beerkaki

Relocation

2008-03-25T10:06:00.001+08:00

This blog had been relocated to www.beerkaki.wordpress.com

Rain, Rain, Rain

2008-03-12T18:25:00.008+08:00

Its has been raining, raining, raining.......

I thought its better today since morning was dry.

I had to go to a construction site for a meeting and was praying that it'll be dry.

But then.....sway sway.....starts to drizzle. I ended up having to walk through a muddy site to get to the stupid meeting room, situated just in the middle of the site!! Worse still, the site is so tight that cranes are everywhere, excavation everywhere, borehole everywhere!! No proper walkway.....not even planks!!!

My ferragamo ended like that

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=( ......And this is after 1 round of cleaning already!!! Damn sim tia!

During the meeting, the contractor kena big big time from the Project Manager. No proper site access and housekeeping!!

After the meeting, still raining.

No choice....choot pattern.

Saw a bundle of new boots in Contractor's office, those yellow ones, like Phua Chu Kang. So, I put the yellow boots on, carry my Ferragamoes on one hand, my meeting notes on the other hand while carrying an umbrella and got a Bangledashi foreign worker to walk me out of the site.

Finally reached the main gate....wah lau.....machiam obstacle course like that. Got out of the site, change back into my Ferragamoes and return the Yellow Boots back to the Bangladeshi foreign worker for him to bring it back to the office.

If don't choot pattern, I will walk out of the site barefooted already.

I wish I had taken a picture of myself with the Yellow Boots. Damn funny sia!

First thing I did when I reach home.........CLEAN my Ferragamoes!!

TADAA!!!!!!!

Shiny shiny again!

See???!!! Ferragamo worth the money one........

Medicine Chest

2008-02-29T15:13:00.003+08:00

I have been hunting for a table for my tiny entrance foyer for more than a year. Everytime we shopped, we either ended up empty handed due to prices or we bought something else. So, that little notch was left empty for the longest time.

It was difficult to hunt. The space only allows a maximum of 135cm length by 55cm wide piece of furniture. In my mind, I always wanted an antique scroll table with probably 2 drawers and display a white porcelain Laughing Buddha on it.

We tried Just Anthony but was always reminded that our space is too small.

Saw an advertisement from Li Bai. Popped in and found several pieces. But either the sizes was not right or the stain was not ideal.

I gave up.

Then I saw a piece of medicine chest tucked in a corner. Beautiful legs. Upturned flange. But the stain was just not right. I wanted a black stain with rubbed edges. The shop owner decided that she can stain it black and rubbed the edges. I was very tempted. I walked and walked around the shop just thinking if additional work to the piece of medicine chest would do justice. Then, we proceeded with the purchase.

Back home, I thought and thought. It would really not do justice to the piece of furniture with such nice wood veins, knots and rings. The black stain is going to destroy it! So, I picked up the phone and decided not to get it stained black.

Today, it was delivered.

TADAA!!!!

Looks like the wall space above the chest is just too empty…….

We Won!!!!

2008-02-22T11:37:00.003+08:00

We Won!!! We Won!!!

1st Youth Olympic Games in SINGAPORE

Somehow, the song by Queen " We Are The Champion" keeps lingering in my mind......

So....what's next?

Sports hub, Olympic Village, Upgrading of existing sports facilities.......

The construction industry to going to contribute more to the GDP growth with all these activities, not forgetting the proposed MRT lines and expressways. Looks like the growth in the construction industry is here to stay for more thana couple of years!!

Valentines

2008-02-15T11:59:00.005+08:00

Yesterday, my 'Ang' came back with this...........leaving it on the kitchen table and still in its Far East Flora plastic bag.

beerkaki: "Why no delivery one?"

Ang: "What no delivery? Special delivery somemore, I deliver myself, OK?

beerkaki: "Why no wrapping one?

Ang: "Less plastics, save the world!!"

Like dat also can??

I put them in different vases and the next morning, I saw this twirly thing!!

It bloomed from the bottom!!!

Abundance

2008-02-06T09:36:00.002+08:00

I received this from my cousin!!!

Isn't this beautiful? There are so may things….carrots, white radish, yam, charcoal, pineapple, pussy willow, spring onion, 2 orange coloured fruit, ang poa, flowers…….

I name it ABUNDANCE!!!

Prelude to the Rat Year

2008-02-05T10:55:00.002+08:00

Everyone is busy with preparing for the Chinese New Year. The cleaning, the food preparations, the shopping, etc….

I was preparing for the same until so many things struck…….

3 weeks before CNY, I was diagnosed with an ovarian cyst, a size of 8.5cm x 7cm, sitting in my uterus. The hassle of going for more tests, in and out of hospitals, is just tiring. And when one is so sedated after a colonoscopy, the doctor starts to bombard with even more of his analysis, sharing whatever much you can comprehend and ultimately leaving the doctor's clinic with as much understanding as you had just walked in. The only difference I realized? I have max out my credit card simply by walking in and out of the clinic!!!

The ordeal? A tiring one.

Then just one week before ushering the Rat, I dreamed of one of my deceased uncle. He was childless and had doted on me a lot. So I was made his god-daughter. I'll cut short on the dream. I decided to pay him a visit at the temple since it was his death anniversary. It was pouring en route to the temple. And since I can't just go empty handed without buying some "food" for him, I stopped by at a petrol kiosk and the only thing I could get hold of to offer the dead were chocolates, potato chips, biscuits and a can of iced coffee!!!

On the same day, I was also told that one of my grand aunt had passed away, at age 80. She is kinda of close grand aunt of mine. She is a nun and lives in a temple which we visit her every year during CNY. My dad's and sis's tablets are also in the same temple so I pop over to say hello to her every time I'm there and she will always give me a red packet. In fact, she had just attended my wedding 1 year ago!! I decided I had to attend her wake that night. So, I drove up to Tampines with my 86 year old grandma to pay our last respects. It was crowded. My great grandfather had 4 wives, so you can imagine the number of relatives there. But the crowd could not beat the chilly night. It was cold and wet…..and it somehow made it more depressing when the huge entourage of monks and nuns from the temple were chanting. Made me goose pimpled….but I felt peaceful.

On that same day, while having lunch with my ex colleagues, I was told that one of my ex-colleagues' brother had passed away in a road accident that morning!!! Another news of a death.

Yesterday night, while closing up the business for the day at HQ, we received a call from a staff from another outlet. There had been a fire outbreak!! Fire engines were called in!! We rushed down from HQ and arrived at the wet, burnt out scene. It was a disaster. The stall next to us was affected too. The whole place was burnt to black, now covered with powder and water. And I can still smell the smoke. The landlord was called in, the operating agent was called in, insurance surveyor was called in, statements were given, photos were taken. And…….? We couldn't contact the chef of that outlet!!! But the best thing that happened……. No casualty. All our workers were not hurt, just frightened. Thank Goodness!!

Random Ramblings

2008-01-29T19:07:00.001+08:00

2008 is going to be such an eventful year.....

A new President for United States of America.

A new President for Republic of China, Taiwan.

Beijing Olympics.

F1 night race in Singapore.

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I was at Lot 1 in Choa Chu Kang and realised the new shopping mall that SMRT had revealed. And I chanced upon this.....

They sell Pie Kia??

Whatever they sell, they have attracted my attention. "The Pie Kia Shop"....that's a very eye catching name!! In the end I realised they sell Pies.......

Anniversary and T3

2008-01-13T17:44:00.001+08:00

Christmas had passed. So does New Year. And yet I haven't posted much. What the hell have I been doing?

I have been working.

I have been sick. Sick since Christmas Eve all the way pass New Year.

I have been playing with Facebook.

Last Wednesday marks my 1^st wedding anniversary. Both of us were so drained after work that we didn't do anything, didn't go anywhere. So we went to Conrad yesterday for dinner. It wasn't really fantastic because I think we ordered the wrong things. After that we head off to T3, our anniversary coincides with the opening of T3.

All I can say is that T3 is really not that fantastic either. Probably I was tired and didn't walk too much. Probably because it's still new and all the shops are still not in operation, makes the whole place a bit quiet and less vibrant. Probably there is too much marketing done that there are exceeding expectations.

One thing though….remember this.....

Making a Wish

2007-12-20T17:07:00.000+08:00

It had been raining island-wide these couple of weeks.

I was travelling along ECP yesterday afternoon and saw a rainbow jutting out of the overcast sky. It was still drizzling.

I seldom look up the sky.....anyway, its always there!!

But when I was overseas, in UK, in US, I had a habit of looking up the sky. Probably because the weather is less predictable and more varied than Singapore's weather, especially during seasons change. At night, the stars twinkle brighter. Or probably because I simply missed home....

Back to my ECP ride. I look at the rainbow. It brought me back to Scotland. It was Easter and my classmates and I had planned for a Scotland drive up over the holidays. I remembered the poor old school days, we rented 2 Nissan March, 8 guys, 2 girls, 10 backpacks....all squeezed into that 2 little Nissan March.

I can't remember where exactly I was but along the mountainous Scottish rides where we practically see no end to the roads, we saw a rainbow. The weather was pretty much the same as while I was on ECP, wet, overcast and a little chilly.

One of classmate was lamenting that if you make a wish when one goes under the rainbow, the wish will come true. Well.....we weren't 3 year olds but twenty-somethings undergrads!!! Who would believe that!!! Anyway, rainbow is just merely a spectrum of light!!

But I.......secretly made a wish
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....I wished for a 1st class Honours.
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.....And it came true!!!

Then while on ECP, I wanted to make a wish too. I realised it is not so straight forward anymore!! I wanted to make wishes!!!!! Several things came into my mind. I wanted a strike Toto. I wanted to have a baby.....blah blah blah.....Then I decided on one......to be healthy. By then, the rainbow was not in sight anymore!!!!

Big Sigh!!!!...........The older you grow, the more aimless you are of what you want.

What do you want in life?

Closure

2007-11-29T14:53:00.001+08:00

Its been more than 2 weeks....

As much I need to close this chapter, I find it hard.

There is no photo to remember.
There is no columbarium to rest in eternity.
There is no identity to hold on to.
There, .......is no name.

You will always be in my heart.
You will always be my eldest child.

2007-11-23T18:13:00.001+08:00

R.I.P.

my baby

Reads

2007-11-11T17:39:00.000+08:00

As the word spreads, more friends, colleagues and family members got news of my pregnancy.

My in-laws are just so excited, from my mother-in-law, to sisters-in-law to my 3 little nieces and nephew. My 4 year old nephew even gave me his favourite numeric booklet saying "Jiu Mu, this book is for your baby."

My mother-in-law will fuss over food. She makes sure my meals are "not cooling", adding dashes of "heatiness" here and there.

My eldest sis-in-law will be concerned about my morning sickness, offering my preserved plums, aromatherapy.

My 2nd sis-in-law is the most classic, having 3 kids and taking care of them by herself. She packed all her maternity clothes, provided a list of baby "equipments" she can pass down. Basically, she had everything from baby cot to playpen, to car seats. This really saves us a lot of money!! But also kills the enjoyment in getting the nursery ready.

