice singing a single from her new album. She actually debuted on Youtube, posting videos of her playing the guitar and singing covers and originals. She sounds great! The lady's name is Marie Digby. Check her out in this video (can't seem to link youtube, so I tried veoh instead).

And to all Mums out there, Happy Mothers' Day! Without you, we wouldn't be in this world. Love ya, Mum! *hugz*

Happy Birthday to my dearest...

2008-05-10T21:52:00.002+08:00

First of all, Happy Birthday to my dearest! May you be blessed with lotsa good health, live a meaningful long life and have many cheery times. *Amin*

We celebrated his birthday yesterday night at Hilton hotel, with a sumptious spread of seafood cuisine, which is his ultimate favourite. His satisfaction was definitely fulfilled as he ate about 10 succulent fresh oysters and plates after plates of huge prawns! The night was certainly a memorable one as we enjoyed each other's company, except for....

As we toasted to his birthday, his eyes became teary... And when I asked, he said, "My Ma will always call me on my birthday to wish me Happy Birthday,, but this year, I don't even know how my family is."

In fact, he's been worried sick over his family the past week, eversince the cyclone Nargis hit his country. There were no news from his family as all communications were affected. Every night, there will always be a tinge of worry in his voice eventhough he tries to be his normal self when talking to me. My heart goes out to him... I can't even imagine if it was me in his shoes...

I can only be there for him and comfort him with all that I can. May the Almighty bless his family and they return to him safe and sound. *Amin* Take care and be strong, my love. I'm here whenever you need me. *hugz*

Spongebob Cupcakes...

2008-05-04T17:52:00.004+08:00

Aren't these cupcakes cuuuttte! And they were specially ordered for my galfren's b'day celebration last week... and yeah, I know, it's kinda late now to be mentioning that, but anyway, they're just so cute and soooo yummyyy! Loved the Donutella cupcakes especially! ( ooo creamy nutella... *slurps slurps*)

They were kinda sweet but for a sweet toothie like me, it's sinfully heaven~! Thanks to Hanna from yummyumkins.. The photo's courtesy from them too (my photos were too blurry.. time to change my mobile! *grinz*) Really thank you sooooooo muuuuuch for the wonderful cupcakes, the bday gal enjoyed them a lot! *BigHugzZz*

Had a great time with my galfrens last weekend, with a surprise bday party and mini-bbq session at the bday gal's house. Hope you had fun, my dear Effa, and here's wishing you loads of good health and cheers! Don't be too notty, aiytes! *winkz*

oh and p.s. to those who wanna have a go at ordering yummy cupcakes, here's the link!

http://www.yummyumkins.blogspot.com/

Approved!

2008-04-20T16:20:00.002+08:00

My application into UniSIM was approved! Yay!~ Got the good news on Friday afternoon. Went out to celebrate with my dearest - had a sumptious dinner of BBQ stingray and hotplate black pepper beef... yummy~

Now, the next ordeal is to find the $$$.... Hmmm.. the confirmation of the placement already needs $500 deposit by end of the month... the whole cost is more than 10K after the tuition grant which hopefully I can get. *prays hard* All in all, need about $12K for the tuition fees. I hope I don't need to get a study loan in which I've to be bonded (again). I just dislike the idea of being bonded to anything (except of course marriage which is a commitment of a lifetime). *grinz*

You people out there who're lucky enough to be 'sponsored' by your parents should really appreciate them. You don't need to crack your brains to find the means or work yourself so hard to earn the bucks for your degree. You're really blessed, you know... *sighz* Well, what to do... such is my life.. Okay, enuff of me wallowing in self-pity... time to source out means for my degree! *frowns*

It's all the fault of American Idol!

2008-04-16T20:55:00.002+08:00

It's really been a long time since I kept myself up to date with the latest music. But thanks to watching an episode of American Idol, I got hooked to the song 'No Air' by Jordin Sparks.

The duet with Chris Brown surprised me when I watched them perform the song live on the show. I've never thought much of Chris Brown, but somehow, his voice blended well with Jordin's. Both of them complement each other and as a result, an easy listening nice song for me to be hooked on.

And the lyrics...

"Tell me how I'm supposed to breathe with no air
Can't live, can't breathe with no air
It's how I feel when I know you ain't there
It's no air, no air
Got me out here in the water so deep
Tell me how you gonna be without me
If you ain't here, I just can't breathe
It's no air, no air.."

That's just the chorus. In a simple way, the words mean so much. I won't go into it further lest I make some of you 'sick'. *laffs* Anyway, here's a video of their live performance... c'mon let's feel the lurrrve~ *grinz*

Long weekend...

2008-04-13T19:29:00.002+08:00

Eventhough there was no public holidays whatsoever on friday, I feel like I've just had a long weekend. I guess much of it was thanks to the bumming around on this lazy Sunday. *smilez*

My dearest and I went shopping and to the movies (at last!) yesterday. After a very short consideration we decided to watch Street Kings. This is my first time watching a movie not knowing its synopsis beforehand. I felt clueless in the beginning and through till the end. I didn't even know who starred in the movie until after the first 5 minutes. When I realised it was Keanu, I felt relieved and expected a good movie... but I was disappointed. There was so much potential for the movie to be more exciting and deep. But it was over all too soon. I was like... "What? That's it?" *sighz*

My dearest celebrated his country's new year at home with me today. Most of his friends are back in their country home celebrating it. It was a quiet lazy Sunday for both of us. But that's quality time to me. *smilez*

Now, back to work again... where's my workshirt I need to iron?

Love is difficult to explain...

2008-03-31T17:26:00.003+08:00

And those were the exact words of a cab driver.. *grinz*

It started off with a ride back home. After my dearie sent me off in a cab last Sunday, the cab driver started to talk to me and the conversation goes like this:

Cab driver: Is that your boyfriend?
Me: Yup.
Cab driver: Where is he from?
Me: Myanmar.
Cab driver: Why don't you get a Singaporean boyfriend?
Me: (Wanted to say 'None of your business') I don't know.. it's fated, I guess.
Cab driver: Very messy later.
Me: Why? What's so messy?
Cab driver: What if he asks you to go back with him to his country?
Me: No, he's getting PR soon.
Cab driver: How did the two of you meet? Friend's recommendation?
Me: (Thinking about how nosy this cab driver is) Yeah.
Cab driver pauses.... and after a very looong pause....
Cab driver: Love is very difficult to explain huh...
Me: (can't be bothered to prolong the conversation... so just smiled.)

But to be honest, I don't really know how to answer the question to why don't I find a Singaporean boyfriend. It's not that Singaporean guys are bad and hopeless and useless and unreliable... Not all anyway.. It's just... well... fated for me to love someone whose roots are from another country.

Anyway, come tomorrow, 1 April 2008, it will be 2 years!! 2 years since the both of us have been together... Whatever trials we've been through, they've only served to make us stronger, we're thankful for that. Here's to our 2 years of lurve and many, many, many more years to come. Amin~ *smilez*

Varied week...

2008-03-29T17:07:00.002+08:00

It's been a week full of surprises...

It started with a scare from my dearie... the thought of loneliness ahead overcame me and depression mode set in for a whole night. It's been a while since I last had bucketsful of tears and woke up with puffy eyes. Nonetheless, glad it's over and all's well now... *smilez*

And another cause for celebration.. I got promoted! Yay!~ It's actually a relief to me, especially since I was disappointed last year. But my hard work paid off. And with this promotion, it's spurred me on to get myself a degree. Paper qualifications do matter in the end. It gives you the extra edge in certain ways. That's why I've registered for a place in UniSIM. Hopefully, I can get a place there. *prays*

Now, time to start gearing up my mentality for uni studies... *winkz*

Are you more China now?

2008-03-12T14:31:00.005+08:00

N.O. - No... I'm not more China now. In fact, my trip to China have made me appreciate Singapore more. I miss my homeland even though I was away for only 7 days. It's true when they say... home sweet home. *smilez*

Let's start with the positive... It's a country rich in history and culture. It's also blooming in science and technology. In Suzhou and Hangzhou, I'm awed by the scenery.. peaceful and calming. It's no wonder people can have longer lives here. In Shanghai, the architecture of this modern city amazed me. By day, you'll be amused with some of the unique architectural designs. By night, the whole city lights up in magnificent wonder. Simply beautiful....

But what makes me miss hometown most is the food. Yes, there was food every day for lunch and dinner... but nothing beats the local food here. I got sick of the food there by the third day. And yes, there were lots of opportunities for shopping... but due to my tight budget, I didn't shop much, so there goes another Singapore lifestyle not fulfilled in China. *grinz*

Overall, there were just too much walking to enjoy much of the scenery. I'd little time to stop and admire China's beauty. But one thing I hated the most was the weather! True, it was at the end of winter, but..... it was still cold! I fell sick on the last day of the trip. By the time we settled in on our SIA flight back home, we were all so shagged. All of us just quietly enjoyed the flight back home. And now, I'm back home since Monday night... HOME SWEET HOME! *smilez*

Here's some photos for you to enjoy... more photos available at my friendster.

Funniest statue I've ever seen...

Beauty in the Wetlands...

Serenity overwhelms me...

Sweetness in nothing...

2008-02-24T00:43:00.005+08:00

Those are our latest pictures taken during the weekend.. After taking the pictures, we realised it's been a looong time since we last took pictures together... And actually the reason was that I felt myself becoming uglier! *laffs*

Anyways, the time spent together during the weekend taught me that there's sweetness in doing nothing. We had no plans, just shopping and bumming around at home, watching tv, playing games and surfing the net. Should do this more often... Sweeet~~ *grinz*

p.s. This is my 99th entry.... Coming up, the 100th! Weeee~

aMACzing..

