after Christmas weekend

have so much i would want to say...many thoughts going through my mind, about work about life about people.

it's so rainy this morning...i just feel so in a holiday mood still such that i'm almost having tuesday blues, but right from 9am this morning i've been settling work stuff already. becoming quite sian by all the miscom, problems and neverending disturbances and requests. and then the money isn't coming in as soon as i need it. it has dragged for one month, two months...and more. dunno why i can't see good out of this. God pls help me to trust you...to see things in Your perspective, and know that You are in control of all things, even things that don't seem to be directly related to You but still it is related to You.

after a long weekend, all the christmas activities, enjoying being at home with Ww, i just don't want this to end. there's still the new year weekend to look forward to.

a reindeer called Gusto landed on christmas day :)

new addition to our zoo.

Back frm Genting

All we did was...

Sleep, eat, walk, watch tv, sleep, eat, walk, watch tv, sleep.

yeah that's about it.

the weather was bad enough such that not much ppl could venture out. it's rain and fog and wind! enough to keep you in the whole place for 3 days. we're really boring ppl anyway...there's lots of entertainment there, (for the ol' folks it's the casino but it's really not our cup of tea), there's rock climbing (which no one really climbs), bowling, k-box, kids rides, mini-roller coaster rides, bumper car rides...and all we did was walk past them.

we arrived at 3am and could only book in to our rooms at 9am..and the beds were not made up yet so we persevered roaming around the indoor theme park despite our desperate attempts to get some good sleep after a whole night's travelling.

the morning we arrived..saw this quite cool mini model of genting..looks big but we're mainly cooped up in that colourful building

Baskin Robbins ice-cream cake!! looks so fun!


this is how bad the fog/mist is...can't even go for a stroll outside


so this is what ppl do...line up and take the indoor ride over and over again...this super long queue is for a super slow reindeer ride...slow enough to send you to sleep. and we were quite amazed ppl are seem so excited to take it.


on average we ate 5 meals a day, took 2 naps and watched 2 movies. our attempts to do our devotion (a book we used to read and study together) ended up in talking about our future over a cups of coffee and/or tea.



nevertheless, it was a good time to rest, to be together, to spend time with my in-laws and just really pile up on calories.

Christmas is coming! and i'm short of time...with the so many things to do still.

On our way to Genting

We're going genting tmr! Wah man..much needed break, hopefully. I've settled all my work stuff and notified ppl i won't be around so as to minimize the overseas calls coming in during the holiday.

And when we come back it's a mad rush before christmas...mad rush because of some work stuff to clear by the christmas weekend, because there's our family dinner where to prepare and cook and the My Christmas YZ party.

I've not been to Orchard Rd yet, didn't really shop for christmas presents either (other than for my company gift exchange present which i finally found today), work overwhelms me so much.

I don't think we'll get each other presents either...save money lah, after all spending time together is an invaluable gift to each other which makes me so wish i took a 1 month holiday to spend time with Ww esp when he's so much freer in the holidays.

squeezed time after work yesterday to meet up with a couple-friend who just moved in to their new place at woodlands. went to check out their house and after that went to ikea @ tampines, ate late dinner at 10pm (bought their last plate of fish & chips, and chicken wings) and shopped till it almost closed. they came over to our place aft that to see our house as well...and after that.....SUPPER at Blk511! (roti john and bak chor mee there is great) gosh...can't believe we ate so much. so much so we couldn't sleep after our bath. slept at 4am eventually.

talk about food...they are such comfort.

i managed to quickly cook something out of our pathetic kitchen inventory. threw out the dying vegs and mushrooms in the fridge (which was rotting after almost 2 weeks of neglect). gee...i should never buy fresh foods until i'm gonna cook.
so we had creamy mushroom soup spagetthi with fried fish and sausages. Ww still toasted bread with our super lihai sandwich maker (cos it makes sandwiches takes heavenly toasted & good), just in case it wasn't enough.


food is a great comfort. :)

b4 i go for a holiday

there are presents to buy
cards to make
a presentation to do for sunday
is there time?

my mil says i should go back to my full-time tuition, not so busy and can earn more..and happier (ww suggested) i'm contemplating.
but where i am (according to ww) puts me through fire, grinds me, teaches me to handle people (all kinds! you don't know how ugly singaporeans are). this mini proj i'm handling almost drive me nuts. if i'm not so patient and nice i dunno what would happen. once this is over i can breathe a sigh of relief. and go to my holiday in peace.

peace is what i didn't have this past week. and sunday's sermon is about peace. oh so coincidence.

it's like exams, suffer during the period and once it's over you feel like you could do whatever you want in the world. i'm looking for it to be over. hopefully today's my last day of exams.

10001 things to settle, 0 time

my sleepiness is catching up with me. there are times i wish i don't need to sleep so that i can finish all i need to finish. but today i can't, at 12.12am. i'm sleepy le.

3 new appointments means new drawings and stuff to prepare on top of settling frustrating issues that bug me and irritate me...everyday i just cross my fingers and pray hard nothing extra happens to bug me, or problems to complicate things. but oh no...everyday is a new problem. argh! and problem upon problem is quite problematic. of course money settles everything, but who pays me for going through all this waste of time and worry?

yawns, i want a holiday from my work. gimme a work without problems. i would rather be doing housework.

sorry, i'm just being unhappy today because many things happened today that got me so pekchek...and time is not on my side.

God, pls grant me strength, patience and things to go well...no more more problems please!

Finding a christmas tree

Let's have a christmas tree...and an image popped in my mind.

white spray painted large tree branch to hang messages and photos.

something like these branches?
i wouldn't want a normal christmas tree anyway...last time i had a christmas tree was when i was in secondary school...and we were so lazy to take it down it stood around the living room till january and almost chinese new year. now i think my mum threw away the tree when we moved.

