Little Thoughts of Life

Strength

2009-10-07T10:33:00.003+08:00

I am disappointed.

My mind keeps complicating things...the "what-ifs" kept coming back.

But thank God for bringing the right people to encourage and making me laugh again.

Strength is not used to forget what happened, it is used to accept it and move forward.

Another Childhood Memory

2009-08-26T15:13:00.005+08:00

Is it every little girl's dream to be Miss Universe? Much as I would like to deny it, I once had that dream too. Haha. And it was sparked off by the pageant that was held in Singapore (where else?) in 1987.

I was only 9 then (hey. that was the year my bro was born!). The household had just gotten a VCR. A real novelty in those days! I remember I was watching the few taped shows over and over again - Jackie Chan's Drunken Fists etc..and of course, the Miss Universe 1987. There was a Singapore girl in the top 10! What more do you need to make a 9-year old embark on her little beauty queen fantasy? :)

Well, the new Miss Universe 2009 was crowned just 2 days ago. All the girls were gorgeous of course, as they strutted their stuff in flamboyant (and outrageous) national costumes, skimpy bikinis and designer gowns. But over the years, the elegance and the grace of the girls had sadly, in my opinion, received less focus in the competition. Even the competition itself, was rushed and littered with distasteful comments by the em-cees. You just don't feel touched or inspired by the whole thing anymore.

I was surprised that there're a youtube videos on the 1987 competition, including my favourite section. It was fun to see the big hair-dos, heavy make-up and 1980s gowns with shoulder pads (I still remember some of the gowns!). Most memorable part? The little girls dressed in SQ's sarong kebaya and singing "You are my star" as the top 10 finalists made their final walks. After 22 years, I still remember the tune.

And not forgetting: in those days, it was 1-piece swimsuits, not bikinis. :)
Enjoy...our early attempt at international exposure before the days of F1 Night Race and Youth Olympics 2010.

In the name of Science

2009-07-28T14:55:00.003+08:00

When I first laid eyes on this photo, I thought: Kawaii! Cute leh!

Then I read on. This little white mouse's spine was deliberately injured, then injected with blue food colouring (explains the blue) and observed for effects of the dye on treating spinal cord injuries. The mouse was killed 6 weeks after this experiment for further examination. Well, the brave sacrifice of this little mouse did show scientists that blue dye do have some positive effects on spinal cord trauma and the colour goes off in a week. Will this work for humans in future? Or will it be red, yellow or green food colouring that does the final magic?

I suddenly shudder at what we do in the name of science. For full report of this article, it's at National Geographic News

Back to Normal

2009-07-23T11:39:00.003+08:00

I broke down last week, after many weeks of pent-up "act tough" pressure.
The loneliness and the "useless" feelings really got into me. I tried to affirm myself by telling everyone I'm ok and enjoying my time here, but all the time I'm losing control bit by bit.

It is abit silly.
Many people would want to trade places with me.
Being the little housewife in a nice environment. Do whatever I want, no stress.

The logical mind tells me that unemployment rate is high now, and employers naturally want to give priority to residents. With my Masters and experience, I might be over-qualified for many jobs that I've been applying.

The emotional (and ilogical) mind tells me that I'm a failure to face so many rejections and it's silly to study so much when it restricts my employability. Even working in a supermarket needs a permanent visa, which I don't have now because we're still waiting for it.

The now-at-peace mind now tells me to take things easy. We have friends who waited for more than 6 months before landing a job. There are many things coming our way in the next 1-2 years and we might have planned them, but we never know how things will work out. Until we're clearer on our visa status, I guess it is OK to wait patiently. No hurry. Don't let the kiasu Singaporean mindset kick in. :)

Time to move forward in faith.

The Desperate Housewife

2009-07-15T20:59:00.002+08:00

Nowadays

I suddenly get emotional when Hubby asked why I cooked rice for dinner.

I felt that I was not appreciated of the only things I do now....the cooking, baking, cleaning....

I am paranoid about silly things.

I found a hair on Hubby's jacket few days ago.

I insisted it was a blond hair that didn't belong to me though I knew it was mine.

I think I am getting into the desparate housewife mode - longing for attention and affection.

I keep forgetting the hugs and the morning kisses. I keep forgetting the silly things he does just to make me laugh. I keep forgetting the little surprises he makes. I want bigger surprises and actions to justify and affirm my value.

Gosh. This desparate housewife is getting scarier by the minute. No amount of Jeffery Archer and Danielle Steel is going to help. Funny. I didn't turn into Bridezilla 5 years ago, but am on route to become a HouseWife-Manic now. =P

The Tap

2009-07-13T09:37:00.002+08:00

Finally!

After nearly 1 year, my leaky bathroom tap is fixed.

No more ugly pail in the basin!

We asked for the tap to be repaired ages ago.

The plumber came once months ago. But left without fixing the tap because he said "no spare parts". This morning, our house agent finally brought along another plumber to fix it.

Sigh. Even getting a tap fixed need to wait for 1 year. :P

Mails with Meaning

2009-07-10T12:16:00.002+08:00

Got 2 mails in the letterbox 2 days ago.

1 was a rejection letter from UQ for one of the positions that I applied for.

Well, it didn't really come as a surprise. With the unemployment rate going up every week,

I reckon I'm not exactly in the first priority list. Maybe I should just be happy to find some casual job, and concentrate on getting my TESOL cert and preparing for the "mission". Haha.

The other one was a surprise.

The gals back in office sent me a birthday card.

It was just a simple card, but carried lotsa of love and care from the team.

Just writing about this brings tears to my eyes again.

I'm not totally sure now if I just missed them, or also the work. :)

Update

2009-07-01T14:56:00.003+08:00

Ah...

I've been back in Brissy for exactly 1 month now.

Some might say I'm enjoying the tai-tai life, free from the stresses of work.

In week 2, I had withdrawal syndromes.

I was lethargic and don't feel like talking. I just wanted to hide in the house and not go anywhere. My record was 6 days - only went out to church on Sunday.

I missed the chit-chatter of the girls at work. I missed the challenges that I needed to deal everyday. I even missed the hustle and bustle of Singapore city life.

BUT...

It is also a fulfilling experience to be the house-maker.

Time flies fast here. By the time I'm done with some household chores, reading emails and playing restaurant city on Facebook (hee...), it's time for hubby to be back for lunch. After lunch, I make tea, pick up a good book, and the evenings just whizzes by.

I'm well-recovered from the withdrawal syndromes now. Actively looking a job and praying for a good opening that God will place me in. I want to serve in the students' community, and have been concentrating on openings in the Uni. Will see where God leads me.

And I'm back to my cooking sprees. Started baking last week, and made first attempt at making a wintery soup - Butternut squash. Tasted like pumpkin soup...but yummy though! Will try my hands at more soups this winter. Warms the stomach!

What's next? I'm packing for an overnight trip to Stanthorpe with some friends this Fri. It's one of the coldest places in QLD - perfect to taste the bitterness of winter. And when I'm back, it's on to routine job search and enjoying my books again. :)

1 week to go

2009-05-23T09:44:00.002+08:00

Yup. Officially 1 more week before I plant my feet on Brissy soil again.

I pray that it will be a good and fruitful week.

A number of gatherings lined up with friends and colleagues, a wedding to attend and a concert to cheer to.

Haven't started to pack though. Still strategising my luggage space. Haha...

Thanks LY for offering the FedEx box. It will be great help!

Will be spending the whole day at home. Just took out my remaining 2 wisdom tooth(s) yesterday. Now the pain's nearly gone...but nursing a swollen face. Though it's the second time I went through the works, I was still scared stiff at the dentist's chair yesterday. Kind Dr Watt kept asking me if I was ok and if I felt pain - probably he saw that I was clutching my fingers so tightly throughout the whole procedure! Haha. He had a tough time pulling out the 2 little babies...part of the roots were fused with the bones liao. It was not the pain that scared me (actually...no pain at all)..it was the way he pulled at my tooth that worried me alot. :)

But all well's now. And yes, I aim to eat that famous nonya ba zhang by tomorrow. How glut can I be? I already ate durian ice-cream last night. Hahaha. :)

Counting Down...again

2009-05-11T21:32:00.002+08:00

I just have 13 more working days to go.
I'm at that stage where I'm counting down again...

It's a different experience coming back to work this time.
Old friendships blossomed.
New friendships formed.
And I'm grateful for the opportunities - the various big projects that I've been tasked to do despite the uncertainty of my stay.

I will have to miss more people when I leave again this time.
Honestly, I don't know if I'll be back again.
But I know I will cry buckets on 29 May.