2008-02-04T18:33:00.000+08:00

No, it's not a typo error. And no, this entry is not gonna be about MacDonalds... It's about MacBook. I know there's a lot of other cool image/photo editing software available but this is my first time trying the Retouch function on MacBook iPhoto software. *grinz*

I've watched an episode of Tyra Show where she showed some photography tricks and some retouching software. I thought it was cool but never got to play around with one before. But yesterday i tried! And wow... Take a look at this before and after retouch photos:

Before retouching....

After retouching... a smoother complexion, even-out skin colour and eyebags nearly non-existent!

Really aMaczing, don't you think? So, who needs to be a drop-dead gorgeous model? *laffs*

It's February!

2008-02-03T19:14:00.000+08:00

I can't believe it's already February... 1 month into the new year. Seems like time really went by real fast this time round. Been really busy with work, what's with my new bunch of lil devilz. *smilez*

I can't wait for next month though.. it's when I finally get to travel a bit further to experience a whole new environment. I shall not elaborate yet, till the time comes. I reckon it will be an eye-opening experience for me with new surroundings and a different culture. I just hope this flu will be gone far far away by then. *prays hard*

Well, I'm now feeling very satisfied with my new hairstyle. Hopefully it will last for a very long time. Gotta make sure my money's worth. Guess, it's up to me now to maintain it. It's really 'leceh' (troublesome) being a girl sometimes. Lots of maintenance needed. If u guys find it hard to believe, try imagining yourself maintaining your precious motorbikes or cars. That's how hard we girls try to maintain ourselves. And no, it's not so much for you guys, it's more for ourselves. *grins*

People say learn to love your inner self for that's where the soul is.... but I say, love yourself however and whichever way you want to. Changing something about you doesn't mean you love yourself less. So to all the ladies out there, come Valentine's Day, celebrate your feminity and love your life to the fullest! *smilez*

Newbie...

2008-01-26T17:31:00.000+08:00

I feel like a real newbie.... Here I am at Shaw Centre McCafe with my iBook and typing away my blog entry... a first-time for me!! *grinz*

Just finished a workshop at Orchard Cineleisure on Podcasting using iBook. Interesting workshop and a real quick one too at only 1.5 hours long. Now, I'm waiting for my dearest at McCafe Shaw Centre with a cup of Caramel Frappe and my iBook in front of me. Kinda feel awkward here... maybe 'coz I'm alone.. *smilez*

Anyway, there's always a first time to everything. Hopefully, my other firsts to come will be good ones.

I'm smiling...

2008-01-20T20:34:00.000+08:00

It was a fabulous night yesterday. I'm so glad the both of them have talked it out and everything's okay now. And yesterday, we had a lot of fun together. And that's why I'm smiling now. *smilez*

Yesterday started with meeting my dearest at Bugis. I was craving for Chewy Junior's cream puff after my colleague mentioned that it was good. So I had to try one, and yes, it was... but it was also a bit tough for me. Then, we headed off to Newton for a night of seafood dinner.

We had cockles, bbq stingray, chilli kangkong, satay, tomyam soup, chilli crab and best of all, my lala! There were three chilli crab, and they were HUGE! Even with 6 of us eating, we couldn't finish the crabs. Had to 'tapau' (takeaway) some of the crabs.. which now makes me wonder, what happened to them in the end... *grinz*

Then we headed for our fave chill-out place, Ipa. Danced and listened to the 'louder-than-usual' music ('coz we were right underneathe these big speakers). My dearies even sang me a birthday song and I cut my birthday cake there. The band read a dedication to me and sang one of my fave song, 'Roll it'. We had fun there (minus the songs the DJ played at first.. What happened to you, Mr DJ?).

Anyway, thank you to my dearies for your gift and my wonderful birthday celebration Part 2. Love ya gals too. *hugz* And thanks for the prezzie and cake!

And thank you to my dearest too for the lovely present and seafood dinner treat. It's very beautiful and I love it so much, but I love you more! *smilez*

My two babies...

2008-01-19T09:00:00.000+08:00

I'm a new mother to two babies... that's what my colleagues have been calling me the past two days. And my two babies are my terrapins! A male and a female. *smilez*

I bought them on Wednesday with the intention of putting them in my Science corner in class since the kids will be learning about life Sciences. In the end, the terrapins stayed on my table. They're just so cute, and so active! And they've become sort of like a kind of therapy for me. Whenever I felt stressed, I would look at them and smile. I even wanted to give them names (one of my colleague suggested Terra and Terry)... but I was advised to do so with my class since they're supposed to be my class pets. *grinz*

But... I got a scolding! From my dearest... he scolded me for buying them and putting them in a tank. He said, "What if you're the one in the tank?" (That must be a really big tank. *grinz*) Well, I managed to bargain with him.. He let me keep the terrapins for a month before we let them out into the world. *sobs sobs*

Well, I'll be showing you pictures of them soon. Or maybe a video to let you see how active they can be, especially the female, who likes to climb on the stones and her partner. Quite the opposite of each other! *smilez*

Happy Birthday To Me!

2008-01-13T12:46:00.001+08:00

Celebrated my birthday on Friday, 11th January. It was a fine birthday. Started off with my sis surprising me with a gift on Thursday night. She left it beside my laptop when I went to the bathroom. It was a simple but very nice watch from 25 hours. What touched me the most was the card. It was full of meaning. *smilez*

Then it was a good day at work, and since it's Friday, it made the day pass all the more faster. My colleagues gave me a beautiful sparkly silver bracelet. It looked nice on me (but I have to get extensions for it 'coz it's a bit tight). They kept chasing me off after school... saying that I should hurry off and celebrate my birthday. *laffs*

Then I met up with my dearie bestie-at-work(used to be at work, but she's left since a year plus ago for further studies, making me miss her very much). Had a wonderful and very FULL-filling dinner at Swensen's with a complimentary firehouse birthday ice-cream. *yum-yum*

Ended with a chill-out night with my dearest, listening and dancing to the music... *smilez* It was a simple but yet fine birthday for me. But it has not ended yet... part two coming up next week! *grinz* And here's a look at what I got from my dearies...

Accessories for me.. my birthday gifts.. a silver butterfly pendant from my youngest sis, a watch from my bro and younger sis and a sparkly silver bracelet from my colleagues. Thanks a lot to all my dearies for the gifts and wishes. I had a great birthday thanks to u all! *smilez*

Happiness...

2008-01-08T21:59:00.000+08:00

Happiness is what you owe to yourself and not others... That's what I've come to realise after all these years. In fact, in one of my earlier entries, I wrote, "If I put myself down and care more about others than myself, I'm gonna end up burnt badly."

And after what had happened these few days, the meaning really sank in. I'm glad I've talked the issue out, but like what was said, the scar remains but what's done cannot be undone. We're talking about adults who can think and act for themselves, not teenagers with raging uncontrollable hormones... and so, I shall not take the blame for it and neither shall anyone. We are responsible only for ourselves and what we have done... and for others' mistakes, let them answer on their own (even if they choose to ignore it).

I know, things can never be the same again... and these couple of days which I've spent doing some minor shopping alone, has made me realized that at the end of the day, I have to depend more on myself and less of others. This year's starting to make me more honest and upfront with myself and others. I got a wake-up call and in a way it was timely. I'm gonna give myself the happiness I deserve and not let myself get burnt badly.

And to all you people out there, stop making yourselves miserable.

If you know you've been falling for the wrong kind of peeps, then take a step back and ask yourself what you're looking for. You can feel bitter and curse all you want but it won't get you anywhere.

If you think that you'd like to put others' happiness before you, be dead honest with yourself. If it was me...... *rolls eyes* And anyway, we all deserve a fair chance at being happy, especially to ourselves.

Okay, enough of me venting out my frustrations. These really irk me to the core. But I'm thinking h-a-p-p-i-n-e-s-s..... Something which I'm gonna give myself but which I find reallll hard to do so nowadays. So help me out a bit here... In fact, let's all help ourselves.... *Amin*

2008...

2008-01-01T18:57:00.000+08:00

It's 2008. A new year has just begun... usually I'd write an entry on 31 December.. but somehow, I felt like I should wait till 1st Jan comes... and now, perhaps, I know why.

2008... it's only been 19 hours since it started... but a lot of things have been happening already. Things that have shocked and opened my eyes.. causing mixed feelings in me. In just a matter of a few hours, I was pulled into situations which I've never been before.. situations that made me feel so frustrated but yet I couldn't do anything about them.

I felt angry with my dearest just after the stroke of midnight but as it turned out... my anger was unjustified. At the end of it, I finally understood his behaviour, insecurities and worries. It's been an eye-opener for me, and it got me thinking soooo much.. so much so to the point of having a splitting headache.

To make up to him for all that have happened, I treated him to his favourite steamed fish and black pepper beef... And for myself, a little retail therapy (I bought shoes and he bought some accessories for me). But even so, now that I'm back home, alone in the room, I can't help but remembering the night.

*sighz* I'm sorry to say this but honestly, it was the worst time ever. The initial goodwill thought was somehow lost as the hours went by. I tried to enjoy but I really couldn't. I didn't like what was happening.. no matter what the reason was.... I don't blame anyone... rather if I should blame anyone, it would be me 'coz I wasn't firm enough to stop it.

No offence intended, but do take this as a time to reflect on what had happened... What a start to 2008... *sighz*

Oh No!

