davienne

Page 22 of 366

2012-01-22T17:42:00.000+08:00

It's the eve of the Lunar New Year.

I've moved back home to spend it with the family.

Things are really different when someone else is in charge and I can take a backseat off most of the cleaning and cooking.

Spent about 4 hours of the day sleeping after a night of Mahjong from which I grew $70 poorer. I count that a blessing because I was more than $100 empty but a stroke of positiveness turned the tides during the last round. Yes, I'm a little superstitious - I think that in gambling it all boils down to The Attitude. The more you lose, the grumpier you become, and that's when things start going downhill.

Truffles is here too; she spent her day trotting happily around the bigger house, poking her nose into everything: the table, the drawers, the tv remote... and still the dark space under my bed is where she seeks solace.

Scruffy has his routine shaken up with Truffles in the house. She jostles about him, drinks from his water bowl and outbarks him when he's trying to tell us of visitors. My sis bought him a strawberry bed that he refused to sleep in, until Truffles took over his bedding at night and he was forced to curl up in the strawberry.

It's raining now and I've just helped myself to two bowls of porridge. Sitting at the table, the rain sounding like shaken beads outside my window, chewing at the abalone clams that surprise me every now and then. I miss mama's porridge. It was creamy, smooth, sticky, stirred very carefully in her traditional claypot over some charcoals. Just plain white porridge, simple. She'd cut up abalone into slices and that was our snack for the day. I once asked her what her recipe was she just told me "oil'. And that's the memory I'll ever have, a porridge cooked with oil.

So today is page 22 of 366. And for the subsequent days to come, I'll be forced to touch the thought of family a lot more. As I think back on the years, I realise that family is like a blurred casette tape - you know what goes on but when you want to rewind and revisit incidences, you find out that things just.. happened and before you know it, you're spending time rewinding and finding that correct spot.

Like the day Dad took up meditation. Or the time when we were discouraging Sis from her new job. When it was just one dog in the house. When Mom didn't care that much about spring cleaning. What has changed?

So many, yet they are the same.

Life and Death

2012-01-15T02:46:00.001+08:00

Last week while in Chiang Mai, I brought along a new book for bedtime reading.

Tuesdays with Morrie is a book about the author's professor who was suffering from a terminal illness, and his last moments before death. I'm never one for self-help nor inspirational books; I think they state the obvious and are for people who cannot discipline themselves, so much so that they rely on books to tell them how to live life.

Not that I absolutely adored that book - it wasn't like Morrie overcame a huge obstacle in life, he was just putting it into perspective. But its simplicity and little quotes about love, family, life and death threw me into quiet, reflective moods. Not a good pick for a bedtime story. On top of late nights after our tours, the book ate up whatever free resting time my brain yearned.

Not every part of the book was for me though. There were some quotes I agreed with, some I put on a mental KIV list, and some that fell into the dark corners of my mind. What it was though, was a stark reminder of my grandmother's death, it's consequences, and human nature.

This is what she left behind:

The familiar kettles that we used to drink plain water from

Gate of her place. It's been sold, so this is my last memory of it

Mama's room, empty.

After she died we went back to her place and I snapped a few pictures. And I thought I'd just jot down what I've been meaning to document, about my journey with her on her passing. Just something to remember her by.

***

The Calls
I was out for a meeting. I remember that the office sat on top of a car showroom. And after the presentation ended when I checked my phone against the backdrop of fancy cars, I saw the missed calls from (in order):
1) My mum
2) My dad
3) My sis

Usually the missed call list goes in this order:
1) My mum
2) My mum
3) My sis

Odd, I thought. Faint alarm bells ringing.

Called mum, who broke the news. Mama had passed away that morning.
What? How? I asked.
She didn't know much. Call your father, she said.

And I did.
It was an awkward, yet most heartfelt conversation I would ever have with my dad.
He's a traditional man of few words and his harsh parenting ways had created a rift between us. Yet I found myself spewing consoling words.
You take it easy, I said. What the hell, where did that come from, I thought in hindsight.
My father gruffly replied his thanks. Even in mama's death he was still the stiff, unemotional parent. But we understood each other.

Called my sister. She picked up after three tries.
She was sobbing.
I had predicted that. She was the closest to my mama, sometimes to my envy (like my dad, I was always distant). She'd bring her out for manicures. Dropped by her place to pick her up for food. Chatter about stuff and keeping the old lady basking in attention.
She's gone, she spluttered in between breaths.
I didn't know what to say. I was bad at this. I'll see you at the funeral, I ended the conversation, aftering mustering some sentences of what I hoped would be consolation.

The Wake
One thing about being one of the elder grandchildren was that sometimes the adults were less careful with their words around me. This meant that I was privy to their hushed gossips and unmasked intentions. I was happy to have this 'benefit' bestowed upon me and I used it to my advantage at gatherings - to be able to alternate between the adults and the cousins whenever one group suited me better for that day's mood.

I regretted having this flexibility as we were idling about before visitors came. One problem that because her passing was a sudden one, mama didn't leave any will behind, which raised a lot administrative questions among the adults. They launched into a conversation revolving around money. The costs of the wake, of the cremation. How proceeds of selling the house would be split. Of mama's love for jewellery and the value of her precious stones and gold, and how that would be distributed. Of her habit of stashing money everywhere and anywhere, so the person in charge of cleaning up her room had to scrutinize all areas.

Maybe they were just being practical. Maybe these were pressing issues that had to be discussed. But as I sat there, plainly eavesdropping, I couldn't help but feel exasperation. Was all of this necessary?

***

Mama was a Christian, as were most of my aunts and their families. The Christians believe that the dead are off to a better place and therefore we have no business feeling sad when someone passes on. This was a relief, for the wake lacked the type of graveness and sorrow that lingered in most wakes.

The mood of the wake for the rest of the days was light, as the grandchildren helped out with the snacks and beverages while the adults continued on their banter.

On one of the days, Mum enthusiastically grabbed her camera and got our family to pose for a picture beside mama's coffin.

Why, I protested. This is weird.
I did this with your grandpa too. It's good to remember death. I even took a picture of his face.

And so we lined up in a row of four, our hands clasped in front of us. (It seemed the most appropriate pose - if you put your hands by your sides you tend to smile.)

That's when I asked, so do we smile or not?

The answer: You have to look serious, but not sad.

The Cremation
I remember most vividly about the day of cremation: that the ceiling was really high and had a very grand yet simple feel to it.It was an architecture of wooden planks and white paint, which gave me a feeling of serenity.

We circled her coffin as we tossed flower stalks onto it - the final time we would see mama.

Is that jade real, one of my aunts whispered.
It looks like it is, someone replied.
What, I thought they wouldn't use the real thing! Came the hushed reply in an urgent tone.

As the pastor led us through a series of hymns, I couldn't help but think about life and death. Is mama watching over us? Where does one go when one dies? Are we celebrating her life? Or is life a constant battle and death is us losing?

"And then one day I'll cross the river,
I'll fight life's final war with pain"

Making Choices

2012-01-09T01:44:00.000+08:00

Funny how Life presents us with so many options. What may seem to be a luxury (of having to choose) might actually make you worse off than before.

And there's many ways this could happen: a befuddled brain, a warped decision tree, emotions, time, Murphy's Law.. I've concluded that being able to pick through Life's offerings could just very well be a bad thing.

And I made this conclusion through? Buying shoes.

For some reason I can't keep track of where my shoes go. Somehow or another my favourite pairs go missing while shuttling about the office, my mom's place, and my rented place. So while waiting for Shirleen to show up I browsed the shoe store and settled on a pair of sandals.

Asked for sizes 36 and 37.
The assistant very kindly put them side by side and unclasped the sandals for me, despite me offering to help myself (I'm not naturally nice. I felt bad because it was sale season and the store was swamped with customers).
I picked a random pair to patter about, which turned out to be size 37.
They fit perfectly.

But I just HAD to try on size 36.
And that's when the unwanted seedlings of consideration took root in my brain and started growing.
They fit as well, maybe a little more snugly the previous pair.
Hmm, but my toes stick out a little.
Or do they not?
Wait, if these fit, then shouldnt the previous pair feel loose?
Was I not noticing?

And there I was, wasting another good 15 minutes of my time alternating between the two pairs when I could have just settled on what I was initially happy with.

Oh, in the end I got so irritated with my dallying self I asked for 37 and left quite huffily.

So there you go. Moral of the story: Sometimes it's better to be efficient and not have any choices to make after all.

New Beginnings

2012-01-05T03:59:00.000+08:00

So this post originally starts without a title; in everything I do I'm obsessed with the organisation and structure of things that prior to every blog post I'd title it - so that the blog post can have its focus, topic sentences and flow. But with the way my thoughts are jumbled up and the way they keep shooting out like electricity bolts, I suppose I'll let the post form its own title.

I don't know how 2011 went by. There's no desire for me to dig through my sparse archives to peg an emotion to the day when 2010 passed, just for comparison's sake. But I know that this feels different. I don't know why. Maybe it's the nonchalance. Maybe it's the disdain for the old year. I just know that I feel almost nothing for it. Like an old lover who's done me some injustice. Qiu says it's because I've "offended tai sui 太岁(heavenly generals to the Jade Emperor)" during the Rabbit year clash. I feel that maybe it's the year who has affronted me.

In 2011 I've loved and lost; probably lost more than I loved. And for that I claw desperately at what was lost.. look on forlornly at what has scattered. I regret that it's in my nature for letting things be the way I rationalize they should be, and not what my heart feels they should be. But that's the way how I am, once similar incidents transpire my cells push me to react in the same way. I can only learn through unwanted situations.

Last year when we crossed into the new year, I remember feeling squeezed for breath - as if someone robbed me of my time. And this year, it felt as natural as continuing a step. No end, no start, no finish. Just going through the same old rickety motions.

Maybe I should have some sort of reflections for 2011. Or a list of New Year Resolutions (that nobody ever keeps) that will mark this year as potentially awesome. Whatever it is, I have to find a way to push this creeping year into the limelight. I should never have gone blog-hopping, then I would never have chanced upon forgotten blogs with the old school style of blogging - pouring one's heart content into words on an online diary - and perhaps now I could have saved myself some melancholy.

So this year, I wish for Friendships and Success. Two words that are simple in their own meanings, but challenging to achieve.

And so I have settled on a title: "New Beginnings". Underserving because of its positive connotations when the mood of this post reeks of somberness, but fitting I hope; for in the past year I've learnt a thing or two about people, relationships and the rungs in the Ladder of Life, where now I'm starting at the lowest one again.

This time I can only hope I know what to do.

July

2011-08-02T19:07:00.000+08:00

I was convinced, for a myriad of (work-related) reasons, that July would be a sucky one.

We had just closed a deal that would demand our attention so much more than anything I've closed in the past 2 years, and in the midst of all that I had to prepare for our Country Managers' Summit 2011. ON TOP OF THAT it was my first time representing the company to speak at a brand conference, and while I like the way I am most of the time, I'm not sure I like myself when I do public speaking.

Okay, not exactly a myriad of reasons but the stress derived from all of the above would warrant permission to use the word "myriad"!!

What I've learnt though, is that maybe, when things can't get enough suckier, Life has no choice but to make it better.

1. Speaking at the Conference wasn't so bad at all
Nicholas screwed up the timings and all of sudden, the Conference shifted one day earlier. The tower of mental preparation I had built myself up for suddenly crumbled. Which was good, in a way. It left me with no room to worry and I had to bulldoze through our slides just hours before our speech.

I've been dreading public speaking but after this experience, I'm quite excited for more!

Our topic - "Social Media Planning Demystified"

2. National Day Parade
Because of our collaboration with NDP 2011, they gave us and the bloggers tickets to the rehearsals, previews and actual-day Parade. There's something magical about reliving our stories, the effort put into the costumes and chereography... I wish people who think that NDP is all "propaganda" will see that it's actually a nationalistic reminder. That we are a small nation who have braved the storms; we should celebrate it, and more importantly... remember it.

Confetti against Fireworks.. I love you Singapore!!

3. Finding out that things never change
Was up one day in KL getting ready for work when I found this note stuck on his door..
(His mum writes reminders/questions on his bedroom door and sometimes gets D to answer)

Did a double take when I saw it. Chuckled at his cheapo-ness (he struck out "But I'll buy"). And smiled to myself.. that some things don't change. And those that did, I hope they've changed for the best.

So. July. I'm done with you.

Bring it on, August!

the speakers that gave music

2011-06-15T22:24:00.000+08:00

More than 6 months ago I leeched on a laptop purchase to get a discount on a pair of speakers.

They cost $100, I knocked it down to $80.

Purpose? Revenge.
I promised that I would combat the noisy weekend mornings where our neighbours would shrill at each other across the corridor whenever I was trying to sleep in.

My $80 discounted speakers never really saw the light of day. They sat, lonely, unopened by the wall of my bed. My neighbours continued their piercing exchanges, and I was $80 poorer without any output from my purchase.

Until 6 months later, when I had the unexplainable urge of unboxing them.

And now I've given up my favourite hangout spot - my couch - just to sit at the rickety wooden table. Where I'd plug the speakers in and get my music fix.

And that was when they became a separate entity instead of being "the speakers that came with the laptop".

Life goes on.

Insomnia

2011-05-23T03:41:00.000+08:00

It's past three and I am sleepless

The ticking hand my only companion

Who watches me as I learn its rhythm

Like clockwork it ticks; I am its minion

This book would come in handy

If only words were what I need

But blanks are the pages and my heart

From where should I take heed?

Our new bundle of joy - Truffles

2011-05-14T23:52:00.005+08:00

I'm sorry if the title makes me sound like a parent.

Well. I'm kinda like one now that Elaine and I have someone new in our lives now!

It's a she. She's a dog. The dog's name is Truffles (originally Waffles, but more on that later). Truffles is an English Cocker Spaniel puppy, and the start of a not-so-complicated story.

Truffles at 4 months
(thanks Tim for the photos and graciously allowing me to steal them without your permission)

The Not-So-Complicated Story of How We Got Truffles

To begin, I was sitting in the office one day when my boss' friend dropped by. James is a lawyer who talks (and bullshits) so much he got fined by a judge during court. True story.

It was a Wednesday and James was on leave. We were discussing the (selfish) merits of having a dog. Eg: automatically appearing as a compassionate person, getting extra attention from people, attracting hotties - all by holding on to a leash tied to a cute-looking dog.

Only problem was that James' parents wouldn't let him keep a dog because of young children in the house.

And the conversation accelerated to something like this:
James: If only I can just buy a dog and leave it to someone to watch over it, and come pick it up for play whenever I want to
Me: I can do it
James: Really???!
Me: Really!
James: Let's go get a dog!

So that's the accidental story of how James got himself a willing (and free) nanny, plus a living tool to help achieve his KPIs.

As a disclaimer I should probably add that:

Elaine and I have been looking for a playmate for Scruffy by visiting dog shelters so Truffles was not an impulsive decision. We didn't find any dog suitable because they were all big dogs
It may have been an impulsive decision on James' part but that's why I'm glad that it's us he got to help - I can trust us to be responsible dog owners!
So far there have been no sign of James being an irresponsible dog-owner-in-name. He's been faithfully visiting the puppy, buying her toys and food, fussing over her well-being. Perhaps all that talk was just a macho front.

And So The Hunt Begins

James, Wendy, Elaine and I drove to several places in search of our dog. With the occasional exception of Wendy, who would get distracted and trail off from us to swoon at grumpy-looking cats.

We found none. It also felt wrong - that we were aimlessly browsing through the cages of yelping puppies, just for the sake of buying a dog.

I was starting to despair and the excitement of having a new dog was wearing off me, when a litter of cocker spaniel puppies caught our eyes. Out of the pack we found our princess, the most docile one out of her siblings, with the diamond touch of white fur on her forehead.

James picked up the puppy. "This one. Everyone agree?"

And we were nodding in unison. It was like ...eating a bowl of noodles after going hungry for hours. Buying the perfect shoes. Laughing at a joke.

It felt natural and ...right. Our princess was coming home with us.

Deciding On a Name

We were very selfish in the naming of the new dog. We conveniently forgot to invite the participation of James during this process. On the days prior to getting Truffles, we had decided we would get a boy, and that his name had to be meaningful and not an obvious doggy-like name (namely (pun!) Lucky, Sparkly etc). We decided on Waffles.

