Merry Xmas

Xmas 2007 came and went. Potluck-cum-housewarming @ sec sch pal's abode, buffet dinner @ Carousel with IE buddies, drinks @ Dempsey, sushi tei with dad, midnite movie 'I am Legend' @ orchard, gym, a sprinkling of work, some pages of Paulo Coelho and afternoon naps. Nice. =)


candle burning bright @ house-warming


yummy home-made spread (except for bbq chic wings & fishballs)


xmas decor @ Royal Plaza on Scotts


drinks @ Oosh, Dempsey

The scene along Orchard Rd on xmas eve was not so nice though. Granted, there were definitely more groups of policemen making their patrols. But the foam spray cans remained a common sight, their pungently sweet contents (& ozone-destroying ingredients) filled the air every other second, accompanied by that terrible hissing sound. Metal cans & plastic bottles littered the pavements. Large groups of angsty teens with coloured, spiked hair, multiple piercings and challenging stares gathered and stared.. For a long long moment, it was hard to believe that I am in Singapore. I feel ashamed. Threatened. And pained. =P

Xmas - a time to appreciate & forgive.. Merry Xmas to you. =)

Seeing light again

After a long hiatus of >6mths, my oven finally awakened. In preparation for tonight's sec sch xmas-potluck gathering, I spent the afternoon tenderly (with just a wee bit of apprehension) turning out 12 berry yoghurt muffins & 12 chocolate chip-raisin muffins. And here they are:


berry yoghurt abv-left & choc-raisins below-right

Taste-test later!

Mummy goes shopping

Went shopping with gd pregnant friend yesterday. Sussed out clothes in both 'normal' and maternity shops. I must say, some of those clothes in maternity shops looked very nice! Slinky enough to tempt even very un-pregnant ladies into stroking them admiringly. =) The denim mini-skirts looked super sexy! Ah... may the designers only get better with time, such that when it's my turn, things will be even yummier. ;) Then, it'd take less of a bull to drag me into labor room.

Book Binge

And for the past few days, it's been a private midnite bonding with books. Wonderfully luxurious feeling, to be sprawled on the soft mattress, with the rain pelting on the windows from outside, covered with woolly blankets and flipping pages after pages of the paperback, with absolute, blissful disregard for the passing of time.. & usually, it'd be almost 3am when the lights go off. =P What a joy, just like back to those gd old days when I was still a carefree student! Am physically here much of this whole break, yet have already been to South Africa, Eygpt & etc etc in the mind. Bliss! Now... there's just enough time for perhaps 1 more book, and then the binge will have to wait till next March. =P

When you really sing

Watched Chen Weilian & his male buddy sing [zhou(3) chu(1) hei(1) an(4) ba(3) peng(2) you(3) - literally translated into 'walk out of darkness, my friend'] on tv just now and I can't help but shed some salty drops. I am no big fan of his, especially now that he's gone commercial and appeared so much more polished. Too polished. His simplicity & sincerity then was much more endearing...

But back to what I was saying - when he sung that song with his equally visually-challeneged pal, time seemed to have come to a stop. The whole song sounded so real, so raw, so stripped to its core, so choked full with unmasked emotions that it pains one to hear them sing (yet one definitely doesn't want them to stop). I mean, this is what it's all about, my friend. If you continue to do what you are best at (that is to touch hearts with your songs), and not get distracted by all the packaging/glamour/defence/image/worries abt marketability in general, things will work out like they are supposed to. Gd luck, and I'd remember the way both of you sang that song.

Mash

It's the hols. By right, there shd be more entries, since there's (ahem) more time and less stress. =P But oh well...

This period is always the most dreaded by many of us.. that impending countdown to reopening. 2 wks. To be frank, it's just 1 wk to go, since the last wk is always cramped with meetings to 'set the tone for the new yr'. The thought of that stack of work yet conquered almost always bring along a wave of horrendous guilt, alarm, and dread. But the fortunate thing is, the feeling will pass. As the wise men say, the first step is always the hardest. Start working, and the momentum will take over... =P Ah heavens... grant me that itsy bitsy power to press ahead now.

Checked out Settlers Cafe @ North Canal Rd over the wkend. For the non-puberscent yet still young-at-hearts like us, a cosy gathering over colourful, stimulating games is really quite a gd way to bond. 3hrs fly by and you find that you've only attempted 0.5% of all the games available in the cafe. [Fish, do they have such places in Freiburg?]

