of a good year

Christmas came and went. 2009 came and will be gone in a couple of days.
I have asked myself this question repeatedly.

"Where have all the time gone to?" They may have slipped by me without me noticing. I know I have said this numerous times but it never fail to amaze me how time flies.

Just when I turn my head to the other side, a couple more months have passed me by.

2009 has been a good year for me. Below are some of the highlights to share with you guys!

A. Top 10 Movies in 2009

1. Inkheart
2. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Price
3. My Sister’s Keeper
4. Time Traveler’s Wife
5. 2012
6. Julie and Julia
7. (500) Days of Summer
8. Confession of a Shopaholic
9. Mu Lan
10. Avatar in 3D


B. Top 10 Dining

1. Tea Café – 38A Seah Street (Tel: 63335400)

It’s a quaint little shop serving all sort of teas accompanied with little assorted biscuit to match the different types of teas. Try their cucumber sandwiches and chicken wings. Me and Shelley’s favourite tea place.

2. Nanjya Monjya –Waterfront Plaza 390A Havelock Road #01-03/05 (Tel: 67387177)

According to Iida, this is the most famous Japanese restaurant among the Japanese Expats. We had a wonderful dinner time with Iida, Edwin and their family. This was the first time I tried authentic Japanese Okomoniyaka. This inspires us to try and make our own Okonomiyaki at home.

3. Relish by wildrocket – Cluny Court #02-01

If you love burgers, you’ll love Relish. The patty is uber juicy and was done just right. A good place to hold private party.

4. Caramel Café – Shaw Towers 100, Beach Road (Tel: 62952188)

I saw a very nice picture of Juli on her facebook and she told me it was taken at Caramel Café. I decided to pop by as the deco of the shop won me over. The shop was split into 2 with the restaurant on one side and a hair salon on the other. I love how the different furnitures compliment one other. Desserts are awesome. Try Vita Plum, a good drink to help with digestion.

5. Scrumptious Café - 200 Turf Club Rd #01-19 Turf City (Tel:64636543)

We meet with the siblings and kids at this breakfast joint. Great place for kids as they have a separate room where kids can go expend all their energy before coming back to the table for their breakfast. You can also go for a manicure/pedicure if you call to inform them early.

6. Oriole Ole – 96 Somerset Road #01-01 Pan Pacific Serviced Suites

My colleague swears that they serve the best cappuccino. You can also try their fish and chip. Nice ambience.

7. Marmalade Pantry – ION level 3

Sticky date and toffee pudding & crabmeat linguini. I can have that for the rest of my life.

8. Oomphatico’s – 16 Tanglin Road #01-35 Tanglin Mall (Tel: 67339088)

Food is pricy but the ambience makes it all worthwhile. It is like Alice walking into wonderland. Their lovely juices come in unique-shape glass.

9. Togi – 11 Mosque Street (Tel:62210830)

A cozy family restaurant that provides authentic korean food. I love the Kim chi soup and the grill pork belly. It comes with 5 small dishes which are re-fillable. Comfort food for the soul. Parking is a problem though.

10. Sushi Tei @ Big Splash

Me and MArk particularly love this outlet. We paid $88 and signed up for the Sushi Tei member card which gives us 10% discount plus $60 dining voucher. We like to sit by the window and people-watch. A must-try is the Sashimi Salad with Sushi Tei sauce. Yummy.

C. Top 10 most significant/happiest moment

1. MArk proposed to me at the finishing line of his Desaru Ironman. I said yes, of couse. - Aug
2. Starting my job in SingTel after months of searching – Mar
3. Don’t need to serve 1 month notice for ex-company yet getting paid for that month!
4. Visiting my dad in Guangzhou which he brought us on a mini tour to Sheng Zhen, Macau and Hong Kong – Feb
5. Went Bangkok with MArk. The SHOPPING! – Oct
6. Selected to join the vocal team in my church
7. Crossing the finishing line for my first 21KM half marathon
8. Confirming my wedding date and hotel venue
9. Failing my driving test for the 3rd time and decided never to take the test again
10. Celebrating xmas with the ladies at Melt. It is then I realize that in life, we don’t have to care what other things about us when we have a few good ones knowing who we are and what we are made of.

D. Top 10 things to do in 2010

1. Explore 3 new places in Singapore (Excluding SAM)
2. Learn a new language – Thai
3. Serve in the community for the needy
4. Plan for a trip to Perth with the Juli
5. Go for a beach holiday, bring a book or two and do nothing else
6. Go for a full medical check-up and get vaccinated for preventive cancer
7. Train for 21KM sundown marathon
8. Save more money for the wedding
9. Spend more time with family and friends
10. Be thankful for everything and complain less


As I look back, I saw that God is good. He had blessed me with much.

Have a great year in 2010 and many happy returns.

I look forward to a greater year ahead.

of a ball of wool

If only the issues of our life can be stacked nicely into compartments, it’ll definitely make life so much easier.

And if only so, I will be more motivated to open up the compartments and try to straighten things out one issue at a time.

But unfortunately, it is not.

They are somehow intertwined together like a ball of wool. I couldn’t possibly straighten one out without touching the other part of the wool.

It’s so tiring and further discourage me to want to iron out the issues of my life. Now the ball of wool just piles on into a bigger piece of mess.

Now, teach me where to start……

of another holiday to get over this holiday

In case you'll be wondering, I'm back from my bangkok trip. I wouldn't call it a holiday cuz I felt more tired after the trip than before! I need another holiday to get over this holiday. hahaz.. MArk says I'm full of excuses.