2007-12-19T23:24:00.000+08:00

Oh no!! I'm left with only one and a half weeks of holz! That's definitely a minus! But then again, there're pluses too. Let's see... the minus is definitely obvious. No more late nights and chillin' out with friendz.. no more lazing around in bed with laptop.. no more waking up late (even though on most days I wake up at 8am.)... no more afternoon naps that stretches for minimum 3 hours... *sighz*

Now the pluses....remember the time I had dengue? I lost about 4kg.. I definitely have gained it all back (plus a lot more!) this holiday, especially after my Kl trip... it was filled with food, food and more food! The half an hour of sauna/steam bath didn't help a bit.. *laffs* With the holidays gone, I'm sure my lil devilz will keep me busy.. Another plus has to be the work done during the holz... I've done up and sent the first semester worksheets for printing! That means, I don't need to do anymore worksheets till June.. unless still need additional ones for whatever reasons... hooray!

Oh gosh, now after my fantastic indulgence seafood meal at Newton, I feel like Humpty Dumpty... So big and round and fragile! If I were to drop from a wall (a very short one) I'd just lie down there till the king's horses and knights pull me up! *grinz*

Bottomline... My version of holidays: wHOLe lot of fun..Indulgence in everything nice and DAYS of pure enjoyment and relaxation! Can I have them all year round please!?!?

Goosebumps...

2007-12-06T14:10:00.000+08:00

These days, I've been lazing around.. but restlessly and that's all becoz of the upcoming KL trip... I've been trying to find a hotel for the trip and due to this website from M'sia, I've been having to cancel and re-book my reservations two times! And I'm still waiting for them to email me their confirmation! *argh*

Anyway... just to relax my mind, I watched this movie online, "August Rush" just now. At first when I saw the trailer, I thought the movie would be slow and boring... but, I guess I was just too deperate to take my mind off the incompetence of this M'sian website. So, I thought, "What the heck?"

And guess what.... after a long time, this is the first movie that made me have goosebumps almost throughout the movie! And no, it's not those kinda horror-movie or those cheesy types goosebumps... but it's those feel-good, 'Aaawwww' kinda goosebumps. I was feeling GREAT after watching it. It's got great music, a very handsome Irish actor (who's got such a melting-me voice) and Keri Russell (who always reminds me of my fave drama, Felicity). It's such a great combo. *smilez*

Anyway, I'm trying my hardest to get its soundtrack. I'll leave you with the movie's trailer...

Octopus!

2007-11-10T10:48:00.000+08:00

It's so hectic at work!! Soooo many things to do.. but yet sooo little time! I know that it's always like this at this time of the year, with committee meetings to wrap things up, start planning for next year, and the prize-giving ceremony and all, but still..... it's quite a feat.

I'm like multi-tasking, trying to be here and there and doing more than one thing at a time. Just like an Octopus! Which reminds me of an activity I did with my lil devils. Apparently, we're touching on the topic sea animals. They watched 'Finding Nemo' and did some follow-up activities. Yesterday, each group made an Octopus out of plastic bag and newspapers. I didn't think that they would make a nice one coz they only had about 40 minutes to do it. But, I've underestimated them. *smilez*

So here's a look at the little ones' octopus...

Can't resist...

2007-10-27T19:16:00.000+08:00

New look for my bloggie... if you haven't noticed by now. And it's all because of the flash music player. *hmph* Couldn't resolve the problem of why it suddenly won't load, so I decided to overhaul the whole blog. *grinz*

And yeah, I can't resist choosing a design with butterflies. Still getting that fetish. *laffs* And no, I didn't choose black 'coz my mood's off nowadays, just that again, it gives off this simplicity look. So there, my 'new' bloggie.. kinda straightforward one where you don't need to click here and there to navigate. *smilez*

New Hairstyle...

2007-10-20T17:26:00.000+08:00

I've got a new hairstyle..... but only lasted for a day! *laffs* I guess I was too stressed out waiting at the hospital for my dad and when we finally reached home, it was on impulse that I decided to cut my hair. I didn't expect the hairdresser to blow-dry-straighten my hair after the cut though. I was thinking, "Oh my gosh, my hair is gonna be so flat!.. And erm... do I need to pay extra for that 'straightening'?"

But... Phew!~ It turned out well, and I paid the average $22 for the new temporary hairstyle. I kinda lurve it so much so I had to take pictures of the hairstyle before it's gone! Erm... Can I don't wash my hair and let it stay like that? *grinz* Well.. there is another option... for me to actually straighten it.... but.. that will have to wait till the big B comes along in December. *smilez*

Salamz Aidilfitri...

2007-10-14T10:53:00.000+08:00

It's the second day of Aidilfitri, and here I am just relaxing. It's a different kind of hari raya this year as my dad's in hospital. Not much plans of visiting my relatives, at least not for this week.

Actually, I used to dread hari raya every year 'coz no matter what, something bad usually happens on the first day of raya. Then moods will dampen and we'll be grouchy. This year, our first day of raya wasn't so bad. There was a quarrel yesterday, but it kinda soothes off after a while. We visited our dad in the hospital before going off to visit our grandma in the evening. And plus, I got myself a new Baju Kurung for hari raya.. finally, after 2 years of not having one. *smilez*

As usual, the rest of my aunts and uncles only arrived at abt 7pm. Then the merrying started. The kids were running around and ended up playing in their self-designated playroom. The teens were busy snapping pictures of themselves. And the adults were busy chit-chatting. Anyway, all's well ends well. Here's a sneak peek into my raya...

My little cousin, Syafiqah (5 yrs old), took this picture for me. An aspiring photographer...

My siblings.. The odd one out is at the back..

My younger sister and me..

Trying on my cousin's BIG sunnies. I look like a bumblebee!

The Condemned

2007-09-30T23:01:00.001+08:00

I was watching this movie "The Condemned" this evening and it made me shudder. At so many parts of the movie, I found myself saying, "Oh my Gosh, this is too much!"

I'm not a big fan of action movies but this movie got me glued to my seat. I just wanted to find out how the story develops. Luckily, it had a good ending. *smilez* One thing for sure, this movie made me realised just how much of a sadist a person can be, taking pleasure at the cost of another person's pain and suffering.

They say TV depicts the realities of life. I just hope it's only true to a certain extent and not like what's in the movie. Anyway, here's a trailer of the movie. Warning - Watch it only if you can tolerate violence.

Lost 3kg...

2007-09-29T12:19:00.000+08:00

Good news and bad news... Good news is that I've lost 3kg in 2 weeks!... and the bad news is that... I lost weight 'coz of dengue fever.. Me, my brother and my dad.. all three down with dengue at the same time.. *frownz*

I was down with dengue fever from 11 September all the way till 21 September... but even now, I'm still having the after effects of it. It all started on 11 September (such a coincidence that I should fall sick on the same day as the Sept 11 attacks). I was at work and it was raining that day. But all of a sudden during my recess break at 10am, I felt cold.. terribly cold. I took my temperature and it was 38.5.

When I was in class, I couldn't do anything, couldn't even stand... so I just gave instructions to my class and let them do their art on their own. I monitored my temperature and by the time it was 11.30am, I was 39degrees hot! And as I shivered (even with a shawl and the fans in the class were at their minimum), I decided, that's it, I couldn't stand it anymore. So I requested relief and took time-off from work. And on 13 Sept when I went to the doc for the second time, I took a blood test. And it was my first time taking one!

And it was a slooooww process! The doc took blood from my hand and all the way she was saying, "The blood's coming out real slow." I think it took 5 minutes for her to collect my blood sample. Argh! Two days later, the blood test confirmed that I had dengue, and I had to take two more blood tests to monitor my platelets count. *shudder*T

The whole ordeal was horrible. So now, eventhough I managed to lose some weight, given a choice, I wouldn't want to go through it again. My appetite just came back a few days ago, but even so, I still can't eat much. And worse, the fasting month's started, and I've missed a number of days! *sighz*

Anyway, I'm just glad that I'm on the road to recovery now. So to all my friends, beware of the Aedes mosquito! Dengue's horrible!

Is it me?

2007-09-02T20:34:00.000+08:00

On an early Friday morning, I was doing my norm, waiting for my bus at the interchange. I don't usually take photos of myself when I'm outside (kinda feels weird doing it, like being self-obsessed *laffs*) but somehow, I did. And the photo's below.

When I showed it to my dearest and my two friends on Saturday, they asked, "Who's this?" I was quite surprised 'coz to me, it looked obvious. Well, probably becoz I'm just so used to myself by now. But then when I took a closer look, I looked different from that angle. Anyway, I was just trying to wake myself up, meddling with my mobile. That's one of the times that makes me appreciate having one. *winks*

By the way, I had a great time celebrating Teachers' Day on Friday, eating at Breeks with my close buddy-cum-colleague. Ate a set lunch, with beef steak as the main course. Yummy! And it was continued on Saturday night, with my dearest, his friends and my galfrens. We had a good laugh recollecting the events of that night. There was even a lesson learnt... when someone says, "I'm ok, I'm ok." it doesn't necessarily carry the meaning intended. *laffs*

Happy Teachers' Day 2007 to all my colleagues and fellow teachers out there. Hope you continue to be strong-willed and persevere when handling the little devilz. Here's leaving you with my favourite teacher quote: "They don't care how much you know, 'till they know how much you care. "

A good cry...

2007-08-26T19:31:00.000+08:00

For me, there are two things that can easily relief tension or stress.. chocolates and a good cry. Seriously, since now I'm on this detox diet, I can't succumb too much to chocolates, so I'm really grateful for the korean drama series Hwang Jin Yi.

