.:Part of Memory:.

mishmash of stuff (mostly food)

2009-11-20T23:12:00.007+08:00

I've been eating like crazy and here are some yummy photos! =]

Cheryl and I eat at Jack's Place two Saturdays ago and they gave us green pea soup and green garlic bread.

The garlic bread was ok but the green pea soup just tasted weird. I like green peas. But green peas in soup - not so good. Furthermore, they added some weird carnation milk or coconut cream in the soup. I did not appreciate that. =(

Also two weeks ago on a Friday, I went to Marmalade pantry with my mum. =]

Her treat because she couldn't walk for more than ten minutes without having to sit down and i was getting extremely exasperated. i love their desserts!!!

That's the sticky date pudding which is absolutely divine! But. I recommend sharing it with a friend because after the first 5 bites, I felt like I was gonna get diabetes. The vanilla ice cream was great! I don't usually like vanilla ice cream, but this one can! =]

My mum ordered some salty caramel cheesecake which was also wonderful. It's a huge slab of cheesecake and at only 7.90, it's definitely worth the price because it's twice the size of the cheesecake you get at coffee bean or starbucks, where my mum wanted to go originally until I persuaded her otherwise. Heh...

My mum's wondering about the bill. Harharharh! 2 desserts, 1 capaccino and my latte cost about 40 dollars after tax. Hefty, yes. But a once in a blue moon indulgence.

Marmalade pantry. I love sugar cubes. Cubes in general make me feel happy. Everything is perfect. Cubes are perfect.

Tthis is a bakerzin dessert I ate months ago with my dept. Their cheesecake icecream here is really good!!! I want more!!!

Gummy bears!!! Part of an icebreaker game my cell group was playing.

That's all! feeling hungry??? heh heh heh.........

small hug = big blessing

2009-04-08T00:18:00.002+08:00

One of my students gave me a birthday hug today. So much love packed into one small person. I must be the most blessed teacher in the world.

=]

random melancholic musings

2009-01-09T21:25:00.004+08:00

Saw this in a book. It's by Woodsworth from Ode, Intimations of Immortality from Recollections of Early Childhood (what a mouthful...=])

Here's part of it.

There was a time when meadow, grove, and stream,
The earth, and every common sight,
To me did seem
Apparelled in celestial light,
The glory and the freshness of a dream.
It is not now as it hath been of yore;--
Turn wheresoe'er I may,
By night or day,
The things which I have seen I now can see no more.

The Rainbow comes and goes,
And lovely is the Rose,
The Moon doth with delight
Look round her when the heavens are bare,
Waters on a starry night
Are beautiful and fair;
The sunshine is a glorious birth;
But yet I know, where'er I go,
That there hath past away a glory from the earth.

I wish I could write such pretty words.

TLL dinner - Riot of Colours (14 Dec 08)

2008-12-15T23:19:00.004+08:00

I finally won a prize in a lucky draw!!! First time in my life...have never won anything before...3 yrs at TLL. It's time I took something home! Had so much, so much fun! And managed to take a dept photo too!

the lovely ladies in my dept

my twin!

my beloved Peggy who drew my name in the draw

Alex bought the gift that I won

photographer of the day who only ate when everyone was leaving

Last, but not least! My PRIZE! HOHOHO!

2008-12-05T01:49:00.002+08:00

The happiest songs cannot make you feel happy when you're down.

The saddest songs cannot make you feel sad when you're happy.

someday we'll find it

the rainbow connection

the lovers, the dreamers and me.

Walking With God

2008-10-27T00:05:00.002+08:00

Went for a run after dinner because I felt God prompting me to start exercising again. Haven't really been taking care of my body these few months. Harharhar...chocolates make me happy but I have a feeling that one day, they WILL clog up my arteries.

Anyhow, I usually run 2 rounds around my estate and stop. Today, after 2 rounds, I pushed myself to go on and I realised that it wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be. I was exhausted and thought that if I stopped after 2 rounds, it was quite justified coz after all 2 rounds is slightly more than 2.4km (I think!). Well, I ran 3 rounds today (abt 3.9km!). Heh...quite an accomplishment ok! God was cheering me on!

As I ran, I thought about today's sermon that Ps Grace shared. When she pronounced it as one of the best years of her life, I was immediately skeptical. I mean, she lost a son! How could it be, right???? And my next thought was that 2008 has been one of the worst years in my life. THE WORST. Like words can't even begin to describe how ABSOLUTELY awful it has been...aargghh...

But then as she went on, I understood why she said what she said. In addition, I've just started reading Walking With God by John Eldredge. About halfway through now. And one sentence in the book really stood out. Let me quote him:

"As long as our happiness is tied to the things we can lose, we are vulnerable."

This sentence gave me a good shake-up. Many times, I think that I'll be happy if only I had this and that but in the end, it really boils down to recognising God is ALL. EVERYTHING I would ever need. Joy should be based on having God alone and not on what or who we have in our lives. Look at another excerpt:

"God is asking us to let go of the things we love and have given our hearts to, so that we can give our hearts even more fully to him."

At the beginning of this year, I committed myself to having regular QT and so far, although I haven't been perfect, I've been pretty regular and I've learnt so much, so much just by waiting on Him. Perhaps, that's why when my world started to collapse, I escaped with life intact. I gave my heart to God. It's a hard lesson to learn. But if that was what it took, then I can safely say that 2008 is probably the best year of my life. Ironic. Harharhar...

Life still has its rough spots and every now and then, I trip, fall and cry. But God helps me up and that is enough.

Happy Teachers' Day

2008-09-01T23:42:00.002+08:00

This is what one of my students wrote to me -

Hi Ms Liu,

thought I just send you a Happy Teacher's day card. Anyway, even if you grew super old and have so many wrinkles or either grow v.v.very fat, I will still regard you as my best teacher ever!

I laughed like crazy when I read this sincere note. And on reflection, I realised that no one has ever said sweeter or more sincere words.

I love my students. How could I not. =]

Happy Birthday, Singapore! =]

2008-08-09T12:23:00.002+08:00

I was in the LoveSingapore prayer meeting yesterday at Expo and I was really pleasantly surprised to see that the hall was packed with Christians from all walks of life! Huifen told me that about 20% of Singaporeans are Christians. I didn't know that! I thought only 12%! Harharhar...it was really awesome to see so many people gathered for the same purpose. As I wondered what brought so many different people to the same place, I suddenly realised that none of these people were here by chance. It was part of God's design and purpose that each unique person was at Expo at 7.30pm on Friday 8 Aug 2008. How awesome is our God!!! =D

When I was in SAJC, almost every morning, the then principal, Mrs Belinda Charles, would tell us, "No one is here by chance". After so many years, her words are still in my head and even though I forget sometimes, God reminds me that no one and nothing happens by chance. God doesn't slip up!

God must really love Singapore. We are a tiny island compared to the countries around us but our influence far surpasses our neighbours. The odds were really against us but God has made the impossible possible. He has used the small nation to impact the larger ones. It's truly God's grace that has enabled our country to be where she is now.

7 more years to the Year of Jubilee. Let's make the right decisions till then!

Happy Birthday, Singapore!

QLC

2008-07-22T00:00:00.002+08:00

QLC - Quarter Life Crisis. Borrowed this term from Billie's blog. Now that I've turned 25, I suddenly feel so much older. So many things I have yet to accomplish and to top it all off, my skin is becoming worse!

So lately, I've spent a bomb on skincare. All in a bid to regain my still quite-youthful skin. Stuff that I have bought the past month is what I'll usually buy in 5 years. Seriously. I have never thought much about skincare as much as I have in the past month.

1. Eyemasks from The Face Shop that cost me slightly over $50 (12 pairs)
2. St. Ives Facial Scrub from Guardian Pharmacy ($9)
3. Tea Tree Oil that supposedly makes blemishes magically fade away from The Body Shop ($19.90)
4. Raspberry Roots Sleeping Mask from The Face Shop ($30)
5. Aloe Sun BB Cream from Skin Food ($38)

Bought the BB cream (blemish balm I think) that doubles up as foundation with Billie and Lynn on Sunday and tried it on today. I don't usually wear foundation coz it makes my face turn a weird shade of white. Also, coz I'm lazy. BUT 25-year-olds cannot afford to be lazy!!! =(

Well, for those who are interested in this new range of Korean BB cream, my verdict is that it was not too bad as I avoid foundation like the plague. I think it clogs my pores. I have no evidence for this, though.

Applied the BB cream at about 11am in the morning. Found myself looking like a ghost but persisted because it cost me ALOT of money and I MUST USE IT EVEN IF I LOOK LIKE A VAMPIRE.

Got to work and nobody said anything weird about my face. Just the usual comments on my messy hair. Went to the toilet and saw that actually I look the same as usual, skin looks smoother and natural *Rejoice!* Dark circles also look slightly less obvious.

Slogged the whole day away and finished work at 10.50pm. Went to the toilet again and face looked slightly oily but I guess that's to be expected. Reached home at 11.30pm and BB cream was still doing its concealing job.

However, taking it off really took up a lot of time. Had to use 3 pieces of cotton balls soaked with make-up remover before everything came off. Washed my face with Neutrogena Extra Gentle Cleanser. Then toner to get the last bits off. Gotta remember to put some lotion on before I go to sleep too.

Exposure to the elements (by elements, I mean air-con and cigarette smoke. United Square is full of smokers who come out of the building at every available opportunity and morph into chimneys) has taken a toil on my skin.

Must be more diligent.......zzzz.....time for my beauty sleep now......

Perfect endings...

2008-06-29T23:57:00.004+08:00

One of the temps at my office gave me a card as it was her last day at the office and it came with a really meaningful quote.

"I wanted a perfect ending. Now I've learned, the hard way, that some poems don't rhyme, and some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it without knowing what's going to happen next."

--Gilda Radner

Perfect endings are hard to come by in this world.

Seems like yesterday I was singing this song in JC with my friends and now I'm 25

2008-06-07T13:22:00.001+08:00

"Graduation (Friends Forever)"

And so we talked all night about the rest of our lives
Where we're gonna be when we turn 25
I keep thinking times will never change
Keep on thinking things will always be the same
But when we leave this year we won't be coming back
No more hanging out cause we're on a different track
And if you got something that you need to say
You better say it right now cause you don't have another day
Cause we're moving on and we can't slow down
These memories are playing like a film without sound
And I keep thinking of that night in June
I didn't know much of love
But it came too soon
And there was me and you
And then we got real blue
Stay at home talking on the telephone
We would get so excited and we'd get so scared
Laughing at ourselves thinking life's not fair
And this is how it feels

As we go on
We remember
All the times we
Had together
And as our lives change
Come Whatever
We will still be
Friends Forever

So if we get the big jobs
And we make the big money
When we look back now
Will our jokes still be funny?
Will we still remember everything we learned in school?
Still be trying to break every single rule
Will little brainy Bobby be the stockbroker man?
Can Heather find a job that won't interfere with her tan?
I keep, I keep thinking that it's not goodbye
Keep on thinking it's a time to fly
And this is how it feels

La, la, la, la:
Yeah, yeah, yeah
La, la, la, la:
We will still be friends forever

Will we think about tomorrow like we think about now?
Can we survive it out there?
Can we make it somehow?
I guess I thought that this would never end
And suddenly it's like we're women and men
Will the past be a shadow that will follow us 'round?
Will these memories fade when I leave this town
I keep, I keep thinking that it's not goodbye
Keep on thinking it's a time to fly

Day 27 & 28 All Good Things Must Come to an End

2008-06-06T02:34:00.002+08:00

Day 27 - Bought all the stuff people requested from Union Square and went back to wait for Louis to come back from his training before finally going for Mexican food! Yeah!