I bought tonnes of clothes, 2 bags and some stuffs for my family. Thankfully, we didn't burst the weight budget given by Tiger Airways. :) MArk bought even more clothes and spent his money faster than me! He is a shoppoholic at heart, he just refused to admit it.

More pictures will follows during the weekend. I just need to catch up with work and with reality for now.

Follow on closely!

I'm already planning on where to go next! I can't believe myself too sometimes.

of I'm so going to bangkok

My luggages are (sort of) packed, counting down the hours before I touch down at bangkok airport. I've done my research, printed out all the places with the thai address to assist us in communicating with the cab drivers. Change our thai baht.

This is such a long awaited trip!

I promised myself to let go off the work baggage I'm holding onto. For the next 5 days, I will not think of work. It is just me, MArk and the holidays.

Yes! I'm so going to bangkok!

of those days which we live for

I hope you enjoy this. I do!

The winner for Cannes Short Film 2009.

I thought that it reflect those moments when we are awaken by our annoying alarm clock in the morning remaining that work is waiting for us, sitting alone in the train, walking in a sea of crowd, coming home to a voice machine. Those are moments we can identify with our daily lives.

Until one day, something happen. You met the guy of your dreams, you gotten a new job/job promotion, just anything that makes your adrenaline pump faster.

Those days, we jumped out of bed. Those days, the sun seems brighter. Those days, you'll not get pissed no matter who cut your queue. Those days, it's ok even when you don't get it your way.

Don't we all live for those days?

of The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

I just finished reading 'The Bell Jar' by Slyvia Plath. It was just one of those random book I picked up from the national library and boy am I glad I did that.

It is the first and only novel by Sylvia Plath and the protagist life's run somewhat paralle to the life of Plath.

*Warning* Spoiler ahead.

Esther Greenwood is a young girl who wins a dream assignment in a big-time New York fashion magazine in 1953. She is elated, believing that she will finally realise her dream to become a writer. Instead she finds herself spiralling into depression and eventually a suicide attempt.

The story is written in 3 parts. Esther's glamour life in New York during her intern-ship at the fashion magazine, her depression and suicide attempt back home and lastly her time at the asylum.


During her internship in New York, Plath subtly suggest that the significant causes of Esther's depression is certainly the high-pressure environment in which Esther lives. As Esther is the quinessential overachiever, a scholarship winner and gifted student who consistently wins prizes and scholarship.

Jay Cee, Esther's boss during her internship repeatedly told Esther : " Don't let the wicked city get you down". Which aparently, Jay Cee has seen many young and inspiring writer fallen from grace.

Esther grew increasingly depress each day even though she is supposingly leading the time of her life. She questions about her own sexuality in the time of sexuality repression in America. She is uncertain about her career and what she wants to be.

After her internship, Esther went home and found out that she is not selected for a pretigious writting class. She grew more listless each day and have insomia each night. Both symptoms indicating a deeper depression. Death fills her mind that she consider many methods to end her life before deciding to down her sleeping pills.

Esther woke up in a hospital and was later sent to an asylum to recuperate on her 'illness'. She received shock therapy to make her feel 'better'.

" Sitting in the front seat, between Dodo and my mother, I felt dump and subdued. Every time when I tried to concentrate, my mind glided off, like a skater, into a large empty space, and pirouetted there, absently."

I suppose the shock treatment just stopped Esther from thinking/concentrating but not really making her feel better. In this case, the cure of the diesease seems worse than the dieseas itself.

Soon after, Esther is being transferred to another asylum and stayed there, receiving treatments until she feels better. Her path towards recovery.

The author uses The Bell Jar as a metaphor as to how depression can trap the soul and being or the patient.

"If Mrs Guinea had given me a ticket to Europe, or a round-the-world cruise, it wouldn't have made one scrap of difference to me, because wherever I sat - on the deck of a ship or at a cafe in Paris or Bangkok - I would be sitting under the same glass bell jar, stewing in my own soul air".

This book reminds me of 'Girl Interuppted' by Susanna Kaysen in her best-selling book in 1993.

A strongly recommended read, though you might feel slightly depress after reading.

of books, movies and weekends

I call in sick today.

Not too sure if it is food poisioning or viral infection. Whatever it is, i was hugging the toilet bowl for the whole of last night. Not a pretty sight.

Anyway, manage to sleep through the entire afternoon so was feeling better now though tummy is still a lit' quesey.

Anyway, it's the weekend. What are you doing? If I'm feeling better, I would love to catch Julie & Julia on the big screen. I would maybe even pop by the Kinokuniya and grab My Life in France by Julia Child which the movie is based upon.

Whenever there is a movie based on any novel/memoires, the latter is always much more captivating, interesting and speak to me better. There is something about words that motion picture cannot replication.

The memoires of the Geisha, Da Vinci code, Times' Traveller's Wife, Harry Potter, etc.. The books are always much much better than the movies.

Except for The Notebook, which also happens to be one of my favourite love movies of all time!

The next thing to look out for is 'My Sister's Keeper'. I was crying bucket when I was reading the book by Jodi Picolt. It really tucks at the heartstrings. Not sure if the movie will be the same? Do watch out for that. 'My Sister's keeper' will be in cinema on 22nd Oct.

Do watch out for it.

of wedding invitation

I adore this video to bits. Must have taken a looooonnng time to create. Such a genius idea.

People are now embracing social media as tool for communication. They are slowing taking away the traditional invitation card. I just received a wedding invitation through facebook. Not that I like that idea but then if I can't beat them, I'll have to join them. Yep you guess right. I RSVP back through facebook too.

of our bangkok hotel

I finally made up my mind after a week of research!

We will be staying at The Heritage Bangkok for our upcoming trip end of this month.