James wasn't too pleased.
"Why Waffles?"
"What, we're naming it?"

"Waffles isn't a dog name."
"I think I want to call it...Doggie."
"What's wrong with Doggie? It's a dog."

But as fate would have it, we got a girl and James decided to rename her Truffles, which suited her golden coat and curly hair.

truf-fle
noun
Any of various chocolate confections, especially one made of a mixture including chopped nuts, rolled into balls and covered with cocoa powder.

Once again, we all agreed.

(I would like to add that having three of us agree on something together is actually a very difficult task! Case in point: before Truffles, James wanted a Husky, Elaine wanted a Toy Poodle, and I wanted a Terrier.)

The Start of Something New

So that's the story of how we have a new addition to our family. The next step would be to give her obedience training, something Scruffy never had because I got him too late into adulthood (and therefore me suffering the brunt of it now in the form of unreliable peeing patterns etc).

She's taken to the training well and is completely paper trained in just two weeks! She's also semi-house broken, as well as preliminarily leash-trained. She's easily distracted though, which makes it really difficult for me to teach her tricks.

There was a lot of stress for us in the first two weeks and to my horror, I found through friends and the internet that most of my stress was probably not going to go away because her behaviour was something typical of her breed.

I'm glad we pulled through though! More about how I trained Truffles in another post!

Decision Making in Life

2011-04-20T23:19:00.004+08:00

Back in college I had to complete a compulsory module which I thought was a complete waste of time - Management.

I didn't see the merits of having to theorize something so practical. Isn't Management something you learn through hands-on experiences?

It wasn't that I didn't enjoy the module; in fact I poured over every single theory and concept thoroughly, consistently doing so well in my class I'd hate myself if I weren't me. I learnt about Gantt charts and was fascinated with how Henry Gantt developed a concept so simple and straightforward, that we now take for granted as a process for project management.

I also found out about the various management school of thoughts, and my favourite quote about management was summarised succinctly by Henri Fayol:

"To manage is to forecast and plan, to organise, to command, to co-ordinate and to control"

I didn't know it back then, but subconsciously it probably made a whole lot of sense to me. Now as my job throws me into the middle of the management pool, I find myself swimming towards the classical approach of being structured. (Which isn't really a good thing. In college we were taught to have management styles borrowed from all schools of thought.)

When I first started I took wobbly steps in decision making. As I grew more experienced with organising and structuring, the top-down approach became second nature to me. Before I knew it, I was making (or at least, trying to make) informed and calculated decisions in the form of a decision tree.

If Outcome 7 had the best calculated decision probability, then steps would be taken to achieve it. We were taught the tree and I was awed by how a complex problem could be broken down into potential actions and outcomes. To solve a problem, all I had to do was: calculate and evaluate.

That was how I was - rational. I applied it not just to work, but life - friends, family, love.

My point is, in life there are so many decisions, uncertainties and outcomes. Lately I've been thinking about the uncertainties - what if I let the heart decide? What if I not make any decisions? What if I just fuck it and do what I'm impulsed to do??

And suddenly I'm in a place where my structured brain is at a loss: you can try and make the best decisions possible, but what if the method of calculation isn't right?

All of this is very depressing. That one day you realise, you've been making decisions on what you THINK is right, but you forgot to account for the many errors and anomalies that life throws you. And after all that calculation, you're probably worse off than before.

For example. You have a $2 note left and you're far from home. The bus ride costs just about $2. You see a crippled beggar with his empty bowl, take pity on him and give him your last $2. Which results in you walking home. Just when you're about to embark on your 45 minute walk, some mean kids pick the $2 off the bowl, leaving Mr Beggar still poor, and you $2 poorer.

And that's Life.

How unfair.

Real Love Works

2011-03-21T14:16:00.000+08:00

I've always been squirmy around the notion of the four-letter word.

Which is weird because I put quite a lot of effort into my relationships. Just that I can't seem to admit and dump all of that into a word so sacred and high up on the emotion pedestal.

So. This disability comes with other handicaps as well (which applies to friends):
1. I don't do hugs that are "frivolous" (in my opinion this means goodbye hugs, hello hugs etc to acquaintances)
2. I only say "I'll miss you" when I really mean it
3. and many more because I've just realised if I listed all of them down here I'll sound like an asexual.

But I do believe in Real Love, and so I'm going to list down positive stuff.

So here goes. Real Love is all about...

Sharing
Sorry I won't give him all my fried wanton but if I care for you enough, you can have half of the plate's worth!
Being able to be ugly (but not too much)
Holey socks, dark eye circles, yawning without closing your mouth... being comfortable is what works!
Being illogical
Emotions aren't logical. Which is why Love will never be. So go ahead, if she's crying, say something so that she'll be laughing the next instance. It'll be crazy but.. what the hell!

So.. spread the love, and you might just win an iPad! (plus other cool gadgets)

Anyone wants to let me know what their version of "Real love" is?

do you know... i like jam?

2011-03-01T00:25:00.000+08:00

I found out about the butter-and-jam combination in one of those cheap hotel breakfast spreads that you get free when you stay 2nights and more. I was ten, maybe twelve, and I fell in love with jam.

I've loved it ever since. I'd eat jam off my butter knife. Spread it on top of peanut butter. Smear a thick wad of it on the corner of my bread and bite off a wholesome piece of bread + jam.

This is one of those things, that when placed in a mini jar with a checkered cap, you'd eat your bread plain just because jam belongs in jars.

My Hair Woes

2011-02-08T00:11:00.003+08:00

OK. I know what most of you are thinking.

I'm known to you as the girl with the thick, luscious hair - what is she doing writing about "hair woes"?! Does she understand the meaning of "woe" that is this:

woe [wəʊ]noun
1. Literary intense grief or misery
2. (often plural) affliction or misfortune

Now yes. I don't deny the thickness of my hair that people envy.

But thick, also translates to these:

Dry and coarse hair
I think because I have so much hair, there isn't enough natural serum to go around. True story.
Hair loss - lots of emAsk me to brush through my hair anytime; I guarantee you a chunk of fallen hair.
Tightness at the scalp wheir hair is tied up
You know girls with high bouncy ponytails? I can NEVER have that. A ponytail only serves to tug at my scalp and the weight of all that hair makes my fringe area pretty bald :(
HOT!
Thick hair is extremely unsuitable for the weather in Singapore! I perspire all the time and my scalp gets stinky, so I take the easy (and lazy) way out and bun my hair up. This also means I look very auntie. Boohoo.
Time loss
I take about 45 minutes to tong my hair because I have so many layers to handle.

Now the reason I'm blogging about this is because Svenson recognises that there are laymen people like US who have everyday hair problems!

If you have a hair problem (or many woes like mine) and you'd like to win a treatment, you might wanna blog about it so that you can win a one-on-one treatment (or an iPad if you're lucky)!

OK lah I know my hair woes are probably small compared to people like my fellow country manager Nicholas in Malaysia (he's facing some real serious hair loss issues that he gets paranoid if people talk about shampoo hahahha) or girlfriends who have so little hair I don't know if they have enough to lose during old age.

Nicky and I! (Hope he doesn't murder me or charge me royalty fees)

window

2011-01-29T18:31:00.000+08:00

I've been staring at the blank blog editor for some time now.

There's been many times I've opened up this window to stare, only to close it a few minutes later with the excuse that "I'll find the words to blog later"

It's been weird because

I can't find it in me to blog about work without going into the details of things, which would then be a potentially sensitive issue and I'd rather things remain neutral than for me to tip the scales over/under. Does this make any sense?
I can't skim across the work-related stuff if I do, because then I'll hate the way I sound like a stereotypical "PMEB", thinking she knows everything about working life but has no idea how other 'top' people cope with theirs
There's always the inner me clawing at every chance to translate my emotions into words, but without other topics to balance things, I risk turning my blog into an emo-feed
Love. That's the most frightful thing. Feelings are the most volatile. Today I might love this and the next day it's the bane of my life. I like to be certain about things and putting feelings down makes it very definitive, physical thing. Which isn't, and I'd rather pretend to not have it at all

I know what you're thinking:it's just.. blogging.

I love writing. But a friend once told me that a writer is only a true writer when he finds it uncomfortable not writing every day.

For me I sometimes dread it. Writing is such a personal thing. It's the window to one's self. You let people peer in and see what's inside.

That's why I like to control what people can see through that window, which social media has made a whole lot harder.

Bah, what an awful lot of rubbish for something that'll only be seen by a few people. Moronic, I am. Till then!

First Conversations of 2011

2011-01-06T15:50:00.000+08:00

1. Crammed in a tiny shop near the Hutongs. About 10 people are huddling around a table, with chips and poker cards.
Random poker dude: Hey it's 12:05 (midnight)
Everyone: HAPPY NEW YEAR!

5 seconds of hugging and congratulations
Random poker dude #2: Whose turn?
Random poker dude #3: I check.

***

2. In the living room. A pear is sitting forlornly on the table.

Me: Can I eat this?
David: Yeah. Wash it before you do

Seconds later
Me: Done!
David: Wash it more. This is China. You never know what they paint on them pears.

***

3. At the squash court. I'm a sore loser.

Vig: It's 11-2 to David. Come on, shake hands
Me: NO!!
Julie: *guffaws*

***

4. While walking to dinner. It's -8 degrees.

Me: My god. I'm freezing.
Julie: I did. I froze.
Me: Whaaaat?
Julie: There was this time, I just finished shower and my hair was damp. I walked out in the streets and when I touched my hair, they were all frozen and hard like icicles!!

Christmas

2010-12-23T15:17:00.003+08:00

Just like travelling, I've never been a big fan of festivals and occasions.

To me they're just excuses. For the selfishness in humans of not wanting to care all the time. Oh, I think I care about you but I don't really wanna give you presents all year long, so I'll just create Christmas and give one present to you then. (Ditto for Valentine's Day.)

My boss Ming is the complete opposite. He celebrates anything. People coming. People leaving. Manchester winning. Liverpool losing. Coming home from overseas.

Every Christmas, he'd set up a tree, leave the lights on the entire night and get us to stock the bottom of the tree with presents for our Secret Santees. He'd marvel about the light-ups in Orchard Road. Loop Christmas songs in the office til before you know it, you'd memorised the entire CD of Xmas songs.

It's infectious (or maybe the constant looping of Christmas songs was a form of propaganda) and after a couple of Christmases with him, I've grown to like it. And if not for the occasion that brings people together, my friend Ying wouldn't have shattered the glass door in the office during our Xmas party (long story) and we wouldn't have an aluminum one in its place right now.

So every year now, we've been playing the same CD of Christmas songs from Jaci Valasquez, because it was the first folder I found and downloaded, three years ago in our dingy little office, when Ming asked for some Christmas songs to set the mood.

Memories, and it's a nice something to have.

This year I decided to make Scruffy part of the memories. I took the Christmas decorations off the Jipaban office door because I was too cheap to get Scruffy a Santa doggie suit.

Here's to more Christmases to come!

come and gone

2010-12-14T00:42:00.001+08:00

I can't believe we're back from the cruise already. And I can't believe that 2010 is almost over.

I feel like this year has been a mirage. I can't recall significant moments in my life; everything just went by in a blur. And before I know it, it's passed and all's left is the breeze that's caught in my hair.

That's me enjoying really light wine on Formal Night, where everyone dresses up to their tuxes and gowns. I was in something less than a gown because I thought, come on, who would follow the freaking dress code?! So I ended up in a sequined black dress which I hope passed off as versatile, while the Malaysians were decked out in their lovely dresses.

I think for Christmas, I'd really like some nice wine. Mmmm.

I think I am Funny!!

2010-11-29T20:07:00.000+08:00

William is a new programmer that our sister company Ripplewerkz has hired.

I am well, just me, irritating them in the evening as usual when I get overdosed by my work. (I think that programmers need irritating people like me or else one day they'll all evolve to be mutes. Seriously.)

**
(bunch of useless bantering prior to this. I think I imitated the Chinese accent to ask them for dinner and Lionel indulged me.)

Me: Yo William! What choo doing here so late!
(It's about 8pm and William usually leaves at 6.30pm)

William: I'm debugging.

Me: Hey! Can you help me debug my table too?

William: *blank stare*

Me: It's infested with termites!

**

I think I'm awesome, don't you?!

A Tangled Tale: The Lion's Mane

2010-11-22T00:30:00.001+08:00

I think two parts of my body that I'm most satisfied with are my eyebrows and hair.

Eyebrows because they're not overly bushy and they have a nice shape that I can trim minimally on my own.

Hair because it's THICK (the envy of many girls). Thick = any styles goes. Seriously.
Thick + curls = vavavoom waves
Thick + straight = sleek with volume
Thick + messy = just-woken-up sexy

AND...

Thick = frames face = makes me look skinny.

(Sorry all you ladies out there with thin hair, I don't mean to gloat but I'm sure you girls have something like, long slim legs/big eyes/long lashes/straight teeth that God decided not to grant me so that I am a balanced equation.)

The only gripe I have about my hair is because it's so thick, I perspire quite a bit!

So I bun it up at home. And because thick long hair is so versatile for styling, I turn my bun into something useful..

Thick but unkempt. And HOT!!

2-in-1 solution

After a couple of hours. No marks on hair!

Just one of my frequently-used, lazy ways of styling.

Guess what though, Rapunzel probably has ten times more creative ways of putting her hair to good use. What about YOU?! Bring your hair to life at www.magichair.com.sg ;)

Rapunzel: A Tangled Tale Movie is starting from 25th November (3D only) & 2 December island wide, so catch it for a hair-raising experience (funny or not, my pun!!). You can join the official Disney Studios Singapore Facebook & Twitter page to catch up on movie updates too!

p.s.: I had to toss my clothes that were hanging on the hooks aside for the pictures - my room isn't really that neat.

Dos and Don'ts of Travel and Beijing - Part One

2010-11-18T18:56:00.000+08:00

1. DO NOT forget to bring your camera.

It was my first time to Beijing. I had planned on using the trip to expand our meagre photo collection (believe it or not I think David and I have less than 20 photos together). And the only purpose my camera served during my trip was to sit on my table back home in Singapore, 6 hours' plane ride away.

2. DO remember to have an alternative.

I had my Blackberry Bold 9700, which takes amazing pictures. Alas...

3. DO NOT forget to bring the charger of your alternative.

Yep, I forgot that one too. I had probably 3 hours of access to my phone, which battery life I milked to receive BBMs and emails.

4. DO try to stay in Malaysia for some time.

You'll need to pick up serious jaywalking skills. The ones you learn in Singapore are like our textbooks - you think you know the techniques but there's no way it's gonna help you in everyday life.

We jaywalked quite often across this big road to get to a particular bus stop. I once kowtowed to the Malaysians for their jaywalking techniques, but nothing beats the Chinese. It's one thing to jaywalk and stop traffic (like in Little India), but it's another to weave in between vehicles to somehow appear on the opposite side.

5. DO try to do as the Chinese do.

They generally speak in decibels ten times normal people do, push around like it's their right to, and demand more than they ask. If you don't you'll lose out because it's your ear that suffers the ringing (without retribution), it's you that gets squeezed out of the queue/crowd, and you'll probably never get people to listen if you ask.

6. DO NOT become them.

But remember, all of this is an act. Do not allow your Chinese roots to take over and be comfortable in homeland of casual spitting, shoving and second-hand smoking. Keep telling yourself that and you'll be fine.

7. DO remember that not all of them are like that.

I'm ashamed to admit that I once very badly marginalized the China nationals. (To my defence those that I met were really horrid!)

The two Nuffnang China girls are really quite something. Julia is curious, childishly-funny and a whole lot of fun. Rachel is steady, has humor in her sarcasm and dependable. I'd hate to admit it because Dave has an annoying way of bragging but I'll take his finger-pointing and hyena-laughter. Nuffnang China has hired the right people!

8. DO NOT open the wastepaper baskets in toilets

They usually contain stained tissues post-'business'. I was quite put off upon learning about this habit from Dave (who told it during lunch time, no less) and made him ask the girls the reason for not dumping the paper into the toilet bowl after their bowel activities. (I thought it would be rude if I asked since I didn't really know them and Dave's probably said quite a few near-offensive things anyway given his free and spirited nature, and they hadn't quit yet.)