And cry another bucket when I see Hubs on 31 May.

Yes. Women are made of tears. :)

L.O.V.E

2009-04-26T18:05:00.003+08:00

She asked. "how you know you love someone"

He answered, "when you wanna see this person becoming the happiest person in the world"

Thank you, for making me the happiest person in the world.

Aaron's Concert 30 May 09

2009-04-21T21:52:00.003+08:00

I'm going!

Ji Hoo Sunbae!

2009-04-18T16:46:00.002+08:00

1 word.

Handsome!

or maybe another word

Charming!

Haha..I'm totally head over heels in love with him after finishing the Korean version F4.

And the wait begins...for the last time?

2009-04-12T21:59:00.002+08:00

I didn't cry at the airport today ok?

I think I cried enough last night. :)

We promised that this will be our last separation.

We promised we will spend these 6 weeks meaningfully.

We promised that we will be happy and look forward to our next phase with excitement.

The wait starts today.

OZ Trip

2009-03-20T23:42:00.004+08:00

It's been 5 days and I'm home-sick.

It was a really really good holiday back in OZ.

Brisbane was like home - especially back to our very own Lissner St.

Sydney was fun - rediscovering the parts of the city we missed last time.

I had abit of in-law overdose though.

Not that they were difficult. In fact, they were the easiest parents to travel with.

But I was under constant pressure to still make sure things are ok for them and of course, to share the son with them. Haha....

The highlight was of course the graduation ceremony.

A set of beeming parents and a gleeful wife watched their son/her husband receive his degree and realise his dream set out more than 10 years ago. It's not only a piece of paper. It's a promise fulfilled.

Things did not go according to plan. We had to go for the working visa because missed PR application by 5 miserable points. Have to clock 1 yr work experience to earn additional 10 points. In a way, good because it lets us evaluate plans again in a year plus.

What's for sure is that I'll be back in Brissy in May/June. This time, I have to put in the letter. People ask me why not no pay leave again? I guess it's time to really be free of moral obligations and pursue what I want. It's sad, because it's like leaving a family. But I know the friendships I've forged will always be there. :)

Be Nice! It's My First Donation

2009-02-18T20:26:00.004+08:00

Whee!

I donated blood for the first time today!

My colleagues very enthusiastically chio-ed me to take part. I bravely tagged along, coz boss said she will make Milo for me when I'm done. Haha...

I had sweaty palms while waiting to go through the registration and queue. I was looking at all the brochures and terms on the registration form to find a valid reason to back out. It didn't help much when the other 2 were talking about the thick needles and the amount of blood they were going to take.

Finally it was my turn. The nurse started to take out that "blood bag" and all the needles. Jess was nice...she started making alot of jokes to distract me. The first jab was the anesthetic. Didn't feel a thing! The second jab was the thick needle. Didn't feel a thing either! Once the needle was in, oh, did the blood flow! Haha...

I was done in about 10 minutes. And no, there wasn't a layer of oil floating on top because of my hidden fats. Haha...

I'm a convert!

Received with Love

2009-02-09T20:38:00.003+08:00

He came early!

Thank you dear!

The simple message inside the card speaks loads.

I love you too.

Watch Your Language

2009-02-07T18:00:00.003+08:00

I don't normally blog about people who pisses me off.
But this has hit my limits.

I was at SMU early this morning for the gruelling 3-hour IELTS test. Yes, the English proficiency test that one has to take if want to go Australia to stay or work or study. Well, since we're putting in the application for PR, I have to do it.

After the test, I was in the lift with a bunch of people.
The group of PRCs started complaining about the test.
One particularly loud one said something about applying for scholarships and ended her sentence with "什么狗屁李显龙奖学金“ Those who don't understand the Chinese characters, it roughly means "Lee Hsien Loong scholarship is like dog fart (direct translation)".

At first I was shocked. Then I was really furious. These people come here, take our places in Unis, take our jobs, and make these comments when our government supports them with scholarships. Who are they to make such degrading comments about our PM?!! If they look down on our scholarships and country, don't come here!

I shot her a murderous look and her friends caught the signal and notioned her to stop. If mum didn't message me at that exact moment, I would probably have lashed out at her. Pardon me from being crude, but I felt like kicking her in the ass right there and then.

I know many PRCs are nice folks and likes SG for what it is. But there are certainly black sheep like that loud-mouth who makes it real tough for us to accept them into our homeland. I'm not targeting at PRCs at large. Just those who come here just to take advantage of our benefits and have no appreciation or allegiance to the hand that feeds them.

Argh!

Red Reminder

2009-02-05T21:09:00.002+08:00

I saw an envelope with red contents on my table just now.
I thought what it could be because mum settles the utility bills and credit card companies don't issue red bills (and i cleared last month's accounts already).

It turned out to be a reminder to do a MOM survey on employment and educational upgrading of graduates.
So pissed off! Don't they know it is so rude to send a red reminder? Come on! I don't exactly owe you money!

As an act of defiance, I will continue to ignore the survey. No amount of lucky draw is going to entice me to put in my answers.

HUGE sigh of relief

2009-02-04T21:06:00.002+08:00

I must blog this to remind myself.
NEVER ever bring work documents out of office without a proper bag.

I went for an external meeting yesterday and had to bring some documents of course.
Vanity took over practicality meant I carried a small bag + 1 file.
After the meeting, I went to a shopping centre nearby to search for a colleague's present.
I bought the gift, happy with a good buy, went home WITHOUT the file.

And by the time I realised, it was 11pm at night.
I spent a sleepless and nightmarish night thinking how the contents could fall into
some kaypo netizen and published overnight in all SG blogs. The entire public service, and my company will be put into shame and the public will question about how public officers protect confidentiality of information. I imagined the scenarios that I will be given a disciplinary letter, then handing in my resignation letter - all because of a shopping trip.

I called the shopping centre on the dot when they opened their doors.
THANK GOD that a kind soul has left the file at the cashier.
I practically jumped.

p.s: my boss laughed at my creativity in conjuring those negative scenarios.

New Year, New Expectations

2009-01-25T17:13:00.002+08:00

Today's CNY eve.

It'll be the first CNY in 12 years that we are apart. And in 2 weeks time, the first Valentines' away from each other too.

But I thank God for a wonderful 4 weeks that you're back.

We had fun exploring Changi.

Celebrated Christmas.

Lazed and feasted at Bintan for NYE.

Being Singaporean and shop @ Jurong Point.

Attended gatherings and a wedding.

Enjoyed kopi and teh-c on weekends at Wamphoa Market.

Finished a HK TV series.

You're back for a week now.

3.5 weeks to go and I'll be back at Lissner Street.

Be sure to clean the house and dust my Tiggers before I reach ok?

It's going to be a year of change and excitment.
We have made plans, we leave it in His hands.
There are decisions to be made, we rely on His wisdom to guide us.

Happy NIU year dear!

Crab Again!

2008-12-14T13:50:00.003+08:00

We went to the supposedly famous Crab Bee Hoon restaurant at AMK yesterday since L's frens from Hong Kong were here for a short holiday.

The crab was 2KG and the claw was as big as my face! Woo!

The bee hoon was indeed very very yummy. All the goodness and richness of the crab went into the soup. Heavenly.

PAP Taxi Uncle

2008-12-06T12:03:00.004+08:00

I was too lazy to take the bus from SIR building (yes, I finally got down to replacing my new IC upon the 30-year old mark), so got on a cab since it was just a short trip to home.

The uncle greeted me with real gusto and offered many alternatives on how I can get home. To me, the fastest way is the best way for my pockets. Well, we eventually decided on the most logical way and went by Balestiar Road.

Then he started.

First he asked me what I would want PM to change if I get to meet him - to make the lives of young Singaporeans better. To humour him, I said less work stress.

Then he launched into his theories of hard work and equal opportunities, how SM came from average family, worked his way up and how everyone has a chance here. How wonderful PAP is doing for us and how I should encourage my children to work hard also and contribute to society. Don't even try to talk "opposition" to him. Opposition means anything also object - no real use to the running of the country.

The 10 minute ride became a pro-PAP talk. Even when I already agreed with him that everything's fine now and PAP is doing a good job.

Thank God it was only 10 minutes. =)

I drink soup...

2008-12-05T20:18:00.002+08:00

when i miss you.

i made herbal chicken soup for dinner today.

i know you don't like to drink soup..but always humour me by obediently finishing the soup whenever i'm into the soup mood and whipped up a whole pot.