Ww & i finished watching Princess hours yesterday at 2am! phews...finally. it's a lil dysfunctional but it's soap drama anyway.

lunch breaks are times to talk about future stuff and rant about work..what's happening with our projects. i guess sometimes we are each other's motivation in the midst of challenges and stresses. i tell her that she better not quit otherwise working won't be so fun without her around. my good ol' buddy. just because we click so well.
what were aspirations sometimes fade in the reality. maybe we just aren't experienced enough. pooling over large amounts of possiblities and standards, running into weird people with weird requests or exciting requests we aren't sure we can do it or not. this is the real school where you make mistakes and learn...something will be wrong if you're perfect. and it's ok to make mistakes....just make sure you learn from them. that's when you'll grow. and don't run away when things gets tough. don't always change course. it'll be over eventually and it can be solved eventually.
we're going shopping and dinner today! yays! it's these little things to look forward to.

Random

Of Standard Chartered Marathon...
We woke at a mad hour of 4am to catch the 5am shuttle bus, and Ww started his run at 6am for the 42km (tho he detoured halfway...42km isn't a run to try without proper prior training! otherwise it will injure you badly)

just at our lift lobby...still looking awake

and waited for my running buddy to come...coerced to join me at the last minute to run this 10km. this was how much people there were in the 10km women's category.

just before our run...still looking fresh and free of sweat.

through the run..quite shuang to run through the CDB and it's flat ground too!

anyway i didn't train at all for this run...the only run i had was like 1 mth ago..and it was some slow jog around the estate. so my dear yp was a great encouragement to me in running this together, u're quite fit ah. hee. we didn't stop till the 6km mark to relish in the joy of drinking the "elite drink" aka 100plus. and the first 4-5km was a breeze because we were chatting away.

this is my timing...if u can see it at all...


after that we took a ride in xq's pick-up to marine parade for brunch. quite fun sitting at the back of the pick-up and enjoying the view. it's super windy but we managed to find a better place to sit after that..and staring up at the rain trees while the pick-up wheezes through the ECP is kinda dizzying and fun.


anyway i completely knocked out in the afternoon when i was supposed to go out with my sis to urban trek. paishe..keep postponing our outings.
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Of housewarmings....
housewarming on saturday was a blast...hoho..really enjoyed everyone's company, even though there was so many people to talk to and explain stuff about. you know why this house came about, how it was done and what we went through. while we enjoy our 2-man-world, this big house isn't just for us...but eventually for my in-laws to move in with us and whell...future kids too...and how-ever God wishes to us this house for His purposes.
we were sitting at Klippan and still enjoying this place...it was designed to have many spaces for us to sit and talk....i almsot wanted to squeeze one in our bedroom as well...but no money liao lah.

we still love our study room, bookshelves and the never ending books...there's still more books not just at my mum's place but at Ww's parents place...in the storerm and in those cabinets. we just can't get enough of books.


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Of work....
I'm supposed to be doing some work...at 1.35am, but working at this hour is really unmotivating and see what i am doing...i'm doing the opposite of work. argh. i tell myself that i should try not to bring work home...but it's really hard. time flies in the office, and with all the calling, sorting out paper work, coordinating etc etc...end of the day comes so quickly. and i just want to go home.

there are more family commitments nowadays, it's that family gatherings become quite important because we no longer stay under one roof. and you see the importance of just spending time together, even buying groceries together (it's an expensive non-pasttime) and especially eating together. it's a joy actually to spend time with people you love...just that there's just so little time. i only managed to leave office at 730pm that day, when i was supposed to leave before 6pm...and so missed dinner (tho they dabao so yummlicious curry rice for me). i dunno where i read from which wrote that time is the best gift you can give to the people whom you love...and our mums & dads yearn to spend time with us. alas, we are such busy people...so i do get unhappy when the time i plan to set aside for someone gets overtaken by something i've got no choice.

almost finishing the princess hours dvd...we watched 4hrs straight today after dinner (half way through making some calls, hanging our bedsheets out to dry after it was tumbling around in the washer for 70mins, and of cos snacking). so much for spending my night away like that. now i'm behind with my work...hwops.

holidays is good! so wish i can spend more time with Ww, but with my work end year means it gets busier...but then we are escaping for a short holiday next next week, which is quite a relief (i hope) for me, tho i have to arrange things nicely for work while i'm away. then comes christmas which is like full of lunches and dinners...with company, with our parents, with YZ, with cell.

what does Christmas mean to you?

Random

Was off today to clean the house but i spent the morning calling and answering calls settling work stuff. so we only got things done in the afternoon. but it was really nice to spend the day at home. too much dvd watching is also eating up my time but it's really nice to watch dvds together too anyway...one an biography of Ray Charles, Cold Mountain & Alexander. total hour count...7-8 hours this week spent watching these. wah. i just come home and watch with Ww. no work.

it's nice just that the next day the madness & problems starts all over again. i just have only God to depend on to keep my sanity and peace. to know that He will not give me more than i can bear, and that i need to have the right attitude to the things that come my way. i wanna gripe and complain but all i need to do is just to let go...and know that really singaporeans can be really irritating, & that good workers are hard to find. (i gave my ex-painter quite a shelling for his terrible attitude..and decide not to give him any jobs in the future) grrr...

and while i'm busy as a bee, Ww is having his school holidays! i wanna holiday with him! it's kinda sian to go work so early and come back late at a time like this. oh but we went for dinner at cafe cartel with my in-laws, first time they ate there...great meal and company. they're always so cute and caring as well. and....we're are going for a short getaway this dec...super yays!! as long as we're out of singapore! woohoo. going to genting with my in-laws (esp my MIL who's an expert of that place). whatever, it's good to get away for a while. :)

Unbloggy

I'm not updating as often as i want to because there's always something else to do. Trying to work and rest hard too. I am only halfway through the Princess hours dvd anyway. There's not much time to squeeze in to watch it and if i do, i'll need 3hrs cos i just can't stop the dvd!

Taking leave on friday..yay! thou shalt not work. the problem with bringing work home is that it feels like you're working 24hrs. and i hate it that my customers call me unearthly hours. so picking up the phone isn't exactly always a fun thing to do...because i would anticipate what bad thing has gone wrong this time. it's mostly 80% bad and 20% ok.

so i'm unbloggy because i would rather watch tv or even work(!). no time no time lar...