Then, I also choose a stack of books from my 2nd SIL, basically on Parenting. I only took a couple on pregnancy. Pregnancy is only 9 months. Parenting is probably a lifetime. My thought is "As long as I treat myself well, be happy, eat healthy, beware of the complications, the rest lies with the doctor. There's nothing much I can do either. The doctor will take good care of me and the baby!!"

Parenting is a whole different story. It is more liquid. No fix and fast rules, depending on the baby. And how the baby is going to grow up depends largely on the parents and their parenting skills. Look at the books!!

I have just finished "Jools Oliver - The diary of an honest mum". If anyone doesn't know her, you must have known her husband..........Jamie Oliver AKA The Naked Chef!! This book offers some factual, real life experiences from conceiving all the way to parenting and of course.....recipes for the kids!! How can they leave without sumptuous and healthy food tips!!

After reading the book, I was so excited that I am secretly hoping to care for my baby full time. Well.....just a thought!! Frankly, I don't know whether to work full time, part time or just stay at home. Don't want to jump into any decision that I'm not ready yet.

Anyway, back to books. I find that it is such a tedious job for my "Ang" to read up every step of my pregnancy. Those books can be real thick!! So, there is this book that is designed like a Table Calender. Every page is 1 week and it describes the baby's development, the size, what has formed, what the mother is going through, etc. It summarises everything in 1 page and when the next week comes, just flip it over and it will tell us what happen the next week. I thought this was perfect for my "Ang". So, I place it on the dining table. And before I knew it, I realised that my "Ang" had flipped the calender himself!!

Very GOOD!!!

Anyway.....I'm so overdosed with pregnancy books now that .....I'm re-reading Sun Tzu Art of War!!

This Time

2007-11-08T14:42:00.000+08:00

Left work early yesterday to visit my mother, since its Deepavali today.

My mother was looking out the window, as if she is in deep thoughts. Even when I called out to her, she didn't turn her head.

What was she thinking?

Moments later, she saw me.

She started making some sounds. She frowned. She moaned. She breathed heavily before a deliberate effort to swallow her saliva. She stared at me.

Somehow, her stare is telling something. She is in pain. She is suffering. She is sad.

"What is she trying to tell me?"

"What's on her mind?"

"Is she asking me to let her die?"

With all these questions and with her stare, she makes my heart heavy, she makes my heart sink. Probably its my preggie hormones working, my eyes started to well up, my tears started to flow.....uncontrollably.

Usually I managed to hold back any emotions in front of my mother. To let her know that I'm living well, that she needn't be worried for me, that she should continue to live well too. Everytime, I leave my mother's place having to wrap up my emotions, pick up the heavy heart and then move on, secretly telling myself "I'm prepared for the worse."

This time, probably its her condition worsening, probably its my hornones haywired.....I just wept uncontrollably - in front of her.

This time, probably I shocked my mother too. She stopped her moaning, her frowning .....she continued staring at me. And a while later, she turned away, looking out the window again.

This time, its just different.

Mission Accomplished

2007-11-04T16:14:00.000+08:00

Where shall I start????

Eversince my wedding in the beginning of the year, I was frequently asked the question of "When is the baby coming?"

My replies started with "Hopefully Soon" to "Still Trying" to "Don't know".....I practically gave up. Every month was filled with the dread of seeing Red, and has to face the truth to walk up to the gynae and open up my legs, the touch of cold metal while he examines if anything was wrong.

I practically gave up. I took up a full time job. I planned for a Macau trip next year with my in-laws.

All these while.....making love became a Misson, rather than Passion.

It was all wrong.

I can plan what to do over the weekend, wash the toilets, fill up my mum's prescription, prepare my 'Ang' favourite dish, transfer funds to another bank or even plan for a holiday.....you just cannot plan for a baby. It just doesn't pop!!!

Up until 2 weeks ago.....my mission was accomplished, only after I have set the mission way at the back of my mind.

I tested positive. To make sure, I bought another test kit in another brand (just to be sure!!) and ...tested positive...... again!!!

I was shocked. The least I've expected, it came. I could not believe it and had to make a trtp to the gynae's office, this time, armed with my 'Ang'......the next thing I heard the gynae said to me was

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CONGRATULATIONS!!!

There he/she is. Everything's so surreal!!

The first person I told was my mother.....there was no reaction from her. She was in her bad days, she was feeling really bad due to the lung infection.

Next was my granny......her reply was classic...... really amazes me........

"Gao2 Lah".......... while tapping my head.

"Gao" in Hokkien literally means clever in English. Regardless that I'm a 1st class honour student or my achievements at work, to her, I'm only clever when my eggs are hatched!! She is so proud of me for that!! Then she starts her list of Dos and Don'ts. While listening to her, I realised there were clouds in my eyes. I have never see my granny so happy for a long time. Her happiness did not come with laughter. She silently kneeled down in front of her altar, placed her palms together and did a silent prayer. She must have did that a lot for me......

Few days ago, she called me on my mobile. I was quite shocked to see her number on my phone ID and thought something serious must have happened for her to call me. I quickly picked up ......all she said was

"I forget to tell you that you cannot drink Ching Chow too".

This is my Granny.

As for my 'Ang'.......he didn't show much of an excitement though, as he always is. His choice of adjectives has been revolving between "OK" and "Not Bad" ever since I knew him. To grade his subordinates an "A" for their annual performance review is almost alien. He is the typical organised, principled disciplinarian. What he did to me was very "disciplinarian"...

"cannot eat this"
"enough, no more coffee"
"cheese can eat meh"

He even drew up an Excel sheet listing the hand-me-downs from his sister and what needs to be bought. He stocked up the kitchen with milk, biscuits and fruits.

One day, he came home......buying me this.....knowing I would definitely be happy seeing it.....

I am glad that people around me are so happy for us. I am glad that I can bring happiness to the people around me with just a tiny 2-4mm growth inside me.

Happiness is all around. Love is all around. Thank you.

O2

2007-10-22T17:12:00.001+08:00

It was my mother's bi-monthly doctor appointment.

The doctor came to the house with her 2 big bags and nurses along. The usual check up. The usual medication top up. The usual chit chat.

This time. The check up prolonged. The medications increased. The chit chat prolonged.

I was told to be prepared. One of my mother's lung has nearly collapsed, taking in less than 70% of oxygen. Her muscles and flesh had hardened. No wonder she has been yawning a lot lately.

We had to lower her milk and water intake just to minimise the risks of water backflowing from her stomach to her lungs. One of the lungs had a slight infection which gave her a mild fever. She had to take antibiotics now.

Mother has almost reached the 5-year mark. Datas revealed that once the 5-year mark is crossed, the patient could probably lived another 3 years before the 8-year mark. Once the 8-year mark is crossed, the patient should be able to hold it through.

The way to go.....I think an Oxygen Concentrator is needed......

Smiles and Worries

2007-10-20T10:38:00.000+08:00

These few days, I find myself smiling to myself at times.

But in other times, I start to worry.......my nightmare starts.

When it comes to my body, I'm not a confident person.

Want Son?

2007-10-18T09:55:00.000+08:00

Had been working so hard.....and no contributions to this blog. Well, didn't really want to talk about work here.....

Brought my mum over to my place to stay for a few nights. I really liked it when she is around, I popped into her room whenever I come home, talked to her, complained to her about my work, asked her if she is feeling OK ...... all these in a one-way conversation......she can't talk. But I like to engage her in my life. I would sit on her bed looking at her while she tries hard to open her eyes but closes for a few minutes and reopens a few minutes later. I lie down beside her inthat small super single bed.

But she gets fidgety a few days later..... She gave me black face.....like she wants to go home.

After 4 days 3 nights, I sent her home on a Sunday. I reached my brother's home AKA my mother's home and realised I didn't bring the house key. Called my brother to check if he's home and guess what my brother said on the phone....

"MOTHER NOT AT HOME MEH??? MAID LEH???"

"WTF?? Wah Lau??!!! 4 days 3 nights already..... and you don't know mum is not at home?? I SMS-ed you that I'll bring mum over my place!!!"

At this point..... I don't know whether to laugh or to cry. The house very big meh?

I know I know, my brother VERY busy!!

Wonder if he will know if my mum pass away at home.....Hmmmm....

Want son lah.....this is what a son will do to you!!!!

Reunion

2007-10-13T16:12:00.001+08:00

Heard that one of my ex-colleagues is leaving the company. Took this chance to meet up with the rest of the gang.

All of us had since left the company, except for one.

We saw one of them got married and gave birth to a daughter, now almost a year old.

We saw one of them went through her fiance's cancer treatment and recovery

We saw one of them went through her child's schooling years.

They saw me fell in love and got hitched.

We met at Liquid Kitchen in Upper Thomson. Had a few rounds of drinks before all turned up......including all our spouses.........

A big family.

Suay Or What?

2007-10-05T19:29:00.000+08:00

The lift I took got stalled.It was just 30 seconds since I've stepped out of my house. And best, no network in the lift. When I emerge, I was onthe thirteenth floor. And the lift next to it shows "Under Maintenance".

For the longest time I remembered taking a bus, I took one today and the bus broke down at the second bus-stop where I boarded. Got so "zhun" or not? I have to wait for the next bus which by then, is utterly crowded with 2 loads of passengers.

Am I suay or what?

MIA

2007-10-04T19:02:00.000+08:00

Its been almost a month since I've last posted. It makes me wonder what have I been doing since.....??? Let me think......

I went for a short trip to Langkawi, which makes my granny so worried that she called me to make sure I was not affected by the earthquake.

I bought about 10 boxes of mooncake as gifts.

I had replaced my Palm Treo to Nokia E61i, now that I want to find out what I've been doing in the past month, my Calender in my new phone doesn't show, which makes recalling tough.

I had made a "Ultraman-face" agar agar for my nephew's birthday bash.

I followed up on my gynae's appointment to find out that my eggs are doing well.

In restrospect, I actually did nothing huh??!! Then why am I getting more tired, returning home later, sleeping lesser?

One thing for sure, I'm now writing from my new office while waiting for the next candidate to turn up for the interview.

Probably that's why.....

Overload

2007-09-09T22:09:00.001+08:00

Had a lot to download this week.

First I received a 'gift'. Well, I don't know whether I should call it a gift per se, but I like to see it that way. It took me by surprise. It was sealed in a company envelope, I thought it was work related. When I opened it ..................

WTF? What's this?

It's actually a write up, in a form of a thesis, but written in a way that is addressed to me i.e. referring to "you" and "me" in a dialogue sense, in a way when I read it, I actually thought he is just sitting beside me talking to me!!

For once, I felt honoured that someone had written an article like that, just for me!! I would say its a good read. Luckily for the writer, we are not working in US, or else there is definitely cause for sexual harrassment charges for the analogies he's written. Need I say more? Whatever it is, I thank him for sharing his ideas with me.

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I had been accompanying my "Ang" whenever he gets his haircut. Not that I'm interested in how his haircut will turn out (anyway he has been having that crew cut eversince I don't know when), just that the place is full of nostalgia.

My 'Ang' has been going to the same barber for .......let me see.....probably........16 years!!!????

See...... can feel the nostalgia liao?