That decision didn't come easier. Believe me. I practically read up on all the bangkok hotel reviews before making that decision.


Modern and chic room









Clean bathroom with rain shower!!!









Rooftop pool. Can you believe it!!








The Heritage Bangkok was launched in 2008 in Silom which is within Bangkok CBD area and is also 1 minute away from the BTS station! Nice...


Enuff said.

Hope that our experience will be a reflection of the pictures as well.

So excited for the trip.

Being a perfectionist can be so painful but rewarding at times. Thankfully I am a 'selective perfectionist'. I choose what I want perfection in. A holiday is definitely one of them.

Hehe...

of I need a break else I'll break

Sawadee ka,

Happy friday everyone! Well, I'm happy anyway.

I'm honing my thai language preparing for my next bangkok trip end of Oct! Yeap you've seen right! The tickets are booked. How exciting!!!

I remembered our trip to bangkok exactly 2 years ago. Unlike the last trip where we spent 5 days in bkk and 2 days in Hua Hin, we will just be spending 5 days in bkk this time.

Shop, Eat and Spa. :)

Bkk is like my paradise. No matter how many times I've been there, it's always present a different feeling. The people are so warm and friendly.

Hopefully, no riot, no natural disaster, just happy tourists.

Any nice hotel to recommend? Leave a comment and let me know ya.

Sawadee ka (also meaning goodbye)

of fly-away bride

Me and MArk is having our usual wedding conversation and this particular one sets me cracking up.


Me: My mom seems to prefer a saturday night wedding banquet but I'm afraid with the morning wedding at church, I'll be half dead by the night session. (Me and MArk initially agreed to have a sunday night banquet)
MArk: Hmmm.. I don't think you'll be tired on that day right?
Me: Ya.. Maybe must down plenty of Red Bull
MArk: But what if you fly away?
Me: .... (my mind conjuncting up an image of a fly-away bride on her wings) ROFL

of more venues down, some more to go

Seems to have a turn of event during our venue sourcing for our wedding. Apparently Grand Corpthone Waterfront doesn't have the dates that we wanted. We are soooo flexible giving them at least 12 dates but none fits into their busy schedule. Boohooo..

I love the ballroom! High ceiling, no pillar, beautiful long aisle walk-in and garden backdrop.

Too bad.. We have to quickly source for an alternative venue to back us up. We have to convince ourselves that an alternative doesn't mean second best though. It might just means a higher price tag. haha..

of mixed feelings

I was watching a funny scene on TV when it all started. It first started as a chuckle, and progressively evolve into full blown laughter. I was laughing and laughing so hard till tears were streaming down uncontrollably. Without any warning, it laughing turn to sobbing. Those fat tears just rolled down uncontrollably...

This yo-yo emotion went on for a good 3 minutes before I snapped myself out of it.

This never happened to me before... Must be those pent-up emotions trying all their means to escape me through any emotional release action, hence make those laughing-out-loud become sobbing-out-loud.

While I was laughing-crying or whatever you call that, I was actually alternating between 2 emotions simutaneouly; laughing and crying and laughing and crying again. One moment I was laughing at the stupidity of the actress, and the next moment I found myself crying and thinking about those issues that life has thrown onto my lap. This yo-yo emotion went on for a good 3 minutes before I snapped myself out of it.

That's what I would literally call - mixed feelings.

You know they always say "don't know to laugh or to cry". While I did both. I laughed and I cried.

I must be too high strung lately. Hmmm..

Source: getty images

of full circle

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven. Ecclesiates 3:1

It has truly been a challenging period for me, trying to juggle with work, church and my life.

It wasn’t so much as a tough season, but a season where I have come full circle.

After all the changes that I am going through with the situation at work, the direction of the church and with my personal life, they are now the same as they were in the beginning.

With work has been most frustrating. After all the changes that we need to do since the first draft, we have sent the designers back to their drawing board for uncountless times and in the end, we ended up with something similar to the first draft. I understand that that was an inevitable process.

Last Sunday, Pastor Khong mentioned that he had a revelation that God wanted him to complete what he has started off so many years ago. All these years, with all the implemented changes injected at mid-way, it might seem that we are heading back where we have left off.

I must admit that I am becoming dizzy from all these merry-go-round motion. It’s not fun getting lost in the labyrinth. I just needed some clear direction.

It sets me thinking somehow.

Maybe we all need to come full circle in order to realize something which we have forgotten along the way? Because along the way, we lost ourselves to distraction and to the wrong voices and forget what is truly most important?

I don’t know.

But I hope that now there will be a time when the circle is completed so that we don’t have to go round again. It should be sealed, complete and closed.

But then, I know that no matter how far we have walked. Whether it is still within the circle or off-tangent, we will find ourselves back at where He is. At least, for me.









Ecclesiates 3: 1-8

There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace

of kudos to Liese Bubble Hair Color

I never like to do DIY color at home as I find it very troublesome and messy. I prefer going to a hair salon to have someone do it for me. Not forgetting that I used to get free hair color and treatment thanks to the perks of my (then) job, DIY coloring is really not my thing.

Now that it isn't 'free' anymore, I decided to do my research well before heading down any hair salon which offers the best promotion. Before I could do that, I saw the Liese Bubble Hair Color commercial on TV.

Marketing is about getting the message to the people at the right time when they are searching for it. That just did it for me!

I decided to give DIY hair color a try again after seeing how easy it is. So I bought Liese Bubble Hair Color in Ash brown at Watson at $19.90 to try it out.

Boy, it sure did not disappoint!

For those who are still not in the know, Kao Liese Bubble Hair Color is a new type of permanent hair color that uses foam. It is so easy to apply and best of all, color hair so evenly. That, for me, is what sets it apart from its other competitor.