Princess!

I feel like i have lots to update but just hadn't had time to. Work is like madness and still ongoing such that i feel like i'm lagging behind. wonder why there's like neverending things to do & coordinate...and neverending problems as well.

So i'm like deliberately trying to take a break from it all...aka minimize the amount of work i do at home. all i do in my free time is try to work and try to remember all the nitsy bitsy details i better not forget.

and so..my mum on her surprise trip on sunday to our place, passed me the dvd for Princess Hours!! (3 discs only because she hasn't finished watching the 4th disc then) and when u start u can't stop. i wish i have the luxury of time to watch it alll!!!

Looking forward to some holidays without worries of my work...not likely? they day i have holiday is the day no one is gonna call me and disturb me with work stuff. wonder when will be the day i come home and finally get to unpack my stuff...and do boliao things. maybe i should take leave next week...hmm...

and this year's civil servant's bonus is so woah that i wish i am a civil servant too...buahaha. oh whell...too bad...there's a time for everything...and money isn't everything but it's still something you need to survive. wonder why the older we get the more things we have to pay for, and 'save' for and return money for.

christmas is coming....

Happy 1st anniversary to us!

We are 1!
(sounds like some sale advertisment..."We are 1! 10% off all items")

oh no lah...It's our 1yr wedding anniversary...like some birthday..haha. we had our some of brothers and sisters in church wishing us happy anniversary. but so sweet of them to remember too :)

we managed to taichi all appointments away on sunday...so we can have the whole day together after church. and we almost did. our parents are like asking us out to have dinner and feels like everyone wants to meet us on this anniversary day! so we had steamboat at my in-laws place on saturday...and even my mum & sis managed to surprising pop by on sunday night itself.

eventful as it is we didn't really do super drama stuff or super romantic stuff. went to buy groceries together at ntuc. stocked up good enough tidbits and food for the night's dinner. and when we came home, we just couldn't help it...we did the housework, packed up stuff, fixed the kitchen drawers & ikea rack, vacuumed, washed the clothes etc. (how eventful right?) haha...but we felt so satisfied after cleaning up the house.

dinner was the highlight. ah...

On the menu: mashed potates, honey chicken (we bought this though), garlic baked cod fish with asparagus & abalone mushrooms, and grape juice.

and we wanted to have choc ice-cream with fruits as dessert (and Ww was like so eager to eat he wanted to he even b4 i finished my own dinner!)
oh but...we had a mini surprise..

mummy & meimei bought Cedele's carrot cake for us. whow! so we ate that instead and this carrot cake is really super duper delicious!

you know...i've got more and more candles at home because of the birthday parties at my place so far and still ah...we don't have a lighter to light the candle! (the first time i had to borrow from my neighbour, the 2nd time someone had a lighter..heh..otherwise i gotta borrow frm them again) i really gotta remember to buy one someday!

One year seems like so fast! Thank you Lord for the many things we don't deserve...for the love and blessings that you have showered on us; for giving us love, that we can learn love each other; for teaching us that you matter most; for showing us a glimpse of heaven; for giving us each other. it's a great journey ahead...and it's even better because of God.

I've got no time to think of better things to write. gotta sleep le...too much work tomorrow.

nothing much

This is week is all work (and some housework only).

Went to Ww's school musical..woh...it was like really fantastic and just so enjoyable to watch...and quite funny as well. :) the kids are all so cute anyway. 1st time i've seen a pri school musical though but it was great! hard to describe in words but i surely didn't regret going (tho i felt i was wearing a little too casual..didn't have time to go home to change).

and no i'm not pregnant lar..i think it's pms..i eat more during that period (i don't usually go into a bad mood swings). it's also probably work stress and house moving stress...i feel like eating. i think it's my stress-relief method. i love eating. (and now u know what i love taking food pictures) whoops. but if i'm too busy i can forgo eating (i barely had a proper meal till dinner time today).

dunno what's with us...love to take pics in pretty toilets...


i've gotta catch up with lots of unpacking at home...still not done!?!)!

The days i eat tooo much

I dunno what it is but these few days i'm like eating without restriction...almost. i would have cravings for something to eat...and usually something unhealthy, fried or chocolaty, or dessert-y. mayb it's pms. and i'm like so snacky...anything...kitkat in the fridge, or some biscuits, now there's triple chocolate cereal from st.michael. this is not good. i better really start some exercising. i miss swimming though. and the thought of running kinda feels daunting (even though it's a time-saving and very calorie burning exercise thing to do). and i'm joining the standard chartered 10k run..oh dearr...i wonder how i'm able to make it without any training at all!

went to Dulos at Vivo today, to check out their bookfair. ok though...some aren't really cheap. but i bought a book "Cover to Cover", reading the bible in a year (for $4) which i'll be starting it tmr! but interesting...wonder what it's like to travel on the ship.

i can't remember what jeremy was saying...looks "argh". but i think he's being expressive. hehh.

anyway it was a lazy drowsy afternoon and i slept on the bus all the way home, enough to keep me awake later and watch tv. something i haven't done for a while. and with our new home i'm kinda watching a bit more tv because i can record shows i can't watch in time.

nice to be home alone and listening to christian radio on itunes. we have given up listening to our songs in the computer, bored of them already. and music soothes our soul, and Christian music usually have very meaningful lyrics and it makes me think. makes me happy. simple. God makes me think. God makes me wonder. i pray i know how to praise Him more, love Him more, glorify Him more, know Him more...

i'm still feelin so fulllll!!! *trying to burp*

Back with internet

I haven't been posting because
1) i'm just too busy with moving house (really where got time? there's endless things to pack, clean, sort, organize & do)
2) we didn't have internet for a week (because the phone line wasn't activated yet)

Anyway we have more or less settled into our new place quite happily, enjoying it thoroughly, the living room, the deck, our study, our bedroom, the bathroom, the walk-in wardrobe and the kitchen....despite the glass doors still unwiped...every night we go to sleep and we see that glass door looking at us and it's not sparkling clean yet, and i tell myself tmr night i must clean it and the whole process happens again because we still didn't get down to clean it. getting lazy liao...other than the basic cleaning and washing clothes.