Oh....don't see them small small barber shop, occupying only half of a shop space. They are big timers there OK? They got regulars like my 'Ang' who grew up in Farrer Court, they got the regular Ah Peks who lives around the vicinty, they got the regular big 'tao kay' who come in their big car, they got the family man who come with their offspring in tow, at the same time have their haricut - Father & Son, they even got Ang Moh!!! And everytime the bell rings when the door swings, they would definitely know who they are and acknowledge them, its like their friend.

I had only been visiting them for about 2 years. Everytime I sit on that upholstered bench waiting for my 'Ang', I listened to their conversation with their regulars. They talked about their parents, their children, where have they moved to, how much they paid for that condo, which vacation they took, what they worked as.......so much so that there was once that my 'Ang' has to respond to an emergency call and that the haircut was half done, the barber knew he had to quicken his snips. He even told my 'Ang' to come back and get the hair properly done after his emergency call. This was how well they know their customers.

They had seen my 'Ang' go to school, went to Army, graduate from NUS, found a job, got a girlfriend, then a wife.......They have increased their price from $5 to $9........but their service remains the same, their shopfront remains the same......see the row of posters pasted on the wall? I bet they must be there at least a decade or two.

It's difficult to find places like these now. With en bloc development, town redevelopment, a lot has bite the dust. Even their nearest neighbour, Farrer Court, couldn't resist the billion dollar deal swinging in front of them.

I hope to bring my offspring there one day........

Family Day

2007-09-03T16:27:00.000+08:00

My S-I-L planned for a picnic yesterday at East Coast. The kids were all excited but we were met with all obstacles!! We is 'Sway'.

First, there was this Trialthalon going on in the morning and part of the service roads were closed. It re-opened at 2pm. So, we planned to reach there at 2pm.

Then, came the pouring and the thunder. Were all stucked at home until everyone was getting lethargic. So, decided to go ahead, thinking probably the eastern part of Singapore is dry.

Reached East Coast. Still raining. Tummies were rumbling and we couldn't tahan anymore. What to do? Eat in the car lor. So, in Carpark C2, 3 cars were parked alongside and munching away the food prepared.

Then I is 'hand like leg, leg like hand', my food ended up like that!!

By the time I cleared up, the rain stopped so the kids were happily looking forward to their cycling!! Frankly, I came for the picnic and thought I would just lie around the beach and relax. But the ground were so wet, even with the ground sheet, its still soaked. So, the picnic became a cycling trip. All of us, including my parents-in-law, 2 SIL, 2 BIL, 3 kids and my 'Ang' went cycling. 11 bicycles altogether.

Wah Roaz.... I can't even recall when was the last time I cycled. I didn't even planned to sweat that day!! Turn out that our family entourage became the road bully at East Coast.

By the time we rested, my backside is already numb!!

3 generations, an outing, laughter......and aches for me.

Values

2007-09-01T11:11:00.001+08:00

Had a few episodes of dealing with the youngsters recently. Somehow, I'm amazed at how they see the value of money nowadays.

I had to work hard at earning my own keeps. No matter how much or little I make, it comes with my own 'sweat and blood!'

I was approached to be an investor for a venture. After listening to this young chap selling his 'idea', I had a few questions for him. Of course I have to, right? To understand in depth his business concept and the probable returns. And for what he said, killed the whole discussion apart.

"This amount is nothing to you what. You earn so much. Can't you just help me out here?"

This completely blew the deal off. Whether I'm rich or not is not the onus in deciding whether I should invest. Yes, it does determine my ability to invest. But he needs to justify business sense to me! What he is telling me is that I can afford to lose this amount of money and I should help him for the sake of ……? …….helping him!!!??? What ludicrous thought!! He simply sees my money as easy money!! Where are his values?

I can continue to grumble as much as I can….. and look at this beautiful world…..

PS: I'm not rich as the young chap thought to be.

Junkie

2007-08-27T11:34:00.000+08:00

I have been noticing a trend with my 'Ang'. Come every Sunday night, he will ask me this:

"So where will you be reporting work tomorrow?"

Frankly, I need to refer to my Palm to find out. I carry 4 portfolios.

Luckily my term with the hospital is ending this month.

My family business had jumpstarted another outlet, kind of stablized after 2 weeks of operation. Well, that's before the next wave of problem comes.

My freelance construction job will be running tight schedules with the upcoming tender calling, tender evaluation, tender interview, tender negotiation, etc....

And my newest kid on the block requires most efforts. Understanding their operations, drawing up website and marketing plan, finding growth and expanding coverage.

I is a junkie.

A Sign

2007-08-25T11:44:00.000+08:00

Recently, I met up with a friend who now resides in Shanghai. We put in deliberate efforts to keep in touch. Her years in Beijing and Shanghai. My years in UK and US. We always return to Singapore whenever our term ends.

Now that her kids are in their schooling years, she puts them in an international school in Shanghai and whenever she comes back to Singapore for a few months, her kids follow her and she chucks them into their primary schools in Singapore for a few months. I would say this is a unusual way of a typical parent who shuffles their kids routine life.

I completely agree with my friend's unsual way of bringing her kids up, given her cirsumstance. Her kids will be exposed to a broad education systems, having international exposures, classmates from different nationalities, yet at the same time, attend a Singapore local school, studying in the academic driven education system, spending time with grandparents....my list can go on..... The impetus is....can the kid cope?

My bet is YES. We, adults, typically undermines the ability of kids' adaptability. Adults naturally determines what is best for their kids before even allowing them to try it.

Take this for example (I saw this on a MRT train). A mother and child (I called her Child Z) boards the train. The mother inevitably looks for seats as most adults have the pre-programmed mindset of getting a seat on the train is something theu should do. When a seat becomes available, the mother would give the seat to the child Z so that the child remains in a 'protected' and 'stable' confines and that....its 'GOOD'.

However, within that same MRT, is another child (I call her Child P) who is irritating other commuters by not sitting, trying to balance in that moving cabin, playing with the poles and trying to catch the hanging bars by jumping.

Child Z looks at Child P in awe. Child Z would probably enjoy standing but was told to sit. She would probably want to try to balance in that moving cabin but was told to sit. All these due to Mother's preconcept that it is for her own good. But deep inside, she is in envy, in awe of Child P.

So, what's so wrong with standing? Fear of kids injuring themselves? Fear of ......? Or a pre programmed notion in the brain that sitting is good? So what if they fall? Fall then!!....and let them understand what is pain lah!!!

I spoke about the above scenario when another of my friend told me of her plan to migrate to Australia. She said it is a better place for her kids to grow up, more space to run.

"What utter rubbish", I said "What makes you think that its a better place for your kids to grow up? That's what you think it will be!!! Not what it will materially be!!! And possibly not exactly what the kids want!!"

How about the grandparents? Why did we chose our young rather than our parents/ancestors? That the old has lived their lives and waiting for death that there should not be any quality? My list of questions can go on and on......

I have been stirring over these thoughts for some time. And somehow I relate them to my inability to conceive now. Someone up there is showing me something, is telling me something.....

Good Deed, Good Feeling

2007-08-15T20:04:00.000+08:00

Happiness comes from helping people. It just makes me feel good.

I had to take a train to Novena today. At 9am, the usual peak hour rush is over and I could easily find a seat, and was seated beside an old auntie, probably of 60 years age. By the time the train got to Sembawang, the seats are full and I stood up to offer to an elderly woman.

Well, this is Good Deed No. 1. I is happy already.

Later, I realized the 60+ year old aunty is kinda lost. She keeps asking the passenger next to her what station is this, where is this train going, etc. She turned around and waved at me and asked me the same questions – in Hokkien.

Aunty: What is the next station?

Beerkaki: Next station is Ang Mo Kio. Where are you going?

Aunty: I want to sit until it ends (literally translated from Hokkien)

Beerkaki: Sit until it ends will bring you to Marina Bay. You wanna go Marina Bay? Bing Hai Wan?

Aunty: I want to sit until it ends.

She repeated this several times until I can no longer help her in anyway. Then, she pulled out a little blue booklet from her bag and pointed the address on the book. I looked at it. Seriously, I don’t know where it is. But I know what place it is.

I asked the Aunty to alight on the next station with me while I call to find out where is the place. The operator directed to alight at either Woodlands or Yishun, then take a feeder bus. The aunty says she will take a taxi from the MRT station, so Yishun will be nearer.

Apparently, we have passed Yishun and now need to cross the platform to take it the opposite direction. I keep telling her she must alight at Yishun but she kinda don’t know, or even heard of Yishun. So, I brought her to the opposite platform, seek help from a lady who is going that direction and instructed her to tell the aunty when it reached Yishun. Before I left, she keep telling me Thank You, numerous times.

Well. This is the end of my Good Deed No. 2

I had been thinking, while in the train on my way to my destination which I’m going to be utterly late, I should be the one to say THANK YOU to the aunty. For giving me a chance to help her, for making me feel good, for making me happy.

AUNTY, YOU MAKE MY DAY. THANK YOU!!

I continued to think and start to emphathise the aunty. She is helpless and quite poor (cos' I asked her to take a taxi from Ang Mo Kio and she was afraid the taxi fare will be too expensive), but for the love she has, she was determined to make the trip. She was holding a plastic bag, within it a small packet of beehoon (I guess) and a pair of wooden chopsticks.

I hoped she found her way to Khalsa Crescent Prison.

Hungry Ghost, Human Ghost

2007-08-13T19:16:00.000+08:00

I don't think no one will ever miss it cos' its everywhere. The burning of incense, candles and incense paper. The smell of incense.... gives me peace and makes me smile!!

Today, its the 1st first day of the hungry ghost festival. And........?

I MET A GHOST TODAY!!!!

This ghost is female. Quite pretty. But has a foul mouth. She interchanges herself from ghost to devil (What's the difference? I don't know). Sometimes, camoflauge herself in an angel suit. But once she opens her mouth, bats flew out from it.

This ghost is a human ghost. We see them everyday. We meet them everyday. We talk to them everyday. We probably work in the same office.

I was interrupted by this human ghost today. Though I must say I was quite disrupted by it, I listened to her blabber, listened to her nonsense. But I saw her insecurities, her inadequacies.

That brought me to Blinkymummy's, or should I say 'Good Fren' observation - "these people blame others because other people bring contrast to these people's inadequacies. They see what they are not born with, what they have not worked for."

In fact, I pity these human ghost. They lived their lives based on other people's lives. The way they talk are based on who these people are, what these people have. The way they behave are based on how rich or poor these people are. They laughed when the rich laughed. And they will always be stucked in this human ghost realm.

Who is scarier? Human Ghost Or Hungry Ghost?

My Housewarming Gifts

2007-08-09T16:13:00.000+08:00

My housewarming gifts.....8 months after I shifted into my new abode, it arrived.....from United States Of America!!!!

They were gifts from my three buddies, acquainted back when I was in the States. One of them happened to be my Secondary School mate but only got closed when we were in foreign land. And later today, I'm attending her baby's full month celebration.

My buddies knew that I loved Martha Stewart stuffs. Well, who can resist cheap, durable and well designed stuffs. So, they pooled together a sum of money (in US$ hor) and asked me to check out the Martha Stewart website. E, one of my buddy currently residing in US was the runner - buying, packing, arranging free shipment, coordinating, etc.......... Well, I did more than just Martha Stewart, I also checked out Target lah, Kmart lah, Walmart lah.......And these are what I chose.