Celebrating my departure.

Day 28 - Frantic morning spent packing. Time to leave for the airport! Time is now 11.35am. Will resume work in 3 days time. 1 day spent in the air. Sigh. Back to reality, folks.

I will miss this country and its people but all good things must come to an end. Bad things too, actually.

Day 25 & 26 Final days

2008-06-05T00:50:00.006+08:00

Day 25 - Spent the entire day at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom. I really enjoyed myself because the rides were not as scary as the ones at Knott's Berry Farm where we went to last year in LA but Louis was pretty bored because the thrills were not death-defying. As for me, I loved every moment I was being thrown around in the air and alternatively laughing and screaming like a crazy woman. The queues were alright since it was a Monday and not a weekend. Oh! And I finally had my funnel cake! Yummy!

This was the scariest ride - the wooden roller coaster. Wanted to take again at the end but it was getting late and Louis' housemate was waiting for us. She came with us but had plans to meet her co-worker for that day.

This ride is called Medusa. Longest wait but totally worth it.

Boomerang! We took this twice consecutively because the queue was short. Harharhar...super exciting!

Ok...time for a break because Louis was feeling nauseous with all the spinning.

Funnel cake! I waited for a year to taste this delectable delight! Awesome!

Was too full to have dinner after the funnel cake so Jingyan (Louis' housemate, yes, a girl) and I watched Louis eat some chicken from Boston Market. Kenny Roger's is much better.

Anyhow, I finally got the Lipsmackers that everyone wants from Target and the day ended.

Day 26 - Packed my bags abit before heading to Stanford for lunch with Louis' friend, Lewis Hong, at Cheesecake Factory before exploring the campus grounds.

Every time I take photos of food, they're always half-eaten. So hungry that I usually forget to take before it's half gone. Harharhar...the cheesecakes are really good but we were so full from the lunch special that was supposedly a smaller portion than the regular menu that we couldn't finish them. Pity.

Now the tour of Stanford. It has a very different feel from UC Berkeley. Overall, it has a more sombre and scholarly atmosphere with beautiful architecture. It has history and therefore, character. Heh...

This is a view from the Hoover tower, named for one of the U.S. Presidents, Herbert Hoover. Must pay to ride the elevator up.

Alot of the students ride bikes to get around the campus.

There's a church on campus. It's beautiful. The stained-glass windows were mesmerising.

If I ever have kids, I hope to provide them with the option of studying abroad. NUS is truly not that bad, but the architecture is so bland. Aargh.

Had to get an extra luggage because I think I have to help Louis bring his stuff back so went to a Ross that was near Dinah's place since we were having dinner there. Bought many bags. Harharhar...I love bags!

My last dinner at Dinah's house for this vacation. I'm gonna miss them. =(

Met up there with Jeffrey, Wendy, Clairie and Shyann as well. Hohoho...for once, I'm not the oldest. I feel so old nowadays! The Saturday service crowd just keeps getting younger. Boo...

We ended the night by laughing at Dinah's collection of old photos. I'm so glad there were none of me because I was a fat kid! Harharhar...add that to the fact that I will never be photogenic and you can guess how relieved I was. Oh, Darren took the above photo. Good, right?

All of us have changed in one way or another and it's obvious that God has brought us through the different seasons. Change may be difficult but look how far we have come! People from Faith A/G together again. =]

God is good. All the time.

Day 21 - 24 Last weekend in SF

2008-06-03T13:49:00.010+08:00

Day 21 - relatively uneventful since Louis had to work and I needed to conserve my financial resources. Had lunch at a Thai cafe named 'White Elephant' and headed to Serramonte to look for a luggage at Ross. Couldn't decide on one so Louis dropped me off at the Millbrae library where I spent time reading the latest issues of Time and Newsweek. The library is cool. The magazines are all up to date, not like those you find in Singapore. All outdated. Bleah. Borrowed a few DVDs to watch back at the house and while away the time till Vera came to fetch me for dinner. I don't have any photos of this day. I can't remember why. Anyway, after dinner at Shabuway located in San Mateo (very Japanese place!), I went to Vera's house and we completed the Wii shooting game that we had started last week. I feel extremely accomplished!!

Day 22 - Louis is off for the weekend and he brought me to the best bakery in San Francisco - Tartine, located at the intersection of Guerrero and 18th Street. The food was DIVINE. FABULOUS. SUPERB.

The cafe doesn't need to put up its name for the queues to form and according to Louis, the queues go out of the shop on weekends.

We ordered Lemon Meringue, Bacon Quiche, Spicy Turkey sandwich, an eclair and a glass of iced coffee. All were absolutely delicious! Too bad we don't have such places in Singapore. Sigh.

After lunch, we went to the beautiful Golden Gate Bridge Park. The vast spaces of verdant gardens were spectacular.

This is a satellite photo of San Francisco and we saw this at a tower from De Young Museum located in the park. It offered views of the surrounding gardens.

Enough of greenery, we headed to Sutro Bath where there was a cave that Louis wanted to show me. You can see it at the far end of the photo below.

They are actually the ruins of a public bath but was destroyed by the Great Earthquake in 1906. This is according to wikipedia.

My hair is always in a mess these days because the winds are so strong!

And this is the view at the end of the cave. Words cannot describe how scenic it is. It's like a National Geographic moment.

It was getting pretty late by then and Louis had a dinner with his colleagues to go to so he dropped me off at Stonestown Shopping Mall where I waited from 5.30pm - 9.30pm before he remembered to come fetch me. I was freezing and taking refuge in Borders where the books transported me to a tropical climate.

Day 23 - Started the day off pretty early because I wanted to go to a Farmers' Market. Went to the first one set up in SF at Alemany Blvd. We bought peaches (very sweet!), cheeries (very cheap!), oranges (sweet and cheap!) and a bottle of Eucalyptus honey. I don't know why the honey. Louis just wanted it for fun.

Anyway, we wanted to go to Pt. Reyes for some hiking so we stopped to buy buffalo wings on the way and ate in the car.

We ended up walking more than hiking because the hiking trails were not as scenic as the walking trails and would take up far too much time.

Another National Geographic moment.

I loved the feeling of walking and enjoying nature around me without any hurry. No need to compete, no need to rush to another appointment. Just stroll along, breathe in, smile at the birds and pray that snakes would stay away. Perfect.

Oh...there were seals resting at the sheltered bays along one of the walking trails. They were so close that we could almost touch them but cannot lah! What if they bite us???

Day 24 - Went to Cornerstone church for service. It was about a life worth giving. The sermon was preached by Ps Terry Brisbane, the senior pastor. He makes stories come alive. Very inspiring. And they have cool powerpoint slides. Heh...

Had bought tickets to visit Alcatraz the previous night so we grabbed clam chowder from Pier 39 for lunch before walking over to Pier 33 to take the Ferry to The Rock.

It was a really fascinating experience and the audio tour of the main prison cells was very comprehensive and interesting.

After that, Louis and I took the famed cable car to Union Square for some quick shopping as the stores close at 7pm. Had dinner at another Thai cafe that served cheap and good food. Then took the cable car back to a place near Fisherman's Wharf where he had parked and finally got back, out of the chilly wind.

Day 19 - 20

2008-05-29T13:27:00.009+08:00

Day 19 - after having slept the whole day away yesterday, we woke up bright and early for a game of golf.

It was my first time playing golf and it wasn't as bad as I thought as it would be. Maybe I should take up lessons when I'm back in Singapore. But then there's the problem of taking the clubs around...I need a car. I need a licence first. So many things to accomplish...aargghh...

Had lunch at a Chinese restaurant called Silver Lake recommended to Louis by Vera. Nice. Huge portions again. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Louis now eats brinjal simply because it's called eggplant here. I used to try to persuade him to try a tiny sliver but he would give me a look of utter disgust and I would give up. Looks like America has really changed him. =]

Went shopping at Tanforan Mall in San Bruno after that when Louis went to work. Went to Target to try to get the Lipsmackers but only found one pack so I'll probably have to go to another branch. Wandered around aimlessly and finally headed back. Had some trouble locating the BART but I eventually found it after a few frantic prayers.

Day 20 - Google tour today courtesy of Jake! It's a cool place to work and we got free food...harharhar...Vera tagged along and kept going on about the oracle of the Bay area, so we had to smack her. Kidding lah, Vera! =P

Vera's reluctance is apparent. =]

After the tour, I went to Dinah's house to make sushi while Louis and Vera went to work. Harharhar...no work for me!

I toned my arms muscles today by lifting the boys and then flinging them around. They had fun and I had my exercise.

Sushi-making! Everyone helped and dinner was 90% ready by the time Jake got back.

My camera ran out of battery but I got a shot of the final product. Yummy! Thanks again, Jake and Dinah! =]

Seattle-Vancouver trip (Day 14-18)

2008-05-28T10:30:00.011+08:00

Day 14 - Drove the two hours to Vancouver and took some time finding lodgings again. Alot of the cheaper inns were fully booked and we learnt out lesson to book in advance in future.

Once we settled down in Best Western Inn (the cheapest available), we went to Stanley Park. Vancouver is covered in green and much of our visit was spent with nature. It's a really beautiful place. The existence of a creator cannot be denied in such a lovely place.

The day ended with dinner at Guu, a Japanese restaurant where the service was so slow, we waited 30 min for each dish. The food was good but the servings were really small and Louis had to buy another meal from BK after that. Canada is much more expensive than the US.

Day 15 - Went to Whistler. Another two-hour drive up a mountain. Saw and touched snow for the first time! I look terrible in the photos but it was so cold that appearance was the last thing on my mind. The chairlift was scary at first but got better on the way down. The views are awesome.

Snow-capped mountains. =]

Had a really expensive hot pot dinner at a Cantonese restaurant. It was delicious and the waiter was really nice and helpful but living in Canada will require a very healthy bank account.

Day 16 - Visited a tourist attraction - The Capilano Suspension Bridge. And left for Victoria via ferry. We drove the car onto the ferry actually.

As usual, beautiful views everywhere you look.