there's still lots to do and we aren't sure if we'll be ready for our planned housewarming date. hopefully we would have gotten everything cleaned and packed up by then.

and post-date ping's bday at sake sushi

my Katsudon which was quite a disappointment even tho it looks so pretty. but we had a private room to munch in :)

and club swiss for desserts, great atmosphere but the food is ex (choc fondue for $29..i think i can whip up a better one for much less cost) YP next time i make choc fondue for u lah..with better fruit selections and better tasting chocolate :P


just all of us (the food too small to see)

stuff i would want to do when if i become a taitai

in random order:
1. Start my wall decal company
2. Bake cakes, pastries, bread at home
3. Start some christian website like relevantmag
4. Have 4 kids and home school them
5. Start a after school study 'centre' at home for teens + tuition (heard someone was doing it)
6. Learn to cook all kinds of food (and prepare breakfast for Ww every morning...if i can wake up so early)
7. Organize some women's fellowship or support group for whatever

i can't think of anymore.

seems like a lot. and seems like some things undo the become tai tai part. and seems like i never go shopping. seems like stuff i wonder if i will ever ever get doing (considering how difficult it is for me to start something and have the perseverence to finish it).

Take 5

Read this in my chic pie's blog...been there done that. always love the way she crafts words so interestingly and uniquely. happy belated birthday chic pie! (sorry i couldn't make it to your block party..tho i still have your present with me..heh). hope things are better wherever u r at.

"The Creative Process
Because a friend asked me, "Why do you guys have to work late so often?"

The Creative Process
1. Brief given to designers
2. Designer brainstorms and comes out with 3 good options and concepts
3. Internal review of design schemes
4. Refine-ment
5. Not good enough because you see, everything must be perfect in order to preserve the highest design integrity possible = 1000 more internal reviews. Refine 1000 times more.
6. Finally everyone agrees on a final scheme
7. Proceeds to start on presentation package
8. Makes another 1000 changes to colour, tone and other minor stuff that only the designers will notice and which clients won't be able to tell any difference.
9. Boss injects a last minute idea seen from a magazine
10. Designers execute the idea unwillingly
11. Printer breaks down at the 11th hour
12. Cries, kicks the printer, tears hair.
13. Printer (who must be a female) decides to work again.
14. Presents the idea to the client, who has another idea of his own
15. Repeats step 1-14 until thoroughly satisfied.

Note: i'm not complaining. Like everyone else in the same circle, this process has become part and parcel, and i think i would still do that than anything else."

no longer doing that now...but i'm trying to learn to balance my work and life, when work becomes 24/7. And there are times when you don't really want to answer calls...and there are times when u do things so nicely and someone comes and messes it all up. so i'm learning to take things easy. to know that things can go wrong but it's not the end of the world. to know that God is with me and i'm not alone. i want to be a perfectionist but before i even reach halfway there somethings crop up and i lose the motivation to get it perfect. and i wish i can remember things better, clearer and don't make silly mistakes (esp those that costs me so much money). but i need to learn to cheer up and take things easy...and not worry!

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today i think i'll have lots to blabber.

listening to this song "Your grace still amazes me"

each time i fall, You pick me up. Your grace still amazes me. it's deeper, it's wider, it's stronger, it's higher than anything my eyes can see.
who has such patience?
1 + 3 = 4

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on a happier note, i love my new house even tho it's in a great mess and hardly anything has been packed yet, and we've still got things not done there and there we quite a few glitches we have to live with. we're looking forward to move in. :)

...

Somethings are unfair...then again sometimes it's not necessary to entertain people who do not want to understand things from another perspective. (aka throw pearls to pigs) After all we're all biased towards or against something or someone in some way or another. Some people can't face the truth and don't dare to speak face to face but rely on conversations where there is no other witnesses so that there won't be any 2nd opinion. how smart. is everything so black and white? yet it isn't because words can be twisted, meanings can be misinterpreted, good intentions thwarted, tones misread. and the misunderstanding gets worse, because someone else sees that perspective but not the other...and not be able to make a right judgement of things. is this unfair? do we use God's name to condemn others? if there is judgement, where is love and forgiveness? God is perfect but we are not. That's why we need to speak in love not in hate, better is open rebuke, than hidden love (is there any here?it's more like hidden rebuke). Do we try to defend ourselves? i would want to. but we know it'll be fruitless. let bygones be bygones. i'm just frustrated. and we know open rebuke won't help, because it fell and falls by the path and was misinterpreted.

Do you see a man wise in his own eyes?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.
Do not speak to a fool,
for he will scorn the wisdom of your words.
Drive out the mocker, and out goes strife;
quarrels and insults are ended.
He who guards his mouth and his tongue
keeps himself from calamity.

this will be the last of what i'll pour out on this...as frustrated as i am...and erm...feeling defensive too. :(

A day out at Vivo

There's still a lot of things to do and i was glad for a relatively peaceful saturday, even tho i went to office to do some work. No customers calling me a shocking me with whatever problems. maybe coz it's Deepavali?

there's so much to do though and even today was a day packed with activities. actually, i could have like gone home after tuition. but then i choose to arrange for facial, and the thought i had the time to go buy the wood decking, which in the end i didn't and that quite ended with much frustration coz they close at 6pm and my facial finished at 545pm (the sales lady was like trying to keep me there and persuading me to get the facial package..they do this all the time leh..so sian..can't i go for my facial in peace?) and i didn't know that place was so far away. (it looked so close in the map!) and i walked until 6pm and gave up, took the bus back to harbourfront to meet my sis. super frustrating coz i had to make another trip down to get the wood decking. argh. and that's tmr.

anyway Vivocity is nice...

big and takes a little to get used to the layout. but it has the advantage of the harbour for great views and a spacious outdoor space. cool shops and interiors too. meimei kept admiring all the wallpapers they use. the whole space is quite an eye candy. funny seats, weird playgrounds, exciting design, new things to see, organic exterior and interior designs...

we took a walk out and can't help taking a picture....or pictures...till my hp want to die.. (it was running on low battery after all the photo taking)

this was trying out without all the ground lighting shining at as and making weird shadows on our faces..


and the ohh so tempting Godiva Chocolixir...wahh..but...it's $8 :-S so ex...such indulgence and extravagance. we admired it a while and decided it's not worth spending $8 on this...i don't think i can tell the difference between this and a normal choc blended...


anyway day out with meimei was good...just spoilt at the end with a minor work problem. (argh...no peace..i was hoping no one will disturb me).

it's a tiring day...need to get more sleep. it's the great house stress this week liao, even tho i'm kinda excited about it.