Look like Tupperware party right? Only its better.

This is my favourite - Bodum Creamer and Sugar Set.

I also ordered a 3 compartment laundry basket and while my 'Ang' was assembling it, he noticed this.

This laundry basket travelled round the world to get here!! I won't be surprised most of the stuff I've got are Made in China.

Anyway, by the time I opened up everything, I realised something.......

Half the items are for my buddy's baby. Looks like E had a huge shopping spree at Tanger Factory Outlet. And I have to bring them over to the party later......

Thank You, Ladies!!!

Hungry Ghost

2007-08-09T15:46:00.000+08:00

My 'Ang' had been pestering me to prepare steamboat for quite sometime. First of all, I don't even have that electric steamboat pot to start with. Was in Isetan to get one, not because we love Isetan. Just happened that I still have $100 voucher from one of my housewarming gift which if I don't spend it still, its going to get expired or get lost somehow.

Household department at Isetan had a facelift!! Modern and bright.

Anyway, on National Day eve, we went supermarketing after work. By the time we got home, set up the steamboat, washed the vegetables, cut the tou hu, etc........its past 8pm.....and I'm a hungry ghost already. The best part is......waiting for that packet chicken stock to boil. I'm really fainting already. To make me feel worse, we caught a variety show in Channel 8 called "Pai Pai Zhan, Cha Cha Kan" (Take a queue and check it out, something like that) hosted by Bryan Wong and the singer turned actor/host/writer. Whatever I see is "Zhi De" lor.

Then out of desperation, I buey tahan already, I took this from the fridge to 'tong' my hunger.

This dinner took at least 2 hours to finish. No rice, no meat, only vegetables, tang hoon, fishballs, mushroom balls, touhu, mushroom, baby corn.....we were sitting on the floor, eating, waiting for the food to cook, watching TV, resting, eating again, talking, waiting again.......This is bliss.

Then Channel 5 was showing "My Big Fat Greek Weddding". I watched this show before and I loved it. This time when I watched it, it suddenly strike me that Singapore should make a show similar to this. 2 different person from backgrounds, faling in love and how both gels into each other's family background. I call this racial harmony. To top it off, make it the Uniquely Singapore way.

New Sheets, Old Friend

2007-08-06T19:34:00.000+08:00

Was roaming around Orchard today and remembered Aussino having a Sale. So, with complimentary VIP card from my cousin, I trot down to Paragon and bought sheets with a vengence!! 40% discount!!!! Cotton Sateen is BEST!

Bumped into Pet at Paragon. He is so damn long life!! I just blog about his father's shop - Just Anthony, and now bump into him. Frankly, I can hardly recognise him.....before long, we were recalling our drinking times at One Tree Hill, a once cosy development that succumbed the En Bloc frenzy. Another one bites the dust.

OK, back to Pet. Turned out that he is a super high high flyer property agent now. Of course lah, so many richie rich friends as his potential customers, which owns more than 1 property at anytime. Especially when the property market is booming like gold, diamonds and emeralds!!

New sheets. Old Friend.

Sunday

2007-08-05T19:28:00.000+08:00

Finally, I remembered this weekend is a MAAD weekend. So we marched down to the red dot building.

Saw some works in the name of DESIGN!!! My 'Ang' tried hard to understand the arty farty, especially when we saw an item called BIOPOD. Its actually a coffin made out of white plastic that was designed to cater and meet the needs of a disaster i.e. high and fast demand of coffins. I was actually quite surprised that anyone would take coffin as their design motive. But my 'Ang', whose livelihood and career is to save lives and participate in disaster rescue mission, simply laughed "A body bag is good enough."

Then, in the scorching sun, we had this....

PEANUT ICE KACHANG. Famous one, ok? Located at Tanjong Pagar Food Centre. There are lots of good and cheap food but because it is Sunday, most of the stalls were closed. Then, I had a sudden urge of eating "Ke Ai Ji"!!! Drove all the way down to Clementi to get this.

Don't ask me why the knife is there.

New Addition

2007-08-05T10:27:00.001+08:00

I have a new addition to my house!!

TA DAA!!!

I know, I know....I is Cheena! Who on earth in my era will buy Pheonies pictures? I love antiques and old oriental furnitures. But they are just always so expensive.

Anyway, I bought this 'Pin Fong' or screen from Just Anthony. My 'Ang' and I had been there several times and I always like their furnitures but they are either too big or too expensive. We have been looking for a console table for my entrance lobby for months but chanced upon this 'Pin Fong'. I actually saw another one in gold with 9 goldfish. And as usual, its too big to fit in my tiny abode. The uncle even suggested dismantling 2 of the 6 panels so to fit in our space. And as usual, my rational 'Ang' who seldom buys on impulse refuse to commit that day. We got home, pulled the measuring tape and decided to hiong the purchase.

The uncle at Just Anthony is very nice, actually this uncle is the boss - Mr Lim. Gave me great discount. Coincidentally, I knew his son, who is one of my beerkaki back in the old days - the UK click.

By the way, here's what the Pin Fong reads:

Two Bad Bricks

2007-08-02T19:58:00.000+08:00

It's a depressing day.

But I thought of Ajahn Brahm's book 'Opening the Door to Your Heart' and one of its story.....'Two bad bricks'.

I have met some bad people. But there will always be some good ones around....

The Life Saving Force

2007-07-31T20:17:00.001+08:00

While sending my "Ang" to work this morning, saw these 3 fire engines with the beacon lighted up.

Don't they look gorgeous? They still amaze me.

Then my "Ang" told me this display is an everyday event in the morning, they test the fire engines, rhinos, bikes every day.

Do you know that all fire station are open to public on Saturday morning? There is even a guided tour and hands on demonstrations.

Makes me want to pay a visit to one......

Tomorrow

2007-07-30T19:50:00.000+08:00

Tomorrow - my last day at my current work place. But I might be returning once a week until the project ends.

Tomorrow - I'm representing my CEO to give a speech to the nurses in celebration of Nurses Day.

Tomorrow - I'm representing my CEO in a farewell party for one of the doctors.

Tomorrow - I promise myself to do laundry and ironing....which has been piling in my spare room.

Tomorrow - is pay day

It will always be a day away.

Live Encounter

2007-07-28T21:56:00.000+08:00

Most of us dread walking into a hospital. It had an association with the sick and the dead. Little associate it with recovery as we typically recuperate at home.

I, for now, associate hospital as my new work place. Meeting the sick, the injured, the doctors, the nurses, the pharmacist, the therapist, the radiographer, the radiologist, became a daily affair.

For some work reason, I had to speak to a doctor and went to the A&E department where he was on duty. Somehow, he was attending to a patient with a head injury. I decided to return again but the doctor asked me to stay and have the discussion right there and then!!

It turn out to be a one way discussion as the doctor went on and on .......I, for once, was dumbfounded, staring at him injecting a local anaethesia to the patient's head, seeing the patient shiver controllably, blood flowing out from his head flushing his face, ear and neck, seeing the doctor stitching up the wound......all these while the doctor was talking and having our "discussion". In fact, I wasn't listening to the doctor, I just heard sound, not words. It was my first hand experience at the A&E treatment room - live.

At the end of the day, I was still thinking about it. Then I made a comparison. Just like when we were in a 5 star restaurant, food was great, presentation was perfect, service (most probably) is excellent. But when we cross into the kitchen, we would probably be in third world.

This best described my experience at the A&E treatment room that day.

Another thought came to me. Or is this called professionalism? Just like when a soldier needs to protect his country and disassociate his act as killing, a doctor needs to focus on the treatment and disassociate the pain?

Where's the care and concern? I continue to wonder......

Connection

2007-07-22T21:00:00.000+08:00

I had been bad. I hardly had time to visit my mum recently. Only visited her on Saturdays.

She hasn't been able to open her eyes for long, even when we put her in front of the TV watching one of her favourite show - Planet's Funniest Animals. She used to make some chuckle. Now, she hardly watched for 1 min before closing her eyes.

I also realised changes on her fingernails. She has ribbed nails now.

There's one thing I find it amazing, she likes to stare at my 'Ang'. Whenever my 'Ang' greeted her, she stares at him and her eyes follow where my 'Ang' goes. That's when I told my 'Ang': "Better treat her daughter well, or else she will not let you off!!"

I had always felt something missing between my mum and my 'Ang'. Theoritically speaking, my mum never got to know my 'Ang'. She was already sick and lost her speech when I introduced my then boyfriend, AKA my 'Ang', to her. I didn't really get to know if my mum had liked my 'Ang' or not, or if she thought he's a good man or not, or if she agreed to our marriage or not, or if she blessed our union or not. She never really knew her son-in-law.

So does my 'Ang'. He never actually knew my mum. Yet he gave her "Pin Jin" on our wedding, he paid for her caregiver, he carried her up the flight of stairs to her room when me and the caregiver struggled and he visited her every Saturday.

That is the kind of relationship they have, connected by love.

The love of a daughter. The love of a husband.

I am their only connection.

Blank

2007-07-18T20:44:00.000+08:00

I have not been blogging a lot.

I've tried logging in to blogger for several times.....trying to write....but my mind is blank. Nothing comes to my mind, except work, work and work.

Even now as I'm trying to write that I'm tired, my mind just couldn't construct the sentence.

Meeting People

2007-07-14T14:32:00.000+08:00

Meeting people has been my cup of tea, having been in the Sales & Marketing environment for years.

I met 2 new people at my new job.

One being my subordinate, one being my indirect boss.
One being young, one being old.
One having a list of qualifications in his name card, one having none.
Both being men, both being.......full of themselves!!!

I complained to my 'Ang' about this subordinate. Getting myself agitated, getting myself still thinking about him after work, discussing about how youngsters nowadays doesn't seem to listen and commit to their work.

My 'Ang' listened and replied "You only had one to deal with. I have hundreds. So now you know why I didn't want to talk about work."

Work-Life Balance Lesson No.1: To disengage work when home.

It's Official!

2007-07-07T10:37:00.000+08:00

It was a hectic week and my cousin suggested we chill out over dinner and drinks since it was Friday (yesterday). So, all of us gathered at my auntie's place while scratching out heads where to go. I think all of us are so drained that there is hardly any juice left in our brains.

One of my male cousin also popped in, knowing we are all there, with his wife and 4 months old daughter in tow. It was my first time meeting the little 4 month old. I approached the little body and carried her in my arms while her eyes scouted for her mother.

Then, my cousin suddenly chided his baby, saying "This is Toa Yee, call Toa Yee, TOOAA YEEEE....."

In some unknown corners of my brain, some brain juice just woke me up. "What? I'm Toa Yee meh? I thought she's supposed to call me Cheh Cheh or something?"

It's really a wake up call. It's official - I'm an Auntie!!!

----------------------------------

Moments later, my younger brother, 3 years my junior, somehow also popped in. He saw the little girl and brought him smiles on his face. Then, lightning strike twice!! "This is Toa Gu....call toa gu.....TOOAAA GUUuu....."

