Our Pride and Joy (Part 2)

Have you heard? Have you seen?


TAA DAA......here it is....





Changi Airport T3!!!!

Finally, it is completed, after stalling the project for a fews years before kickstarting it again in 2003. I can't wait to see the final product with the much hype about Greenwall, Roof trusses, People-Moving System and all.....

Let's look at some of the numbers....

• S$ 1.75 billion project


• 6 years construction period


• 22 million passengers a year


• 380,000 square meters


• 100 retail shops


• Opening 09/01/2008

The last number being the most important one....because the nation is celebrating my wedding anniversary!! Couldn't help but quickly dropped an email to my "Ang". Ho Ho Ho!!!

This news brought me back to 2001, when I joined Shimizu Corporation. On my first day of work, I was whisked off to another whole new division in another building, dedicated to the "secret operation" of tender for Changi Airport T3.

Imagine....it was only tender. The project was not even awarded and Shimizu had already dedicated a team of people focusing in the whole tendering process, renting new office space to house this team, a lot of resources were put in. It was headed by 3 Japanese and team of probably 12 people. I was, needless to say, one of the staff put to the team responsible for costing. I remembered vividly that the walls of the office was basically wallpapered with blueprints of T3. Rolls of drawings were stacked and spread across during meetings. Somehow, I had this feeling that I was working in a secret basement for a secret project. Well, it had to be a secret operation, it was a tender and bidding is always confidential and classified.

If Shimizu was, ultimately, not awarded the project, all the work and effort would have been wasted. This is the cruel truth of tender.

It had been years since I left Shimizu and probably an occupational hazard, I quickly pulled out my rice bowl gadget - CALCULATOR - and estimated that the construction cost per square meter is $4,605.00. I hope CPG will publish T3 as one of its case study in their next quarterly cost indices publication.

I hoped that the Arrival Hall doesn't look so sad this time.

Opening the Door of Your Heart

By some forces, after my last entry yesterday, I reached out to a book on my bookshelf titled:

"Opening The Door Of Your Heart"

This is a book written by Ajahn Brahm. A very simple book to read, with accents of humour (from a monk). No chimology buddhism words, no preaching of buddhism, just stories on happiness. I realise that happiness is simplicity. Sometimes, we are just complicated human beings complicating things, thinking that things are complicated. This book put forth a simple message in life - HAPPINESS.


And miraculously, I flipped to one of the stories titled "The Emperor's Three Questions". To cut it short, the 3 questions are:


(1) When is the most important time?

(2) Who is the most important person?

(3) What is the most important thing to do?

After re-reading it, I thought about it and casually showed it to my "Ang".

He read it, he looked at me, he nodded and said "Yes Darling, I got it. A very good way to get my attention indeed."

And whoever wants to know the answers. Go get the book! ....... Or stay tuned!

Can We Multitask?

How often not that when you were talking to someone, you received divided attention.

She is probably rushing for an appointment, trying on several dresses, messing up the room with layers of tried dresses and finally chosing the one, putting on her last touch up of lipstick and her matching shoes while her mother has been asking her if she wants to eat something, what time she'll be back, where are you going. All the mother gets was a "Yes", "No", "OK".

How frustrating is this? Not only for the lady who is rushing out, but for the mother who's given the divided attention.

I was the lady. I never knew how frustrating it was

Until.....

beerkaki: I can still use the car occasionally, right?

"Ang": Cannot. I need it for the new job. [Goes back to his incessant typing on the laptop keyboard]

beerkaki: So how?

"Ang": [Silence]

beerkaki: [Waiting for a reply......]

"Ang": [Silence still, only hearing the keyboard clicking]

beerkaki: [Still waiting.....now starting to wonder if he heard me saying "So how?"]

"Ang": [Still silence]

beerkaki: Did you hear me?

"Ang": Yes. you can take a taxi

beerkaki: Then what about my prospective new job, which needs a car too?

"Ang": [Silence.....hearing the typing of keyboard and clicking of mouse again]

beerkaki: [......wondering if he's thinking of a solution or if he didn't hear me]

"Ang": [Silence......]

beerkaki: [I is Dulanz]......I will send you a message to your Unification War to discuss about this and hopefully have undivided attention replying me.