You guys know that I have super long hair that reaches to my waist. It will be CRAZY for me to DIY the hair color myself without making a big mess. I have MArk on standby in case I need him. But that prove to be unnecessary.

I did it effortless all by myself, on my long hair, without a mess!! That really awe-ed me.

Not only is it super easy to apply. I just need to lather into my scalp and hair and leave on for 30minutes. The color turns out very even as well.

Also, this one doesn't have that chemical stench as bad as others which I have tried from the salons.

However, I do feel a slight itch on my scalp during and after the coloring. But my scalp is on a sensitive side so it doesn't really comes as a surpise for me.

For $19.90, I am so satisfied with the result I see.

I'll definitely use it again!

Kudos to the guys at Kao for this avant-garde product!

of bread and butter

It’s work, work, work, work and more work.

It’s non-stop action since last Monday. I reckon it will last till end of end week. Gosh, I’m heading to a burn-out and really need a break.

Performing miracles, doing the impossible, hitting ceiling-high targets are all in a day’s work and giving your best seems mediocre.

Good. Better. Best. I wondered what comes after that? I need that.

My social life is non-existent, unless you count those wall messages and photo tagging from Facebook or the random tweeting.

So tired. Crawling to bed each night…

Sometimes when I stopped and think about it, I asked myself why I am doing all these. Or rather, who am I doing all these for? Is it really worth it?

Then I remembered about my plans for the future, I remembered God’s promise, I remembered that I need to give God glory in all things I do, I remember about people who are in a worse situation than me.

I realized that I still have my job to thank God for and am indeed still blessed.

But still sometime I can’t help but wonder how long more can take this?

I’m only human.

of one venue down, many more to go

The Hilton Wedding show we went to last weekend is a real disappointment.

The ballrooms and deco are very nicely decked out but they just lack the punch we are looking for.

One of the main criteria I am looking for is for the hotel to have an eye for detail, which is what Hilton Singapore is soring lacking.

After registration, we were left standing there without any instruction what to do. We ventured into the grand ballroom and still there isn't any sign of help coming our way. After 10 minutes of loitering within the ballroom, we decided to approach the counter.

Me: Hi, we are very lost here. Can you tell us what to do?
Hilton Rep: Erm..
MArk: XX contacted us for this wedding show. May I know where is she?
Hilton Rep: Erm, XX is busy at the moment.
Me/MArk: I give 'that' look to MArk which we both know is the 'invisible roll-eye' look.
Hilton Rep 2: Maybe I can bring you around?

Duh!

They have to cheek asking us to pay $30 for the wedding show and let us explore your ground on our own? Some great hospitality you've got.

The rest of the show got much better after introdution from the 2nd rep. He patiently bring us to the various venue and explained to us each of the theme they were trying to potray. I must say it don't look too bad. The dessert buffet looks interesting too!

Being the perfectionist me, I have already determind not to sign up with them. They have already lost us in the beginning. Talk about first impression.

Their only saving grace is the complimentary parking ticket which we still have to request for that day. Else we have to pay an additional $17.50! MARk will be super pissed.

Nonetheless, both of us agreed to cross out Hilton. (Sorry, just too bad you didn't manage to wow us)

We are heading to the Fairmont Wedding show later. It's free admission. Hopefully that'll turn out to be better.

of my 1st ultrasound and I don't like what they found

Period cramps are quite the norm for me but to have cramps until I broke out in cold sweat in another matter altogether. This was what happened to me a couple of weeks back.

Just to be one the safe side, I went for an ultrasound scan at one of the clinic at Paragon just to dismiss any nagging feeling within. Just to be sure you know.

The procedure was fast and the nurse told me that it is the same procedure when expecting mummies come in to check on the growth of their babies. How ironic to be doing the same thing but having entirely different set of feelings! :(

I just gotten the report on thursday. They found a small hypoechoic nodule in my uterus measuring 5.5mm in its longest length. For a layman like you and I, it means they found a small fibroid growth. They attributed that to causing the painful cramps.

I called my mum immediately. (mummies are always the first we call when we are in trouble don't we?)

She told me that 3 years ago, her doctor also told her that she has a 5.5mm growth but that mass ballooned to 9 cm within 3 years. She just had the hysterectomy surgery in july because of the oversize fibroid.

I thank God that I found out early and believes that He can and will heal me. Not really that worrying that as the peace of God is with me.

But my point is if we find that there is something wrong with our bodies, don't procrastinate to see a doctor. Instead of losing sleep because of that anxiety, isn't it better to get a dignosis? Maybe it is just a health scare or maybe it is something much more than that. Either way, it still gives us a greater peace of mind.

Yeah, I know sometimes it could be like opening a pandora's box. But I think I rather know than not know it. It can sometime be a matter of life and death. Early detection can save lives!

Go for your health screening if you have been procrasting that for the longest time. Just to be sure ya.

of the never-ending insatiable wanderlust

The long awaited weekend is finally here! Some weekends are really good-to-have well others are need-to-have. This one happens to be the latter.

The office environment really become much cheerier as the week wears off.

This is usually how I will feel as I transit down the week.

Monday - A feeling of separation anxiety from the weekends. Need some time to warm up to the work.

Tuesday - Thank God I made it through the mondays. Usually most productive and looking forward to clear the work.

Wednesday - Oh good! Its mid-week. What should I have for lunch?

Thursday - Just need to hold on for 1 more day before the weekends!

Friday - Euphoria! On cloud's nine! Whatever bad things that happen can't be that bad anyway. :)


I guess this couple of weeks is worse due to the heightening of the project on hand. It'll soon be over!

