a colored spectrum

HDtv

2007-03-27T03:24:00.000-07:00

yesterday was really schweet.
thanks for coming down to Wheelock to fetch me.
it's really enjoyable to walk around Wisma with you,
do shopping for your Shu Uemura skincare and Levis jeans.
walking around to browse sales items.

really interesting to hear about your medicine training,
think it's the first time you told me about it.
heh.. order valves to replace all the expired ones too.
yes, heart defibrillators!

dinner at Gallery was good, wasn't it? iie desu ne!
soup ramen, cold ramen and pork shar siew mayo rice...
gosh. we really shouldn't stuff ourselves like that every time.
heh. sinful... but i like!

can't believe we ended up talking about Grey's Anatomy, Good Luck and Triumph in the Skies..
this was like... one of the normal conversations we had?
yes, lotsa questions u asked about my dad, myself and Rey. heh.
no, i do not / cannot knit, sew or do embroidery.

okay, this sounds really ridiculous...
but why do we alwiz end up doing the most 'ordinary' things everytime we meet?
like...
go shopping for groceries, buy toiletries, order birthday cake, frame your certs
and... browse for watches, HDtv, PS3, cell phones and furniture???
yes, i like the Nokia E65 and the Samsung LCD tv...
No, i don't like the Life Fitness threadmill.
we don't... do 'normal' activities like watch movie, eat ice cream..
or... something schweet (read: romantic).

seriously.

ICB was good! can't believe 4 of us had this pseudo-intellectual debate. gosh..
and can't believe it took me 3 bottles of Crown Lite to get high.
pity didn't get to do the wheaty Pauleners this time. yes, i am weak =P
just 3 Lites and i forget what time my lesson starts and blabber nonsense...
thankfully, you insisted on dragging me home. oops...
but that explains why i wasn't walking straight by the time i was home,
woke up at 3am to munch on plain bread and went back to zzz...
thankfully joey picked me up this morning for class. yawns.

eh.. weren't we supposed to have the shrimp paste chicken wings and supper too?
oh well. save that for the next time =)
yes, i won't eat too much for supper.

i missed you too.
i miss you too.
i've been missing you.

the mirror

2007-03-24T10:12:00.000-07:00

the man who sold the world says:
"erm. technically, he is telling her about him. not you."

the man who sold the world says:
"you just happen to be in his life."

look through the mirror.

waited.

2007-03-17T04:54:00.000-07:00

glad you're home safely =)
glad you kept your word.

want to cook nice soup for you...
white raddish with pork ribs maybe?
we haven't cooked the sweet-sour pork together yet!

can't believe you flew with a hangover.
tell me next time which flight you're on,
i'll make sure i'm not your passenger =P

take good care and hope to see you soon!
many many hugs!!!

the boys

2007-03-14T07:26:00.000-07:00

this Fri is Poochoo's birthday!
Happy Birthday Poochoo!
finally 25! (i think).
wishing you a specially sweet day ahead!
may you soar to greater heights in career, love and life!

jared is busy with work, school and girlfriend.
poshie is busy with school and girlfriend.
haven't heard from these boys for a long while...

it's amazing to see how the people around me have grown up,
took on a more serious attitude towards work and life,
and engaged in relationships, that are almost a year long!
glad for the boys =) boys to men, maybe.

travel light

2007-03-11T21:43:00.000-07:00

you left for melbourne last Wednesday nite.
supposedly, you should have been back already.
okay, maybe you came back and flew off again in 24 hours..
your schedule's been really packed for the last few months.

i don't know why, i can't explain why but i am feeling upset and flustered.
it happens everytime i don't hear from you,
don't know where you are or how you're doing over an extended period.
i don't like to be guessing and second-guessing, over-exercising the benefit of doubt.

it is also neither appropriate nor fair of me to request that of you.
we owe no obligations to each other,
there is neither the need to share everything or anything with each other,
nor to shower any care towards each other's feelings too.

everything i do or feel for you is initiated out of my willingness.
hence, its consequences i accept.
the feeling of being in the unknown, of being uncertain and insecure,
but also the feeling of joy and bliss when we are together,
every moment is a moment to be savoured and lived.

life is such that, we navigate through infinite uncertainties and ambivalence,
not being able to see the light at the end of the tunnel,
not knowing where we are going or how we are getting there.
all we know is:
that we are capable of learning and adapting flexibly to the changing circumstances.

thus, amidst these shifting conditions,it is indeed prudent to not form long term loyalties, commitment and emotions for each other.

travel light.

experience life like a free-spirited traveller, with only a small carry-onboard baggage,
containing the bare neccessities to survive.
then when it's time for us to let go and leave some expired persons or possesions behind,
we will be able to do so without suffering a tremendous amount of heartache,
while taking with us beautiful memories and a more enriched self.

aviator.

2007-03-05T23:59:00.000-08:00

aviate. navigate. communicate.

i want to fly with you.
hear the turbines turn.
feel the headwind creating a lift during take-off,
feel the downwinds at landing.
to put on our shades and watch the sunset.

how old are you exactly?
Rey said that you're 35.
i remember you being 33.
you're not THAT old.. sorry that i'm asking, i'm just curious!
or is age a sensitive issue? I don't care about your age, really.

anyway... Happy (insert own number) th Birthday!
the Breitling Aerospace is lovely =)
I'm glad you bought it.

8 times

2007-03-04T03:27:00.000-08:00

i'm glad you're back safely from Johannesburg.
rest well and don't work too hard!
shine for your current 777-300ER training.
being a diligent and meticulous person, i know that you can do it.

thank you for being there to offer me words of encouragement when i fall.
like you said, remember the 8 times and don't worry.
i will not give up either.

dream-chasers.

what's up between us?
nothing. we are not together, we are not a couple.
we are just people who hang out together once awhile,
give each other a pat in the back.

11 years of age difference is not a problem. (i hope).
we will never be a couple anyway.
like you said you only date older women.
i am too young for you.

see ya around at ice cold beer =P

4.30am

2007-03-02T19:26:00.000-08:00

leaning on your chest, being next to you watching the stars,
being wrapped in your arms in a dimly lit street when all the pubs have closed felt so close.
to be home making drinks with you,
playing with Jay and listening to music in bed is something i always look forward to.

kisses, hugs and cuddles... i love the way you play with my hair.
it's been too long... too long that i have forgotten the sensual feel of your touch.
it's been 7 months of tug of war. when we did finally it, everything just seemed so natural.
what do i like?

i like being with you.
i like it when you hold my hand.
i like it when you tuck my feet into the blanket.
i like falling asleep beside you.

other people say that you suffer from inferiority complex.
that other people's dates and girlfriends will always be better than what you have.
you alwiz want what belongs to others, when what you have is actually of premium grade.
i hope that is not the way you are treating me, i don't want to be involved in the personal tussle between you and Rey. neither am i an object of desire. i am a person.

i want nothing more than you treating me with sincerity.
and.. i really don't care what people say about you.
let me make my own judgement.

心底话　－　恋人未满

2007-02-05T07:39:00.000-08:00

想了很久，我只想对你唱这首歌。
它为我向你传达心底话。　　

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

为什么只和你能聊一整夜
为什么才道别就又想再见面
在朋友里面就数你最特别,总让我觉得很亲很贴

为什么你在意谁陪我逛街
为什么你担心谁对我放电
你说你对我比别人多一些,却又不说是多哪一些

友达以上,恋人未满
甜蜜心烦,愉悦混乱
我们以后会变怎样? 我迫不及待想知道答案

再靠近一点点就让你牵手
再勇敢一点点我就跟你走
你还等什么? 时间已经不多, 再下去只好只做朋友

再向前一点点我就会点头
再冲动一点点我就不闪躲
不过三个字, 别犹豫这么久
只要你说出口你就能拥有我

为什么你寂寞只想要我陪
为什么我难过只肯让你安慰
我们心里面明明都有感觉
为什么不敢面对?
我不相信都动了感情却到不了爱情
那么贴心,却进不了心底
你能不能快一点决定对我说我爱你!

marry me

2007-01-13T08:41:00.000-08:00

sometimes, i wish that you're here, to do daily stuff together.
cook a meal, watch tv and drive around.
yet, sometimes, i wish that i haven't even met you.

sometimes, i wish that you're my better half.
because i think that you're perfect.
yet, sometimes, i am glad that you're just a friend.

sometimes, i think that i am crazy over you.
i yearn to see you again. and again.
but most of the time, i will sweep that feeling under the rug.

recently, many friends have been getting engaged.
seems like a fad to do so.
marriage for the sake of marrying?

i am praying that you won't marry for the wrong reasons and then regret,
because it is time to do so; or 'cause everyone else is getting married.
marital bliss versus marital misery is all, but a thin fine line.

enjoy the moment

2007-01-12T08:47:00.000-08:00

these are the little things i love about my free days,
where my time is my own.

to wake up late. head down to Orch for Jap lunch with Mr. Litigator.
enjoy a caffe. catch a mid afternoon movie.
browse the bookstore. sip wine and people-watch.
visit the art museum.

when the entire world is busy at work =)
for now, i will just enjoy every moment.

wrecked

2007-01-12T08:19:00.000-08:00

i feel wrecked. totally overwhelmed.

1. my thesis proposal isn't going on well.

the deadline for my independent study module i.e. a mini thesis is 15 Jan, which is next Monday. I have already submitted my proposal, albeit a brief one,
but am still awaiting my Prof's reply, as to whether she is willing to undertake me.
i'm supposed to meet her, but she says Monday is packed though will try to squeeze.
Tues would be past the deadline.
Holy crap.

meanwhile, i better read up on my topic and refine my proposal over the weekend... =/

2. 'heart' versus 'mind' issue

someone said that i am too rational, even in relationships.
the way i choose a boyfriend, is akin to going through a check list,
selecting certain desired qualities and traits.
if most things about him fits into my list (eg. personality, character, career, status, stature etc),
he is chosen. for his qualities and not out of my love.

why? is anything wrong with that?

i like being rational. and quick. i see no need to flow with the 'feelings'. such irrational behavior.
everything that happens, has to have a good reason, a logical reason.

for example: i chose him because he is stable and secure, though boring.
or: i did not choose him because he is is unable to love me, although he is brilliant.

anything wrong with being rational?

i do not want to risk my heart and throw my sanity on the line. i like security and certainty.
to go with my 'passion' and 'feelings is completely insane and irrational.
to plunge in without a clear rational mind is a thing is my past. not my present.

thus, i am happy with making decisions with my mind.
to choose someone whom i can reply on, be safe and secure with.
though he may not be all that interesting.
as compared to follwing my 'heart' i.e. irrational emotions,
to choose someone who is all i have ever asked for in a man,
all interesting and charming, yet cannot love me and only me in return.

with deepest sympathy

2007-01-10T04:36:00.000-08:00

after dinner at Ohsho last nite, i was sadly awakened by a news from my department.

my deepest condolences and sympathy to the family of A/P Ananda Raja.

A/P Raja has suddenly been called home to the Lord on Tuesday, 9th January 07.

he has suffered a heart attack in his office, collapsed and passed on.

I have faith and trust in God, that our dear Prof will be now at a better place,

while leaving us with a better sociological understanding of this world.

"Dear Ananda,

you have been more than a great teacher, but also a friend.

you have been a man who fought for his beliefs, inspiring us to be passionate about our

work and life. you have guided us with dedication, encouraging us to soar higher. your death is

indeed a great loss to our department and future sociologists. we (the Honors class of 06/07)

will remember you fondly, for taking us in your Social Movements and Collective Actions course.

you will be missed deeply, for that ever-smiling face, that Marlboro Man in jeans, the beers,

cigarettes and political jokes. indeed, we have been priviledged to have been taught and

rigorously trained by you. it is painful to stand outside your office, where your work, papers,

journals and post-it notes still lying on your desk, where you have placed them yesterday.

everything seems to say that you are still around, when you have just left us in a sudden.

it only seems like yesterday, when we were sitting in your lectures and having consultations

with you in your office, today an empty room. time will heal all pain and we will meet again at a

better place. may your soul rest in peace and eternal joy"

Blessings,

Paveena Seah (06/07)

Ohsho!