12 days more!

you wanna drink soup? =)

Dreams Do Come True

2008-11-30T14:01:00.002+08:00

I was clutching my fists as you checked your results yesterday.
I could hear the clicking of the mouse over skype...and when you told me
you cleared everything, I cried.

Tears of joy.
After 9 years of hard work, you've done it dear.
Only the last step to take the professional exam and you can get your "potato chop" and be a full fledged architect.
Yes, you took a longer route. But I never doubted you.
And I'm so proud of you, for being able to sustain your passion for so long. Your perseverance and determination was our impetus for living a life different from our peers.

I'm excited now.
No matter what plans God has for us next year, I know it will be good.
It will be truly a new phase of our lives.

Dreams do come true.
Dare to pursue them.

Honeymoon's Over

2008-11-24T21:09:00.003+08:00

My personal trainer started me on serious training today, after all those conditioning sessions.
It was tough!
Now I understand why those people in the gym need to yell and shout to push themselves.
I can foresee myself doing that soon. :(

My legs are so weak at the end of the session that I had to take taxi home.
My shoulders are so tired that I had difficulty lifting my arms to go thru my beauty regime (cleanse, wash, miracle water and anti-wrinkle cream).
Mum ask me why I'm walking like a duck.

I still have 6 sessions with him.
Either I break or I conquer.

Luxury Stay @ Fairmont

2008-11-02T16:05:00.005+08:00

Mum and I were very blessed on Fri. Her colleague gave her a free night's stay at Fairmont Hotel (former Westin Stamford) at City Hall.

Mum initially told me over the phone it was Raffles Hotel. Made me soooo happy. But it turned out to be Fairmont, coz to her, every hotel in that vicinity is raffles hotel. Haha. Well, still a 5 star hotel. Still a blessed gift. :)

The room was nice and cosy, and the bathroom was big. I love the thick bathrobes and the nice touch of putting a little card telling us the weather for the next day. Mum and I went to get a big bottle of foam bath from Marks and Spencer. It was heavenly soaking in the bubbly bath and listening to symphony music piped into the bathroom.

We had fish head curry for dinner coz Mum had the Raffles Hotel gourmet card. Original price was $50 bucks, but we only paid $25. The waiter looked at us when he served the curry. He laughed and told us to take our time eating it...coz it was HUGE! Hee....

I Miss These Days

2008-10-28T21:22:00.004+08:00

Went to NTUC just now.

First time doing grocery shopping after nearly 2 months.

Instinctly, picked up brocoli, carrots, mushrooms and pears.

Then chicken drumstick, canned tuna and crackers.

Lao Gong

You remember these are the staples that we buy almost every week?

I miss doing grocery shopping with you..with our little green bags to Coles and Woolies - comparing prices, stocking up on toilet paper, controlling ourselves not to buy (too much) bacon and chocolates.

I look forward to these days again.

These things make me smile

2008-10-26T12:19:00.003+08:00

I had the time today to go through my treasure boxes.

2 boxes full of letters, cards, notes, autograph books that I've accumulated since Pri. Sch.

From the friendship poems "roses are red, violets are blue.." to the encouraging verses from youth group mates, each piece has captured a snap shot of my life. I'm thankful for all these memories and thankful for every friend who took their time to hand-make me beautiful cards and to write me meaningful words.

These are indeed my treasures. In this age of emails and ecards, I seldom receive a card or letter by the mail (except for wedding invitations nowadays!). The aged pieces that I now keep will perharps be antiques in their own time.

I remember the silly things that I did so many years ago.

The nicknames, the "hobbies", the places that I went.

Each memory brought a smile to my face.

And these are the things that matter to me most. :)

Fun Day Out

2008-10-12T21:13:00.004+08:00

Had a long Sat out.

Started with tennis session in the morning. Well, that in reality, only lasted for about 30 mins as I learnt how to serve and catch 1 or 2 balls here and there. Rest of the time I was in the gym running. Hee..

Then we went KTV. I'm hopeless at singing..yet still go KTV. Dunno what's wrong with me. :) But we went on Mamma Mia Mania that day. Look at all the ABBA songs we selected!

Then we went for nice dinner at Fisherman's Wharf @ Clarke Quay. Nice, fresh, fish and chips.

And that's where I supposedly became the clown of the day.

LY gave a birthday present to SZ. It was a flower that grows out of a metal can.

Someone said the metal can got the scent of the flower.

I took a sniff. Come on! Where got?? Only the scent of the metallic can!

That's when the 3 of them burst of laughing, saying that how can one smell metal, and they started getting all their drink cans and asking me to differentiate. Some friends they are.

After the metal can saga, we went to Settlers' Cafe.

Had hilarious time playing some silly games. We love the jurassic park game and the slamwich game. Also played the ghost game, monkey tree game and the real estate game. Made alot of noise..but everyone else did the same.

Girls' Day Out @ Batam Spa

2008-09-21T18:11:00.004+08:00

We went to a nice little spa (http://batamspavilla.com/) at Batam last Sat. It's actually in a resort and the treatment rooms are built right on the water (like a kelong). The service was good and so was the massage. I was quite impressed that their jacuzzi were all new and clean, and big enough for 4 of us to be in it at 1 go. Only drawback was that it was too near Singapore. You look out to the sea during your massage and you see the CBD skyline. But well, nothing is perfect. :)

@ Harbourfront Ferry Terminal

after 30 mins of ferry ride, we were chaffeured to this resort

the long pavement towards the spa huts

where we had our 60-min neck & shoulder massage. the seats were all sea -facing

the very big jacuzzi.....

where we had our full body massage...

the package includes a decent lunch. the green tub contains the rice....and it was nearly filled!

Crab & Clinic

2008-09-08T21:38:00.004+08:00

Went for crab feast on Sat. Thanks SZ for your generous treat! The other 3 "feasters" very the win lor. Order so much food but eat so little. One by one go and wash hands. So it's up to me to clean the plate.

Just one look you can see the "agony" I went through:

After the crab feast, we went to a clinic. Not that anyone of us stuffed ourselves sick, but this is a lounge @ Clarke Quay.

The furnishings were modeled after a hospital - complete with wheelchairs, metal "beds" with grey cushions and operation lights. The signature cocktails come in drip packets, syringes or milk bottles. Even the staff were drapped in green hospital garb.

The lounge is called "C-Clinic". Very chic name and idea. The price also very high class. One packet of drip costs $50 bucks!

New Office Life

2008-09-03T20:00:00.004+08:00

1 Sep was a very auspicious day for me to start work. It was IRAS day, celebrating our 60th year of tax administration and 16th year as a stat. board.

So everyone was in celebrative mood! A day of watching live webcast of the celebrations at auditorium, taking souvenir photos, and not doing work! Haha.

And everyone got a 2GB Creative Zen MP4 player. How cool is that!

(We couldn't resist taking photo with this pretty balloon sculpture)

Have been catching up with old colleagues these 3 days. Lotsa things have changed. Work, people, environment. I love my office now. After the make-over, the whole building is brighter and cheerier, with nice colours; break-out corners and very professional looking reception areas for visitors.

My boss comes back tomorrow from her leave. Guess that's the end of my honeymoon period!

Back in SG

2008-08-31T08:46:00.002+08:00

Had a good sleep last night. Mum bought me those egronomic pillows supposedly to enhance sleep. Guess I was just very tired. :)

I was a brave girl yesterday. Only cried at the departure gate. It's a massive improvement from 2 years back! Maybe the alcohol Hubs made me drink during our wait really did help to calm my nerves.

The warm humid Singapore air greeted me as I stepped out of the airport and the sneezing begins! I'll have to clean out the room over this week for the sake of my poor nose. I miss the clear air in Brissie!

I'm not going to think of counting down to Hub's return at year end. Sounds too pessimistic. I am going to look forward to new phases in my life from this point onwards. For now, we promised each other that we will be happy in our "freedom" for this short period. I will enjoy my work, my time with mum, bro and friends. He will enjoy his final leg of his studies.

I guess I can say, I'm a happier girl today than yesterday!

Righto, off to have a haircut and crazy shopping to prepare for work tomorrow, followed by dinner with the gals to celebrate MP's birthday.

Anniversary Trip @ Whitsundays

2008-08-28T18:02:00.008+08:00

We splashed on our anniversary this year...literally, at the Whitsundays - 74 islands in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef. Only 8 of these islands are inhabited, and we managed to visit 5 of them.