Louis had booked a room at Traveller's Inn the night before, so we arrived in Victoria well-prepared this time. Headed to Downtown Victoria and the wharf for some sight-seeing and had dinner at Barb's Fish & Chips.

This is some government building.

That's the wharf behind me.

And this is the place where we had dinner.

Look at what I found! Such a cute wolf-dog! Harharhar...I think it's a husky. It was very friendly. And for those who are looking to live by the sea can buy a floating house with heating and full utilities for half a million Canadian dollars. It's like a house that doubles up as a boat. I want!!!

Started the long walk back to the hotel because the guy at the reception told us that parking was hard to find. LIES. There were lots of parking! However, walking was not without its disadvantages. We caught the beautiful sunset at about 9.20pm. Yup. 9.20pm at night. The further north you go, the later the sun sets.

Found the gates to Chinatown on the way back.

Day 17 - Went back to Downtown Victoria to explore the shops and Chinatown in daylight before heading to the Royal British Columbia Museum. Had lunch at White Spot, a chain of restaurants. Had left my watch in the hotel room before that but thank God, we found it when we went back. Careless me.

My fries look darker because they are sweet potato fries. Very yummy!

Louis in Fan Tan Alley, part of Chinatown. This was where opium was sold in the old days. Now it's just a narrow alley with shops selling Indian and new age-ish stuff.

This is the back of the Royal BC Museum. Quite an interesting place. We spent a few hours exploring.

Decided to leave for the ferry terminal just in case we could not get back to Vancouver on time. On the way, we stopped at a small town - Sidney. Was quite boring actually. Alot of antique stores and second-hand book stores. Bought a book and a Calvin and Hobbes comic from one of them before going to the ferry terminal.

And that's the end of the trip. Drove back to Seattle. Slept in the car because our flight was at 7.15am and we didn't wanna spend money on lodging. Returned the rented car at 5am and took shuttle back to the airport.

Arrived in SFO around 11.15am and I just slept for the rest of day 18. Oh...I finished watching Desperate Housewives and before Louis went to work, we went to try Quizno's Sub. I think Subway is still better. Heh...

Seattle-Vancouver trip (Day 13)

2008-05-28T09:39:00.006+08:00

Louis took 2 days off to make this trip possible and we had a very relaxing time. On Wednesday morning, we took Virgin America Airlines to Seattle and arrived around 11.15am. Had to wait in the cold for the shuttle that would take us to the car rental company.

After getting the car (Chrysler PT Cruiser), we headed straight to Downtown Seattle to find lodgings for that night. Finally decided on Ramada Inn because we had stayed at another of its chain last year. Lodgings here are really expensive so unless you wanna stay at those very dodgy motels (just ask Kelvin Teo), be prepared to fork out more than a hundered bucks per night.

This was our first glimpse of Downtown Seattle!

After settling down, we headed off to see the famous Seattle Space Needle which was a short walk from our hotel. Bought sandwiches from Subway for a late lunch while walking there. It's much better than the Singaporean version.

The view from the top was breath-taking and you could see the entire city. Then we headed to Pike Place Market to find the FIRST STARBUCKS! In this city, coffee has a cult following and I just HAD TO see the place where it all began. Now all that remained was the tiny problem of locating it.

It was evening by then and most of the shops were closing but we pressed on.

The above is a famous shop that sells fish. They throw the fish around when an order is made. Literally throw a slab of fish around. Harharhar...so silly...Finally! The FIRST STARBUCKS!

Bought a cup of coffee before heading back to the hotel for the car and then out to find a place for dinner. Ended up at a haven for book lovers because we weren't too hungry.

The store had wood-panelled floors and shelves that reached almost to the ceiling. Tiny nooks and crannies where bargain books were available. Absolutely delightful! I had to buy a book, of course. Chose one on sale. Books are much cheaper here. Wish I could buy back ALL of them! *sigh*

Had dinner at a Hawaiian-Japanese place - Ohana. Weird mix but it was one of the few decent places open after 9pm and beggars cannot be choosers especially if they're hungry ones.

On the whole, Seattle was ok. Not very exciting compared to New York or even Singapore. The shops close too early.

Day 9 to Day 18

2008-05-27T12:09:00.005+08:00

Wow...did not realise that 10 days have flown past. Sometimes, things get overwhelming and putting feelings into words become difficult.

Day 9 - Napa Valley

This was the first winery we went to - V. Sattui

The second winery was not as picturesque so I'm not including any photos. Also, wine-tasting was very expensive and we did not stay long. The weather was really hot that day. It was the last day of the heatwave actually because the next day was cold and windy again. Nice. I could get used to it after the relentless heat.

That's the vineyard of the third and last winery we went to. Very beautiful. Louis bought three bottles of wine and I bought this Champagne Pear Vinaigrette - salad dressing that was YUMMY.

We had dinner at Haight Street. Some weird place that I don't know how to describe. Ordered a few dinner tapas and devoured them before we even thought of taking any photos. =P

Day 10 - Went to the church that Louis goes to (Cornerstone). It was a relaxing day overall. Didn't do much. Had lunch at a cafe. Had to pack the leftovers as usual because the portions are huge and went to watch Prince Caspian! Good movie! I really liked it...we were too full for dinner and the shops are closed at like 6pm on Sundays! There was nothing to eat even if we wanted to! Anyway, went to Quickly for bubble tea and headed home to plan for Seattle-Vancouver trip.

Day 11 - Woke up a little earlier and went to the city of San Mateo. Had lunch at a Japanese restaurant named Ni-mo. Hee...remember the fish? We ate him. Sashimi was fantastic!

After that, we wandered back to Millbrae and visited the library for some guidebooks. Do you know that a member can borrow 50 items??? I'm not exaggerating!!! 50!!! I borrowed Desperate Housewives Season 3 (I'm bored when Louis is at work ok!) and Borat (Haven't watched it yet) and some guidebooks that were outdated but still of some help.

Below is the Millbrae Museum! Wanted to visit it but no time. Had to rush back so that Louis could fetch his housemate to work.

I was super hardworking because we got maps from AAA and I circled all the locations that we could visit and found directions. Heh...I can read maps!!!

Had dinner with Vera. Went to a Vietnamese place. After that, I went back to her messy apartment to play Wii. Harharhar...we had so much fun!!! We took turns to play this shooting game and tried to make it to level 9 but only got to level 5 before I had to go. Louis came to fetch me because it was like 2.30am by then. Our eyeballs were about to fall out.

Day 12 - had pancakes for brunch courtesy of Louis' housemates. They like to cook. Louis is the only one who doesn't. Not surprising. =]

It was an uneventful day. Went for a walk at a park. I don't know the name. I just walked and walked and walked and walked till I reached the bay. Could see the runway and planes taking off. I think it took me more than half an hour to get there. Bought dinner at 'In and Out' on the way back. Big mistake. The wind was so strong and I had to clutch on desperately to the paperbag! The Americans don't really use plastic bags and I had to hold the drink in my hand and it was freezing and I had trouble walking against the crazy strong wind. Very traumatic. I'm not doing that again. Once home, I felt better and spent the night watching Desperate Housewives!!! How come their lives so intriguing??? Aargh...mine seems mundane in comparison. =(

Day 13-18 - Seattle & Vancouver trip. More on that later! Gotta go for a game of golf! =]

Day 7 & 8 - How time flies

2008-05-17T14:50:00.014+08:00

Day 7 - Went to Union Square again after having dim sum in Chinatown. Louis and I wanted to find the exact restaurant that we had dim sum at last year when we were here, so we parked and walked around the area. However, we couldn't find the place after half an hour so we gave up and walked back to the car and realised............................that we parked right outside the dim sum restaurant!!! harharhar!!! So silly...wasted 30min walking around to find a place that was right in front of us. The dim sum was as good as we remembered and Louis packed the lor mai gai for his dinner at work.The restaurant is called Pearl City located along Grant and Jackson. It's a pretty decent-looking place. Louis always looks so sleepy. After that we bought yummy egg tarts!! Oh yah...the weird thing was that the waitress at the restaurant spoke to us in Cantonese! She just ASSUMED that we could speak it as well!

This is a view of Chinatown from the car. Didn't really walk around much because we've already been here last year. Anyway, Louis dropped me off at Union Square for another round of shopping before he went to work.

This is my trusty guide! It helped me to navigate my way around Union Square. Very useful! Louis got it for me. Thanks! =]

These are some views of Union Square and the surrounding areas. I got lost on the way back. Ran for the train and didn't know that it was a train bound for SF airport instead of Millbrae! Ended up at the airport and panicked for awhile as I looked for someone to ask for directions. Apparently I'm not the only person who gets lost. A lady at the station actually gave me TYPED INSTRUCTIONS on how to get back! harharhar...ingenious Americans...oh...she looked Asian by the way.

Day 8 - Time really flies! It's the start of the second week. I feel a little panicky about going back to work. =(

Anyway, we went to Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk today. Very nice beach. Different feel from Sentosa. More tacky actually. Harharharh...there's an amusement park and we took a roller coaster ride! It's called the Giant Dipper! I forgot how scary roller coasters could be! Now I remember the fear. I'm rethinking our trip to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom. But Louis is quite adamant that I should go. =(

We drove by the Pacific Ocean on the way to Santa Cruz. It was beautiful. My photos do no justice to the real scenery.

Louis parked by the side of the road so that I could take some photos.

Finally! Santa Cruz! After two long hours in the car. Weather was super hot today. However, the wind was still chilly. I think my feet became darker because we stood in the sun the whole day. It doesn't feel hot, just dry because of the wind. Nice, not sticky and humid like Singapore. But my skin suffers from the dryness.

I think he's looking at some hot babe on the stairs above. I don't blame him. I was looking myself. Some were hot. Some had huge tummies bulging out of their bikini bottoms. Maybe some guys like THE BIG BULGE. I have a tiny one. hee...

My eyes are half-closed because the sun was really glaring. I tried to open my eyes but they started to water.

That's the wooden roller coaster behind that we rode. It was not as scary as The Ghost Rider that we took TWICE at Knott's Berry Farm last year but it was enough to put the fear back into my heart.

The Giant Dipper sign!

There's an arcade, casino and food place all crammed into one.

That's a full view of the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk taken from the pier. Next up, more shopping at Great Mall, Milpitas. Hope I spelt that correctly. Then dinner at Banana Leaf Restaurant. They serve Malaysian food. It was very, very good!!! The coconut rice was so fragrant! And free refills of rice and coke. Absolutely marvellous!!! I had a great experience. =]

Tomorrow we're going Napa Valley for a picnic!

5th & 6th day - Union Square and Dinah's house

2008-05-15T12:40:00.021+08:00

Went shopping at Union Square yesterday to do more shopping...harharhar...i must curb my spending...i still have 3 more weeks to go...look what I bought! Will probably go back again because I didn't manage to explore the entire area.