2007-01-10T04:26:00.000-08:00

after some serious persuasion n island-wide ramen hunting on Monday,
i was persuaded to try out Ohsho at Cuppage Terrace, further down from Orchard Point.
heh. thanks for the recommendation!

Ohsho is located at at the right side of the outdoor foodcourt at Cuppage,
at the entrance Cuppage shopping Centre, next to the chinese zichar stall.
it is an open small stall, selling ramen and gyoza. with free flow of iced water.
opens till 2am, good for post-clubbing hunger pangs.

i had the tamago ramen ($10).
there was a hard boiled egg, with a semi-liquid orange yolk, which was soft and delicious.
there were 2 slices of char siew, which was pretty okay.
the soup was shoyu (soya sauce) based, brewed out of pork bones for hours.

the result:
a big bowl of ramen, in rich pork bone soup, topped with a delicious egg and char siew.
very satisfying on a cold rainy nite.

other than tamago ramen, they have the usual char siew ramen, chinese cabbage ramen and various gyoza snacks.
however, do be prepared to wait for at least 15 mins for a seat during 7-9pm..
but, the ramen comes pretty fast after you have placed your orders =)

Phuket

2007-01-08T22:24:00.000-08:00

over the weekend, i hopped over to Phuket for a 4D3N vacation.

flew there by Silkair. the inflight service was great, the cabin crew were attentive and friendly.

the pilots were highly skilled, we had a smooth landing despite the small size of A320.

however, the inflight breakfast was terrible!!!

they offered scrambled eggs, but it looked and tasted like disgusting baby food! why? coz they made the scrambled eggs out of powdered eggs!

hence it lacked the consistency, texture and aroma of real fresh eggs.

* powdered eggs are good for cakes, pastries and noodles but not to be cooked on its own...

anyway, back to Phuket, it was lovely!

however, we didn't stay on Phuket island itself. instead, we stayed at Khao Lak.

it took us a northward drive for about 40mins form Phuket airport,

crossed the Sarasin Bridge and voila!

welcome to Khao Lak! =)

Khao Lak is a lovely quite resort town, quite small in size, but well equiped.

there are many dive shops, hair - manicure salons, a supermarket well stocked with european products and groceries, thai restaurants and a cafe with fancy coffee beverages. be warned, since this cafe is THE ONLY proper cafe, complete with cakes, pastries and french vanilla latte, they also have complete price monopoly (big hint).

our resort is called the New Khao Lak Green Beach Resort.

it is by the beach (hence the name). they own their stretch of the beach, so it's quite private.

you get all the space you need to sun tan and maximum privacy.

it is a family-run resort, there are approximately 40 rooms, in the forms of chalets,

with attached bathroom, mini-fridge and fully air-conditioned.

the rooms are very clean, though the beds and pillows are a tad too hard for my comfort.

the service is totally personalized, the director and managers know each guest by name.

they are very attentive and helpful. they also provide thai massage by the beach front, day-tours to Similan island, diving, jungle trekking, ATV rides and various activities, taxi service and rental of motorbikes.

the food provided at the Green Beach Restaurant is relatively cheap, as compared to the to the restaurants along the main road.
Plus, the ingredients used were really fresh.

however, they could do better by cutting back on the salt..

how did i spend my 4 days there?

1. slept alot.

i was down with cough... which is currently still bothering me,

despite finishing a bottle of cough syrup and korzen 5 to dissolve phlegm.

my daily routine was waking up at 10am and clocking in to bed again at 10pm.

no, i am not a nightlife person.

no, i do not enjoy swimming in the sea too.

(only exception is scuba diving, coz i will get to enjoydiving freely with the various marine creatures and admire the corals)

i like swimming in a chlorinated pool. does that count?

no, i do not like to sun bath too...

2. went down to Phuket town.

my first destination? Central Festival Shopping Mall!!!

it's big and new. complete with Central dept store, boutiques such as Guess?, Jaspal etc.; plenty of restaurants such as MK steamboat, Fuji Jap Restaurant, Black Canyon Coffee and Starbucks Coffee.

i had a lovely Cappuccino at this iBerry Cafe, in the mall. freshly grinded Lavazza beans, topped with silky steamed milk froth, in a warm cup. ahhh.... to die for. yes, i am a caffe addict.

skipped the Patong Beach etc. Khao Lak has a beautiful beach too, minus the terrible beach crowd.

i mean, if i wanted to enjoy a beach vacation, i seriously do not want to be squashed with other tourists at the beach, haggling over the few deck chairs

Phuket town also has a Peranakan section, with its distinct Peranakan architecture, 5 foot ways, floral motif tiles and old chinese shop fronts. this heritage area is highly recommended and worth an afternoon walk. take in the view of old Perenakan architecture and bustling trade, this is something which you will not be able to find even in Spore's Joo Chiat area. i live in the east, so i know what i am talking about =)

there are a few shops, which sell the Peranakan kebaya, complete with the floral embroidery at the seams and sarong. materials available are sheer, silk and cotton. all these detailed kebayas are all hand-sewn, tailored perfectly to fit your size. some of these peranakan tailors also provide hand-strewn Peranakan beaded slippers and golden button catches. price-wise, it is relatively cheap (about S$80 - 120 for a kebaya), compared to Melaka and Singapore, without losing out on quality of tailorship. however, there are no peranakan restaurants, kaya toast stalls or coffee shops. heehee. but, there are stalls selling roti prata, with banana or cheese filling and mutarbak, complete with a teh tarik! nice...

3. ate alot of seafood.

every meal i had consisted of mainly seafood. we had plenty of fresh fish, crabs (both the small local soft-shelled crabs and flower crabs) and clams (vongole and shellfishes). plus, plenty of local thai vegetables from the jungle, and raw long beans, cucumbers and small thai eggplants with spicy ambal belanchan dip, topped with fresh or roasted shrimps. cool relish from all the seafood during meals. and yes, plenty of fruits too! such as watermelon, sweet tamarind, thai oranges, sweet pineapples etc.

4. spa.

i went to this spa at The Bhandari Resort, which is located right opposite Green Beach.

the Bhandari only reopened in November 06, after recovering from the tsunami.

i started with a sauna and steam... it was.... HOT. okay, i am not a person who enjoys being steamed or boiled basically... even if it's to 'open' all my skin pores. it makes my blood rush too..

followed by an open air jacuzzi. be warned, pls bring your bathing suit. i had to go down that jacuzzi pool, wide open to the prying eyes of the ang mo guests, in nothing but wrapped in a bath robe. dang.

then, they wrapped my hair up in a shower cap and i was treated to a yogurt-tomato-honey scrub, to exfoliate away the dead skin cells and revitalize the skin. after which, i take a quick shower to rinse of the bits of honey comb, tomato and yogurt, in the attched bathroom, which is very new and clean, complete with shower gel, shampoo and conditioner.

a yogurt body wrap soon followed, to nourish and whiten the skin. a body wrap refers to the spreading of the yogurt-honey mixture over your body, then wrapping you in cling wrap. yes, the type which we use to cling wrap our dishes, albeit this time a larger sheet. then, covering you with bath towels to keep warm. no, being a human sushi isn't uncomfrtable or stifflingly hot. there's air con =)

to my disappointment, my swedish massage wasn't what i expected. the masseur was this petite thai lady with little strength, hence, she couldn't massage me as hard as i would like her to. so much for my swedish massage with aromatic oils.

i enjoyed my scrub and wrap but the massage was really... ineffective to sooth my aches. oh well.

lesson learnt: pick a female masseur who is older in age, more experience and bigger in physical size coz she is most likely to be stronger.

conclusion:

it's a lovely vacation destination. highly recommended and yes, can go budget yet live comfortably.

however, in terms of natural scenery, Koh Samui is way prettier, Koh Samui has more pristine beaches, rock outcrops, lagoons and waterfalls. (refer my to previous post).

NYE

2007-01-08T22:00:00.000-08:00

i had a lovely NYE with a few very lovely ladies!
namely, Eunice, Qiao, Kai and Joline.

with a rich frienship dating back to the golden days of Temasek JC! =)

(special thanks to Andy Tan for introducing us and bringing us together. the Lame Gang!)

to the few very lovely ladies:

thank you very much for the very sweet surprise birthday cake!

i was really touched when the all of you walked through the door,

into the dark room, singing happy birthday w a flaming cake.

it was an enjoyable nite of good dinner; good Heaven and Earth osmanthus tea; juicy gossips and updates; not to mention a good cake and good sparkling wine. most importantly, fine company.
forget the rave parties till wee hours, with heart-pumping music and booze.

at this maturing age, ushering in the new year with a few close frens, a good bottle of wine and iced Baileys, lotsa photo-taking (so much fun tt we missed the countdown)

and just enjoying the fine company is...

pure elegance.

30th Dec 06

2006-12-30T10:07:00.000-08:00

my 22nd birthday in full Mensa fashion.

special guest is my classmate and fren of 4 yrs, Huiling!!! yep, from ARTS O-II.

started with a steamboat feast for lunch!!!

prepared by Veen with lots of love =)

for some reasons, Mich and Muck are perpetually trying to murder Elaine (for some unknown reason).
yes, in the most gruesome manner... =P Saw 1, 2 and 3.

woohoo!!!

that's my Mensa, together with chocolate-lemon cake from Bakerzin (courtesy of Aunty Susan) and Late Harvest Riesling from my beloved Yering Station! Enjoyed lots!

so..ci (read:soci) u next year

2006-12-30T09:35:00.000-08:00

it's the LAST day of the month December!!!

what have i been doing?

let's see...

1. soci honors gathering at Gilman Heights.

that's Alvin and us, from left:
myself, teresa, jacq and daph.
lucky lucky Alvin =P

to the right: it's THE class. a class of its own.

2. Christmas @ Joey's house

dinner was superb!!!

Joey and her gf, Nam who's from Bangkok cooked a really authentic thai dinner.

tom yam kung, chicken green curry, steamed fish
(with chilli, lime juice and minced garlic), prawns with fried vermicelli and young coconut agar agar. Fantastic!!!

2006-12-28T09:37:00.000-08:00

3 more days to a new year.
nope, i haven't came up with my new year resolutions yet =P
2007. seriously, time flies.
by May, I'll finish my final examination and bid farewell to varsity years
and say "hello" to the real world.

to those close to my heart throughout JC and NUS,
thank you very much for walking this journey with me.
this road has been made less rocky and a lot more cheery because of your companionship, support and encouragement.

special hugs to Michele, Elaine, Qiao, Eun, Zhuo Min and Joshua. you are my angels.

we will all embark on different paths, towards different goals, moving at different speeds,
but keep each other in heart and in prayers. we are just a phone call or sms away.

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

to the one i am always pissed at:

there can be moments where you make me so mad,
but such unhappiness hardly last overnight.
maybe that's why we are still close friends.
maybe that's why i still bother soothing your feathers when your girlfriend drives you mad.
maybe that's why you will still call me back,
after receiving a scolding from me in the middle of the night.

over 3 years, our friendship has moved from one point to another;
from one form to another; aspects of our lives we hid, aspects we chose to project.
all these ups and downs, light and darkness has only made our faith and friendship stronger.

thank God for His blessings.

incomplete

2006-12-18T08:50:00.000-08:00

lies hurt. incomplete truth hurts too.

i don't understand why can't you ever be completely honest with me, given our 3 yrs of friendship.
i'm amazed by the amount of hope i've placed in you,
only to find myself in exhaustion and fatigue in the end.

the things you say about not wanting a relationship and a girlfriend.
i knew that the resoluation won't last long. i know you will come back complaining. in time to come.
and i will still be that loser friend who has to take your complains,
lend you a shoulder to cry on and be there to pat your back anyway.

end of the day, we both hide things from each other. things we never want to say.
feelings we sweep under the carpet. details we gloss over.
why so? i don't know. i can't explain. but when the truth dawns, it hurts. .

the only consolation : we don't hate each other, we still talk and we still support each other.
that's the greatest gift we have ever bestowed upon each other. Thank God for that.
sometimes i wonder, won't it be better if clean breaks were made and clear lines were drawn.
but us being us... that won't happen. most matters will still be shades of grey.

what's most important to me?
that you are happy and i will love you always.