Finished The Alchemist. Will see what I can find in the library next. Also started on Jodi Picoult's Picture Perfect. A different style of writing - descriptive and detailed... sometimes a little too focused on the trivalities, I haven't decided if I like her yet.

Xmas season's here. Police is keeping a tight rein on drink-driving, and rightfully so, since it is peoples' lives at stake and we are but a super small nation of <4million 'originals' so everyone counts. =P Enjoy those sinful festive yummies, just try to workout a little and unblock those lipids-lined blood vessels after that. Coz the ang moh and chinese new years are but a couple more weeks away. We are in for the long haul, buddies.

And now, to ticking off some items on the 'To Do' list... Ahhhh....

Get A Life

And after endless days of torrential rains.. the sun finally peeked out a little from behind the clouds. Glorious! Even tho' they are just ultra weak rays, and for the shortest period of 1plus day (keep going, Mr Sun!).

Granted, rainy days are superb for lazing in beds, but the clothes need to dry and the shoes get wet in the numerous puddles on the roads, traffic slows to a crawl and trees threaten to fall. Hmmm, but then again, better a rainy season than no seasons at all to distinguish the days in a year. It would have been an utter bore if everyday's the same.

Just like in Life. If one is holding on to a job (no matter how cushy) with no ups & downs/highs & lows, I guess one is better off trading the place with a robot. Get a life, stretch yourself, experiment & experience!! Get some sun and some thunderstorms. Just remember to pack along the sunscreen & brolly as ammunition when the need arises.

p.s. Btw, I signed up for the 1yr gym membership. That's it, baby, it's time to seriously kick some a**.

p.s.2. Btw again, it was a test of my heart vs mind yesterday, as I watched the Sea Games highlights and saw Kenderick Lee do our red dot proud by emerging victorious against Boonsak Ponsana (the young, swoonsome Thai hero)!!! Yeah vs Weep... Catch our shuttler live today at the finals @ 4.30pm, against Indon champ. Gd luck.

The things ppl do

Didn't really think we are capable of doing this, but we did it anyways. A grp of us, pri sch pals, laid out groundsheet on the marbled floor of a large, busy, air-conditioned mall, next to the ceiling-to-floor window panes, spooning homecooked fried bee hoon, fried sotong balls, chicken wings, watermelon, grapes and potato chips onto our paper plates as ppl walked on by in the rain. In short, a picnic in the mall. People must have thought we were bonkus. Yeahahahahaha. Am just worried that someone had taken a video footage and posted it up on the all-powerful YouTube. We would hv become famous overnight, no doubt abt it. =P

Well, blame the torrential and unpredictable rains. Our class outing was supposed to be at Sentosa (yep, we shd not have challenged the seasons)... but we can't dump the food into bins, can we?? So there, a picnic from across the waterway then.

Thankfully, our subsequent activities were more 'normal' - kopi @ Pac Coffee, followed by mind games @ Settlers Cafe. Cool stuff, the latter. Packages to suit various needs. Games of various intensities and challenge to work those neurons. Plot in silence, scream in excitement and/or cry in agony... you can witness them all in the cafe. A great way to bond on a rainy afternoon.

And now, the brain needs to rest...

Customer Service

Man made rules/guidelines/criteria etc. Sometimes, organizations stick by them so rigidly, they p*** off customers big-time, and this is triply uncalled for esp if they are supposed to be service-oriented to begin with, such as a call centre, or an enquiry helpdesk of sorts. If the first tier cannot make the (right) decision, pls pass it on to the next level that can truly make a (reasonable) difference. Listen patiently, explain clearly without being defensive and address the issue using both logic (& empathy if needed), in a way that will leave the customer satisfied, and you can gurantee instant, positive, word-of-mouth publicity that'd go the miles. Do otherwise at your own peril.

Not every customer is unreasonable, rude and/or inconsiderate. Many times, we just want fair treatment, esp when it's the big organizations against small fries. Organizations should never underestimate the power of frontline staff. Starhub, very clearly, still has much to learn.