Rachel said that they would love to dump the toilet paper into the bowl if they could, but China's sewage pipes gets congested so frequently that everybody dumps it into the bin.

I found it really unsettling that China made their roads so wide, but they couldn't afford to have thicker pipings?!

9. DO take the subways and buses

I was quite surprised to find out that Beijing has a really comprehensive and efficient subway system. (Did I mention that I was once really biased? The one reason I hated learning Chinese in school was because MM Lee said it'd be the path to China.)

It's a flat rate of RMB 2 for trains, RMB 0.40/RMB1 for buses. They are really convenient, not difficult at all to understand (Korea's was a headache) but it can get a little squeezy during peak hours. (I survive because David pushes me through and takes on the brunt of the shoving.)

10. DO NOT visit the Forbidden City in heels.

Ladies, you heard me. Yes you'll think that looking cooler than anyone else will be well worth it but trust me, an hour into the walk you'd be stabbing yourself mentally for allowing yourself to think that way.

I still draw a line at coats though. No WAY I'd wear those ugly, fat, shiny jackets that makes people look like they're wrapped in coloured bubble wrap. I actually seethed at Dave when he kept pointing them out while I was shopping. And then afterwards I actually relented and tried one on. My gawd.

I need to stay true to my roots!

***

OK. A picture I stole from DW's blog and photoshopped because he mentioned he looked fat.

Abruptly ending this post because I have a cock-up at work. Gahhhhhhh #!#@!$!#@

Disjointed

2010-11-10T01:21:00.001+08:00

Have you ever felt like there's two parts to your life..

And one portion goes fine.
The other, fine as well.

But they just don't fit?

Like little fridge magnets that I've tried binding together, but the magnets keep repelling each other until they stick on the side of each other than face-on-face.

Or worse yet, they just won't stick.

How to be a Friend

2010-11-05T00:14:00.001+08:00

I think I'm a very harsh friend.

Actually, I don't need to think; I have enough people telling me to believe it's true.

Most people like to give advice to try to change their friends' perceptions, but not me. I think that in order to change someone's mind, that person has actually got to go through the lying/cheating/obviously-fucked-up process to learn.

So I end up giving advice people don't want to hear: "Yeah, hang on and you're doomed. But you'd hang on even if I tell you not to, so, whatever, hang on man."

The Problem:
I think that in Life, everything is as how you perceive it to be. Perception is the root of all evil.

For example:

Because I perceive money to be my door to Happiness, I'll perform all sorts of money-grubbing tricks to open that door. Or I'll sit through a lousy job day after day even though I'd rather spend that time flying kites.

Because I perceive Love to solve all problems in life, my life is my love-life. Besides surviving by smelling my lover-stained socks, I also can waste two hours every day staring at his picture.

But people don't believe that. They bank on themselves being great judgement of characters and situations.

That's a folly.

Why is that?
I had this indian-looking tank top which showed my belly button and weird sections of my chest; I have absolutely no idea what led me to make the purchase.

I perceived it to be cool and unique, but when I finally bought it I realised how stupid it looked on me. I would never have admitted back then that I had bad fashion sense.

Actually, I wouldn't admit now that I have bad choices in clothing, but yeah, I'd like to equate my fondness for vintage clothing as a classy and acquired taste.

The conclusion:
Don't try to make your friend see the big picture.

She'll probably only see how ugly the tank top looks after she's tried it.Which also means, ironically, that she's in full control of the situation.

There's always the I-told-you-so dance.

Losing My Mind

2010-10-29T00:31:00.005+08:00

I was lamenting to QY one night about how I couldn't blog regularly even though I want to. I have so many theories and writing ideas floating about in my head every single day but whenever I sit down to translate my thoughts to Blogger.com, my mind draws me a blank.

And then we started talking about Absent-Mindedness and I scrambled to take out my phone: "Oh, I absolutely have to jot this down so I can blog about it." (And here I am, accomplishing said mission.)

I've been trying to convince myself for years that absentmindedness is an illness. Just like how people have depression, I believe forgetting things so often is a natural handicap that some people (like myself) are unfortunate to have.

So I did a search for "Why am I absent minded" and the first few searches were tips on how NOT to be absent-minded, thus throwing my theory of absentmindedness being a disability out of the window! The articles made it seem like absentmindedness is something you can change. Well, If someone gives you tips on "How to reduce fat" it just means: YOU ARE FAT, CHANGE IT.

So being absent minded is a bit like being fat. You stuff yourself silly because your stomach doesn't know it's full. You can't help it and you think it's genetic - your grandmother was fat. But nobody understands. They put up tips on the internet on how to slim down as it it's something you can negotiate. Gosh.

And to the people who think that bringing along your housekeys is a natural instinct that doesn't need effort, I have invited the locksmith to my place not once, but three times. It's futile no matter how hard I try to remember to just walk out the door with my keys in hand.

To comfort myself, I also found that incidentally, some absent minded people happen to be well-known geniuses.

1. Nobert Wiener invented the field of cybernetics. He forgot he’d driven to a conference, took the bus home, and then reported his car stolen when he didn’t see it in his driveway.

Okay, pause. I confess I don't actually give a shit about Cybernetics but for the purpose of this blog post I shall, because it sounds important and geniuses invent important things.

For the uneducated, Cybernetics is the interdisciplinary study of the structure of regulatory systems. Wiener described it as "as the study of control and communication in the animal and the machine". I guess what it means, broadly, is that it's a study of how things work.

2. Isaac Newton (you ought to know what he's famous for) was distracted on the way home by a student, and had to ask the student which way he had been walking (he had forgotten whether he was just entering or just leaving the university building). His response when the student tells him that he was walking out of the university: "Wonderful. That means I've had lunch already."

And the apple fell. (Sorry I couldn't resist.)

3. When Albert Einstein immigrated to the US, he was invited for dinner at the White House. He was two years late because he had misplaced the invitation.

I'm counting my blessings after hearing such terrible forgetfulness. Still, forgetting things is particularly annoying for me. I would have plenty anecdotes to share, but I don't think I can recall even if I wanted to. My frequent mistakes are: locking myself out when I forget my keys, leaving home without my mobile, arriving at the office without my laptop, unable to remember names when I'm introduced in a large group.. etc.

So anyway. I hope I've prepped you enough for a short story I'm going to tell.

This is David. (Yes I need to make sure everything is kept as light as possible, hence the picture for comic relief.)

He came back for two weeks and I went over during the weekends to spend time before he flew to Beijing again.

I took a morning flight back; the plan was to head straight back to the office after I'd touched down. It was 5am. We woke up blurry and lumbered around. It was dark while he drove to the airport. I kept chatting so the long drive wouldn't put him to sleep - well, it was more so I could keep myself awake. Crap, I don't even remember what we spoke about, only that it was raining and I was really sleepy.

He dropped me off to find parking. My phone's battery was dead and I went to search for my check-in. And then the first mix-up happened. I went to the counter and panicked when they said they couldn't find my name on the passenger list.

That's when I realised we didn't specify a meeting point. I scanned the airport, it was unbelievably busy for such an early morning. OK, who am I kidding, it's an aiport for god's sake. I found him, and got chided because I wasn't at the counter where I was supposed to be.

Yeah, I'd forgotten my airline and went to the wrong airline's counter to check myself in. FML #1.

We went for breakfast and David being the scheduled-pooper that all guys are, had to excuse himself for morning unloading. He passed me his car keys, and gave instructions like one would to a child who'd misplace items, "My keys. Keep them safe in your bag."

When he was back, we finished our grossly overpriced breakfast and hugged goodbye on the 30 minute dot that I was to leave for the gates.

When I got back to Singapore, I charged up my blackberry and got a couple of missed calls, some from clients and some from Dave. (Which is weird we have BBM so calling isn't that necessary.)

And a text: "U got my car keys, they paged u but didn't get a response."

Oh, my gawd.

I had brought home his car keys, leaving him stranded in the airport while I flew back to Singapore.

The epitome of all FML situations.

Absentmindedness is a sickness, really.

From Seoul, with Love

2010-10-26T23:06:00.002+08:00

I've never been the wanderlust. Travel blogs, bargain tour packages and strikingly beautiful pictures of foreign cities earn my nonchalance. I guess I just enjoy being comfortable where I am and to pay to break my moorings isn't exactly the perfect trade-off.

It's not that I hate travelling, or that I've had bad experiences relating to travelling. In fact, I do enjoy the experiences and have brought home many great travelling anecdotes. I just don't desire it. I don't yearn for that sort of excitement of being in an entirely new place. Since I've never been there, I wouldn't know what I'm missing anyway.

Which isn't surprising that I've never really been one to initiate trips.

I have always thought upon Travelling as... opening a Secret Santa present. Sometimes you get really crappy gifts, but you might also get really great ones. Either way, you're in for a surprise.

And, when I travel, I'm ALL about the surprises. I hate to plan. The only planning I ever do is to book flights and accommodation. In fact, if it weren't for the fact that I don't print money for a living, I'd go as far as to a grab random flight, then book hotels as I see them.

It was Autumn when we were in Seoul, Korea.

Autumn wasn't as what I'd pictured. No coloured leaves and petal-stained sidewalks.Just bare sticks for trees and really chilly weather.

But I honestly loved it.

It was a combination of factors. The people, the culture, their round and squarish symbols for language, the crazily wide roads (as compared to Singapore's), their mini donuts, their coffee. Oh god, their coffee.

I won't elaborate because blogging takes up a lot of effort and brain juice, I'll just throw on a bunch of pictures.

Out of the dishes I only liked the reddish-brown sauce in the middle.

I don't know how these things taste so fluffy and rich and aromatic at the same time!!

A Korean ad. Who wouldn't fall in love with that?!

Super cute Mr Postman

Loving the fashion

The best part about travelling, and one thing that I've always loved though, is coming home.Nothing beats the naked white sculpture beside my telly and my pointy, fluffy pillows.

Oh, and turning on webcam and saying hello :)

Test Post

2010-10-26T19:01:00.001+08:00

I know.

I have to do this because I work in the Social Media line, and sometimes people have to do difficult things (like publishing dummy blog posts) so that they can test out how certain things work.

Coming soon to a Social Media scene near you.

Having Smart Conversations

2010-10-22T18:28:00.001+08:00

On Monday night we had dinner at Ming's place with the Jipaban team, Lionel and the Love Bonito girls.

Pausing for brief introduction, by order of keywords:

Monday: Was actually the day I took a 8am flight from KL back to Singapore and went to work right after. And I brought David's car keys back with me. I know, long story. You can read about it here.

Dinner: Sukiyaki. You know how, when a rich man tells you he's got so much money in the world he doesn't know what to do with it and is sick of all that money? Well, I believe it.

Sukiyaki was such a wonder - the marbled beef with just the right degree of saltiness in Sukiyaki stock, melting in my mouth while I enjoyed the crunchiness of Japanese mushrooms... Until I had it ten times over. Trust me, if you want fine things to remain fine, avoid it. (Unless of course, it's duck. Duck stays in my undeteoriatable category of yummy food.)

Ming's place: Big. Huge. Gigantic. Insane.

Jipaban team: Elaine my must-always-wear-cardigan homie, Maylene, cat-lover who gives her cats weird nicknames (chichipat?? wtf??) and who can get anyone to believe she has Indian blood, and Waye Ning, Miss Nanyang Girls-turned-reluctant RJC student. They manage an awesome online shopping mall Jipaban.com, AKA the bane of all women (who can't keep their shopping senses intact) and men (who can't keep their wallets intact).

And Cripping the Men's Pockets

Lionel: Policeman-turned-Web Designer. The LB girls call him "Chin" so affectionately (they were friends from a super long time ago) that I wonder if they've even seen half of the unflattering side of Lionel we've witnessed in our offices

No it's not our wedding it was Wendy's

Love Bonito girls: Lady entrepreneurs Velda, Viola and Rachel. I'm making this snappy before I start comparing how much I earn to how much THEY earn from selling frilly frocks and cry to the sky, "WHY?!"

***
There were so many of us so we split up into two tables. My table: Lionel, Maylene, Waye Ning (and occasionally Ming's dog Lucky who'd poke his head into the holes of our chairs).

The tables launched their own conversations and ours guffawed over ... I don't know. We just guffawed.

But then we became really cautious over what we talked about because we overheard them talking business and knowledgeable-sounding things like the business culture of China.

I don't know how things turned out for the better, but we started to talk about Religion. Like intellectuals do. Of course we had the help of our blackberries to find out certain information but I'm sure all smart people had to learn through various means before they became smart.

And it's actually quite enlightening! We found out about this cult that builds giant teapots to symbolize the purity of water. And I learnt about Jehovah's Witnesses (which Maylene illustrated using an episode from House but that's okay, we all learn from various means as I mentioned).

New-age reservoirs

I was really more secretly happy and relieved that we had to rack our brains to avoid our crude and funny-because-it's-unfunny jokes.

Sometimes I feel that my brain's... floating on the surface of Knowledge. And underneath that, there's these complicated intertwined veins of information about stocks, HDB application processes, politics, bank-related etc crap.

Just peeking beneath makes me repulsed. What, I have to know a little bit of all of this so that I don't end up a sorry pauper??

I'm sorry but I need friends who can stop me from leaping to the Dangerous side of Adulthood where stocks and politics lurk. Ironically, the Safe side here is just all about porn, sex, gossip, bad jokes. I like it here.

Here's to planning the next Smart Conversation!

Raising Scruffy

2010-10-19T21:22:00.003+08:00

Inspired by Aileen's blog about how she Raises her Rockstar, I'm titling this post after it.

(By the way I'm a huge fan of her blog. And countless other Mummy blogs. I don't know why and I fear to come to a realisation. But sometimes I comfort myself, you know - maybe it's one of those 'loving it as a bystander' thing.)

A week after I moved out and into my rented abode, I relocated Scruffy too. It's one of those choices you know that you've made the correct one, but you aren't really sure... because there might be a better option?

When Scruffy was back at my Mum's place he had the "luxury" of running out whenever he needed to complete some business. In inverted commas because it was also the sole reason he got lost.

He was also lovingly fed and clothed by my family. Although if "inhumane" is a word used to describe non-human conditions, then yes Scruffy was sometimes fed "indogne" food.

Yeah, you get the picture. He was comfortably taken care of but I took him out of his comfort zone so he could fulfil his role as "Wen's Dog". Roles include having to socialise with the rest of the bed toys, getting ruffled at owner's will and having to stick a strict diet of dog food and dog food only.

I used to be adamant that kids would be a definite part of my life. Scruffy has changed that. I am less sure now. I'd probably say I'm 'fairly certain' that kids would be a future plan, I even go as far as to grant myself doubtful flashes about having them. I think the old me would have been horrified, but the present me's just happy that I'm considered ten notches more positive than any of my anti-child/marriage/Prince Charming/anything romantic friends.

I have to work and Scruffy's alone most of the time until I'm home around 9 or 10pm. He hangs out with us in the room while we patter away on our keyboards, and turn in together a couple of hours later. We wake on the dot because every minute in the morning counts for sixty seconds of comfortable, sigh-inducing goodness.

I'd lay two pieces of newspapers, spread out side by side with half an inch in between, so that Scruffy wouldn't mistake it as one full piece and takes his other business elsewhere on an uncovered floor. His bowls are filled and before he suspects it's time for play, we're out of the door for work.

Weekends are a little more kind on the fella - he rolls around the house with his paws in the air or scampers to one of us for attention. I wonder if he relishes the weekends because I try to give him the best attention I can, within my means. He's learnt certain tricks to get more (such as whimpering) but I don't condone that and he gets the cold shoulder so that he'll learn whimpering gets him worse.

You see the kind of mother that will make me? The busy mother who won't have time for her kids during the weekdays and during weekends, she punishes them for something that they learnt out of being abandoned during the weekdays.

Or the controlling kind who'd put her kids on strict diets because their stools came out wrong.

Or the strict mother who wouldn't reward her kids unless it's for good behaviour.

Or the crazy kind who counts down to her son's puberty age so that she can 'mentally prepare' for it. (I count down the years to Scruffy's impending death. I know I'm such a loser.)

There goes my whimsical hopes about parenting. Running on green, fluffy grass with my children. Ice ceam just because. Being 100% cool with the boy/girlfriends they bring home.

Dashed.