CafeBiz Sunday Brunch

2006-12-10T02:31:00.000-08:00

went to the Traders Hotel, CafeBiz Sunday Brunch today.
for those who do not know where Traders Hotel is, it's at Cuscaden Rd, next to Tanglin Mall.
for $32 per pax, it is value-for-money and certainl;y, a great feast lasting from 12 noon - 5pm.
the diners were made up of families and tai-tai groups. however, the atmosphere is unpretentious.
it is casual and relaxing.
DIY, eat and chat for 5 hrs, a great way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon with the folks.
yes, be warned of young children running around without much supervision.

there's a fresh salad counter, complete with oak greens and red corals; a fresh sashimi (constantly replenished) and assorted sushi / maki counter (complete with california maki, tako sushi; sweet beancurd skin sushi and fresh tuna roll). in addition, there're Japanese pickled vegetables (lighted salty but fresh and crunchy) and fresh snow pea sprouts.

there's also a DIY 'dip-dip' counter, where u take ur pick of raw skewers, such as squid-mussles; crabmeat; enoki mushroom wrapped in leeks or thin beef slices; dory and salmon slices etc.
after taking your pick, you bring them to these pots of boiling soup (for beef and non-beef items), dip them in, watch ur skewers boil for like 4 mins and voila! add some chilli-lime sauce and tuck in!

there're also a Laksa and Congee counter. both also DIY concepts.
for the Laksa, you can select how much noodles and ingredients you like; in what proportions and how much gravy; what to cook first and add last. however, the are no fresh clams available.
for the Congee (which is fresh, piping hot and smooth in consistency), you can pick from the various Teochew pickled relish.

there're also other local delights such as fried rice, fried noodles and other cooked dishes.
more impressive was the pork-cabbage dumpings with la-mian, in chicken herbal soup.
the dumpling skin were thin and smooth, the pork and prawns were very cruchy i.e. fresh; and the dumpling was stuffed with more cabbage than pork flling, making each bite very refreshing! the chicken herbal soup was just right, the herbal flavor was not overpowering, allowing some depth and breadth for the dumplings and noodles to express themselves. i enjoyed that alot.

the same counter also offered cantonese roasted meats such as duck, chicken and pork belly.
unfortunately, i am not that much a carnivore so no comments =P
however, they DO look quite good. so, why not you try them and tell me? =)
at the same counter, there's also a selection of Indian cuisine, such as Garlic Naan (kinda oily for a naan, that it resembled a prata instead... ). the vegetable korma was so-so and the fish tikka was kinda hard (maybe exposed to air for too long).

of course, all meals with Veen must end with a sweet dessert.

i had the freshly baked waffles topped with jackfruit ice cream. woah...
the waffles were really good. fresh, light, buttery with a sustantial amount of fresh eggs....
oo00oo... melts in your mouth, with the rich fragrance of freshly baked waffles...
and the cold ice cream... ahh....

no, i didn't stop there. had a slice of chocolate truffle cake.
chocolate mousse with a thin layer of chocolate sponge. impressive.
there're also shot glasses of fresh strawberry pieces, drizzled with Japanese Yuzu oil (a citrus fruit); a chocolate fountain with marshmallows, finger biscuits and rockmelon cubes.

what i found impressive about this buffet was the DIY concept, where i get to choose what i like, cook them myself (albeit watching them boil); add the condiments and decide how much of what i'll like to have for that dish. i enjoy walking around, having some hands-on while i eat. buffets where everything has been prepared and i'd just go up to the counter to pick the dishes ain't that fun.

it's been a sweet day. kitty purrs with contentment.

Deck the halls!

2006-12-10T02:09:00.000-08:00

Things to do this December

1. watch Open Season with Mensa at new Cathay.
Muck n Choon, pls rsvp with me k? otherwise, we girls r leaving without you guys!

2. play one session of board games with Liang Cai.

3. check out The Cannery with Pat and Huiling; can visit St James too
(though i heard that it's quite an Ah Beng place).

4. Brewerkz for an afternoon with the honors class, followed by Morton's for cocktails.

5. hang out with Eunice and Qiao at Barks.

6. watch a movie with Luke.

7. stroll the new IKEA at Tampines, with Xiao Hui for muffin trays and shot glasses.

8. gym, salsa, swim and run.

9. Advent weekend camp at Church + screening of The Nativity Story

10. NOT to watch planes go by at the waving gallery and/or play strip poker with future-lawyers.

<>

I wish....

that the Tay family will invite us back to their chalet at Batam for NYE wkend.
i miss fishing for squidies in the middle of the nite...

I dream to....

skinny dip in the private infinity pool at The Racha.
i miss the sound of the open sea...

yes Duckie, u know where my favorite private pools are, but let's keep them under wraps =)

Post Exams

2006-12-10T01:54:00.000-08:00

after a long hiatus from blogging,
i am finally back again =) *applause*
yep, the term papers have been sumitted; exams have ended.
once again, it's time to usher in the year-end holidays and Christmas.

after a good week of sleep (and more sleep), personal grooming and rolling at home..
i finally feel human again. it's time to get the party started!
no, i didn't go to Zouk Out coz i refused to pay for getting sand into my ass.
i haven't been to Kandi Bar at The Cannery; St James or Movida or any clubs of late.
blame it on my inertia to step out of my house, unless for a very good reason.
c'mon... i live in the East. there's ever-happening Siglap n Changi to chill out at..
who needs to go into the city and squeeze with everyone else,
when i can be nice and comfortable at Barks Cafe or Sunset at Seletar Airbase?

what have i been doing every night?

watching...

Grey's Anatomy.
it's witty; the storylines areshapr; each character is well-developed.
now, i am waiting for Season 3 dvds. yes Duckie, i know you are done with them. dang!

anyway, enough of my couch potato life. time to make plans for more productive activities. laters!

fazed

2006-10-16T03:24:00.000-07:00

you do it again and again,
piercing me with the words you say,
the things you do.
why can't we just end on a good note?
was there ever a need to be nasty and cold?

i do not think so.
i loved it when you were warm and caring.
i hated it when you utter monosyllabic replies.

maybe that's why we never gotten around it.
we were never standing on the same platform.
as much as i reached out,
you weren't interested to meet me halfway.

i would have loved to walk with you.
maybe you have even never treated me as a friend.

time and again, you have brought me laughter and comfort,
but you have also brought me cold and sadness.
here comes a time where i am no longer keen to be nice to you,
much less eager to meet you or think of you.

maybe that's why today.

waving gallery

2006-10-09T00:41:00.000-07:00

came and gone.
as silent as it began,
as silent as it ends.
needless for words
such as "see you again".

planes come and go,
each flight symbolizes a new journey,
a new work day, new people to fly with.
one day the planes will come home.
home is where the heart is.
but where is home when what's left is an empty heart?

violation of rules,
you knew it too.
couldnt' help it, i really did not want to.
the comfortable companionship,
the hint of attachment.
that's where we know it has to come to an end.

in time to come,
there will still be a smile,
an acknowledging gaze.
maybe we will still talk like friends.
maybe we will just walk on by.

thank you for that little while.
i'm glad we crossed at the meeting point.
travellators moving in opposite directions.
waving gallery holds the memories,
the ticket prints the flight.
the boarding gates to our different destinations,
take off to new heights.

if only life was more gratifying.
leave no rooms for regrets or pity.
live. love. life.

adl

2006-09-25T23:44:00.000-07:00

fresh, succulent, sweet and ripe.. rhapsody of strawberries and blueberries,
layered with fresh whipped cream and crumbled meringues.
scones and cotted cream.. rich English tea..
i miss Scotland.

how do sparks reignite?
stars shining brightly above you.
Allez le Bleu we once knew.
diamonds sparkle brilliantly in the showcase before you.
i miss the charm, the laughter and the joy.

what happens when the teasing fizzles? just like an opened can of Coke.
what happens when we're left with companionship?
when everyone's just comfortable.

virgos

2006-09-25T23:32:00.000-07:00

i think Mensa should really have an online photo album =)
then we can share photos!!! and don't need to wait for me to burn everything. heehee..

ehh Michele, i can't find the CD-Rom. uh oh..... =( will hunt for it again.

Pine Garden's

2006-09-25T23:08:00.000-07:00

sorry darlings for the delay! yes, finally the photos are up!

the day we all missed Elaine. *hugs*

dinner at Kampung Glam Muslim zichar at the Tampines Sintel building was really goood... ooo... the squid fritters with curry leaves and yam basket were simply delicious! such a pity, that after the change in managment, the Marsala chicken is no longer available.. =(

that's Pris and Choon with their heavily alchohol infused jellies..
with little surprised. heehee.. heard that it actually tasted quite nice.. hmm.

oh! didn't take photo of the orange vodka jello in shot glass! those were cute!

time flies. 22nd birthday.. next yr 23 wor..
Black Forest Cake from Pine Garden's Cake Shop at Ang Mo Kio.
quite nice actually.. rich with rum, moist and not cloyingly sweet.

2006-09-18T05:13:00.000-07:00

really wish you're here.
to hold me, soothe me.

just be sincere with me. for awhile.

piles of journals stacking up.
readings awaiting my attention.
papers to be written.
paid work to be done.

a race against time.
hold me in your arms and kiss these negativities away.
tell me it'll be alright.

"a journey of a thousand miles starts with one step under you feet"
walk with me.

time

2006-09-16T18:45:00.000-07:00

despite whatever people have said about you,
time is the best test of truth.

you're proving those comments wrong.
prove. proving. awaiting proven.

glad i kept the faith in you.

Ice Cold Beer

2006-09-14T09:43:00.000-07:00

had a great day today. thank you for everything.
rarely would u pick me up from school.
really enjoyed spending my evening watching tv in bed with you,
taking a nap, playing with NDS Lite. Zoo Keeper was really fun.
yes, u still hold the score for Trauma Centre. darn it.

it's great to be by your side. again.
no hugs, no kisses, nothing at all.
just by your side.

dinner with your parents was awkward, but it's good getting to know your family.
given the choice, i won't have stayed.
oh well.. i hope i did fine. it's just dinner =P
your Dad's cooking really good. his soup was.. yummy =)
hope your sis scores herA-level with flying colors. surely, she will.

beering with your gang's fun!
Derick n Nice are fun to hang out with. lotsa stories.
Sheen has a super cute mahjong tile keychain.
i really hope that i'll pass through the selection and join the all of you soon,
really want to be part of the team. really want to fly.

you really look so different from Gene, it's difficult to tell that you're brothers.
except for the same smile. okay, i think you're way more good looking and hug-able.
yes, MBA = Masters of Beer Addiction.
i will remember that.
and yes, fried chicken wings has a high content of fat while beer only has calories.
thus, it is easier to work off calories than fat content. hence, chicken wings are unhealthy.
have a great time skiing in Seattle.

always praying for you to come home soon, safe and sound.
will miss you.