I started watching the drama about a few months ago, but I stopped after the second episode, 'coz I felt it was quite draggy. But somehow, I felt like watching it again a few weeks ago. And since then I'm hooked to it. I watched episode 18 just now... and my gosh... it was such a tear-jerker. It's been a long time since I watched a movie or drama that made me cry. And it really gave me a good cry!

The plot although can be a bit draggy, is interesting as it captures the life of a courtesan back in Korean history. It's like memoirs of a geisha, only better, 'coz it's actually depicting the artistic talents of the courtesan, Hwang Jin Yi. Well... in that episode, the Head Mistress died, committing suicide as she wouldn't allow Hwang Jin Yi become a concubine thus throwing her talents away. Such is the love between a teacher and her disciple...

And the tribute that Hwang Jin Yi gave her teacher was very touching. *sighz* Thanks to the drama for giving me a good cry. I feel so much better crying my eyes and heart out watching it (was even sobbing hard!).

Anyway, for those of you who wanna watch it or get some real good entertainment, just go to any online video webbie like youtube or veoh. That's where I get my dosage of de-stressing. *smilez*

Sleaziness...

2007-08-10T18:47:00.000+08:00

Some people would say 'Eeeww' if I told them I sometimes go to Orchard Towers to chill out. To them, it's the sleaziest and 'cheapest' place (Other than the Geylang Lorongs) and some would even dub it the red-light district of Orchard Road. But the place I went to last night, beat Orchard Towers.

I went out with my 'long-lost' friend and chilled out in a bar in Duxton Hill. And oh my, it will definitely come out tops in sleaziness. And as my dearest said it yesterday night, it was our first and and will be our last time there. *frownz*

There were so many hostesses there and they only eyed expats ('Ang-mohs'). There were too many! In fact, it came to about 5 to 6 girls surrounding a single expat. And... erm.. were they.. erm.. 'pampering' (an understatement) the expats A LOT!! It was indeed an eye-opener. You can see the girls being.... ermmmmm VERY open.

Okay, enuff said, my apologies to my friend. I know she loves the place so much because she got her 'brother' and friend performing there, but gal, I wished you could have a better place to chill out. Well, to each his/her own, I guess. We each have our preferences. But really sorry, last night's my last time going to that place. You can still call me and we can chill out somewhere else, aiytes. In the meantime, take care.. *smilez*

---An Endless Story---

MAC made me laff!

2007-08-03T21:13:00.000+08:00

I've been trying out a macbook from my workplace for these few days and it certainly made me laff (Apart from the initial headache I had trying to connect to my wireless.) No, it didn't tell jokes or any funny stories to me... I was just very amused with one of its software, the Photo Booth.

The Photo Booth uses its inbuilt camera to take pictures of yourself infront of the macbook. And I'm just so tickled with the effects that you can choose for your photo. To simply explain, I'll let the pictures illustrate what I mean... but.. only if you promise not to laugh at me! *grinz*

Alien Landing... Alien says: Peace to the world!

Alien shows her feet....

OMG! That wasn't her Peace sign! That's part of the alien's octopus hands!

Ta-da-daaaaa!! The alien has emerged!!!

Just so that you guys don't get a nightmare, a decent picture to end the entry.. also courtesy of Macbook. *smilez*

Bizarre...

2007-07-26T18:42:00.000+08:00

'Lead by example rather than instruction and see whether your pupils don't make progress by leaps and bounds. Your imagination and creativity are the best tools you have when it comes to sharing your knowledge.'

That's my horoscope for today... and that's bizarre... 'coz I didn't remember mentioning my profession and my horoscope for today was exactly about it.

Now I'm really curious... Is this horoscope gonna apply to all capricorns? I guess not as not all capris are teachers, aren't they? Or is it that the Internet is finally able to go beyond the cyber world and somehow read people's mind, kind of like ESP? Ok, I admit, that was my far-fetched imagination. For all you know, I'm just being forgetful and did indeed indicate my profession when I signed up for this daily horoscope service. *grinz*...

But then again.... you may never know the true powers of the Internet..........*laffs*

P.S: To all educators and everyone concerned, it is true though that we should lead by example. It's more effective that way. I shall not elaborate more 'coz I'm sure much stress have been on that theory from all the workshops we've attended. *smilez*

---An Endless Story---

Bunga Bakawali - The Night Blooming Cereus

2007-07-21T14:20:00.000+08:00

My dad's discharged from hospital today, after staying in NUH since Tuesday night. He had a mild attack which scared us. Thank God he's better now but he has to go back to the hospital for another ballooning procedure next month.

The weird thing is, this whole incident just made me a lil melancholic today and the weider part is that I'm listening to this malay song, 'Bakawali' and I'm enjoying it very much. It kinda complements the mood I'm in right now.

I think the song lyrics just felt meaningful to me. And it interests me to realise how the songwriter connects a flower to facts of life.

Bakawali, which is also known as the Night Blooming Cereus, apparently is a rare flower that blooms only once and it will only bloom in the middle of the dark night. It also lets out a very strong scent and seems to glow in the night. Take a look at a picture of this magnificent flower:

Doesn't it look amazing? *smilez*

Apparently, the songwriter relates the blooming of the Bakawali flower to real life, saying how if one just keeps dreaming, then work will not be done and in the end, we ourselves will lose out. Just like in the Bakawali's case, it blooms only once, and after that, it's over. So that's life. We only get to live once so I guess we have to make full use of it and fill it with lots of meaningful memories... *smilez*

---An Endless Story---

Entertained...

2007-07-07T07:15:00.000+08:00

It's only 7.15am and it's Saturday! A day that I didn't have to go to school, but still I woke up early 'coz of the flu and cough I'm having. And worse, it was like a baking oven in my room. I was sweating so much, that it got too uncomfy.

Waking up early on Saturday morning would just mean a movie marathon for me. But I couldn't watch movie on my TV with the speakers on, since most people are still sleeping. So I decided to go online and watch some movies online. I thought of looking through some music videos first. And.... I got an interesting one. It's a song by Pussycat Dolls, 'Beep'. It's not a new song. But I was entertained by the music video as it was done the Sims style. I've never played the Sims ('coz I'm bad at playing reality/3-d games), but I found the musicvideo cool.

So, to all of you, check the video out...

http://www.veoh.com/videos/v297132TNjztSnd

---An Endless Story---

Wirelessssss

2007-06-25T20:13:00.000+08:00

This June holidays, I really maximised the use of wireless internet at home and outside. Armed with my laptop, I went to MacDonalds and the library and tried the wireless@sg connection and played online games. It was.... fine, I guess, only that the connection can get a little slow sometimes. And at home, I played games, watched online videos and did my work all in the comfort of my bed and comfy sofa. In fact, it was a lil too comfy that I ended up dozing off. *laffs*

And now, in the spirit of going wireless, I just bought myself a wireless keyboard and mouse set. Although I find it a bit bothersome that I've to use batteries for the mouse and keyboard (as well as getting myself used to the new layout of the keyboard and ultrasensitive mouse), it's definitely a good buy. My desktop looks less cluttered now with less wires! *grinz*

Plus, I only paid less than half the price for the whole set, thanks to my friend, Diy, for her discount card, and to my school, for the birthday gift vouchers that I've not used since January. And most importantly, now I can do my work on my bed too!! *laffs*

Wireless, wireless... everything's going wireless... just hope it won't make me penniless. *winkz*

---An Endless Story---

Hospitals...

2007-06-09T07:53:00.000+08:00

Being in a hospital is dreadful to me. You're surrounded by sick people, some even on the verge of dying. You see their loved ones surrounding them and the glum faces they have. No wonder, I didn't have any appetite to eat yesterday evening (which caused me to eat only half of my dinner and threw the rest away).

My sis was warded into the hospital yesterday afternoon. And that was after a looonngg wait. I wonder what happened to the efficiency of the hospital staff. When my dad was warded a few months back, he was admitted quite fast. But for my sis it was a different story. She went to the hospital (after enduring 3 days of high fever) at 6 plus in the early morning, but only got into her ward at 2 in the afternoon. Imagine waiting 8 hours in that state! *frownz*

When she told me that, I was quite shocked and angry, but I didn't want to upset her further (since she complained to me non-stop that her hand felt painful because of the drip), so I told her.. NUH stands for National University Hotel not hospital... so now holidays, all hotels are having peak season, that's why fully booked, and have to wait long for a 'room'. *grinz*

I became the joker yesterday as I made jokes to make her laugh. There was nothing else to do as I was the only one there with her till 8pm when my brother and my youngest sis came to join me after their work. And most importantly, I wanted to comfort her.

But she mentioned something to me that made me shudder. She said, "Father has been warded before, brother too, and now me. Left only you and our youngest sister." Of course, she meant it jokingly, but that got me thinking of the actual fact that that's a possibility. In my heart, I shudder at the thought of it, but again, I replied back, "Of course sooner or later we have to be admitted to hospital." She was surprised when I said that, but when I explained further, she laughed.

I said, "Yah, it's true. Sooner or later we women have to be admitted into the hospital. And that will happen when we get married, get pregnant, and then we have to give birth. That's when we get warded into the hospital, isn't it?" *smilez*

Well, my prayers are with her, praying for her speedy recovery. People may get better in hospitals, but still, it is a dreadful place to be in. Such ironies of life...*sigh*

---An Endless Story---

Pretty amazing...