And this is a shot of a tiny part of Union Square. Was alone so didn't take alot of photos. Felt weird. Took the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) there. It's like our MRT. Pretty convenient and it was quite easy to navigate.

And that was the 5th day. Must take things easy. Harharhar...coz i don't know what i'm gonna do for the rest of the days.

Went to meet Dinah and Denzel for lunch today with Louis then went to their house to hang out. I had so much fun!!! Harharhar...the boys are very amusing...they kept me laughing...and Denzel is so cute! And Darren is so sweet and well-behaved! harharhahr...i think maybe it's coz i only spend a day with them so I can afford to say that it was enjoyable...wat if i had to spend a week with them??? harharhar...all i know is that their disarming smiles will win anyone's hearts!

We had lunch at Sunnyvale Downtown at an Italian place - Pasta Pomodoro. All the photos of the boys are blurred because they don't stop moving.

Our spread! Denzel had potatos but you can't see them in this picture. Darren was on a play date and only joined us later.

This is the only good photo of Denzel. I took it really really quickly. We were building a tower that was as tall as him and we succeeded before he ran at me in this next photo (to snatch the camera).

See the tower in the background??? Heehee...

Dinah played with us too! Again, blurred.

Dinah whipping up a storm in the kitchen. Thanks for the homecooked meal, Dinah! =]

Look at Darren's blurred fingers. He was playing such a complicated song and his fingers were flying all over the keyboard. harharhar...

Look at them! So cute! harhahrar...they were trying to strike some pose lah...but i don't know what...

This is a photo taken by Darren of us. harharhar...he's smiling the Darren way...

And the less successful attempt with Denzel.

Lemon tree in Dinah's neighbour backyard. Darren and Denzel each took one.

Orange tree in Dinah's backyard! harharh...i plucked some oranges. So fun! harhahrhar...Darren helped me too.

Darren and the orange that he got from the tree.

And this is what I'm eating as I blog. Yummy! Heatwave today. Very, very warm. Like Singapore actually...harharhar...I'm not complaining...used to it...

4th day - Getting Independent

2008-05-13T13:40:00.015+08:00

Louis had to go to work today so we only had time to grab a quick lunch at KFC before he drove off after drawing me a map of Millbrae downtown. That's where we had lunch. I miss the A&W Rootbeer float!

After lunch, I wandered around downtown Millbrae by myself. Nothing much. A departmental store, a few grocery stores, gift shop and cafes. I would have walked around more but the wind was getting stronger and stronger.

I bought coffee from Peet's Coffee and Tea because Louis said it was better than Starbucks and the wind just blew coffee out of my cup because I didn't ask for a lid! Madness! I was so annoyed I went home. I did buy some stuff before I got back. Walked around for about 2 and a half hours.

These are some pictures of the neighbourhood around Lewis Ave. There are quite a number of churches nearby.

The sign says Lewis Ave. Was too cold to press the zoom in button. Was also struggling with coffee that threatened to blow away.

Louis stays in the third house counting from the blue one.

Now, a view of the house. This is what you see when you come out of the house. Flowers everywhere. The house is actually divided into two. The owner of the house stays next door. There are flowers everywhere.

That's the main door.

Look at how big the flowers are.

Yup. That's all. Went back to tidy up the room. Still very messy. I just shifted things around. Harharhar...met Vera for dinner at 7pm. Haven't seen her in years (not exaggerating this time). She's working for a Japanese shipping company and is currently based in SF. Went to this Afgan restaurant called Kabul something. Can't remember. As usual, had to pack the food home. Appetite is really failing me. Her friend from EDB joined us and we had a good time catching up. Oh yah! Vera took me to Shoreline Park (I think?) and part of the park was for dogs! Harharhar...the Americans really love their dogs...and we were talking about eating dogs and farmed rats over dinner! harharhahr...Vera's EDB friend kept telling us not to talk so loud or else the other patrons may kill us for talking about eating dogs...harharhahr...he looked pretty serious so we piped down...

Tmr I learn how to take the train. =]

3rd day in SF!

2008-05-13T12:54:00.014+08:00

i've been catching up on sleep...feel so happy! Slept till 12 plus today. I think I really need the rest. Working drains my energy and after this holiday, i'm not gonna have any more time to sleep...just class after endless class.................aarrghhh...betta not think about it.

haven't been doing much these 2 days but sleep. Still abit jet-lagged but getting much better. Not much of an appetite though. think my body clock is upside down still...

woke up at almost 2pm in the afternoon yesterday and headed off to Berkeley. Walked around the grounds of UC Berkeley. Lovely campus. Sometimes I wish I had taken the chance to study overseas. Oh well...NUS wasn't that bad...i did have good times in fact...

A lot of open space. People were lying on the grass and enjoying the sun. It looked nice so I tried it and Louis asked, "How can you be sure that you're sitting on dog poo?" I made him sit down beside me.

There were dogs retrieving tennis balls that their owners threw for them. They're so clever! My dog is not clever at all. Can't even sit when ordered to. =(

See that dog by the lamp post? It came to say hi to us and gave me a shock coz it was huge! Anyway, after waggin its tail at us, it bounded away when its owner called it. However, it couldn't resist a quick sniff at the lamp post to see who had been there before him/her.

One of the noticeboards at the university. So colourful! Harharhar...some of the notices must date back to the 18th century.

Don't you wish you were studying here???

Headed to Downtown Berkeley, Telegraph Avenue for some shopping. Tried on some slippers. Wanted to buy but only one design was nice (it was 2 pairs for USD10) and i couldn't choose two. Also, Louis disappeared halfway so I had to go look for him.

This is the wall outside the shop where I was trying on the slippers. They put broken plates into the wall. Harharhar...kinda nice...they must have broken alot of plates...

We wandered along Telegraphy Avenue because I had a craving for fruit juice but couldn't find any so I was quite grumpy. Anyway, it was getting late and we had a musical to catch so we proceeded to Oakland where we had dinner at Burger King. Sounds boring, right? But there was nothing much to eat. It was a Sunday and also Mothers' Day so nothing much was open. People get off work earlier here compared to Singapore and shopping is not an integral part of their life. Also, Louis told me that there were alot of shoot-outs in Oakland. =S

We had some time after dinner so we entertained ourselves by taking photos in the car. It was too cold outside. Wind was super strong and chilly.

Paramount Theater! That's where we watched CATS. Based on the poems of T.S. Eliot. Pretty good dance sequences. Louis fell asleep but I couldn't blame him. The storyline is not very interesting and I only understood it coz I had watched the DVD previously. It became better after the interval. Our favourite part was when Grizabella sang 'Memory'. Powerful vocals. She got a standing ovation when it ended.

It's very chilly at night. It was ok in the day and I think i'm slowly getting used to the weather. It's better than being warm and sticky actually. But my skin is flaking...aarrghh...very dry...bought 2 tubs of Ben & Jerry's ice-cream at Safeways which is open 24 hrs on our way back.

It was a great day. =]

2nd day in San Francisco

2008-05-11T12:57:00.002+08:00

Forgot to bring camera today so no photos. =P

Didn't do much today except spend money. Alot of money. =(

Had half a chicken burger for lunch because tummy refused to cooperate. =(

Had dinner at Tofu House. What a quaint name. Harharhar...it's a Korean restaurant that serves specialty tofu soup. The servings are huge!!! Had to take away most of the food (the portion I ate. Louis finished his in like 5 minutes). Compared to Singapore, the food portions are much, much bigger. =)

Gonna slp soon. Super sleepy. Jet lag setting in. -___-

oh yah...I feel perpetually cold. PERPETUALLY.

South of San Francisco

2008-05-11T01:31:00.011+08:00

SQ's in-flight entertainment is absolutely fantastic. Too bad the same can't be said of its food. It was quite bad. Or maybe it was coz I was sick. Tummy was super bloated and filled with air. Think maybe it's the pressure difference. Long haul flights always take alot out of me. Threw up upon landing. And on my first day here, I threw up a few more times. Felt so sick and exhausted. Slept for like a total of 2 hours on the entire journey coz the turbulence was bad! =(

On the bright side, I visited Ghirardelli Square and bought lovely, lovely cupcakes from Kara's Cupcakes! Super pretty. Of course by the time we reached back, the cupcakes were a little smashed (Louis has a tendency of violently swinging every bag I make him carry).

A very tired me above endeavouring to smile for the camera. Don't ever buy black luggages. I almost died trying to find my black luggage amongst the other two thousand other black luggages.

Louis hasn't changed a single bit! harharhar...he needs a haircut.

Look at the beautiful house Louis stays in. The Americans build beautiful homes. His room is twice the size of mine. Car goes neatly into the garage. Beautiful flowers every where. Beautiful is the only adjective I can think of coz the cold has numbed my brains considerably. Roses demand a price. A cold, cold one.

I felt really sick at this point of time. But the chocolate shake was too good to resist. This was taken at Ghirardelli. Too bad the main building was under renovation and was closed.

Kara's cupcakes!!! After leaving them overnight, they still tasted wonderful for breakfast! Ate one before I thought of taking a photo. harharhar....

Contributing to the mess in Louis' room. hee...actually he's quite neat. I'm the messy one. Ok...gotta go Gilroy outlet now...a shopping spree beckons and I cannot ignore its call! =]

Happy Birthday to me!

2008-04-07T19:30:00.000+08:00

Thank you all for celebrating my birthday and making it a memorable one! =]

Congrats to Desmond on his baptism! =]

Photos can be found here (I still have no camera):

http://lindseylui.multiply.com/

http://des1982.multiply.com/

Humbled.

2008-03-31T23:03:00.002+08:00

Have you ever been humbled by God's goodness and grace?

I really can't believe how good God has been to me. I don't deserve any of it at all but I'm absurdly happy at the same time because isn't this what grace is about? It's unmerited favour. I'm loved by God though I don't deserve it. And realising this humbles me. The gawky teenager inside me feels that God believes that I HAVE POTENTIAL. It makes me giddy with joy!!!

I still feel awkward and clumsy at times. I don't know how things are going to turn out neither do I know what to do at all times nor am I very wise BUT if God is for me, then who can be against me?

=]

Singapore Flyer

2008-03-29T22:48:00.005+08:00

God is awesome! Got a free pair of tix for the Singapore Flyer from my boss. =]

It's really true that God knows the desires of our hearts and He wants to bless us with good things. I remember last year I really wanted to watch 'The Phantom of the Opera' and I wanted good seats but the tix were SO expensive that I didn't know if I should get them but in the end I got the Category A tix free! (Also courtesy of my kind, kind boss)

When the Singapore Flyer was open, I had a fleeting desire to go for a ride and yesterday I got the chance! God has been really, really good.