Little Oven

2006-09-12T20:52:00.000-07:00

There's this very small bakery at Gillman Village Food Centre, off Alexander Road.
yes, adjacent to Villa Bali. it's called Little Oven.
the shopfront is simple and sparse with a orange signboard,
with only one staff inside, but don't appearances fool you.

they've got very good mini muffins!
the texture is rather dense and thick, rather moist too.
more importantly, the taste is not cloyingly sweet,
very suitable for the health-conscious diet watchers.

each mini muffin is about a mouthful.
yes, you can literally stuff it into your mouth! each muffin burst open with flavor!
flavors like Chocolate-Banana, Green Apple Raisin and Chocolate Date are available.
you can really taste the actual flavor of the cocoa, the banana and green apple in each muffin, because it's not overpowered by sweetness, unlike muffins from the cafes.

each muffin is 60 cents each. 6 muffins for $3.

i highly recommend Little Oven!
in addition, they also have carrot cake with cream cheese topping and tiramisu.
i have tried neither yet, so watch out for this space =)
second closest to this would Sweet Secrets. their chocolate muffins are pretty good.
really, Delifrance, Polar and especially that cafe at the Esplanade library doesn't have good muffins.. all are so cloyingly sweet and doesn't taste like muffin either! =P

Spa Sauvignon

2006-09-11T08:38:00.000-07:00

Monday being my free day, decided to love myself today.
Headed down to Spa Sauvignon at 71 Bussorah Street.

Located at an interesting stretch of delectably restored shophouses in the Heritage Area of Kampong Glam (or Singapore 's Malay Village Conservation Area), the black frontage of the Spa belies the sensuous and inviting sanctuary that welcomes one away from the brightness of the world outside. The burgundy walls lit by muted ambient lights immediately relaxes and soothes. (Note: The piped muzak plays the same 3 songs for 3 hrs.. )

Had the Vintage Treatment ($199) which included firstly, a hydrotherapy, followed by a Cabernet Body Buff and lastly a Signature Sauvignon massage.

for the Hydrptherapy, special blends of essential oils used in the 45 jets with chromotherapy, which vaporizes in the warm water, relaxing your tense body through inhalation while the bubble soak relaxes and softens skin and speeds up the oil absorption. However, i found it a little toooo hot for my liking, even when the manager, Jean turned the water temperature to the mildest. I'm not exactly a 'hot water' person. I started perspiring in the tub..

Next was the Cabernet body scrub. It contains red wine which has beneficial anti-oxidants, strengthening skin cells from oxidative damages. Plant based oils and natural shea butter help to nourish the skin, replenish natural moisture and elastin during exfoliation. The aromatic blend of lime, grapefruit and ginger is really refreshing yet warming to the skin! The masseur, Jenny (this experienced Aunty) was super good! She made sure she exfoliated every inch of my skin with good strength, improving my blood circulation. Indeed, it was very enjoyable!

After a quick shower, i finished my spa session with a wonderfully soothing massage using a mixture of ylang ylang, bergamot, thai flowers and therapeutic essential oils with selected red wine impart a citrus scent that refreshes and uplifts. Jenny kneaded, pounded and massaged me for almost 50mins. Full body massage (with sufficient strength) facilitates lymphatic circulation and aids detoxification.

Plus, there is unlimited flow of red wine throughout the treatment. For me, i chose to skip the wine and immerse in this sweet sensual experience by falling asleep while being massaged. The wine is quite fruity and young, rather drinkable thou =)

Spa Product: Hydrotherapy (25mins) - Not that enjoyable.
Body Scrub (25mins) - Quite enjoyable. soft smooth skin thereafter.
Massage (50mins) - Quite enjoyable. very refreshed yet comfortable thereafter.

Service: Good =)

Jean is very helpful and attentive, Jenny (the masseur) gives a good massage, kneading deep into your muscles. Though may ache a little initially, feels very warm and relaxed later.

Ambience: Good =)

Clean shower rooms, clean hydrotherapy tub, clean massage beds, clean towels. Dimly lit with candles. I prefer function than frills.

Shashlik

2006-09-10T02:26:00.000-07:00

was at Shashlik for dinner last nite.
it's this really old Russian restuarant,
very old-school furnishing (think Jack's Place in the early 90s),
hidden in the the 6th floor of the very old Far East Shopping Centre. pretty much a family place.
i arrvied at 7.45pm... had to wait for about.. 15mins?
lesson: make prior reservations =)

it's a Russian restaurant, serviced by Hainanese staff (supposedly the chefs as well).

first the entrees,

the Borsch soup ($6) with a swirl of cream was very hearty =)
the soup was thick and fragrant, the beef slices were tender
and the root vegetables were well-stewed.

the Fish Solvakia soup ($6) was... thin and salty.
one piece of fish, with shredded seaweeds.. not impressive.
the Escargots ($11) weren't good either,

next came the main courses.

the Beef Shashlik ($20) which was beef tenderloin grilled on a long skewer was fantastic!
it was well marinated and hence flavourful and tender =)
the portions were just enough for one person without over-stuffing.

the grilled T-Bone steak ($20) on the other hand, was good too.
wasn't tough or charred. however, it was not well-marinated,
hence it still had the beefy stench.
the serving was enormous, thus gets quite sick after a while.
thankfully it comes with pickled cabbage shreds and onions.

finally the dessert.

the Baked Alaska is very old-school! =)
topped with plenty of cream, orange slices and cherries.
the waitress will pour some lit brandy over it and serve.
highly popular but needs at least 3 persons to polish it off.

there's this Fancy Pancake dish (for 2 persons)
which is actually pancakes with orange brandy sauce.
i didn't get a chance to try it, coz by the time i finished my main course,
they ran outta pancaked. dang!
however, judging from the old couple tucking in happily at next table,
the pancakes were thin and soft, drenched in orange liquer.
shouldn't be disappointing =)
ohh... *drool drool*

they also have this Brandied Cherries with ice-cream dish.
didn't try it thou.. not exactly in mood for ice cream last nite.
so if you ever try it, let me know how it went! =P

Verdict:

Food - 4 / 5 stars (recommendations: Borsh soup, Beef Shashlik, Chicken Kiev and dessert!)Service - 2.5 / 5 stars (some staffs are unfriendly; be prepared to be ignored during rush hr)Ambience: 2 / 5

spas

2006-09-03T22:51:00.000-07:00

to those pampered femme fatales out there,
I wonder if this sampler is value-for-money. can anyone tell me how to evaluate? i am a no-frills person, i like everything to be functional. not to mention that wine spa is a pretty novel idea. (http://www.spasauvignon.com.sg)

it comes with a scrub, hydrotherapy and massage. altogether 2 hrs... as compared to those below..

Balik Kampung's Cocoa Fever promotion (left side of page) consists of a scrub and massage.. $128 for 150mins worth of services. plus point: it is quite near my house at Changi.

the other one is a weekday promotion for 2 persons. (right side of page)

plus point: it comes with scrub, hydrotherapy and massage. however, if you do the math, it says 1 hr long massage, right? but the entire treatment is only 120mins.. effectively, that leaves 20mins for scrub and hydrotherapy. divide that and you'll get 10mins of each service, approximately...

minus point: i need to find another person to go with me. it is $228 for 2 persons.

what do you babes think? =)

Q Bar

2006-09-02T21:14:00.000-07:00

went down to Q Bar at Old Parliament House last nite with Pat n Huiling.
pretty nice place, with a wide array of Vodka.
the first floor is for chilling out;
second floor is more or less a bar area and the top floor is sorta a club playing house music.

my favourite is still the balcony area outside the 3rd floor area. nice view of Boat Quay =)
can enjoy the night breeze and watch the people below go by.

had a Grey Goose neat with 2 olives ($16). suxx like hell..
stil prefer my sweet apple martini =) ($13).
the vodka jelly was quite nice. cld taste the strong alcoholic punch, not too cloyingly sweet (thankfully for weight watchers). however, it cost $10 each. yes, for that small thing.

check http://www.stomp.com.sg/stfoodiesclub/drinks/liquiddiet/49/index.html
can make vodka jellos at home, at a lower price too! perfect for parties!

btw, the service is awfully slow and unfriendly... so, be warned.
the crowd's largely from finance. yes, rich bankers n fund managers etc.
alot of Ang Mos n ABCs... however... P-O-S-E-R!

can you imagine this?
standing around on the dance floor?! such a crime!
and they're quite restrained anyway... so not happening =P

my verdict: Velvet is still the classic.
love their prompt service with a smile.
plus, great music, great drinks, beautiful sophisticated people who are out to have a good time.
c'est la vie.

WOMAD 2006

2006-08-30T09:27:00.000-07:00

it'll be another year before we meet again.
by then we would have graduated, hopefully gainfully employed.
but we will meet again for this memorable weekend. no matter where or how busy we are.

6 of us together again.
the superb music, the lively beats, the grilled foods and good wines.
i love the all of you =)
thank you for the fabulous time.

from left: Alex, myself, Qiao, Johnny, Ernest and *his fren*. oops.

2006-08-28T03:10:00.000-07:00

like-minded people are mostly crazy.
they are gorgeous, sexy, well-accomplished and confident.
everyone knows how to enjoy a good time.

they drive and drive.
drinking = having a bottle of whisky in the car.
and drive. imagine concurrent actions.

a room well stocked with condoms.
queen size bed included.
the swimming pool in the backyard is for frolicking only.

ACS guys. i changed my point of view (you).
it's a compliment. i really enjoyed being the all of you.
different places, different people and at different times.

the problem here is...
why am i attracted to guys who are attached?
everyone belongs to someone. else.

a man who knows his french cuffs, red wines and hawker fare.
a man who speaks articulately, is very driven and intelligent.
a man who can play sports, plunge into the open seas and enjoy world music.

a man who has strong shoulders for me to lean on, a chest for me to cry in.
a man whose hair so soft as the breeze sweeps past, with a hint of ruggedness in his skin.
a man whom i've always dreamt of but could never be mine.

walk on. move on. love on. live on.

WOMAD 06

2006-08-27T09:38:00.000-07:00

WOMAD has came to a grand finale. it's gonna be another yr before we meet again.
i enjoyed myself thoroughly this weekend =D

special thanks to Qiao n Joe for the wine. it was very enjoyable!
thanks Ernie for the photos! *can't waitto put them up!*
the musis was superb, the company was great and hopefully, we had the best time!
well, i did =)

met like-minded people. glad and relieved we think the same way.
glad we know how to have a good time. snacks are healthy.
and... life goes on =) work very hard, party hard.

a little diversion brings variety to monotony.
rejoice for the similarities and differences!

skies

2006-08-23T00:54:00.000-07:00

you've gone off somewhere again.
came and gone, that's who you are.
this time a destination unknown.

but i know you're gonna be alright.
coz our loving God is watching over us.
i pray that you'll be home safely soon.

doesn't matter where we go or how far apart we are.
doesn't matter if we're not interested in each other.
what matters is that we are on parallel lanes.

doesn't matter what people say about you.
doesn't matter if you don't say Bye or I don't say Hi.
what matters is that we are all chasing for that dream.

like you've said "the only impossible is the one you've placed on yourself".

your banner's over me. miss you babe.

dreams come true

2006-08-17T03:59:00.000-07:00

yesterday was a lovely.
was quite surprised to meet you.
more so, surprised that you're free and willing to meet.

can't believe we walked round all 5 storeys of Sim Lim!!!
looking for golf range finders and webcam..
glad we both found what we wanted =)
hope that your Dad's thrilled with his range finders!
checking out Sim Lim was something i would have never done alone.
glad you were around.

there were 2 coconut trees.
one is tall. the other is short.
why was the tall coconut tree struck by lightning?

answer: coz.. it was sway-ing =)

your jokes are so wheaty. i can so barley stand you!

why is there a honey defienciency in Boston?

answer: coz there's only one Bee in Boston.

walking around Tangs, looking at CK underwear,
martini shakers, cast-iron woks and food warmers..
sipping juice, looking at photos of your brother...
playing with skin care.. playing with remote controlled toy cars at Isetan.