You can imagine the same stunned face.

Lifeline

2007-07-06T08:29:00.001+08:00

I had been swamped again ..... with work...needing me at 3 places at the same time.

And so happened that my mum needed a PEG surgery at the same time. 9 months since the last replacement of the gastronomy tube. Her medicine and milk were fed into her body through this tube. This is her lifeline, in a way.

It was bad of me. I admitted her to the hospital early in the morning while I reported to my new workplace at the hospital. I left her there with the caregiver while I attended meetings and meetings throughout the day, until the surgeon came at 5.30pm. By the time she got discharged, it pass 7pm. I was so drained that I didn't send my mum back, instead I brought her back to my place for the night. Though it wasn't the first time she visited my place, her eyes were wide open, scrolling left to right, up and down. She was at ease after a while and slept through the night without a sound.

In fact, my mum was so comfortable that I realised there were 2 uncomfortable souls in the house - my "Ang" and the caregiver.

My "Ang" had to put on a T-shirt (usually he is semi-naked at home) cos' the caregiver is at around. The caregiver was busily 'hiding' in the kitchen and yard (dunno doing what she was doing but keeping herself occupied). I was so zonked that I fell asleep by 10pm.

I guess my 'Ang' was so uncomfortable with additional people in the house that his usual morning routine became haywired. He even forgot to kiss and hug me goodbye in the morning before he let for work!!!!

Game?

2007-07-01T13:03:00.001+08:00

Cyber games have been the hype since Singapore organised the World Cyber Games.

Kids, adults, females have their fair share.

Sometimes I wonder on our lives, operating like a cyber game, or any computer game for that matter. Going through every stage, accomplishing some tasks, gaining some energy/money/weapons along the way, promoted to another stage, accomplishing another set of tasks, gaining more energy/money/weapons. By failing the stage, you get to replay it again, losing some of the money/energy/weapons gained. The only difference, we can restart the whole game from the beginning, but we cannot restart our life again. We can fail in our life and try again, but not restart.

Assuming I'm playing my life as a "game", I should be in the marriage stage. As I lived through married life, kisses will be as reward when the dinner is well done, the love bar decreases when the toilet is not cleaned. A bouquet of flowers when the laundry was well done.

Vice versa for the husbands, no kisses when the sink is still clogged, no hugs when the light bulb is not changed, no sex when there is no income.

Once we've accomplished enough kisses, hugs, love bar and sex, then we can proceed to the next stage - Parent stage.

Of course, we have to set the parameters before we begin.

I wonder if my 'Ang' is game for this. Are you?

Saturday Night

2007-06-30T22:05:00.000+08:00

Drove my "Ang" early in the morning to work.
Finally, I got a chance to use the car.
Met my new employer.
Ran some errands.
Visited my mum.
Came home, nua a while
And went to in-laws for the ritual Saturday dinner - alone.

Its a boring Saturday.

And its gonna be a boring Saturday night.
My 'Ang' still at work.
Don't think he will be back until next morning 7 am.

The barbeque pits are full tonight. I can smell the food.
The swimming pool is packed. I can see the ripples.
And I'm home, watching Come On Jin Shun.......alone.

How do you spend your Saturday??

Zzzzzzz.......

2007-06-28T21:00:00.000+08:00

After my "Ang" was called up for an emergency yesterday at 9pm, he only managed to come home 10 mins ago.....today at 8pm..... Strictly speaking, for the past 36 hours, he only rested 2 hours.

He is so zonked.

So am I.

Somehow, I keep waking up in the middle of the night to see if he's back. I couldn't sleep soundly.

Now......we got to Koon......Zzzzz

Swamped

2007-06-27T21:35:00.000+08:00

My phone had been ringing non-stop today. Apparently I'm wanted everywhere, all of a sudden.

I need to be at home for the Singtel guy to install my Mio.
I was supposed to be in my office, preparing for my tender, scheduled to call next Monday.
I was informed I need to be in a meeting at 4.30pm about a proposal I've written for my family business.
I was informed that my new Employer needs to meet me, urgently.

Siao Liao Lor!! How to split my body? And why all last minute?

By the time I got home, its already past 9pm. I is swamped. But I was surprised by these.......

My "Ang"...........bought these from Far East Flora. No fancy packaging, but just 2 bouquets of flowers at wholesale prices. But I is HAPPY!!

But before I could put them in vases, my "Ang" received a call and had to rush to work. Before he stepped out of the door, he turned to me and said "No need to wait for me, you sleep first".

He must be saving some lives now.

How to make baby like that???

Nature's Remedies

2007-06-24T18:03:00.000+08:00

After applying the cream that the doctor prescribed, my face doesn't seem to improve. Worse, oil pimples started to appear!!

So......I decided to take heed my Ah Mah's "prescription".

My "Ang" and I trot down to East Coast yesterday. The weather was great and I jumped into the sea, splashing my face with the sea water, soaking my body for a good 15mins. Then, came ashore tanning for 10 mins before running down the sea again for another 5 mins. Then, tanning again.

I secretly wonder...."How much money do I have to spend again for my whitening products!!"

Back at home, I washed my face again with some kitchen sea salt.

Boiled a pot of green bean soup and took like 3 bowls!

Remembered I had a bottled of XO from one of the hampers I received for Chinese New Year. Dig that out and double boiled it. Dabbed the XO with cotton wool and apply on my face. "Wah lau....very hot lor". Repeated this for like 4 times. Thanks to my "Ang", he was so sweet to apply that hot XO on my face. After he completed, he cheekily said: "If you are stopped by TP, you'll definitely be booked as drink driving, no testing needed! And to prove that you are innocent, just torch your face!!! hahaha....."

This is my "Ang".

----------------------------------

This morning when I woke up......WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH........The rashes subsided.

I is relieved.

Thanks to Nature's Remedies - Sun, Sea and AH MAH!!

Local Artiste

2007-06-22T18:11:00.000+08:00

I'm either treading on thin ice or striking a few chords here.

I chanced upon this news bulletin on TV about a launch of a Jack Neo's new movie, casting Fann Wong. The usual interview, blah blah blah.....and as reporters are...they asked about Christopher Lee.

To qualify myself before I'm being bombarded by Fann's fans, I'm neither a fan nor foe of Fann or Chris.

I was taken aback by Fann's manager. That she/he intercepted the question before Fann can react. Fann hasn't even say anything yet. The manager said something like "Bu Hui Da" (Not replying). And the news clip ended abruptly on TV.

Frankly, I wasn't interested in what Fann has got to say about Christopher's offence. What pissed me was Fann's Manager, acting like an overly protected parent.

A parent may be able to send their daughter to the best schools, and with the child's ability, top the O levels, championing the name for their schools, perhaps even ultimately finding a good job and good money. The parent may even shortlist the companies their daughter should work for, perhaps even write the resume for them. But it is the daughter herself who is going for the job interview, meeting the interviewer, face to face, answering questions by herself.

Fann will probably be always protected by her manager, unable to react to impromptu situations. She will probably never get the chance to learn in this shielded environment. She may excel in her career as an actress, but hardly make it as an international celebrity.

And so coincidentally, I was watching "Zao An Ni Hao" this morning and she was with 3 actors, promoting Channel 8's new drama - Lucky Star or something like that. There, she was able to tell the audience, annouce to public to respect her privacy, blah blah blah and stop asking about her and Chris. I mean, can't you do that when you were first interviewed during Jack Neo's cut? Probably Fann wanted. Her manager didn't.

Not only should they be good at what they do - acting, they should be "brought up" knowing how to deal with the media!! And I believe, this will bring any local artiste a good leap forward the international platform.

Being a celebrity, wake up your idea lor, the media is never gonna separate private life with reel life. Because the media believes you - the celebrity - has a public responsibility!! For the precise reasons you were endorsed by product companies, you have a responsibility towards the public on what you endorse, on what you represent, of who you are.

The only sickening thing is - when the media distorts the truth.

For the truth - stand out, stand up and speak for yourself!!

Final thought - Manager Buey Steady.

Reaction

2007-06-22T17:53:00.000+08:00

By some Nabei luck, I kena allergic reaction!!!!!

My face and neck is full of rashes. Red, Swollen & Itchy!!! Luckily, my body is quite alright. After thinking what went wrong, I concluded it must be dirt or dustmites at my aunt's place. I was tired and laid down my head to rest. The bugs must be happily feeding on my face!!! Thanks to their "maidless" household now!

Now, I look like a "Hong Mor" man. Spent $54 on some pills to stop itching, a bottle of cleansing solution and a bottle of cream.

Called my granny and her first reaction is "Why you so many Kang Tow one?" Then she starts to teach me what to do.

Wash face with lukewarm water and salt to disinfect.
Double boil some whisky or brandy and apply onto face to kill germs.
Cook green bean soup with sugar coated winter melon strips to clear my blood and lower my heatiness.

The good old cheap and practical method. How can I live without my AH MAH!!!!

AH MAH is Best!!!

Leaving

2007-06-22T09:17:00.000+08:00

As heavy as I lugged my feet into my boss' room, I walked out of his room with a heavy heart.

Just as you've heard the $750,000 HDB flat transaction at Tiong Bahru, the private housing is clocking a selling price at about $2000 per square foot, the shortage of commercial land that URA has stopped any residential development in the CBD area and released another 10 or more land parcel for sale to cater for the shortage, En Bloc sales surpassing the billion dollar mark, HDB reviving EC developments by releasing sites, major key mega projects like the IR, Sports Hub, Seletar Aerospace Centre, Downtown MRT Line, Marina Bay Development are all boosting the whole construction industry.

My heart was heavy when I walked out. Was it guilt? But why should I feel guilty? Was it sadness? Yes, probably. Empathy would probably be right.

My boss has been a great man.....standing at almost 2m tall, he has a big heart and had never raise his voice to any of his employees. I remembered when I was fresh out of school, attending my 1st job interview of my life, sitting face to face in his office, he told me this:

The job is easy, its the people who makes it difficult.

I was clueless when he first told me that. Now, its all making sense.

Guess I'm making the job difficult for my boss now.....

Recipe of the Month

2007-06-22T08:46:00.000+08:00

Any meat eater would love this. I call this "Jing Du Pai Gu". Typically, Zi Char stalls served them in big pork chop slabs together with the bone. My "Ang" find them too troublesome to eat in big slabs, so I remove the bones and chop them into smaller bite size. Again, my recipe is based on Agaration.

Ingredients:

Pork chops (4 slabs seen here)

Marinade:

2 tsp light soy sauce

2 tbsp plain flour

1 tbsp corn starch

2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

dash of salt

Glaze:

3 tbsp tomato ketup

1 tbsp sugar

2 tsp Worchestshire sauce

1/2 cup water

Method:

Remove bones and cut into bite size

Use the backside of knife or a pounder to pound the meat as tenderlizer

Add all marinade to meat. The texture here is not to create a thick batter but just sticky and thin enough to stick to your hands and meat. You should find the batter difficult to remove from your hands.

Leave for 30 mins. This is critical. We must allow the bicarbonate of soda to react.

Fry in oil until brown. Remove from frying pan.