Body Care

Yesterday @ Suntec, 1hr of Body Combat (think martial arts + aerobics combined), followed by 1hr of Body Pump (think weights + controlled repetition)... and my arms & thighs nearly cramped at some pts during the sessions. Heart pounding as furiously as the workout music, sweat oozing like raw pearls from the skin pores, I can hear my muscles protesting under the long-absent strain. But ah... the feeling after is one of great achievement. No pressure from the rest of the group - save for a few muscle buffs (& of coz, the very well-toned instructor/ress), the others are a mix of working male & female execs and a sprinkling of retired men & rich local/expat tai-tais - 1 or 2 out of shape ones, but mainly within acceptable BMI, just not too toned... Push yourself, but not over your limits, and always under the watchful eyes of the Master.

2 more days to the end of my 1 wk free trial and I've got to decide whether to plonk that 4 digit figure into this fitness membership... Just worried that once term begins, I'd be overworking (an excuse??) & under-exercising yet again. Guess it all boils down to the D word. DISCIPLINE. Perhaps, I should take a pic of my (now) flabby arms/thighs, blow it up to A1 size, and hang it up on my bedroom wall. =P

Anyways, in case I may be boring you with all my descriptions of the various fitness experiences... breathe easy, I'm no self-absorbed ambassador for any chains/sessions/instructors, so will not doodle further/uneccessarily, unless I try out new stuff that packs punch. =)

Must admit though, the other reason for this new found dedication is the lessened sense of guilt that now comes with eating yummy-&-not-always-healthy food. At least, I know I will be working them off. Let me know if you wanna work out together. It can be a social activity too.

Hurray

S-Pop Hurray! Every mon, 7-9pm - a weekly showcase of the very best in S'pore Xinyao!

Oh man.. all the drool-worthys of the 1980s and 1990s, the perennial evergreens of chinese pop including my primary-school-period-superidol Eric Moo! Then there is Li Fei Hui, Jiu Jian, Chen Jiaming, Li Wei Song & Si Song, Ye Pei Fen etc etc all effortlessly crooning those wonderful wonderful songs with poetic lyrics and haunting melodies, many written by talented Liang Wern Fu. What bliss! TV is one of the most impt inventions on Mon nites. =) The perfect way to destress and chill. Ahh, die... I can see myself stepping into the category of the old & passe, just like how I used to make fun of papa & mama when they swooned as they watched their own idols (think Deng Li Jun & her comrades) sang.

Xiao(3) Ren(2) Wu(4) De(4) Xin(1) Sheng(1).. Guan(1) Huai(2) Fang(1) Shi(4).. Ai(4) Na(4) Me(4) Tong(4)... all these lovely songs sprang to life again tonite. The pop newbies - pls sit up straight, listen up and learn a thing or two from these seniors who have charmed the crowds >20yrs ago and who still definitely have more than a trick or two up their sleeves. Diamonds, all of them.

But of course, the enjoyment wouldn't be half as great without the company. Thanks gazillions, ML, for the wonderful company (as usual) and hospitality. Thanks for hanging around all these while and for being the ever-so-patient-and-objective analyst. I thank the 'power(s)-above' for our posting 4.5yrs ago.

It gets better

And the 2nd time round (this time @ Suntec), it didn't feel like my limbs are going to fall off and my bones are going to break apart. =) This 2nd venture, did 2.5km on threadmill, 150 stomach crunches and 1hr of pilates. Having a cute & toned pilates instructor with an infectious laughter helped further. Recovery period was way shorter than the first - at least I could sustain a further 4hrs on the feet scouring for good buys in the busy mall thereafter. The first time, I flatted out on bed immediately after. =P

Did quite a spot of card swiping - some xmas pressies for buddies and a cheery yellow+white Nike tank top at a big discounted price - will be part of my attire for 3rd visit. *beam beam*

Magarita @ Cafe Iguna continues to rule. Doubt there'd be another place serving up such silky smooth freeze with a punch.

And did you read today's Sunday Times? Mahjong is now all the rage amongst one united ppl, rdgless of race, language and religion. No wonder the sounds of click-clanking tiles have been resonating daily from within my neighbourhood recently. It'd be my turn soon to lay my table. Helps prevent Alzheimer, they say.

Ache

Ahh... that ache. That numbing yet sadistically satisfying ache in the thighs and arms. Was the result of my first venture into a fitness centre yesterday. Took up a 1 wk free trial after 1) buddies' endless cajoles, 2) sinful makan episodes while in KL, and 3) decision to get some health & shape back.