did i tell you this?
you look very handsome in your pilot's jacket.
wish that i could just hug you.
we will find your funky sneakers =D
didn't know you're such a bargain hunter too.
it's fun shopping with you!

the only thing i ask for now, is for you to be safe.
the world around us is threatened by airline terror bomb plots.
now with increased security checks.
i pray that you have many safe flights and happy landings.
come home soon, safe and sound.
looking forward to homeward bound.

train

2006-07-25T10:52:00.000-07:00

spot light after spot light zoomed past. with intervals of sheer darkness within that narrow tube.
in the opposite window pane is my own reflection. with a greyish hue.
together with those sitting on my row. listless. shifty. restless.
the subway was fairly crowded.

some people were standing; some were sitting.
some staring into space; some chatting; some napping; some reading.
it's another day in sunny humid Singapore.
it's just another day. like every other day.

our eyes meet for a fleeting second. many pairs of eyes. an interchange of looks.
the children, the frumpy aunties, the old uncles in shorts n smart executives.
we're all observing each other, one way or another.

this urban jungle is densely populated. beasts of trucks and cars; tribes of workers in long sleeved collar shirts; deities in Benz and BMWs.
this city is crowded. activities flurry everywhere.
carnivals of local delights, satay under the stars. rounds of beer in the rows of pubs.

in the hintherlands of this tiny tropical island, are GRCS where people live in high rise caves.
each family their little holes, which most members leave at 7am and return at 7pm.
in each of this cave is a shrine where the god of sights and sounds dominates attention.
it is believed that this god which lives in a box can entertain, amuse and educate.
supposedly, this island hypes with noise and night life.

however at the other end of this urbanized spectrum,
is loneliness and isolation. it is silence and solitude.
it is nonchalance and a resignation to fate.
a fate of monotonous repetitive drudgery.
work to feed. eat to work. love to reject. reject love.

looking into everyone's eyes for a second.
staring at their clothes, shoes and facial expression.
i wonder.

who shares the same thought as myself.

who else longs for a breaking of the bondage chains?
who is having an affair right now? who had an affair?
who wants an affair right now? a fling? a one nite stand?
fantasizing of someone they wish to have sex with but never could.
no guts. married. impotent. .

we all want what we cannot have. a better someone and somethings.
we want more than what we already have. more is enevr enough.
a taste of the sweet aged red wine. so luscious and rich.
consumes the soul, the mind and the heart.

who wished that their cell phone will beep now, bearing a text from a special someone?
a text message that you've been waiting all day from someone who've been obsessed with for almost all the time since you've first met. everything you have ever wanted yet you know little of.
a special someone who is shrouded in a mysterious aura. captivating all of your senses.
a special someone who has the powers to controls one's mind and consumes all of one's energy, emotions and sanity. enslavement, like free love, is a choice.
what would that text message convey? reciprocation; rejection or nothing. nothing at all.
because the special someone chose not to care.

who else, although in a stable loving relationship, seeks for thrill, excitment and novelty?
life so predictable and mundane.
stable loving relationships only disfuse a stale mouldy stench.
who yearns to make love wildly all day and skip work for 2 weeks?
just stay home to copulate; because the person in bed, next to you is so desirable.

i am sure that i am not the only one.
millions of thoughts run through million minds.
some choose to pursue their dreams; some choose to live in fantasy.
some choose to delude themselves; some choose agony.

as the clock ticks by, loneliness, isolation and rejection resounds.
the city never sleeps. who are you in bed with now?
a heart sings a lonely song.

G-spot

2006-07-11T10:20:00.000-07:00

though you treated me the way you did,
i still hope that you would call or at least, drop me a text.

maybe i am just a die-hard hopeless fan.
awaiting for the idol. you are my idol.

being physically close to you felt good,
having you to myself was like a desire fulfilled.

why can't you hold me again?
take my hand and walk with me.

just give me more time,
let me know you better. or does age really matter to you?

though i had nothing much to say,
doesn't mean i have nothing to say. i just can't bring myself to say it.

i just don't want to be an easy pawn in your game.

i may not have wanted to go home with you,
but it doesn't mean i am not interested in knowing you.

i've been blown away since the first time i met you.
your smile and your charisma.

let me see who you really are. please give me a chance.

NEWater

2006-07-09T03:45:00.000-07:00

it's a cold, gloomy rainy Sunday and i was at the NEWater Visitors' Centre ar Tanah Merah.
was with the youth group from Holy Sprit.
someone told us that the baptism water was sponsored by NEWater hence we had to pay them the visit (however, baptism water is really NOT sponsored by NEWater).
thus it turned out as an outing for the youth group which was quite fun anyway! =D

the whole tour last for an hour, with a virtual tour by Melody Chan (aka Wave).
quite interesting and enriching.
something about ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis and deep tunneling sewage system.
really encourage you guys to go!

music, arts and dance

2006-07-03T22:31:00.000-07:00

pls visit http://www.womadsingapore.com/home.htm!

the WOMAD aims to excite, to inform and create awareness of the worth and potential of a diverse multicultural global society, through performances of music, arts and dance.

this year, T-Bone from Thailand and Radio Mundial from Puerto Rico will be performing! i'm so excited! also, there's a new event this year, which is a culinary experience! featuring the foods from all over the world, such as Nigeria!

the WOMAD takes place on 25-27 Aug 2006, Fort Canning Park.
for those interested, pls contact me! for those still deliberating, i urge you to come exprience the sights and sounds of outdoor music!

jus one

2006-07-03T11:42:00.000-07:00

left this out the last time. cheerios!

brown cow

2006-07-03T11:12:00.000-07:00

as tradition dictates, we celebrated Michele (my beloved cheesecake or Moo Moo's) birthday last Wed, in good ol' Mensa fashion. of coz with my beloved Mensa (minus Priscila) *wonder if she will turn up for her birthday?* *or would we be invited to her birthday celeb? we've been good children!* nway, my cranky CPU was with the repair man, only got it back today hence sorry for the delay of photos! yep, pweety pweety photos!!!

we met up at Wisma food court. poor Mich had to eat dinner alone coz Muck n i took eons to decide what to have =/ Elaine n Choon came late, but with a chocolate cake. yummy! the usual make alot of noise singing Happy Brithday, embarassing Mich is fun! umm.. den we stuck candles at the side of the cake. not a prank lah! so the wax won't drip onto the cake =D

saboh of the day was... savory miso paste in a sweet red bean snack!!!
Mich thought that the dark brown stuff was tau-sar... *evil laugh*
that mouthful of miso paste contained enough sodium to last her an entire year =P cheerios! miso is anti-carcinogenic too!!!

made her open her present. as she unwrapped... first, the very intrigued expression... then it graduated into a "eeeyyuurrr" and finally... a big smile! shld have made Mich 'WEAR NOW!!!'

after a long deliberation and discussion (and spraying everyone with Eau de Fleur coz we all smell like cooked food), we girls decided to head off to Zouk for Mambo nite! i must declare that we had a very difficult time convincing Elaine to come with us! but thankfully she did in the end! it was a wonderful nite, we drank, danced n had lots fun! unfortunately the guys trying to pick us up were young and not good looking... ahh... anyway, it was indeed a nite to remember! and ermmm... i love the all of you. stick together alwiz k!

Summer 2006 (II)

2006-06-20T07:16:00.000-07:00

29th May - 31st May - Edinburgh

reached Edinburgh late last nite. Edinburgh is an ancient medieval city, with the infamous Edinburgh University, well known for English Lit. Edinburgh is a lovely city, beautiful weather where the sun only sets at 11pm. nice. impressive scottish highlands, the occasion busker wearing scottish kilts blowing bagpipes along Princess Walk. the scones with strawberry jam and sweet cotted cream is simply sinful yet divine at the same.. oo00oo..

that's my host family, Angie and Pastor Edwyn with their 2 daughters. spent my days in Edinburgh visiting the Edinburgh castle, an adjacent whisky factory and exploring the medieval city. Marks and Spencer's very big, with plenty of chocolates, toffees and fresh produce. i prefer Tesco and ASDA though.. cheaper and wider range of goods.

1st - 3rd June - Dinard, Brittany

flew to Dinard at noon. the main objective of going to Brittany was to visit Mont St Michel and its majestic abbey. unfortunately, the bus from Dinard to Mont St Michel departs daily at 10am, which i missed on 2 June and i was scheduled to leave for Paris in the afternoon on 3 June, which translates into being unable to visit Mont St Michel... sigh!!!

however, all is not lost! Dinard and its nearby St Malo has plenty of seafood restaurants selling mussels stewed in white wine, savoury crepes of cheese and ham and fresh raw oyters.. double those up with hugh pints of ripe strawberries... oo00oo..

the beaches of Dinard are pretty clean, the waters are clear, that you can see the seaweed in them. of coz, due to the cold breeze, there ain't many people sun tanning. most were wearing a light jacket. nothing compares to Koh Samui. warm fine sand, turquoise waters, rich marine life.. and it's alwiz sunny =D

3rd -6th June -Paris

Paris was pretty alright. although it's a very cosmopolitan city, it's also the least impressive of all the cities. the Metro's eternally packed, though the intervals between the rides are short. the service staff ain't friendly or helpful. contrary to that cold unfriendliness, the people in rural France such as Champagne and Dijon are really warm and helpful.

i went cycling in Champagne on 5th June. my bike's chain came loose, i didn't know how to fix it back. had to seek help from a man painting the walls of the tourist office and he did help me!!! by the way, i do not speak a single word of french except "Bonjour, Au Revoir" and "Merci Beaucoup"...

the Eiffel looks.. horrendous from near. it's this huge mess of steel. however from afar, it looks pretty elegant. Arc de Triomphe was alright.. well.. there's many many arcs in Paris city so nothing THAT impressive. the Louvre was packed with tourists and locals on the Sunday i went due to free entry, hence had to queue for 1.5hrs =/ the frescoes were painted on the ceiling.. doesn't take more than 3mins to give me a neck strain. Napolean had really huge stones on his crowns, plus excellent pearls for Josephine. Mona Lisa was... ermm.. quite small. those we've seen on the media have been blown up a gazillion times really. framed in a very big wall... it's kinda.. disappointing.

Notre Dame was really big. with intricate architectural details with very dark interior. nothing very exciting. Eiffel Tower at nite... glitters but otherwise, stil the same. something's lacking but never mind.. can't put my finger to it. maybe it's something in the air...

Post-trip evaluation

i'll want to go back to Italy, especially to Venezia and Tuscany. love the sun.
Dijon and Rhone Valley is a must!!! the wines are... intoxicating and affordable.
Paris would be only for the museums.
Switzerland is just... expensive. a can of mixed vege cost S$4+... ouch.
London and Edinburgh... i love (minus the pounding headaches from the GBP).

Summer 2006

2006-06-19T05:36:00.000-07:00

19th May - to Charles De Gaulles

a much anticipated trip. first time to europe. been looking forward to it for a good 6mths..
very excited!!! long long flight with transit at Bangkok. did i mention i can't sleep? economy class seats ain't that comfortable but.. i'll make do! there's alwiz the air stewardess to bully! =D

20th May - Paris - Dijon, Burgundy

rushed on TGV at Gare de Lyon to Dijon. first time taking a high speed train. so excited!!! the french coutryside is really breath-taking. lush greenery, gentle rolling hills, never-ending fields of bright yellow mustard flowers, the occasional rustic village chapel and brown cows... wow.

though having deprieved of more than 18hrs of sleep.. i was stil in good spirits (surprisingly). dropped off luggage at the hostel and off i went to Beaune! a nearby market place village, cleverly crafted to suit tourism. got to sample many red wines there... the french pies with pate were quite nice too! light fluffy fillo pastry skin... very buttery!