2007-06-05T07:30:00.000+08:00

"You can love someone and support them and still be in total disagreement. It's pretty amazing to see how far you two have come. With that kind of attitude, there's no telling just where you'll go next. "

Well.. that's my horoscope for today.. and that's kinda true. I'm that sort of person. When I love someone, I can easily overlook the flaws and support him with all I've got...eventhough, I may disagree with his actions or beliefs. It's just because of a simple reason... I love him. Full-stop. *smilez*

I know it may sound corny or mushy to you, but that's the truth. A friend told me that that's alright, but in the long run, I have to learn to talk things out if I'm not happy with something. It's like.. it's okay to go with the flow, but when the current starts to act up, you know you have to take some measures.

And indeed, I find it's pretty amazing for both us to have come so far. I hope we will go further and into a more serious commitment. And in order for that to happen, it's time to re-evaluate the current situation. Some things got to be changed, although I'm still not sure what. But I do know for all certainty that I l.o.v.e him. And that hasn't changed, not even a bit, at all. *smilez*

---An Endless Story---

Goodbye...

2007-05-13T16:07:00.000+08:00

10 May 2007.. The day my grandpa passed away. When I got the news, I was at work, just finished invigilating a class and was in the midst of my relief period. When I got the news, I immediately walked to the principal's office to inform her that I needed to go home. When I mentioned the reason, my voice choked, and that's when I started to cry.

I was surprised, although, I should have been more prepared for it since my grandpa had been immobile and had been just lying on his bed for the past couple of weeks. My grandpa... a quiet person. I had never seen his temper and he was often seen joking and smiling. But in his eyes... I could see a tinge of ... sadness? Or loneliness maybe? Is it because of the old age?

I wonder... As we get older... what do we become? Our hearts and minds... what will they be filled with? Truly, our lives, our destiny and fate, we never know for sure.

People say that death is a painful ordeal for the living.. but to the dying, it maybe a relief. To the dead, they bring with them nothing, but to the living, we still have memories of them. May the Almighty bless you, my dear grandpa. We will miss you.

---An Endless Story---

Melancholy...

2007-05-03T15:12:00.000+08:00

Tomorrow's the start of my little devils' exams, but I'm here at home today, feeling sick. Went to the doctor just now and told her how sick I felt and the symptoms. She said it was heartburn. And yes, heartburn it was.... literally. . I feel sick to the stomach and I feel like throwing up. But in the end I just kept burping with sourish taste (apparently it's the gastric acid).

My heart is burning and aching now.. eversince that incident. Some people may call me EMO, and may give me reasons such as everybody's stressed, but truly, I've had enuff. HELLO! Who in Singapore is not stressed? It's just a matter of venting it out on someone else. That I'm truly tired and sick of. Do I have to live in fear of stepping on someone's toes and end up being yelled and beaten? Do I not get a chance to make a mistake in my own haven? Haven.. sounds like heaven... but it's finally turned out to be HELL. *sigh*

Thank you for 1st May 2007. I used to believe firmly in family values and ties. But 1st May 2007 have changed me. Those words, I find little meaning in them. What's family values and ties? Does it mean family violence till someone dies? Pray, do tell..... I've decided.. I'll just keep my silence... After all, if I don't say anything, I'll offend nobody, right? So there, let my silence begin... Till I start my own heaven elsewhere.

---An Endless Story---

Helpless...

2007-05-03T14:59:00.000+08:00

Everything's in motion,

ever so fast,

seemingly unnoticeable,

lies the stillness,

of the dark...

The heart knowingly,

keeps it away,

and even when it peeks,

the heart locks it back at bay...

Wished it could be different,

prayed for the best,

still, it wasn't meant to be,

peace was never at rest...

Fear, it's gripping,

mindless at times,

shall it be blinded by sorrow,

numb it in mind...

Alone in paradise,

it's so called so,

It's eating me slowly,

just wished it would let me go...

God, if you hear me,

do tell my fate to be,

if hurt's my company,

Take me away,

I'll give you my destiny...

---An Endless Story---

Happy Birthday!!

2007-04-03T20:58:00.000+08:00

Happy Birthday!! But not to me though.. *smilez* It's for my niece, Haney Masturina. She celebrated her 6th birthday last Saturday, and boy, it was very tiring for me! Started to prepare the ingredients for cooking from as early as 8am! Didn't get to rest till much later in the afternoon, and the rest was just for a short, short while.

On that day, I was very excited about one thing... I was very excited to see the birthday cake. Although I was the one who ordered the cake, it was my first time ordering a Barbie doll cake, and to see it for real was so exciting. *gigglez* And thank goodness, the cake didn't disappoint me... it was creamy and soft and sooo pretty~!

Overall, it was a nice birthday party, eventhough the expected number of guests failed to turn up. Cosy and nice party with lots of food to eat! Here's a glimpse of the pretty cake and the party. Once again, Happy Birthday, Rin! And, oh yeah, to my brother as well! *grinz*

The pretty Barbie doll birthday cake!

The birthday girl with her prezzies and yummy pretty cake!

p.s. I'm feeling a little envious.. I wish I had the pretty cake for my b'day too! *laffs*

---An Endless Story---

When You Really Love Someone...

2007-03-16T23:24:00.000+08:00

I've been listening to this song the whole day, after I just happen to play it once in the morning. The song 'When you really love someone' by Alicia keys, was introduced to me by my friend Derrick. I've to thank him for that 'coz this song really has deep meanings in it. It carries a lot of truths that are often forgotten when we talk about love. So here's the lyrics to the song that hopefully, will serve as a reminder to us all, be it the ladies or the guyz. *smilez*

--[When You Really Love Someone] by [Alicia Keys]--

I'm a woman, lord knows it's hard

I need a real man to give me what I need

Sweet attention, love and tenderness

When it's real it's unconditional, I'm telling y'all

Cause a man, just ain't a man,

If he aint' man enough

To love you when you're right,

Love you when you're wrong

Love you when you're weak,

Love you when you're strong

Take you higher

When the world got you feelin low.

He's given you his last,

'coz he's thinking of you first

Givin' comfort when you're thinking that you're hurt

That's what's done when you really love someone

I'm telling y'all, I'm telling y'all.

'Cause you're a real man and lord knows it's hard

Sometimes you just need a woman's touch

Sweet affection, love and support

When it's real, it's unconditional, I'm telling y'all

Oh 'cause a woman ain't a woman if she ain't woman enough

To love you when you're right

Love you when you're wrong

Love you when you're weak,

Love you when you're strong

Take you higher

When the world got you feelin low.

She's giving you her best, even when you're at your worst

Givin' comfort, when she's thinking that you're hurt

That's what's done, when you really love someone

I'm telling y'all

Sometimes you gonna argue

Sometimes you gonna fight

Sometimes it's gonna feel like it will never be right

But something so strong, keeps you holdin on

It don't make sense, but it make a good song

'Cause a man, just ain't a man,

If he ain't man enough

To love you when you're right,

Love you when you're wrong

Love you when you're weak,

Love you when you're strong

Take you higher

When the world got you feelin low

He's given you his last, 'coz he's thinking of you first

Givin' comfort when you're thinking that you're hurt

That's what's done when you really love someone

I'm telling y'all, I'm telling y'all,

I'm telling y'all

That a woman ain't a woman if she ain't woman enough

To love you when you're right

Love you when you're wrong

Love you when you're weak,

Love you when you're strong

Take you higher and higher

When the world got you feelin low.

She's giving you her best, even when you're at your worst

Givin' comfort, when she's thinking that you're hurt

That's what's done, when you really love someone

I'm telling y'all

---An Endless Story---

Yummy yummy Rice Table!

2007-03-16T00:27:00.000+08:00

OMG... I'm still feeling very full even though it's been 3 hours since my dinner at Rice Table. And I must say... the food was fabulous... fantastic... magnificent.. simply yummyyyyyy! Needless to say.. I was so enjoying my dinner that I forgot to take snapshots of the delicious food! *gigglez*

It was a-la-carte-buffet style.. an all-you-can-eat dinner.. but the thing is.. they serve all 20 dishes in their menu to us, all at one go! And throughout, the food was kept warm 'coz they put it on a steel warmer on the table, which was definitely helpful as we took our own sweet time with the sumptious spread. Even when one of my colleague came half an hour later, they served her portion of all 20 dishes! And you can even ask for a top up of any dish you have finished eating! Oh gosh... we ate and we ate and we ate... for 1 hour plus till we gave up and just let the food to sink in before we munch to finish off the leftovers. *grinz*

It was a great dinner and I have to thank my dear dear colleague for the wonderful time.. food and laughter.. a winning combination! Thanks a lot ladies and a gent! *smilez*

Oh yeah, I did manage to salvage something from the dinner.... the wet tissue! *laffs*

So there! A nice sumptious yummy dinner for my March holidays! Hopefully, I'll get to enjoy the rest of the 3 days left as much too! *winkz*

---An Endless Story---

A year...

2007-03-13T23:35:00.000+08:00

Suddenly, I just feel like blogging an entry tonight.. and as I'm doing so, I'm listening to Perfect 10, and they're playing My Immortal by Evanescence. It's been a really long time since I listened to the radio. And today, it's been a day of doing things which I have long forgotten about. *smilez*

The reason I didn't blog is mainly because there's not much significant things going on, no pressing issues or really frustrating emotions or thoughts caught up in my mind. So, I didn't feel the need to blog an entry.. but somehow tonight, I got thinking about some things....