And before I know it, I'll be writing mummy posts on my blog and getting other young women afraid when they realise that they actually LIKE reading such posts.

Oh Scruffy, look what you've done to me!

4 years

2010-10-04T20:15:00.000+08:00

From left: Porkchops, Prissy, Me, Shir, Eugena

Four years ago,we were discussing about the next hottest guys, TV shows, next week's clubbing attendance and the dirt we had to dish about our (and everyone else's) love lives.

Now, four years later, we're still at the same cafe.. talking about work, marriage plans, and urging some of us to just .. move on.

Isn't it funny how friendship transcends Time.

one night in beijing

2010-09-27T01:49:00.001+08:00

dave and i, unlike most LDR couples i would think, don't really webcam THAT much.

we have so much internet connectivity and ways to communicate (that i'm extremely thankful for), that webcamming isn't as much as a luxury or staple as what it used to be.

i'm in Korea and it's our first night on webcam since i got here. (i'm really thankful for the level of connectivity here! i can get free wifi at practically every cafe over here!)

i like our sessions. sometimes we show each other stuff we bought/have/stole(kidding), but most of the times we really just chill and do our own stuff (as above) and check back once in a while just to disturb each other.

or, if both fail we'd just lament about the lousy internet and try to pin the blame. david usually gets the blame, haha!

so anyway i asked if i could post this picture up and he said be sure to link him, and he wanted to smile and all that but i told him i'd already taken the shot and he could dream about looking good on my blog.

no, i didn't say the last bit but yeah it's only fair that both of us are not smiling!

sandakan

2010-09-20T19:19:00.001+08:00

i heard from my sister once, that my mum commented i was like "wood".

i think she was referring to my lack of emotions and had relatively more cruel resolve. when i was younger and having a spate with my mother (i can't remember over what), i ignored her for an entire car ride while she alternated between screaming insults and begging me to talk. i'm not saying i'm proud of it, but the point is that as a child, i was able to block my heart, mute her words and keep staring ahead, not relenting even until she pulled over at the side of road threatening to let me miss school.

i took a short trip over the weekend.

i didn't really know what i was in for; i only knew that i was going to Sandakan for charity and to help some kids.

there's a lot of stories behind these people, who are regarded as refugees by the local government and ignored by their own people. at first i thought with a stony heart, maybe it's their fate and we shouldn't intervene. if they chose to flee to this place, perhaps it's their destiny that they should live this life they chose.

but what i saw really tugged at my heartstrings.

the conditions they live in are not hygenic or sanitary. the innocence of the people and the children - so pure, so naive, so heart-wrenching and difficult to watch.

how could i not feel for these people who didn't know better. for them ANY tiny improvement can be a huge leap of positive change for them.

i spluttered like a train losing steam. i hid my tear-stained face as the children pushed their way up to touch my hand to their foreheads. the joy in their eyes - they didn't know better. how could this be their happiness?

i came thinking they were broken people.

i left broken.

baby

2010-08-26T23:21:00.000+08:00

wen says:
baby baby baby!!

dayveed says:
yeah?
are u singing the justin bieber song?

wen says:
yeah but you didn't follow up properly

wen says:
you're supposed to go "oh"

things have gotten a little bit crazy around here

2010-08-17T22:42:00.000+08:00

i'm at this point, where i just want to STOP and BREATHE.

but i can't because i don't know where to stop, and how to breathe.

just in the past 2 weeks alone, so much stuff has happened and i feel like pot of boiling water threatening to spill over.

i did get some respite, something which i totally did not expect, during my birthday. it's the first time that everyone (and i mean everyone!) in my life came together and celebrated my birthday in their own ways.

thank you david, for your lovely post, something other people may not understand but touched me in more ways than you can imagine.

thank you elaine dear housemate for trying to keep things under wraps but you know i'm too smart for that right....

thank you ming for putting SO MUCH belief in me

thank you sheylara for knowing and reminding me of every single antic of mine

thank you mum & sis for being my family

and now, i can continue with the craziness with my life. knowing that you people have given me strength.

Its my birthday!

2010-08-13T11:08:00.001+08:00

It's friday the 13th and it's my birthday!

It's also the time when I have to change the details of my blog's sidebar.. Sigh.

Age is officially a sensitive question!

Nevertheless, I'm excited at what yummy things today can bring me.

Starting off my day with a meeting!

Awesome meeting which will have awesome results woohoo

the art of pretending

2010-08-11T01:50:00.001+08:00

Society a theatre. Life is a stage. People, its actors.

The rest of the people - your friends, family, co-workers... are your audience. Watching. Observing. Scrutinizing.

And how long, does it take for anyone to learn that? That no matter how clever you think you are in guising, it still shows?

Your motives, hide-and-seek games, intrinsically-designed tricks... your Pretence.

It all can disintegrate like paper on water, because people can see whatever you're doing and map out your attacking route.

Because you're like the bell-thief who puts earplugs when stealing the bell. Ignorant, having a one-tracked view, and extremely dense.

The art of pretending, is actually to be sincere and truthful. And not for the sake of appearing to be on a moral pedestal.

Secret Admirers

2010-06-29T00:58:00.000+08:00

Last week, all of us received a stalk of rose each from a secret someone.

Every. Single. One of us.

Well, with the exception of Maylene because her rose was addressed to "May Lynn" but maybe her real name IS May Lynn and her parents mispelt it to Maylene, so let's just pretend that the rose was really addressed to her.

On each of our roses, there was a quote (largely extremely cheesy lines) attached to the stalks.

Mine said: "It only takes a minute to crush on someone, an hour to like someone, a day to love someone, and a lifetime to forget someone."

Ok imagine x10 of the extent of cheesiness on roses to everyone!

Naturally most of us were pretty creeped out and tried to put pieces together to find the sender.

The clues:

1) The sender knows us pretty well.
The roses were addressed to new staff, even Elisa our new Admin girl, whom most people aren't introduced to

2) But the sender doesn't know us THAT well.
He/she spelt Maylene's name wrongly.

3) The sender used internet to find the florist - probably he/she was overseas?
I googled the florist and found that it was on the first few results for florists.

4) The person doesn't want us to find out.
We called the florist and demanded for more clues and the only clue she could give us was the initials was "M". Wtf M for Marilyn Monroe? Might as well don't give clues -_-

5) The sender had an agenda for sending us flowers.
Why go to such lengths then??

Using all of our clues, we guessed that the person was none other than our boss... Tim!! I mean, who else would be free enough to pull such a creepy stunt?

To cut the long story short, turns out it was the Malaysian Nuffies! Inviting us to a weekend up in KL!

So that's where I'll be this weekend AGAIN - KL. Fwah feeling a bit tired already with all this travelling, but hope it'll be good fun bonding with my malaysian colleagues this weekend :D

Trying to be Kawaii

2010-06-20T00:44:00.003+08:00

You know, it's scary to be at that age when your friends are all getting married. Luckily for me, I'm at that age, but most of my friends got their partners pretty late and have just started working, so I think I have a buffer of about two years before I start attending wedding dinners like crazy. Phew!

Anyway, that still doesn't liberate me totally from wedding-related events. A few months back I attended Wendy's ROM, and yesterday, her unofficial hen's night.

Essential wanted to sponsor an intimate party for Wendy, and she thought that hey, since she didn't actually have any celebrations with her girlfriends before she got married, why not have one now! (Althought it was a bit unconventional, having a hen's party after she signed on the dotted line.)

Having been to a few hen's parties, I really didn't know what to expect at Wendy's because every one I've been to was different. We were told that we would have our hair done, make-up, and manicurists, so I was expecting a more "girly" night out.

Little would I expect that I got a Girly Night Out on the most extreme end of the scale. Wendy insisted that she put fake lashes (might I add that she added TWO lashes into one, so technically I had double fake lashes) and make-up for me.

Might I also add that the make-up was done ala "Xiaxue style" - meaning loads of eyeliner and blusher because, quoting her in verbatim, "people don't care how you look like in real life, they only see what's on the pictures".

And here are some pictures that I took with my BB because I'm still hoping (in vain) for my camera to show up somewhere, somehow:

#1 My face upclose
My eyebrows were shaded to perfection. Equal length, perfect arch, no hint of me being a lazy eyebrow-groomer. Not sure if you can see my eyes, but I had the double fake lashes that I mentioned.

("Wendy, are you sticking two lashes together!!"
"No I'm not! What are you insinuating!")

I also had Dolly Winks (lower lashes) which she painstakingly glued on lash by lash. She exclaimed that I should stop complaining and appreciate her work because Dolly Winks were sold out all over and she was using them on me.

The end result: An extremely hairy vision (had so much trouble trying to keep my eyes open so that the lashes wouldn't obstruct my eyesight) and an awfully disportionate eyes-to-face ratio. But they all said I looked good and eventually I grew to accept that I did in pictures and that was all that mattered.

#2 My hair
Part of the highlights of the night was that we would be donning identical hairdos - curly half-up hair with tiaras on the top.

I have crazily thick hair and I have ZERO skill in curling my own hair. I was so pathetic at it that the girls stopped lying that my hair was "okay, continue on" and eventually Elaine took over.

You can't really see it because of the picture quality and by then my hair had settled, but I had nice, lustrious curls.

The end result: That took a thousand years to curl, but I had nice, lustrious curls.

#3 My outfit
The night before Wendy BBMed at 3am that she forgot to tell me that Kaykay set the dresscode as white/pink. I don't have much pink clothing and most of my white are office wear, so I had to settle for this dress that I usually use as a beach dress.

The rest of the girls came in cute pink and white outfits, looking totally comfortable in the "kawaii" set up that they were supposed to illuminate.

I feel so terrible that I am 23 this year, and I haven't gone through the phase of wanting to be cute. I'm glad Essential came along to help me realise that there's a huge part of femalehood I'm missing. Or am I?? Maybe I'm just hanging around too many female bloggers. Shoo, Cheesie and Audrey!!!

The final result: I actually ended up looking like a - let me quote Wendy again - "offspring of Grecian princess who got fucked by a Chinese emperor". Um, I'm not sure how that was supposed to pan out but I'll take it as a compliment!

***

The girls spent the rest of the night taking A TRUCKLOAD of pictures, I think I have some in her camera which she would most probably post up (argh), and when that happens hopefully I'll post them up here if I wouldn't be too embarrassed by then!

From BKK, with love

2010-06-15T22:56:00.002+08:00

You know how they say, "A picture speaks a thousand words" ?

I was having my monthly routine of clearing up my laptop's desktop when the following picture put a smile onto my face.

This was taken during our trip to Bangkok. This photo brings back memories, not just at the moment when it was snapped, but the little snippets of our entire trip.

And the picture also begets... QUESTIONS!

Question 1: Who are these boys?
From left: Lionel, Kelvin and David.One loves free things, two of them used to be policemen, and three of them were in Thailand because of / for girls.

Question 2: Who took this picture?
I did! I thought it'd be good for the three boys to have some sort of memory that they made this trip together.

Question 3: What are they doing?
Posing for a picture. And two of them were squatting.

Question 4: Why were they squatting?
Because I said, "Hey! Get lower! I can't see the water-mill (or whatever structure) behind you!"

Question 5: But Lionel wasn't squatting?
I noticed that too. But it was probably because 1) He knew he was short enough to avoid having to do that, or 2) He did some mental calculation and knew it wouldn't be wise

Question 6: What's that in David's hands?
Banana and chocolate roti prata as requested greedily by myself. At the prata stall we bumped into a Singaporean couple who were on holiday. The only thing I really remember about them was their Canon camera.

Question 7: Why is David looking at Lionel?
I don't really know why but I think maybe David likes squatting and he thought Lionel was losing out.

Question 8: Why is Lionel carrying a laptop bag on his holiday?
Yeah, WHY?!?!

Question 9: So did you finish your food?
As usual.... I did not!

Question 10: So, in essence, what did this picture capture?
A green cleaning lady, some very tall long grass, and three boys in Bangkok.

Toy Story 3

2010-06-14T12:43:00.004+08:00

OK to be PERFECTLY honest, I don't quite remember all the Toy Story movies.

Which is why I couldn't relate when people around me were going "Oh my god! I can't wait for Toy Story 3!!"

*waits for backlash to be over*

To my defense, I watched them when I was a kid! When you're a kid all you remember is things moving around. So Toy Story to me is really about toys moving around, haha.

Which is why I was a little stumped when I looked at the range of characters. Who ARE these ~~people~~ toys??

But one toy really caught my eye...

THE PEAS-IN-A-POD!!! How hilarious is that!

Read their description here: "Peas-in-a-Pod will quickly become a parent’s favorite on-the-go toy. The soft, plush pod secures the happy peas inside with a durable metal zipper, making it perfect for the car or stroller. The Peas-in-a-Pod plush toy also develops fine motor skills by catering to a child’s natural grab instinct. Pulling the three peas out of the pod will provide repeated enjoyment for infants and toddlers, and soon they’ll learn to put them back in! Machine washable. Not for human consumption."

Hahaha fucking funny "Pulling the three peas out of the pod will provide repeated enjoyment for infants and toddlers" and "not for human consumption" !!! Why do people have such creativity that makes me feel inferior about my less-than-ideal creative cells?

Watch the trailer, watch it, watch it!

My favourite part is actually at the very start, when the toys are being moved away, and the toys converse.

[Grave voice] "Okay calm down guys, let's just keep this in persective."
[Shrieky voice] "But... where is she taking us?!"
[Haughty voice] "I should have SEEN this coming!"
[Unsure voice] "Ohhh I hate all this uncertainty!"

Catch Toy Story 3 Movie starting from 17^th June 2010 and if you would like to receive updates, join the official Facebook and Twitter page!

Mystery Wednesday #1 - Kite Flying

2010-06-09T09:24:00.000+08:00

Mystery Wednesday is something that we've recently introduced in the Netccentric Singapore group of companies, where Nuffnang, Jipaban and Ripplewerkz are part of the family, to strengthen inter-office and intra-office relationships.

It is a Wednesday, where we come together, once a month, to do an activity together. Part of the fun is that the activity would be decided by random selection, and nobody would know about it until the time the actual event starts.

Our first Mystery Wednesday was conceptualised some weeks back but thankfully it was able to materialise despite many postponements. The Nuffies and the 'Jipabannies' (according to Kevin at this point in time, but the Jipaban people are really in the middle of a crisis to brand themselves, which is important because every minute step would make Jipaban history) were shrouded in mystery: The Tuesday before Mystery Wednesday, everyone was told to bring casual wear and sunnies.

"Are we going to the BEACH?"
"Oh it can't be, Elaine hates the sun."
"Did you guys ask us to bring sunnies as a DECOY??!"

We even got the cab drivers to keep our secrets, to the point where they played along:
"Uncle, do you know where we are going?"
"We are going to Johor Bahru to eat.."

When we reached our destination, the cat was pretty much out of the bag and everyone knew they were in for some serious kite-flying.

Here are some tips for kite-flying!

Renovations - The Wall Hanger

2010-05-30T23:24:00.033+08:00

Recently, I moved out.

It was pretty much a fuss-free decision. Work was piling up, I got busy and my life became fragmented little pieces that I struggled to hold on to, but eventually avoided the hassle altogether. Somehow the jigsaw pieces just fit when Elaine was looking for a place, and as a natural solution, I just did it. (I know, it's a big thing and it's a shocker but I'll explain another time.)

So I don't exactly own the place. We actually rent it but we try to make it our home. Well, within the restrictions that we have, such as no drilling.

Ahem. The landlord didn't specify that we couldn't drill holes but I was sick and tired of my wall hangers falling off my wall because industrial tapes couldn't hold the weight of my clothes against gravity.

So I bought a wall hanger - don't you love the Victorian look of it because I did - that required two drilled holes.

And then I realised that I didn't have a drill, and I had Kel come over with his drill in exchange for dinner.

So he knocked on my door, a drill box in hand (which we would later find was a pretty shitty drill box because all it did was hold the drill in a box), with the Goonfather and QY in tow.

And..the drilling starts
So one thing the Goonfather likes and never fails to do, is poke fun at my Blackberry. After which, an iPhone-related compliment will serve as a runner-up.

So today he whipped out his iPhone and said casually, "You know what the iPhone can do but the Blackberry can't?" He shoved an application in my face, "Drilling holes."

Apparently the app measures slope of the iPhone placed on any surface, so it could be used to tally if my wall hanger was drilled straight.