21st May - cycling to Marsonnay

rented a bike. cycled about 10km to the village of Marsonnay, past housing estates, a canal and city park. lovely day. going uphill's a torture. viticulture's the predominent agricultural activity in Marsonnay, plots and plots of vineyards fill the open pastures. the soil's a mixture of clay and lime. went to Chateau d'Marsonnay to sample their wines.. wow.. the premier cru's bouquet is fruity; medium bodied with a rich velvety texture, aroma of cassis and elderflowers with a long supple finish. the way back to Dijon was alot more effortless and faster. going downhill. only took 30mins!

my only regret? was to not have my red wines freighted home =( can't seem to find them in Singapore...

that night, dinner was superb! had burgungy beef stew and 2 rounds of escargots... oo00oo... yummy... and guess where? at a local pub! wine in France's really cheap and of excellent quality, especially if you make a trip to the Chateau itself.

22nd May - Dijon- Lyon- Chamberay- Milan - Rome

effectively, i spent my entire day on the train. Chamberay is this pretty small town along the French Alps border, spotted with Swiss cottages, steep sloping roofs, flower boxes at the windows and snow-capped mountains in the background. that's the first time i saw the Alps or snow-capped mountains with grey slopes... awesome! was looking outta the train, on one side is the Chamberay chalets, on the other side is this steep slope, with old vineyards. wow..

upon arrival in Milan, first thing i saw was.. plenty of Chinese (hereby reffering to China people). and a Beijing hot pot restaurant poster!!! thought i was in China.. Italy's train service's quite inefficient. scheduled to depart for Rome at 5.10pm, train only came in at 5pm, finally departed at 5.30pm and crawled all the way to Rome via Firenze. along the way, we had this really friendly Italian ah-pek going to Napoli for company. he kept speaking to us in Italiano, sign language and offered us lots of snacks. gracia! you made the journey alot better!

23rd May - Rome city

did nothing much but walked around Rome. went to the Spanish steps, Trevi Fountain, Colosseum, and an open square which serves excellent chocolate gelato! the lush green park with aged trees, giant columns and well-manicures hedgerows in the park behind the Spanish Steps is quite romantic. walked lots around the city. in retrospect, it was really enjoyable. Rome's traffic really heavy and the air's not exactly clean. the city's packed left, right and center with tourists!!!

but despite the inconveniences, i'll love to go back there again.

24th May - Rome, Vatican

attended a session with the Pope at noon and received blessings. very happy! how many people can meet the Pope 'live' in their lifetime?!?! together with the bishops, cardinals and Swiss guards. unfortunately due to the audience session, St. Peter's Bascilica was closed for security reasons. wanted to adjourn to the Cappella Sistina for the afternoon but... the queue was horribly long!!! snaked across 4 streets under the blazing sun. hence the decision to go... shopping!!! the branded leather goods such as Coccinelle and Furla's alot cheaper than in Singapore. feels damn good! no, i didn't buy anything in Rome except a dress from a local boutique. c'mon, even if the Furla's cheaper, it's not like THAT cheap (relative to individual's disposable income.) hahaha! but not before i went to the Vatican's poste italia to post a card home, with the Vatican postal stamp!

made friends with the Italian ah-pek working at the Rome train station's Moka Cafe. went there for breakfast, lunch and dinner. and the ah-pek's at the pasta stand all day. jovial old man with great attitude for service. he serves me pomodoro-tuna penne when i order pomodoro penne.. =P without charging me for the tuna. ohh.. his pork medallions, insalata verde with mozzeralla cheese's great too!

only regret? didn't get to visit Raphael's rooms and/or admire the frescoes of the Last Judgement in the Sistine Chapel.

25th May - overnight train to Milan - to Geneva

train ride was Milan to Geneva was quite fun. shared the same cabin with this Singaporean Auntie who lives in Switzerland for 6months each year. she's married to a Swiss nationale. retired in her early fifties. cool right?...

the ride throught the Alps was scenic. no, no sights of cows with bells or hill slopes of Edelweiss. no snow capped mountains either. c'mon! it's summer and the snow's melting. pity pity. no cute St Bernards too..

dropped my stuff at the hostel and went to walk around. supermarches thou state their closing time as 19 30 were in effect closed at 17 30... hmm.. cheese fondue... isn't THAT nice. overdose.

26th May - Lake Geneva

went to Lake Geneva. beautiful day! clear blue skies, plenty of sunshine and soft breeze.. life's good. perfect day for flying!!! spent the day idling by the lake; rolling on the soft green carpet grass; watching people, furry dogs and children go by. many people were sailing, the water's very clear!!! very enjoyable to take time out, make no plans, do nothing, go nowhere, and appreciate Life =) feels rejuvenating to just take a break from hectic work days.

then walked down to visit the nearby university, the surrounding park and the Red Cross HQ (not that exciting). on my stroll back, there's this hot blonde babe in mini-skirt and boots strolling around... woah.. all the guys were ogling at her!!! but guess what? she was walking this freakin monstrous rottwelier with a big head!!! hahah!!!

then picked up a Movenpick Summer Limited Edition Citrone and Elderberry ice cream on the way back from the indian provision shop. wow... the ice cream's heavenly. light lemon zest, refreshing with a swirl of elderberry conserve. oo00oo... don't think can find in Singapore thou =/ okay, i love ice cream. who doesn't??? =P

27th May - London!!!

flew to London (Luton). met up Zhang, Annis, Ax and the other Rafflesians working at Credit Suisse, London. had a superb chinese dinner at Four Seasons Restaurant, Bays Water! roast duck.. chinese green.. claypot aubergines etc... oo00oo... plus hot steamy rice!!! simply divine!!! the roast duck was Mike's eternal love. a must-have everytime he's in London. the Brit duck doesn't have this poultry stench, unlike those in Singapore. plus the meat was tender and juicy.. fragrant with star anise and spices.. oo00oo..

realized how much i missed steamed rice while i was in Europe. 7 days of pasta, pizza and potatoes ain't great. i prefer my rice. anyday =D that's why i don't have ang-mo boyfriends..

ended the nite with Haagen Daaz and pub crawling at Soho. but didn't managed to get in or drink.. too crowded!!!

28th May - London Tour

after a great Dim Sum lunch in the suburbs, courtesy of Zhang, we went to Oxford Street for shopping!!! wah!!! I LOVE (X3) LONDON!!! they have the 3 storey FCUK store!!! woohoo!!! so much stuff to see, to try and to buy!!! unfortunately everything's in Pounds. 1 GBP : S$ 3... ouch. only managed to buy a belt from FCUK. and a pair of Nike sneakers for 24 pounds. nice!!!

then, Zhang brought us out in his 'Tong Chong's London City Tour'. in his car. wahahah! so fun!!! drove along the Thames, saw Big Ben, Tate Modern, West Minster, Ferris wheel etc etc... nice!!!then had dinner at this restaurant at Chinatown called Chinese Experience. wah.. the strawberry pork ribs were fantastic!!! the grilled pork ribs with strawberry sauce was... oo00oo.. tantalizing on the taste buds..

i really like London. only regret? was there for less than 24hrs. didn't get to visit Tate Modern or take pictures at the Thames.. =(

to be continued...

sms

2006-05-19T01:42:00.000-07:00

dear friends, i'm off to europe for 16 days.
will be leaving tonite.
pls do not sms me coz i will not reply.
if anything, do email k? take care and God bless!

i'll try to update my blog along the way =D
thus, stay tuned for photos!

lots of love, hugs and kisses!
kitty^^

long wkend

2006-05-14T05:26:00.000-07:00

great... my comp died.. and errmm...
the rest of muck and elaine's 21st birthday photos are in there...
i still yet to figure out a way to get them =/

the long weekend sucked.
firstly, i'm down with a flu. okay, i am still down with a flu.
secondly, i've been running errands for myself such as changing currencies and buying a new trolley bag, settle my travel insurance etc.
hence explains the lack of sleep. which in turn, doesn't make me feel better.
thus by yesterday afternoon, i came home after errands, crashed into bed and slept til 8pm.
had dinner, watched 2 episodes of CSI n went back to bed...

groans...

the Empress returns

2006-05-06T22:07:00.000-07:00

after a long hiatus from blogging, i'm back! =)
in summary, i've been busy with projects, essays and preparations for examinations.
it's been busy, tiring but highly satisfying. thank you for all the support given!
that's half the truth. the other half is that my laptop died so i had to fix up a COMPAQ freebie desk top which is rather erratic.. =/ hence the absence.

anyway, here are some updates about my catty life!

Celebrating Elaine and Marcus's 22nd birthday. thought they had the celebrations on the same day, i decided to get them 2 seperate small cakes. however, realized that the 5 of us couldn't finish 2 cakes after dinner, hence the cakes were served as an appetizer. heehee! sorry people for that blunder!

it was a highly enjoyable nigh! we had dinner at Big-O Cafe, played Pictionary and basically bonded! =D

Dad was asking me to get a stall at the NUS Bazaar, learn to do some small retail business and hopefully, sell some of his products. pretty ceramic cups with butterfly designs! anyone interested in sharing the stall with me? =)

finally, the long awaited vacations are here!!! my plans? indulge in Pualo Coelho's novels! and attempt to understand and appreciate Franz Kafka after much recommendation from A/P Alatas.

a different angle

2006-03-15T02:20:00.000-08:00

it's been many months since we parted ways.
why did we seperate? i can't remember..
but now it doesn't matter.
we haven't caught up much, anyway.

today, i saw you with someone new.
with you arm around her shoulders.
hence pretended that i didn't know you.

but i'm really glad for you, that you've moved on in your life.
we have shared many beautiful memories, filled with laughter and tears.
moments of squabbles and love.
i'm very glad i walked part of life's jouney with you =)

all i ask for is your happiness. to be fruitful in all you do. to love and to be loved.
there is nothing more i ask of the Lord, except for him to bless richly a loving soul.

3 Apr.

2006-03-01T19:31:00.000-08:00

jus realized that i've got a big individual project due 20 Mar.
that's almost 2 weeks to go! oops..
i owe NUS library quite a bit of fine for overdue loans. ooops..

4 weeks to all the deadlines.
who's the one that's gonna be dead anyway?
definitely not the term paper or the one who set it.

thankfully i have the encouragement of many close friends.
to those in Ozzie, thank you for alwiz being with me in spirit.
for those holding out here, thank you for your prayers.
may Christ be with us in this difficult times.

life haven't been exciting of late. haven't even the time (or money) to shop or manicure.
i'll be very glad just to catch up on a bit of proper sleep.
not coz i don't get sufficient sleep.

just that every nite at 3am, a god-damned loud beeping vehicle wil sound at my void deck. doesn't help when at 5am, some idiotic neighbor's alarm clock will ring for an hour.
i am a pathetically light sleeper.
i end up sleeping practically at 6am everyday. my class starts at 10am generally.
do the math.

to all those under the grind,
hang in there! the light at the end of the tunnel beckons us to keep charging on!

mid term break

2006-02-23T20:02:00.000-08:00

met Eunice on Tues for coffee in the afternoon.
heh, didn't know the Starbucks at TM is quite a nice n relaxing place.
minus the rowdy sec sch / poly and the weekend 'Mat' crowd, it's pretty quiet.
the glass ceiling allows you to peek at the blue skies in the comforts of air-con environment.
think we sat there for 3hrs? hahah. the big big couch is so comfortable! cld jus fall asleep =P

later that nite went to Eun's house to tv, chat and do some work. hahah. albeit minimal.
the last time we did work and tv together was back in JC!
gosh.. that's such a long while ago =/ yes, we all have aged.
thankfully the friendship hasn't! hugs Eun!

the misery 4 day term break is officially over. i hv a 4pm lecture later.
i really think NUS has the most retarded admin.
pls do not remind me of the 3% fee hike. to hell with their financial assistance scheme coz it takes from the poor to give to the poorer. doesn't make sense.
and not as if they gave us better faculty staffs or studying material in return.
F* NUS.

monday

2006-02-20T07:24:00.000-08:00

spent my afternoon watch Goodbye Lenin after lunch =)

went to nap from 4-5.30pm.. woke up totally refreshed.

watched Desperate Housewives and Grey's Anatomy.

it's been a relatively good day... but somehow, something's missing...