Throughout the week, my mind has been echoing Joanne Peh's mantra from Jetstar commercial! "Singapore, you need a break!" Yes. I need a break. I want a break!

So image my surprise when I flipped through TODAY and saw Jetstar's advertisment on their Jetsaver Light Challenge! It is back!

For those not in the know, Jetsave Light Challenge will be flying 10 shortlisted team to selected Jestar destination for a day of fun, excitment and adverture. The team of 2 will pit themselves again other teams for the grand prizes usually in the form of travel vouchers.

I immediate told MArk that I won't missed it for the world! I will make use of my travel itinerary writting skill I acquired during my HTM days in TP for this. (I remember scoring a distinctive for that!) Hopefully my travel itinerary will be some impressive that it will shout "Pick me! Pick me!" and Jetstar will fly us there for the challenge!

Being a self-confessed wanderlust, I am so ashame to say that I have not been traveling as much as I like to. This just gives me a chance to feed my traveling desire!

of Cockney and talking cock

During my poly days, I was working part time at Harry Bar in Changi Airport. I get to see very interesting personalities everyday. Those semi-drunkard are always eager give me a cultural walkthrough of their home country. One time, a very drunk australian lady passed me a AUD$100 for bringing her to her boarding gate!

To me, working there is my gateway to the rest of the world. I truly enjoyed my time there.

One of the most interersting things I have heard of is the Cockney language. Cockney is a region in London. They have a very unique slang which is the Cockney slang. It is a rather uncommon slang and was looked down upon in the past.

What happen was I overheard 2 englishmen talking to each other in English but I have absolutely NO IDEAS what they were driving at. I was so fascinated so I asked them. They told me that they were actually conversing in Cockney rhyming slang and explain to me how it works.

Rhyming slang is a form of slang in which a word is replaced by a rhyming word, typically the second word of a two-word phrase (so stairs becomes "apples and pears" as pears rhymes with stairs.) The second word is then often dropped entirely ("I'm going up the apples"), meaning that the association of the original word to the rhyming phrase is not obvious to the uninitiated.

So imagine my surprise when I stumbled across this article on 'Cash machine offers Cockney slang'
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20090824/tuk-cash-machine-offers-cockney-slang-6323e80.html

I could decipher its meaning!! My lesson in Harry Bar come rushing back to mind and was put to good use!

Instead of the usual English language, the ATM also comes in the option of Cockney language!

Therefore, they are asked to enter their "Huckleberry Finn", which means to enter their Pin (Finn rhymes with Pin)
To withdraw £10, will have to ask for a 'speckled hen' (hen and ten rhymes) By the way, Speckled hen is a famous ale loved by the Englishmen.
Also, they will be ask how much "sausage and mash" (mash and cash rhymes) they want.

You might be thinking that it makes no sense at all!

Actually, you will be surprise.

I asked that same question when the 2 Englishmen gave me the examples of "Apples and Pears". I asked them what has it got to do with stairs? They said that the rule of thumb is to have some sort of association to it. And 'Apples and Pears' crate can be found under the stairs. Duh... How obvious right!

Do you 'Adam and Eve' (Believe) it? haha..


Translate this:

'Allo me old china - wot say we pop round the Jack. I'll stand you a pig and you can rabbit on about your teapots. We can 'ave some loop and tommy and be off before the dickory hits twelve.


Translated:

Hello my old mate (china plate) - what do you say we pop around to the bar (Jack Tar). I'll buy you a beer (pig's ear) and you can talk (rabbit and pork) about your kids (teapot lids). We can have some soup (loop de loop) and supper (Tommy Tucker) and be gone before the clock (hickory dickory dock) strikes twelve.

OR

"Got to my mickey, found me way up the apples, put on me whistle and the bloody dog went. It was me trouble telling me to fetch the teapots."

which really means:

"Got to my house (mickey mouse), found my way up the stairs (apples and pears), put on my suit (whistle and flute) when the phone (dog and bone) rang. It was my wife (trouble and strife) telling me to get the kids (teapot lids)."


Well, if you don't understand a thing from my post. I guess, that's the whole idea. :)



Resources: http://www.aldertons.com/ & Wikipedia

of wedding bells ringing

I am in the midst of preparing for our 2010 wedding. It is a bag of mixture emotions. Exhilarating yet confusing. There are so many wedding forums, magazines, articles and advices telling the bride-to-be what to do and what to look out for. They just further confused me.

Right now, we are giving ourselves until oct to decide on our wedding venue. We have shortlisted a couple of hotels that can accommodate our 55 tables. Yes, you did not read wrongly. 55 tables.

Before, I have envisioned my wedding to be an intimate family and close friends only sort of celebration. Somewhere outdoor, surrounded by pretty flowers and greens, breezy, with a live band and a small dance floor for the couple's first dance.

However, looking at the Singapore weather and the sheer number and demographic of guests, I don't think my original plan is going to work. I watched too much Hollywood movies.

In reality, my wedding is going to be a big celebration, somewhere indoor with AC, maybe no dance floor and definately no more mama mia style. Either way, I am still going to make it work, make it an enjoyable time for my guest and an unforgettable memories for me and MArk.

That's what matter most.

Its not about getting my way and having my dream wedding. Well, they all say a marriage involved 6 people. I couldn't agree more. I really hope to make the event and the journey of planning an enjoyable one for us and our parents.

Coming back to the venue, I have shortlisted a few:
-Grand Corpthone Waterfront
-Hilton
-Meritus Mandarin
-Pan Pacific
-Fairmont

We have so far been to GCW for recee. We are happy with what was offered. However, the real haggling will start once we confirm on the venue. haha..