Yeah, pretty handy I would say.

Except that the Goonfather FORGOT to calibrate the app against my original floor slope, so my resultant wall hanger was SLANTED. It had a slant so obvious to the naked eye, I had no idea why they went ahead with what the bloody app told them!!

Then the Goonfather placed his iPhone on my floor and declared that my entire house was slanted.. What the hell.

And..the drilling starts... Again
So after figuring that we had to calibrate the iPhone app, instead of two holes, we had to drill a third hole that would straighten my wall hanger.

So that marks the story behind my wall hanger. And I have so many more stories to share.. Kinda sucks that every of my furniture has a "loser" story behind it but it also makes my room one big series of loser stories.

national family day

2010-05-27T16:56:00.000+08:00

You know what's scary about being a family?

It's when your family get too close.

And back in the ol' days with envelopes and landlines, I could escape all that by dropping excuses about having a class gathering or a school project.

But no, social media had to happen. FACEBOOK had to happen.

Look at this! In my most recent requests, I've had THREE family members asking me to accept them as Facebook friends.

There's a reason why I have Facebook friends, and that's because they're truly friends.

No, I don't want to see my sister's lesbian shots on Facebook, nor do I want to know what event my cousin's attending this weekend.

But *ahem*. I'm here to pledge something to my family for this year's Family Day Out, and here goes:

I pledge... to get my family members to spend less time on social media and more on real quality time!

You can make a pledge here!

And I wanna fulfil my pledge by getting them to Songs of the Sea! Whee.

hello

2010-05-08T23:16:00.000+08:00

Does anyone still read my blog?

Having pockets of free time that I would use for the purpose of blogging is not really a luxury for me; now that work is almost 24/7 and I'm back on EQII, free (online) time is mostly a weigh of opportunity cost for activities.

Oh well. I figured that I need to give a kick to this ol' blog of mine, whose gradual demise is a result of constantly being last on my to-do list.

You know how in life, there are SOPs (standard operating procedures) to follow? (Well at least I have some invisible ones in my head.) There will always be a next form of action to perform after the previous task has ended.

For example, recently I moved out to a place of my own and after settling on a home, the next course of action would be to move in all my stuff, and then next to beautify it.. so on and so forth.

And guess what.

I'm tired of these SOPs.

I wanna skip the steps. I wanna forsake some of em.

And I know some free spirits who would be able to do just that and be happy and contented, but too bad I fall into the "Anal" category.

So here I am, struggling to go through every single step of life's SOPs and making sure I'm on track.

It's difficult because when I have so many things to complete, I just feel like bulldozing through all of them. And I end up turning a blind eye to intricate details that when paid attention to, would make the entire project so much more beautiful.

Say hello to the machine me.

When I what I really want to be, is an artist. A crafter of ideas. A perfect executioner.

Some things just got to give.

What has happened to me?

2010-03-26T12:16:00.002+08:00

Work has taken over my life.

We are now entwined. In a relationship others can't fathom.

Meeting with Shawn

2010-03-17T18:55:00.000+08:00

Somebody shy, so this is Shawn (instead of his real face).

The Mystery

2010-03-02T12:53:00.000+08:00

The (partial) reason why I haven't been blogging.

My camera has mysteriously disappeared. It's not at home, not in my bags, nor in the office.

I have no idea where it's at.

I do have the camera casing though, but as if that's gonna be any good help.

Can I hire a Sherlock Holmes to look for my camera?

Ties

2010-02-18T23:42:00.000+08:00

Can you imagine.

That this is one of the two pictures that we have as a family.

I can't imagine looking back when I'm old and not being able to remember what we were like.

I love Chinese New Years!

Complacency

2010-02-06T12:25:00.001+08:00

I think one really big mistake that people often make is that they take things for granted.

They become complacent, and in turn they lose track of their goals, their focus.

Remember the 2005 London bombings and 2006 Mumbai bombings? I'm not even sure if many even knew, since Singaporeans are infamous for being apathetic.

Anyway, that was a good five years ago, and while there are still terror acts happening, they're sporadic now and not in a chain-like fashion that it was during the 2003-2006 period (seems like 9-11 unleashed a dam of terror).

Somewhere back then our government put up videos all over our train stations, that would play on loop whenever there was a waiting time between trains. It featured very rehearsed actors cautioning Singaporeans to stay vigilant, plus textbook-style of a list of "things to do" (one of it being "remain calm") whenever terror strikes.

I thought it really lame back then. After all, it was just our government's style to dish out theoretical stuff to counter most problems, as "education". (Think the period of dengue outbreak: dengue infomercials with a voiceover of ways to keep mosquitoes out of your house.)

But if you realise it, it's been a good three to five years since we were first introduced to the videos that would become the staple in our transportation lives. And the government hasn't forgotten - the videos still play, the dengue posters are still all around hawker centres.

I find it strangely comforting that they still remember. You know how some things die off and that's when people get bitten twice.

Maybe it's the Singaporean kiasu mentality but I feel really good that we're not taking chances. I'm not saying that all of us will know what to do when the time comes, but at least I know there will be people who will be prepared and that's better than none at all.

OK, just something really random that came up! Food for thought.

Intensity

2010-01-24T18:08:00.002+08:00

I saw the side of your face as you turned
There's no foolproof shield against departures I've learned

I am moving but you have long been gone
In opposite directions, we leave this route well worn

The hours faded to a memory I don't quite remember
And we're back as the two people who wait for every other

it's just a broken heart

2010-01-10T21:13:00.000+08:00

I've had a number of friends moving in and out of relationships lately. Well, mostly out.

Through the grieving process I found that us girls generally try to find reasons to justify our emotions, while the dudes mostly just.. accepted the break-ups as a natural course.

One thing in common though, is that after all that emotional spree, everyone emerged worn and more cynical about the future.

"I don't think I can ever be in a relationship for the next few years."

THAT'S too much for even a pessimist like me to take. My friends know me as a cynic and it's written all over my blog, but that's just a terrible absolute to assume.

Fear - we all have to manage it. The fear of being alone. The fear of moving out of the comfort zone. The fear of not having something better.

And as unbelievably philosphical as it sounds, I think making mistakes is one of Life's most precious gifts.

What would I do without learning from past errors, what sort of person would I be without the experience.

We should never be afraid. Like I told E, "It's just a broken heart. Broken hearts can be mended."

It's true. What's a broken heart when you have the support of your friends and family?

Ahhh. All these break-ups.

Project 52: Week 9

2010-01-04T19:43:00.000+08:00

For the New Year's I went up to KL. And on one of the weekends we went to the driving range.

The driving range, I had learnt from the golf fanatic, was a place where you pay to whack golf balls into the open green.

No, I'm not a golf person. Maybe next time, but not at the moment. I wasn't at the stage where I was ready to learn about the technicalities of a new sport.

But I liked the driving range for being able to just sit, relax, and people-watch.

And maybe make up side bets when things get too boring, and have the loser do push-ups in front of everyone. You can never grow up too fast.

Day 364

2009-12-31T02:35:00.000+08:00

It's 2:07 am, and it's New Year's Eve.

I'm waiting for two more hours to pass so I can get onto the bloody flight and into the arms of the person I'm going to see.

I think I have Fate on my side, because before this week I thought I had lost my office keycard, MRT card and camera - the three most important items I need in my daily life! But just an hour ago, I found them all! I have never been so happy to see my Prada pouch, leather card holder and loose camera casing.

I also found, to my delight, that my desktop (which I thought HDD was reformatted) still has Photoshop, which means I can show off the pictures and this blog will never face the prospect of being a wordy and photo-less blog!

QY and I at Leslie's charity dinner. Goonfather's sleeve in the background.

OK that's it I'm too tired to wait for the other pictures to upload so goodnight! 1 hour for some catch-eye!

Christmas Week 09

2009-12-28T13:51:00.000+08:00

So much happened last week that all of it feels like a hangover. Groggy, remnants of unexplained happiness and throwing up of pieces from I-don't-know-where.

I shall list what I can remember in point form, because I don't have pictures (and you will know why later) and nobody likes to read a wordy post.

Mister Potato party
The one and only party that we really got to chill, and I loved looking down at the stage with our drinks in hand, spilling secrets to one another and making fun of everyone else.
Nuffnang SG-MY Christmas dinner
Lovely Elaine planned such a wonderful Xmas for us Nuffies! My Secret Santa was Shun Yau - he got me some Sally Hansen nail stuff and I'm keeping it at home because I know if I bring to the office the other girls will pounce on them *hmph
Lost my camera
OK I'm not even sure if this is true, because I just can't find it anywhere! I have no recollection of where I last put it and so for the whole festive week I WAS PHOTO-LESS. And you know how that sucks? Ten years down the road I won't even have my own version of pictures to document my Christmas 2009.
Fell in and out of Love
It sounds complicated, maybe because it really is, but then again, what's so complicated about Love?
Ying came back
80% of the reason why my week's been so packed. She's like an energizer bunny. A tourist in her own country. She takes pictures of ALL the food she eats (worse than bloggers!) and wants to do every possible thing there is to do in this island.

So our weekend's been crammed with all sorts of activities. She also developed a really big appetite for beer and I've never been so sick of beer in my entire life before.
Became really sick
I think all the partying really got to me. I've never taken Medical Leave for this year (ask my colleagues!) so this is actually the first time, and I got awarded three days at one shot.

As I type this, I'm actually waiting for the drowsiness from my medicine to kick in. I have TWO drowsy medicine I think the doctor's trying to make me sleep my entire day away so annoying! How am I supposed to do work like that!

I'm also clueless as to why all cough syrup taste the same - Horrible. Horrible when I was younger, and horrible now. Don't people complain how horrid it is, and don't doctors make is sweeter or something??
Slept less than five hours every day
All of us were really exhausted! One of the days where we transited at my place, then everybody fell asleep everywhere while waiting for someone to shower.

Literally EVERYWHERE. Ying was on the floor, Cheryl was on sofa, and I was knocked out beside my coffee table. Vaguely remember my mother coming home and going on and on about us sleeping like that.

OK my body's getting heavy I think it's time for me to allow my body to rest. Pictures when I find my camera or get the new Canon S90 muahaha.

Project 52: Week 8

2009-12-23T01:08:00.000+08:00

Ok I have a confession to make, and that is Project 52 for this week is so impromptu that it's nowhere even near half-hearted.

I randomly picked out a picture from my berry and since it was taken pretty recently, I'm authorised (by myself) to use it!

This is Pumpkin. She's really hyperactive, and she's Wendy's dog. Wendy makes her wear this pair of doggie pampers so that she can let Pk run around the house with a piece of mind. It's quite a funny sight really, with the oversized pampers hanging by her bum.

Anyway, Pk hopped onto my lap while I was pretending to be interested in whatever Wendy and Cheesie were doing in the Princess Room (Wendy's pink room).

She settled there and was sooo tame and cute I had to take a photo!

Too bad Scruffy hates her hyperactiveness or else I think they'd make a good doggie couple.

Ok sleepytime. Goodnight!

Project 52: Week 7

2009-12-14T17:20:00.000+08:00

This week, while Cheesie was in Singapore, we found a night together to bling our gadgets.

My Blackberry has been suffering from a badly faded Gmask print, so I ended its misery by tearing it all off and sticking black crystals to the back of my phone.

It was all new to me, the picking up of crystals, nudging them meticulously with a tweezer - thank goodness Wendy was there to help.

Perfectionist me was obsessing about the alignment of my crystals, to the point Wendy huffed at me: "THEY ARE VERY STRAIGHT ALREADY!!"

Today, about four days after the blinging, I found an empty spot where a crystal fell off. It felt like a piece of my heart got cut away...

I need to go mourn for my crystal.

fickle

2009-12-12T15:44:00.001+08:00

I have always been against indecisiveness.

And here I am, weighing my options on the Personal Principles scale, endlessly putting in and taking out bits just to get them to balance.

But they never seem to; the scales just wobble in tandem with my inability to make up my mind.

I have resorted to making all my decisions based on completely unrelated third-party factors.

Just like how, in Genting while gambling, I didn't want to be solely responsible for the results of "Big" or "Small", so I made Elaine choose between "Apple" or "Orange", then placed my bets on what she picked.

It would be easier that way.

It would be easier if I just pretended I made a choice, without me really making one.

It's Christmas Once More

2009-12-06T10:42:00.001+08:00

The other day we were just talking about Corporate Culture, and how in Nuffnang, we want the staff to make up our own culture, instead of having the management to dictate it.

And maybe we all don't realise it already, but that has been the instance since Nuffnang hired its first staff.

A great deal of our culture has been moulded by our interactions, and that's also why we're so fiercely bonded to one another - just like one big family.

We shamelessly termed ourselves as "Nuffies", organised company trips on our own and schemed ways to deter our bosses from choosing their favourite lunch venues.

Even for Christmas - never would we have thought that the first Nuffnang Christmas celebration would be a foundation upon which our future celebrations are built. And I suppose, these are how "traditions" come to be.

So for two years now, the Malaysia and Singapore team would come together for a Christmas meal, where we each prepared a present anonymously for someone. During the meal, the bosses would have a little speech and then we'd go around the table saying our pieces. After that, everybody would open their gifts and guess the sender.

Makes me feel so warm and fuzzy inside whenever I think back on the jokes, laughter and wonderful company.

This year we're having our Christmas dinner in KL. It's a little giddy planning it because we've grown SO big that it's difficult to do something that's cosy yet able to accommodate everyone at the same time.

We're going up for the Mister Potato party first and I have to get a floppy hat to resemble Mister Potato!

Maybe we'll make everybody wear their hats to the Christmas dinner and make it a tradition!

Then 10 years down the road the clueless Nuffies will be like, "Can anybody tell us again, WHY we have to don hats for Christmas every year??!"

elaine's twenty-third

2009-12-03T17:07:00.000+08:00

Happy Birthday Elaine!

Ming bought back the most wonderful cake ever. It was chocolatey without being too sweet, had just the right sponge-to-cream ratio, and had really nice cake base. I don't think I can ever do justice to the cake by my description, and never again will I find another cake to measure up :(

It was Eileen's last day as well. She did the funniest thing ever - by giving a little wave and tottering out of the door on her last day!

We had to make her come back in and give us a long, proper (by our standards) goodbye. Nobody leaves Nuffnang without a big hoo-hah!

Anyway, to celebrate Raine and Elaine's birthday we went up to Genting and we all had a smashing good time. Pictures up soon, but don't count on it!

Project 52: Week 6

2009-11-30T23:27:00.001+08:00

There's this sign within the cable car which I took a photo of when we descended from Genting.

Everybody couldn't figure it out...

From left:
1. No eating
2. No Smoking
3. ???
4. No drinking
5. No littering

What's 3. ! Does anyone know?

Scruffy's Reunion

2009-11-26T22:47:00.001+08:00

One day I received a text from Scruffy's host family asking if they could come over to visit.

I thought, why not? I've never met Neighbour X before, so it'd be a good time for me to properly thank them.

I suggested meeting up at Dolly's place, and that night, that's what we did!

I brought QY along with me and we chatted a bit, played a little of Wii (which I'm totally pathetic at) - good fun!

^ Group photo!

DOLLY'S FAMILY

#1 Jewel, Dolly's dog and Scruffy's companion

#2 Dolly! Extremely bubbly and sweet girl. Her hair's unbelievably l-o-n-g!

#3 Caring Auntie Teresa who pampers Scruffy SO MUCH I'm ashamed

NEIGHBOUR X'S FAMILY

#4 Sam! Son of Neighbour X. It would be his birthday at midnight and there he was, spending time with us. What a sweet boy :)

#5 Auntie Serena, wife of Neighbour X. She was re-telling the story of how her husband, Neighbour X, found Scruffy

***

So glad I made great friends throughout this ordeal.

snippets from my camera

2009-11-23T22:48:00.003+08:00

I'm sharing some pictures I've leeched off my camera. Truth is I'm guilty of buying the camera and not putting it to good use. But I'll try, I'll try.

***

^ One of Estee's hermit crabs. She names them by their shells. The one shown here is "soccer ball". I questioned her what she'll do if the crabs switched shells. She thought about it for a minute or two, then giggled and said they wouldn't know the difference anyway.