2 months to 2 years. amazing grace isn't it?

season of love

2006-02-14T21:19:00.000-08:00

the highly commercialized Valentine's Day came and went,
together with its notion of romance, symbolized by fresh bouquets, gifts and chocolates.
specially for the exclusive and unique 'ideal' one.
anyways, hope all of you had a great time with friends and loved ones =)

thank you to Gabriel and Qiao Ling.
we had an enjoyable time, didn't we? thanx for the pretty rose Gabby!
did i mention that the rose looks bigger than the normal ones? must be mutated! heehee
v-day dinner over dim sum, crapping as usual and just enjoy being together... hugs!
love the all of u! see? stupid Jotham la.. missed out on the fun coz had to babysit his sisters =P
or did he secretly ran off on a date and abandoned us? hmmm *rolls eyes*

twinkle twinkle little star.

iTime

2006-02-12T07:20:00.000-08:00

it's been an enjoyable weekend =)

the irony is : i stayed home to do my readings..

did my readings; prepare tutorials;
rolled in bed for long afternoon naps; went to Church with Aunty Susan.
sunday's weatherwas really beautiful, went to Carol's place to swim in the evening sun.

it's been a long time since i had time for myself and only to myself.
very satisfying.

2006-02-06T07:01:00.000-08:00

out to punt on 4D.
Posted by Picasa

Desperate 2

2006-02-06T06:40:00.000-08:00

after a long hiatus from blogging, i'm back! =)
and so is my favourite... DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES (2)!!!

i love the juicy plots, diverse range of characters and witty lines!
the only one character i can't stand is Susan! she thinks that the whole world revolves around her! i admire Lynette for her multi-tasking abilities, she is indeed a super-Mom!!!

on tuesdays, there's CSI Miami. frankly i prefer CSI Las Vegas.
John Caruso gets kinda boring after some time.
on thursdays, there's Law and Order SVU.
unfortunately it gets stale after a while... not much of an attraction.
it depicts nothing more than the more perverse and sick side of urban American society.

for the last 2 weeks, i was busy with my Dad and his gf.
CNY was hectic.. swamped by visitors and shuttling to and fro Gleneagles..
didn't even ahve time for poker! hadn't had any peaceful rest or good sleep either..
finally they're off to China again, finally i get my big bed back!
such a joy! finally some good rest to relieve all that accumulated fatigue! =D

rejoice in the Lord always.

do not disturb

2006-01-26T07:44:00.000-08:00

went down to Stone Grill with Joshua and Grandma this evening for a snack.
had the Seafood soup and Portobello mushrooms.
quite alright. taste fine. except i don't like to cook my own food when i'm eating out.
defeats the purpose of eating out la.. lazy veen u know.

afterwhich went to Jumbo for seafood with my family at Riverside Quay.
quite okay only. not as good as usual. crabs weren't solid coz it's beginning of the year..
the vege that came wasn't the one we ordered.. they cleared our peanuts before the meal ended..
Dad complained alot. i mean... ALOT.
oh well.

drained. exhausted. pissed. stomach ache.

operation hips

2006-01-25T19:39:00.000-08:00

ah-ma just had her operation for her hip bone. she'll only be out of the theatre at 12.30pm.
i really pray that she gets well soon.
she hasn't been very clear-minded yesterday,
partly because of the morphine-based pain-killers.
she scolded the nurses and tried biting her maid because her arms and legs are all tied up.
it hurts to see her in this state, especially when you know that she is 93 and chances of speedy recovery is low.

grandma has been busy visiting ah-ma everyday, all the way at Gleneagles.
that's why i can't go out to hang out with you people after school n weekends, sorry.
i need to come home to clean the house and cook dinner for my family.
things need to get done around here.
moreover my Dad is back for 2 weeks, i'll like to spend time with him.
need to catch up with my own studies too...

last nite was the last time i'm going down to MOS for a long time.
if it wasn't for that half bottle of Chivas, i don't think i would be there.
brought Dad n his gf down to take a look and met up with Huiling & Co.
the companions were fun but somehow i think i was too tired, kinda sleepy by 12.30am..
nway, i don't think that MOS is as good as it's hyped. just a brand name *rolls eyes*
i find the service too impersonal and the bouncer at the main atrium gate TOO ANAL.
MOS has too many stupid rules like.. 1 way flow yet there're no markers; n cannot wait at the door for friends who are coming in and you can only check in your bag into the deposit counter once etc... i only have one word for them - A.N.A.L

personally, my Dad n i still prefer Zouk.
Dad finds Zouk more cosy n relaxed. i like Phuture due to the familiar environment n friends.
Zouk is also more relaxed with its club rules, there's alwiz a space for negotiation with the bouncers. i can walk in whichever direction i like; i can check in my bag n take things out a million times and i can wait at the podium for incoming friends =)

now i'm just looking forward to my CNY public holidays...
going to Carol's place to swim n dinner tmrw.
reunion dinner with god-parents on Sat. family dinner on Sunday..
Mon / Tues: stay home n rest, watch DVDs, play poker n go for beach runs =D

updates

2006-01-24T07:55:00.000-08:00

much has happened these few days.
learnt a lot more about life.

great-grandma was admitted into hospital on Sat, broke her hip bone.. she is 93 yrs old.
was supposed to have ops today but she fell into coma yesterday and was transferred to ICU.
went to visit her last nite. thank God greatly for she is lucid now.
thou i've never been very close to her, the thought of her not waking up brought me to tears.
she woke up from her unconsciousness and could recognise me, called out my name and held my hand... that almost brought me to tears.

we often think that we have so many years together..
in fact we only have that limited time together,
that there's really no time to be angry or mad at each other.
live each day like it's the last day together.

i love you.

what a wkend

2006-01-22T06:49:00.000-08:00

it's a crazy weekend. thankfully it's over =)

spent my saturday in sch.
was supposed to print stuff but forgot to bring my matric card.. dammit.
ended up going to SRC to watch IVP Swimming n met Monkey who's taking records.

wanted to run but alas.. it rained just 10mins after i stepped outta campus.
went for tea at holland village before meeting family to visit god-pa's new dance studio.
had dinner only at 9pm. hungry. tired. very bored.

came home at 11pm feeling really low morale... nothing was done and nothing went my way.
everyone went off to sleep. i was jus rolling in my therapeutic couch once again.
but all's not lost as yet. went out for supper with Boon n Mike at Pasir Ris at 1am.
thank God for cars!
that made up for everything bad in the day =D thanks lots guys!!!
no antidote greater than meeting up with friends to jus supper n chat abt nothing =)

sunday was nothing better.
spent my afternoon at home packing up around the house, did the laundry n dishes,
washed the table-clothes etc...
by the time i finished the chores, it was 4.30 n i was positively tired!

what a wet weekend. spoiler!!! =P

beautiful morning.

2006-01-12T19:45:00.000-08:00

finally i have something worth blogging about... THE BEAUTIFUL WEATHER today!
an awesome change from the last 15 days of grey stormy weather =D
beautiful. warm. sunny. blue skies. fluffy cotton candy clouds.
can't ask for more right? happy day!

couple of nites ago, i was doing my dishes in the kitchen with the seabreeze in my face.
suddenly thought how wonderful it would be to go fishing at Batam right then.
with the gentle breeze yet there's no rain... the sea is calm.
time to cast in the lures baby!!! yummy sotongs await!
Andy! i's so VERY ENVIOUS of you fishing for 100 Yellowtails and Herrings in Perth!
nex trip on my itenary: go fishing in Perth with Andy! oh! and prance ard Eunice's farm! =)
thanks for calling! it's great to hear from you! wil try post more pictures on my blog.

the first week of school has came to an end. T.G.I.F!
things haven't been that good.. usual admin cock-up stories and module appeals etc.
frankly i'm pretty pissed but jus gonna leave things to the hands of the Lord n obey His will.
haven't seen any close classmates either... so been hanging out with me, myself and i.
not that interesting. Joshua's time-table somehow doesn't fit with mine either..

however, last Tues was indeed fun!
was supposed to meet Qiao, Gab n Jotham at 1pm at TM Cafe Cartel for lunch.
the best part was this... i woke up only at 1pm when Qiao called to confirm the time
*sheepish grin* hence kitty slowly rolled out of her basket and went out at 2.
Gab (as usua)l was the very early one. poor thing.
Qiao and Jotham (as usual) were late. me? i came like... pretty promptly at 2.15?
we crapped over coffee, Jot's now serving at New Creation children's church as a Sunday sch teacher. sing praises to the Lord for Jotham and Andy's family are saved!!!
Jot was doing his usual "i wanna go home already.." while Gab was hyping abt the World Cup trip. we also pounced a belated brithday surprise on Qiao, completed with a small cake and a bouquet of sunflower. heehee.. i love the all of you! Lame Gang unite!

floorball

2006-01-08T07:32:00.000-08:00

i went down to Tamp Sports Hall to watch a floorball match this evening,
NUS (Senior Guys) vs Moosemen (private club). floorball league has officially started till Apr.

frankly, i can't tell the difference between hockey and floorball... =P
both have sticks, a ball and 5 players per team. granted, hockey uses a solid ball.
floorball uses a hollow ball, has 3 sets of matches and rapid player substitution.

the game was pretty interesting and exciting to watch. the fight was rather aggressive.
the referee was quite biased, in favour of the opponents. the opponents played hard.
however, we played and prayed harder. thank God for my prayers were answered!
during the final set, NUS scored 3 goals against the opponents!
Hail Mary! full of grace!

anyway, i'm glad i went =)
it's been eons since i sat down to watch a tournament live and cheered for my school.
NUS... whoosh!

NYE

2006-01-02T22:02:00.000-08:00

right after my super-enjoyable 21st birthday celebrations at MOS, which i came home only at 4am... i only had time to catch about 6hrs of winks before my due to catch a ferry to Batam on 31st Dec for a NYE celebration organized by Tay's family.

when we arrived at Batam, it was raining heavily so we ended up playing X-box and taking naps.
thankfully by the time we wanted to BBQ our beef steaks, chicken fillets and other goodies,
the rain has stopped. Tay's Mum's steak was deliciously marinated with ginger juice and other condiments. there was cold beer and fresh salads. we also lit tea-candles and mosquito coils. that nite was indeed fun, catching up on old times and sharing experiences on overseas education.. most of those present completed their degree in Boston. Jack (an A&E doctor at TTSH) was teaching us how to feel for diarrhea symptoms using anal inspection by inserting a gloved finger up the anus to check for watery stool marks over dinner... lucky we had beer to keep us from throwing up =P later that nite, it was back to the poker table where we played 'zhong-jian' and Jack lost to the banker's pot! that was hilarious!

the 2nd day started of with Paul barging in at 8am to chat with Tay's Dad about finance market while some of us were still asleep in the sitting room. somehow i managed to fall back to sleep despite the noise... Kok Siong and Jack went canoeing. after Jack beached the canoe, he strided back to the bungalow in a 100% Baywatch hunk fashion. that was a magnificent sight! (then of coz the rest of us were sniggering at him at the kitchen window). by noon, it started raining so we played mahjong and Scrabble. Jie Jun scored the highest. did i mention that she graduated with Law deg from Oxford? now we know.. she compiled the Oxford dictionary! Jack kept insisting that there's a word 'Qataric'. duh..