Mix glaze and bring to boil

Add fried meat to glaze and stir to coat meat. Make sure that the fried meat soaks up the glaze and soften the crust.

ENJOY!!!!

Greetings

2007-06-19T21:21:00.000+08:00

Everyone has fears.

Some fear ghost, some fear getting fat, some fear losing their jobs, some fear cockroaches, some fear heights, some fear blood.....the list can go on.....

And the worse part? Coming face to face with your fear.

Recently, I have been often greeted by my fear.

At first, I was caught by surprise. My heartbeat hastened.

Then, I was wary. I tread with caution.

Later, I became prepared, I had my "protector" with me.

Today, knowing my "protector" is not around, my fear greeted me at my doorstep!!!

LIZARD!!!!

The pure typing of the word makes me shiver and goose-pimpled. My mum always say: "Org Lang Bo Dar"!!!!

Don't ask me why I fear lizards. There is no explanation. If one can explains, its no longer a fear. Academics define fear as a survival mechanism and signal us of danger and preparing us to deal with it.

But what's so dangerous with this tiny, slimmy, cold blooded lizard???

I is useless.

Father's Day

2007-06-17T20:38:00.000+08:00

Today is Father's Day.

I have not thought of what to get as gift.
I have not thought of where to go for dinner.
In fact, I have never celebrated Father's Day in my whole life.

No merchants had earned a single cent from me.
No restaurants had taken any reservations from me either.

My father, someone whom I only knew for 11 years, passed away on Father's Day 1986.

And that's the way he wants me to remember him and never forgets - my father on Father's Day.

A bittersweet day.

Wrapping Dumplings

2007-06-16T17:15:00.001+08:00

Tuesday is "Duan Wu Jie" AKA Dumpling Festival.

So, it has been a tradition for my in-laws to wrap dumplings to celebrate this festival. Since this was my 1st year, I obediently reported my "attendance" at my 2nd sis-in-law's place. By the time I reached there around 11am, my MIL and two SILs had already started. I quickly dig my hands in and started wrapping.

You might be thinking - "You know how to wrap meh?

Hee hee hee.....Not really, although I've done it before but practices were not sufficient to make perfect dumplings. So, I take this as a revision lesson for dumpling making and practices make perfect.

TADAA....

Though they doesn't look very professional, but at least they didn't open up when they were boiled.

Here's are some done my SIL - "Sart Sart Boh Chio, right"!!

Look at the make shift stoves!!

Then it was indulgence time. And that's where the men start to appear - To eat!!!

Though it was tiring, considering that I only participated in the wrapping part and not the cooking and preparation part, I enjoyed the whole event - getting together, kids running around, chit chatting, tasting, laughing, some watching Korean drama in the house, some neighbours passing by to say hi, etc.... An Uniquely Singapore way of family time.

Jiak Pa Buey?

2007-06-15T17:26:00.000+08:00

This is my granny.

My granny is 86 years old. She cooks her own meal and do her own laundry. Steady right?

She watched the news on TV. She chit chat with her neighbours. She whipped up cans of her own concoction (fried seaweed, minced mushroom stalks, seasoned nutmeg, etc.....) and gave to her children/grandchildren/great grandchild whenever one of us visits her. She do prayers 3 times a day in her prayer room. She tends to her beloved plants and herbs. She do up her hair nicely and never wears pyjamas outside of the house. She puffs her cigarette in the confines of her house.

And I....., am one of those who is brought up by my Granny.

I popped up at her place today, unannounced and hungry..... and she quickly whipped up lunch....within minutes!!! And it always taste so good!! It brought me back to so much memories.

We shared the same bed when I was young. She walked me to school on my 1st day. She fetched me from school everyday, rain or shine.

Food can fill an empty stomach.

Food can also bring people together for a gathering.

It can also show LOVE. Not the Ang Moh style of hugging and kissing.

The "Uniquely Singapore" way of asking..... "Jiak Pa Buay?"

Doing Business

2007-06-15T08:07:00.000+08:00

Did I mention that my mother owns a business?

This year celebrates its 20th year.

I had always been adamant about joining the company. Not that I dislike the nature of business, but the nature being family oriented has always been a put off to me. It has been a norm for family gathering filled with business discussions among my aunties, uncles, cousins and of course, my younger brother. Occasionally, I was approached for business decisions and directions.

To say I am completely not involved in the business - I'm not exactly.
To say I am completely involved - I'm not too.

I had been sitting on safe ground.

Recently, a sense had been growing stronger and stronger within me. My mother set up the business after my father's and sister's deaths, from money compensated for their deaths. The thought of continuing the league keeps popping into my mind. The business had clocked so many milestones - post 97, SARS. Now, its on a crossroad.

The business is like the blood in my mother's body. It flourished, expanded and grew when my mother was working day and night, getting fatter and happy. Now that my mother is sick, the business spiralled south. Its like the ringing in the business cashbox follows my mother's heartbeat.

My entry today is so unstructured. My thoughts are in a mess.

Doing business......is it my cup of tea?

Phenomenon of Premonition of Death

2007-06-10T20:49:00.000+08:00

I had been thinking about this.

In Chinese, its called "Hui Guang Fan Zhao".

I vaguely remembered my father when he was in coma in ICU for 3 weeks. But one thing I remembered the mumblings were that he had been shifted to the inner half of the ICU after observing an "improvement". Next thing I know, he passed away.

I do believe in Hui Guang Fan Zhao. I have heard some. I have read some.

And I am anticipating for one, I'm hoping for one, I'm praying for one - My mother's.

That's the last chance I have to speak to her.

But.....

What will I say to her? I seriously don't know.

Maybe I should start with something like "Ai Lim Jiu Mai? Guiness?"

Spice

2007-06-08T09:46:00.000+08:00

Some friends had been asking about the spice packet in the last entry. So, pictures speaks a thousand words.

--------------------------------------

Met one of my beerkaki in the afternoon and visited his eatery place called "Heads or Tails" located at Market Street Carpark. Its an authentic Thai eatery with Thai chef! Besides the lunch menu of rice and noodles, they have the all-day toast bread with at least 7 toppings to choose from.

My favourite is Yam Kaya.

Then we couldn't resist and popped over to Harrys across the street and had these.....

After a few pints, we were joined by some young executives who believes that drinking by the volume is "Eh Lim", having 3 pints within 3 hours is "buey lim".

Nowadays, I just like to enjoy a few pints over great conversation, catching up with old friends. No longer that 5, 10 game, no longer that "Ta"......

Entertaining

2007-06-04T16:10:00.000+08:00

It has been a weekend full of entertaining at home - Saturday and Sunday.

EAT. TALK. LAUGH.

Everything that's got to do with the mouth!!

I whipped up a dish of "Lor Ba" AKA Braised Pork Belly, with steamed buns and butterhead lettuce. Some friends has been asking for the recipe, but my method of cooking had always been "Agaration" and "Tasting". So, this recipe is as close as it can get.

Ingredients:

Pork Belly
Tau Pok
Tau Kee (optional)
Eggs (I used Quail eggs but normal chicken eggs are absolutely fine)
Braise spices 1 packet (available in dry goods store in wet market)
Dark Soy Paste (for colour)
Light Soy Sauce (for taste)
Sesame Oil, little (for fragrance)

Method:

Season pork belly with dark soy paste, light soy sauce and sesame oil. Minimum 30 mins. If time permits, overnight is best.
Fry the seasoned pork belly in oil until the meat and skin turns crispy (Deep fry if possible).
Boil a pot of water and place the spices into the water.
Transfer the fried pork belly into pot and let it braise.
After 30 mins, place Tau Pok, Tau Kee, hard boiled eggs into the pot.
Braise for another 30 mins.
Done.
Carve meat.

In construction, we talked about Critical Path. If the foundation is not done, the column cannot be constructed, hence the whole building. So, for this dish, there are 3 Critical Paths!!

CP 1: Seasoning the pork belly with dark soy paste. This must be done in order to achieve a dark coloured texture. Coat the entire pork with dark soy paste. The pork belly cannot be cooked or boiled in water before this step. Once the pork belly is cooked first, the pores of the skin closes and the dark soy paste cannot "seep" into the meat.

CP 2: Fry the meat before braising. Best if deep fry until skin is crispy. Without this step, no matter how long the meat is braised, it will not get soft or tender.

CP 3: Carving of the pork belly with a carving knife. If not, use a knife that has a jagged blade. Not those chinese knifes that has a straight blade that we typically use for chopping. A carving knife is able to sear through the fats and meat when it is tender, producing proper rectangular cuts. Without a carving knife, the meat will be in odd chunks with small pieces lying around.

This is one of the easiest and universal dish. The men take it with steam buns or rice. The figure/health conscious ladies remove the fats. The children loves the gravy in their porridge and eats the tau pok and eggs. Even if there are leftovers, it is easily heated up and eat it with porridge the next day!!

On Sunday, another group of my girlfriends came and we have a mani-pedi party at home. It was fun. We engaged a mobile manicurist while we gossiped and chit-chatted. And due to the extremely hot weather, I concocted a refreshing drink. Very simple. To make about 1.5 litres, you need 4 slices of ginger, 1 stalk lemongrass, 4 tablespoons of honey and of course, water. Refrigerate.

Cheers!

Our Pride and Joy (Part 2)

2007-05-30T10:58:00.001+08:00

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

2007-05-28T15:21:00.000+08:00

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?

2007-05-27T13:47:00.000+08:00

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

2007-05-24T16:27:00.000+08:00

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

2007-05-23T20:26:00.000+08:00

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

2007-05-22T08:52:00.000+08:00

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

2007-05-19T13:46:00.000+08:00

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

2007-05-18T23:02:00.000+08:00

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

2007-05-17T18:08:00.000+08:00

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

2007-05-16T17:28:00.000+08:00

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

2007-05-11T11:14:00.000+08:00

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

2007-05-07T20:51:00.000+08:00

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

2007-05-05T13:37:00.000+08:00

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

2007-05-01T20:53:00.000+08:00

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.....

Delaying Death, Prolonging Pain

2007-04-30T21:33:00.000+08:00

I stop short of defining what is Cortico Basal Ganglionic Degeneration in my last entry.

I'm not going to bombard with some chim medical terms here.

It simply means the loss of nerve cells in the brain, the shrinkage of of some areas in the brain. The areas that shrunk is called cerebal cortex and basal ganglia. Therefore, we have this disease called Cortico Basal Ganglionic Degeneration.

What this disease does to one is a slow and painful process, over a period of 6 to 8 years, where our body's command centre (the brain) refuses to function certain departments. It calls up the Movement Department 1st, eating into its grip, its balance, its control of one's limbs, jerking uncontrollably at times (just like Parkinson's) and ultimately, the whole body is motionless.

Then the Speech Department is next, making it unable to swallow, unable to talk, unable to eat or drink.

And the sad part is - the mind is still active, recognising faces, remembering the past, understanding the present. Its like someone being kidnapped, being tied up and gagged, trying hard to free oneself, yet unable to make a single movement, a single sound.

This is rare disease. No one knows the cause. No one knows the prognosis. None of the pharmaceutical companies has any drugs to offer, not even one under clinical trial.