It's going to be a year since my dearest and I have been together. Not long if you compare it to some of the long-term relationships of my other friends, but it's considered an achievement to me, since it's really been a while since my last love relationship. A year... 12 months... 365 days.. that's how long we've been together.. and it wasn't just a sweet ride all the way. There were indeed some rough times we went through, dealing with issues like insecurity, jealousy and the usual couple bickerings. Like they say, in every relationship, there has to be some sugar and spice. *smilez*

But as I think our relationship through, it doesn't just revolves around the both of us. I have to admit our relationship has affected my friendships and family ties. Truthfully, I hang out less with my friends now, and on weekends, I usually spend time away from home. Is this normal when you're in a relationship? Or is this a start to a whole problematic issue? *frownz*

Lately, I've been feeling guilty about spending less time with friends and family. But what can I do? It's not that my dearest forced me to go out with him every of my free time and that he forbids me to go out with my friends... it's just that the timing's just off most of the times. We only have time to meet up on weekends because of work on weekdays. And gosh, weekends just consist of 2 days, Saturday and Sunday. And Sundays are usually my rest and family day at home, so actually, I have only 1 day to spend with him... And this really puts me in a dilemma at times.

Sometimes, I just wish people would be more understanding.. it's not that I purposely shun away from people and refuse to go out with them.. but it's just that, time and opportunity doesn't permit.

I love my friends and family... a lot. They're the ones who've become part of my life, and till one year ago, another person has entered my life. I've spent 25 years of my life with my friends and family, no matter how long or short a duration is, being there for them, showing how much I care... and now I just need them to understand that I need to give my time to this special someone who has only make his entrance a year ago.

I'll always remember my dearest friends and family, and I do miss the times we spent together. I just need you to give us more time to build our relationship and make it a strong one. What we need most is your support and encouragement. Let there be criticisms if necessary, but let it be out of concern and not out of spite. The last thing I would wish for is a broken friendship or family ties....

---An Endless Story---

February.. What a month.. So far..

2007-02-11T20:03:00.000+08:00

February.. what a month it has been so far.. and considering that it's only the 11th, I'd say it certainly has been a month of weirdness and frankly, if given a choice, I'd rather skip the first part of the month. *frownz*

In fact, right now, as I'm blogging this entry, my mood is a little off. Maybe a bit of it got to do with my feeling under the weather the past 2 weeks (with my 1st MC of the year.. and for 2 straight days for that matter *gruntz*). But.. mostly.. I got to admit, it's got to do with matters closer to the heart. And no, nothing to do with my dearest. Matters closer to the heart would mean the people in my life, friends and family. *sighz*

I'm really not quite sure how to put it.. I mean, there're no arguments or quarrels. That's just it. Everything that seems wrong are just not coming right out directly.. That's what I feel. And I'm not sure here whether I'm just being too sensitive or what, but.. I just feel something's not quite right... and it's really frustrating when you can't pinpoint where the problem lies or even what the problem is.. Argh! *frownz*

Anyway, valentine's day is coming, followed by Chinese New Year. No special thoughts about those days yet. Maybe when they're over and done with then I'll have something to add here. For now, my mind's a bit heavy with... lots and lots of stuffs..

---An Endless Story---

Spoke too soon...

2007-01-27T12:47:00.000+08:00

Spoke too soon about me not falling sick yet... and here I am... Finally, falling sick.. just when January is about to be over in a few days.. *rolls eyes*

And yes, the root cause is, most definitely, my little devils! OMG, they're driving me nuts every single day... Although they've kinda settled down and have stopped running around, their behaviour is still terrible. Their audacity to certain things can be quite intolerable. Luckily, I managed to keep my sanity in place. *laffs*

Well...... they are still my little devils and I just have to carry on with them. And oh yeah, it's gonna be Week of 5 of the new school term. Time really flies!! Just another six more weeks till the term break. I think I can hang on till then..... hopefully! =P

---Endless Story---

First month of 2007

2007-01-21T18:54:00.000+08:00

Well, considering that today's already the 21st of January, and it took me this long to update my blog, you would already have an idea as to what kind of first month of 2007 I've been having. *smilez*

To say that it's been tiring and eventful would be an understatement! *laffs* In fact, it has been too eventful and a little too tiring for the first month for me...
A lot of it gotta do with my new pack of little devils. OMG! And they ARE TRULY little DEVILS! *laffs* Even with my 2 years of handling a class of 7-year-olds, they've been too hyperactive, too talkative, too stubborn, too loud and just too... much of little devils for me. Yet amazingly, I managed to last my first month without falling sick! *giggles*

Apart from work, I did manage to have a nice birthday celebration with some of my close and new-found friends. We had a great and very full dinner at Lau Pa Sat with yummy dishes like Satay, BBQ stingray, honey BBQ chicken wings, clams, cockles and other local dishes. It was certainly a wide spread and we ate to our fill. Luckily, we had some partying after that to work the calories off. *laffs*

I must say that I'm touched by the prezzies my galfriends and my dearest gave me. They were very unique and thoughtful prezzies. I love the customized chocolates and photoframe from Liz, the loud ticking clock (that managed to wake me up in the mornings) from Effa, the lovely butterfly bracelet from Hendri (knowing how much of a butterfly freak I am), the pretty white handbag from Nani (saving me the trouble of buying a bag for formal occasions) and the many, many chocolates my colleagues gave me ('coz I always go around asking them if they've got chocolates at their desks). *laffs*

And lastly, not forgetting... the special prezzie made by my dearest. It took him almost two weeks to finish it, and it really brought out the artistic side of him...

Now, i'll always be thinking of him at my workplace with the name plate he designed and made specially for me. *Awwww, so sweeeeet*

Thanks a lot to my dearest friends, colleagues and loved ones. You've all made my birthday very special and meaningful. May all of you be blessed with much joy in return. *hugz&kisses* MuaCkSss!

---An Endless Story---

Byebye 2006.... Hellooo 2007 (belated ushering of the new year)

2007-01-05T22:18:00.000+08:00

You may have realised by now that I didn't post any entry on 31st December, as sort of like a goodbye to 2006 and a welcome to usher in the new year, 2007, like what I usually do for the past years.

The reasons include, I was not feeling well that week and so I wasn't really in the mood to celebrate the new year... that day was also Eid-Al-Adha, which meant that I was busy throughout the day at my grandmother's place, so that actually didn't give me time to do any reflections or to recollect my thoughts... and the wet weather just kinda got to me, especially when it added on to the rising heat of my body(read..fever) *smilez*

Nonetheless, I'm here now, posting the 1st entry for 2007. I won't be as critical or philosophical in my reflection of 2006. It was just simply...erm... eventful for me... I went through the roughest family fights... felt very attached to my little devils (I'm really missing them so much..).. went through the sadness of colleagues and buddies leaving to greener pastures (good luck to all of you.. missing you too! *sobs*)... and (most thankfully) I found my dearest... *smilez*

Once again, a year filled with bitter-sweet memories have gone by, and this just proves to the proven fact that time does not stand still.. ever! So whatever it is, we just have to move on... either go with the flow.. or meet head-on.. it's really up to each individual. *winkz*

And just like 2006, 2007 is not gonna wait for anyone, so, my dearest friends, and family... let's just go out there.. put our legs forward and do the things we do best. Rejoice when success comes your way.... and persevere in times of need.. and remember... if you can't do it alone, well, that's it, you just got it wrong... you're never alone! I wish you all the best in 2007... may you be blessed with a prosperous year filled with meaningful, exciting moments, along with a healthy body, mind and spiritual being. *smilez*

---An Endless Story---

I'm Baaaccckk!

2006-12-19T16:50:00.000+08:00

Oh Gosh! I'm finally back from my KL trip... 5 days 4 nights of KL trip.... Enjoyed myself though there were some unpleasant moments.

The 1st day was dampened when we stepped into our hotel rooms. I know it was supposed to be a 2-star budget hotel, but we thought it could be better. The rooms were quite dusty and I didn't get to bath in the bathtub 'coz it was not clean. The wardrobe's all creaky and the bedcover was..... full of loose threads. We actually thought of finding another hotel, but alas, it was the peak period and all affordable hotels were fully booked. So in the end, we just stuck to our hotel for the 5 days 4 nights.

Our time and money spent were mostly on shopping and food. We ate expensive, average food and cheap, good food. And shopping.... was great! It was after all the Malysian year-end sale. *smilez*

Anyway, I'll leave you with some of the pictures we took for our KL trip 2006. Enjoy! *gigglez*

The 'Happy Feets' vs the Tiger & the Dragon! *laffs*

The two couples on their 'honeymoon'. *gigglez*

Such a big fish in the pond at the stopover going to KL.

Delicious, sumptious dinner for only RM50!

My Dearest during shopping and at the end of the 5days... Feelin' very tired!

Eating MacDonald's.. A late-lunch-early-dinner while waiting for our bus home.

---An Endless Story---

Great 1st time!

2006-12-14T00:31:00.000+08:00

Just reached home about an hour ago from watching a local musical for the 1st time! It was titled 'Jack and the Beansprout' and it was a local production by Wild Rice. The music was entertaining, the cast was talented and 'spot-on OTT', and the dialogue was very witty and funny! There was never a dull moment.. reeeeaaallyyyy great for my 1st time! *giggles*

And now, I've also finished packing my bag for my 2nd trip to KL! It's gonna be an early start at 5plus in the morning. Hopefully, the journey's there not too bad in the bus (I tend to get motion sickness on long or bumpy rides.) and we'll be settled in our hotel rooms by latest 4pm. Anything later than that would really be kinda awful since that means almost 2 thirds of the day will have gone by then.