Next step will be to source for the wedding gown and packages.

We might decide to take our bridal shoot overseas. (That's part of the deal he made with me if I accept his proposal. I'm easily bribed.) :)We are planning to do that in Mar/April next year.

Next step is to go on diet. Its really hard for someone like me. Even drinking water makes me put on weight. :(

Anyway, more of that later.

Need some rest now. I'm actually on MC today. Think all the work and wedding plans taking a toll on me.

of overcoming the odds one step a time

VICTORY is a process. It doesn't happen only at the finishing line. It is actually the sum of many small victories. And if in the process of obtaining that VICTORY, you give up, all the small victories actually counts for nothing.

The small victories come first when you decided to set your mind in obtaining that VICTORY, it is the small little steps along the way where you tell yourselves to take yet another step even when you feel that you cannot, it is banishing all the negative thoughts and fears that tell you that you are never able to make it. It is going beyond your limits one small step at a time.

I had that revelation when I was running for my virgin 21KM.

Negative thoughts hit me just at the 2KM mark. "Christine, you are not going to make it. You still have 19KM to go. Your body won't be able to take it as you have yet to recover from your flu". The mind get bombared by all sort of negative thoughts telling me to give up. I looked at MArk running beside me and decide to just go on another KM. - small victory

At 4KM, I told MArk I need to consume the power gel as I needed more energy. Never have I expected the sheer disgusting taste within that small silver pack. My stomach rejected that immeditately but I force it down with water anyway. -small victory

We started from opposite Fullerton Hotel, up Benjamin Shears bridge and all the way to East Coast Park. Once we reached East Coast Park, it was about 6.5KM. My body felt better, accustomed to the run. We stopped for toilet break and continue to hit the pavement. Along the way, we saw Angelyn. She is looking strong so I told her to carry on without us. Finally, we saw the U-Turn which marks the halfway point of the race. I felt stronger, I urged myself to go on.

Fatigue starts to creep in at 11KM. I told myself that 12KM will be a milestone for me as I have never reached that distance before. I continued another KM. - small victory

I continued for another 2 KM before I slow down to a walk. I looked up at saw that we were approaching 15KM. 15KM! One of my 2009 new year resolution is to hit 15KM. I did what I set out to do! On the other hand, my mind starts to do a mental calculation. "How am I going to complete another 6KM? My knees felt sore and the muscles are cramped. But I have come too far to give up now." -small victory

It was really challenging from 16KM to 19KM. My stamina is still on operative mode but my legs really give way. Every step was accompanied by pain and I have to stop every now and then. The point is I continue. - small victory

Upon seeing the 19KM sign, I somehow find the strength to pick up my speed. I told MArk that I want to run to the finishing line instead of walking there. My legs seem to grow a live of its own and I rely on pure adrenaline to carry me through. The last KM was the longest KM ever. Finally I heard someone shouted "350M to the finishing line". small victory

I am almost there.

I looked at my running pacer, gave him a small victory smile. Both of us know relish that special moment. We are there. I am there. My first 21KM.

I clocked 3Hr and 09min.

MArk told me that the distance (21KM) will never get further but I can.

Yes I can. :)

That is MY VICTORY. - The summation of all the small victories.

Don't give up. Count your small victories and eventually, you will see the FINISHING in the horizon.

P.S: Thank you MArk for your encouragement. Without you, there will not be any VICTORY. This post is dedicated to you.

of unCOMFORT cab

I had a very bad encounter with a comfort cab driver this week. I was waiting for a cab for a good twenty minutes before I called the booking hotline. Like always whenever we tried to called a cab, another cab with the green-lit top hover over the horizon. I cancelled the booking even before the cab number was called and flagged that down.

Just when I reached home, I saw an unknown number calling so I picked it up. It was none other that the 'so-called cancelled' cab driver. I told him I had cancelled the cab but he refused to take my explanation. He gave me a good verbal trashing and stopped only when I asked for his cab number.

I never see myself as an angry person but this time he really hit my treshold. I called up Comfort Cab to make a formal complaint on this cab driver.

I thought to myself that I should not boycott Comfort as this is just one of the many driver. However after calling their customer care hotline, I don't see what they really care about.

First, they did not get back to me promptly. Secondly, only after the second call did they tell me that they are investigating the complaint.

They are investigating i) for technical failure on why is it after I cancelled the call but the cab driver still received the booking. ii) the attitude of the driver. They will need FIVE working days to get back to me.

Their reply really disappoint me. i) whether if it is a technical failure, the cab driver should not call the customer and verbally abuse them. ii) why do they need FIVE working days to investigate such a straight-forward complaint?

You know sometime you get those feeling like the company is backing up their employees no matter what wrong they did. You felt that you have no choice but to bring this to external parties like CASE or even the forum in order to get your case resolved?

I felt like that.

That is just one very bad incident that I recently encountered. Anybody can just be in a custiner service line and there is nothing 'customer service' about their body language. There are no passion, only full of attitude.

I don't think I am the only one finding it. I will make it a point never to return and also employ WOM to make sure my friends and relatives do the same.

However, not all are like that. I do find some very helpful customer service personnel. One particular one is a lady from Robinson Centrepoint ladies department. I can see she really love what she is doing. Kudos to that.

Well... hopefully FIVE working days later I will hear from comfort and see what they have to say.

child-likeness

I had a quick catch up with the ladies at East Coast Big Splash earlier this afternoon. We really enjoyed ourselves.

Xueli brought her cutie Elly along but I think she is in a bad mood today. Whenever me and MArk tried to get near her, she will pout her lips and look like she is going to cry anytime. Other times, she will laugh. Talk about unpredictable.