What do you think will happen to the organs since the body is practically dead? The liver? The lungs? The kidneys? Of course, they will listen to the Command Centre too!

Death will likely be caused by pneumonia.

Since there is no drugs for CBGD, why am I spending hundreds of dollars every month on medication for my mother? I have medication for Parkinson's, the closest medicine to CBGD. I have one medication for anti-spasm. One for gastric ulcer since she is on gastrostomy (feeding) tube. One for brain supplement. Brain supplement? I can't believe I just said that. Another one, again for Parkinson's and thanks to the patent protection, I'm paying $3 a tablet.

Does all these medication help her? In one way or another? The answer is NO.

As the name of the disease says it all - DEGENERATION. It will get worse and worse and worse, until death.

Then, I wonder....

Am I spending money buying time for my mum?

Or am I spending money prolonging her pain?

Or am I spending money delaying her death?

There is no cure, no answer, only one destination - DEATH. And then she will be release of the suffering.

As for me? I have no cure, no answer, only one objective - TO MAKE HER SHOW ONE SMILE ON HER FACE EVERYDAY.

Cortico Basal Ganglic Degeneration

2007-04-30T16:05:00.000+08:00

This is a big word. This is a long word. None of it I understood when I 1st heard it. I had to ask the doctor to spell it and write it down for me.

Cortico Basal Ganglionic Degeneration. In short, CBGD.

But the word "degeneration" doesn't look good, doesn't sound good either.

This was 5 years ago.....2002, when I was "told" of my mum's diagnosis.

No X-ray film to explain what is it.

No MRI or EEG results to share, although they were taken many times.

No causes of CBGD discussed, as there is no evidence of its causes in this current universe.

No discussion of treatment, as there is no drugs or therapies invented in this current universe.

And there I was....."Har? Si Mi Lai Eh?"

The next thing I was instructed to do was to make appointments for the following:

Movement Disorder Specialist
Physical Therapist
Occupational Therapist
Speech Therapist

I drove from the hospital carpark, picked up my mum, drove her home, thinking of how am I going to juggle my job with these appointments, each lasting at least 3 hours? (Worst case scenario of 1 hour of waiting, 45 mins of treatment, driving times to and fro, loading and unloading my mum.)

And I was thinking, she will get well......

5 years on....She is bedridden. She lost her speech. She has a gastrostomy tube.

She is defenceless.

After my trip back from Hokkaido, I drop by her place the next day to make sure everything is going alright, that she is passing motion, that her temperature is under control, that diaper and milk powder supplies are still sufficient. And most importantly, to give her a lavender scented pillow and a charcoal filled pillow I bought for her from Hokkaido.

The next thing I knew.....my mum's caregiver told me that last week, grandma had asked both of them over to her place to celebrate her "temple's anniversary"..........which lasted 6 hours!!!

Wah.....fumes rising from my hair liao.....

6 hours?

With the crowd?

With the incense?

With the noise?

With all the sympathetic words passed on her by fellow "celebrators"?

My mum had never stepped foot into my grandma's "temple" when she was still well. Not that she is against Buddhism or what, my mum actually has an Avalokeshvara statue, AKA Guan Yin, at home. In short, my mum was never affectionately close to my grandma.

So, now that she is defenceless, she couldn't say NO in attending the anniversary celebration. She couldn't stop anyone in wheeling her to the "temple". She couldn't tell those people she doesn't need sympathy.

Well, probably she wanted to go....I dun know. But my guts tell me - NO.

Probably my grandma wanted her well, to pray for her recovery. But my guts tell me - NOT EXACTLY.

Am I being skeptical? Probably.

When someone at home is sick, it is not only the sick person who suffers. It is also the people around her, the people who loves her, the people who denied that she is sick that suffered together with her. Everyone of us has our own thoughts and our own way of handling the situation. Somehow, these thoughts always go parallel.

She is now defenceless.....and everyone wants to be her knight.

Technology Rocks

2007-04-28T22:15:00.000+08:00

Whenever I travel, I seldom take pictures. I dun even bring a camera for that matter. In fact, I dun even own one.

This is my 1st time I ever took soooooo many pictures while vacationing. Thanks to this blog, I borrowed a camera from my sister-in-law, I took more than 600 photos, 30 mins of video, add in music and burn them in DVD.

I would have never imagine myself doing this!!

I was, still am, an IT idiot.

Now, look at my amateur works....tested in Hokkaido....

With all the pre-programmed options in the camera, what can go wrong? We dun have anymore excuse that we dun know how to load films!!!

And this is my virgin video!! Took me about an hour to figure out which video format and how to upload to Youtube.

By the way, the toilet bowl comes with a music option, spray pressure option and a heated seat!!

A heated seat??!!!

Why didn't I get that when I was in UK? And US? And I think the washing option is just perfect for Malaysia!! Everytime when I'm in JB or KL, the public toilet always has this water hose and the floor is always wet!! I just loved the toilets in Japan - Clean, Dry, Smells Good and can listen to music!!

I mean.....let's look at it this way. The Japanese put in so much effort in the tiniest thing they do. Besides toilet, just take the food they prepare. So much details and presentation.

Kudos to them.

We get these in Singapore too. But somehow, we are blinded by the rush everyday. And until we are out on a vacation, our eyes start to open and "see".

Honeymoon Hangover

2007-04-28T17:55:00.000+08:00

Back from my honeymoon - Hokkaido, Japan. A good 7 to 8 days holiday. One thing good about holidaying in Japan is the inaccessibility in gettting in touch with me if I dun have a 3G phone. Complete peace!

This is my 3rd time joining a tour. There are 21 people in our group consist of:

Retired couples (or at least above 50 years old)
Daughters and mothers
Senior citizens with their siblings or cousins or relatives (oldest one is 75 years old and everyone called her AH MAH).
Besides us, there is another pair of honeymooners.

It was a very good tour, everyone was hardly late (in fact, most of the time, they were early!) People are really nice and polite, offering to take pictures for everyone and anyone. The tour guide and tour leader were fantastic too.

The thing that caught me was the dominant presence of females!! Why dun I see a son bringing a father for a tour? Is it that males has lower mortality rate? Or is it that male has an ego thing that makes them uncomfortable to be living with another male in such close proximity within that small span of time? I wonder......

What is holiday without laughter? There were so much jokes and fun.

And suddenly, a thought came to me......Will I ever bring my mother out for a tour if she is still well today? This thought had been bugging me for almost the entire trip....and somehow my "Ang" asked me..."Will you bring your mother out for a trip if she is healthy and well today?"

Wah Lau Eh.......

Really so telepathic meh?

"Bring" in this context means "Paying and accompanying for the trip"

I looked at my fellow tour members.....They laughed when the tour guide makes some silly jokes which doesn't seems to amuse me. They shopped at practically every souvenir shop buying silly jewellery which doesn't seems to appeal to me.

If my mum hasn't been sick, she will be like my fellow tour members, laughing at some silly jokes, buying some silly jewellery.

If my mum hasn't been sick, I will bring her out for a tour.

If my mum hasn't been sick, I will probably shout at her.

If my mum hasn't been sick, I will probably not take care of her needs.

If my mum hasn't been sick, I will probably get frustrated everytime she peeks into my life.

If my mum hasn't been sick, I will not be a different daughter....

Mushroom

2007-04-12T17:19:00.000+08:00

After eating days of comfort food of porridge and mee sua, my tongue is really really yearning for something else.

I rummaged through the fridge and the kitchen cupboards to find myself with not much options beside instant noodles.

Sianz...

I didn't give up....then in a tucked away corner of the fridge, I saw this recycled container from those take away hawker food. Well, inside was my grandma's handmade fried and minced mushroom stalks.

I totally forgot that I had this.

My grandma brought this over during her 1st visit to my new home. She knows I is LiiiKeee her mushroom stalks. This is her own concoction. We usually throw away the stalks of the black chinese mushroom, or either, we cooked them together with our dishes. My grandma will pluck them and keep aside. Until she gathers enough, soak them and then grind until look like "Hay Bee Hiam". And she will fry them till crispy! When I was a child, I would scoop the mushroom stalks into my rice, stir them up and finish the whole bow!

So I thought since the Italians can have pasta with just olive oil and cheese, I can definitely whip up a dish with fried and minced mushroom stalks!!

So, here....my lunch.

Although it may not look "wow", but it definitely tastes great. YUMMY!!!!

I is a mushroom addict!!

My home

2007-04-10T15:20:00.000+08:00

After a full day of sleeping and resting at home yesterday, I felt much energetic now.

Had been lounging on my sofa watching Martha Stewart Show on how to decorate for Halloween.

Harro? Halloween?

That's like in October rite? Goes to show that this Martha Stewart show must have been at least 6 months old!! And yes, I dun have cable, I'm watching Mediacorp Channel 5!!

Back to what I was thinking when watching the show. I remembered when I was first living in the States, I was goo-goo and ga-ga about Martha. I regularly bought her magazine - Martha Stewart Living, bought her series of kitchen wares from Kmart. She even has her own series of paint in her name.

While reminicsing these memories, I couldn't stop but start to count how many homes I have lived in. And here's what I can remember as far as my brain can bring me.

(1) Toa Payoh

Well, I shouldn't count this as a home cos' I've no idea of it at all. All I knew was I was born there. No! No! Not born there! I mean I'm born in KK hospital (who doesn't in the 70s?). I was "made" there, spent my infant years there....no memories whatsoever. Knew that it was a 3 room flat. That's all.

(2) 5 room HDB point block flat

This move happened when I was 3. I loved this place. To my small body of 3 years old, the house seems huge!! I can cycle from one end to the other with my tricycle!

This is the house where I remembered my father most. He's a DIY man. He had a room all to himself for all the carpentry works, electrical tools, etc. We call it his "workshop". He had neighbours from the 2nd floor to the 24th floor as his "clients", fixing TV, radio, fan, bicycle for them. We used to walk down the stairs from the 24th floor to the 2nd floor, picking up electrical items that people would throw away during Chinese New Year. My father would fix them up and use it or sell it away. So, we have like 4 TVs at home at one go!! My father made all the built-in cabients at home, if not, it will be some upholstered pieces from our finds. I also picked my 1st "Play Mobil" set among our finds. It was FUN!!!

The neighbourhood was great too. We knew everyone. The newspaper vendor where my mother will get her usual dose of "Xin Ming", "Wan Pao", "Feng Cai" and "Xing Sheng Huo Pao". The provision shop where we get the usual ABC stout for my father and we get to chose whatever tit-bits we want. The Chinese Medical Hall which my father made all the pigeon holes to store the herbs. The fish shop where they sell fish and where we used to buy "Qiu Ying" to feed the fishes at home. Not to mention the photo-develop shop. My father spend lots of time there. He's an avid photographer. When we were young, my elder sister, younger brother and myself were his models! And guess where's the shot? The void deck!!