So on a happy note, here's to a great and safe trip ahead! And to all of you on holiday, enjoy and take care! Cheers! *smilez*

---An Endless Story---

It's December!

2006-12-07T13:31:00.000+08:00

It's December, 7th of December..... How time flies! It really feels like it was just yesterday that the school holidays started, but looks like it's been nearly 3 weeks now! With this realisation, I can only feel both happy and sad...

Happy because it means it's only a week apart to my KL trip on 14th December. I know, I know, it's not my first time going to KL, but this is my first time going on a holiday trip with my dearest (eventhough I'm also going with my buddy and her guy, which means, a non-romantic trip). *giggles* But nonetheless, it's gonna be exciting with lots of shopping, sight-seeing and spending quality time together. I can't wait for the trip!

And....... sad... because it also means, my holidays are halfway over. That I have to be back at work in 2-3 weeks time.... which means, no more late nights during the week, no more waking up late at 9am, no more watching videos on youtube all day long.... *sighz*

Well, all good things, sometimes, have to come to an end.. but whilst the end has not yet arrived, I better make full use of the holidays! Oh yeah, by the way, I'm gonna be changing the vidz soon, just waiting for a particular vidz to be available online. *grinz* Take care and look forward to Xmas holidays! *smilez*

---An Endless Story---

Workaholic, am I???

2006-11-28T20:04:00.000+08:00

It's the year-end school holidays once again... but yet, I don't feel excited or happy about it. I've just been resting, watching online videos, eating, sleeping, doing yoga, and surfing the internet these few days. Nothing special, nothing significant. I guess, it helps to slower down the pace and gives me time to relax and not think about work.

But still, at the back of my mind, I keep thinking of work. The things I still need to settle at work, and even planning for next year. In fact, as I was sitting in front of the PC this afternoon, I plugged in my thumbdrive and and started to work on planning for next year's work. But luckily, I didn't have my resources, so I didn't get much done. But I'm thinking of going back to work either tomorrow or sometime this week to continue settling some stuff.

I don't know whether this is called being workaholic. But I do believe that if I truly want a good holiday, I need to settle some loose ends at work first. Then I can set my mind at ease and have a better holiday, right?

So, what do you think? The comings of being a workaholic? A job hazard? *wonders*

---An Endless Story---

I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker

2006-11-10T22:21:00.000+08:00

This song is stuck in my head right now!! *giggles* Apparently, it's all the radio station's fault.

These days, I've been listening to Perfect 10 98.7fm, one of Singapore's radio stations, in the early morning on my way to work. And it seems that they played this song a number of times to date, and this morning, when I heard it again, it just occured to me to find the musicvideo and make it the Video-Intro to my blog.

Don't ask me why I specially liked it. I just do. Sort of shows the rebel side of me... in a teeny way! *grinz*

Anyway, hope you like it, if not, you just gotta click to my entries as fast as you can! *winkz*

P.S: If it's really, truly unbearable for the majority, maybe I'll just have it for this month.. sort of the musicvideo of the month for my blog. =P

---An Endless Story---

My 1st try at abstract art!

2006-10-26T21:05:00.000+08:00

I was reading CLEO (Singapore) magazine and came across an interesting website which was featured in the magazine's 'I.T.' section. The article was sharing on websites that stimulates the artistic minds. One of the websites got me hooked to it. *grinz*

It is really simple... All you have to do is to scribble lines on the screen, and when you're done, you can start the program and the computer just automatically 'scribbles' and with the options of changing colours as it scribbles, you can play around with it and come up with interesting pieces of abstract art! Here're 2 pieces of abstract art that I got as a result of scribbling:

And here is the website url http://www.zefrank.com/scribbler/ . You really don't have to be a professional artist or a computer expert to access the website and try it out. After doing it, just press the 'Print Screen' button on your keyboard, and paste it on any image-editing software to crop the picture. With some editing, you can come up with a decent piece of abstract art.

So now, can anyone tell me what the two pieces are about? *grinz*

---An Endless Story---

New Look!

2006-10-21T13:00:00.000+08:00

In case you haven't noticed, I've got my blog a new look! *smilez*

After a long time, I finally decided to get a new look for my blog, thinking to myself, "Hey, my blog needs some brightness." And what better way than to add some white! *giggles*

I just love the simplicity of the design, giving a classic feeling to it. The use of black and white kinda puts a more down-to-earth tone. The design kinda reflects myself - simple, down-to-earth yet, illuminating a certain aura, that something deeper lies within. *smilez*

The musicvideo's been changed too. I've always liked the song 'Mockingbird' by Eminem. The song carries a lot of meaning and represents the harsh realities of life.

Well... the blog's kinda refreshing. To me, at least. And anyway, it's my blog, my thoughts, my past, my life.. *grinz*

---An Endless Story---

Expectations...

2006-10-07T19:40:00.000+08:00

Expectations.... people are so full of expectations. They expect things to happen in life.. they have expectations of people around them. I'm so tired of expectations....

I've lived my life living up to people's expectations of me... that's what I thought.. but I guess no matter what I do, I still fall short of those expectations. But what choice do I have? I have my own limitations.. nobody's perfect, right? *sighz*

Sometimes, I just wish that I'll just disappear into the loneliness of night, hoping noone would notice my existence. For once, I just want to live life without anyone's expectations resting upon my shoulders. I've lived with having to fulfil other people's wishes, having them in my mind and thoughts, caring for their comfort and what they would think and feel. I just wish that they, in return, would do me a favour and just let me be myself at times, just let me think of myself, just think of me for once....

It's not about being self-centred, but I just need my own space... I just need to live my own life, find my own happiness, be respected and accepted as who I am. Is that so much to ask for?

'In the depths of the night,

I bury myself in slumber,

crying myself to sleep,

as my heart hurts so achingly.

Then there was this shining light,

and as I opened my eyes,

I knew then, that no matter what,

the stars still shine brightly.'

I'm keeping my faith and still hope for the best.. Reminding myself that everything happen for a reason. No matter how dark life seems to be, it still has to go on. To let it stay dark, or to shine some light into it, it's a choice I have.... I just wish, though, I could be understood for once.... *sigh*

---Endless Story---

I Think I Love You...

2006-09-22T14:23:00.000+08:00

Here's a video I'd love to share with all of you.. My favourite Korean song titled 'I Think I Love You' taken from the movie Full House. A great movie with witty lines, simple storyline with no over-the-top acting and dramatic scenes. Just the way I like it! Enjoy the music video and the English translation of the song. *smilez*

It can't be, it probably isn't, that's what I believed...
There's no way that I could love you.
It's just jealousy, I must be lonely.
I tried fooling myself, but I can't hide it any longer...
I Think I Love You~
It must be true
Cause I Miss You~
Whenever you're not here...
I can't do anything
I keep thinking of you
Seeing what's happening,
I'm Falling For You~
I didn't know,

Now I Need You~
Sometimes, in the depths of my heart
I can see that you've taken root in my soul~

They say we're not good together, that we should just be friends,
One to ten, we can't agree on anything,
How can we be together? It's not an option.
I kept telling myself, but I don't want to do it anymore~
I Think I Love You~
It must be true
Cause I Miss You~
Whenever you're not here
I can't do anything
I keep thinking of you
Seeing what's happening,
I'm Falling For You~
I didn't know,

Now I Need You~
Sometimes, in the depths of my heart
I can see that you've taken root in my soul~

Why couldn't I see it was you?
Why couldn't I see you when you were right before my eyes?
You were beside me all along.
It's now that I finally see you...
I Think I Love You~
It must be true
Cause I Miss You~
Whenever you're not here.
I can't do anything
I keep thinking of you
Seeing what's happening,
I'm Falling For You~
I didn't know,

Now I Need You~
Sometime, in the depths of my heart
I can see that you've taken root in my soul~

---An Endless Story---

Happy Teachers' Day.. At least not for me...

2006-09-01T18:38:00.000+08:00

Here's wishing all teachers a very Happy Teachers' Day today, 1st September 2006. Your hard work, dedication and passion is truly remarkable and noteworthy. May you continue to shine light into the lives of children and be dedicated always. *smilez*

I wish I could feel it.. the happiness and joy of celebrating it... but alas, that was not to be with the recent family problems going on in my life.. *sighz* It has been like a series of volcano eruptions for the past couple of nights and on other days, it is like living in anxiety beside a dormant volcano with the possibility of it erupting anytime. Living in fear and anxiety of family violence.... that's what I'm feeling and going through right now. I would say it's nothing new but it has now become worse...

The intensity of fear everytime I come home or even when I'm outside, worrying for my family, just makes me feel so helpless and perhaps, angry with myself. I wish I could do something about it, but some how, there is always this thought in my mind that there's little I can do since I don't really want anyone in my family to get in trouble. But I was told, if the need arises, I have to think of it as protecting my family, my loved ones... that sometimes, eventhough, it would seem heartless, we just have to do what is necessary for the sake of survival.... I don't know... I really don't know what to do right now... I'm just praying hard that God will bless my family with peace... that everything will come to light and everyone will just calm down and live happily together... Those are my prayers.. and I hope it will be heard...

Yesterday night, the same thing happened.... and I turned to my dearest for comfort, yet again... and then it struck me to ask him..."Are you tired? Are you tired of listening to my family problems all this while?" He asked me why.. and I told him that a friend advised me that I have to settle my family problems, if not, he would run away from me because of that.

And his reply was... "Listen... I love you... Your family is my family... whatever happens to you and your family concerns me too. When we get married, I'm the man in your life and if anyone tries to hurt you and your other family members, I will take all of you away and protect you. But right now, all I can do is just be there for you."