Was a pretty busy day yesterday. Went for a swim, then had driving lesson, then took my final theory then met Ivy and walked around for half an hour trying to find the Flyer! It's really far away. Had to book a flight timing and at first the guy on the phone told me I had to be half an hour earlier and I thought he was just being ridiculous but now I know why. It's coz the Flyer is so out of the way that it really takes a full 30 minutes to find it! =S

The ride wasn't too long or too short, about 45 min. Just nice actually. The view wasn't great because the IR is still in construction but once everything is up and running, I'm sure the scene would be fabulous.

After the ride, we had dinner at Secret Recipe! (AGAIN. I KNOW. I LOVE THE OXTAIL STEW.) Went to Max Brenner for drinks. Had the Equador dark chocolate with Orchid Oil. Sounds something like that...harharhar...came in a hugmug. (Photos to come later. No camera coz it went to the States with Louis and someone stole it. Long story. Ask the person who left it in his car with his bag in the backseat and who maybe left the doors unlocked.) Once Ivy sends me the pretty photos we took, I'll upload them.

There's this uber cool place beside Max Brenner. It's The Cookie Museum. The sales person was super enthusiastic and bubbly and forced divine cookies down our throat with a smile and a pair of tongs. I was so terrified I bought a tin of cookies - Cranberry Mango. 1 tin costs $35 but trust me, these cookies are so GOOD, that I felt that it was actually worth it. If you don't believe me, take a trip to The Cookie Museum where they will happily oblige your requests to taste every single cookie they have ever baked since their grandmother's time. They even have flavours like Nasi Lemak and Hae Bee Hiam. Also, it's a local enterprise and I say we support the local entrepreneurs!!! Yay for these brave, brave souls!!!

Giraffes for emmeline cheong

2008-03-07T18:19:00.003+08:00

Just remembered that Emmeline and I love 'Totally Spies' the cartoon! Harharhar...so silly...

I forgot that I took a video clip of giraffes for emmeline because she has never seen a live one before. Here it is after days, weeks and months of procrastination......

Praise You in this storm

2008-02-18T10:32:00.002+08:00

This is the song that Ps Noel and Grace Cabusao sang during service yesterday and it really touched my heart.

I was sure by now, God, that You would have reached down
and wiped our tears away,
stepped in and saved the day.
But once again, I say amen
and it's still raining
as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain,
"I'm with you"
and as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise
the God who gives and takes away.

Chorus:
And I'll praise you in this storm
and I will lift my hands
for You are who You are
no matter where I am
and every tear I've cried
You hold in your hand
You never left my side
and though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I remember when I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry to You
and raised me up again
my strength is almost gone how can I carry on
if I can't find You
and as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
and as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise
the God who gives and takes away

Bridge:
I lift my eyes onto the hills
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth
I lift my eyes onto the hills
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth

God is strong. God is also loving. Psalm 62.

Cell outing to the zoo

2008-01-13T21:41:00.000+08:00

Have wanted to go to the zoo for so long and finally got the chance to do so today! Desmond got our cell free tix. Although only 6 of us were free to go but it's still a wish come true. =]

Here are some photos...

candid shot at the zoo carpark. good thing desmond drove us if not we'll have to wake up at an unearthly hour. thanx des!

abit blur. one of the zoo employees took this photo for us.

Below is a video of an otter who was bragging openly about his swimming skills. Super cute!

Saw many many many animals. Countless! Harharhar...can't believe emmeline told me she has never seen a real life giraffe! Was reminded of it when I saw the mindless looking giraffes who were chewing non-stop. Apparently they eat for about 16-20 hours each day! In other words, they juz eat and sleep all their whole life long! Harharhar...how I wish I was a giraffe.

Look at the sleepy lion.

Lion is now in the background. Can you spot him?

Awesome white tigers. There are no white tigers in the wild anymore. all of them are in captivity.

The last of the wonderfully weird animals we saw - the Malayan Tapir.

=]

Beauty World Cha Cha Cha!

2008-01-04T00:54:00.000+08:00

Went to watch Beauty World on its opening night with ivy and it was F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S!!! Worth every single cent I paid! The songs were wonderful, the costumes were razzle dazzle, the actors and actresses were great (Irene Ang was so funny!!!) and the performance was stupendous!

My new resolution is to support the local arts scene by watching more of their productions. As I watched the closing curtain, I suddenly felt proud of Singlish. The musical had a mix of Singlish, Cantonese and all the other rojak languages typical of colloquial dialogue in Singapore. I loved it. Singlish is truly unique. Where else can you find a language that combines a dozen other languages and still make sense? We have brought the word 'lah' to new heights and we must be proud of that!

I understand the need to speak proper English and understand words such as 'obfuscate', 'erudite' and 'etesian' but Singlish is just so much easier! Just say 'don't confuse me leh!' or 'wah! that scholar very chim!' or 'every year got summer wind blow lor.'

Anyway, went for supper at glutton bay after the musical. Oh yah! Two of the dancers were people I was acquainted with in SAJC! What a small world! Harharhar...well...at least they are living out their dreams. I feel so underachieving compared to them. I must have a dream. Will sleep on it tonight. Hmmm....

a tiny forgotten part of Singapore

2007-11-23T23:06:00.000+08:00

had an extremely interesting day with a few mementos to remember it by (including the scars left by the commando mosquitoes on my legs!).

Thanks to Desmond, Lawrence and I had a chance to visit the LAST, REMAINING KAMPUNG in Singapore! It was a tiny place made up of about 10-15 households, mostly Malay. A really quiet placed tucked away neatly from the sight of the towering blocks of HDB flats just opposite. Mosquitoes swarmed us as soon as we arrived and Desmond and Lawrence actually saw a wild monitor lizard while I was occupied with avoiding a bee the size of my fist!!! Why oh why did the annoying bee annoy me at that precise moment!!! I was hoping to see a monitor lizard!!! *sigh*

I lost my chance. But Desmond's gonna get my cell group free tix to the zoo and he says we'll see it then. Oh well...sometimes we can't ask for too much. I saw gargantuan bees, an Indian cat (I'll explain), friendly dogs, cute bunny rabbits, real wooden houses and the sweetest Malay girl in the whole of our island state. Not bad for one afternoon right? Heh...

Here are the long-awaited photos!

This is one of the houses that we saw. Don't you think it reminds of those old SBC shows? Especially those of the school children and Chen Liping saying "Ai Yo Yo!"??? Harharhar...

Look at the cute bunnies!!! They were so welcoming tried desperately to sniff us over. =]

Roosters are an essential part of kampung life because they don't have alarm clocks.

The Indian cat!!!! There were 3 white cats and only one had the a mark on its forehead. They spotted us and came out to play.

I can't turn this photo around, I don't know why! So you're gonna have to turn your computer screen around again. I thought after trespassing on so many of the houses, we ought to clean up a little.

See the sweetie smiling for me? So adorable right?

Too many photos and too little time. Visit the place if you have time. Sooner better than later. Before the government clears it away for another faceless shopping district.

Louis is now safe in San Francisco

2007-11-04T18:03:00.000+08:00

I am so bored!!!!

Never knew how much entertainment Louis provided. Check out his photo (note: only one photo because he was too tired to post any more) blog. It's one of the links on the sidebar. Heh...my face looked really puffy at the airport. Only had like 2-3 hours of sleep coz we were watching TV and slept at about 2a.m.

My usual antidote to boredom is Sims 2, which is extremely addictive. However, I'm watching Criminal Minds now, or rather, waiting for it to finish loading. Once it's done, I'm just gonna focus all my energy on perfecting my Sim's life. Harharhar...i really sound like i have no life right...but Sunday is a day of rest and I already redeemed myself from eating 2 donuts yesterday by going for a jog this morning!

I miss Louis. He's very, very amusing and somehow talking via Skype just feels weird. His voice is muffled. Movements are laggy. I guess I'll have to get used to it.

The first day was the hardest. I'm glad it's the second day now. I hope it gets easier, not worse.

16 more days to go...

2007-10-17T22:57:00.000+08:00

Louis will be leaving in 16 days. Slightly more than 2 weeks. I hope everything goes smoothly. For the both of us. It hasn't really sunk in yet. I refuse to let it sink in mostly. I wonder how it will be like. It's gonna be weird not having him around. Oh well...he made me set GOALS.

Gonna achieve at least one. Heh...

*crossing my fingers*

2007-09-15T01:51:00.000+08:00

a myriad of feelings keep me from slumber.
i feel tired.
thinking of work makes me tired.
skin is flaking all over.

sometimes i feel that i can be brave.
conquer each world of obstacles.
sometimes i just feel dead.
let it all wash over me.
maybe something good will come out of it.

perhaps, perhaps, perhaps. -- doris day

made in Your image.
born of Your grace.
know You as Saviour.
found in Your embrace.

thanx for that vote of support, seb.
perhaps it will all be ok.

I wonder what will happen next

2007-08-19T11:51:00.001+08:00

Sometimes, I really wish I had this special power to see into the future and avoid all the roadblocks, barriers, traffic jams and fatal accidents in life. It would be rather cool I think. Had a really wonderful trip to U.S. a few weeks back. It's a nice place although they could do with some Singaporean dishes (like laksa that does not cost USD15.00 and still not taste like real laksa).

*chocolate haven*

But it's a place where I will surely grow fat in. It has tons of chocolate and sweets! Heh...Louis may be going back to U.S. again. This time to work for 1.5 years at Genentech. Without me. =(

Nothing is confirmed yet though. The job has been offered, but he has yet to officially accept it. Still waiting for another job offer which will allow him to stay here. With me. =)

*crossing my fingers.

2007-05-11T03:45:00.000+08:00

Will be leaving Singapore at 8.30am today. Can't wait. Really can't wait!

Transiting in Narita, Tokyo and then towards the City of Angels.

--happiness*

Trip to the National Museum

2007-02-23T22:46:00.000+08:00

Ooohh...went to the newly renovated National Museum today! The exterior looks somewhat the same, just whiter. But the design on the interior is absolutely fantastic! All glass and metal and extremely clean. I would most willingly lie down on the floor to grab a nap.

Met Shawn during lunch today (he was going to meet his friend for some LAN gaming at Peace centre) and told him that Louis and I were going the to National Museum and he gave us the "that's the most boring thing to do on earth" face. Ha! I bet you'll change your mind after visiting it! Hmmm...didn't find the guestbook that your friend scribbled in though. Guess they really changed it after he left his imprint. Hee...

These are some memetos that we took from the museum.

Free newspaper, free booklet and the admission tickets. Very expensive! Used to be like 5 dollars for adults and $1.50 for students, I think. Now admission is $10 and $5 respectively. However, in view of the technology they employ, I think it's totally worth it.

This is the entrance to the History Gallery. You have to slide your ticket at the glass barriers before you can enter and upon entrance, a lady will give you an electronic museum guide. I could spend hours in there. There are like a million videos and a thousand different rooms to explore.