For a start, covered ~3.5km brisk-walking on treadmill while listening to Fish Leong on mp3, and joined a 1hr Ashtanga Yoga class. And that's all it took to give me that ache - a reflection of my non-activity over the past 3mths (save for the occasional laps in pool). Even the heartbeat rate shown on threadmill screen was telling - a whooping 120+ beats/min when parameters were set to the mere basic. *Toinnnnn*

But watch it, I'd be up and about in just a while. Let me check it out for a week, join some other classes and see if I'm game/inspired/determined enough to put my bunny in for the longer haul. Then, I'd go invest in a nice, sporty, gym-y outfit that costs oh-so-much.

Return

Am back.

What a cool 6 days in KL... =) 2 days on coach travel, 1.5 days on shopping, 1.5 days on work, 1 day on *gasp* mahjong (learnt a new version - the one to be played by 3 players, with only "tong(3)" tiles, and the oh-so-versatile 'fei(1)' tile). Glorious food, quality wine & a no. of kindly uncles & aunties for company... nice start.

And not to forget my roadtrip companion: Paulo Coelho's 'The Zahir' - a deep, reflective novel abt 'obsession and its potential to both fulfill dreams and destroy them'. I'm sold. It's amazing how someone can write deep things so simply and so concisely. I'd see what I can find in the library next.

In the days ahead, there'd likely be work, exercise, official events, some short trips and lots of reading. 2008, hold thy horse.

Just came to hear of the sad news upon return. Sincere condolences to the families of 1) the 5 dragon boat team victims, and 2) the ah ma whom I wrote abt in my 6 Nov entry. Tragically freak accidents, both. Preventable? ...

Life's simple pleasures

Scribbled this on my way to KL. 1.47pm

It's actually nice to go on a long bus journey alone. Took Aeroline. ~5.5hr. Could have been much faster but 1 middle-aged lady didn't feel too well halfway thru' the journey, so we had to pull over and wait for an ambulance to come fetch her to hospital (hopefully, she's ok now).

Think it'd be nice to do a long rail journey alone too. But of course, got to be similarly accompanied by MP3 player, gd books, warm jacket and a comfy seat (junk munchies optional). Then, I'm set. Icing will be great natural scenery along the way - mountains, seas, sky, low-lying (cottage) houses... =)

p.s. I could probably have done the same back home when dad's away. Still alone, with MP3, gd books, warm jacket, tucked in comfy bed, right? But neh.. it's different. Like some pathetic trapped animal, obsessively eyeing/being eyed by the mounds of hard copy/soft copy of work in the immediate vicinity, the mere thought of lying in bed to attend to one of life's simplest, most basic pleasure (= reading*) makes one feel almost like a sinner. =P On a journey, there is no sin, no guilt. This is perhaps the reason why ppl need getaways. Tragic.

I've just started on my 2nd Paulo Coelho book - 'The Zahir'. On a journey within a journey. Bliss.

* = reading books that you really want to read, that may have absolutely nothing to do with work but everything to do with interest/self-enlightenment/improvement/philosophy/hobby/travel/or whatever trivial pursuits, as long as they make u happy.

The past weekend's been busy:

With work (expectedly)
- marked files
- tidied reports
- cleaned house + toilets

With social activities (unexpectedly)
- colored hair @ home
- stayed over at changi chalet
- caught up with lost buddy @ vivo

Now, who says educators don't chill?


they've got hidden talents too - a pal's S$5K DJ set...


big, bright, nice x'mas tree @ vivo rooftop

Things sometimes just happen. For better or for worse.

Sheep Man & Bread Man

Yesterday, I brought some kiddos to far-flung upper serangoon road, to an academic institution to listen to Dr Alan Colman give a seminar on reproductive & therapeutic cloning. Yes, he is the famed stem cell expert who's behind Ms Dolly the sheep - the world's first cloned animal in 1997. He's now based in S'pore, recruited by our ever-efficient govt to be the Director of the Singapore Stem Cell Consortium and PI at the Institute of Medical Biology.

So you can imagine my excitement at the opportunity of getting up close & personal. =) Seriously though, the best thing is he didn't make things too complicated. My kiddos were able to understand him perfectly, and found the seminar interesting. For that, it's worth the long long journey up north... Been a long time since I've personally brought kiddos to science enrichment activities.. Nostalgia!