^ I took this picture of Lionel by accident when I was playing with my camera's settings. We were recce-ing Bukit Chandu museum, and this is one of the hallways where they showcase some really cool stuff like recorded telephone conversations played over a dummy retro phone.

^ Was out with Wendy for supper some time back. I thought that it was really hilarious that there was this girl with hair the exact shade and style of hers, sitting a couple of tables away from us. Her order that night was pretty messed up and I told her the waiters probably gave it to the wrong blonde girl.

^ Valerie, my babe who bagged the crown for Miss Earth Singapore and is currently in Philippines for the finals. I'm super proud that she made it to the Top16 ! We were apart for one month and it's really agonizing not being able to ask her out as and when I want to. She's coming home in a few days' time but I'll be away we are JUST like star-crossed lovers.

^Elise, Elaine and Scruffy the week he came home safely after being lost. The girls were taking turns to squish him.

^Robert and I at Val's swimsuit judging competition.We were armed fully with whistles, flags and cheered our throats hoarse. This crazy ang moh does crazy-angmoh things like venturing to India alone and calls it his idea of "fun". I told him I didn't find the thrilll of being potentially kidnapped in a foreign country "fun".

One night in Desaru

2009-11-21T23:42:00.002+08:00

It's 11.30pm and we're in Desaru.

I'm nestled snugly into the sofa blogging from my Blackberry while my roomie, Sheylara's goal is to stay away from it because of the allergies she's getting from the musky furniture.

This trip was a really last minute one because The Goonfather decided that he wanted to skip an activity he was forced to attend and apparently the only way out was to "skip town".

So here we are, spending our weekend in the most relaxed fashion ever - our day was spent getting sand on our feet by the beach, playing the pirated version of Monopoly (the only one the resort provides), having scrubs and massages and a visit to the fruit farm.

It all sounds really boring and dull, but it was the best we could do really, with the weather being uncooperative. I suppose I take quite a bit of joy in this mucking around; I'm just not warmed up to the fact that we have plenty of opportunities to do this back in Singapore but we never do. I wonder why.

Oh, we saw a sign that said: "Mini Zoo" today and went to check it out after the rain got in the way of our poolside activities (suntanning for me, book-reading for QY and fooling around for the boys).

I was more tickled when I found that the "Mini Zoo" was really just a "Chicken Coop", just like how the "Live Band" at the resort is actually a more dignified way of terming the "solo singer with a mike and keyboard".

I don't have pictures to show because absent-minded me left my camera at home charging (I wonder HOW many times I must commit the same mistake over) and I can't be bothered to whip out my berry at every photo-worthy moment.

Tomorrow we are waking up early to leave. And its back to the doldrums of Monday again, apart from my two freshly-broken nails and a thicker waistline (from tonight's dinner of BBQ buffet).

I think I have a gastric problem

2009-11-19T00:23:00.004+08:00

I just came home from the doctor's.

I'd been having this persistent pain at the tip of my stomach for a few days.

I've had this problem for quite some time now, but usually it comes and goes. I never really got around to seeing a doctor for this ailment because typically the pain wakes me up in the middle of the night and I'm so tired that I just want to sleep it away rather than head straight to the doctor's.

Eventually I do sleep it off, so I didn't see a need to get a proper diagnosis because I thought it'd be odd to get one without my illness occurring in real-time. Like, what am I going to tell the doctor? "Doc, I had this pain here but it's not here anymore...?"

So when my usually nocturnal pain pangs surfaced for a whole couple of days, plus a huge nudge from QY ("what, you don't know what you're suffering from?! Go see a doctor or else you'd never know!"), I stepped foot into the clinic after about 2 years of being doctor-free.

The thing about doctors is, they make me feel embarrassed because I answer truthfully but somehow I don't feel like I helped much after my answers.

Sometimes I think if I shut up it'd let them have a better diagnosis of what I'm suffering from :(

Case in point #1

Doctor: (presses tummy) Is this painful?
Me: Yes
Doctor: Here?
Me: Yes
Doctor: What about here?
Me: Doc, it's a constant pain. Wherever you press as long as its near my stomach it hurts

Case in point #2:

Doctor: What are the colour of your stools?
Me: Er...
Doctor: Black?
Me: I don't know, I don't look at my stools
Doctor: What....!

(The last time I visited the same clinic, my doctor asked me what was the colour of my phlegm. To which I answered, "I don't know, because I don't know how to spit." I wasn't being funny. I really don't know.)

Case in point #3:

Doctor: It's probably gastric. Try this medicine out first. If it still hurts...
Me: You'll refund my money?
Doctor: ...I'll have to re-diagnose you

***

Oh well let's hope I get well soon so I don't have to return for a re-diagnosis!

500 days of Summer

2009-11-14T12:30:00.007+08:00

SPOILER ALERT!

I caught this show last night.

At the end of the movie, I grunted: "This movie sucks" and promptly flipped over to sleep.

It sucked because it was so bloody real. It had such a strong resemblance to my truths that it was painful to watch.

No, the little bit at the end where Tom meets new girl - where they tried to make it more politically correct and closer to a "happy ending" didn't help.

Tom: Consistency. I need to know you won’t wake up tomorrow and feel a different way.

I feel that I AM Tom.

If I had my way, my life would be made up of formulas. Formulas with constants. Easily calculated with ANY sort of inputs.

I don't get how meeting someone new and "seeing how things go" is an idea of fun.

Sure, a novelty at the start when everyone's playing the cat-and-mouse game. But after a while the game gets depressing, manipulative and just plain... selfish.

And I can't believe I've fallen for this many times over.

Hello, where are my Toms out there?

Project 52: Week 5

2009-11-11T21:26:00.001+08:00

Judd, my colleague from the Philippines, once told me something that I have now found very true:

"The thing I love about Starbucks is that it tastes the same in every country, anywhere."

Went up to Genting with some friends for the weekend, and we hung out a whole lot at Starbucks, mostly for the WIFI (which was honestly really slow but we were too deprived to complain).

And how I loved just sipping my steaming Latte with the cool wind whipping by.

Of course, the Latte didn't stay steaming for very long. Oh well. It was good while it lasted.

P/S: I can't seem to keep up with Project 52 because I don't take much pictures with my camera. So I've decided that I'll just blog from my Blackberry, I take wayyyy more pictures on this device.

How Social Media Found My Missing Dog (Part Two)

2009-11-06T21:47:00.008+08:00

This is a two-part story about how I lost my pet dog Scruffy but found him again through social media.

(Read Part One if you haven't already. And be appreciative that there is actually a Part Two, because it's very characteristic of me to not finish what I started!)

This part will follow the story of how Scruffy came to be found and kept safe with his host family. Minute details may not be exact because all of the information was extracted from the conversation I had with Dolly and Auntie Teresa.

THE STORY'S CHARACTERS

Before I talk about how it all started, you'll need to familiarize yourself with the characters in this story.

HOW IT ALL STARTED

On Monday, November 2nd, Neighbour X was taking a walk when he saw a cute dog sniffing about the bushes and wandering around. There was no tag, no leash and no collar. Just a furry, clueless dog among the greenery.

He sat down nearby and offered some bread to the dog. Slowly but cautiously, the dog ate the bread, and gradually warmed up to the stranger.

After 30 minutes of observation, the dog didn't budge from his playground, and nobody came to claim him, so Neighbour X concluded that it was a stray or lost dog.

He brought it back home with him.

A NEW EXPERIENCE

Now, Neighbour X has not had a pet dog before.

He soon realised that it was quite a handful to take care of an animal that he did not have experience in handling.

Although the lost dog was tame and of minimal fuss, he thought it would be better to hand it over to someone who would be a better candidate to take care of it.

AUNTIE TERESA THE SAVIOUR

Auntie Teresa was skeptical when Neighbour X first approached her with the new responsibility. She wasn't sure if her dog Jewel would get along well with it, or if she was even capable of taking care of two dogs.

But upon hearing Neighbour X's intentions to give the dog away to some workers' dormitory, she decided to give the lost dog a place in her home.

DOLLY SHOWS OFF HER NEW PET

The family soon realised that both dogs got along really well. The new dog was also settling in comfortably and did not shiver like the first day that he did.

Dolly invited her best friend, Sweetie over to play with her new dog.

Sweetie asked, "What are you going to name him?"

But Dolly wasn't sure. Somehow she knew that the dog wouldn't stay long with her, and she wasn't ready to grow attached to it and then suffer a heartache later.

So she left it nameless.

SWEETIE RETURNS HOME

That very night, Sweetie returned home and decided to surf some blogs.

Dolly claimed that Sweetie is not a regular reader of Xiaxue. But that night, Sweetie logged on to view Xiaxue's blog.

At that very moment, she saw the retweet on Xiaxue's live twitter feed (which honestly gets updated and pushed down really fast because of Xiaxue's constant flood of tweets).

She decided to click on the link and staring back at her was a dog that looked like the dog she was playing with just moments ago!

SWEETIE CALLS DOLLY

Sweetie called Dolly at once to inform her that she might have found the lost dog's owner.

Together, they traced back the tweets and found my blog.

DOLLY CONTACTS ME

Dolly sent me two emails, and added me on Facebook with the message that she might have found Scruffy.

But her efforts were fruitless simply because I was by my mobile all the time, expecting people to call via the posters we put up.

I was out most of the time putting up posters and talking to people. I was NOT expecting someone to email me and checking Facebook was the least of my concerns at that time.

Finally, Dolly had to send me public message through my chat box - and even then it took me half a day to spot it because my blog was the last place I'd look for clues of Scruffy's disappearance.

I MEET SCRUFFY'S SAVIOURS

So I responded to the message, and I met Auntie Teresa and Dolly, who are about the nicest people I have met.

They truly loved Scruffy and I'm so glad Scruffy was in good hands all the while.

I INFORM THE ANXIOUS TWITTERWORLD

By now everyone was anxious to know if I'd found Scruffy.

I let out a tweet that it IS Scruffy and once again I was flooded with congratulatory tweets!

THE MOST AMAZING EXPERIENCE

I have worked in the social media scene for about two years now, but this is by far the most spectacular experience ever.

I want to thank everybody who helped tweeted and create the awareness, and Wendy who picked it up too.

I'm glad I have Scruffy back and my next task now is to get him a collar whether he likes it or not, and formulate a new pee routine :)

How Social Media Found My Missing Dog (Part One)

2009-11-06T11:28:00.016+08:00

I have an amazing story to tell.

It all started and ended with social media.

HOW IT ALL STARTED

I was away in KL when it all happened. Having found a prepaid plan to fund my Blackberry usage in Malaysia, I left my Singapore number stored away, which meant that nobody could contact me except via email.

Which was fine, I thought, since it was a weekend anyway, and most of my work was settled so why not make the most of my holiday?

Little did I know that Scruffy had gone missing in the morning. My sister let Scruffy out on his usual pee routine.

Scruffy is not paper-trained. We got him when he was about two, so it was too late to give him any proper training. But over the years, we formulated a routine that we thought worked best for his pee and poo business, since he wouldn't do it in the house and he was so fond of dashing out (we live on the ground floor).

WHAT WENT WRONG

My sister was rushing off to be some where and judging by his pee routine, she thought that Mum would be wrapping it up as usual.

But Mum couldn't, because my parents were out of the country!

She only realised so when Mum texted a reminder to "let the dog out" and by the time she got back three hours later, Scruffy was gone.

It was very worrying because Scruffy has snuck out before but he has always dutifully returned home and sit at the front steps, waiting for us to open the door for him.

SOCIAL MEDIA TOOL #1: FACEBOOK

After searching for over 12 hours and not being able to contact me, my sister used the tool which she knew we connected best in: Facebook.

(Because she doesn't tweet and we find it disturbing to read each other's blogs.)

I got it about midnight and when I reached Singapore, I woke her up to ask about Scruffy. By then, he was missing for about 16 hours.

SOCIAL MEDIA TOOL #2: TWITTER

Feeling pretty desperate at this point, I thought it'd be no harm to tweet about it.

So I did.

I didn't expect much out of Twitter. It was more of to let my friends know and hopefully, they would pass it on to friends who live in the East.

But I was WRONG.

My Twitter retweets were overwhelming.

I had about 70 retweets within two hours. The response was so ridiculous, I actually felt guilty for "spamming" Twitter with my lost dog ad.

The interesting thing was that through all my followers, the message actually reached leading Twitterers in Singapore like MrMiyagi, Xiaxue, PatLaw, who further spread the message - thank you, you guys for having a big heart!

DAY TWO: SCRUFFY'S DISAPPEARANCE

Day Two was spent mostly making a police report, calling up SPCA and sorting out Scruffy's microchip number.

As Scruffy was adopted by me, I went back to his previous owner to ask for his dog licence and that's when we both found out for three years, both parties thought that the other party had it. *facepalm

By Day Two, we still didn't have much progress, save for a few weird phone calls.

("Hi, I saw Scruffy running happily with a pedigree dog. I think he's happy right now. Bye!" / "How old is your lost dog? Because my daughter insisted I call up to ask.")

The torrential rain also made matters worse by dampening our spirits and the posters that we put out in the streets.

SOCIAL MEDIA TOOL #3: PLURK

I was depressed at work until Sheylara MSNed me just as I was about to knock off, asking me if I was free to meet up near my place to search for Scruffy, because "Goonfather plurked about it and got a search group going".

And at 7.30pm the Club Morte group gathered, about eight of us, split up into smaller groups and headed off in different directions to search for Scruffy.

We stuck up more posters, approached dog owners and passers-by. Then everybody ate a little supper before heading home.

I was really, really touched.

DAY THREE: SCRUFFY'S DISAPPEARANCE

On Day Three, we were still getting weird calls. ("Can you give me your address so I can come by and search for Scruffy together with you?")

By this day I was missing my dog a whole lot. The empty dog bed and silence when I came home was hitting me hard.

My sister left a Facebook comment and it was the trigger to my dam. I was balling my eyes out in the office when I saw the comment. What if Scruffy doesn't come home at all??

At night I went out to search for Scruffy but it rained pretty badly again so it was minimal, what I could do.

SOCIAL MEDIA TOOL #4: BLOGGING

I decided to post up a blog post about Scruffy, just in case people searched online and hopefully, they'd get directed to my blog.

After I published my post, I saw a message left on my blog! It was a really short message the day before, asking me to call a particular number.

I called at noon, but there was no answer. Tried again many times until at about 8pm, a lady picked up and spoke to me!

She described Scruffy as a "grey and brown dog" that "hops around" when he runs.

I was getting excited by this minute. "Are you sure?!" I asked.

And she went on to say that Scruffy was very greedy, and jumped very high when she gave him food.

I was 90% sure it was Scruffy. I grabbed her address and scheduled to meet her in an hour's time, when she would be home.

I tweeted about it to update everybody, and many replied with well-wishes. I even got anxious calls asking if I've met up with the lady yet!

FINDING SCRUFFY
When I reached her home, I saw two dogs greeting me at the door.

And one of the dogs, was my beloved Scruffy!

The lady, whom I later knew as Auntie Teresa, let him out and he started sniffing and licking me all over.

We spoke about how she came to contact me, and it was actually via her daughter Dolly.

It's all one big story, saved for Part Two, but for now you guys should know that Dolly found me through Twitter!

Social media sure rocks!

Reunited!

Scruffy's Missing

2009-11-05T17:07:00.005+08:00

Name: Scruffy
Gender/Age: Male, 6 years (looks like a puppy)
Breed/Colour: Yorkshire Terrier, Grey&Golden
Description: Has a bunny hop when he runs
Missing on: Monday, 2 November 2009, near Kembangan, Lengkong Tiga Block 111
Contact: *censored* if spotted or found. $300 reward provided, no questions asked.

***

Scruffy, please come home soon.

I am too sad to continue writing anything more but people please pass on the message ok?

Thank you all so much.

and the dust settles...

2009-10-29T19:46:00.007+08:00

I don't know how event planners do it.

They build an event from the scraps into a wonderful piece of art, and when it ends, they move on to the next job.

When the Blog Awards ended, I felt a huge part of me cut out.

It was beautiful.
But it was also sad.

As I browse through the memories of red carpet night, there's the sickening realization that all's that kept alive of the night is the official Flickr page.

People will move on to the next bigger things, and the glitter will all fade into the background; but at least, it's a happy ending.

People have come up to me, congratulating me on the success of the Awards.

Is it really my success?

It certainly was not.