(3) Granny's Place

This is not an unfamiliar place. We spent our weekdays here before going home on the weekends. I call this my home too cos' I spend most of my schooling years here and there's so much people in this house. My mother has 7 siblings, all squeezed into this 4 room flat, and some with their spouse!! And us!! The Grandchildren!! You can imagine mattress laid all over the floor when preparing to sleep, morning was a rush hour for the working aunties and uncles. Everyone will be sitting all over the 2 big 3 seater-sofa, on the floor, stools, wherever you can find when "Bing Fen Ba San" was on TV. I loved to snuggle to my grandma. She has this smell that I like. But I was the tyrant in this big household. I got swords and guns to play with. I was my grandfather's and eldest uncle's favourite.

This was also the home after disaster struck. My mother, brother and myself lived in one of the rooms. To make us feel better, my mum bought brand new furnitures from IKEA. This was our little home in a home. Although we still had the 5 room flat, we didn't live in there for years. Life is different now. And we have to behave in this house now. I was 11.

(4) 5 room HDB point block flat

We were back! After a 3 years hiatus at my Granny's, we shifted back. This time with my aunt's whole family (her husband and son in tow). We kind of tore apart the whole house to accomodate the new arrangement. New furnitures, new curtains, new appliances and a brand new maid too! It was refreshing at first.....but I miss the old, especially those handmade furnitures my father made. I miss the smell. Afterall, those were what were left from him.

Life was different. We didn't get close to the neighbours. We shun away from the usual provision shops, the fish shop....eh?...the newspaper vendor is gone!! Besides school, I spent most of the time at home alone or with my maid. I had a lot of quarrels with my mum in this home. I grew apart from her. I grew from a girl to a lady. I fell in love with my 1st love here. I took my "O"s here. I spent less and less time at home. I had to leave home early for a 1 hour bus ride to Poly, came home around midnight after activities. I hardly see my mum or brother. That's the home where I grew further apart from my brother.

(5) Kembangan

I dun know what to write about this "home". I hardly spend time here. I was always busy with Poly activities. To make things worse, it was a 3 storey corner terrace house. I hardly saw anyone!! My mum's room was at the top floor, mine was second floor, maid is always hiding in the backyard. It was a house.

(6) Bendemeer

Strictly speaking, this was not our home. It was my aunt's. Now, its our turn to live with them!! An executive flat where I shared a room with my brother. Not much memories except that I graduated from Poly, started working.... All I could say was is it's a convenient place. 20 mins to Orchard by bus!!

(7) Bedok

Wah...this one came suddenly...out of the blue. Also dun know why my mum chooses this place. Si Ber far lor!! And have to take shuttle bus to the MRT station leh!!! Going to work was hell. But its huge. Two 3 room flat combined as one. I had the room with the attached bathroom.

Since I've already started work, I bought all my room furnitures with my own money. I painted the walls in stripes. I decorated the toilet. I was happy to have my own room. I was finally happy to stay away from my aunt, not that I dislike her, but just finally to call this place - home.

I didn't spend much time here cos' I left for UK in less than a year or so.

(8) Dante Road

My 1st home away from home. Cried like hell in that small cubicle. Missed my then boyfriend. Miss my mum. Aiyah, miss everyone and everything lah.

Everything looks gloomy in that room. It was on the 2nd floor and there were 6 rooms, 2 bathrooms, 1 kitchen with dining table and food lockers for each room, 2 cooker hobs, 2 sinks. Coincidentally, I had the biggest room in that flat. The room comes equipped with a basin, a cupboard, a bed, a writing desk and a bedside table. That's all. But somehow, I requested for a transfer. After a month or so, I shifted to another flat in another block, still in Dante Road. This time on the 4th floor. Although the room was much smaller. I like it. Its feels homey. I looked out to the window, I see chimneys, I see Big Ben. I became happy. This is the home I learned to cook, to look after myself, to buy grocery, to finally appreciate...... what is home.

(9) Brunlees House

Wah....this house didn't come easy man!! It was my last year in Uni. We were asked to give up our place in the Halls of Residence since we were the seniors liao. The Halls were given priority to freshies and we were left with finding our own private accommodation. I took 2 weeks of rumaging the "Loot", viewing tonnes of flats, depleting my money on staying in B&B everyday, eating out ....until we ran into an advertisement on this Brunlees House near our campus. This was my first house hunting experience....and not a good one.

Believe me or not, its a open house and it was renting out on a first-come-first-serve basis. When we were there, it was already filled with a lot of people!! With all the people rubbing our shoulders, we managed to squeeze into the house and..... bingo, we like it! We asked about the rent - 195 pounds a week. Without another second lost, me and my fren decided to take it. But guess what, when we approached the landlord, he said someone among the crowd had indicated that they wanted it too!! So how? He said whoever place the rental deposit first gets it. The other interested party already left to get money!!

Okay, we didn't have so much cash with us. We are students remember? And we were persistent to ge it. So my fren decide to rush down the ATM to draw the money while I stay with the landlord to "ward off" any potential tenants. Within minutes, my fren came back with the deposit!! And that's how we landed us a home. The moment we sign on the paper, the other interested party came back with the deposit!!

My fren later told me that he saw them (the other interested party) walking towards the ATM, at that time, he didn't know who they were. My fren practically walked pass them and while he was drawing the money at the ATM, they were standing in line behind him, queuing for the ATM!!! We were so close!!!

We had the whole flat. 3 bedrooms, 1 kitchen, 1 bathroom, 1 living room. I shared with 2 of my classmates. This place really feel like a home and because we had a living room (other frens were only renting rooms), a lot of our frens came and practically made it a "Common Gathering Place". They would gather here before catching a movie or before running down Ruby Tuesday to catch the football game. It was a home full noise and laughter.

This was also the home where I called home regularly. I got closer to my mum while staying here. I would walk to the nearest payphone to call her every week and she will be waiting for my call. We talked about everything. It was 1997, 1998. It was also the year of Asian Financial Crisis. Money was tight. Exchange rate of 1 English Pound to 2.2 Singapore Dollars became 2.9 Singapore Dollars. It was when I connected with my mum.

(10) Bendemeer No. 2

My mum decided to move...AGAIN! This happens only after months I returned from UK. It was a mess! I took care of the renovation of the new house. Basically, everything was torn down, mum gave me a big budget. She was proud when she saw the house ready. I was back living near town again. Yipee!!

It was a comfortable and cosy house, view was not blocked, overlooking the kallang river, wind is gusto..... I like it. I feel like we're living as a family again. My brother had almost completed his NS and spending more time at home, my mum was happier and I had a good job.

6 months later, I left for the States for 3 years.

Upon my return, I buried myself with work, clocking my Krisflyer miles, returning to this home only to sleep. This is also the home where my mum started to break things, started to yell......her sickness creeps in unknowingly, unnoticed.

(11) Guadalcanal Place

"Ulu and Big" is the word. 2 storey house with 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a backyard, a garage, a shed. Its beside a golf course, at times hearing the train passes by at a distant. This was my home for 3 years.

This was the home I learned to cook (better this time), to drive, to pronouce the word vase as "vaese" and not "varse". I transformed from a lady to woman.

This was the home I embrace with love, didn't know that I would be disappointed by love itself. Realised that love is not all, not everything. Love changes. I was tortured by it, beaten by it......and relentlessly, I returned to Bendemeer No. 2

(12) Bukit Panjang

This was a house-sitting excuse to move out. To live alone. To be alone.

Again, I embrace the big change. To the extent that I got myself a brand new sports car! Thinking that changes is good and that the old and bad can be forgotten just like that. A brand new start!!!

2004 turn out to be a brand new start indeed! I got to know my "Ang" during this period. The house helped and contributed our courtship in many ways. He would place a bouquet of flowers at my doorstep, surprising me. He would pop by with take-away dinner knowing that I would survive on instant noodles again. He gave his confession of love in party held at the place. He saw me in an apron for the 1st time. He saw me doing laundry for the 1st time.

While living there, no matter how hot the weather was, all I felt was the breeze kissing my face, birds were chirping in my ears, and everyone I see was smiling. Before I knew, I was living with a man in this house - my hubby-to-be.

Like everything else, every nice thing has to end. The house of love ended when my fren returned from the States. Those 12 months were the most memorable.

(13) CCKC

We re-located to CCKC. This time with rent. It was a brand new place with new appliances and furnitures. My fren, who is the owner, hardly stayed there before he had to leave for States!! It was a comfortable house. If I could complain, it would be the lack of sunlight. My handbags and shoes were coated with a layer of mould!!!

This house gave reality to couplehood. We do finances, we do housework, we entertain, we argue, we quarrel. Everything comes in a package! Things became more mundane.

(14) This home!!

Finally, we used our CPF!!! ROARRRRR!!!!

Its been slightly more than 3 months since we moved into this home, which will inevitably put us in debt for the next 25 years. We took less than 1 week for renovation, only got the basic stuff. Nothing fanciful. Home trend is like fashion trend, it'll pass.

With the last count, after staying in 12 different places, I am sick of decorating liao. As we live in the house, the home will grow. We'll need that additional ugly looking standing fan at the dining table when it gets warm. We'll put up that beautiful little picture of toes on the wall when we became parents. We'll whip up that bland eating porridge when your loved one is sick....

Martha was showing how to make meat balls with something cheesy. She spread the whole cheesy thing on the table and poured the meatball sauce on top of the cheesy thing. That's when the audience came forward to taste, using a fork spooning directly from the table!! Without bowls! That looks so much fun!!

And that's when I thought, when was the last time I had dinner with my mum and bro?

Wouldn't it be nice to have a home where a family eats together?

Simple, isn't it?

I'm cooking for my "Ang" tonight.

Virgin Post

2007-04-08T12:03:00.000+08:00

Virgin post.....a bit scared leh.....

I've been thinking of creating a blog for some time.....but gave myself all kinds of reason not to...

(1) No time
(2) English no good
(3) What to write?
(4) No guts

Damn!! No guts, No Glory!!

Bottoms Up!!

And this is how I begin my virgin post....with medication making my vision blurry, my mind fuzzy, my hands shaky......and with explosion of chicken pox all over my body!!!

At my age, I should be popping out babies to contribute to the 6.5 million targetted population but instead, wasting my eggs every month.....and popping out chicken pox!!

I will be under house arrest for a week. Probably 2.

Did a quick Wiki and found out that chicken pox is AKA varicella herpes in medical terms.

Har? Herpes?

I've only heard about genital herpes!! Alas!! Chicken pox is one of 8 types of herpes family. All infectious!

Anyway, I have all sorts of reaction from frens when they realised I got infected with chicken pox.

"What? So old already then have chicken pox? U late bloomer lah"

"Good, have it now rather than if u were pregnant. Got to abort, u know?"

"Har? So what about our spa appointment?"

"Eh....you didn't get a vaccine meh?"

I, for one, is an advocate of natural remedies....which is why I didn't get a VACCINE!!

Anyway, I thought its not a bad idea to get chicken pox afterall,

(1) its not life threatening

(2) I get a free vaccine after being infected

(3) a week of peace from work (hopefully)

(4) spending time at home after spending $$$ in buying in, renovating it and furnishing it!

(5) hard-to-find home-cooked-and-delivered comfort food from Mother-in-law

(6).....heehee....SAYANG from my "Ang"....

Now, my body is coated with calamine lotion (looks like a Xiao Hua Mao) and the medication is REALLY kicking in.......I'm gonna.....gonna ........KOON....Zzzzzz