This is the fashion room. It's filled with women's clothes from past eras. Louis made an intelligent comment in this room (the only clever thing he said all day). "How can fashion be all about women? How about the men's stuff???" I totally agree with him. It was a rather stereotypical view of fashion. However, it was still fascinating. The colours, the dresses on display, the bags, even catglasses! Harharhar...! Louis was happiest in the food room though. He went around sniffing the spices. =D

Parting shot. It's a really beautiful building. Anyway, we went to eat dinner and amazingly, we spent less than 25 dollars on food! Usually we eat like crazy, but Louis and I have decided to save and stop spending like there's no tomorrow. Heh...very satisfied meal at Carl's Junior. Look at the happy cup!

Hee hee...coincidentally, we saw the Chingay parade along Orchard Road as well.

It says Chingay. Took it with my phone cum camera cum mp3 player. Mobile phones nowadays are quite fantastic.

One of the floats. I believe the scary looking dolls are called da tou wa-wa in Mandarin. Big-headed dolls.

All the people at Orchard were watching the Chingay. As a result, the trains were quite empty and we got a seat! Heh...

It was a perfect day.

=)

CNY holidays!

2007-02-16T20:46:00.000+08:00

The CNY holidays are here!!! Now that I've started working, I live for public holidays. Heh...it's a wonderful day! Collected my new iMac G5 today. My old iMac kept breaking down every 2 weeks. Lost all my faith in Apple products already. Thank God they agreed to my request for a product replacement. If not, I really dunnoe what to do. The crazy iMac I had made my life so miserable can. Lost all Emmeline's wedding photos, all my photos. Had to carry it down to the service centre somemore. *Sigh! But at least that's over, hopefully! Keeping my fingers crossed!

Ohhh...these are the photos I took with my nifty new Sony Ericsson phone. It has a 3.2 mega pixels camera! Heh...in celebration of Bryan's birthday, we went to this new park near my house to eat crab and talk crap.

That's me and aibee! That's the mrt line in the background. Kinda spoils the quiet scenery, but it makes the place accessible and that's more impt I guess.

Dumbo Bryan took this when we were not looking. His hair is atrocious right???

Ivy and Bryan. Bryan almost fell into the fishing pond behind him by the way.

This is the place where we ate. I wonder why bottle tree???

ewwwwww....disgusting boy picking his nose with one hand and holding some crab's leg in the other!!!

I dunnoe why, but we always take photo of the food only when it's all gone. Harharhar....anyway, it was pretty pricey for average food. Guess you have to pay a price for the ambience as well.

Happy Birthday Bryan! =]

Wild Wild Wet Day!

2006-09-28T23:01:00.001+08:00

Went to Wild Wild Wet! last Sunday with Billie, Lynn and Marianne. We had a really wonderful day! Must go to Escape Theme Park next. Photos as requested by Lynn...

Notice the 2 words 'modest swimwear'? Harharhhar...with the exception of Lynn, all of us were in pretty bikinis!!! And so were the majority of the girls there!

Took this shot when only Lynn was looking. Since I can't turn the photo around, you'll have to turn your monitor around. heh... =P

That's us! We played in the kiddies pool too...harharhar...reliving our childhood. Kids are so fortunate nowadays!

bridesmaid = glorified slave

2006-09-28T22:27:00.000+08:00

Can't believe emmeline is now Mrs Emmeline Lieow! Harharhar...while she's having lots of sun and fun in Krabi, I'm slogging away at work. Was slogging on the day she got married as well. All future bridesmaids, watch out! It's not as glam as it sounds! Had to fetch and carry and remember and panic and pin and learn and "hurt" the bride (had to pin the veil for emmeline and I think I accidentally poked it into her scalp. She was screaming in pain, but no choice! There was no other way to secure it on tightly, so it's really not my fault! Harharhar!!!) Well, it was fun while it lasted...haven't attended a wedding in ages. And now there are 3 more couples in church waiting to get married. Madness! Why the rush right???

Oh well...i want to upload the wedding photos, but something is wrong. Not sure if the files are too big. Hmmm...I'll do the photos another then. At least now my blog is slightly less boring. Heh...

I have other things to do now. (Like play neopets! =P)

ta~

Tagged!

2006-07-21T21:21:00.000+08:00

I've been tagged by Billie probably coz my blog is super boring. Harharhar...I simply have no time to spend online anymore. Only quick, hurried 5 minute check on emails. Oh well......

I have been tagged
by Billie

1. Do the following WITHOUT complaints
2. Leave a tag on the person's tagboard to say he/she has been tagged
3. Start your post with "I have been tagged!"

Favourites
favourite colour: Purple
favourite food: pasta! cheese! sashimi! steak! *hungry*
favourite song: It's a Happy Day!
favourite movie: Pirates of the Carribean (Johnny Depp is cool!)
favourite sport: swimming
favourite day of the week: saturday
favourite season: Spring
favourite ice-cream: haagen daaz's macadaemia brittle *yummy*

Currents
current mood: bored senseless
current taste: nothing i guess
current clothes: old tee from SA and bro's old shorts
current desktop: saved.
current toenails: just painted a nice, neat, metallic dark pink
current time: 2125h
current surroundings: in my nice-smelling air-conditioned room, listening to Dido, room is cluttered from stuff i bought from Bangkok and dunnoe where to put yet
current annoyances: hunger, waiting for dad to bring durians back!
current thoughts: i need a guidebook to how to live my life. why am i not more accomplished? *sigh*

Firsts
first best friends: jeremy, my kindergarten ah beng friend who made me naughty
first crush: hoho....NEVER!
first movie: hunchback of notre dame
first lie: can't remember lah!
first music: a casette tape of silly songs

Lasts
last cigarette: NEVER.
last drink(alcohol): Bailey's Irish cream 7 days ago
last car ride: 4 nights ago in my boyfriend's parent's car
last crush: a sweet little boy i taught. i will wait for him to grow up! harharhar...
last movie: Pirates of the Carribean - Dead Men's Chest
last phone call: Louis - reminded me that he is very understanding
last CD played: corrine bailey rae

Have you ever
have you ever dated your best friend: Nope.
have you ever broken the law: Who hasn't?
have you ever been arrested: Nope, I always run fast enough. (Kidding lah! ha!)
have you ever skinny-dipped: Nope.
have you ever been on tv: Yes, think it was the Chinese news. Singing Christmas carols at Orchard. Heh.
have you ever kissed someone you don't know: Nope.

5 things you are wearing: old SAJC tee, shorts, nail polish, lip balm, my skin
4 things you have done today: went to work, bought stuff for potato salad, read latest novel by Amy Tan, tortured dog
3 things you can hear right now: air-con, Dido, bro pottering around in kitchen
1 thing you do when you are bored: read, sleep and don't think

I'll upload photos of Bangkok soon. Camera is still with Louis. Really had fun shopping and bargaining like crazy! But the plunge back to reality when I had to go to work yesterday was madness...

more soon......

My To-Do List

2006-05-15T10:52:00.000+08:00

Well, my momentuous moment did not become very momentuous when I found out voting was mandatory. Harharh...I felt like I was forced to vote. Felt quite irritated. But still, the future of Singapore cannot be undertaken lightly. One day, when I'm free, I will lobby for a 4 day work week and more public holidays.

I've been suffering from insomnia I think. I can't get to sleep in less than an hour. I just lie in bed wide awake and think of crazy stuff. Louis suggests that I should try closing my eyes and not open them until I drift off to sleep. He's very helpful. Sigh. Maybe I have too many worries about the things that I have to do, but I keep putting them off . I don't know why. I'm blogging now instead of my planned running and doing some research for some work stuff. Feel so bogged down...also I'm getting rather irritated that the shortcuts for copy+paste don't work on an apple. It is rather inconvenient, especially when the right-click has no options for paste.

okok...time to stop complaining. I plan to get down to serious work. And I found a quote on a playing card that says 'Never start your day until you have written it down' or something to that effect. So here is my To-Do List: -

1. Buy Johnny English DVD for lesson prep and work out the questions
2. Find out what needs to be edited in GOAL! for kids to view
3. Buy soccer VCDs to complement Library Theme for work
4. Find soccer stuff to suit the boss' taste
5. Buy a new swimsuit
6. Exercise in some way
7. Clean my room
8. Throw out old clothes and unwanted paperbags
9. Stop worrying about the next day so that I can get to sleep
10. Get the LOTR, Return of the King

This is my worry list. Better get to work. Still got belated Mother's Day dinner tonight! Must try to do half the stuff on my list.

To be care-less one day...

Momentuous Moment!

2006-05-01T21:12:00.001+08:00

I get to vote! On Sat, May 6th, I will EXERCISE (they have been very lazy) my citizenship rights and vote for the government that I think best represents me! Happiness!

It will be a momentuous moment.

Hohoho!

And I'm absolutely dying to know what's in the next episode of Desperate Housewives.

badly in need of energy...

2006-03-27T13:10:00.000+08:00

This week has been totally energy draining and I'm not even sure why. I suspect that it's due to the lack of public holidays in March. Now I know what Sharon meant when she said when you start working, you live for public holidays. We really should have more public holidays. However, even when we have public holidays, somehow there's pressure to make up for the lost days. That's just so Singaporean. I remember my university lecturer say, "What's the use of public holidays when we need to have make up lectures? I just don't get it." He was a foreigner.

Sometimes, I wish Singapore was less stressful and the government would hopefully implement a 4 day work week. Now, that would attract all the foreign talent. Combine that with our perpetually sunny climate and low crime rates, we would become a smashing hit. But I guess I have no real cause for complain. I saw this report of this man recently in the papers who is undergoing trial for being a Christian. He lived for 15 years as a Christian and only recently just got found out. It's funny how he was able to live normally, had friends and family, when nobody knew that he gave his life to Jesus. But once people found out, they were baying for his blood. Why? I'm sure in those 15 years, he was loved and praised by the same people who want him dead now. I hope he remembers Paul and Barnabas.

I hope Singapore never becomes like that. Once we lose that tolerance, then we lose all we stand for.

yummy AMK crabs again.

2006-02-23T22:02:00.000+08:00

There is just no GOOD way to eat crabs in front of the boyfriend's family (including grandmother).

No GOOD way. Period.

make-believe

2006-02-20T10:58:00.000+08:00

It amazes me that as we grow older, we don't drop our worlds of make-believe. Perhaps when we were young, we dreamt of being a princess being saved by our prince or a world where we could fly or a world that was all happiness and no worries (yes, I distinctly remember being worried as a kid), or even a world that could never be described by words.

I went to watch a play that my friend produced last Friday at UCC. It was about unrequited love set in 1930s Shanghai. It was pretty good. They wrote their own music, script, dance, etc, etc. The stage is truly a world by itself of make-believe. Lower strips of cloth and it becomes a market, a harbor, the outside world. Light up the lamps and it becomes a brothel. Dim the lights and it becomes a reputable residence. The power of belief.