The HONEST truth is, as cliche as it might sound, I couldn't have done it with my wonderful team.

Boss Ming was being generous when he thanked me publicly for making the event possible. If it were not for his hand, I would not have walked out of the maze that at one point, I was comfortable being trapped in.

My girls, who have volunteered their support ever so readily, nagging at me to catch up on my sleep.

They had no idea that me pulling all-nighters was not solely attributed to the tight timeline of planning the event, but more of me being an overprotective and possessive worker.

I was afraid that if I just finished up my work and leave for home, I would one day lose my sense of belonging and the Blog Awards would have just been "a great event", once upon a time.

That being said, I am constantly in awe how we find the right fits for everybody. We may have flaws, but we all certainly have areas that we shine in, and it's amazing watching the pieces coming together, where everyone's so specialized and perform their roles to the best they could possibly have.

To my Programme ICs Elaine and Robb, you guys were more than my aides. You were my heart - keeping the blood pumping and everything in working order.

I couldn't have asked for better. I really couldn't have.

I have been putting off my thank-you speech to the team, as should come with the end of all events.

Because it's hard saying good-bye.

But it's a process we have to go through, and I'm glad we all endured this together.

Project 52, Week 4

2009-10-14T23:31:00.001+08:00

Sorry I totally missed Week 4 because we were too busy planning and executing stuff for the Blog Awards!

Here's a picture of our shoe rack.

It sits outside the office, and everyone has to take off their footwear before stepping into the office.

That's because we have a really homely office and we intend to keep it that way!

I love it on Wednesdays when the shoe rack is full, and the shoes start spilling onto the floor. It means our team is back into the office and kinda shows how much Nuffnang has grown - yes, just by looking at the shoe rack.

One day, we'll have a shoe rack as tall as a cabinet.

And Boss Ming's shoes will remain where only his shoes are allowed to be - right at the doorstep.

Project 52: Week 3

2009-10-04T23:50:00.008+08:00

I don't really remember what it really feels like to enjoy partying anymore :(

All I can think of most of the time now is how tired I am at 2am, or how one minute more is akin to added risk of bad skin.

Here's us a post party for the F1 race at Amber Lounge.

There was free flow alcohol all night. Liza and I lunged for the whiskey but we found that the "proper" way to tackle such events as ladies was to order champagne and hold the glasses half-full by their stems.

By 1am we were all bored and falling asleep. We entertained ourselves by pointing out the cuties (but we were really spoilt for choice - it was the first time I'd seen so many good-looking people at one place) then when we were done with that, moved on to drunks who were embarrassing themselves.

Sometimes I feel ashamed that I rather stay at home/hang out with friends than go to pretentious parties like this.

Thank goodness for the company!

Project 52: Week 2

2009-09-29T00:20:00.005+08:00

This week's been a really crazy week, with the Blog Awards round the corner.

I can't believe it's all happening so fast - we need more TIME!

The planning is all taking shape now but the execution can really be a bitch. So many deadlines to meet, constant improvisations and flooded email inboxes.

This week, I threw Elaine the task of coming up with the VIP and Guest list for the Awards.

If not for these clients and important people, Nuffnang would not be where we are right now.

I threw my boxes of namecards her way, and Ming dug out his cartons of namecards.

She ended up with a whole pile of namecards strewn all over the desk.

And I was hiding a smile - that really, we've come a long way.

It's Krrunch Time, Get Playful!

2009-09-27T23:53:00.006+08:00

I've been having late nights and alcohol throughout the weekend.

Come Sunday, I decided to give my body a rest and just.. stay at home.

So I woke up this morning, sat up in my bed. I saw bleakness staring back at me.

It was terrifying. I was going to slack my whole Sunday at home while the world was out watching cars racing and crashing.

In less than five minutes, I was BBM-ing Val, trying to get her psyched up about swimming.

And she said YES!

But what would swimming and tanning be without some snacks right?

I actually was craving the Seafood flavour, and walked three places just to buy one can, but the neighbourhood convenience store, Cheers and 7-eleven all didn't have stock.

I had to make do with the classic flavours. I decided to make up for it by dressing in green.

Actually, it was all coincidental! (Except the slippers. I slipped them on to add on to the green.)

I actually had my green tank on already. Dumped my towel and tanning oil into my light green Espirit tote, and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. That was when I looked into the mirror and realised I was all green!

See, now my Pringles Sour Cream fits so well into the picture.

HOW TO MAKE TANNING MORE "KRRUNCH" WITH PRINGLES

1. Lay out your Pringles chips
And see how long you take to gobble them up!

Time taken: approximately four seconds

2. Balance a Pringles can on your tummy

It was extremely hard work ok!

The wind was blowing so hard the can kept toppling over.

FINE.

My fats were wobbling so hard the can kept toppling over.

There, I said the truth.

How do YOU Krrunch with Pringles?

Project 52: Week 1

2009-09-23T23:04:00.004+08:00

OK to motivate myself to blog more, I'm going to start on Project 52 (sorry can't do Project 365 that will totally kill me).

So it's just going to be random photos that I take with my Ricoh or Blackberry.

Week 1: One of the Wednesdays in office

Wednesdays are our no-meetings day. Everybody comes back to the office, sits down and follows up with clients.

And since most of us are out for meetings on regular days, we like to take the chance to dress down.

Oooh I just love Wednesdays! Hate pencil skirts, button-up shirts and blouses.

My outfit:
1.Black military vest, Far East plaza
2. Oriental tube, thrifted from flea
3. White shorts, Ripcurl
4. Black flats, Mondo
5. Bag, Calvin Klein
6. Watch, Casio

hello, friend

2009-09-08T22:28:00.004+08:00

^ Perhentian, Day 1, Waiting for our snorkel

I think for the first time in my life, I'm embracing singlehood.

It's not that I'm infatuated with this whole idea. It's just that I've learnt to deal with it like a normal person should.

And surprisingly, I can be pretty contented and happy! Maybe a little too anxious to move on, but I think I'm in a better position than I was two years ago.

The key to this is really... FRIENDS!

I can't stress how important friendship is. I don't know if I should be ashamed or proud I've rediscovered so many relationships. Plus newly-forged ones too.

Every evening I'm with a special friend, new or old. And we're chilling and laughing about silly things.

Like I said, I'm still a little anxious, but this time round, I wouldn't mind slowing down just a little.

Terrible Monday Blues

2009-08-31T08:57:00.002+08:00

I don't know if it was the coffee.

That kept me in a semi-conscious state during sleep. My ears pricked to every car turning into the carpark. I was aware of my mum leaving the house for her 6am flight.

Or is it fear that keeps my heart hammering in my chest - that background fear that I can't quite put a finger to.

I remember this feeling all too well - when I knew all was lost but I had to move on with my life. But I had to feel the way I felt because I couldn't control my emotions.

I would like to think that it was the caffeine.

Sure, I can control myself perfectly fine.

sad

2009-08-28T18:21:00.003+08:00

OK I just got my bill and the absolute shock of my life.

Now I'm very perturbed because I've never chalked up so much in phone bills before and it's worse because the company's paying for it.

I think I'll absorb some of the cost because it's just too ridiculous.. I must have been going trigger happy when Ming told me to go ahead and turn on data roaming when we were in KL.

Anyhoo.

I'm just very sad and affected. (I know, it's just a phone bill!!)

Sigh. I need some retail therapy............

Snail, or hermit?

2009-08-25T23:01:00.007+08:00

^ Snail scooped off the beach in Perhentian

^ Hermit crab hiding in its pretty orange shell

Today somebody told me this:

"It's scary that everybody - everybody - is an actor."

It reminded me of something I read a while back, one of the theories stemming from Symbolic Interactionism, by Goffman.

(Read on if you have a specific interest in Sociology, or do not have any other method of killing boredom.)

Goffman described the interaction of society at a micro-level, or more importantly - people, and how they behaved.

He likened human beings to actors, and Life as a theatre.

We act differently to different people, to invoke a certain perception we want them to have of us.

So for our whole life, we're just acting. Making people believe what we want them to believe.

And it's scary because everybody's doing it. It's a way of life.

(You can stop worrying because that's all about Sociology for today.)

Which brings me to this question: Would you rather be a snail, or a hermit crab?

A snail - Stuck in its own shell. Boring. But comfortable and stable.

A hermit crab - Able to change shells as and when you like. Unpredictable because you might get crappy looking shells. But exciting because you never know when you might find a beautiful shell to live in.

I don't know how to answer my own question.

But I thought long and hard about it, and I think: I WANT to be a snail, but what I truly am - a hermit crab.

And a pathetic hermit crab who keeps finding the lousy shells at that.

Layered smells

2009-08-21T22:24:00.002+08:00

I don't know how many times I've said this, but I'm gonna say it once more.
I love the smell of onions.
They make me feel like everything is a fresh, new experience.
The air feels crisp, novel and exciting.
That's all I have to say. Sorry. When there's blogging on the go, you're going to get more posts like this.

If Life were a library..

2009-08-19T10:19:00.002+08:00

Last night on the bus back from KL I was watching "Sex and the City".

It wasn't like I had a specific interest in it, I just recalled the whole fuss about the show back then and figured that I had to discover for myself what the fuss was about.

I thought of it OK, except this scene which caught my attention: where Carrie's reading a story to Lily and she ends off with "..and they all lived happily ever after" Only to add, "But you know that's just a fairy tale, right? Things don't always work out like that in real life."

I think fairy tales are important because they teach (the bulk of) us the rules of society: that men are supposed to meet women, and they're then expected to live together for the rest of their lives.

But I think its the reason why most of us girls are broken-hearted or jaded.

We have these expectations moulded unknowingly in our young little girly minds. And when we find that love was not quite what the books taught us, we start crashing our way down from heaven.

I don't know, but shouldn't we be fed with real-life stories from young? Experiences of people with BOTH good and bad endings.

I like reading fiction to be immersed in all sorts of possibilities and imaginations.

But I also like non-fiction to jolt me back to the realities of life.

And no, I'm not jaded. I'm just being practical.

Turning 22

2009-08-13T18:21:00.001+08:00

My birthday crept up on me this year.

So stealthily that I'm afraid that my years will slip by without me noticing.

Lil sister phoned me asking me to be back at 11pm, because she "bought something secret".

It was a cake, then we debated over the number of candles allowed on the cake. She won, of course, with the winning argument: "What's the point of having a cake with candles if people don't know your real age? Might as well not put."

I had my presents given to me wrapped in the cheapo manner my sis is infamous for - torn magazine pages!
Mum got pretty ticked off when she realized that lil sis conveniently forgot to mention her part in the presents.

We gathered around as a family and mumbled birthday song lyrics while lil sis clapped away.

Hmmmm. I think it's a birthday I'd come to remember.

The Traveller That I Am

2009-08-11T12:18:00.007+08:00

So I've just gotten back from the sunny beaches of Perhentian.

I loved it all: The sand. Peeking at the hermit crabs. Waiting for moon rise. Dancing while the waves watched.

There was so much time for me to just do nothing. It was such a drastic change from what I had back in Singapore; it was refreshing, so good.

Because of that I had space for thoughts to seep in. I was surrounded by internal chatter all day. Adjectives to describe the warm rays. Phrases to illustrate my inspirations.

So I've decided that my blog posts for Perhentian shall not follow the usual storyline approach, but snippets of events that triggered a chain of reflections within me.

***

If there's one thing I've learnt from this trip, it's that there are many observations I can make about myself just by packing up and going some place far away (Ok fine. Perhentian's not THAT far!) with my friends.

1) I don't like to make plans
Being able to decide activities on the spot is what pumps up the excitement factor for me. For this trip, we didn't know much about the other islands on Perhentian so we took a vote and the winner Long Beach was our Best. Decision. Ever.

On the contrary, if we had picked a poor option, I reckon that it would have been funny to look back upon.

2) I am the early bird that you'll love
I'm the one who goes around waking people up after I'm done with my shower. I actually find no joy in doing that, but I just can't stand wasting precious time waiting for someone to make the first waking move!

3) I'm an internet addict
I'm ashamed to admit that I couldn't stay away for the whole of three days. I guess the only saving grace was that I limited my usage to 30 minutes for two days.

4) I'm oblivious
I think when I'm alone, I'm generally lost in my own thoughts. I'd survey the scenery as a whole, and leave out the intricate details.

When I was done with one of my walks, I found the group squatting by some stones and shells. I then realised that the shells that I thought were sendiments turned out to be hermit crabs.

I found such delight watching them squirm in their shells. It also made me a little sad, to know that I probably left behind a whole lot more of nature when it presented itself to me.

5) I need things fast. Now.
Because a list doesn't look right with just 4 bullet points..

As I left Perhentian, I was secretly relieved that I could return to my normal pace of walking.

I don't think I can spend the rest of my life strolling, and waiting 1 hour for food to come.

Blogging by the beach

2009-08-08T23:29:00.003+08:00

I kinda promised myself that I would swear off all electronic devices during my long weekend here in Perhentian.
But I guess with this post, I've failed.
Its been a really long day. The highlights:
- I saw a turtle peek out from the surface of the ocean.
- I did my first snorkel!
- And abandoned my life jacket after 2 dips
- REALLY yummy mango milkshake
It's almost midnight now, I'm sitting by the beach, thinking.
Sometimes I hate that serenity can bring me so much clarity, but yet allow thoughts to creep in one after another.
Ok! End of emo. Looking forward to yummy eye candy tomorrow!
Let's pray that there even are, haha.

Late in Office

2009-08-06T21:02:00.004+08:00

8pm. Girls in front of the full-length mirror, some on the swiveling chairs.

We'd hang around at the pantry, gossiping in hushed tones. I don't know why we do that either, since the office will eventually get to know. I think that's just a requirement of gossip - you have to whisper, or else it'd be less of a gossip.

Or sometimes go next door where the boys are, to fiddle with their ornaments.

I don't know. I think Bumblebee likes wrestling with Megatron. He should do it more often.

Girls @ ION

2009-08-05T23:11:00.007+08:00

Met up for a short while with Val and Mich tonight at the new ION Orchard. I didn't see much of the place; just fumbled my way through to get to the train station.

Also took the opportunity to test out the camera that Tetanus has so kindly lent me to test. I love the sharpness and colour!

One creepy thing though - not sure if it's because of my noob camera skills - I can't seem to take self shots! The pictures turn out so blurry.

And if I can't take self shots, what's the point of a camera, right?? HAHA.

Or maybe the camera just hates me.

P/S: I think Val and I hang out so much that we have some telepathy going on. What are the chances that we wear the same shade of green out on the same day, AND yellow PJs the day before?

macro-blogging

2009-08-02T20:37:00.007+08:00

I don't even know how people can upkeep their blogs nowadays.

I'm so reliant on social media other than blogs, which is ironic because my company is in the blogs business.

Every photo that I have taken with my camera, it's uploaded onto Facebook. Every significant update that is worthy of an announcement, it's done through Twitter.

Blogging is a tedious process, and it's not for lazy people like me. The sheer discipline and effort taken to blog - I suppose that's why the blogging market for PMEBs relatively more difficult to capture.

I guess the only solution to that is for everyone to become more widely connected, and blogging to evolve to something simpler - which is actually happening now! Look at all the Blackberrys and iPhones out there, plus blogging via mobile on the various blogging platforms.

Sorry did I just bore you with all the social media jargons?

OK! To end off this short entry:

Val and I, on a girly night out

I've been hogging up all her time now that I'm single. It helps that she stays two storeys above my place, I can bug her any time I want!

Weekday nights are mamak nights; weekends are tanning + laze-around times. The rest of the time, we're just Blackberry messaging each other.

I even know her schedules: Tonight she's out for a musical with some friends! Seriously lady, we might as well be attached to each other! I'll let you know when I have the hots for you...

the equilibrum equation

2009-07-30T18:01:00.005+08:00

Is it possible to find the perfect balance in everything?

People will always be trying to push their boundaries, to test the unknown. And others will always be searching for means and ways to shirk their dreaded responsibilities.

It's a struggle to search for a midway solution, but it is necessary.

But sometimes I think it's stupid battling something that should never have become a problem.

Why can't people just be open and honest with each other - no guises, no intentions to mislead. Perfect information makes the world a better place.

It's the time of the month where my emotions become so raw that every caress feels like a scratch.