Thank you my dearest for comforting me, for being my pillar of strength, for reminding me that amidst all the troubles in my life, I can still count on you to give me hope and make me feel loved. And eventhough I know you don't like me saying this, but I just feel like I have to... I'm sorry... I'm really sorry that I've been troubling you with my family problems. I just have so few trusted people to turn to.... Again.. thank you and I'm sorry...

---An Endless Story---

Bad Dream....

2006-08-19T07:47:00.000+08:00

It's Saturday morning, a day which I don't have to go to work, which means that I can sleep in late.... but here I am at 7.45am, wide awake... and all because I had a bad dream.. *frowns*

I was having a headache yesterday. In fact, throughout this whole week, I've not been feeling well.. been having fever, cough, runny nose, headaches and neck strains. But I didn't go to the doc. Instead, I just took the leftover medicine I have from a month ago. So, yesterday night, after talking to my dearest, I took my medicine and went to sleep. The medicine was supposed to help me relax my muscles and make me sleep comfortably.... but I still had a bad dream... *sighz*

I won't go into details about the dream... but the gist of it was that my dearest left me for another girl and told me that he wasn't serious about me from the very beginning....

People say that dreams happen when we worry about something... but some say dreams tell us something that might happen. But I know, in my case, the dream will only remain a dream 'coz I have complete faith in him and trust that he will be true to me. However, what the dream could be telling me is that perhaps, there will be obstacles in our relationship.

Well, I guess, whatever it is, a dream is just a dream... whatever happens in reality is the one that is real. Hopefully... that is the case here... *smilez*

--- An Endless Story---

Fireworks Festival - The Finale!

2006-08-13T02:03:00.000+08:00

It was amazing!!! Simply beautiful, awesome and breath-taking.. the nightsky just lights up so brightly with everyone around cheering at the sight before them! The pictures were taken on the last day of the Singapore Fireworks Festival 2006. The display was put up by the team from France. And indeed, the last fireworks display was spectacular!

I had a really enjoyable time with my friends. They reached the area around 5pm and I joined them at 7pm. The wait for the fireworks display, which was scheduled at 9pm, was worthwhile. Although we waited for hours for a 15minutes fireworks display, time flies past quite quickly and we were rewarded well. *smilez*

One thing was missing though... or I should say one person... *grinz* My dearest! He wasn't beside me enjoying the fireworks. My dearest couldn't join us and therefore, I had to go there by myself with my friends. But, nonetheless, I was touched when he called me at 7.30pm to check how I was doing. Later on, he called me at 11.30pm and said that he couldn't sleep, thinking about me... aawwww... *smilez*

This weekend, we won't be meeting up with one another... which means a total of 10 days of not seeing one another.... 10 loonngg days.. *sighz*

And so, I'll be counting down till the next weekend when we will surely be meeting up and spending quality time! Yayy! Really can't wait..... 4 days gone.. 6 more days to go!*grinz*

---An Endless Story---

Caught in Awe...

2006-08-10T11:08:00.000+08:00

The Singapore Fireworks Festival has caught me in awe again this year! The fireworks were just so marvellous. It lasted for about 12 minutes.. and for the whole of the duration, I was amazed and captivated.

This wasn't my first time watching fireworks. In fact, when it started 2 years ago, I went to every of the fireworks displays. I've got friends who tell me that I'm crazy, and asking me if I ever get bored and tired of watching fireworks every year. My answer.. No!

I'm a fireworks fanatic. I simply lurrrve fireworks. And each time, it's from a different country, so there's always something new to look forward to. I love the way the fireworks just brightens up the nightsky. It kinda feels like encouraging and calming, even though you can hear and feel the explosions of the fireworks. It gives me a sense of satisfaction and joy to see the colourful displays of fireworks, especially when I watch it with my dearest and my friends!

I can't wait to watch the next 2 fireworks displays in the Singapore Fireworks Festival. Never will I get tired of watching fireworks... The beauty of fireworks amidst the calmness of the night... Truly endearing... *smilez*

---An Endless Story---

My Ferrari!

2006-07-13T18:58:00.000+08:00

This is my red ferrarri! My LEGO Ferrari that is, made by one of my Primary 6 boys, when requested by me. *giggles*

At first, when he heard my request, he asked me, "What? Ferra Lorry?" *laffs* I had to explain to him that Ferrari is a famous model known for its sleek red sports cars, and it's one of my dream cars. He immediately worked on it, and walla! My red Ferrari! *grinz*

It really amazes me how these kids can use lego blocks to build things. They're full of creativity! If you put a set of lego blocks and put it in front of me, I'll just make a very basic house out of it. *laffs* anyway, I'm proud of them, and I'll hope their creativity will get them far.

Actually, I was thinking of why Ferrari and Nissan Fairlady are my dream sports cars. Am I being materialistic and a dreamer? I think not. Everyone dreams of something big at one point in their lives. Some people make their dreams come true, and some.. well.. they tried hard enough. But that's good enough, really.. so long as you've tried! There's never a dream too big to come true, I guess.

Dreams become a motivation for us to strive and make a better lives for ourselves and our loved ones. Dreams can come true with perseverance and hard work, and even if they don't come true, at least we can look back and say, "Hey, I've done my best.. I'm happy with what I am and have." Therefore, my dear ones, be a dreamer...a realistic dreamer, that is! *smilez*

---An Endless Story---

BBQ Steamboat.. Pool.. Bowling.. Racing Arcade!

2006-06-19T09:22:00.000+08:00

The pictures were taken on 15 June 2006 in celebration of my galfriend, Lizi's, birthday. It was a day full of fun and laughter for the 3 Charlie's Angels.. *winkz*

We started the day with shopping at Toa Payoh Central.. and oh gosh.. they shopped till they dropped! *laughs* If you could collectively give them a name, you can call them the shopperholics or the shopping-maniacs, or the shopping-queens.. which, of course, all having the same meaning. *grinz*

After more than 2 hours of shopping, we headed down to Marina South for BBQ steamboat.. and after eating our fill while chit-chatting and laughing at each other, we decided we really had to do something about our bloated tummies, or else we will become more cute. *giggles*

And so.. we decided to play pool. And as usual, I became their cheerleader 'coz I simply can't get the hang of playing pool. After 2 rounds of pool, we played a round of bowling which ended with poor scores from all of us who have not been bowling for months and months.. *grinz*

To end it off, we played 3 rounds of racing each other at the Arcade, where we felt like teenagers playing and challenging each other, not satisfied until each of us took turns to become racing champions. *laughs*

It was a really wonderful time I had with my galfriends, doing soooo many things in just one day. The simple pleasures of life.. Once in a while doing things like these can be so satisfying and fulfilling. I really do hope there'll be many more of such memories to come~ *smilez*

---An Endless Story---

Bintan Trip 2006

2006-06-19T09:06:00.000+08:00

I went to Bintan on 13-14 June 2006. It was only for 2 days and 1 night, a short getaway for me.. and I thank God that it was only for 2 days and 1 night. They say when you go on a holiday... the most important factor is the company you're going with... and that is just oh so true!~ *frowns*

Eventhough from the pictures it's a really nice place, with cool, spacious room and nice scenery of the beach, I really didn't enjoy myself. It was the most boring holiday I've been to. Simply because the person I went with just didn't want to do anything except lie down in bed. *sighz* There were other unpleasant things that happened too but I shall not elaborate 'coz it would just remind me of my worst holiday.

Anyway, I wished things could turn out differently, but I'll just treat it as a lesson learnt.. A supposedly, potentially nice holiday gone wrong.. moral of the entry.. go on a holiday with company you're best with. *winkz*

P.S: Best part of the holiday was the 2hour massage and body scrub, with a healthy fruit juice at the end of the session for only $75! Heavenly... *smilez*

---An Endless Story---

When a woman feels lonely...

2006-06-09T21:52:00.000+08:00

I know the title may seem like a surprise considering that I have the love of my life now.. It's just that I had this conversation with my dearest, of how sometimes why women can tolerate having guys which do not treat them well... My answer to him... "When a woman feels lonely..."

I've been through that feeling before.. the feeling of loneliness. It's not a good feeling indeed. And although, I wasn't truly lonely 'coz I still have my family with me, it's just a different kind of loneliness you feel in your heart when you don't have that special someone. That someone who you can talk to about anything, and share your innermost secrets and thoughts with. It's hard when you walk around and you see loving couples around you. Jealousy sets in and you wish... wish that just for a moment you were the person having someone to be loving with instead.

When a woman feels lonely, she is truly vulnerable, no matter how 'hard-hearted' or nonchalant she may appear to be. Any kind of sweet words or nice gestures will melt her heart, even though there may be some hesitation and wariness felt, especially if one has gone through many heartaches or even just one major heartbreak. When a woman feels lonely, the tears she shed does not even match the ache in her heart, the need to have someone right there by her... No one can truly understand a woman's loneliness except a woman herself...

Take heed... love comes to those who wait patiently... with time, love will find your way, you just got to keep on hoping and searching till the right one comes along. With this, I'll leave you with a part of the lyrics taken from the song 'Here By Me' by 3 Doors Down:

"As the days roll on I see,
Time is standing still for me
When you're not here.
I'm sorry I can't always find the words to say.
Everything I've ever known gets swept away,
Inside of your love.
And everything I have in this world,
And all that I'll ever be,
It could all fall down around me,
Just as long as I have you right here by me..."

---An Endless Story---