Even guys are not spared from such romantic notions. I think. Louis has just read the entire Narnia Chronicles (clap! clap! clap! He never reads unless he can help it) and he messaged me to ask me if I want to go to Narnia. I guess for him (and me, sometimes), Narnia has become a 'real' place.

As age sets in (at the ripe age of 22 going on 23), we all need a place that we can go to when the real world seems boring or harsh. I'm glad I have such a place.

Under His wings.

bizarre photos

2006-01-23T21:03:00.000+08:00

I bought the Imac G5 finally!!! It's the prettiest computer that I've ever seen!!! Hah! Happiness!!! Now if only my life would be as exciting......

These are some of the photos I took with ISight. Apple is so cool!!!

Harharhar...gross right??? There's more...

Harharhar...this was rather traumatising...

Harharhar...alright...that's all for now...still got other gross photos...but it's bed time!!! Back to work tomorrow. =(

Adios amigos!

blisto

2005-12-28T22:23:00.000+08:00

My dog farts. I never thought dogs could fart. Actually I never thought about whether they fart, but they do. It was a new revelation in my really mundane, but enjoyable day. The luxury of not going to an office where your time is not your own is indescribable. Heh. Well, today is my penultimate (learnt this word in JC from my human geog lecturer, Mr. Galistan) day of leave. Aargh. I shall not think about the dark confines of my oppressive office! Back to the dog! The farting dog.

I was draped over the sofa, on my tummy, absorbed in a novel and lost in the kingdom of Valdemar when IT happened. A foul stench assaulted my senses. I was, unfortunately, facing the dog's backside. Blisto was lying beside me on the floor and looked up guiltily at me when I scented his emission of smelly gas. He wisely and quickly removed himself from reach. But being kind-hearted, I forgave my super cute, but smelly pet, for farting in my face.

This is Blisto at his very best, a few weeks after being groomed.

And this is my errant and shaggy puppy today (he's still a puppy in my heart, only 1 year old leh!), after a few months without any attention from the groomer (groom?).

So cute right? I'll forgive my puppy anything. I think. Hmmm.... =P

Oh...by the way, I had to prop the annoying dog so that he would look at my nifty camera phone. Dogs can be so annoying. That's my thumb you see at the corner. Heh. I never torture him lah!

Oh...and that's my mother's backside in the background. =]

Envy

2005-12-11T23:23:00.000+08:00

It seems like envy has been rearing its ugly head rather frequently in life lately. I wonder if envy can be forestalled. Because it's really hard to know when it will come on and where and what form it'll take or whether it's a mild case or not. I think envy comes when I start looking at others and comparing what I have to them or what they are able to do. I used to pride myself on the fact that I don't really envy others because I'm satisfied with what I have and because I know that God is sovereign and it's not for me to question his judgements or blessings.

*sigh*

Despite all this envy in my heart, I know the best weapon is prayer. I keep praying about envy these few days. It makes me so discontented and unhappy. Sometimes it even makes me cry. Which is so weird! Why should I cry over what I don't have? Harharhar...but I do. There are so many things in life that I want. Really want. And most of them are not even material things. And like a wilful child, I think, "Why can't I have it?" And at the same time, I know the answer all along. I don't think God withholds His blessings from us. I know things happen or don't happen for a specific and exact purpose. Nothing is by chance. What the speaker said today is so true. God engineers circumstances for his purposes. And when the wait just seems so long, the moulding so painful, the journey exhausting, I hang on to the sentence of a song - I don't have to understand to believe.

"A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones."
--Proverbs 14:30

And so the battle continues. Sometimes it's all uphill and sometimes it's a cinch. But I'm determined that envy should have no foothold in my heart. Nothing should spoil Christmas. After all we're celebrating the Saviour. =)

"For unto us is born this day a Saviour who is Christ the Lord."
--Luke 2:11

It's A Happy Day!!!

2005-12-08T22:33:00.000+08:00

It's such a happy happy day!!!

This is my favourite song: -

It's a happy day!
I thank God for the weather
It's a happy day!
I'm giving praise to my Lord
It's a happy day!
Things are gonna get better
Living each day by the promises in God's Word

Praise God I'm born again
Praise God I'm alive!
Praise God I'm born again
So I don't have to try!

*****

I hope the lyrics are correct, but I sing it this way anyway. Heh. Such a happy song right??? Harharhar...I just feel full of joy today. Even though I worked from 9am - 8.30pm. But I accomplished a few things and the 3 day break (Sunday, Monday off + Tuesday MC) really refreshed my spirits. In addition, I also have 4 and a half days of precious, precious leave to splurge! Oh yah...I also bought a Christmas present for Emmeline, but not yet wrap. Hee...that's like one of the most difficult gifts settled and done. Amazing how I have time to shop right? Shall not disclose the procedure because it would not take a genius to figure what I got. Heh. Oh yah.........the horrid pictures of Emmeline with dengue...gonna show the world now.

These are the pills that she took. Don't know what they are and I hope it's not illegal to post it online. =P

These are her ghastly feet with calamine lotion (hope I spelt it correctly) because she said she was itching like mad due to the rashes. She had to paint her toenails red. I am reminded of vampires. The Chinese kinds you see in those Cantonese films. Yurrgh!

Another one of her in bed with the horrid hospital uniform which she claims is extremely comfortable. The nurse tried to stop us from taking photos, but in the end she just laughed and said don't take other patients' photos kae? Harharhar...she was a rather nice person. She looked like she was around my age.

Emma sick so ah lieow also gotta be in hospital. Harharhar...he had suspected dengue too! But in the end, he was fine.

She looks perfectly fine right??? Harharhar...see...that's why after I saw her, my worries of a pale and trembly shadow of a friend flew out of the hospital windows.

Ok! That's all! Gotta sleep soon, must still work tmr you know? Hee...

*Blessed*

Why save?

2005-12-06T15:25:00.000+08:00

I got questioned on Sunday why do I save money. I gave the first answer that I thought would be slightly funny and instead I felt like I got slammed for what had seemed to be a harmless joke. Of course, it was in a subtle way. Just felt condemned at that point in time. Words do hurt. It's weird...I always thought that we should respect the views of others (NORMAL views and opinions, not the crazy ones, you know what I mean), but sadly, even in church, that's not true. My answer as to why I save was for retirement. I usually get a good laugh out of my colleagues when I tell them this rather ridiculous reason and I laugh about it too. Haha.

Seriously. Why do I save. There are a million reasons as to why I save. None of them I think is wrong. Neither do I think it's wrong to save. FOR ONCE AND FOR ALL, TO QUENCH THOSE WHO THINK I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO FAITH IN GOD TO PROVIDE FOR MY NEEDS, YOU'RE WRONG.

I don't claim to have experienced any time in my life when there was a serious lack. I was never on the verge of starvation because, of course, Singaporeans don't starve even though they are not well off. But I have experienced being poor. So poor that my parents had to borrow from my meagre savings when I was barely 7 years old to pay the household bills. So poor that we had to pray as a family for the payment of food for the family next week. Again, I emphasize. I was never starved. I did not live in poverty. I lived in sufficiency. Whatever that I had was sufficient. Because God provided.

When my dad switched to his new job with a huge pay cut, I stopped taking pocket money from my parents. I gave tuition to earn my own pocket money. Is that a lack of faith? Did I think that I had to work for money because I had no faith? NO! It was because I had faith that God would provide for me. I gave tuition because it was a viable way to help with the family expenses. I did not expect God to give us money in an envelope not because I did not have faith, but because I choose not to box God up in the ways he should provide. To me, God provided for me by even giving me tuition assignments even though I was just a student. I was just grateful.

How can people understand the reasons for which I save? I quote someone," Believe for a rainy day and you'll get a rainy day." Come on! Do you seriously think I believe in a rainy day? Do you seriously think that I'm just waiting in anticipation for that rainy day to come? I thought you would have more faith in me, as a person. Not even as a friend. Just as a person. In my entire life, I have never WAITED for something negative to happen to me. Sure, bad things happen. Jesus never said that life would be a bed of roses. But I sincerely believe that I would never lack. Regardless of how much I have in my bank account. I don't have to be super clever or quote Bible verses to know from the bottom of my heart that God is going to take care of me. Neither do I have to show off that I have loads of faith with my zero bank account.

The reasons why I save I list here. To be transparent. I am human.

Some people are more blessed financially than others. I save because one day should my friends ask me for a loan, I would not only be able to give them freely, but I would be able to give more than is asked for. I want to be there for people financially as well as giving them the love and concern that they need.
I save so that next year I can go to Australia to visit my friends.
I save so that if God decides that I have finished my mission on earth tomorrow, there'll be something left for my family as well as to cover the funeral cost. Grief is enough without worry about not being able to pay for a funeral. As I said, my family is not well off. We don't own a car or have much savings, but by the grace of God, we live comfortably.
I save so that one day I'll be able to get married happily. Isn't it every girl's dream?
I save because I hope to further my studies.
I save because God may ask me to post an envelope of money to someone who needs it. It would be nice to be used by God, right? It makes me smile just to think that I can make someone happy.
Lastly, I save because I hope that if God hasn't come back by the time I'm 62, I really can retire. Harharhar...

I was angry. But I'm not anymore. It's silly. I guess I just wanted to validate myself.

Well...I can only justify myself through Christ...

I'm just grateful.

I'm back!!!!

2005-12-01T22:19:00.000+08:00

I am finally back online!!!! Harharhar...feel so happy!!! Ever since I started work, my social life has been very much reduced. There never seems to be enough time to do everything that I want or need to do. But I'm absolutely beaming with joy now! There are many reasons to be happy. Even though my laptop still hangs and the techie says there's something wrong with the motherboard and I don't have money to buy a new computer if I want to buy insurance and I feel so tired everyday after work, I still feel happy! Because...

1. It's the 1st of December and December is the start of Christmas (at least in my mind it is lah!)
2. Tomorrow is a Friday and I work from 10am - 6pm (usually 11am - 7pm)
3. I'm watching 3D Harry Potter movie at the Science centre
4. The movie is free because my boss is paying for it
5. I get to bring a guest along
6. Louis is free to watch with me
7. Saturday will come soon
8. Sunday got company party at Hard Rock Cafe (I've never gone to Hard Rock! So swa-ku! =P)
9. After Sunday, Monday is still an off day for me!
10. I've got too many things to be happy about to be sad or grumpy

Harhahrar...that's my list...ok...I better post this before the laptop hangs or restarts by itself. I'll post pictures of Emmeline in hospital soon. Her dengue recently scared me. But then she looks so healthy even when she's sick that all my worries just flew away and I wanted to laugh. Hee...more on that...

~tata

oh...and I miss Bryan...and Clarissa...and Gerhardine...who's far far far far away... =(

yummy AMK crabs!

2005-10-08T23:26:00.000+08:00

I have just come home from a sumptious meal courtesy of the wonderful bf! Heh...we ate this famous crab opposite my old secondary school at Ang Mo Kio. It was superb!!!! Harharhar...feeling like such a glutton today.