Weird things and house things

I'm like so busy with work and our new place. but things are easing out a little. and i finally have some spare time here and there. less stressed...or more like i've let it be. i always remember this cross-stitch my mum has that says "Worrying is like sitting on a rocking chair, gives you something to do but doesn't get you anywhere"
but sometimes i worry too much.

and our study is getting messier by the day, for the reasons that i can't be bothered to pack it (coz i just got no time and no mood), and also because we're moving soon...so the packing will happen when we move. meanwhile, there's so much stuff piling up on the paper organizer, and a spare chair has more things piled up as well of newspapers and what nots. honestly, i love packing things....but not today.


And about food...this week i tried really great food...stuff like this. looks normal yah..but it's the homemade ice-cream at Serence Centre ( i forgot the name of the place)..there's TehTarik, Nutella, some Latte, Apple Pie and burnt Caramel flavour. super yums!


and i had a wedding dinner last night at Club Chinois..the food there is still the best among all wedding dinners i've ever been to. reminscence of our own wedding (because we had our wedding dinner there as well) and it's on our 11th mth annivesary as well...and Ww wanted to go (also because the food is like super super good) but too bad, he wasn't invited. the food was so good, and unique that everyone comment about it, even on our way back. it's a wedding dinner location we never regretted. yums. :)

and i thot about when i was in primary school, and it was common to say 'i don't friend you anymore' and at the next moment or next day, become best of friends again...we were so innocent and forgiving (or probably forgetful cos we don't remember each other's wrong). when we grow to secondary school, things get more sensitive and bad things between friends can turn into ugly backstabbing and saying bad things behind other people's backs. and while no one wants any discord, these kinda ugly backstabbing can get worse as we grow older. i honestly detest these things. but the line is a fine line to tread...and there are somethings that i feel very unhappy about which i find it hard to express...and there are things which are best left unsaid or if not, left said directly to a person in honesty and in love. but where do you draw the line between love and being judgemental? anyway better to be a Paul than a Pharisee. some people are so unforgiving. and there are also some people who are so petty. sometimes adults can be so childish. anyway what do you call someone who is so friendly to you one moment and at the next moment turn their back at you and say bad things about you?

less grummy

maybe because i've settle what i've settled and accepted the things that will happen. and also because God took this day in His hands for me. not me on my own. gosh...imagine how long i've been starting my day without Him and what a big difference it makes.

had this night free to attend a wake...and come home to not think about work (not urgent lo). and do things like this.

read a ex-colleague's blog about school days...
"it was kinda nostalgic and touching looking at all our sec sch and jc pictures....we were so young and innocent then..life was carefree and we had no worries, except to pass the dreaded exams and live life to the fullest! sports days, english days, PE sessions, carmee lim and the singapore work out...doing duty in class and taking silly photos all around school....eclipse day and bon jovi concerts....all these memories will always be etched in my mind forever cuz they were the best days of my life. it also made me realise that these girls have really seen me through the best ups and worst downs of my life, thru bad dress sense and even worse hair-dos - overalls, checked shirts, boots and pageboy hair styles?? what WERE we thinking?!?! we have laughed our lungs out until our cheeks ached, and held hands together while waiting for our 'O' results to come out, cried on each other's shoulders at our first heartbreaks. even though we all went our separate ways after JC, we've remained close through the years and i know we will always be there for each other. here's to many more years of coffee sessions, dinners, high teas, boxing day parties, laughter, friendship and more."

i enjoyed my sec school & jc time of my life...it really is the carefree days of my life..in a way that u just worry about exams and when holidays come, it's really pure holidays (ok...even tho we had like eca, project work, holiday homework) but it's still a holiday! i love my friends whom we went through thick and thin together, stupid and funny times, sad and disappointed times. so i have my close sec sch friends who r my 1981 batch..and my jc friends whom we meet up now and then. but really, i understand why the older ppl say to cherish your schooling days. tho as interesting and nostalgic as the good ol' days are, i don't think i would want to relive it again tho i will still want to remember them.

there is a time for everything

i'm grummy

because i've got a battle to fight tomorrow
and i want to do something else.
because there are some irritating people who come to whine to me about some minute things and expect me to settle it...and it's like not my business.
because some things didn't go the way i wish it would.
because i made mistakes that i'm super sian about...of cos my friend was really nice to make me feel better after i talked to her about it, saying that it's like that, and that she's been through it and it's part of the learning process...some learning processes are more painful than others.
because some person thinks there are such things as free lunches in the world. doesn't he know that time is money, and to get someone to work on something at such a short time is money..at least pay for the work done lah. if he wants something so li4hai4 and strong and like some super structure, pay for it lah. anyway i'm glad he's not gonna bug me anymore. wonder if he can get it cheaper else where...don't come and find me le la. i'm irritated.
because many times i'm just too nice (and that is not always good)

because i want to plan my house stuff and i don't have time to
because i want to meet people but i don't have time to
because many singaporeans lack understanding and are lousy customers.

this is a grummy post because i just need to grum about bleah stuff.

God is my only life saver i cling on to everyday. with each day i pray that He'll not give me anything too big to handle...and that i have the wisdom and the ability to solve the problems that comes my way everyevery day.

and Ww is my joy when i come back home. always happy to see him after a long day's battle.

hope tomorrow will be better.

Today is Ww's birthday

I have drawings due, quotations due...but today from 1pm i self-declared my own half-day to go out with Ww. whell..mainly to buy our house stuff at ikea, k-po that new DBSS hdbs called Premier and go out for dinner.