Day 1
Arrived at Airlie Beach around 3 plus and by the time we checked into our accommodation, Waters Edge Apartments, we were sooo really hungry. So down we went to the main street and stocked up on instant noodles, juice and pizza to last us through the night. Olympics was still on..so there's loads to stay up for. :)

Day 2
Woke up bright and early for our trip to Whitsunday Island, where the famed Whitehaven Beach is. Things didn't start too well though...the guys forgot about our booking and the boat went off without us. But thank god they weren't too far out when we called. So they turned around the picked us up...nearly an hour late. Surprisingly, we weren't the least annoyed. Maybe the beautiful environment made us felt really gooood.

After a choppy 2 hour boat ride (thank god for sea-sick pills), we reached the Whitehaven Beach and a local resident, a cute turtle, popped its head out of the crystal clear waters to say hello. This beach is made up of 99.4% pure silica. Means, it is near white sands and makes funny squeaky sounds when you walked on them.

Next stop was a nice little bay off Hook Island for snorkelling. The visibility was good as we got closer to shore. There were really pretty soft corals - purple, green, yellow and red, and teeming with schools of fishes. We had a good time, albeit we found it too short. The rest of the group weren't the snorkelling type, so by the time only 2 of us were out in the water, we were called back earlier. It's a pity.

The ride back was horrendous. The waves were high and our little boat rocked like roller coaster and those who know me well, should know that this is my worst nightmare. The sea-sick pills worked wonders. If not, I would have left an ugly trail in the waters. Hee...

Day 3
It was another long day on the waters as we island-hopped. First to Long Island, then to Hamilton Island before stopping at Daydream Island for lunch. On the way back, we had a short stop by South Molle Island. Not too bad, 4 islands in one day, despite the short shower of rain in the morning.

Day 4
We had almost half a day before our flight, so we went another round at the main streets of Airlie Beach, and yes, I had my jam and scones for brunch. Yum! We had a pleasant surprise when a looong limo came to pick us up to the airport. Posh end to our trip!

The story of "red and black"
The red came from an insect bite I had onboard the plane. It was REALLY painful. I didn't even see what insect it was. I just crushed it to bits under my pants and saw 2 bite holes. For the next 3 days, the swelling was red, itchy and the size of my fist.

The black came from the nasty bump I had onboard the boat. Remember the horrendous boat ride on the first day? We were changing seats to avoid being drenched by the waves, but I knocked my leg against the seat and got a big bruise as a momento.

Finally, our story
I went on this trip with mixed feelings. Yes, it's a celebration of our 11 years of courtship and marriage. But it's also a "farewell" trip for me. It'll be nearly 4 months before Hubs will be home for Christmas. I jokingly told Hubs that maybe if we had a big fight before I fly, we will not miss each other so much. Nah....

I'm grateful that we are able to spend so much time together for the past 2 years. We've laughed most of the time except on rare occassions when we fought over silly stuff. It's a precious period that we will both miss as we prepare ourselves for the next phases in our lives.

4 Sep 1997 to 4 Sep 2008....for now. Looking forward to more.

Home is where the heart is

2008-08-22T18:00:00.002+08:00

This time next week, I'll be packing my bags to go home.

Home? It's confusing for me to say this word now.

I do have a home in OZ. And is a home that I treasure very much.
Not that the property belongs to us, but every piece of furniture, decoration and nick nacks were placed by our very own hands. We laughed at our IKEA and KMart furnishings that we love alot. We've had very nice gatherings here and is a place filled with laughter, peace and joy. It's a little piece of earthly heaven that Hubs and I have built over the past 2 years. So if you ask me, yes, I am sad to now have to leave this home and head back to Singapore.

There's a home there as well. My mum, bro, and my closest friends. Nothing can ever change that and I missed them dearly.

So now I have 2 places that I call home. And that's where my heart will stay.

Onboard the MV Doulos

2008-08-20T10:18:00.009+08:00

The MV Doulos: World's Oldest Ocean-Going Passenger Ship

Was in Brisbane for her final voyage around the world before her glorious journey ends in 2010. Her life began in 1914 as the SS Medina, a steam cargo vessel carrying onions. In 1948, she was transformed into the Roma to carry migrants from Italy to Australia. Next, she turned into the Franca C in 1952, a luxury cruise liner for passengers. Her most notable phase started in 1977 when a German charity "Good Books for All" saved her from the scrapyard and modified her into the Doulos that we see today.

Given the age of Doulos (94 this year), our guide said something at the beginning of the tour, "They say even God can't sink the Titanic. We say only God can keep Doulos afloat."
Since 1977, MV Doulos has visited 104 different countries with more than 20 million visitors. 350 volunteers from 50 countries work onboard to serve as her crew: doctors, nurses, engineers, deckhands, kitchen helpers, laundry assistants - all you need is a willing heart and a pair of hands and they will train you.

"Doulos" is a Greek word for "Servant". The Douloids (ship crew) see themselves as servants of God, bringing hope, knowledge and help to the people of the world. As we toured the ship, listening to the stories of the ship and her crew, walking along the aged decks and planks, it's like walking into history itself. This is as close as you get to Titanic.

But what touched me was more was the spirit of the crew whom we met during the tour. Many of them were professionals in their own way. They committed themselves to serve, and humbly took up jobs that are dirty, mundane. Imagine working in a hot kitchen everyday, peeling potatoes and preparing 1000 meals a day, ironing clothes for the entire 350 crew or getting greasy hands maintaining the engines. Yet, everyone of them had so much joy and peace. They were there to serve the people, and they are happy about it.

Well, the MV Doulos is scheduled to be in Singapore from 17 Nov to 8 Dec. Apart from going to the famed book fair onboard, it's a must to simply take the tour and soak up the experience. Here's the link to their website: MV Doulos

The "multi-cultural door"

A menu from the Franca C - luxury liner (1952-1977)

Mei and I with our tour guide, Hi-Me. He's from the Phillippines

One of the 6 life-boats onboard

In the Captain's Deck. These 2 magnetic compasses are still in use!

They replace the wooden wheel with this "modern" one

That's the actual Captain's hat!

The book fair

Your Graduation

2008-08-13T17:31:00.004+08:00

12 August 2008

A milestone to remember.

You are a step closer to your dreams.

Only 10 more weeks to go.

I believe you will put your all into it and in 6 more months,

we'll be back again for the second graduation.

I'm so proud of you.

Happy 43rd Birthday Singapore

2008-08-09T20:24:00.002+08:00

Today's National Day and as usual, we stayed home and watched the near perfect (couple of still frames here and there) NDP webcast. We sang the national anthem, recited the pledge and chorused along with the nostalgic NDP songs of "Count on Me Singapore", "Stand Up for Singapore", "We are Singapore" and "One People, One Nation".

There was a section where a video clipped showed what this little island went through and achieved in the mere 43 years. From a fishing village, to a bustling cosmopolitan city. It's just amazing watching those historic images.

After living overseas for 2 years, people ask me what changed most for me. It would definitely would be having a renewed sense of appreciation for the things that I have taken for granted for so many years. Indeed, I still complain about the rising living costs, still sarcastic about the million dollar salaries our top civil servants are getting, still unhappy about the work stress and lack of work-life balance.

But amidst all this, Home is still where my family and friends are, and the freedom of walking the streets without fear; the hustling and bustling of food courts and markets; the diversity of cultures; and the years of memories. Even just by looking at the beautiful nightscape of Marina Bay and the CBD, it brings waves of thanksgiving and praise for the place that I will always call Home.

Am I proud to be a Singaporean? Always.

Friends Day

2008-07-29T10:12:00.003+08:00

What a day it was!

First, MP told me her gym pal is my primary school classmate.

Then, through this classmate, I found my primary school best friend!

She's so near in Sydney and we hated that we didn't find each other sooner.

She was looking for me this year after she looked through the autographs and letters we wrote..nearly 18 years ago!

Amazing how God works...

How do you catch up on each other's lives after 18 years? LOADS.

In the evening, we were doing grocery shopping and met an old OCF mate.

So much to catch up...and we ended up cooking dinner at my place and had a fantastic fellowship.

So that's how it was yesterday. FRIENDS.

and

YES! WE'RE GOING! 23-26 AUGUST. GREAT BARRIER REEF HERE WE COME!

Other Countdowns...

2008-07-25T08:39:00.005+08:00

Nearly 1 week had passed and I'm still reminising the wonderful 3 weeks that I spent around QLD and Melbourne. Last night there was an advert on one of the TV stations where they shot beautiful scenery across QLD. I realised....that I've been to most! Haha...no regrets liao.