This is what I ate today: -

1. Chwee kuey for breakfast
2. Carrot cake strips that my manager bought for us
3. KFC drumlets meal
4. Crab!!! and hor fun and oily deep-fried tofu

Madness right???? And tomorrow will surely be another bingeing day!

Oh well...I'll lose the weight on Monday...heh...these are photos from my crab dinner...

We finished the gigantic crab...shells, meat and all....

Harharhar...kidding lah...these are the remnants...the crab was super hard to bite man!!! My poor, longsuffering bf had to help me...hee...

it's a really value for money place. We ordered $3 hor fun and they gave us like one big plate! Couldn't finish it in the end....

Louis knows all the good eating places in Singapore. Oh yah...the XO fish slice noodles at the back of Holland V is also fantastic! Recommended by the food connoiseur too!

Oh...by the way...if you wanna buy insurance also ask him kae... =P

*yawn*

-___- sleeping time.

Revenge of the heartland aunties

2005-10-06T22:37:00.000+08:00

I have gotten used to listening to my MP3 player while walking to the MRT to go to work. This morning was no exception. There I was, happily bobbing in time to the soundtrack when I was blocked by 3 aunties in their nighties. I should have taken a photo of them using my nifty camera phone, but I left the phone in the office yesterday. I am so blur sometimes!

Anyway, there they were, blocking the entire walkway with their formidable size. One auntie was in a blood red nightie, the one in the middle wore a bright yellow nightie and the other one flanking her was wearing a nightie of indeterminate colour, sort of greyish with a few spots. Yuck. I shudder to think of what the nightie went through. It must have seen better days. The 3 aunties were walking in front of me on formation somemore! They all had long black hair and were walking super slowly!!! I was super irritated. Firstly, because I was gonna be late for work (again!) and they were blocking the entire path!! Secondly, because as I walked up the overhead bridge behind them, they were like flicking their hair!!! So annoying right? They reminded me of the crazy kung fu aunty in Kung Fu Hustle. Harharharhar......Anyway, as I was climbing the stairs, I couldn't take it anymore and said loudly, "S'cuse me!!!" Harharhar...I bet everyone behind those aunties in nighties were glad that I broke their formation. They were so incosiderate lah! I can see their pantyline through their nighties! Terrible....if I were their husbands, I'll cry lah...my goodness.

They shouldn't be allowed to dress so indecently in front of other people. Just coz you're married with 3 kids and a balding husband doesn't mean you have to let yourself go. I mean, their nighties weren't even made of silk or looked clean! They looked dirty and were made of translucent cotton!!! Besides, I'm sure they're not so poor they can't afford better clothes. 'Coz if they were, then they wouldn't be strolling around in cotton nighties and flicking their hair everywhere. They should be working. This kinda thing would probably only happen in Singapore.

On the other hand, some aunties are really nice. They give discount and talk rapidly in broken Mandarin until you end up just smiling and nodding your head and hope that they won't ask you a question that you can't answer coz you don't understand what on earth they're rattling about. Hee... =P

Ok...I got terrible tummy ache now. Must be the freaky thoughts of the aunties in nighties. If I see them again tomorrow morning, I'll just die.............harharharhar....

******

Unicorns

2005-09-24T22:40:00.000+08:00

I was forced to write on unicorns. So here it is, a story meant to appeal to younger children. Oh well, it's mainly nonsense, but I was sleepy!

*************************
Unicorns

A long time ago, in ancient Greece, there resided a very self centred and thoughtless King whose demands always had to be met. He was abit of a bully and the populace lived in fear of him. His favourite phrase, when he could not get what he wanted, was, "Off with his head!" Even though he did not really carry out his threats, his courtiers were still afraid of displeasing him.

One day, the King was bored and called for the royal jester to be brought into the Throne Room. The royal jester cart-wheeled in and proceeded to try to make the King laugh at his numerous antics, but his efforts were all in vain. The King grew angry and he roared, "Off with his he....." Before he could finish his sentence, the royal jester squealed in alarm and said, "Wait! Let me tell you about the UNICORN!"

The King immediately became interested and said, "Hmmm...alright," the King replied, "but if you fail to amuse me, it's off with your head!"

The royal jester was shivering in fear, but managed to stammer, "Thank you, Your Majesty."

He began, "The unicorn is a creature with a body of a horse and a horn on its forehead. It is of the purest white and embodies strength and goodness. It has eyes the colour of sapphires and lives in the deepest parts of the forest. Its horn is believed to have healing powers. When ground into powder, it would serve as an antidote and negate the effects of any poison that could be concocted in this world."

The royal jester heaved a sigh of silent relief as the King waited with bated breath to hear the next sentence. Assured by the King's attention, he paused for effect and continued, "It is believed that if any poisoned food were brought to close proximity to the unicorn, its horn would start to bleed. This creature has been sighted by some, but has never been captured as they are swifter than the wind and more beautiful and graceful than any other animal in this world. Many rulers and noblemen have gone in search of this elusive creature, but none have been able to find it. It is said that only a truly innocent person, one who is pure in heart and soul would be able to see it."

Silence descended on the room as the King pondered on what the royal jester had said. All of a sudden, he rose to his feet and declared, "I must see this unicorn for myself! It would be put in the royal zoo and tended to with the greatest care! Send out a message to all the brave men in the kingdom that whoever manages to capture a unicorn and bring it to the palace shall have half the kingdom as his reward!"

As his courtiers scuttled away in a hurry to annouce the new royal edict, the King smiled triumphantly and thought to himself, "Soon, I'll have a unicorn as a pet."

**************************

Heh...that's all. Short and sweet. I thought of adding a moral to the story, but I had a word limit and I couldn't think of any morals. I also wanted to end with the King vowing to become a better person so that he could see the unicorn, but I thought that would be quite crappy. Harharhar...!

Hmmm...time to cut my nails.

=)

2005-09-23T00:13:00.000+08:00

How Does God Feel About Me?
Excerpt from Max Lucado

If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it.
If He had a wallet, your photo would be in it.

He sends you flowers every spring
And a sunrise every morning.

Whenever you want to talk, He'll listen.

He can live anywhere in the universe,
and He chose your heart.

And the Christmas gift He sent you in Bethlehem?

Face it, friend.
He's crazy about you.

*********

Enough said.

Just another day.

2005-09-22T22:05:00.000+08:00

Oops. I said I'll write about what Clarissa did and I forgot. Harharhar...well...actually I did remember a few days ago, but I was too tired. Working makes me feel tired and sleepy all the time. I really need more sleep. Sleep. Sleep deprived me.

Ok. Last Thursday, Clarissa came back to TLL! She gave me piggy gummies (of which there are still a few in the fridge. I keep forgetting to finish them up), Tim Tams (my favourite chocolate biscuits!) and a note that was folded such that it was difficult to open and difficult to fold back, but I did both anyway. Heh!

GOOD thing I read the note only on the way back at the MRT station! If not I think I would have embarrassed myself by my teary eyes. Aargghh...I hate being emotional and all, but sometimes, things make me feel sad. Even sad movies make me sad. I always try to choke back the tears though and laugh (try to at least) at others who cry. Hee...meanie me...

Actually I have many things to blog about, but I don't know why once I come home and sit in front of my laptop, I feel tired and unable to write about anything of interest. I wanted to write about my conversation with this the horrid courier lady yesterday. My manager asked me to send a document to one of the teachers, but he didn't tell me it had to sent out by that night, so I didn't ask as well and phoned the courier and everything went well until the manger told me it had to be out by tonight, so I panicked and called the courier company (who had already sent a guy to pick up the document). A lady picked up the phone and she had a really really bad tone!!! The conversation went something like that: -

Rude courier lady: Hello, XXX services.
Me: Hi! I'm Rachel from TLL and I need the document to be sent by tonight, is that possible? One of your guys have already picked it up.

RCL: Huh??? What??? We don't have such services!
Me: There's no express courier service?

RCL: No. Not for local packages.
Me: Oh...then can I have the documents back?

RCL: Not possible! Not possible!
Me (annoyed): Why? What do you mean by not possible? Didn't your guy collect it? And since you said it's not being sent out by tonight, why can't I have it back by tomorrow?

RCL: I go check.
*Without even asking me if I'll hold for a moment, she put me on hold. And all the time she was speaking like I owe her money!!!
Me: Ok. Th....(cut off)

RCL: When you want it? (She was lapsing into Singlish)
Me (extremely annoyed by this time): Any time tomorrow.

RCL: OK. (Then she hung up!!!!!!!!!!!)

I was about to say Thank you, but she hung up!!!!!!!! I was so angry!!!!! Terrible service right??? Even thinking about it makes me mad!!!!!!! She was so rude!!!!! Made me ashamed of being a Singaporean! I mean where do they hire such people??? And don't they have to undergo some sort of training??? I was so apalled that I almost wanted to ask to speak to her manager. I wanted to call back and ask for her name and WRITE a letter of complaint. I wanted to call back and give her a lecture on how to provide service. I wanted to do all sorts of nasty things lah (I keep spelling "things" as "thinks" today. Don't know why!) But then I forced myself to calm down 'coz I thought to myself that she may have a starving family of 8 depending on her monthly salary and that's probably why she thinks the whole world owes her a million dollars.

Oh well. I'll write soon about my trip to JB! That was pretty good. Heh! I'll get the photos up soon. Not alot though. I think I only took photos on the bus. Harharhar.......please don't ask me why.....

Oh yah...Joshua kept calling me a Ferrari today and refused to tell me why! He is so annoying! Just like clarissa but less so...harharhar...it's a compliment clar! I'll try to find out why tomorrow....for now, it's time to check my email and look for better paying jobs and get out of my sad existence (which isn't that sad actually 'coz I had free Ben & Jerry's ice cream thanks to Christine! Hee... =P)...

Later.

"The Essence of Squishy-ness"

2005-09-15T22:57:00.000+08:00

I hereby dedicate my first post of my new blog to my squishy squid of a friend who's leaving for Stanford University this Sunday. Harharhar! Sadly, I'll probably laugh alot less when she leaves. TLL will not be the same without you!!!

It's funny, but before you came to annoy me, I used to think to myself that laughing was forbidden in TLU. Seriously. I think it was because everybody in TLU is pretty grumpy throughout the day because they have to pander to every teacher's whims. Hmmm...perhaps it's best not to reveal too much about that unhappy place.

Back to my topic, "The Essence of Squishy-ness". Heehee...it's so nice to say "squishy." Gives me a nice squishy feeling. Everyone should try squishing clarissa. When I squish her arms, it sort of bounces back, but in a liquid way. Not flabby kinda squishy, but the cushiony kind. Aarggh. I can't think lah.

Ok. I'm very sleepy now. I'm a grumpy squishy squid.

I'll write about the sweet things clarissa did today tomorrow. =D