I heard he had lots of coffee gifts, a class celebration by his p4 class (which sounded fun) and happy birthdays...and many more birthday dinners to come. hopefully not on the road to getting fat :O haa...

whell...and talking about that, we went to have dinner at this place called Aerin's at Raffles City, good food (they pan fried the fish really yummliciously and marinated the chicken quite deliciously too). we had beef goulash which they were nice enough to split into two bowls for us (because i think the serving is huge). we thought we could go for coffee and cakes at Cafe Swiss at Stamford hotel (and use our 25% discount voucher)...but after dinner we felt like we ate a cow and no irresistable cake could tempt us to eat any more.

the beef goulash soup with the high-density bread that Ww said looks like sponge but tastes good

my pan fried fish...and i realized that i always eat fish when we go out for meals like this

and Ww's boneless chicken that he's chewing...

and we ended our day out with our usual White chocolate dream at coffee bean, but this time as we walked home from interchange.

and as usual Ww waited for me to come back to open all these presents...from his class

and this MagnetBear which appeared earlier on...

we don't really know how to give those big gifts to each other tho...maybe when we were dating last time he got an ipod for me (that's like not cheap oh), nowadays we are kinda at a loss at what to give each other...so usually a cute birthday card does wonders (we take a long time to find a perfect one) and something else small and cute like this bear. it's the time spent together that matters more, each others' presence more than what things we can buy each other. ...and usually it's to go out to eat. tho with most of our money going into the renovations, we hardly have our those monthly anniversary dinners so to save money, tho sometimes we just don't have time...!

i wish tmr is sunday!

I love quiet moments

I've been home since 8pm. No one's home to disturb me much except my mind bugging me that i still have work due and i know i'm still procrastinating. i packed up that piling pile of newspapers, flipped quickly thru them, flipped today's newspapers as well, tore the page i want to read and keep but i know that will be like weeks and months later before i really read it again, packed that mess on the table, unpacked my weekend bag (and realized i left my spectacles at my mum's place, again).
i just don't want to touch my work. argh. i wondered when will i have a peaceful sunday afternoon to read newspapers, and just to take a afternoon nap. someone mentioned something about finding a sabbath. i turned to look at Ww and wondered if we do have any at all. i wish i have a day where i don't need to think (and worry) about work...and like do bo2. (then again when i do have that day, i wish i have something to do. so ironic!). maybe after this period when all my extra tuitions are over things will be easier, maybe when we move in to our new place and save time on all the ferrying around and going from house to house it would be better, maybe watever. i just feel a lil crappy now. and when i think that i can't start on any work till after 5pm tmr (coz i'll be going from site to site), i feel a lil stressed. and when i think i wanna spend more time w Ww after he comes back from the wedding dinner (which typically ends late), i dunno how much time we have left before we're too tired.
maybe i'm just complaining. because i got mountainous work to be done before monday ends. when will i limit myself not to work after work hours? maybe i'm venting because i have something that's bugging me to get it settled by tmr morning but i dunno how to. argh.

u know i need to find my sabbath. and rest.
there's play, there's travelling, there's eating, there's shopping, there's doing things i like, there's watching tv, but it's not rest. rest is being with God in quietness...being in His presence...communicating with Him my struggles...but i'm not doing it. i'm struggling to do it.

be still and know that God is God.

100th post

How groovy...this is my 100th post here. gosh.

i stole a few minutes to stroll around city hall, to look for something....hmm..because Ww's bday is coming...and just nice my colleague dropped me off at city hall and i thot i could find something.
and...bought myself this too...with a 2006 organizer. i know it's like so late to get a 2006 organizer..after all i still got another 3 more months to use it but it's like $9 only (the 2007 organizer costs $31!?!) anyway i'll use the earlier pages next year lo...just change the dates. or does anyone want to sponsor me a PDA? my organizer now is nice and minute but too tiny to fill up all the to do stuff. so i'm getting organized :)




this came like one week le...now both of us don't need to book when we can use the computer or fight over the computer. and i'm so used to the full of files and books wall that i didn't realize how jam packed they are until i saw this photo. i have more books at my mum's place...and she instructed me to bring it over our new place when we move over so she can put more of her books. (we already have 4 Billy bookshelves...full and smiling under the weight of the books). my family is brought up to read and read a lot, so i love to read and from what you see here..Ww too.

anyway it's a cool macbook. but i haven't taken it out for a run yet...maybe next week.

now i'm full from the bak kut teh my mother-in-law cooked...super yummy but the pepper is making my stomach churn...or maybe it's the strawberry smoothie i drank earlier, mixed with this. someone commented i got thinner, oh dear...and i thought i got fatter. i know i've been skipping my lunches because there's just no time to lunch at all..and by late afternoon or evening i'm famished...so much so that 2 days ago i ate 2 dinners. :S i just couldn't wait to reach home dinner that i had to buy sandwich from 7-11. i can't believe i can be so greedy...

i sense i'm at the borderline of falling sick...yet maintaining...gotta sleep more.

no gaps

my sis said that GAP is coming to SG. i thought GAP was retailing in SG le. how strange. or was i already used to the name.

and there's no gaps in my day. not enough. (tho now is a good gap to write all these). yesterday i was popping from one place to another in a cab, again. argh...and i thought i could just limit my cab rides on saturdays.

we might get a car. how odd since everytime Ww mentions it, i'll give him the are-you-sure-you-want-a-car-coz-it's-not-necessary look. and i always say that i'll not learn driving unless i can afford a car. but it seems...i'll have to start learning soon. for the future, for my work and for Ww's studying.


--------------
To Be Someone Else's Best by Raymond Chang
"
"I was presented with an interesting question recently: "If you could only tell your future kids one thing and one thing only, what would it be?

Life is all about the people we know and know us. There is nothing more important than those who will mourn at our funerals and be a significant part of our weddings and be present all the rest of the days of our lives. If you really take some time to think about it, relationships make and break experiences; they enhance our lives and give us a reason to wake up in the morning. Relationships are what life was made for.