Excuse me while I drown my jaded heart in some jazz music. (By the way, rhetorical question: Melody Gardot is really something, isn't she?)

Help Princess Charmaine

2009-07-23T21:18:00.006+08:00

One afternoon in June, Ming whisked Elaine and I off to a meeting in Sengkang.

Having not been briefed about the meeting, I wondered what sort of company had their office in Sengkang, a residential area, and a pretty far off one at that.

Ming later explained in the car that we had a little Nuffnanger in our midst, and unfortunately she had been diagnosed with cancer. He wanted to see ways in which we, as a Nuffnang community, could help.

This little girl's name, is Charmaine.

Background: Charmaine was diagnosed with 4th stage Neuroblastoma (cancer of the interface between the hormonal system and the nervous system).

She has 10 to 20% chance of living if she seeks local treatment. She has 40 to 50% chance of living if she seeks treatment in New York. However, the treatment in NY costs a staggering SGD 500,000 (half a million!), something no everyday Singaporean can afford to fork out.

We met with Cynthia, Charmaine's mother, and had a short chat with her about Charmaine's condition, and if Cynthia was coping well.

She looked tired. But she didn't look distraught, as I half expected her to be. I don't know, but somehow I found that very comforting - that through all of this she managed to keep it together and be strong. Hence the hope. Hence the non-negativeness.

The chat was going well and rather cordially, until Ming said quietly,

"Don't worry, Cynthia. There are many kind-hearted people out there who want to help. You will get through this. Don't worry."

Cynthia's eyes started to glaze over with tears, and Elaine and I started swallowing hard to choke back ours. We had to remain cool and professional.

Back in the car, nobody spoke. And the atmosphere reeked of gloom.

***

So here we are, less than a month later, with Nuffnang Singapore's first Charity project!

Although $500,000 has already been raised for the surgery alone, Charmaine still needs more monetary aid to finance her fringe treatments, and to ease the financial strain on her family.

1) DONATE TO SAVE CHARMAINE
To learn more about Charmaine's plight, and to donate, click HERE.

2) SHOW CHARITY ADS
If you are a Nuffnanger, you might want to enable "Charity Ads". You can do this by logging in to your Nuffnang account -> Click "Blog Manager" tab -> Under "Ads Preference, click "Show Charity Ads"

An ad unit for Charmaine will pop up. You will not be paid, as the ads are to help raise awareness for this cause!

***

I don't know about each and every of your outlook on Life.

Personally, I fear Death.

I fear its ugly claws. And I think we human beings take things for granted way too much. We take for granted that Death is far away, that it resides in our later years. That Death finds other targets but not ourselves or the people we love.

The fact is, Death is constant, and it's very real.

When I hear about my friend's mother who recently passed away, I'm terrified that it might be mine.
When I read about miscarriages, I think that it might happen to me.
And when I think about Charmaine, I can't imagine if it were to happen to my own child.

Rather than fearing Death, I think something more realistic would be to embrace Life.

You can't put a price tag on Life.

But if money can be used to help save one, no matter how low the chances are, it's worth trying.

Each of our staff in Nuffnang will be donating to Charmaine. We would love it if you can help - it doesn't have to be a big amount. Many small donations can go a long way!

Click HERE to donate.

night's out

2009-07-22T16:41:00.010+08:00

I shall attempt to blog normally again (with pictures and boring bits about everyday life).

This week, we girls decided to hook up and do some cycling and rollerblading.

OK, Cheryl and Carol were lazy so I ended up being the only one in rollerblades. We decided to head off to our... high school. LOL.

^ Here we are, 6 years later.

Everything was almost as it were before, except for the new courts and classrooms. (Cheryl also complained that they changed the blue from dark blue to lighter blue. Seriously, girl.)

^ Had to check our temperatures at the guard house

^ Carol pointing at "Chinese Orchestra" and me at "Symphonic Band".

We all took our extra curricular activities very seriously. I'd spend my Wednesday and Friday evenings in school, plus a full Saturday with my band mates. I don't even know how that was possible - you know, not having a life.

^ Because the sign told us to

^ So totally unfair that my juniors have this

^ I love the new recycling bins!

^ At the bridge, all sweaty and totally unsexy

When we were done we decided to head off to the Kallang bridge. It was an uphill task trying to get there!

^ Me trying to roll down the slope of the bridge

^ Attracted quite a bit of stares from passerbys attempting this
(Yah lah I know I'm wearing pink socks)

Aiyah very lazy already so I shall end off abruptly here. Will update if I feel like it.

See you girls soon!

Thinking Too Much

2009-07-19T20:11:00.005+08:00

I was catching up with one of my favourite dudes, who recently got attached.

He was single for quite some time, getting his heart over this girl before he hopped onto the dating scene, then fell out of it when he decided it wasn't his cup of tea.

So he met his current girlfriend through work, and after three dates (spread out over five days), they became an item.

Given his track record (one serious long-term girlfriend) and the kind of sentimental guy that he is, he was the last person I thought would get attached at such a whim.

I was incredulous. Five days! I had exclaimed in horror. And then came the interrogation.

Why so fast?
How were you SURE?
Will I get to meet her?
Are you SURE?

And all he said was, "The feeling was right."

I don't know how guys manage to come up with ONE single answer to satisfy all our questions, but somehow they do. I clammed up. How do you argue to "The feeling was right" ?

The statement was a contrast to what I strongly believed in - rationality.

In everything that I do, I weigh and map out my options. Good VS. Bad. Rational VS. Emotional. Believing in my gut just throws "rationality" out of the window.

In relationships, it gets less clear cut because of the blurred boundaries among simple things that have become complicated because of the word "love" involved. But I still try to consider the consequences before I proceed.

I think my past experiences have moulded me into this wary person that I am, that I've always thought to be an asset.

Never have I, until my friend came along and got attached, thought of my caution as a potential liability to happiness. And it made sense in a warped way - if trying to be fair to other people I get hurt in the process, why should I even play by the book?

And the thought of future relationships exhausts me. The same process over and over again. Screening the dudes, going on dates, worrying that they may be just after one thing and it's not love, sorting out the "commitment" issue... quarrelling and breaking up.

Maybe the whole thing will seem less tiring if I threw away all my thought processes and just try to have fun.

Now, THAT'S some food for thought.

(I hope you guys realised that the statement before this was to suggest irony.)

hmmm.

2009-07-14T21:35:00.004+08:00

Answer me this:

"Should we think carefully before we act, or is Life too short for us to care about the consequences?"

(QY tells me I'm a worry-wart.)

I've been Twittering so much that I forgot to slow down and pen my thoughts down. Give me your input on the above, so I can consolidate the views.. :)

Back from Melaka!

2009-07-12T19:52:00.004+08:00

Just got back from Melaka.

I loved the food, the slow pace of life (a bit TOO slow though), the amazing company, and most of all... I loved being able to turn off my phone during the weekend!

I did attempt to connect to WIFI once, but when it failed I didn't go bonkers as I thought I would. Hehe.

Pictures with Elaine but I'll just post what I have on my Berry.

We followed Ming's car, with Eugene as our designated driver.

We did all sorts of touristy things like oogling at the flower trishaws, and taking pictures in front of the museum.

I got so irritated at the heat that I bought myself a battery operated fan.

But it got caught in my hair when I brought it too close to my face. I ended up losing quite a bit of hair as I yanked out the entangled mess - DON'T JUDGE ME!!

Other significant things to note:

1) Eugene was acting like he was a king, buying all sorts of rubbish in multiples

2) We went clubbing in T-shirts, tank tops and slippers

3) We literally had NO TIME between meals. We just chain-ate all the way. Madness.

4) I will never play "I have never..." with any Nuffies again

How To Be A City Girl

2009-07-07T17:15:00.004+08:00

If you are thinking of trekking through a jungle in, say, a place like Sarawak, you might want to refer to this before attempting anything.

Especially if you come from the city.

1. Prepare everything and bring nothing
Yes.

Buy all the Tiger Balms/lotions/repellents you need. Pack all the wet tissues, plasters, coffins of pills, spare (but uncharged) batteries into a tiny pink backpack.

And, decide at the very last moment that it would probably wear you down, so you're not bringing any of it.

2. Bring your lousiest pair of shoes
You'll need these to sink your feet into the mud!

But halfway through the trekking, you'll also realise your residual love for your lousiest pair of shoes - because you can't seem to bring yourself to sink 'em ALL THE WAY into the mud.

They'll help, nevertheless.

3. Don't try to train up too much for the trek
Because while you may be able to conquer the tree roots and dried leaves, you might just lose out to...

... A colourful bug.

4. When you see bees buzzing about, don't just swipe them away
Swipe them away so vigorously so that your trekking partner gets stung too!

5. Don't wear shorts
You never know when you will get bitten in the butt by leeches.

The Answer

2009-07-07T02:26:00.001+08:00

So plainly clear, welcoming me with open arms.

But I choose to turn away.

Flowers by my windowsill

2009-06-25T12:10:00.004+08:00

Image source

Today I was at my table, when I noticed them gone.

Every one of them, the overturned bouquets and the entwined stalks.

Funny how I didn't even flinch.

The window grills feel empty now. But it's refreshing. An unobstructed view. Liberation.

Whoever threw them away: Thank you.

Singapore River Fest

2009-06-21T13:49:00.005+08:00

Ok just gonna post up a few pictures and then hit the sack... My bio clock has been REALLY terrible during these 2 weeks of planning the River Fest. I've been sleeping and waking at obscene hours.

Grab your pics from the flickr set here.

Blogger Guided Tour - Singapore River Festival

^ Eugene and I were in charge of the PINK group!

^ Red group!

^ Purple group (WHOM KEPT STEALING OUR LOST PINK SHEEP!!!)

^ The registration people who didn't want to miss out on the photo taking

Sorry guys if it was a little hot and stuffy that night, we hope you all enjoyed everything!

Party @ The Arena

The girls all decided to wear boyfriend shirts. I think the point with wearing boyfriend shirts is looking tousled and like you just had great sex. But people kept pulling me closer to peep inside my shirt. WTF!!

Somewhere into the night I decided I'd be safer with my shirt buttoned all the way up.

^ Raine, where were you??

^ She's here! (HAHA, I'm so lame)

^ Elise looking mad drunk here, but I don't know if she really is because most of the times she's high without alcohol.

^ Raine found a pair of shoes on the ground and insisted to take a picture with it. I found out later that they belonged to Kenny.

^ Everybody bottoms up!

***

I really enjoyed the evening. I didn't expect the Nuffnangers to warm up and be such a fun group, but they did! But as with all campaigns, there were some things that could have been done better, I think what we strive for is to organise events that are executed to the T.

Nevertheless, this event is making me look forward to the many events to come in Singapore! We're as good as the Malaysians, maybe even better!

Bucket List

2009-06-20T01:32:00.001+08:00

You know how they always say life is short, insert cheesy How To Appreciate Life tips.

Well, I can't say I've faced death, but I think I've talked about how much I fear ageing, and eventually, death.

Fine. I'm absolutely terrified of dying. I hate war movies because it reminds me in every frame, about how real and looming death is.

To make it all better I've decided to come up with a bucket list - the list of things I want to accomplish before I die.

My Bucket List

1. Climb a mountain (Bukit Timah doesn't count)

2. Try drugs

3. Learn a new language

4. Live in a city all by myself

5. Be able to experience the greatest love of my life, reciprocated

6. Pay a chunk of money for a fortune teller to read my life

7. Try deep-sea diving to see if I will die (because a doctor once told me my heart can't take too big a change in pressure)

8. Sign up for an exercise boot camp (to see how I'd look like all shapely and fit)

9. Make a time capsule

10. Be really good in something

Yay! And I look forward to adding more useless (but meaningful) stuff to my bucket list.

Who is Davienne?

2009-06-17T19:07:00.003+08:00

OK I was going to blog about my new Blackberry, until I saw Suet's comment on the tagboard..

"eh huiwen, is your name davienne??" - A question I get so often.

No, my name is not Davienne.

Who is Davienne?
Davienne is a name created by myself a long time ago, for gaming purposes.

^ This is Davienne, High Elf Cleric of the 70th Season, in the world of Everquest II.

Of course I have many Daviennes out there but she's the chioest and longest one I've played.

Later on, I came to realise that looking for usernames that didnt end with numbers (eg: huiwen1987) was difficult.

One very good example is my blog and my twitter. Plus many other sign-in usernames!

EXCEPT G-MAIL. I took for granted that nobody would take davienne@gmail.com, but some other Davienne did!

Grr.

How do you pronounce 'Davienne'?
The real pronounciation as I originally intended it to be, is "the-veen". Then I realised that many other people tended to pronounce it as "day-vian". I tried to tell people it was "the-veen", but I failed miserably.

Wtf lah, I created this name so I should have the right to dictate how everybody should pronounce it, right?

Apparently not.

So leave a comment, and tell me how you actually pronounce "Davienne".

Nuffnang flash mob!

2009-06-14T13:37:00.004+08:00

"On Our Way To The Singapore River Festival"

To all Nuffnangers who came down for the Nuffnang flash mob yesterday, we'd like to say a big THANK YOU for showing up in your pyjamas!

Although the mob didn't turn up quite as expected (we didn't know SO many of you would be coming!), but I hope you guys had fun and managed to mingle with your favourite bloggers!

Too bad the terrible rain came and everybody had to disperse like frantic ants - I'd love to see everybody taking pictures and chatting about!

Pictures will be uploaded onto a flickr page by this Monday. We will announce everything on the Nuffnang official blog so you guys can download your pictures :)

Looking forward to the special blogger treat this weekend!

moving up that ladder...

2009-06-08T22:59:00.004+08:00

When I was down in KL last weekend for the Tiger Standout party, I met Kenny who was dressed as Susan Boyle (seriously, you can trust only Kenny to come up with such shit!).

He came up to me in his wig and shabby clothes, and asked me: "So! You're The Boss now, eh?"

Embarrassed, I replied, "No lah! I'm below The Boss so I'm not!"

Because I don't see myself in that position of power, and to refer to me using my title just gives me added pressure that I don't welcome, because to me, nothing's changed much; it's just a title.

But I've been thinking alot since his comment, about what this means.

I've never really let the full meaning of Country Manager, Singapore sink in, although I've been teased pretty much by my co-workers ("So, Country Manager, how's everything going?!"), and have used it here and there for laughs ("Wait I fire you then you know!").

I've also been thinking about the person that I want to be towards my colleagues, and it's surprised me that I've only thought about it now, two months into the job. It should have been part of my planning stage, where I sat down and drew out what I planned to do with my job and my position. But still, it's not too late, I guess it's better late than never.

Once, after a meeting with an important client, Ming told me this in the car: "You have got to look at X, and think of his qualities. Think of humble he his. Think, with his calibre, the places he's going to go. Think that you want yourself to be like him. Strive to be the boss that he is."

I thought about it. And I decided that yes, there's this person that I envision my 'perfect boss' to be. And realising now, that I can make this person, myself.

I've always thought myself as a good worker. But now I know that a good worker does not necessarily translate into a good superior.

And somewhere along those lines, I've gotten the equation wrong.

I wonder if there's even time left at all the rectify my follies, but it's only been 2 months, and I guess there's no harm trying.

I look at myself now and I think that I wouldn't want myself as a superior. Let's see what I'll think in months to come when I reflect again.

back again

2009-05-26T17:02:00.005+08:00

I think sometimes, if you stop and look hard enough, you'll find that your life has trawled one circle, back to where you first started.

The family love that you fought so hard to deny, is now embracing you the way it used to. The only thing that's changed is just that you have grown receptive of it.

The close friends whom you once neglected are still firmly rooted in that special place. And you'll discover that they have never moved, not once backwards, and you are in awe.

It's a continuous process. Our tribulations lead us by our hearts, onto the same thorny journeys. And back out into the clearings again, scarred but stronger.

I don't know if this is something to be celebrated, that we always emerge triumphant, or that we always have to prepare for the next trek.

One thing I'm sure: I'm glad that I'm out of the maze. And I'm prepared to be finding my way out again.

working butterfly

2009-05-24T20:50:00.003+08:00

It's odd, how my line of work has changed the way I do things.

Just this week we were at Butter.

I emerged from the club after the lights came on, holding 6 namecards, from both guys and girls alike.

Yeah.

Even in my alcoholic state of mind, I was networking.