"Ang": Still silence......

Win already.


I remembered one of Ajahn Brahm's talk that I attended. One of the greatest gift we can give to someone is ........giving them our full attention when in their presence.

Taxi, Bus, MRT

I embraced the public transport system today. Full package - TAXI, BUS, MRT.

My car was in the workshop since yesterday. So, in order to get to my appointment at 1030am, I is kiasu, I walked out to flag for a taxi at 930am.

By 950am, I'm still standing by the pavement. Apparently, I'm stealth to those taxi drivers. Cao Cao 20 taxis passed me by. Either it is on call, or changing shift. I is sweating lor.

Bo Bian, got to call for taxi booking. And within 3 minutes, my designated taxi descended from the sky, lighted with "ON CALL".

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Post entry notes: Incidentally, there is an article in AsiaOne today on taxi booking. Click here

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After my appointment at Westpoint Hospital, need to pick up my car at Alexandra. Very tempted to flag for a taxi but is buey song this morning having to pay that additional $2.50. With the help of the staff at the hospital for direction, I boarded a shuttle bus to go Boon Lay MRT station. That supposedly 10 mins trip took about 20 mins. I can see the MRT station while in the bus but somehow there is this maze route that the bus travels that turns the corner away from the MRT station. I is pek chek liao.

MRT is still the most reliable. Clean, Cool and ON TIME!!! Nothing beats MRT. Got off at Queenstown and transferred to a bus to Alexandra. This one is best. From afar, I saw this bus approaching slowly, damn slowly lor. I boarded it, took my seat and then, it started to crawl. Wah lau, engine got problem is it? No traffic jam leh, why so slow? After several stops,I concluded that it must have been early in its schedule and have to slow down its speed to make up for the time. I is Suay!! I alighted and trusted my 2 feet towards the workshop.

Finally, I'm back holding on to the steering wheel, with MY control of time, route and speed.
Of course, it comes with a higher price.

Striking Lottery

Heard that the Toto winnings tomorrow is estimated at $5.5 million.

How hard is it to strike lottery? There are millions of people betting on it. And most, simply doesn't strike once in their lifetime.

You hoped that one day, it will be you.
You planned how you are going to use the money when that one day comes.
You silently prayed. You silently planned.
You keep trying. You keep getting disappointed.
The wait is long, most times, goes unrewarded.

I hoped that one day it will be me.
I planned for it and quit my job to stay at home.
I silently prayed at night. I silently planned for a new MPV.
I keep trying every month. I keep seeing red.
I am still waiting......for that sperm to meet my egg.

Even if lottery doesn't strike me, I shall try again.........And continue to see the good things around me and not let them pass by......

I am blessed with my "Ang".

Our Pride and Joy

Which Singaporean dun recognise this? Please raise your hand!!!!


This is our pride and joy, our GDP churner, our ever-underpaid pilot's base!! - CHANGI AIRPORT.


How many times have I departed and arrived Singapore, but just didn't take a good look at it? Now that I am here waiting for my "Ang"'s arrival, I walked around snapping away with my new camera, thinking that probably there is someone watching over me as to why I am taking so many pictures which may constitute me as a terrorist-to-be collecting information about Changi Airport...Hee hee....but bo leh....no one following me.....


It was in the 80s when I was in Primary School that I first stepped into Changi Airport - Terminal 1. The usual class / school tour after exams, holding hands, two by two, in uniform....


Now, Changi Airport is like another Shopping Mall, with so many restaurants, shops, etc.



At first, when Terminal 2 was going through a whole new renovation, I was thinking "Wah Lau, still so new! Need renovation meh?" But when the new look was revealed, it's impressive! Columns cladded with timber strips, skeletons ceiling panels diffusing soft lights and brightening the whole space. Marvellous!!

Then I walked onto unknown turf.



TAA DAA!!! - Changi Airport MRT Station. I wonder how many people uses this station? I mean, Singapore is always going for "niche" market - high rollers at casinos, best 1st class seats in SIA.....will these people take MRT?

Then I ventured further and saw these wonderful structures.