Here's Dr AC in action:





And the icing on cake was, as we were walking out of the institution's gate, we saw a scene out of the 1960/70's - an old, bent-over indian man peddling his brown-crusted baked bread with kaya & butter, in a square metal box, hinged on a 2-wheeled crikety bike!! Solid. He must have transported from my dad's childhood times. Bought bread for my kiddos who snapped away (politely) at old uncle and his wares. First time they have seen such 'roadside hawker'.



Bet you've never bought bread this way. =) Head down to 1033 Upper Serangoon Road and set up an ambush at abt 5.30pm then.

Right vs Wrong. Black vs White.

One day, it'd do me in.

This streak of mine that so clearly defines right from wrong, which in turn makes it so difficult to just ignore stuff and be happy sometimes... Principles that I hold strong (some say too strong). Values that I hold dear (and similarly, some say too dear). It pains me to see them being trampled on by others.

Yes, I do know that sometimes, my insistence at doing the 'right' makes me rigid like a silly robot. And I admit that, to those who openly, repeatedly, blatantly, arrogantly throw morally sound, guiding principles out of the window, I sometimes (forgive me) feel a slight twinge of contempt towards them. Of course, I'm no saint, not even a millionth part of one perhaps. Am just a fellow human being who's trying to do good instead of harm. All humans err, at some pts in time - this I understand. The question is - was it a genuine oversight or a purposeful act driven by some underlying sinister force?

One day, it'd do me in. I just know it. But does that mean I'm going to compromise and be as soft-boned/inconsiderate/wayang as 'those who can't be mentioned'?

Definitely not.

Looking at the way I'm turning out, I'd probably end up as some old, cranky, domineering, self-righteous spinster. Argh!!

The (humble) Cookie

Last week, I plonked over 50 precious bucks on 8 small packs of high-class cookies from Marks & Spencers, as a gesture of heart-felt appreciation to a group of colleagues who had, for the past 3mths, slogged for a certain event.

Well, the only other times when I had devoured M&S cookies was >4yrs ago, when a senior colleague bought them for us, and 2 mths ago when I was involved in some break-neck 8am to 6pm meetings. And both times, the cookies were sponsored. But man, did they impress.. So, this time round, decided to play Santa and spread the joy to others. The practical side of me had to contend with niggling extravagance of it all. I mean, $7.90 for 8 pcs of 6cm wide, 0.5cm thick (at most) cookies? But the foodie in me relented, encouraged by this 'dangerous' feeling that I've come to associate with 'well-being compensation' - having worked so hard, it's only understandable/right to spend on what will make you happy, as a form of hard-earned self-recognition.. =P

Anyways, one-way justifications aside, here is one M&S cookie that you may want to try if you are possessed by the same 'well-being compensation' mood (or call it anything you like):


Cranberry-Orange

Am not a huge cranberry fan, but this one's got my nod. Personally though, I swear by the Pistachio Almond one (no pics tho). That one is SHIOK!

OUCH

Eyebrow threading, have you tried it before??!

Today, was strolling past this row of shophouses in Clementi central when I saw this sign displayed outside a cosy little indian shop - $5 Eyebrow Threading, $10 Face, $15 Full Face, and then there's this picture of a beautiful indian lady holding a string of white thread in her hands & mouth.

Ok, to mark Deepavali (which was yesterday), I decided to give it a virgin go. Who knows, I may end up looking like that pretty poster gal, with her well-defined brows, large eyes, smooth skin, sharp nose.... right? =P

I've heard abt how painful threading can get, but thought I'm garang enough to tahan whatever pain they are going to inflict. I mean, I'm a toughie right, so bring it on! Alrights... it IS quite painful. But it's also super amazing how deftly the indian ladies can, with just a simple, humble string, pluck out all those ugly stray hair with a few swipes of their hands. Swoosh swoosh, to the left, to the right, and all the hair gets removed, roots and all, leaving behind silky smooth upper eye lids with nicely defined brows. Painful with a capital P (at one pt, a few millitres of tears threatened to spill out of eye sockets) but very effective and efficient. 5 min, it's all done. Cheap too - compared to the $15-$20 the Takashimaya cosmetic counter gals charge, with their scary blades and scissors.

Never underestimate the combination of the Indian lady and her humble string (absolutely no other equipment was used during the whole process). It's a skill that I hope will be passed on from generation to generation. That way, I can bring my children (if I end up having any) to experience this unique culture too.

The pain was worth it. Go try. You won't end up as pretty as the poster gal, but close. =)