And folks, I'll be back home on 30 Aug. Made the heart-pain booking for flight SQ236 at a cost of AUD747. One-way! And this is considered low-season. Abit of day-light robbery here. :(

I'm now spending my time doing lotsa reading (which I doubt I will have time to do once I'm back @ work) and will be embarking on my Final Fantasy4 quest on my DS. And still have to complete Lego Indiana Jones with hubby. And counting down to....

1) 12 Aug

Hubby's getting his first degree! And his graduation ceremony is on 12 Aug. This came as a surprise to us last week. The long and short of it was that the uni. restructured the archi. program and decided to award 2 degrees to existing students instead of 1. We were full of gratitute and amazement for God's timing because if Hubby had came a year earlier, he would have missed this opportunity.

2) XXX Aug

We decided to celebrate our 4th anniversary earlier because I'll be home on 4 Sep (no choice. can't risk being an illegal over-stayer coz visa ends on 30 aug). And I am tempting hubby to go to my dream beach resort - Whitsunday Islands @ Great Barrier Reef.

Hubs: If you are reading this. Imagine we can be soaking our feet here.....

(and we could take a helicopter ride to the heart reef....aw...so romantic! hahaha)

And we could be staying in this resort with views like this

SO HOW?? :)

Graduation Pics

2008-07-21T12:20:00.005+08:00

16 July 2008 : another milestone in my life

They printed my name wrongly on the cue card for em-cee to read my name! And yes, that's my dis-pleasured face.

Had lots of time before the ceremony to take photos

Me and my buddies after the ceremony - with the scroll and transcript

I'm happy that I've finished what I started. Regardless of the endless assignments, chimology articles and heart-stopping exams, I persevered and am proud to get my degree. It's a different feeling from what I felt when I graduated from NTU nearly 8 years ago. I really had a sense of acheivement this time.

Now that I'm done with studying, next step is to prepare myself for a new phase @ work. Will be returning home on 30 Aug, and maybe starting work on 1 Sep. This remaining month will be precious time to spend with hubby before our 4-mth separation.

Travel Afterthoughts

2008-07-21T12:09:00.004+08:00

Time really flies when you are having fun.
3 weeks have past and all my kakis are now back in Singapore.

Explored many parts of QLD that I've not been able to do so in the past 2 years.
And of course, had a most wonderful trip to Melbourne.

There are many things you can discover about your friends during holiday trips.
Makes you understand them more and appreciate them more.

More importantly, thanks to MF, MP and SY who visited me and hubby at our humble home. Brissy isn't the top holiday destination spot I know. We are truly touched by your willingness to fly here and spend time with us. We had a great time with you guys. Hope you did too! :)

With MF @ St Kilda Beach, Melbourne

With the girls @ Surfers Paradise

Next stop - Melbourne!

2008-07-04T09:04:00.003+08:00

Had a real hectic but fun week touring Queensland.

The most wonderful part was going to Fraser Island - a world heritage protection place and the world's largest sand island. Just one photo to show how beautiful the water is.

Too many photos to load now, will do so when I find some time.

Next stop - Melbourne.

Leaving tomorrow and back on Fri night. And..continue Queensland tour Part II with MP and SY.

Yipee!

UQ Graduate, I am

2008-07-03T17:21:00.003+08:00

Folks. I did it. Graduation's right on schedule on 16 July, 6pm. :)

The Little Tour Agent

2008-06-17T15:39:00.002+08:00

12 more days till MF arrives.

25 more days till SY and MP arrive.

Exciting!!!

Been busy these few days looking at tour brochures and websites...to make sure I get the best deals. My credit card's going to have a BIG STATEMENT this month, with all the hotel and tour bookings. I think I really enjoy co-ordinating the trips. Haha...can consider changing job to a tour agent!

It'll be all play and no work from 29 June to 20 July! Woo-hoo!!

it beckons....

2008-06-12T17:46:00.002+08:00

in another 3 hours and 7 mins, i'll be stepping into another phase of my life

yes

i'm a coward towards wrinkles, grey hairs and shrivelled kneecaps

i dun wan tomorrow to come

I Did It!

2008-06-08T15:52:00.003+08:00

Pages: 58

Words: 13,434

I submitted my final report.

Yes. I'm really finished with my course.

REALLY.

WOO-HOO!!!!

Rain rain go away

2008-06-02T18:55:00.003+08:00

where's the sun??

it's been raining non-stop for the past 5 days
and there are no signs of it stopping
good news is, the dams might be up to 40% from their current 15%

bad news are...
my laundry have been damp for 2 days
i feel cold and eat alot
i feel like sleeping every 2 hours
i fell down outside the mall today
and clumsily landed on my butt. OUCH.
now nursing a blue-black butt. OUCH OUCH.

End of the Journey...nearly

2008-05-29T18:08:00.004+08:00

I went for my last class today. Well, technically speaking.Tomorrow's just going to class to support my classmates for their presentations. I finished mine last week.

2 years! It's a really good break. Have met some good friends and killed many many trees in the process (for the readings and assignments that I printed out)

Nearly reaching the end now.Submitting the final research report on 9 June..then if everything goes smoothly, graduation on 16th July.

Have not pondered..no time for reflections yet. But yes, I feel sad that my student status is soon to be gone.Going back to be that office lady once more. But I think the greatest change is, I will take things easy this time. Aussie way. :)

See how I've "grown"! Not physically of course! Haha.

My first semester in 2006. My very first presentation.

The handsome poster boy is actually our lecturer!

My second semester in 2007. This is the Presenting Science class, where we had to organize an actual event to "teach" science to the public

Last semester, 2008. Taken today with Charles, our event management lecturer

The Sexiest Profession

2008-05-26T08:14:00.003+08:00

Dunno how true is this. But I know for that architect-to-be in my house, he could lose a few pounds around the waist to be even sexier. Hahaha.

Donut Crazy

2008-05-25T13:09:00.003+08:00

We finally had the chance to buy our favourite donuts yesterday. The queue was un-ending! But was worth the wait...as usual. 6 is not enough. We bought a dozen. Only 4 left now. Hee...

These sugary babes are just addictive! You dun even need to use strength to bite. They simply melt in your mouth. I was telling hubby that next time our kids could probably feed on these instead of baby food. Hahaha...

Ain't I the best spokesperson for Krispy Kreme. :)

Cupcakes!

2008-05-22T18:13:00.004+08:00

I got inspired by G last night.

Yah lah, you keep asking me about baking stuff.

Made my heart itchy itchy.

So decided to make cupcakes today.

The cakes turned out ok, but realised I'm not made out to be an artist.

Hands not steady enough to make the deco real nice.

But it's fun! Think I'll experiment more with cupcakes in future.

I already have all the tools anyway. Haha...

You jump, I jump

2008-05-20T08:10:00.000+08:00

This ad is hilarious!!

Attack of the Toilet Rolls

2008-05-17T13:07:00.005+08:00

18 + 12 + 6 + 6 + 6 = 48

48 rolls of toilet rolls. One roll per week = 11 months worth of supply.

Even everyday lao sai also enough. Hahahahaha.

I don't think there is another even more kiasu couple around.

Choc Chip Muffins

2008-05-12T16:11:00.004+08:00

What to do when you are hungry and it's another 3 hours before hubby comes home for dinner?

Bake muffins! It took me just 10 mins to fix up the ingredients and pop them into the oven. 20 mins later, they're ready for a fantastic tea-break munch (and prob tomorrow's breakfast as well. Hee....) This is the simplest, fuss-free, no cry-over-failed-baking recipe I have. Haha...like so proud.

* 1 muffin is missing...coz I too hungry. must eat 1 before have energy to take photos.

A light note

2008-05-08T08:51:00.002+08:00

Will be returning my keys today.
They found a new girl and could release me earlier.
I only realised how heavy the key was when I took it off the key chain.
Now my key chain feels so much lighter.
Just like my mood. :)

And yup, the photo got selected by Schmap. It's now available for viewing under Sydney Fish Market. Happy.

My Last Trip....

2008-05-06T11:39:00.005+08:00

to Gold Coast as a student!

i doubt i will make any other trips there before MF, MP and SY arrives in Jun/Jul.

and my student pass expires on 20 Jun!!

next trip i will pay the adult fare liao...twice the amount shown in these tickets! (if it's too small, student fare is $4.20 for one way)

but well, we had a good weekend.

got a nice room with ocean view.

and yes, i got to eat my scones for breakfast.

we also got cheap deals at harbourtown!

i love my espirit bags. 10 bucks each!

well, it's not fair for me to do all the shopping..ain't it?

the espirit jacket is for hubs...only 19.90..down from 119!!