Beautifully cladded glass panels at the MRT platform. And look and the steel structures! It is the precise reason that steel prices have been shooting up!! Asian Games at Doha, Olympic Stadium in Beijing, all uses steel structures.....that's why there is a worldwide shortage of steel!

From MRT to Skytrain....



Har? Not working???

No....A brand new one here.....


And these caught my eyes......self check-in machines....



These are not new toys, they were already available in US and Europe for years. Then a thought came to me......Look at how airports evolved...


From a place where customs immigration takes place to a place where shops and restaurants sprouted,

From a place where it allows thousands of people passing through each day to having the tightest security anywhere,


From one airport to 3 terminals in an airport (or more in some other countries)

From custom officers to self clearance using biometric passports.....

This is the evolution of airports. Hmmm...how about airplanes? Still the same old seat upholstery, same old lavatory design, same narrow aisle. But oh....I shouldn't discredit the Krisflyer in flight entertainment...and the STILL UPCOMING A380, which is suffering from power struggle between the French and the Germans!! A great leap forward indeed!!

As I walked around the airport, I can hardly see any art installations that we used to have in Terminal 1. What I see now are....



Plants! Flora! Landscaping!!

Ok.....my Ang's flight landed, I better trot down to Arrival Hall.....

Then this feeling don on me, its like descending from Heaven to Hell!!



The ceiling height of the Arrival Hall is so much lower than the Departure Hall!! It was dimly lit!! It has ceramic/homogenous floor tiles as compared to the granite floor tiles in the Departure hall. It felt constrained!! It look sad. (Just in case anyone think I'm playing camera tricks, I'm not lor. Tried several different exposures, these are the best I can capture.)

Aren't we supposed to embrace the people who visits Singapore? Give them a good impression? And when they finally step onto Singapore's ground, a dimly lit, unwelcomed Arrival Hall?? Even the MRT Station looks better than the Arrival Hall!!

And while waiting at around Belt 35 for my Ang in that sad Arrival Hall, my stomach felt sad too....I need to Pang Sai.

Perfect Snack for Beer

Ho Ho Ho......I found this in MEIDI-YA supermarket!


This was my new found snack while vacationing in Japan. It comes with different concoction of rice crackers and peas.... and the best part? Ikan Bilis - Japanese Style!!

I was still wondering if I can get it in Singapore. So, like any kiasu counterpart, I bought several jumbo packets back from Japan.

But its expensive in Singapore lor!!! 1 packet for $5.90.


OK....Where's my beer?

New Camera

Fujifilm FinePix F31fd - My New Camera!

I walked around Clark Quay noon time, clicking away with my new camera.





Then I chanced upon this.


Then I suddenly remember......the new wheelchair for my mum!!! Aiyah....forget liao! Must go get it....


Then I look at this wheelchair again....even if it was gold plated or diamond studded, I think people also don't want to buy!!

A significant difference between Need and Want.

Old Friend

We partied, we drank, we puked.

We laughed, we sobbed, we recovered.

We fought, we avoided, we surrendered.

We grew, we lived, we catch up.

This is my old friend, J.

Over a pint of beer, we easily picked up where we left off, as if we have been seeing each other every week.

How hard is it to find a friend who we can speak our heart out? Not worrying about any judgement passed. Not worrying about any nonsense made.

And we happily drove home in our own car, with alcohol level under the legal limit.

Sometimes I wonder, how does one know if he/she has exceeded the legal limit?

I mean, legal limit is determined as:

• 35 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millitres of breath,
• or more than 80 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millitres of blood,

What I think is that there should be an easier way to determine the legal limit. There had been useful information relating a person's weight to the volume of beer drank in order to determine limit, such as, for a 60-70 kg person, about 1000ml of beer consumed over half an hour can give rise to a blood alcohol concentration of 80mg of ethanol per 100ml of blood.

Then what about wine? Spirits? Hard liquor?

Should a table be produced to show each individual types of alcohol against the volume consumed with the person's weight?

Wah.....its going to be a long table then.

Some companies have came out with test strips, like the one you use in Pregnancy Test Kits, to determine if one is intoxicated or not.