The thing about children is they can behave as how they felt and get away with it. If they are happy, they play with you. If they are cranky, they just ignore you. If they are tired, they will just go to sleep.

You know, how I wish I can be like them. To be able to express my emotions plainly without being critised.

Children never take anything personally and never hold grudges. They will not judge or get angry at you for long. They are basically UNOFFENDABLE.

Each day presents a clean slate for them and a new adventure.

We should learn to be more like children so we can enjoy each day as it is.

How I wish I can dance like nobody is watching, live like there is no tomorrow.

I've got you!

I've decided to run the 21Km Half Army Marathon which I have repeatedly told MArk that it is something which I won't do.

I sorta regret the decision, the moment the words slipped off my lips. However, I will still stay true to my words.

I know I'm still going to do it anyway.

Why put myself through those gruesome miles?

Well... I am so sick of telling myself I cannot do something and so tired of getting mediocre results.

If I keep doing things the same way, things are going to stay the same.

So this marathon is not only a physical training but also a mental training to myself. It is a platform for me to psych myself to prepare for the greater things in life. :)

So far, I've only covered 10KM. Another 11Km more to go. I cannot and dare not imagine how I'm going to do it.

I was running in the park this morning and was on my 8Km. I wanted to give up initially but saw something.

I saw a father teaching his son how to ride a 2-wheels bicycle. His eyes never left his son and he is always staying closely at the back never allow his son to fall down. His body language seems to be saying: "Son, I've got you".

The boy didn't give up either..

He ride wobbly for some distance before stopping to recompose himself and continue on. I run by them and encourage the boy and told him not to keep it up!

I told myself the same.

That image spurred me on for the last 2KM. The hardest 2KM.

I was reminded by how God also kept his eyes on me all the time.

"Daughter, don't give up. I've got you" is what he says.

of magic wand & genie in the bottle

When I was a little girl of around 4 years of age, I got the taste of my first real disappointment.

I don’t know how I gotten the idea that I could purchase a magic wand and that could grant me any 3 wishes I wanted. It could be from the cartoon network or some fairy tales bedtime story. Nonetheless, the idea of having a magic wand fascinates me beyond my little mind could contain. I thought of it day and night and even dreamt about it.

Somehow, I manage to persuade my mom to give me $50 to buy my wand. $50 is a big thing 20 years ago. It could be a $200 equivalent in today’s context. My mom could have felt that intense earnest in me to agree to this silly request of her 4 years old daughter.

In my mum’s mind, it just another ‘toy’ which her daughter wanted and soon she will grow out of that airy fairy phase. It wasn’t like that for me. I sincerely believed that such magic exist and is determined in hunting it down.

On that fateful day, my sister, our nanny and I set off for my ‘wand’ hunting at Toys’ R Us across the island. I don’t know if my nanny is just patronizing me or if she really doesn’t have a clue of what I was looking for. We wandered from stores to stores, with me trying my best to describe the magic wand to the sales person. We were rejected at each stores and the disappointment sets in deeper and deeper.

At the end of that day, I was somehow convinced that what I was looking for doesn’t exist.
What saddened me most is not about the magic wand. It wasn’t even about the 3 wishes that I could have. I didn’t even think about what are they wishes that I wanted.

It is about idea of having a magical wand, a mystical “genie in the bottle” who will grant me just about anything I wanted.

I felt disappointment for the first time in my life (at age 4).

I told this story to MArk last night. We were at Wendy’s birthday celebration and somehow I brought up this topic. MArk wasn’t surprise. He is rather accustomed to my ‘Alice in Wonderland’ mode but he had another name for that. He called them ‘you and your nonsense’ instead.

I told me that it was at age 4 that I realized I couldn’t have what I want all the time. I understood disappointment. I realize that my life is not as easy as to waving a magic wand and getting just what I wanted.

On our way home, we stopped by the petrol kiosk and I have gotten a surprise.
Before MArk stepped off the car, being the gentleman that he is, he will always ask if he can get me anything from the store. I just causally told him that I wanted the Tigger plush toy which was on display at the store. Both of us know that I am not a fan of plush toy and he knew that I’m being nonsense again. So he left the car without a word to make payment.

5 minutes later, he came back with the Tigger in his arm.

He told me that he fought all the urges to come back and asked if I truly wanted the toy. He goes against his logic and gotten me something which I just said I wanted.

I knew he remembered my story.

I still didn’t have the magic wand. But I have him. I have family and friends who loved me and who are willing to go all out and care for me and protect me.

I won’t forget the look on his face when he came back to the car that day.

I was looking at my magic wand.

Even better, I am looking at a magic wand who not only give me what I want. He gives me what is best for me.

If given a choice to get what you want and what is good for you, what would you choose?

Me too. :)

I thought of our heavenly father and I thought I saw Jesus in him that day.

of new inspiration and dreams

Its a funny feeling.

Everytime I wanted to start anew, I have this urge to change my blogskin. It is as if there is some sort of intertwined connection between them. I'll have this urge to blog. Like changing a new outlook will have a change of heart.

My heart.

This is a new beginning for me.

Bit by bit, there will be new changes. Good changes.

Look out for it!

2nd Driving attempt

Work started in full swing and time passes so quickly. It is one of the rare luxuries that I never get to enjoy back at the ex-company. Back then, minutes passed like hours and hours like days.

Now, a random check on the time will reflect a good 3 hours difference from the last check. Before I know it, it’s time to pack up and hit home! Within the 8 hours, I’m doing a million thing, concurrently.

That’s how 1 month has passed. – without knowing it…

Today’s different.