To be someone else's best means that everything you do is for the relationship. To strive to be someone else's best means that you care so much about them that you are always there to support them, to encourage them, to understand them and to experience life with them. To be someone’s best is to think about him or her daily in order to support their life, help them develop and give them something to chew on to grow. It means that you will go out of your way to sacrifice for them, to participate in the things that are meaningful to them, and to help them achieve their dreams. To be someone else's best is to be committed to be his or her support, aid growth and give comfort. To be someone’s best is to love them always and not judge them.

Think about the ways you can be someone else's best. If your aim is to be someone else's best, a transformation will take place in your life that will affect the way you see, treat and love those around you. This will be the catalyst towards an intimacy that you haven't experienced before and will continue to deepen your relationship. Along with also being vulnerable, you will find that the reward is an intimacy where trust prevails, and there is a mutual honoring, respect and love for each other."

when you have no time..it's hard to be anyone's best. tho last night i thought i could stay late at office to finish up my work and Ww called to go out for dinner, and i thought...nvb i'll do my work afterwards. so we popped by TM for yoshinoya, didn't walk around tho, and bought our fav coffee bean coffee to go, and walked home. these are the things and gaps in the day to spend with each other. but sometimes i find i don't have time for other people, people i want to meet, even my family...(meimei sms-ed to call for help for her exams...another long day out but how can i leave her alone?), time with long lost friends, even time with close friends, and time to visit my grandma (my mum has been like nagging me about it).

i hope this busy period will end soon.

what did i do?

It's been such a such a hectic hectic week.

Now i have 4 project sites to run. flying from like east side to the west to the north to the north east...all around singapore...it's really exhausting. on top of that it's the exams period and my students are increasing tuition frequency as well. on top of that we have to really decide on our some of our house details fast. then there's so much so much paper work needed to be done at the office...sitting silently and waiting patiently for me to organize them. and for once i wondered if i should go learn driving...

i'm looking forward to the weekend tho it'll still be another hectic morning for an early appointment then rush to tuition...but after that...a Vietnamese "linner dunch" with my cell which i look forward to.

one interesting thing i'll be looking forward to is this...
(the white one...i refuse to pay extra $300+ to have it black)
a bit unexpected actually. we decided during the Comex period that we wouldn't buy it till the new OS is out...and the offers they have isn't that fantastic either. but this was like 25% off. and Ww said "get it" and so we got it. ha...it was no doubt about it. so no more fighting for the computer (whether to surf or to do our work).
receiving it tmr! tho i have to lug it from work to tuition to my mum's place...

today i went to my jc gang of friends had a housewarming at my friend's new house. it was really cozy and we were saying that it's like a bachelorette pad...where we can like hang out..
tho we onli reached there at 10pm...after quite a super duper long taxi ride, 2hours for one of my friend, and 1 1/2 hours for me...my friend had to go to another friend's house to pick up the housewarming gift, then pick me up, after that went to pick up another friend at tanjong pagar...and then we got stuck at CTE for like eons...(we were so glad to see the night sky at the end of the tunnel)...and by the time we reached woodlands the cab fare was like $39. it was the longest taxi ride we had ever ever had.

we thot we had better have a good group photo since we are all there...this was like one of the 10 pics we have tried and retried to take.
too bad we didn't have much time to hang out...but the time we left it was almost 1am. (also coz we reached like so late....we were all OT-ing lo)

looking forward to some rest...even tho i kinda still enjoy what i'm doing.

Collection of stuff

Sometimes i wonder why i keep writing about some things that just happen in my life, stuff to do, stuff i reflected on, stuff that happened. maybe because you all read it and it's kinda egoistic blabbering my life to whoever's interested (tho i'm also careful with some more personal stuff that i'll try not to say too much here) and also coz i just like doing this. i'm a collector of photos and memories...so this is just somewhat a random collection of my life.

of bangkok.
was a short trip but lotsa work once we came back and things are much 'bondier' too. it's a great co. anyway and i like my colleagues. this was at the airport tho 2 was missing somewhere and one was taking the photo....


and of blu-tack.
Ww's student posted something abt Ww going out of the class...and i wondered what it was about until i asked abt it aft work. oh and it was blu-tack. how interesting. blu-tack?? he was telling me that he confiscated so much it turned into a big ball of blu-tack (tho i haven't really seen how big it is...must seem quite abnormal from the flat pieces of blu-tack we're used to) anyway too much playing with blu-tack in class makes distracted students and eventually a "storming-out-of-class"teacher..(tho according to Ww it's walking out of class).
so his very sorry class will be going on a strike...no blu-tack.



and...they are so cute! and creative lo...and really sweet and sincere with all the apologies. anyway be good kids ;) MC aka Ww loves u all...and it's not just about the grades, it's about who you are, your attitudes and character, and really who God created you to be...fearfully and wonderfully made (i luv this verse from psalm 139).

I'm back and safe

There's the military coup in Bangkok...many hours after we left that place. i didn't know about it until at night when yt told me abt it. after that my dad, yp, jerm, even wq asked if i was back and safe. thankful for everyone's concerns, i felt like i just managed to get out in time by this bit. then again, it didn't seem that serious (no bombs and fighting), then again, u never know.

enjoyed my trip there even tho it was short..2 days to shop only. had a good bonding time with my colleagues even tho most of the day we were separated and all over the shopping areas. after that gathering at night for dinner and last night for karaoke. ok...maybe i'll go back next year and bring my meimei and mum along too.

what i bought....lots of clothes for my sis and me. the pile on the right is Ww's stuff...the plastic bag one is our home stuff. 4 medium sized photoframes for our new home. i wondered how am i gonna bring it back..i could have bought more just that it's too heavy to lug it around.


leaving for home...ate and slept most of the way...was too tired out.

now back to settling lots of work stuff and my own home renovation which i haven't gone down to check much. long day today...

Slowing down

morning reflections:
"I think we live in a space divided. I think Jesus insisted that the kingdom of heaven was not just a space we would later inhabit, but also one that He was bringing here and now. We exist with one foot here in the earthly and one in the eternal. Yet we rarely feel it. We rarely live with a sense that someone should take a picture. That what is happening right now bears documentation. That we're in two places at once.