Happy Birthday Bro

2008-04-30T08:23:00.002+08:00

Gosh, you turn 21 today.

I still remember the first time I saw you in the plastic "cot" at KK just hours you were born.
It was so exciting to have a little brother...until the times when you became that little monster, always getting on my nerves.

Now you have grown up to be the young man that we can all be proud of.
I know you have your own ideas of what you want to do. Remember that despite of all the nagging, we will support you (IF the decisions are not too outrageous lah!).

Getting the "key" today doesn't mean you have all the freedom to do whatever you like.
It means opening up the door to greater responsibilities. Use this key well and continue to believe in what God has planned for you. Be bold and chase your dreams.

Love,
your sis who can't afford to give u a car..yet (haha).

Cold Feet & Hot Donuts

2008-04-29T17:53:00.002+08:00

I'm having cold feet. Literally.
The weatherman's reported that it's going to hit 3 deg in Ipswich (1 hour drive from here).
Me toes are cold!
Hope the winter's not going to be too harsh...

Some good (and hot!) news though...Krispe Kreme opens it's very first branch here today! In the city! Yippee! Now no need to fly to Sydney for these yummy donuts.
Definitely better than Donut Factory back home. Trust me. ;)

Nice Talk

2008-04-29T11:58:00.002+08:00

Was "hijacked" by an 80-yr old lady on my way to the groceries just now.
She started off by commenting that the traffic lights were slow.
Then as we crossed the road, she started talking about her plans for the day.
Then she started talking about her dentist, her husband in the nursing home,
her son who conducts an orchestra, her daughter in UK, her Taiwanese friend...
Think she would have poured out her life to me if there's the chance. Hahaha.
And all these took place for nearly 15 mins infront of the 7-11 store..with hoards of lunch-time crowd around us.

Gosh...why do I only attract the old ladies and gentlemen?
When would a Orlando Bloom or Matt Damon look alike chat up to me like that???

P.S: explored the newly korean supermarket up the street. not too bad! prices are reasonable too. treated myself to green tea ice-cream from the shop. would have bought more, but i don't have enough cash with me and they don't take EFTPOs (NETs lah). will go there again!

Impulse. I like

2008-04-28T21:45:00.003+08:00

We decided to go Gold Coast this weekend.
Coz Labour Day on Mon. So no work and can take a break.
Easy. Asked Hub for the credit card, then make booking at our favourite hotel.
Not likely to shop much, coz most shops will closed anyway.
Just want to have a cuppa and scone by the beach in the morning.
The freedom of just doing something when we want to.
I like.

R & R

2008-04-24T14:06:00.002+08:00

I guess my earlier post scared alot of you. Sorry to make you guys worry about me.

I'm ok now. Have quited from that job and thus am Relieved. I no longer have that pressure to keep up and try to be someone I am not. I am much happier now. I did not realised how stressed I was working there, until I know that I have only 2 more shifts to go and with that came a sense of freedom. I cannot slang like the Australians . I grew up speaking Singlish and there is nothing wrong with that. :)

With only 6 more weeks to go, I am Recharged. To really stick my butt on the chair and start writing proper. I wished the words would multiply themselves. But I know they won't lah. So it's hard work. Abit regretting my choice of taking up this longer version, instead of just doing the 6,000 word version. But it's too late now! Have to bite through and complete the deed!

Discouraged, yet again

2008-04-20T15:59:00.005+08:00

I don't know if this is the sign that I prayed for.
I don't know if this is the door that God is closing.
I don't know if I could ever speak the way they expect me to.
I don't know if I can withstand any of such discouragements again.

I do know I am beginning to have doubts on my abilities.

D&D

2008-04-18T09:10:00.002+08:00

Dates & Decisions

16 July - convocation

30 August - end of visa

It's been nearly 2 months since I applied for the visa extension. It finally came today.
What I didn't expect was the rush of emotions that came with it.

Do I go back to work and spend some time with mum and bro?
Do I stay here, possibly do nothing, but be with Hub?

My heart is now pulling from 2 ends of a string...
My eyes look towards Him..waiting.

Will it? Will it not?

2008-04-16T15:53:00.002+08:00

Hubby posted our Sydney trip photos on Flickr. He got an email today from an online map guide: Schmap , requesting for approval to use one of our photos in their guide for Sydney Fish Market.

Haha...but only in the short-listing stage lah. Not sure if it is eventually going to be included in the guide. But already happy to be short-listed lah.

BECAUSE I TOOK THE PHOTO. hehe...

Flopped Attempt

2008-04-15T14:02:00.004+08:00

My pandan cake came out flat. Not the least bit like chiffon cake. More like pandan kweh.

Very sad. This is the first baking attempt that I've failed. And failed so badly that I don't even want to post pictures here. And I burnt my 2 little fingers in the process...adding to the misery.

Mixed Berry Cheesecake Brownie

2008-04-08T14:43:00.004+08:00

Today weather cold cold...think Autumn's finally here. Hub and I were thinking...if start of autumn is like that, we don't dare imagine how winter will be like. But we could guess that it will be harsher than last year.

So..to beat the cold, I baked today. The oven did warm up the house abit. (:

It didn't look like a brownie...looked more like a cake. But there's always this sense of satisfaction when you start mixing the flours from scratch and end up with something edible (and presentable!) Hee...

The berries don't look exactly yummy like that...but they taste good with the brownie. A tinge of sourness that complements the cheese and chocolate. Yummy...

P.S. I had 2 more spidey encounters..all in the same day! I was cleaning some stuff at work yesterday, and out jumped a spidey the size of a 50-cent coin. I drowned it in baygon. An hour later, I saw another one on the wall..smaller, about 10-cent coin. Drowned it in baygon too. Baygon is definitely better than Mortein!!! I used so much baygon that my entire desk stink of it...and had to use alot of orange-scented Mr Muscle to douse the smell! Hahaha...

I seriously wonder why these little buggers like to ka-cheow me so much!!

Spider Panic

2008-04-01T08:02:00.004+08:00

I was collecting my laundry at the balcony yesterday when I saw this:

I let out a gasp. Hubby heard and came out. He jumped when I pointed in the direction and he came face to face (nearly) with this:

There is only one thing to do.

Take out the Mortein Spider Control. And spray. Spray like no tomorrow. It took nearly half a bottle and close to 10 minutes before it curled up..presumably, died. Still hanging on a strand of web.

Courtesy of online spider enthusiasists (eeks), this is the spider that we presumably killed: the Golden Orb Spider. Took me a long time to find this pic, because there are many "varieties" in this species. Got fat ones, silver ones, thin ones. But I'm sure this is THE ONE.

And why did I say "presumably killed"? This morning, I woke up and found the curled up body gone. 3 possibilities:

1) A bird ate it

2) Wind blew and it dropped downstairs

3) It was just faking death yesterday and is now prowling somewhere to get it's revenge on us. (and yes, i read that spiders can close their lung valves and survive on very little air for a number of hours)

Note to MF, MP and SY who are visiting in Jun/Jul - I hope you are prepared for this (:

Close Call!

2008-03-29T15:55:00.006+08:00

This season of 超級星光大道 is definitely definitely much better than the last.
Not to say of course, there're 5 contestants from SG! Makes it more exciting. (national pride at work you see).

Last Fri's episode was heart-stopping. 3 out of the 5 successfully made it through to the Top 20. Of the 2 who didn't make the 16 minimum mark in the first round, only 1 confirmed eliminated, coz he had the lowest mark of all.

The remaining contestant, 傅英豪 had to PK with 3 other contestants for the No.20 spot. He really didn't perform well in his first song..but his PK effort was much much better! The 5 judges had to vote for 1 contestant they feel was deserving to get the No.20 spot. 傅英豪 got 3 votes.

Way to go! I so nervous during the voting that I kept slapping hubby's leg. Haha...So we have 4 SG contestants in the Top 20. Not a bad proportion!

His first performance. Starts at 5.15 minute of the video

His second performance. PK starts at 4.23 minute of the video. I think he is really the best out of the 4. Watch till the end of this video for the judges' voting.

Final vote from Roger!

On the Cover!

2008-03-29T11:03:00.002+08:00

I've always wondered how this would look like!

Haha...4 years on...I still don't get tired looking at these pics. Think must get some new studio shots soon. Too bad my photographer is based in NY now. Must catch him when he's next back in SG.

Famous 3!

2008-03-29T10:47:00.003+08:00

This is fun. Go create fake magazine covers with your own picture at MagMyPic.com
There are limited magazine covers though..and need to experiment with a few pics so that the headlines etc don't cover your pretty face. (:

p.s: Thanks Deb!