Today, I’ve taken a day off for my driving test. Unfortunately, I failed the second attempt. I was really confident of this time, thinking that I am more prepared, etc… Still…

This was my worst attempt yet. I wondered why I suck at driving and concluded that my mind cannot be doing only one thing at a time. In another words, I am a serial multi-tasker. To do one thing at a time bored me to death. So while driving, my mind auto-pilot itself to do more than a thing at a time. And most of the time, while driving, my mind auto-pilot itself to day-dream. Its really scary when suddenly, I was jotted out of daydream to force myself to concentrate on the road and one minute later drifting into wonderland like our dear Alice…

(Is it me or it is me?)

But through this, I’ve learnt. We often learn our lesson through failure. I learn how not to be afraid of failing. Many times, the idea of failing is more terrifying than the actual failure itself. I’ll try again.

My 3^rd final attempt.

Love is a walk in the park

To say that Love is a walk in the park.. Well... that's definitely an understatement. It is hard work.

But that's what we did on St. Valentines' Day.

A walk in the park...

Love is....

A journey

made by 2 like-minded people

to weather the mountain-high and valley-low experience of life together

to look at the big picture, without sweating the small stuff

to watch the sunset together and thank God for the day...

Love is this...

Tickets book for Guangzhou

I'm finally able to satisfy some insatiable part of my wanderlust bug this year! My air ticket for Guangzhou is booked on the 22nd Feb to 27th Feb. My mom and god-ma will be joining me. I'm finally able to visit my dad after his 3 years stint there. Looking forward to the trip, alas, MArk won't be joining.

I'm nursing a flu and gastric at home as of this moment. Still, it didn't dampened my holiday mood!

Living my best life now!!

Job search testimony

Dear all,

As some of you have known, I have been desperately searching for a job for the past 5 months. I was really at my breaking point in my current company and was literally dragging my feet to work daily. But I want to share the good news with you that God has opened a door for me and I just signed the appointment letter with the new company on Tuesday (20.01.09)

Jer29:11 is the key verse that held me on during those bleakest days.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, “plans to prospers you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future”.

I know that God has a marvelous plan for me. I just have not seen it coming to pass. I told God that I’ll be waiting. The wait hasn’t been easy for me.

As you know, God place us in His waiting room where valuable lessons couldn’t be learnt anywhere else. God is teaching me a lesson of endurance, dying to my desire, dealing with disappointment and His favor.

As I continue reading Jer29:12-14(a), “Then you will call upon me, and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me with all your hearts, I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, and will bring you back from captivity…

Only on hindsight, I realized that God has led me on a journey to seek Him, not the job.


God has His way of teaching me how to die to my desire. In all the resumes which I have sent out, there are those (3-4 of them) that I have classified as “dream job”. Interestingly enough, I will always be called up for interview, each one keeps getting better that the previous one.

Each of the rejection was always at the final stages of interviews stating hiring freeze or they decided to choose another candidates (its either me or the other person) or other reasons.

The final call came when I was rejected yet again but this time it was for the job which I have been eyeing for since my school days.

I was devastated, disappointed and hopeless. Angry at why God didn’t bless with me that job. I could still feel the raw emotions at this point of time. However it was through that that God lead me on a process of dying to my desire.

I was literally like “since the worst is over, I didn’t get that dream job, what can be worst than that?”


A dead man doesn’t struggle. Through these, I have stopped struggling with God on searching for the job. Of course I prayed that His salvation will come as it was really unbearable for me in my current company but I let Him take full control.

Still after one month, nothing happens. I wondered why God is silent. Then God led me to read a passage from a book “Experiencing God”.

When Lazarus was dying, Mary and Martha sent a message to Jesus to come to them. But Jesus waited for 2 days before going and Lazarus was already lying cold in the tomb for 4 days. Why Jesus did not act immediately. Why the silent treatment from Jesus?? The passage then continue to say that (in my own words) :“you already know that I can heal the sick and know that I will heal Lazarus. But now, I’m bringing you to another level and let you see my Glory like you have not seen before by raising a dead man”.

God truly show himself to me after couple of days.

My aunt sent me a good article by Joel Osten on God’s favor. She told me I have to read it before going for my 2nd interview (Yes another mental torture!). She told me God told her that His favor will be upon me. I have attached it so you can read it and apply as well.

Indeed, His favour is upon me when the HR manager called me to tell me that I was selected for the job! WooHoo!

Well.. Just when I thought it was finally over, God still didn’t think it is!

God knows how unbearable I was in my current company and decided to give me a break!

My boss told me that she does not need to me serve the one month notice as I held some confidential information on the company. She asked me to do my handover and she’ll release me on the same day!!!

Through and through, I was overwhelmed by God’s grace and favor. I cannot sit and do nothing after what He had done for me. I really give all thanks to Him for what He had done and for all the people He had sent to encourage me.

Through this, I saw the love of my family and friends. Helping me through this has become a community affair.

People to thank:
Me and MArk’s family are constantly encouraging me. Yee Kwee, Flora and Elaine were always praying for me, my friends (Xueli, Jorine, Carlene-sister) were always sending me sms to update me with job ‘lobangs’, Tina and Shelley did all that they can to pray for me, hold me tight from spiraling downwards, Vincent for his impactful resume writing, Minvey, Chris Tan, Diana for sharing with me their testimony to give me surge of hope when I really need. I also want to thank MArk for he not only saw all the tears, disappointment, hopelessness and fear in me, he also walk the path with me, feeling my pain as though it was his.

Above all else, I thank God for what He has done, the doors which He had close, those that He open and for all the people He had sent to encourage me, to give me hope for another day.