But yet again, will these test strips or table guidelines be sufficient as evidence? Or even, reliable? As they are, GUIDELINES only.

So, let's go back to cave man guideline - DON'T DRINK & DRIVE!!!

Flying

Sent my "Ang" to the airport super early in the morning. He has been travelling more for business nowadays. It used to be him sending and picking me to and from airport. Now the role reversal, kinda not used to it.

When one travels for work, there is a destination, tasks to complete, meetings to accomplish, hotel room numbers to remember, transport to schedule, etc....there is so much to things to do, so many things in the mind!!!

And now that I'm left at home, there is nothing unsual, but with the addition feeling of waiting. Waiting for him to come home. Hmmm......I miss my "Ang".

Eggs blocked

Went for a Gynae check up. The usual cold metal sticking into your vagina!!!

Was diagnosed with Endometriosis.

Eh!......Why does all medical terms need to be so chim? so long?

As usual, was stunned before the brain can process all the questions, like what is it? What are the causes? How is the treatment? Blah Blah Blah.... While the gynae was explaining, all my mind was thinking was BLANK. The brain somehow needs some processing time to capture this long word.

I was still quite zombie when I walked out from Raffles Hospital. What do you expect? After opening up your legs, showing your vagina to 2 complete strangers and allowing them to poke some cold metal and sticking into your uterus, then tell you that your vagina is sick!!!

Roamed around Bugis Junction and decided to drive down to Far East Flora nursery. Seeing the plants and flowers should cheer me up, a little. Ended up buying 3 bouquets of flowers. One for mum and one for grandma....anyway, Mother's Day is around the corner. And this one is for myself!!



Isn't it lovely just looking at it? I already made myself feel better.

Thanks to Google and Wikipedia, I found out what I'm suffering from. Verrryyy common among females. Somehow, that "very common" symptom calmed me down, it means not that serious, I suppose.

Her low days

Visited my mum this afternoon.

Realised that she had been sleeping more and more and more.....She hardly lifts up her eyelids for more than 1 minute, and she shuts again, then opens again, then shuts again. I think she tried to open her eyes, but just couldn't stay open. Today must be one of her low days.

Then I started to talk to the caregiver while massaging her toes, just so that she can hear my voice. Then, I decided to get home so as to beat the rush hour traffic. Called out to her that I'm leaving, then she opens her eyes big big, staring at me!!

Wah Lau....She damn good lor!!!

Made me stuck in PIE and ended up buying dinner back instead of cooking.

RED

I see RED.

Damn!!

How hard can it be? For a sperm to meet the egg?

Can't help but wonder if my past 20 year's fear of getting pregnant were unwarranted. That the past contraceptives used were unnecessary. That my panic attack when it was just one day late was pure stupid.

Why did some just do it once, and bingo!! And they didn;t want it in the first place!!

Why do I start to see so many pregnant ladies on the road? Or were they all around all the time? Now, they silently became MY "enemies".

Expectation breeds disappointment.

Si Fang Qian

Today marks a milestone in my life. 1 May 2007 - Labour Day.

My "Ang" handed me my first grocery money.

And I put them in this beautiful Japanese printed wallet.






Isn't this just beautiful? And today, I went to NTUC grocery shopping with it!!


As married life sinks further in, arrangements like this were sorted out. In fact, I requested it. Not that my "Ang" did not contribute, in fact, he pays for everything - utilities, condo's maintenance fee, car instalments, grocery and even forks out portion for my mother's caregiver.

And without any hesitation, my "Ang" ask me how much I want?

My "Ang" is "Ho4 Eh2".

I usually pay for grocery via NETS through our joint account. And I have the slightest idea on how much was our monthly grocery bills. In fact, when it comes to money, I leave it all to my "Ang".

But somehow I felt it was a good gesture that a fix amount of money was handed to me every month so that I can managed and have a better idea our expenditure. I should start managing finances somewhere, somehow. So, I thought this was a good start.

And the best part is - the leftover of the monthly grocery will be my Si1 Fang2 Qian2.....!!!!

So, from today onwards, it will be Tau Hu, Tau Gay and Tau Gua for dinner.....

HO HO HO.....