今天是下雨天

2008-03-28T08:43:00.007+08:00

一大清早外头就下起倾盆大雨。在热热的布里斯本，真是旱见。

心情也随着变得懒懒的。

突然有一股冲动，很想把很多东西都用华语写下来。。。。

宏大的狂想曲，来写一本书，如何？

把这些日子的点点滴滴用文子留下来。。是个很不错的想法？

天阿！正正用了 20 分钟写这几行，太夸张了吧 !!

更正： "文字" ，不是 “文子" 。嘻！

Deep in Thoughts

2008-03-18T14:07:00.003+08:00

What sacrifices are there to be with your loved ones?

The idea of going back to a familiar "family" and working happily off my butt is tempting, but at what cost?

Staying here and possibly forgoing the career, but am I prepared for it?
Will I be able to find the sense of purpose beyond work?

Finally raise the question last night. Don't want to wait anymore. There's never the best time. And who knows how long it will take?

So many questions. So many decisions. So difficult.

Getting On

2008-03-04T14:48:00.004+08:00

It's been 1 week.

Thanks to everyone who cared enough to email, MSN me.

I'm ok now.

You would have wanted me to get on with life and cherish those around me more,
not have the same regrets again. I promise to share every of my future milestones in life with you...in my memories. You'll not miss out on anything again.

Goodbye

2008-02-27T08:49:00.003+08:00

I remember...

You used to carry me on your shoulders

You used to drive me around in that big lorry or the red motorcycle

There wasn't always much money, but you gave your best

You weren't always the role model, but there were times I was proud of you

Now it's all too late...

We are forever apart

I can never have dinner with you

I can never buy a shirt for Father's Day

I can never take a nice photo with you

I can never walk down Orchard Road with you

Please forgive me...

that I was slow in forgiving

that I thought there was still time

that I did not fulfil my duties as your daughter

I did not get to see you even for the last time

Now all I have are memories

But you will forever be my Dad

and I love you.

Life Back at Brissy

2008-02-19T08:57:00.002+08:00

Back in Brissy for 3 days already.

Thank God that I still have my job. And went back to work yesterday.
Quite nice to see all the regular patients. Boss and other physios were nice too.
A good start to the new year!

Everything seemed so "normal". I mean, coming back to Brissy is really like coming back to another home. And yes, back to the days where one Penang Laksa meal here can pay for 6 plates of chai tow kuey back at Whampoa market. (:

Halfway There...

2008-01-28T16:15:00.000+08:00

Today is the start of the 4th week...
3 weeks just passed in a twinkling of an eye.
In another 3 weeks, I'll be back to the Brissy routine.

J sent me an e-mail last Friday..and shared on the work options that they have for me if I come back in July/August. I'm really touched by this simple e-mail...that after nearly 2 years, they are still willing to offer me something that I would enjoy doing.

Of course, going back to the PB family is a very tempting thought. But the thought of separation from hubby is daunting.

Only You can direct me.

Sweetness of Home

2008-01-13T19:35:00.000+08:00

Have been back for exactly 1 week already.

Time really flies! But it was quite a fruitful week.

Sun: Went back to In-Law's place for dinner

Mon: Walked from Orchard to Raffles Place with my Taiwan classmate who's here for holidays. Ended the night in a pub at the top of Swissotel

Tue: Went to the zoo, made new spectacles

Wed: Bought my new handphone! Yiippee!

Thurs: Did some shopping and lazed the rest of the day away

Fri: Lunch with the PB girls and tea with OCF group

Sat: Re-bonded my hair!

Sun: Service @ 10.30, then tea with pals

Next week will be packed with lunches and dinners. Gosh. My face already round round..and to my horror, I realised I couldn't fit into my usual G2000 size anymore. I so sad last night when I went to shop for some office clothes. I better start jogging.....for real. (:

P/S: I disappeared from blogsphere since mid Dec because L and S were in Brissy for holidays. And that was when my eating binge started lah. We had a great time shopping, cooking christmas dinner, eating fondue...and not forgetting our 16-hour wait under the HOT summer sun in Sydney..for the NYE fireworks. It was spectacular lah. I'll post more on the trip soon..but here's the video of the fireworks first. The last 1 min was most awesome!

Fun @ Moreton Island

2007-12-07T16:31:00.000+08:00

The Lissner Street gang (minus Mr Potato) went for a day trip to Moreton Island, Tangalooma Resort. See what mischief we were up to:

Behaving silly on the cruise

Beach so nice, must take a nice photo too!

Went for our first mini tour - Desert Safari. So qiao, there was one huge group of Singaporeans on a package tour. The people in this photo are all Singaporeans lor. Haha...we felt so at home.

This is the very garang bus that we took to the "Desert".

The highlight of the safari is sand toboganning. Means you climb up the sand dune (behind me) and slide down with that board in my hand. Believe me. It was TOUGH climbing up!

Ate alot of sand on the way down. And got sand in my hair, ears, nose, and everywhere else.

"Half-dead" after one round

This is obviously a posed photo lah. But very nice right!

Next mini-tour: Quad Bike. We went around the island on these bikes for about 45mins. Quite fun!

High ah. We just had some beer.

To me, the highlight of the trip was really the dolphin feeding. These dolphines are wild, so we are not allowed to pat or touch them. About 8-9 of them come every night to join in the feeding programme. Haha...they greedy lah. Each dolphin has a name, but I really don't know how to differentiate them. The trainer told us the dolphin we fed was Tinklebell.

Written English

2007-11-30T07:45:00.000+08:00

I made a boo-boo at work last week (supposedly).

Yesterday, the boss asked me, "I just want to make sure that you understand written english". She said it so matter-of-factly.

This is by far the biggest insult I've received here.

Come on, I made a mistake. This has nothing to do with my standard of English. After studying here for 1.5 years, I am very confident that although my spoken English is not as bombastic as those ang mos, my written English is far better than many of them. And of course this includes understanding written English!

气死我了！！！

Update: I should show the boss this news article: Singapore students score high in global literacy study

Incomplete??

2007-11-28T17:46:00.000+08:00

I got the shock of my life when I checked the results this morning.

What is this INC grade?!!!! Means I fail or what???

I panicked. I started calling, MSNing every classmate I know. Also e-mailed lecturer and tutor. Turned out that my entire class had the same grade. And the "nuisance" call I received 2am this morning came from a freaked out classmate, J.

Update at 7.30pm: Lecturer finally released the grades via e-mail. She said an administrative error resulted in all our grades being reflected wrongly. I got a "5", credit. So it's 5, 6, 7 this semester.

Hahaha....what a relief!!!!

Rudd Wins!

2007-11-24T19:24:00.000+08:00

Australia decided. Kevin Rudd is the new PM.

We could see the fireworks that went off at Suncorp Stadium. First time we see fireworks...for winning an election!

What is more important: Please keep your promise on giving us that high-speed broadband. (:

Banana Cinnamon Walnut Muffins

2007-11-23T19:37:00.000+08:00

As promised, here are your muffins.

For persevering to the end. For all the hard (heart) work.

You deserve it girl.

2007-11-19T08:36:00.000+08:00

Anyone still remembers Chage and Aska? Haha...only those in my era would, I guess. I came across a piece of entertainment news on them today and went YouTube to search for my favourite song - "Say Yes". I first heard this song, watching the popular Jap drama serial: 101 Proposal. Guess it was sometime in the early 1990s.....Just listening to the song puts a smile on my face. So romantic lor.....

Compare the 2 videos - one is the original MTV (OMG - early 1990s) and a more recent live version (this is funny, coz Aska forgot the lyrics)....their singing is exactly the same one.

Yum Cha

2007-11-18T07:52:00.000+08:00

I suddenly had this craving for proper dim sum.

So this morning pulled Mr Potato out of bed and we went Chinatown for cantonese styled yum cha. The experience was complete with yummy dim sum and waitresses with the push karts. Thank God we were there early. Minutes after we started our food, coach-loads of tourists descended upon the restaurant. (:

Into the Christmas Mood

2007-11-17T07:49:00.000+08:00

We bought a little christmas star and put it on the balcony door.

Pretty right?

Getting into the mood for our first Christmas in Australia!

A Blissful Day

2007-11-16T10:04:00.000+08:00

I actually finished my exam on Tue. But have been avoiding the laptop for the past 2 days...just to recuperate from the mugging. Silly me ah? Haha.