I want to live a faith that is a reflection of the cost of its eternal origin, not merely a reflection of my transient one. I want to feel the reality of where we sit. That the things we decide here are eternal ones. That our conversations mean something. I want to live in a manner that feels heroic, that turns the invisible into the visible, that is a solid intrusion of the eternal into the divided streets of humanity. "
David Crowder

we talked longer into the night and laughed a lot and humoured each other...and everyday we're just amused at each other, happy to see each other when we come home from work...even though we're just dead tired. (even tho i have a throbbing headache, feeling feverish and just want to sleep).
there's an opening at OM to teach english at yangoon...we wondered what if we are there, Ww to teach english and me...i'll find something to teach anyway. we wondered where will we go 3 1/2 yrs later..will we go to the mission field or will Ww con't in SG to teach..mayb history in another place? these are questions to which the answers only God knows, we just need to trust and walk by faith.

trying weekend

I wish i had more energy this weekend. but i was so tired out. at first it's the late nights...doing and amending work related stuff (this is the problem when u bring work home). then again...i was out catching up with my buddy over a late dinner about some things that has been happening and cherishing in our friendship...finding ourselves a lil different from others...such that we click so well.

anyway by saturday..with 3 appointments..and a last minute change of plans to the HansGrohe warehouse sale (which i think was quite an experience and a very stressful one too). i was telling Ww that by the end of it and spending like almost $1k i was like super duper drained out. so by the time i reached church at 6pm. i felt...drained. just drained. haven't felt that for a long long time. maybe it's the travelling but i took cab everywhere i went, (4 trips and $42). i dunno if it's the appointments that wore me out or the decision to buy the bathroom stuffs. i'm still tired thru the whole morning and afternoon today. sighz...i wished i was more awake to listen and reflect on the sermons but my mind kept falling asleep or drifting off to my work (too many details and arranging appointments).

i need u God.
in my doubled-up tuitions, doubled-up appointments and many ppl i want to meet. i need U. Lord reign in my life...that in the midst of all these, i will love u more, reflect you more, worship you more and me be found by u.

come to think of it i'm looking forward to BKK trip
meimei gave me this list of "things to buy"...with $50.

how possible ah? i'm like going there to be her personal shopper. haa..

sleep.

What an irony

I'm going Bangkok. Free.
(includes air tickets, accomodation and breakfasts)

I wanted to go Bangkok at the exact same time with my gang of friends. but chose to stay behind to save money. and now....whoa. honestly i'm not that 'on' about going bkk anyway. the one with my friends, it's because of friends that i would want to go so much. this trip is a company trip (kinda like a celebration for something anyways) so it's a really leisure trip. an obligated leisure trip.
i'm not to enthusiastic about it coz
1) i will have to spend money while i'm there
2) it is such a short notice
3) too many people (who may go to places and do things i don't really like)
4) it clashes with PnW afternoon on saturday (i'm leaving on saturday night instead of friday night)

i should have said my hubby doesn't like me to go...ahaha..but
1) i would like to spend time with my buddy friend (else she'll be more or less without company..but to also spend time with her)
2) i'll be looking for some useful home stuff like lamp shades (i wonder i to bring these home). gotta make my time useful there. i'm not really intending to shop for clothes much...i haven't had clothes-shopping-mood for a long time le.
3) my boss wouldn't be too happy...(hmm...)

oh whell...a decision made in 1 hr is really stressful. in the end Ww ok, i tell my admin ok, and the airline tickets were booked. too late to back out now.

oh 81' gang is going phuket instead :( i think i would rather go phuket. i'm sick of bkk. but i'll make the most of it ba....by catching up with my readings...i want to read so much!!

What an irony

I'm going Bangkok. Free.
(includes air tickets, accomodation and breakfasts)

I wanted to go Bangkok at the exact same time with my gang of friends. but chose to stay behind to save money. and now....whoa. honestly i'm not that 'on' about going bkk anyway. the one with my friends, it's because of friends that i would want to go so much. this trip is a company trip (kinda like a celebration for something anyways) so it's a really leisure trip. an obligated leisure trip.
i'm not to enthusiastic about it coz
1) i will have to spend money while i'm there
2) it is such a short notice
3) too many people (who may go to places and do things i don't really like)
4) it clashes with PnW afternoon on saturday (i'm leaving on saturday night instead of friday night)

i should have said my hubby doesn't like me to go...ahaha..but
1) i would like to spend time with my buddy friend (else she'll be more or less without company..but to also spend time with her)
2) i'll be looking for some useful home stuff like lamp shades (i wonder i to bring these home). gotta make my time useful there. i'm not really intending to shop for clothes much...i haven't had clothes-shopping-mood for a long time le.
3) my boss wouldn't be too happy...(hmm...)

oh whell...a decision made in 1 hr is really stressful. in the end Ww ok, i tell my admin ok, and the airline tickets were booked. too late to back out now.

oh 81' gang is going phuket instead :( i think i would rather go phuket. i'm sick of bkk. but i'll make the most of it ba....by catching up with my readings...i want to read so much!!

Nice rested weekend

Some belated teachers' day post

this was what i saw when i came home late last thurs...Ww was waiting for me to come back frm MM to show me what all his students gave him for teachers' day. they're so sweet and innovative too...some were quite good artists too! (kids nowadays are getting more and more creative!) i happened to have a medium sized ikea box for him to fill it up with all these presents and cards...and was asking him if i need to buy lots of these boxes for the future teachers day to come. i guess it's not about the presents but the good influence and impact that teachers makes in their students lives that matters most...Ww was saying that he's so touched by all his students and their appreciation he could go on teaching forever.


anyway we both had a good and rested sunday, overslept our afternoon nap (2-7pm) and was late for dinner at my mum's place. i guess we were both so tired...ok...for Ww it was late night chatting with BB officers and me late night chatting and giggling with my meimei. so come sunday, the afternoon nap was all too tempting. after dinner we went to our new place to discuss where all the power points should be, should we re-wire or not? things are moving fast for our new place....