that evening, we went fishing for glass fish which was to be used as a bait for squids that nite. yes, Jack fed Twisties to the small 2-inch glass fish he caught.. Yi Jun and May being kind-hearted people released their catch once it was reeled.. hmm.. =/ Paul, Mike and i caught nothing. i swear that there's something jinxed about our rod. by 11pm, we were back at the jetty to fish for squids. this time we used artificial baits too. that was fun! to wait for the sotong to take the bait, and reel it in one swing. takes alot of skill to cast the rod as well. we saw 5 mullets too! Tay's Dad taught us alot. catch of the day: 10 squids and 1 eel. did i mention that Jack got squirted with ink by the squid when he reeled it in? =P there were plenty of stars that nite too! it was pretty refreshing experience to just lie on a bench at the jetty to admire the brilliant nite sky.. i suddenly felt very minute and was awed by God's almighty creation.

the 3rd day was just packing and cleaning up coz we had to catch the 2pm ferry.
all in all, it was a wonderful NYE. thanks lots once again to the Tay family and Sara for their hospitality and great company!
may God bless us with a fruitful 2006!

due to the over-eating of BBQ foods, chips and chcolates and a severe shortage of sleep,
Tay and i came down with a bad flu. cough and sorethroat was part of the package... =(

green room

2006-01-02T21:57:00.000-08:00

finally in Singapore.. Ministry of Sound! heartfelt appreciation to those dear friends who took time out to make my 21st birthday a super fun and memorable one. i'm really blessed to be with the all of you! Puaylim, Boon, Elaine and Kok Siong came later that night after work. they were struck at the queue for a good 2.5 hrs!!! Puaylim and i share the same birthday so we opened 2 bottles that night, fags were passed around. Michele's better half, Jon was showing us magic tricks. it was so damn fun! great seeing everyone drinking, dancing and basically enjoying themselves =) unfortunately didn't manage to catch Puay and Co. on photos.
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R.I boys

2006-01-02T21:56:00.000-08:00

Raffles Old Boys gathering. from left: Pieter, Veen, Michael and Rey. Clarence is MIA due to unforeseen circumstances (of hugging the toilet bowl while we were having fun). Rey was worried that Clarence might drown himself in the toilet bowl by putting his head into the waste water... think about it.. i have known Pieter for 7 yrs, Michael for 5, Clarence and Rey for 2 yrs.. Pieter and Clarence knew each other since R.I.. such a small world after all! and they both turned up for my party!
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wild things

2006-01-02T21:52:00.000-08:00

that's Michele and i at our favourtite metal cage in Smooth which plays hardcore Hip Hop. did u know that the sub-woofer base doubles up as a platform?
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joshie poshie!

2006-01-02T21:50:00.000-08:00

celebrated my 21st birthday at MOS. darling Joshua was so right in saying "When you ask, nobody can give you a confirmation or say they can't make it. But when you don't ask, you bump into everybody." we indeed bumped into many friends that nite..=P thanks dear for making everything possible and wonderful! did i say that i love the outfit u wore that nite? but of coz! i was the one who chose it! =D hugs!
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2256

2005-12-29T07:15:00.000-08:00

very cool projected digital clock!
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3-eyed fishy

2005-12-29T07:13:00.001-08:00

hee... cute alien marine creatures. there's a 3-eyed Hay*Bee too!!!
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fibre

2005-12-29T07:13:00.000-08:00

ultra-cool fiber optic lights! heehee
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MOS

2005-12-29T07:02:00.000-08:00

went down to Ministry of Sound with Joshua and Michele last nite.
damn fun! very impressed with the place. for more details, please visit Joshua's blog.

i'm very glad that Michele and Joshua enjoyed themselves, coz i did too!
drank a bit, danced a bit and laughed lots at lao ah peks! that was fun! =D
thanks lots darlings for making my night out enjoyable! love you lots!

a blessed Christmas

2005-12-25T20:51:00.000-08:00

Christmas came and went.

this Christmas eve was rather busy. had 2 dinners to attend.
the earlier one was with my family, the later one was to celebrate Carol's birthday.
the family one was usual... dinner followed by carolling... =p
cousins n i ran off quite soon after.
frankly i enjoyed the one at Carol's place more, met more friends there.
not to mention Eric's Mum made a really tender and tasty roast turkey stuffed with apples and oranges!
after dinner, i came home to change up for midnight Mass at Church of the Holy Spirit.
it's been a long time since i attended Mass with my aunts =)
the nite ended with supper before coming home to crash in my bed.

Christmas day didn't feel like Christmas day.
i woke up at 10am feeling like a zombie.
lazed around at home before going to Thomson for warm toasty waffles and coffee.
then rolled down to Orchard to grab some munchies for Puaylim's BBQ.
Orchard was freakingly crowded! Wisma's new food court looks horribly touristy too.. WLE..!

the best part was this.
after buying some chow, i felt really sleepy while walking around Taka so decided come home to sleep. and i did nap til 7. by the time i reached Puaylim's house, the BBQ was over....
brilliant right? ended up going to East Coast Food Center for supper.

such a flop day... =/

Travel Scrabble

2005-12-25T20:50:00.000-08:00

my highly intellectual present from my highly intellectual MENSA friends =D thanks lots darlings! now i'll never be bored again! did u know that this board can fold away mid game? cool right?!
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2005-12-23T21:38:00.000-08:00

the surgeon's precision.
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2005-12-23T21:36:00.000-08:00

the 'buah'!
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nice?

2005-12-23T20:42:00.000-08:00

my final artistic marbled creation! bon appetit!
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Awfully Chocolate

2005-12-23T20:41:00.000-08:00

my Awfully Chocolate cake and I. yes, it came with the funny turquoise colored icing... so dubious.
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santarina

2005-12-23T20:39:00.000-08:00

the sabo: wear santa's hat n go around to borrow a lighter. see the poor Malay victim? muahahaha!
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where's Michele?!

2005-12-23T20:38:00.000-08:00

Pris and her pretty purple top. the one we got for her birthday! she's just getting fairer and fairer lah! must be due to hiding under those bedsheets everyday! =P
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pepper only

2005-12-23T20:37:00.000-08:00

Elaine's pepperoni pide finally came after something like... a 40mins wait? we're so not going back to that turkish place!

mensa 2006

2005-12-23T20:33:00.000-08:00

why is Michele hiding behind? in this photo, Elaine didn't want a round face, Pris didn't want her arms included & i wanted bigger boobs. btw, this photo hasn't been edited. wahahaha.. lil' monkey looks so happy & so does Choon! i love the all of you!
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2005-12-22T08:16:00.000-08:00

that's a Hawthorne candy stick. cool right?
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2005-12-22T08:08:00.000-08:00

michele's favourite photo : curiousity kills a cat
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2005-12-22T08:04:00.000-08:00

i wonder why Dad alwiz looks so stoned. wahahaha!
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2005-12-22T08:03:00.000-08:00

this would explain why i ended up with a bad stomach flu and tummy ache. 10 days of gorging with good food...
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2005-12-22T08:02:00.001-08:00

that's the love of my life. no, not the pretty Peking duck. it's my Dad,
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2005-12-22T08:02:00.000-08:00

Dad's new gf and i. hahah. what have i been doing in Chengdu? ermm.. eat roasted sweet potatoes, popcorn and strawberries.
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2005-12-22T07:58:00.000-08:00

did i say how much i love Christmas trees? okay, make that elegantly decorated big Christmas trees.
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over

2005-11-30T23:23:00.000-08:00

so the exams are finally over.
what's next?

bored la.

don't feel like drinking or clubbing.
rather swim and gym. hardly seen the sun lately.
need my beauty sleep too.

should take time to enjoy a warm waffle breakfast.
chill out with a book at a quiet cafe.
go cycling in the park.

haven't caught Harry Potter.

2 days to go.

2005-11-28T17:40:00.000-08:00

someone asked me how do i intend to spend my Dec vacation.

1. learn how to play mahjong. tai tai 101 in any case.

2. attempt to learn driving. a car. not people.

3. watch EPL and UEFA Champions League.

4. attempt to not work.

that's all i can think of now. life is a LEARNing journey. wine appreciation class, anyone?

drift

2005-11-21T14:52:00.000-08:00

each day is a day of anxiety.
my heart skips a beat.

where would i go from here?
patiently i wait to receive your commands.

i'm looking forward to coming home,
to your love beyond those gates.

some have left, others have stayed.
walk on. the guiding white light will lead you out of the valley of darkness.

loneliness i feel, as you remain shrouded behind the clouds.
but i know your spirit is with me.

different denominations there may be,
lost as i am, the passion of Christ unites his Church.

hurt and pains. trials and injustices.
patience. await the resurrection.
full citizenship in the eternal kingdom of glory.

would you still love me tomorrow?

hibiki

2005-11-14T15:46:00.000-08:00

went to Hibiki at The Legends at Fort Canning last nite for god-parents' wedding anniversary.
wow.. it was a damn good dinner. god-pa booked the whole place for private function.
had sashimi, braised duck slices, foie gras steak, grilled lobster, shark's fin chawanmushi...
wrapped up with tiramisu. not to mention the free flow of wines... =)
i finished 3/4 bottle of sauvignon blanc myself.
grandma was grinning silly from the sauvignon cabernet.
after which we started dancing... right there in the restaurant.
god-pa had them clear the restaurant to makeshift space to foxtrot.

came home. talked some rubbish with a fren.
tried sleeping but couldn't coz i was suffering from a damned headache...
too much wine circulating in my bloodstream while my world spins round and round.
was in air con room but perspiring like mad... felt feverish too.
only zzz at 4am.. whee~~

drink and dance.

boss a nova.

2005-11-09T13:39:00.000-08:00

just realized many of my guys friends listen to Lisa Ono and Corrine May.
man... you guys are SNAGS!!! hahahah!
sensitive new age guys... so passe but stil relevant to today's context.
yes, go listen to Lisa Ono and Corrine May and tell me all about how their voices are able to convey rich emotions and describe how you actually feel.. heard tt couple of times.
try Eva Cassidy! pretty good also. no kiddin. Fields of Gold, original i think was by Sting.
the piano is one of the best instruments to let loose ur feelings after a heart break.

why do people only realize the importance of certain things and people only after they've lost them?

probably coz when u have it, u take it for granted. thinking it'll alwiz be there.
only when you lose it then you realize its value and importance. growing up.
but this loss also serves to make one cherish the present more and make the best out of it.
"can i make someone happy and feel loved today?" give the due respect and understanding.
life is short. we don't have that many years together to take each other for granted.
death. illness. traffic accidents. migration. what else?
appreciate every small things, every laughter and sorrow we walk together.
family. friends. the better half. the pet. <>

this journey we walk together.
live. love. life.

2005-11-07T23:26:00.000-08:00

will you still love me tomorrow?

can't be.

2005-11-06T11:55:00.000-08:00

can't be.

a semiotic sign. what does it signify then?

'can't be' is simply a sign. it signifies a concept, an idea.

the idea is interpollated to you. yes, you. you know who you are.

the signifier is me. i am tired. send me to an eternal sleep then i can cry no more.

chelsea 31 points on the lead. way to go! can be.

hope: arsenal takes over man-u in rankings by end of season. woohoo!

GC

2005-11-04T01:01:00.000-08:00

went down to Gourmet Cellar at 456 River Valley Rd at 9.30pm.
idiot waiter tried to rip me off by introducing wines costing over $120 each.
i already said i want something more affordable.
to hell with him. and his service attitude sucks anyway.
so gonna complain to Alex. hire lousy staff.

bought my dear God-pa a Green Point Pinot Noir 2002.
shouldn't go too wrong though could be better.
i prefer Petit Verdot anyways.
medium bodied, light tannins, blackcurrant and velvety, oaked, smokey finish.
forget the Paulliac. freaking $96 a bottle and nothing fantastic really.

i miss Yarra Valley, vict au.

stopped by Book Cafe at MS on the way back.
pleasant surprise.
they serve really powerful cheesecake which is not coyingly sweet.
made of mascaporne cheese and yougurt in substitute for whipped cream.
wonderfully healthy. be warned. the hazelnut-cocoa cake isn't worth trying.