It's Friday today! Just went to the library and borrowed a sackful of books. With a good cup of tea on a nice-weathered day....gosh....the kind of holiday I'm looking forward to. (:

Now I have all the time to start planning the year-end trip properly. Going to re-discover QLD with friends and explore NSW. Hopefully we can even squeeze in a day or two @ ACT (Canberra).

And....Thank God for answering our prayers. Our lease got extended for another year. Though the rent went up by $100/mth, we are still very happy to keep this place. Really no better location than this at such a price nowadays.

Chasing Fairytales?

2007-11-02T07:07:00.000+08:00

I keep reading reports that young couples now are spending more and more money to have a memorable or "fairytale" wedding. One couple recently spent nearly 270K on their wedding at Ritz Carlton.

What can 270K can pay for these days:

- Support 642 kids at World Vision for a year

-Buy 16,875 packets of 10kg rice for the poor

-2,700 wheelchairs for the disabled

-Support 12 kidney failure patients for a year of dialysis treatment at NKF

-Is 10% of the annual budget for the Children's Cancer Foundation

I'm not saying that people shouldn't splurge on their weddings, or for that matter, splurge on big houses, big cars, big holidays. Well, I'm still dreaming for my sea-view house and my holidays to Europe. Sometimes when we look at the things that we are blessed with, no matter how much we have, do we think of what we want more, or how we can be contented with what we have and use the extra to bless others?

All our lives, we work hard for our rights. We study hard, we work hard, and so if we have the ability (i.e. $$$$), we feel that it is our right to pamper ourselves with the things that we desire. At the end of the day, what do we get by focusing on these rights?

And what really matters?

- A fairytale wedding or a fairytale marriage?

- A fairytale career or a fairytale family?

- A fairytale holiday or a fairytale life?

-A fairytale mansion or a fairytale health?

In our hearts, I guess we all know the "answer". In reality, the choices we make rarely reflect the "answer", especially when the temptations of the world are so.....tempting, exactly.

There are many people whose fairytales are simply having a proper meal everyday or being able to sleep at night without shells exploding over their roofs.

Which fairytale are we chasing?

If this is not bullying, what is?

2007-11-01T07:05:00.000+08:00

I feel like exploding in a string of nasty words and curses after I saw this. 3 tourists went for a ride in a SINGLE trishaw, laughed at the elderly and left without paying. Infuriating!

The NewPaper reported this and managed to track down the idiot who posted the original clip (yes, he was one of the 3 who squeezed into the trishaw and had a good time ridiculing the elderly)

And what was his response? "Looking back I think we were insensitive. But bullies, no."

Come on! What did your mothers teach you about bullying? Obviously you speak English but don't know English. If intentionally exploiting their weakness is your idea of a sick joke, it is not funny! Keep your silly and mindless and selfish antic at home. You are not welcomed anywhere else.

After all the "fun" you had, you had the money to take a cab and no money to pay the miserable $15 you agreed on for stuffing your big asses into the trishaw? Crooks!

First Guest @ Brisbane

2007-10-28T21:12:00.000+08:00

We spent a lovely weekend with Jimmy, a.k.a Guest No.1 to Brisbane.

He came for OCF on Fri, then we cooked nasi lemak last night and invited Mei, Tiff, Louis and Patrick up for a little gathering. Then this morning we went New Hope for service. Haha..Jimmy said it was his first service in Australia. (:

Jimmy shared some nice places to visit in Sydney. Boy...am I so looking forward to the trip now.

Expecting my next guests in 53 days. Yeah!!!!

3 down, 1 to go

2007-10-24T19:03:00.001+08:00

Today is my last class for this semester.

Then next semester is my last one.

And what will happen after that? I really don't know.

Meet the Worm

2007-10-23T08:09:00.000+08:00

We watched the first election debate on Sun. PM John Howard and Opposition Leader Kevid Rudd had an intensive 90-minute debate, posing questions to each other and answering questions from a panel of journalists.

What's most interesting the the live tracking of the audience's response to the debate. A group of 100 were selected to watch the debate, and key in their responses every 10-15 seconds. Their responses are collated and out comes....THE WORM!

It's funny to see how the worm reacted throughout the debate. The worm obviously liked Rudd better.

Wouldn't it be interesting if the worm is around during our own election as well? Hmm.......

A Beautiful Morning

2007-10-20T09:31:00.001+08:00

Finally! I was able to pull myself out of bed at 7am this morning and went for a quick jog.

I'm sure my body will scream for attention with its aches by tomorrow. Well, it's been a loooooooooong time since I've put it to the physical test. Haha....

The track by the river was humming with activity in the morning sun. There are LOADS of cyclists. I still can't fathom who came up with the "wise" idea of having a shared track for joggers and cyclists. It's kinda scary for groups of cyclists to be constantly wheezing past you as you jog, and those cyclists think they owned the track. And It's hard to enjoy the river view as you jog...the view is constantly blocked by those irritating people on their bikes.

But well, it's still a beautiful morning. I had a nice workout and a nice breakfast (sausage and pancakes. YUM!).

Now, gotta face the assignment "devil" - that communication portfolio. (;

Riiinnnnggggg....

2007-10-17T17:05:00.000+08:00

Today the fire alarm went off before class started.

But there were no announcements, no instructions from the "one above".

So...

We spent 5 minutes in class wondering what to do.

Another 5 minutes outside class wondering what to do.

Another 5 minutes at the open grass patch wondering what to do.

For a total of 15 minutes...hundreds of students and staff wandered around the Business School, wondering what's going on. Even the staff seemed lost...literally. I pity them. They looked so helpless as everyone started asking them questions.

Well, there wasn't a fire. It wasn't a fire drill. What actually happened, nobody knows.

Come on UQ. U can do better than this.

I Nearly Cried....Twice

2007-10-15T17:41:00.000+08:00

A stupid fly dived and landed on my lips. I gave it a swap...and my earring came off! It's not just any earring. My mum gave me these diamond studs as my wedding gift.

I PANICKED. How to find a small stud among the grassy path?

And I prayed like mad. Literally.

I had to find it.

After 10 minutes, still cannot find. On the verge of tears, I calmed myself down and started down the path again. I told myself that it should sparkle in under the hot noon sun.

Just LOOK carefully.

And I saw it. Not just the earring, but the stopper thingy behind (whatever u call it) was just beside it. I thank God out loud and wanted to kiss the ground.

I nearly cried....this time, with joy.

Australia Decides...Nov 24

2007-10-14T12:25:00.000+08:00

The heat is on!

PM John Howard has called for elections. Polling date is on Nov 24.

It's much more interesting to watch the election campaigns here. The leaders can criticise policies and stuff without the fear of being sued by the other party for 'slandering'. (oops?!) The TV adverts can be hilarious as the parties make their stand by sometimes poking fun at each other.

I'm all behind Kevin Rudd. He's better looking, talks more sense...and he has made a very tempting proposition: better broadband internet for all households!!!!

Not that I'm eligible to vote here...haha....

It's a Small World

2007-10-14T01:13:00.000+08:00

Was doodling around with my friends' profiles in Facebook and realised that one of them is actually good friends with another of my acquaintances from nearly 10 years ago. Gosh...seems like everybody knows everybody in some way or another.

And another (sad?) revelation by hubby. He says the number of friends we have on Facebook seemed to be proportionate to our age. Our peers generally have 20-50 friends, one generation younger have 50-100 friends, two generations younger have 100-200 friends and so on.

Cannot happen like that. I will scowl the networks to find more friends. Haha.

Actually, got find many that I know. But so long never keep contact liao, also don't know to add them or not. Well, if I'm desperate enough, I will. (:

Fly Attraction

2007-10-10T13:14:00.000+08:00

This little fly followed me to the bus-stop.

This little fly followed me up the bus.

This little fly folllowed me around half of UQ.

This little fly "escorted" me right to the door-step of my workplace.

And......

A new little fly (I hope!) ambushed me at the bus-stop when I came home.

I wonder if it's due to the passionfruit body butter I slapped on this morning. Hmm.....

Full Bloom

2007-10-03T14:12:00.000+08:00

photo of jacaranda trees at UQ taken from here

Jacaranda trees are finally in full bloom! They're late this year...usually we're already immersed in a sea of purple by Sep. Every morning I will stand at my balcony and say hello to this pretty neighbour...

But just a few weeks before, it was bare.

Isn't it amazing how God has put a "time-clock" for all His creations? There are seasons of beauty and there are seasons that appear to be 'ugly'. But these 'ugly' seasons are actually preparing us (and the trees!) for the good things that are to come...as long as we continue to stand firm and grow strong.